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On Tuesday, [[September 7]], 1875, a meeting was organized at [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|Mme. Blavatsky]]'s rooms in New York City to hear a lecture given by [[George H. Felt]] entitled "The Lost Canon of Proportion of the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans". About 17 people were present. During the discussion that followed the lecture, a suggestion was made that a Society be formed to pursue and promote such occult research.
On Tuesday, [[September 7]], 1875, a meeting was organized at [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|Mme. Blavatsky]]'s rooms in New York City to hear a lecture given by [[George H. Felt]] entitled "The Lost Canon of Proportion of the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans". About seventeen people were present. The talk was enthusiastically received and [[Henry Steel Olcott|H. S. Olcott]] wrote on a slip of paper "Would it not be a good thing to form a society from this kind of study?" He handed it to [[William Quan Judge|W. Q. Judge]] to pass it to HPB, who nodded in assent.<ref>Sylvia Cranston, ''H.P.B. The Extraordinary Life & Influence of Helena Blavatsky'', (New York: Putnam Book, 1993), 143.</ref>


On the next day another meeting took place with Mr. Felt lecturing again. The Society was more more formally organized, and [[Founders|sixteen people]] handed in their names for that purpose. A committee of three was appointed to draft a Constitution and Bylaws.
On the next day, Mr. Felt lectured again, and afterwards a meeting to begin to organize the Society took place. Sixteen people handed in their names for that purpose. Col. Olcott published the official report of the meeting of [[September 8]] quoting from the Minute Book:


On [[September 13]] at the same address, Mr. Felt gave yet another lecture. At this time the name of "The Theosophical Society" was agreed upon.
<blockquote>In consequence of a proposal of Col. Henry S. Olcott, that a Society be formed for the study and elucidation of Occultism, the Cabbala, etc., the ladies and gentlemen then and there present, resolved themselves into a meeting, and, upon motion of Mr. William Q. Judge, it was
<br>
Resolved, That [[Henry Steel Olcott|Col. H. S. Olcott]] take the chair. Upon motion it was also
<br>
Resolved, That [[William Quan Judge|Mr. W. Q. Judge]] act as Secretary. The Chair then called for the names of the persons present, who would agree to found and belong to a Society such as had been mentioned. The following persons handed in their names to the Secretary:
<br>
Col. Olcott, Mme. H. P. Blavatsky, [[Charles Sotheran|Chas. Sotheran]], [[Charles E. Simmons|Dr. Chas. E. Simmons]], [[H. D. Monachesi]], [[C. C. Massey]] of London, [[W. L. Alden]], G. H. Felt, [[D. E. de Lara]], [[W. Britten|Dr. W. Britten]], [[Emma Hardinge Britten|Mrs. E. H. Britten]], [[Henry J. Newton]], [[John Storer Cobb]], [[J. Hyslop]], W. Q. Judge, [[H. M. Stevens]] (all present save one).
<br>
Upon motion of Herbert D. Monachesi, it was
<br>
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed by the Chair to draft a constitution and by-laws, and to report the same at the next meeting. Upon motion, it was
<br>
Resolved, That the Chair be added to the Committee.
<br>
The Chair then appointed Messrs. H. J. Newton, H. M. Stevens, and C. Sotheran to such Committee.
<br>
Upon motion, it was
<br>
Resolved, That we now adjourn until Monday, September 13th, at the same place, at 8 P.M.<ref>Henry Steel Olcott, ''Old Diary Leaves'' First Series (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1974), 121-122.</ref></blockquote>
 
On [[September 18]] Mr. Felt gave another lecture, and a few more people attended. At this time it was resolved that the name of the Society be that of the [[Theosophical Society]]. Two more meetings (on [[October 16]] and [[October 30]]) took place to organize and elect officers, and to develop and adopt the by-laws. Col. Olcott was chosen as President; G. H. Felt and Dr. [[Seth Pancoast]], a learned Kabalist, as Vice-Presidents; Madame Blavatsky, Corresponding Secretary; and William Q. Judge was chosen as Counsel to the Society.
 
Finally, on [[November 17]], seventy days after the formation of the Society was proposed, Col. Olcott gave his inaugural address as President-Founder of the newly formed Theosophical Society.
 
==Online resources==
===Articles===
*[http://www.blavatskyfoundation.org/founding.htm# The Founding of the Theosophical Society] by Walter A. Carrithers, Jr.


== Notes ==
== Notes ==

Revision as of 17:35, 18 February 2014

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On Tuesday, September 7, 1875, a meeting was organized at Mme. Blavatsky's rooms in New York City to hear a lecture given by George H. Felt entitled "The Lost Canon of Proportion of the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans". About seventeen people were present. The talk was enthusiastically received and H. S. Olcott wrote on a slip of paper "Would it not be a good thing to form a society from this kind of study?" He handed it to W. Q. Judge to pass it to HPB, who nodded in assent.[1]

On the next day, Mr. Felt lectured again, and afterwards a meeting to begin to organize the Society took place. Sixteen people handed in their names for that purpose. Col. Olcott published the official report of the meeting of September 8 quoting from the Minute Book:

In consequence of a proposal of Col. Henry S. Olcott, that a Society be formed for the study and elucidation of Occultism, the Cabbala, etc., the ladies and gentlemen then and there present, resolved themselves into a meeting, and, upon motion of Mr. William Q. Judge, it was


Resolved, That Col. H. S. Olcott take the chair. Upon motion it was also
Resolved, That Mr. W. Q. Judge act as Secretary. The Chair then called for the names of the persons present, who would agree to found and belong to a Society such as had been mentioned. The following persons handed in their names to the Secretary:
Col. Olcott, Mme. H. P. Blavatsky, Chas. Sotheran, Dr. Chas. E. Simmons, H. D. Monachesi, C. C. Massey of London, W. L. Alden, G. H. Felt, D. E. de Lara, Dr. W. Britten, Mrs. E. H. Britten, Henry J. Newton, John Storer Cobb, J. Hyslop, W. Q. Judge, H. M. Stevens (all present save one).
Upon motion of Herbert D. Monachesi, it was
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed by the Chair to draft a constitution and by-laws, and to report the same at the next meeting. Upon motion, it was
Resolved, That the Chair be added to the Committee.
The Chair then appointed Messrs. H. J. Newton, H. M. Stevens, and C. Sotheran to such Committee.
Upon motion, it was

Resolved, That we now adjourn until Monday, September 13th, at the same place, at 8 P.M.[2]

On September 18 Mr. Felt gave another lecture, and a few more people attended. At this time it was resolved that the name of the Society be that of the Theosophical Society. Two more meetings (on October 16 and October 30) took place to organize and elect officers, and to develop and adopt the by-laws. Col. Olcott was chosen as President; G. H. Felt and Dr. Seth Pancoast, a learned Kabalist, as Vice-Presidents; Madame Blavatsky, Corresponding Secretary; and William Q. Judge was chosen as Counsel to the Society.

Finally, on November 17, seventy days after the formation of the Society was proposed, Col. Olcott gave his inaugural address as President-Founder of the newly formed Theosophical Society.

Online resources

Articles

Notes

  1. ↑ Sylvia Cranston, H.P.B. The Extraordinary Life & Influence of Helena Blavatsky, (New York: Putnam Book, 1993), 143.
  2. ↑ Henry Steel Olcott, Old Diary Leaves First Series (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1974), 121-122.
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