Book Reviews Are Wel- Covering a Period of Two Years
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Theosophical History A Quarterly Journal of Research Volume VI, No. 3 July 1996 ISSN 0951-497X THEOSOPHICAL HISTORY A Quarterly Journal of Research Founded by Leslie Price, 1985 Volume VI, No. 4 October 1996 EDITOR The subscription rate for residents in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada James A. Santucci is $21.00 (one year) ot $38.00 (two years). California residents, please California State University, Fullerton add $1.62 (7.75%) sales tax onto the $21 rate or $2.94 onto the $38 rate. For residents outside North America, the subscription rate is $25.00 (one year) or $45.00 (two years). Air mail is $35.00 (one year) or $65.00 (two ASSOCIATE EDITORS years). Single issues are $6.00. Subscriptions may also be paid in British Robert Boyd sterling. All inquiries should be sent to James Santucci, Department of Religious Studies, California State University, Fullerton, CA 92631-9480 John Cooper (U.S.A.). Periodicals postage paid at Fullerton, California 92631-9998. University of Sydney POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Theosophical History (c/o James Santucci), Department of Religious Studies, California State April Hejka-Ekins California State University, Stanislaus University, P.O. Box 6868, Fullerton, CA 92834-6868. The Editors assume no responsibility for the views expressed by Jerry Hejka-Ekins authors in Theosophical History. Nautilus Books * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Robert Ellwood GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION OF MANUSCRIPTS University of Southern California 1 The final copy of all manuscripts must be submitted on 8 /2 x 11 inch Joscelyn Godwin 1 paper, double-spaced, and with margins of at least 1 /4 inches on all sides. Colgate University Words and phrases intended for italics output should be underlined in the J. Gordon Melton manuscript. The submitter is also encouraged to submit a floppy disk of Institute for the Study of American the work in ASCII or WordPerfect 5 or 5.1, in an I.B.M. or compatible Religion format. If possible, Macintosh 3.5 inch disk files should also be submitted, University of California, Santa Barbara saved in ASCII (“text only with line breaks” format if in ASCII), Microsoft Word 4.0–5.1a, or WordPerfect. We ask, however, that details of the Leslie Price format codes be included so that we do not have difficulties in using the Former Editor, Theosophical History disk. Should there be any undue difficulty in fulfilling the above, we encourage you to submit the manuscript regardless. Gregory Tillett Macquarie University Bibliographical entries and citations must be placed in footnote format. The citations must be complete. For books, the publisher’s name Karen-Claire Voss and the place and date of the publication are required; for journal San Jose State University articles, the volume, number, and date must be included, should the information be available. Theosophical History (ISSN 0951-497X) is published quarterly in There is no limitation on the length of manuscripts. In general, articles January, April, July, and October by James A. Santucci (Department of of 30 pages or less will be published in full; articles in excess of 30 pages Religious Studies, California State University, Fullerton, CA 92634-9480 may be published serially. U.S.A.) The journal consists of eight issues per volume: one volume Brief communications, review articles, and book reviews are wel- covering a period of two years. The journal’s purpose is to publish come. They should be submitted double-spaced. contributions specifically related to the modern Theosophical Move- All correspondence, manuscripts, and subscriptions should be sent to: ment, from the time of Madame Helena Blavatsky and others who were Dr. James A. Santucci responsible in establishing the original Theosophical Society (1875), to Department of Religious Studies all groups that derive their teachings—directly or indirectly, knowingly California State University, P.O. Box 6868 or unknowingly—from her or her immediate followers. In addition, the Fullerton, CA 92834-6868 (U.S.A.) journal is also receptive to related movements (including pre-Blavatskyite FAX: 714-449-5820 E-Mail: [email protected] Theosophy, Spiritualism, Rosicrucianism, and the philosophy of Emanuel TELEPHONE: 714-773-3727 Swedenborg to give but a few examples) that have had an influence on Copyright © 1996 by James A. Santucci or displayed an affinity to modern Theosophy. Composition by Robert L. Hütwohl, Santa Fe, NM, using Adobe type 1 typefaces: ITC Garamond 1, Linotype Univers and Linotext, with an adapted Sanskrit-Tibetan diacritical Garamond typeface. THEOSOPHICAL HISTORY Contents October 1996 Volume VI, Number 4 Editor’s Comments James Santucci ........................................................................................................ 