C. C. Massey

According to Readers Guide to The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett:

Massey, Charles Carlton, an English lawyer much interested in spiritualism. He went to the USA in 1875 to visit Chittenden, Vermont, to verify for himself HSO's accounts of the Eddy phenomena (See ODL 1) and became a life-long friend of HSO. He was one of the first members of the TS and later a founder and first president of the TS in England. He was also one of the founders of the Psychical Research Society and, after the Hodgson Report was issued, he resigned from the TS. HPB tried hard to get the Mahatmas to teach him but they refused (ML, pp. 411-12). See SH, p. 112, for a brief resume of his career. ML index.

Master K.H. regarded him as a very honest person, but considered he was not strong enough to become a chela. In one of his letters he wrote:

Doubtless a more sincere, truthful or a more noble minded man (S. Moses not excepted) could hardly be found among the British theosophists. His only and chief fault is — weakness. Were he to learn some day how deeply he has wronged H.P.B. in thought — no man would feel more miserable over it than himself.

CHARLES CARLETON MASSEY was an English barrister and litterateur, and was keenly interested in Spiritualism. He was one of the ablest metaphysicians in Great Britain, and a lucid and scholarly writer on psychical subjects. He went to the U. S. A. , 1875, to visit Chittenden to verify for himself Col. Olcott's accounts of the Eddy phenomena. He became a life-long friend of Col. Olcott.

In 1991 he desired to go and spend his days with the Founders in India. He translated from the German Zöllner's Transcendental Physics,Carl du Prel's Philosophy of Mysticism, and von Hartmann's Spiritism. He was one of the founders of the Psychical Research Society. He left The Theosophical Society when the S. P. R. attacked H. P. B., and gave evidence before it that she had in 1879 arranged that a Mahatma letter should reach him in a mysterious way. Passed away. 1905.

Incidents involving phenomena

As historian Josephine Ransom described him:

Before H. P. B. left London in 1879, Massey requested her to give relief to his father, whose eyesight was seriously impaired. To establish contact she took with her a pair of Mr. Massey's (senior) gloves. After arrival in Bombay H. P. B., by occult means, sent one glove to London, 17 February. Having been advised by a lady medium to be at home on the 17th, Massey waited in a darkened room, and presently a soft packet was flung in his face. The remaining glove was sent by post for comparison. This incident got into the papers and annoyed Massey, who complained that such publicity cost him his practice.

Writings

Articles by C. C. Massey have appeared in several Theosophical periodicals:

• The Theosophist
• "The Idea of Re-birth' by Francesca Arundale, " Lucifer vol. 7 (February, 1891), 490. Book review.
• "Opinions des anciens sur les corps physiques," Le Lotus vol. 3 (August 1888), 257. Reprint with notes by HPB.
• "A Lost Account of Theosophical Origins," Theosophical History no. 1 (October, 1985), 83. Account of the Butterfly incident, reprinted from Light July 16 1892.

Other resources

• "Blavatsky Letters: to CC Massey," The Eclectic Theosophist no. 78 (November-December, 1983), 9.