Scholar Jeffrey
D. Lavoie has released a bio and compilation
of C.C. Massey
A Search
for Meaning in Victorian Religion
The
Spiritual Journey and Esoteric Teachings of Charles Carleton Massey
This indispensable
work combines Massey’s collected writings with never before published letters
organized topically in order to define Massey’s unique world-view for a new
generation of readers. This book covers a range of topics from the “nature of
God” to the “microcosm and macrocosm” to “Satanism” and “reincarnation” all the
while allowing the reader a rare glimpse into Victorian England and the social
and religious issues of this time period.
Charles
Carleton Massey (December 23,
1838 - March 29,
1905) was an English barrister, keenly interested in Spiritualism.
He was one of the Founders
of the Theosophical Society in 1875. In 1878 he
became a founder and first president of the British Theosophical Society, the first Branch outside
the USA. He was also one of the founders of the Society for Psychical Research in
1882. Mr. Massey figures prominently in the Mahatma Letters to A. P.
Sinnett, being mentioned in more than 20 of them. Blavatsky’s letters
to C.C. Massey in The Letters of H.P. Blavatsky, vol. 1 are some of the most
interesting.
Of note is
Lavoie’s negative portrayal of Blavatsky, basically going back to the questionable
Coulomb/Hodgson/Solovyov writings. It is disappointing, but it is representative
of a certain current in academic studies, which is overall still in a
materialist, skeptical mode were the study of religion and spirituality is based
on socialist theory, particularly Emile Durkheim and in Theosophical History,
Max Weber. However, he does do good research; he really travels out to obscure
archives and digs around, unearthing interesting material.
The reviews are
in:
K. Paul
Johnson - December 12, 2014
Of special
interest to Theosophical history is Lavoie’s treatment of Massey’s progressive
alienation from Madame Blavatsky, juxtaposed with his lifelong friendship with
Colonel Olcott. No previous author in the field has appreciated all the
cross-currents swirling around Massey as one of the original founders of the
Theosophical Society who later had a similar role in the beginnings of the
Society for Psychical Research.
http://www.historyoftheadepts.com/historyoftheadepts/?p=1684
Psypioneer Journal May-June 2016
http://www.psypioneer.org/psypioneer_v12_n3_may-jun_2016.pdf
Psypioneer Journal May-June 2016
http://www.psypioneer.org/psypioneer_v12_n3_may-jun_2016.pdf
Theosophical
History - Robert A. Gilbert XVII/4, October 2014
Journal of the Society for Psychical Research
Volume 80, Number 1 January
2016 - Lori Lee Oates
The work
draws on sources from the British Library, John Ryland’s Library at the University
of Manchester, the Andover-Harvard Library, and the Wren Library at Cambridge
University. Clearly it is a well-researched project and draws on many primary
sources. The book builds on the compilation of Massey’s letters in Thoughts
of a Modern Mystic (1909) by W. F.
Barrett
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