Founding of the Theosophical Society

The Theosophical Society was officially founded in New York on November 17, 1875, by Helena P. Blavatsky, Henry S. Olcott, William Q. Judge, and others. The process of forming the Society required six meetings, which took place between the months of September and November.

September 7

At this time of her life H. P. Blavatsky was living at 46, Irving Place, in New York City, and was quite well-known among those interested in the Esoteric Philosophy. Her apartment had become a place for people to come and learn from her about these subjects.

On Tuesday, September 7, 1875, a meeting was organized at her rooms to hear a lecture given by George H. Felt entitled "The Lost Canon of Proportion of the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans". There is no official record of the persons present on this particular evening, although they were probably around twenty or less. Col. Olcott described the meeting as follows:

[George H. Felt] was a remarkably clever draughtsman, and had prepared a number of exquisite drawings to illustrate his theory that the canon of architectural proportion, employed by the Egyptians, as well as by the great architects of Greece, was actually preserved in the temple hieroglyphics of the Land of Khemi. His contention was that, by following certain definite clues one could inscribe what he called the “Star of Perfection” upon a certain temple wall, within which the whole secret of the geometrical problem of proportion would be read; and that the hieroglyphs outside the inscribed figure were but mere blinds to deceive the profane curiosity-seeker; for, read consecutively with those within the geometrical figure, they either made undecipherable nonsense or ran into some quite trivial narrative.

This diagram consists of a circle with a square within and without, containing a common triangle, two Egypttian triangles and a pentagon. He applies it to the pictures, statues, doors, hieroglyphs, pyramids, planes, tombs and buildings of Ancient Egypt, and shows that they agree so perfectly with its proportions that they must have been made by its rule. He applies the same canon of proportion to the masterpieces of Greek art and finds that they were, or might have been, carved without models by this rule. It is, in fact, the true canon of Nature’s architecture.

During the lecture Mr. Felt was asked by Dr. Seth Pancoast, a learned Kabalist, whether he could prove his occult knowledge and ability to evoke "spirits from the spatial deep". He replied categorically that through his chemical circle "He could call into sight hundreds of shadowy forms resembling the human, but he had seen no signs of intelligence in these apparitions".

The talk was enthusiastically received and stimulated an animated discussion. 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.

Mr. Felt said that in the course of a series of lectures he could show how to evoke and control elementals. A new lecture was organized for the next day, after which would follow a meeting to organize the new society.

Col. Olcott explained that when he proposed the formation of the Society, he had in mind--

...A body for the collection and diffusion of knowledge; for occult research, and the study and dissemination of ancient philosophical and theosophical ideas: one of the first steps was to collect a library. The idea of Universal Brotherhood was not there, because the proposal for the Society sprang spontaneously out of the present topic of discussion. . . .

The Theosophical Society was an evolution, not--on the visible plane--a planned creation.

September 8

On the next day, Mr. Felt lectured again, and afterwards a meeting to organize the Society took place. Col. Olcott was elected as Chairman and Mr. Judge as Secretary. From among those present, sixteen people handed in their names as willing to form and become members of such a Society. 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.

The committee were appointed , and to report on them in the coming meeting of September 13.

September 13

Mr. Felt gave another lecture on September 13 where he further described his discoveries. A few more people attended. After this, the committee formed by H. J. Newton, H. M. Stevens, C. Sotheran and Col. Olcott to draft a Constitution and By-Laws made its report. Col. Olcott reports:

The Rules of various corporate bodies were examined, but those of the American Geographical and Statistical Society and the American Institute were thought by us to be as good models as any to follow.

It was in this meeting that the name of the Society was resolved to be that of the Theosophical Society. Col. Olcott writes:

The choice of a name for the Society was, of course, a question for grave discussion in Committee. Several were suggested, among them, if I recollect aright, the Egyptological, the Hermetic, the Rosicrucian, etc., but none seemed just the thing. At last, in turning over the leaves of the Dictionary, one of us came across the word “Theosophy,” whereupon, after discussion, we unanimously agreed that that was the best of all; since it both expressed the esoteric truth we wished to reach and covered the ground of Felt’s methods of occult scientific research.

