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Massey's passage through life, as recorded in the press.
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Two lectures on 'Clairvoyance and Mesmerism' given by Massey assisted by his first wife, Rosina Jane. An article and related correspondence taken from The Bucks Advertiser and Aylesbury News, 21 January 1853.

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Massey's Lectures - two reports from The Scotsman for 24th and the 27th March 1858 on Massey's lectures 'Thomas Hood, and Wit and Humour,' and 'The Poetry of Alfred Tennyson.'

Gerald Massey
1871.

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Massey lecturing in Jersey and Guernsey: "Sir Charles James Napier, the Conqueror of Scinde"; "England's Old Sea Kings; how they lived, fought and died"; a poetry reading by Massey's wife, Rosina; and in Guernsey, a further "England's Old Sea Kings". Four reports in the British Press and Jersey Times, November and December 1862.

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Massey and the "MILTONIC EPITAPH" - a debate in the press during the summer of 1868 concerning the discovery of an unpublished poem ascribed to John Milton.

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The Sea Kings of England.” A brief report of a lecture by Massey: The Scotsman, 12 December, 1868.

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Gerald Massey on Spiritualism: a short report of a lecture given by Massey at Ulverston during February, 1871.

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MRS. EMMA HARDINGE BRITTEN at her Farewell Conversazione: a report in Human Nature of a short address presented by Massey on behalf of the Spiritualists of England in St. George's Hall, London, July 28, 1871.

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Gerald Massey's Lectures: an announcement in Human Nature, May, 1872, of Massey's Sunday afternoon programme for St. George's Hall, Langham Place.

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The Langham Place Lectures, 1872: The Medium and Daybreak, published comprehensive reports of each these lectures, which together provide an interesting insight into Massey's Spiritualist perspective on aspects of orthodox Christian doctrine.

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Among the Spiritualists: a highly sceptical report published in the Globe (13 May 1872) on Massey lecturing on spiritualism.

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Mr. Gerald Massey in the North: report of Massey lecturing at Bishop Auckland. The Medium and Daybreak, 1st November, 1872.

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Mr. Gerald Massey in the North: reports of Massey lecturing at Darlington, Bishop Auckland, and Barnard Castle. The Medium and Daybreak, 15th November, 1872.

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Mr. Gerald Massey's lectures: after lecturing at Barnard Castle (6 and 7 November, 1872) Massey is encouraged to leave townhe is also branded a heretic. The Medium and Daybreak, 22nd November, 1872

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Gerald Massey at Halifax: the report attributes the poor turnout for Massey's three lectures during December, 1872, to poor weather, the nearness of Christmas, and to division among the Town's Spiritualist community. The Medium and Daybreak, 3rd January, 1873.

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Gerald Massey's lectures in the North and the progress of Spiritualism. Massey lectures in Middlesbrough for the Philosophical Society and in the Mechanics' Hall, Newcastle.  The Medium and Daybreak, 31st January 1873.

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Arrival of Gerald Massey in New York: Banner of Light, 11th Oct., 1873.

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Concerning Spiritualism:   a short article on Massey's views. Banner of Light, 1st Nov., 1873, which follows.

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Mr. Massey in America: Massey receives a warm welcome in Harlem (October 1873), followed by the 'cold shoulder' in Boston. The Medium and Daybreak, 19th December, 1873.

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Gerald Massey lecturing on Charles Lamb: orchestral razzmatazz does nothing to warm this 'cold' audience — about two-thirds of whom were empty seats — who reportedly "waited in mute astonishment" for Massey, who stole "quietly in at a side door of the stage, and hurried to his stand, without making a bow, and without introduction." Chicago Daily Tribune (10 Dec. 1873).

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Conviction and Conversion: Massey lecturing on 'Why I became a Spiritualist,'  a subject which, judging from the length of this report in the Denver Mirror (25 Jan. 1874) almost 9,000 words appears to have held appeal for its readers.  The article doesn't say where the lecture was given, but apparently not in Denver.

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Breakfast at Laramie: the Denver Daily Times, Apr. 23 1874.

