James Pierrepont Greaves Jackie E
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Theosophical History A Quarterly Journal of Research Volume VIII, No. 8 October 2001 ISSN 0951-497X THEOSOPHICAL HISTORY A Quarterly Journal of Research Founded by Leslie Price, 1985 Volume VIII, No. 8 October 2001 EDITOR The subscription rate for residents in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada is James A. Santucci California State University, Fullerton $21.00 (one year) or $38.00 (two years). California residents, please add $1.58 (7.50%) sales tax onto the $21 rate or $2.85 onto the $38 rate. For ASSOCIATE EDITORS residents outside North America, the subscription rate is $25.00 (one year) or Robert Boyd $45.00 (two years). Air mail is $35.00 (one year) or $65.00 (two years). Single issues are $8.00. Subscriptions may also be paid in British †John Cooper sterling. All inquiries should be sent to James Santucci, Department of University of Sydney Comparative Religion, California State University, P.O. Box 6868, Fullerton, CA 92834-6868 (U.S.A.). Periodicals postage paid at Fullerton, California John Patrick Deveney New York, NY 92631-9998. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Theosophical History (c/o James Santucci), Department of Comparative Religion, California State April Hejka-Ekins University, P.O. Box 6868, Fullerton, CA 92834-6868. California State University, Stanislaus The Editors assume no responsibility for the views expressed by authors in Theosophical History. Jerry Hejka-Ekins This periodical is indexed in the ATLA Religion Database, published by the American Nautilus Books Theological Library Association, 250 S. Wacker Dr., 16th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606, email: [email protected], world wide web: http://www.atla.com Robert Ellwood University of Southern California * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Antoine Faivre GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION OF MANUSCRIPTS École Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris Joscelyn Godwin The fi nal copy of all manuscripts must be submitted on 8 ½ x 11 inch stock, Colgate University double-spaced, and with margins of at least 1 ¼ inches on all sides. Words and phrases intended for italics output should appear in italics in the manuscript. The submitter is Jean-Pierre Laurant encouraged to send the article, communication, or review by attachment to email. École Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris The email address is [email protected]. The submitter may also submit a fl oppy disk of the work in Microsoft Word (any version). J. Gordon Melton Bibliographical entries and citations must be placed in footnote format. The Institute for the Study of American Religion citations must be complete. For books, the publisher’s name and the place and University of California, Santa Barbara date of the publication are required; for journal articles, the volume, number, and date must be included, should the information be available. Leslie Price There is no limitation on the length of manuscripts. In general, articles Former Editor, Theosophical History of 30 pages or less will be published in full; articles in excess of 30 pages may be published serially. Gregory Tillett Brief communications, review articles, and book reviews are welcome. They University of Western Sydney, Nepean should be submitted double-spaced. All correspondence, manuscripts, and subscriptions should be sent to: Karen-Claire Voss San Jose State University Dr. James A. Santucci Department of Comparative Religion Theosophical History (ISSN 0951-497X) is published quarterly in January, California State University, P.O. Box 6868 April, July, and October by James A. Santucci (Department of Comparative Fullerton, CA 92834-6868 (U.S.A.) Religion, California State University, P.O. Box 6868, Fullerton, CA 92834-6868 FAX: 714-693-0142 Email: [email protected] U.S.A.) The journal consists of eight issues per volume: one volume covering a TELEPHONE: 714-278-3727 period of two years. The journal’s purpose is to publish contributions specifi cally Website: http://www.theohistory.org related to the modern Theosophical Movement, from the time of Madame Helena Blavatsky and others who were responsible in establishing the original Theosophical Society (1875), to all groups that derive their teachings—directly Copyright ©2001 by James A. Santucci or indirectly, knowingly or unknowingly—from her or her immediate followers. In addition, the journal is also receptive to related movements (including pre-Blavatskyite Theosophy, Spiritualism, Rosicrucianism, and the philosophy of Composition by Robert Hütwohl, Santa Fe, NM. Emanuel Swedenborg to give but a few examples) that have had an infl uence Printed on acid-free paper on or displayed an affi nity to modern Theosophy. THEOSOPHICAL HISTORY Contents October 2001 Volume VIII, Number 8 