It is interesting to notice that a few months earlier Mme. Blavatsky had already written a personal letter using the term Theosophy:

My belief is based on something older than the Rochester knockings, and springs out from the same source of information that was used by Raymond Lully, Picus della Mirandola, Cornelius Agrippa, Robert Fludd, Henry More, et cetera, etc., all of whom have ever been searching for a system that should disclose to them the "deepest depths" of the Divine nature, and show them the real tie which binds all things together. I found at last, and many years ago, the cravings of my mind satisfied by this theosophy taught by the Angels and communicated by them that the protoplast might know it for the aid of the human destiny.

Rev. J. H. Wiggin and C. Sotheran were appointed to select suitable meeting rooms. Several new members were nominated and their names added as founders.

October 16

On October 13, 1875, Col. Olcott issued the following notice, inviting to the first meeting held under the name of "Theosophical Society":

The Committee on By-Laws having completed its work, a meeting of the Theosophical Society will be held at the private residence, No. 206 West 38th St., on Saturday, October 16, 1875, at 8 p.m., to organize and elect officers. If Mr. Felt should be in town, he will continue his intensely interesting account of his Egyptological discoveries. Under the By-Laws proposed, new members cannot be elected until after thirty day’s consideration of their application. A full attendance at this preliminary meeting is, therefore, desirable.

The undersigned issues this call in compliance with the order adopted by the meeting of September 13th ultimo.

(Signed) HENRY S. OLCOTT, President, pro. tem.

On October 16 the following people were present: Mme. Blavatsky, Mrs. E. H. Britten, Henry S. Olcott, Henry J. Newton, Chas. Sotheran, W. Q. Judge, J. Hyslop, Dr. W. H. Atkinson, Dr. H. Carlos, Dr. Simmons, Tudor Horton, Dr. Britten, C. C. Massey, John Storer Cobb, W. L. Alden, Edwin S. Ralphs, Herbert D. Monachesi, and Francisco Agromonte.

The By-Laws were discussed and various motions on them were made, after which the meeting adjourned.

October 30

During the meeting on October 30 the committee reported that the selected meeting place for the Society was Mott Memorial Hall, 64, Madison Avenue.

The By-Laws were finally adopted and the election of officers took place. Col. Olcott was chosen as President; G. H. Felt and Dr. Seth Pancoast as Vice-Presidents; Madame Blavatsky, Corresponding Secretary; John Storer Cobb Recording Secretary; Henry J. Newton, Treasurer; Charles Sotheran, Librarian; and William Q. Judge was chosen as Counsel to the Society. The Councillors were Rev. J. H. Wiggin, R. B. Westbrook, Mrs. E. H. Britten, Dr. C. E. Simmons, and H. D. Monachesi.

November 17

On November 17, seventy days after the formation of the Society was conceived, the members met at Mott Memorial Hall and Col. Olcott delivered his inaugural address as President-Founder of the now fully constituted Theosophical Society. In hindsight, the opening remarks of this address proved to be prophetic, which is remarkable taking into account that the organization started with just a small group of like-minded people:

In future times, when the impartial historian shall write an account of the progress of religious ideas in the present century, the formation of the Theosophical Society, whose first meeting under its formal declaration of principles, we are now attending, will not pass unnoticed. This much is certain.

The next meeting of the Theosophical Society was planned for December 15, 1875.

Early meetings

While Col. Olcott was active in the early meetings of the Society, Mme. Blavatsky did not take active part in them after the first few sessions. She was busy with the correspondence, the publication of articles, the discussions in the "Lamasery", and the writing of Isis Unveiled. Mr. Judge did not attend the meetings either, being busy with his work and attending the "Lamasery" during the evenings to study.

More members were admitted from time to time, both Active and Corresponding. Mr. Felt was not able to fulfill his promise to materialize "spirits" in public, although Mme. Blavatsky had asserted he had done it in the presence of a private, small group of students. Eventually he left the Society, as did most of the other early members when they found that their expectations were not met. From the close of 1876 to that of 1878 (when the Founders moved to India) the Society as a body was comparatively inactive and its meetings almost ceased. However, it kept having a growing influence mostly through the meetings in the "Lamasery", the correspondence, and the publication of articles.

Online resources

Articles

• Inaugural Address of the President-Founder of the Theosophical Society by H. S. Olcott
• The Founding of the Theosophical Society by Walter A. Carrithers, Jr.