Hodgson Report

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The Hodgson Report was a report by the Society for Psychical Research (SPR) in 1884.

Richard Hodgson, a member of the SPR, was sent to India. Hodgson was a research worker of paranormal phenomena. His task was to examine if the Mahatma Letters were received from real Mahatmas. In December 1884 Hodgson arrived in Adyar. He rapidly took over the point of view of Emma Coulomb. Hodgson wrote a 200-pages report, in which Blavatsky was described as one of the most gifted, ingenious and interesting impostors in history. The commission accepted uncritically the statements of Emma Coulomb.

H.P. Blavatsky's reputation was seriously damaged due to the Hodgson Report, and she wrote on 14 January 1886: "That Mr. Hodgson's elaborate but misdirected inquiries, his affected precision, which spends infinite patience over trifles and is blind to facts of importance, his contradictory reasoning and his manifold incapacity to deal with such problems as those he endeavoured to solve, will be exposed by other writers in due course -- I make no doubt." -- H. P. Blavatsky: Collected Writings 7:9

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[edit] J'Accuse: Vernon Harrison's examination of the Hodgson Report

In 1986, Vernon Harrison, a research worker of disputed documents, did a research on the Hodgson report. According to Harrison's examination, the Hodgson Report is not a scientific study, it "is flawed and untrustworthy" and "should be read with great caution, if not disregarded." (Harrison 1997) Harrison stated:

I cannot exonerate the SPR committee from blame for publishing this thoroughly bad report. They seem to have done little more than rubber-stamp Hodgson's opinions; and no serious attempt was made to check his findings or even to read his report critically. If they had done so (...) the case would have been referred back for further study. Madame H. P. Blavatsky was the most important occultist ever to appear before the SPR for investigation; and never was opportunity so wasted. [1]

Harrison says about the Hodgson Report that "whereas Hodgson was prepared to use any evidence, however trivial or questionable, to implicate HPB, he ignored all evidence that could be used in her favor. His report is riddled with slanted statements, conjecture advanced as fact or probable fact, uncorroborated testimony of unnamed witnesses, selection of evidence and downright falsity."

He concluded that Hodgson's case against Madame H. P. Blavatsky is not proven, and that there is no evidence that the Mahatma Letters were written by her.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ (Harrison 1997)

[edit] Further reading

  • Besant, Annie. An Autobiography (1893)
  • Kingsland, William: The real H. P. Blavatsky, a study in theosophy and a memoir of a great soul. J.M. Watkins, London 1928
  • Hastings, Beatrice: Defence of Madame Blavatsky (Band 2). The Hastings press, Worthington 1937
  • Hubbell, Gabriel G.: Fact and fancy in spiritualism, theosophy, and psychical research. The R. Clarke company, Cincinnati 1901
  • Sinnett, Alfred Percy: The „occult world phenomena“. G. Redway, London 1886
  • Society for Psychical Research (Hrsg.): The Society for Psychical Research report on the Theosophical Society. Arno Press, New York 1976; ISBN 0-405-07975-3
  • Solovyoff, Vsevolod Sergeevich: A modern priestess of Isis. Arno Press, New York 1976; ISBN 0-405-07976-1
  • Vania, K. F.: Madame H. P. Blavatsky, her occult phenomena and the society for physical research. Sat Publishing Co., Bombay 1951
  • Vernon Harrison. (1997) H.P. Blavatsky and the SPR ISBN 1-55700-119-7 [1]
  • Waterman, Adlai E. (Pseudonym of Walter Adley Carrithers jr.): The „Hodgson report“ on Madame Blavatsky, 1885-1960, re-examination discredits the major charges against H.P. Blavatsky. Theosophical Publishing House, Madras 1963


[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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