View source for James Ingall Wedgwood

'''UNDER CONSTRUCTION'''
<br>
'''UNDER CONSTRUCTION'''<br>
'''James Ingall Wedgwood''' was an English Theosophist associated with the [[Theosophical Society (Adyar)|Theosophical Society]] based in Adyar, Chennai, India who was the first Presiding Bishop of the [[Liberal Catholic Church]].

== Early life ==

James Ingall Wedgwood was born on [[May 24]], 1883.
[[File:Pipe organ at York Minster.png|140px|right|thumb|Pipe organ at York Minster]]
[[The Messenger (periodical)|''The Messenger'']] described his family:
<blockquote>
He is a descendant of the Wedgwoods of pottery fame. His grandfather, Hensleigh Wedgwood, was one of the founders of the London Spiritualist Alliance and of the Society for Psychical Research (it is thought that he was one of the general committee who passed the report condemning H. P. B.). His mother, who knew H. P. B., was an extremely good clairvoyant, and is mentioned in some of the Myers, Gurney and Podmore books.<ref>C. H. "James Ingall Wedgwood: an Introduction" ''The Messenger'' 5 no.3 (August, 1917): 461. Data partly taken from ''Theosophy in New Zealand'', December, 1916.</ref>
</blockquote>

Wedgwood had an early interest in becoming an analytical chemist.<ref>C. H. "James Ingall Wedgwood: an Introduction" ''The Messenger'' 5 no.3 (August, 1917): 461. Data partly taken from ''Theosophy in New Zealand'', December, 1916.</ref> He studied at University College, Nottingham, but after completing his studies changed direction to learn how to play the church organ at York Minster. After four years he began preparing for Holy Orders in the Anglican Church. when he discovered [[Theosophy]] through a lecture by [[Annie Besant]], he lost his position at York Minster.

== Theosophical Society involvement ==

Wedgwood was admitted to the [[Theosophical Society]] in Yorkshire, England on September 7, 1904.  <ref>Theosophical Society General Membership Register, 1875-1942 at [http://tsmembers.org/ http://tsmembers.org/]. See book 3, entry 26458 (website file: 3A/14).</ref>

'''UNDER CONSTRUCTION'''<br>
he thought to enter the Episcopal Church. Coming into a knowledge of Theosophy and falling under the cold intellectualism of that time, he became somewhat impatient of the limitations of orthodoxy; a deeper insight, however, that came with the founding of the [[Order of the Star in the East]] and the Temple of the Rosy Cross, made the Power of the Christ a living reality to him; he was led back to Christianity by his study of Theosophy and was ordained priest and later consecrated as a bishop. This connection with the church, he says, has been a wonderful aid to him in his theosophical work.
The Bishop is also Grand Secretary of the Supreme Council of Universal Co-Masonry. He is an accomplished organist and it is said that his book on the construction of the organ is regarded as an authority.<ref>C. H. "James Ingall Wedgwood: an Introduction" ''The Messenger'' 5 no.3 (August, 1917): 461. Data partly taken from ''Theosophy in New Zealand'', December, 1916.</ref>

=== Lecturing ===
In 1926, Wedgwood presented the '''[[Blavatsky Lectures|Blavatsky Lecture]]''' on the topic '''[http://resources.theosophical.org/pdf/BL_1926_Wedgwood_The_Distinctive_Contribution_of_Theosophy_to_Christian_Thought.pdf "The Distinctive Contribution of Theosophy to Christian Thought"].'''

[[File:Leadbeater and Wedgwood.jpg|200px|right|thumb|C. W. Leadbeater and J. I Wedgwood]]

== Liberal Catholic Church ==

== Musicianship ==

Wedgwood was an accomplished organist and had considerable expertise in organ construction. He wrote at least three books on the subject. '''''A Comprehensive Dictionary of Organ Stops''''' is still considered to be authoritative and is widely available.

== Later years ==

Bishop Wedgwood died on [[March 13]], 1951 in Camberley, Surrey Heath Borough, Surrey, England.

== Writings ==

Bishop Wedgwood wrote several books and numerous articles. The [[Union Index of Theosophical Periodicals]] lists: 
* '''[https://theosophicalsociety.org.au/union_index/entries?q=James+Ingall+Wedgwood&s=author 1 article under the name James Ingall Wedgwood]'''. 
* '''[https://theosophicalsociety.org.au/union_index/entries?q=Bishop++Wedgwood&s=author 3 articles by Bishop Wedgwood]'''. 
* '''[https://theosophicalsociety.org.au/union_index/entries?q=JI++Wedgwood&s=author 57 articles by JI Wedgwood]'''. 
* '''[https://theosophicalsociety.org.au/union_index/entries?q=James+Ingall+Wedgwood&s=title 1 article about James Ingall Wedgwood]'''.  
* '''[https://theosophicalsociety.org.au/union_index/entries?q=James+I++Wedgwood&s=title 3 articles about James I. Wedgwood]'''.
* '''[https://theosophicalsociety.org.au/union_index/entries?q=Bishop++Wedgwood&s=title 9 articles about Bishop Wedgwood]'''.
* '''[https://theosophicalsociety.org.au/union_index/entries?q=JI++Wedgwood&s=title 8 articles about JI Wedgwood]'''.

