CONTENTS

Editorial Note XI Preface: Theosophy and Theosophism 1

1 Madame Blavatsky's Antecedents 5 2 The Origins of the Theosophical Society 11 3 The Theosophical Society and Rosicrucianism 25 4 The Question of the Mahātmās 35 5 The Society for Psychical Research Affair 51 6 Madame Blavatsky and Solovioff 61 7 Madame Blavatsky's Power of Suggestion 68 8 Madame Blavatsky's Last Years 73 9 The Sources of Madame Blavatsky's Works 82 10 Esoteric Buddhism 90 11 Principal Points of Theosophical Teaching 97 12 Theosophy and Spiritism 111 13 Theosophy and the Religions 124 14 The Oath in Theosophy 132 15 Mrs Besant's Antecedents 138 16 The Beginning of Mrs Besant's Presidency 142 17 At the Parliament of Religions 151 18 Esoteric Christianity 158 19 The Duchess of Pomar 164 20 The Future Messiah 172

21 The Trials of Alcyone 182 22 The Anthroposophy of Rudolf Steiner 194 23 The Order of the Star of the East and its Annexes 208 24 The Old Catholic Church 216 25 Theosophy and Freemasonry 235 26 Auxiliary Organizations of the Theosophical Society 244 27 Theosophical Moralism 259 28 Theosophy and Protestantism 267 29 The Political Role of the Theosophical Society 273 30 Conclusion 291 Reviews of Books and Articles 298 Index 331