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The Theosophical Movement 1875-1925

By John Garrigues and others

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Early Days Of The Theosophical Society

The Theosophical Society an attempt to form a human association on the basis of the Lodge of Adepts, pure Altruism - H.P.B. not deceived in regard to the obstacles to be met - sectarian religious prejudices, the great barrier to true Fraternity - the Second Object of the T.S. - the idea of "miracles" and materialistic hypotheses of modern science the great enemies of true knowledge, hence the Third Object - Man inherently perfectible, not a mortal fallible being - Adepts the living proof of the divinity inherent in every man - the Wisdom-Religion can be known and its Adepts found by any sincere man - the real enemies of human welfare - bound to array themselves against H.P.B., her Society and her mission - who those enemies are - orthodox religions, materialistic science, pseudo-scientists, pretended authorities - the mercenaries and parasites of the press - "Isis Unveiled" neither a revelation nor an arbitrary theory - a statement of verifiable facts, physical and metaphysical - rests upon its own inherent worth - the Theosophical Society a body of students - dependent upon self-induced and self-devised efforts to study and apply the teachings of Theosophy - rejected and opposed by the Spiritualists, its natural allies, because of its teachings on after-death states and conditions - greatly helped in the East because of the natural mysticism of the inhabitants - Swami Sarasvati and his Arya Somaj originally sympathetic - Buddhist and Hindu friends gained for the Society in India - Sumangali, Damodar Mavalankar and Subba Row, powerful allies - A.P. Sinnett and A.O. Hume influential friends among the English - The Theosophist founded in 1879 - Olcott's "Buddhist Catechism" published - this and his lecturing tours gain many adherents - Missionary hostility aroused at the success and propaganda of the Society - H.P.B. charged with being a Russian spy and an immoral woman with Col. Olcott for her dupe - other calumnies - charges recanted by enemies first internal disturbance is the London Lodge - Dr. George Wyld's defection - Dr. Anna Bonus Kingsford's "Perfect Way" - her pamphlet assault on Mr. Sinnett's "Esoteric Buddhism" - Mr. Subba Row replies - Mr. C.C. Massey precipitates further troubles - the "Kiddle charges" of plagiarism by the Master - the storm raised in England and France in 1884 - H.P.B. and Col. Olcott go to Paris and London - meet Mr. Solovyoff - Judge comes to Paris, goes to India, and returns to America via London - H.P.B. and Col. Olcott meet leading members of the Society for Psychical Research while in London - the S.P.R. plans to investigate the "Theosophical phenomena."