=== Books and pamphlets ===
Some of Wedgwood's works were translated into Dutch, German, French, Russian, Swedish, Polish, and Spanish.

==== On church organs ====
* '''''A comprehensive dictionary of organ stops: English and foreign, ancient and modern, practical, theoretical, historical, aesthetic, etymological, phonetic'''''. London: Vincent Music Co., 1905. At least seven editions. 194 pages, illustrations. Available at [https://archive.org/details/cu31924022450831 Internet Archive] (1900 edition), [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pst.000013911225&seq=9 Hathitrust], and [https://books.google.com/books?id=W7g3AQAAMAAJ Google Books]. 
* '''''Some continental organs (ancient and modern) and their makers'''''. London: William Reeves, 1910. 69 pages. Still in print.
* '''''Tonal design in modern organ building: embodying a reply to Mr. R. Meyrick-Roberts'''''. London: Haughton & Co., 1904. 29 pages. Reprinted from the London "Musical Opinion." [In answer to R. Meyrick-Roberts' articles "On Modern Tendencies in Organ-Building" published in the same journal].

==== On Theosophy and esoteric Christianity ====
* '''''Varieties of Psychism'''''. Adyar, Madras, India: Theosophical Publishing House, 1914. Foreword by Annie Besant. Available at [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZRA3AQAAMAAJ Google Books], [https://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/oclc/35660603.html Hathitrust], [https://archive.org/details/b29012478 Internet Archive], and [https://openlibrary.org/books/OL18177898M/Varieties_of_psychism Open Library].
* '''''New insights into Christian worship'''''. London: St. Alban Press, 1976. 200 pages. 
* '''''Meditation for Beginners'''''. London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1961. 59 pages. 4th edition.
* '''''[https://archive.org/details/presence-of-christ-in-the-holy-communion The Presence of Christ in the Holy Communion: an examination of conflicting views and a modern interpretation]'''''. London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1928. 58 pages.
* '''''The Collected Works of James Ingall Wedgwood'''''. San Diego, CA: St. Alban Press, 2004. 260 pages.
* '''''Spiritualism and the Great War'''''. London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1919.
* '''''The Beginnings of the Liberal Catholic Church: February 13, 1916'''''. London, Sydney: The St Alban Press, 1976. 3rd edition, revised. 17 pages. Also Lakewood, N.J.: Ubique, 1966.
* '''''The Larger Meaning of Religion'''''. London, Sydney: The St. Alban Press, 1929. 2nd edition, 1980. 77 pages.
* '''''The Distinctive Contribution of Theosophy to Christian Thought'''''. London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1926. 23 pages. Blavatsky Lecture. 1926. Available at [https://archive.org/details/BL1926WedgwoodTheDistinctiveContributionOfTheosophyToChristianThought Internet Archive].
* '''''The Place of Ceremonies in the Spiritual Life'''''. London, St. Alban Press, 1927. 16 pages. Subtitle: being the substance of two sermons preached at the Church of St. Michael and All Angels, Huizen, Holland, 1927. 
* '''''The facts regarding the episcopal succession in the Liberal Catholic Church'''''. 15 pages.

== Additional resources ==
* [https://www.theosophy.world/encyclopedia/wedgwood-james-ingall Wedgwood, James Ingall] in Theosophy World.
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._I._Wedgwood J. I. Wedgwood] in Wikipedia.
* [http://www.thelccusa.org/about/history.html History] in Liberal Catholic Church website.
* [http://www.cwlworld.info/A_Farewell_Note.pdf The Liberal Catholic Tradition: A Farewell Note] by Pedro Oliveira.
* [https://cwleadbeater.wordpress.com/2016/05/28/james-ingall-wedgwood/ James Ingall Wedgwood] in CWLeadbeater.Wordpress.com.

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:TS Adyar|Wedgwood, James Ingall]]
[[Category:Christian clergy|Wedgwood, James Ingall]]
[[Category:Christians|Wedgwood, James Ingall]]
[[Category:Writers|Wedgwood, James Ingall]]
[[Category:Lecturers|Wedgwood, James Ingall]]
[[Category:Liberal Catholic Church|Wedgwood, James Ingall]]
[[Category:Co-Masons|Wedgwood, James Ingall]]
[[Category:Clairvoyants|Wedgwood, James Ingall]]
[[Category:Musicians|Wedgwood, James Ingall]]
[[Category:Nationality English|Wedgwood, James Ingall]]
[[Category:People|Wedgwood, James Ingall]]