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Gerald Massey: lecturing to a full house at Boston: 'Some of his strongest passages—for the utterance of which a couple of centuries ago he would reverently have been burned—were warmly applauded....' Banner Of Light, May 2, 1874.

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The Vagaries of the Lecture Circuit: a request to have Massey lecture in Denver, Colorado, comes unstuck. This article, from the Denver Mirror (10 May, 1874), contains a complimentary letter on Massey the lecturer (from Thomas L. Kimball, Railway Manager at Omaha), but who 'sadly bungled' Massey's plans is left unsaid.

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Massey departs San Francisco: 'The conclusions to which he has come upon religious subjects are such as would startle the class of minds accustomed to regard them through the spectacles of their ancestors . . . .' The Banner of Light, 28th May, 1874.

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Gerald Massey Insane: The Weaver-Boy Poet in a Lunatic Asylum. An interesting article — albeit under a highly dubious headline — from the St. Louis Globe Democrat, Oct. 21, 1875.

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Gerald Massey: an appreciation of Massey, interesting for its account of the period 1873-82 and the publication of his "Book of the Beginnings." House and Home, 26 may, 1882.

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The non-historic nature of the Fall of Man, and what it meant as fable: Massey lecturing at St. George's Hall, Langham Place, on 16th September, 1883.  The Medium and Daybreak,  21st September, 1883.

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Massey lecturing on the 'Non-Historic Nature of the Canonical Gospels': Sunday September 23rd, 1883'when in ten thousand churches, last Sunday, the usual sleepy afternoon service was being duly performed, the officiating ministers thereat little knew what was going on at St. George's Hall, Langham Place.  If they had known they might have been excused for suffering from that choking sensation in the throat which sometimes accompanies a shock to the nervous system, occasioned by sudden terror or unwelcome surprise.' The Medium and Daybreak, September 28th, 1883.

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Why does God not kill the Devil?: the final lecture in a series of four given by Massey at St. George's Hall, Langham Place, on 30th September, 1883.  The Medium and Daybreak, October 5th, 1883.

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Recollections of Gerald Massey: an article written by an unidentified correspondent of the Brooklyn Eagle on the occasion of Massey's second U.S. tour in 1883.  Apparently an acquaintance during his Chartist days, "Colonel" throws some light on Massey's life during the late 1840s and provides a good 'feel' for the radical sentiments of that age.

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Gerald Massey's Theories: why a believer in Spiritualism rejects Christianity. The New York Times, November 17, 1883.

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A New Philosophy: from the New York Times, November 18, 1883.  While an exercise in sarcasm rather than in objective journalism, this piece provides an interesting illustration of how some commentators felt about Massey's departure from the orthodox interpretation of the scriptures.

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An Interview with the Lecturer and Author: Massey providing readers of the Brooklyn Eagle (Jan. 6, 1884) with his views on American literary men; the Great Political Question of the Hour; free trade becoming a necessity; science and the Bible; and the mysteries of the Hebrew scriptures and ancient mythology.'

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Christianity: Another Phase of Egyptian Mythology: "(Christian) dogmas were responsible for much of the misery and suffering that had been measured out to humanity." Brooklyn Eagle, 30 January 1884.

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Free Thought: Gerald Massey's Lecture on Demons and Their Influence.—"Why Does Not God Kill the Devil?"—How the Existence of the First Devil Came to be Believed—The Nemesis Which Constituted the Real Hell—The Author of English Misery—A Description of Starving London. The Brooklyn Eagle, 2 February 1884.

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Gerald Massey in Springfield, Mass. Full houses to hear Massey lecture on the "The Fall of Man" and on 'The Historical Jesus and the Mythical Christ' - Banner of Light, 15 and 22 March, 1884.

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Gerald Massey's lecturers in the U.S.A.: short reports published in Banner of Light (March 21, April 19 and May 3 1884) of Massey's lectures in Springfield, Boston and in Grand Rapids, U.S.A.

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Gerald Massey in America: Massey's "lectures were well attended by the thinking people of Cleveland" — however, "some of the ministers, in order to counteract the effect, have been preaching against his line of argument." The Medium and Daybreak, May 16, 1884.

