Theos-Talk Archives (October 2006 Message tt00144)

In reply to Gary’s questions:

Which secret societies still operate:

1.Early Proposals for the Theosophical Society as a Secret Society –
obviously no longer active! 2. H.P. Blavatsky and her Esoteric Section –
obviously no longer active! 3. The Inner Group of H.P. Blavatsky’s
Esoteric Section – obviously no longer active! 4. Anna Bonus Kingsford and
Esoteric Christianity – no longer active. 5. Gustav Meyrink’s Theosophical
Lodge of the Blue Star – no longer active. 6. A.P. Sinnett and the Inner
Group of the London Lodge – no longer active. 7. W.Q. Judge and the
Esoteric Section in America – no longer active. 8. Annie Besant and the
Esoteric Section – still active under Radha Burnier. 9. Egyptian Rite of
Ancient Freemasonry – still partly active but apparently being gradually
closed down by Radha Burnier. 10. Katherine Tingley’s Esoteric School – no
longer active. 11. Ernest Hargrove’s Esoteric School – no longer active.
12. Gottfried de Purucker’s Esoteric School – no longer active. 13. The
Temple of the People and its Esoteric School – possibly still active. 14.
The Theosophical Society of New York and its Esoteric School – no longer
active. 15. William Hartley’s Esoteric School – possibly still active. 16.
The United Lodge of Theosophists and the Dzyan Esoteric School – still
active. 17. Franz Hartmann and the Esoteric Rosicrucians – no longer
active. 18. Rudolf Steiner’s Esoteric Schools – some still active. 19.
Alice Bailey and the Arcane School – the School is still active, although
whether it still has an inner group is not known. 20. T.H. Martyn and the
Esoteric Section of the Independent Theosophical Society – no longer
active.

I have not included Theosophical Co-Masonry. My basis for defining a
secret society as within the TS is that membership of the TS is a
pre-requisite and that the society operates (officially or unofficially)
within the TS. Co-Masonry meets neither criteria: TS membership is not a
pre-requisite, and it has a separate administration unrelated to any TS. I
have, however, also been working on a history of Theosophical Co-Masonry
and its various schisms.

Yes, I propose to make this study a book(let) at some stage, possibly as a
monograph in the Theosophical History series. I am happy to share
information, but the work as a whole will require more work to make it a
coherent study. I have boxes of relevant archival material still to work
through.

My current focus – when University work allows time – is completing a
history of the origins of the Liberal Catholic Church, 1915-1920, (which a
US publisher is eager to produce). This will include considerable
previously unpublished biographical material on Leadbeater and Wedgwood,
and some previously unpublished material from Adyar ES sources.

Dr Gregory Tillett