Editor’s Comments James Santucci ..........................................................................................................215 Communication Comment on Krishnamurti: the Taormina Seclusion-1912 Jean Overton Fuller ..................................................................................................219 Response to Miss Fuller’s Communication Robert Boyd ..............................................................................................................220 Article A Forgotten Theosopher: James Pierrepont Greaves Jackie E. M. Latham ..................................................................................................221 Book Reviews Ethical Vegetarianism: From Pythagoras to Peter Singer James Gregory...........................................................................................................231 Pagan Monotheism in Late Antiquity Leslie Price ................................................................................................................233 Familiar Spirits Robert Boyd ..............................................................................................................234 On the Cover: James Pierrepont Greaves (1777-1842). Photo supplied by Dr. Jackie E.M. Latham. Editor’s Comments In This Issue .E.M. Latham, the author of “A Forgotten at Yverdun and Clindy. Thus began Greaves’ Theosopher: James Pierrepont Greaves,” has involvement in education, which was to con- Jthe distinction of writing the fi rst modern tinue for a number of years. monograph of the Christian theosopher James In 1837, Greaves, now living in London P. Greaves: Search for a New Eden: James and serving as the founder-leader of the Aes- Pierrepont Greaves (1777-1842): The Sacred thetic Institution (Aesthetic here referring, in Socialist and His Followers (Madison and Tean- the words of Francis Foster Barham, to “the eck: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press and internal spiritual sense, which when duly exer- London: Associated University Presses, 1999). cised, instantly judges between good and evil” An admirer of Jacob Boehme (1575-1642), [Search for a New Eden, 80], gathered around Greaves’ theosophy was defi ned by a transfor- him a number of admirers to discuss his the- mative experience in 1817 that governed his osophy of Love. life as one of accepting God’s love and want- One year later, he, with a few of his fol- ing nothing of this world. He went on to apply lowers, set up Alcott House, a community to his theosophy to his attitudes on sexuality further his theosophy. Greaves’ death in 1842, (complete chastity) and diet (vegetarianism) however, deprived the community of his char- and also took an interest in the works of ismatic personality. As a result, Concordium the Swiss educational reformer, Johann Hein- (its name since 1841) lost its cohesion, thereby rich Pestalozzi (1746–1827), who also refl ected resulting in the dispersal of its members in Greaves’ brand of theosophy. Because of this 1847. agreement, he became a close friend of the Dr. Latham’s summation of Greaves’ life at educator, who taught that the “purpose of edu- the end of her book (232) reveals his ineffec- cation . was not to impart knowledge but tual goodness, causing one to wonder whether to realize the emotional, spiritual, and intel- any leader must sacrifi ce some benevolence lectual powers innate in the child.” Pestalozzi and goodwill if material, political, or economic wrote in a letter to Greaves that “there is in success is to be achieved. the child an active power of faith and love” The author of the article studied English (quoted from Latham, Search for a New Eden, literature at the universities of London and 46), an observation that Greaves must have Indiana. She has taught at Kingston Polytech- taken to heart since he applied Pestalozzi’s nic (Surrey) and at Open University and has views while serving as instructor of English written articles on radicalism, encyclopedia Theosophical History VIII/8 215 articles on Greaves and Sophia Chichester for Program the New Dictionary of National Biography, and the above-mentioned Search for a New Eden. The Society for the In addition to this article, three reviews Study of Metaphysical Religion appear in the issue: Ethical Vegetarianism: From Pythagoras to Peter Singer, edited by Seventh Annual Regional Kerry S. Walters and Lisa Portmess; Pagan Monotheism in Late Antiquity, edited by Conference Polymnia Athanassiadi and Michael Frede; and Familiar Spirits by Alison Lurie. James Greg- “The Metaphysical Tradition & Its ory, the reviewer of the fi rst book, is a grad- Movements” uate of Oxford and Cambridge and is cur- rently in the stages of completing his doctoral October 26 and 27, 2001 research at the University of Southampton on the vegetarian movement in Britain from c. California State University—Fullerton 1840-1901. Leslie Price, the founder of