| Book Review | The Journal of American History, 90.4

You have not been recognized as a subscriber to JAH online. About 211 words from this article are provided below; about 420 words remain.

If you are a individual member of the Organization of American Historians, you may:: • login here if you have already registered for online access.; • Or if you're already logged in register your subscription.
• Set up your online account for the first time.
If you are not a member of the Organization of American Historians, you can:: • Join the OAH and receive many member benefits including print and electronic issues of the Journal of American History.
• Purchase a research pass to gain two-hour access to the entire History Cooperative web site. You will have full access to current issues of the Journal of American History (86.1-present). Note: the Research Pass does not provide access to JSTOR's holdings of the Journal of American History.
Instititutions can:: • Subscribe to this journal and receive print and electronic issues.
• Activate your existing subscription so that we recognize your IP number ranges.

| Book Review | The Journal of American History, 90.4 | The History Cooperative

Book Review

The Dawn of the New Cycle: Point Loma Theosophists and American Culture. By W. Michael Ashcraft. (Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 2002. xviii, 258 pp. $35.00, ISBN 1-57233-200-X.)
This book is an excellent study of the impact of the theosophical religious movement on American society, with primary attention given to the Point Loma community, where from 1898 to 1929 an effort was made to put theosophical teachings into practice in a communal setting. These were the years when Point Loma was led by its founder, Katherine Tingley.	1
W. Michael Ashcraft begins by providing important historical information about the theosophical movement nationally and internationally, focusing specific attention on three cultural and religious influences (esotericism, Victorian culture, and communitarianism) that influenced the rendition of theosophy that was practiced at Point Loma. Ashcraft also notes similarities and differences between the theosophical principles adhered to by members of the Point Loma group and by the mainstream (that is, Protestant and Catholic) beliefs and practices in the areas of religion, education, culture, and politics. Throughout the book, Ashcraft points to the Theosophists' strong commitment to altruism and selfless behavior, as well as their adherence to a cyclical millenarian world view that incorporated an internationalist focus (referred to as "higher patriotism").	. . .

There are about 420 more words in this article. Please log in (or, if you are not yet an authorized user, please go to the User Setup page) to gain full access rights. Or if you're already logged in register your subscription.