125 From the Archives The Letters of H.P. Blavatsky to W.Q. Judge Part XV: Letter Dated November 19, 1890 With Notes by Michael Gomes .............................................................................. 129 Communications Response to Jerry Hejka-Ekins’ review of Psychic Initiation: Secrets of 777 Mark MacDougall ................................................................................................... 132 Reply by Jerry Hejka-Ekins .................................................................................................. 136 From the Internet ................................................................................................................. 138 A Communication from Jean Overton Fuller ...................................................................... 138 From the Theosophical Journals William Q. Judge Franz Hartmann (translation with notes by Robert Hütwohl) ......................................................... 140 Articles Mrs. May Banks Stacey David T. Rocks ....................................................................................................... 144 Book Reviews The White Buddhist: The Asian Odyssey of Henry Steel Olcott Ananda W.P. Guruge ............................................................................................. 151 Modern Esoteric Spirituality James Burnell Robinson ......................................................................................... 153 On the cover: Franz Hartmann, M.D. Restored photograph courtesy of Robert Hütwohl. Editor’s Comments In This Issue One of my goals as editor of Theosophical History has a similar issue as mentioned above. Mr. been to broaden the range of subjects and to include MacDougall, whose book Psychic Initiation: Se- discussions of philosophies and groups not directly crets of 777 was reviewed by Jerry Hejka-Ekins in connected with the modern Theosophical Move- the April issue, advances a valid concern quite ment. Pre-Blavatskyite theosophy, the philosophy of independent of the contents of his book. The Emanuel Swedenborg, and Rosicrucianism are three concern, as interpreted by Mr. MacDougall, is the such examples of subjects that fit this description. I reviewer’s—and by extension, those who hold to am therefore happy to announce the first article of a the orthodox Theosophical view of H.P. Rosicrucian topic: “Mrs. May Banks Stacey.” This is Blavatsky’s role in the T.S.—reluctance to view an important article because it presents evidence that the facts in a new light, in other words, their the founder of AMORC (the Ancient Mystical Order unwillingness to challenge the existing paradigm Rosae Crucis), Harvey Spencer Lewis, may have through which many of us interpret the events falsely given credit to Mrs. Stacey as being the co- surrounding Madame Blavatsky’s life and events. founder of AMORC. The author, David Rocks, has Without necessarily agreeing with Mr. produced enough genealogical evidence to lead us MacDougall’s thesis and analysis that appear in to the inescapable conclusion that Mrs. Banks could his book, I do have some sympathy with his not have been the agent whereby Mr. Lewis received frustration over the reluctance to even consider the legitimate transmission of the “ancient” Rosicrucian whether the accepted paradigm is based on lineage. The immediate lesson to be learned from sufficient evidence. My sympathy with this posi- articles such as Mr. Rocks’ is obvious: a healthy tion applies primarily to non-Theosophical top- skeptical attitude must be taken when individuals ics. As a university professor I have to challenge claim direct descendency from traditional teaching occasionally the existing historical paradigms of lineages such as Rosicrucianism. Of course, one the subject area of my own research. The impor- might assume the more extreme position of whether tance of such a challenge demonstrates that what there was a traditional teaching lineage in the first is taken to be fact is often merely hypothesis or place. This position will no doubt be very distasteful theory. Many of us within the academic commu- to those who accept the doctrines of the lineage, but nity lose sight that historical analysis is simply the it is certainly within the range of historical inquiry interpretation of a limited range of data that and of historical journals such as Theosophical directs us to make plausible assertions of the History to raise such issues when necessary. topic under question. Very often, we are not even The communication of Mr. MacDougall raises aware that what is stated to be fact is merely Theosophical History VI/4 125 conjecture. Repeat the conjecture or hypothesis Olcott asserted but that it was actually the “Master” often enough, however, and it will no doubt who ordered