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A Prophet of Ill: the Cincinnati Call (edition 24 June, 1884). Gerald Massey interviewed upon the labour questions of the day......Dangers from Dynamite Men Who Fail to Do Their Duty A Remedy for Threatened Anarchy in America.

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Gerald Massey in Australia: a report of a well-attended conversazione held in Melbourne, 29 September 1884. The Medium and Daybreak, 16 January 1885 (Republished from The Harbinger of Light, 1 November, 1884).

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Gerald Massey's Experiences in Spiritualism: a lecture delivered at West's Academy, New South Wales, and reported in the Sydney Daily Telegraph, 26 May, 1885. (Re-published in The Medium and Daybreak, London, 24 July, 1885).

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"A Leaf from the Book of my Life": a report in The Rationalist of Massey lecturing on his Spiritualist beliefs in Auckland, New Zealand, in August, 1885.

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"The Mystery of the Apostle Paul, and the nature of his Christ" and "Logia or Sayings and Teachings assigned to Jesus": two reports in the Bucks Advertiser and Aylesbury News of lectures given by Massey at St. George's Hall, Langham Place, London, on 22nd and 29th May, 1886.

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Mr. Massey's Notes on Dr. Peebles: a response to comments made by the American Christian Spiritualist, Dr. James Peebles; Medium and Daybreak, 10 September, 1886.

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Massey on Shakespeare and Burns: a report in Medium and Daybreak of a lecture given at St. George's Hall, Langham Place, London, on 10 September 1886.

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Mr. Massey's Lectures: a short report on the concluding lecture in a series of ten given by Massey at Saint George's Hall, Langham Place: The Medium and Daybreak, October 8, 1886.

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Paul the Gnostic not a Witness for Historic Christianity (22nd October 1886) and The Sea Kings of England (12th December 1886); lectures given by Gerald Massey, as reported in The Scotsman.

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Egyptologists and Gerald Massey: from The Medium and Daybreak, 1 April, 1887.  This piece was later included as an addendum to Massey's published lecture 'The Seven Souls of Man'.

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Christianity: an Ant-Spiritualistic System. 'Historic Christianity was established as a non-Spiritualist and an antispiritualistic religion.' Massey's thesis when lecturing at St. George's Hall, Langham Place, on 'a bright, balmy summer Sunday' (and over-long, it seems!). The Medium and Daybreak, June 17, 1887.

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Massey's reply to Dr. A. R. Wallace: The Medium and Daybreak, July 22, 1887.

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Gerald Massey proposes to visit America: Massey's planned lecture programme for his third visit to the U.S.A.  The tour was abandoned due to Massey returning home to be with his daughter Hesper, who was dying of tuberculosis. The Medium and Daybreak, 3 August, 1888.

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Gerald Massey in America: Lucifer, Vol. 3, September 1888, alleging that "Mr. Massey's later studies and researches bring him nearer to the Theosophists."

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"The Coming Religion":  according to Massey, "....The meek do not inherit the earth, and are not going to.  We are not forgiven because we are forgiving.  Nature does not keep her book of accounts in that way." Banner of Light, Boston USA, December 15, 1888.

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'Make Friends With The Great': a newspaper article (by Robin Temple, date and publisher unknown) found pasted on the inside cover of a copy of Massey's 'My Lyrical Life'. Among other things, the writer refers to the popularity of Massey's songs, some examples of which are in the Miscellaneous Section.

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'Massey in His Last Fight — struggling against poverty to finish the book.' A certain amount of journalistic 'spin' in this interesting and probably final interview to be given by Massey before his death (on October 29): Chicago Daily Tribune, June 23, 1907.

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Current Topics: an obituary published in The Two Worlds, November 8, 1907.

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Gerald Massey — as Egyptologist and Spiritualist: an obituary by Samuel Keyworth published in The Two Worlds, November 8, 1907.

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Obituary: from an unidentified Australian newspaper.

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Gerald Massey: An Appeal - for funds to help support his widow and daughters, published in The Two Worlds, May 8, 1908.

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The Late Gerald Massey: a short appreciation of Massey's evolutionary writing by W. H. Simpson, The Two Worlds, December 18, 1908.

 



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