View source for J. H. Wiggin

Reverend '''J. H. Wiggin''' was an Unitarian clergyman editor or owner of ''The Liberal Christian'' newspaper. On [[September 4]], 1875, he published in ''The Liberal Christian'' a report of a meeting he had with [[Founders#"The Founders"|The Founders]] a week before the lecture given by [[George H. Felt]] after which the formation of the [[Theosophical Society]] was proposed. [[Henry Steel Olcott|Col. Olcott]] quotes this report as follows:

<blockquote>He names [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|H.P.B.]], myself, Signor Bruzzesi, a New Jersey judge and his wife, and Mr. [[Charles Sotheran]] (who had procured for him from H. P. B. an invitation to be present). He expresses his wonder at the range and depth of the conversation, remarking:

"It would be discourteous to detail the minutiae of a friendly conversation where there was no desire for publicity nor any magic display, or offer notions about it. The phallic element in religions; recent wonders among the mediums; history; the souls of flowers; Italian character; the strangeness of travel; chemistry; poetry; Nature’s trinity; Romanism; gravitation; the Carbonari; jugglery; Crookes’s new discoveries about the force of light; the literature of Magic—were among the topics of animated discussion lasting until after midnight. If Madame Blavatsky can indeed bring order out of the chaos of modern spiritism she will do the world a service."<ref>Henry Steel Olcott, ''Old Diary Leaves'' First Series (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1974), 135.</ref></blockquote>

It seems that Rev. Wiggin was present at that first meeting on [[September 7]], 1875.<ref>Henry Steel Olcott, ''Old Diary Leaves'' First Series (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1974), 117.</ref> 

In the meeting held on [[September 18]] he was appointed as part of a committee appointed to select suitable meeting rooms for the nascent Society,<ref>Henry Steel Olcott, ''Old Diary Leaves'' First Series (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1974), 130.</ref> and on [[October 30]] he was elected as one of the "Councillors".<ref>Henry Steel Olcott, ''Old Diary Leaves'' First Series (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1974), 135.</ref> He was a member of Council of the TS until March 1876 when he resigned and the [[Baron de Palm]] took his place in it.

== Notes ==
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[[Category:Founders|Wiggin, J. H.]]
[[Category:Associates of HPB|Wiggin, J. H.]]
[[Category:People|Wiggin, J. H.]]