The Australian newspaper Truth of Sydney published on June 4, 1922, on page 6, an article stating that Charles Leadbeater was a trickster and recounted Annie Besant's fanatic defense of Leadbeater in Sydney.
A PRINCE OF CHARLATANS
THE SINGULAR AND SLIMY LEADBEATER
MRS. BESANT DEPARTS; BUT LEAVES HIM HERE
Further Information About This Precious Pair
Annie Besant went to Australia to defend Charles Leadbeater
Mrs. Besant was booked to leave for London last Thursday, after a short stay in this City, marked by a tumultuous storm of protest on account of her past and recent association with the pseudo "Bishop" Leadbeater.
The row was commenced by leading members of the local Theosophical Society, who would have nore of yhe "Bishop" cupers within the Theosophical fold, and were determined that he would not drag in that spurious organisation of freakish emulation, 'The Liberal Catholic Church.'
(Cid note: it is a fake church that Leadbeater and Wedgwood developed so they could pretend to be bishops and satisfy their pedophilic desires.)
Neither as the mouth-piece and defender (in frequently needed in the past of her affectionate hirsute pal [Leadbeater], or in defence of her suspicious championing of him did Annie utter one word of rebuttal.
In the face of this, and the serious charges levelled at Leadbcater, it is curious to note that Mrs. Besant was farewelled at a gathering of citizens in the chief civic hall. Even though those present could not be classed as thoroughly representative of the citizens, they included several members of the learned professions, content to figure publicly with an old woman who has constantly dabbled in the black arts of the East.
Mrs. Besant, in her meandering among Spiritualists, Theosophists, Atheists, Buddhists. Hindus, and a host of other bodies, ending in "ists", has cleverly; got into touch with wealthy cranks.
She has written proliflcally, and her weird ebullitions have had a ready sale, especially the treatises on contraception. These enjoyed a large circulation. Bradlaugh and she are alleged to have received, directly and indirectly, about £15,000 as the result of their publishing the 'Fruits of Philosophy'.' No doubt Bradlaugh got the lion's share.
In 1913, she admitted in evidence that she drew 10'000 or 12'000 rupees a year from the Theosopliical publishing house in London. She has provided £600 a year each to be paid to Krishnamurtl and his brother.
At the time she was brazenly retaining in her and Leadbeater's dual custody the two Hindu brothers (referred to in last issue), an appeal was made by leading Hindu officials on behalf of the father, who was beggared by the law costs of the suit he instituted against Mrs. Besant, for funds to carry the case further.
The appeal, published in a leading paper 'The Hindu', set out that the fight was against 'a person so influential and wealthy ag the President of the Theosophical Society,' and involved issues of much public importance from a social, religious and moral point of view.
It continued, "The Indian community cannot be sufficiently on its guard against the creeping into it of beliefs, practices, and teachings which are subversive of all morality and social order, and which are detrimental to the healthy development of the youths of this country on the lines of clean living and right thinking."
However, despite all this, Mrs. Besant found favor in certain social circles here: and has left her beloved friend Leadbeater behind, an object of suspicion mainly because of the past imputations against him regarding young boys, that, he still persists ill gathering in Ills well-preserved but senile presence.
Before her departure, Annie administered a public spanking to those who "blew the gaff" on her.
It is stated: "A number of Theosophists who have taken an active part in demanding an inquiry into the charges made relative to The Liberal Catholic Church, and certain of its dignitaries, have received a little note from Mrs, Besant cancelling their membership of the Esoteric School of Theosophy. They have been called upon to return all documents, photographs, etc., which have come into their possession as members of the School and told that Mrs. Besant can no longer regard them as her pupils."
Beforf she arrived in Sydney, Mrs. Besant was fully aware of the hostility among local Theosophists towards Leadbeater for, from Adyar, Madras, India.
On March 2, 1922, she sent a printed circular to the members of the local society in which she stated that she did not propose to enter into any detailed defence of "my honored Colleague, Bishop C.W, Leadbeater, or of myself or any others slandered by name."
She also stated: "The published letter of Mr. Martyn contains a number of infamous accusations, none of which I believe, against persons whom I know to be in capable of the conduct charged."
It will be thus seen that Annie arrived here with the stubborn intention of sticking to Leadbeater, and she left; these shores with her original intention intact. The many mealy-mouthed at tempts on her part to excite sympathy in the face of the glaring revelations of what she knew of Leadbeater's past immoral and contaminating practices might well be'expected from this remarkable woman.
At various times she has cleverly writhed and twisted out of many tight corners, and helped others similarly placed to safety from a putrid morass of impurities. She helped Leadbeater back into the Theosophlcal Society after he had been Ignomlnlously exposed and ejected, and still has the brazen effrontery to try and foist him on this city — this time as a mitred prelate.
After the trounefags Leadbeater got at the various tribunals he was summoned before, both Theosophical and judicial, over his teachings and practices with boys, he has flagrantly set up an establishment here, and expects to be tolerated.
The question for the public is: how long is he to be permitted to affront the people with his insidious and unwhole some doctrines, muttered Into the ears of young boys, strutting through the ultra-respectable suburb where he lives, escorted like a mediaeval prelate, but looking more like a patriarchal popin jay?
