Theosophical History
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Theosophical History A Quarterly Journal of Research Volume VIII, No. 9 July 2002 ISSN 0951-497X THEOSOPHICAL HISTORY A Quarterly Journal of Research Founded by Leslie Price, 1985 Volume VIII, No. 9 July 2002 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 $1.63 (7.75%) sales tax onto the $21 rate or $2.95 onto the $38 rate. For residents ASSOCIATE EDITORS outside North America, the subscription rate is $25.00 (one year) or $45.00 Robert Boyd (two years). Air mail is $35.00 (one year) or $65.00 (two years). Single issues are $8.00. Electronic (PDF) issues are $4.00 each or $10.00 for any four avail- †John Cooper able issues. Subscriptions may also be paid in British sterling. All inquiries University of Sydney should be sent to James Santucci, Department of Comparative Religion, California State University, P.O. Box 6868, Fullerton, CA 92834-6868 (U.S.A.). John Patrick Deveney Periodicals postage paid at Fullerton, California 92631-9998. POSTMASTER: New York, NY Send address changes to Theosophical History (c/o James Santucci), Depart- April Hejka-Ekins ment of Comparative Religion, California State University, P.O. Box 6868, California State University, Stanislaus Fullerton, CA 92834-6868. The Editors assume no responsibility for the views expressed by Jerry Hejka-Ekins authors in Theosophical History. Nautilus Books This periodical is indexed in the ATLA Religion Database, published by the American Theological Library Association, 250 S. Wacker Dr., 16th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606, email: Robert Ellwood [email protected], world wide web: http://www.atla.com. Theosophical History assumes University of Southern California no responsibility for the views expressed by the contributors to the journal. Antoine Faivre École Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION OF MANUSCRIPTS Joscelyn Godwin Colgate University The final copy of all manuscripts must be submitted on 8 1⁄2 x 11 inch stock, Jean-Pierre Laurant double-spaced, and with margins of at least 1 1⁄4 inches on all sides. Words and phrases École Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris intended for italics output should appear in italics in the manuscript. The submitter is encouraged to send the article, communication, or review by attachment to email. J. Gordon Melton The email address is [email protected]. The submitter may also submit a Institute for the Study of American Religion floppy disk of the work in Microsoft Word (any version). University of California, Santa Barbara Bibliographical entries and citations must be placed in footnote format. The citations must be complete. For books, the publisher’s name and the place and Leslie Price date of the publication are required; for journal articles, the volume, number, and Former Editor, Theosophical History date must be included, should the information be available. There is no limitation on the length of manuscripts. In general, articles Gregory Tillett of 30 pages or less will be published in full; articles in excess of 30 pages University of Western Sydney, Nepean may be published serially. Brief communications, review articles, and book reviews are welcome. They Karen-Claire Voss should be submitted double-spaced. San Jose State University All correspondence, manuscripts, and subscriptions should be sent to: Theosophical History (ISSN 0951-497X) is published quarterly in January, April, Dr. James A. Santucci July, and October by James A. Santucci (Department of Comparative Religion, Department of Comparative Religion California State University, P.O. Box 6868, Fullerton, CA 92834-6868 U.S.A.) The California State University, P.O. Box 6868 journal consists of four issues per volume: one volume covering a period of one Fullerton, CA 92834-6868 (U.S.A.) year. The journal’s purpose is to publish contributions specifically related to the FAX: 714-693-0142 Email: [email protected] modern Theosophical Movement, from the time of Madame Helena Blavatsky TELEPHONE: 714-278-3727 and others who were responsible in establishing the original Theosophical Society Website: http://www.theohistory.org (1875), to all groups that derive their teachings—directly or indirectly, knowingly or unknowingly—from her or her immediate followers. In addition, the journal Copyright ©2002 by James A. Santucci is also receptive to related movements (including pre-Blavatskyite Theosophy, Spiritualism, Rosicrucianism, and the philosophy of Emanuel Swedenborg to give but a few examples) that have had an influence on or displayed an affinity Composition by Robert Hütwohl, Santa Fe, NM. to modern Theosophy. Printed on acid-free paper THEOSOPHICAL HISTORY Contents