Theos-Talk Archives (November 2006 Message tt01264)

Some comments on the "The Theosophical Movement 1875-1925", Part 1.

pp. 1-15. On the time in Philadelphia and on the first contacts with 
Mr. Judge, important incidents and fact, to correct understand the 
founding of TS, are missing.

p. 16. "On the evening of September 7, 1875, a talk was given in 
Madame Blavatsky's apartment by a Mr. G.H. Felt, who had been a 
student of Egyptian mysticism, and who professed to be able to 
control "elementals." While the assemblage was discussing the talk, 
Col. Olcott wrote on a slip of paper which he handed to Mr. Judge 
these words: "Would it not be a good thing to form a society for 
this kind of study!" Mr. Judge read the paper, passed it to Madame 
Blavatsky, who nodded assent, and then Mr. Judge proposed that the 
assemblage come to order and that Col. Olcott act as chairman to 
consider the proposal." According to both Judge (The Path, 1894) and 
Besant (Lucifer, 1892), was it Blavatsky how wrote the not, and 
first past it to Judge who then gave it to Olcott. And Judge has 
said that he was the first chairman.

p. 16. "The principal Officers were Col. Olcott as President, . . " 
Olcott was President pro tem. (The Path May, 1894)

p. 18. "The British Theosophical Society was established in 1876, 
with Mr. Massey as its first President." According to The Path May, 
1894, it was in 1878, and Dr. Wyld was the first president of B.T.S. 
The fact that there where some corresponding fellows in London, 
doesn't make it an established society. 

pp. 19-20. "The earlier Societies established after the foundation 
of the Parent body adopted its preamble and made additional rules 
and by-laws not in conflict, to suit themselves. Intercourse between 
the various Societies was more or less desultory and informal, but 
all Fellows received their diplomas from the Parent Society until 
branch Societies began to be formed in India, when diplomas were 
signed by Col. Olcott and Madame Blavatsky." In fact Olcott was 
signing the Indian diplomas in conflict with the Constitution and By-
Laws of the TS, already before the Indian Section was founded 1882, 
as Head of the irregular body called the General-Counsel (of The 
Theosophical Society and Universal Brotherhood, note that this name 
never was adopted in America, nether was this General-Counsel of 
Olcott's ).
 
p. 102. "Countess Wachtmeister, widow of the late Swedish Ambassador 
to England. Countess Wachtmeister was an English woman by birth" 
Count Carl Wachtmeister af Johannishus (dead 1871) was Swedish 
Attorney General and later Swedish Ambassador to the US, and 
Marquises Constance Georgine Louise de Boubel-Montpiaçon was born in 
California by French parents, and gown up in France. They meet and 
got married during Carl's time in Washington. See the 1923 official 
Swedish Calender of the Knighthood and the Nobilities p. 1321 (full 
name in Swedish; "Sveriges ridderskaps och adels kalender / 1923 - 
fyrtiosjätte årgången").

Online on: http://runeberg.org/adelskal/1923/1327.html

 Note that al information in those Calenders is delivered to the 
House of Nobility in Stockholm, by the familles themself (in this 
case, their son Axel Wachtmeister, born 2/4 1865). 

Carl