Annie has gone, but the memory of her when she was a Bradlaughian Atheist, which form of Secularism she deserted — remains. Half of the Atheists of the National Secular, Society went over to George William Foote, and the remainder followed the scoundrel. Dr. E.B. Aveling, into Socialist societies. Annie, the clairvoyant, the author of mystic rot that would get a Sydney fortune-teller six months.
Annie, the author of 'The Law of Population', and the publisher of 'The Fruits of Philosophy', who taught race-destroying theories, such as her pet subject — the prevention of conception, has gone; but she has left Leadbeater!
Mr. Martyn
True Theosophists hold in disgust those who want to pse the Theosophical Society as a screen for filthy practices, and fore most among them Is a Sydney business man, Mr. T.H. Martyn, who has had ample opportunities of forming his plainly manifested aversion to Leadbeater.
He still admires Mrs. Besant as the head of the Society, in which he has held prominent and trusted positions, but her shielding of, and renewed confidence in, Leadbcater after what he witnessed and was confidentially informed in connection with the "Bishop" has shaken Mr. Martyn profoundly.
He denounced Leadbeater in scathing terms and earned the enmity and reproaches of his erstwhile confidante and friend, Mrs. Besant.
Before an enthusiastic audience of Theosophists Mr. Martyn recently lectured in the King's Hall, and said he accepted individual, responsibility for saying that the founding of the Order of The Star of the East by Mrs. Besant and Leadbeater had aroused fear of sectarianism.
Mr. Leadbeater had always been a storm-centre in the Society. He had been a High Church clergyman, and later a follower of Madame Blavatsky. Then he took to training boys. It was astonishing after all the trouble this had caused that he should have resumed that practice.
He had been accepted by the Theosophical Society, to a great extent, as the agent of the Hierarchy, and an authority on initiations.
When Leadbeater and Wedgwood met, it was like the meeting of the matchbox and tinder. Both were ceremoniallsts, and the result was the 'Liberal Catholic Church'. Mr. Wedgwood has made no excuse for his assumption of the title of 'Bishop' except that the only way he could get out of England and escape conscription, was as a "Bishop."
Mrs. Besant had lent her support to the two "Bishops" [Leadbeater and Wedgwood], and she had tried to thrust 'The Liberal Catholic Church' — a human-made organisation, on to the Theosophical Society.
(And Annie Besant succeeded, since from then the "bishops" of this pseudo-theosophical-Christian sect largely control the Theosophical Society of Adyar.)
He had been informed that this "church" in London had been built up on moral rottenness.
Mr. Martyn next said that Mrs. Besant had given him a message to bear to Australia, that Mr. Wedgwood must leave a body over which she had control. She said that great difficulty existed in maintaining a correct attitude in regard to the moral standards of members of the society, but where a member held a prominent position she considered it herduty to consider the good name of the society and keep it clean.
She stated that she had asked him to convey the message because she had heard that the police were taking the matter up. She believed the charges were true, and gave Ihim her reasons for the belief.
He delivered the message, and the only result was that ih one month Mrs. Besant was forced to recant. Mr. Jinaradajasa had told her that Mr. Wedgwood's expulsion would make a fundamental difference between her and Mr. Leadbeater, as Mr. Leadbeater had declared Mr. Wedgwood an initiate.
The moral issue at stake was apparently overlooked, the point made by Mr. Jinaradajasa being that, as Mr. Wedgwood had been admitted as an initiate by Mr. Leadbeater, the latter's judgment in the matter ought not to be set at variance.
That left him absolutely floored in his confidence in Mr. Leadbeater, because he knew of the way in which Mr. Leadbeater had held Mr. Wedgwood up as a great moral power. Naturally, he came to the conclusion that Mr. Leadbeater's initiates were mistakes, and he held that opinion still.
(Charles Leadbeater claimed that his accomplices were "initiates": Wedgwood, Arundale, Rukmini, etc.; but in reality, they were all swindlers just like Leadbeater.)
Mr. Martyn then read the Farrar confession as to inmorality in connection with the Liberal Catholic Church, and criticised Mrs. Besant's action in ignoring it.
It was unfortunately a reflection upon her. he said, when one considered her responsibility as president of the Theosophlcal Society. How ever, so far as her dismissal of the subject by "Take it to the police" was concerned, there was plenty of evidence that the police could have if they wanted it: and it was better that they should nave it than that the matter should not be dealt with at all.
Epilogue
The result of the influence of this church movement in tiie society was that it became necessary to form an organisation which would counteract the influence, and that organisation was the Loyalty League. There was a tendency to fall down and worship certain individuals because they were occultists.
Sydney is well rid of Mrs. Besant, but there still remains Leadbeater, about whom Mr. Martyn says, proof of his undesirability can be got among certain members of the Society.
It has been ascertained by 'Truth' that the Minister of Justice is having inquiries made, which might bear fruition. Leadbeater is a most undesirable person to have in any community. An initial step should be taken by the authorities of stripping him of the power to perform marriages.
Even if he be sheltering behind certain highly-placed and influential friends this should not be allowed to baulk the full est investigation into the conduct of this self-styled "Arhat" [High Initiate].