July 2002 Volume VIII, Number 9 Editor’s Comments James Santucci ..........................................................................................................237 Communications Missing Material by H.P. Blavatsky Discovered: Part I Daniel Caldwell.........................................................................................................242 A Response to Dan Merkur’s “Methodology and the Study of Western Spiritual Alchemy” Karen-Claire Voss......................................................................................................243 Article Albert L. Rawson, Abd al-Kader, George H. Felt and the Mystic Shrine John Patrick Deveney...............................................................................................250 Book Reviews The Esoteric World of Madame Blavatsky: Insights into the Life of a Modern Sphinx W. Michael Ashcraft ..................................................................................................262 The Golden Dawn Source Book The Golden Dawn Source Works: A Bibliography A Chronology of the Golden Dawn: Being A Chronological History of a Magical Order 1378-1994 Ted G. Davy..............................................................................................................264 On the Cover: W. Emmett Small (1903-2001). This is a composite photo illustration of Mr. Small as he looked in 1980 (the original photo was supplied by Point Loma Publications, with special thanks to Ken Small). On the lower left corner is a photo of the old Spalding House (the administrative center during the de Purucker era and the site of many of Mr. Small’s Theosophical activities) on the grounds of Lomaland. The illustration, which was formatted to look like a watercolor, was designed by Eric Santucci (http://www.ericsantucci.com/main.html). Editor’s Comments Renewal his is the first issue of Theosophical His- important role in understanding the history of Ttory after a hiatus of nine months. As sub- The Theosophical Society and its offshoots. scribers know, the illness of my father made it difficult for me to preserve the publication ■ It is important too that this journal serve schedule of the journal; hence the suspension as an outlet for all scholars who exhibit the of publication until I could see myself through highest standards of research. this particularly trying time. As it turned out, my father did not live out 2001, having died A change has been made concerning the rather suddenly on October 25. The end, numbering of the journal. Since only two though expected, came much sooner than the issues will appear in 2002—the July and Octo- prognosis of the doctors. After a period adjust- ber issues—the July issue will be identified as ing to this reality, I thought it best to begin volume VIII, number 9, and the October issue planning the reintroduction of the journal will be identified as volume VIII, number 10. sooner than the previously announced one- The January 2003 issue begins with a new year suspension. volume (IX). All future volumes, beginning Now that the journal is in print again, a with volume IX, will consist of four issues (one review of its purpose and methods is in order. year) rather than eight issues (two years). To summarize my remarks in my letter to the subscribers dated April 27, 2002: The subscription period will be extended by two issues so that the January and April issues ■ The journal will continue as an academic are not charged to subscribers’ accounts. journal based on the methodology principally employed by historians. * * * ■ The primary purpose of the journal is to Rememberances publish original articles on topics in Theoso- phy and related subjects. Since the last issue, a number of prominent ■ The journal must also serve as a means Theosophists have departed from this life: of making available those documents that have Ianthe Hoskins, W. Emmett Small, John P. Van been inaccessible to scholars but which play an Mater. Theosophical History VIII/9 237 Ianthe Hoskins international connections, there was a signal service she rendered to the historical cause. As chair of the Theosophical World Trust for Ianthe Hoskins (1912-2001), the former Gen- Education and Research she gave her sup- eral Secretary of The Theosophical Society in port to a small grant to the History Centre to meet the cost of an international history England, was noted as a Theosophical lecturer conference at 50 Gloucester Place. These who devoted much of her later life, after she conferences (there were four between 1986 retired in her fifties, to the Theosophical cause, and 1989, and two similar ones in 1995 and serving as Information Officer for the English 1997) were unusual occasions in which stu- Section and