It was on September 4, 1892 that L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and his wife, Maud G. Baum, joined the Theosophical Society. It is most likely Baum learned about Theosophy through his mother-in-law, Matilda Joslyn Gage, who was an active figure in the woman's rights movement and other social causes throughout her life. He supported his mother-in-law in her work and learned something about Theosophical ideas from her. As editor of the Aberdeen Saturday Pioneer, in South Dakota in the 1890's, he introduced theosophy to his readers in the column, The Editor's Musings. Two years later, he turned to writing fiction. According to John Algeo in Oz-A Notable Theosophist: L. Frank Baum, Theosophical ideas permeate Baum's fairy tales and provided the inspiration for them. Indeed, The Wizard of Oz "can be regarded as Theosophical allegory, pervaded by Theosophical ideas from beginning to end.The story came to Baum as an inspiration, and he accepted it with a certain awe as a gift from outside, or perhaps from deep within, himself."