Rosicrucian Digest, February 1941

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RQSICRUCIAN


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The size of the portrait is

8 x 10 inches, and it is on

a heavy durable paper. You

have the selection of either a

photographic print in black

and white, or one that is

hand-painted in oils, colored

like the original.

BLACK & WH ITE $ 1 .0 0

each

HAND PAINTED ^ 1 50IN OIL S Uch

(Price Includes Postage)

T he JL i nt js W e j L ( 0e $\ j . . .

T r m a y he financial independence, a trip around the world, a home

ol his own, or just peace of mind but in everyone s life there

is some goal for which he strives, some inspiration which gives

life a zest something which makes il livable. Mill ions ol humans

since the dawn of history and even to day find happiness in

emulating some noble character because of his or her virtues andspiritual values.

Jesus the Christ, not alone as a religious character, but as a

symbol of the highest good as a master of right living, has been

outstanding in drawing mankind onward and upward for centuries.

Every student of mysticism and phil osophy, therefore, should have

a picture or painting of this avatar, this spiritual light of the world,

in his or her home or sanctum not for religious purposes but

as an ideal and inspiration. So that this could be possible, we have

prepared a beautiful replica ol the large oil painting of the Master

Jesus, by Dr. H. Spencer Lewis. An art photographer has made

a very fine photograph of the painting, which registers the beautiful

expression and the mystic Aryan character of the Oreat Master.Each photograph is on heavy paper and most suitable for framing.

Add this delicate, uplifting touch to your sanctum.

R O S I C R U C I A N S U P P L Y B U R E A USAN JOSE. CALIFORNIA, U. S. A.

THE INSTITUTION BEHIND THIS ANNOUNCEMENT


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R OS ICR U CIA N LECT U R E T OU R

Above are seen Gilbert N. Holloway, Jr., at right, member of the National Board of Lectureship of AMORC, and Bernard Ellis,AMORC technician, standing beside the especially equipped Courier Car which contains extensive scientific apparatus and motionpicture equipment. The photograph was taken at Rosicrucian P ark, San Jose. Californ ia, on the occasion of their departure on acoast to coast Rosicrucian lecture tour which will include the principal cities of the United States . (See announcement, page 11.)

(Courtesy of the Rosicrucian Digest.)


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-

T-HE

LAST FRONTIER

The Hidden Possibililies

I

O O K in the mirror you are face to

J face w ith the only dependable

fut ure yo urs e l f .

Today there are no new lands to be

pioneered. There are no white spots o f

opportunity on the business maps of the

world. For the first t ime in centuries,

men and women realize that p e r so n a l

p o w er an d ach ievem en t d epend upon

some strange q uali t ies within their own

natures . They are mysterious only be-

cause they are not understood. Do you

know what accounts for personali ty

how some persons so eas i ly and na tur -

a l ly make fr iends? W hat makes some

men and women capable of mastering

any unexpected s i tuat ion? It is not suf-

ficient to say soandso has the h a p p y

fa c u lty to do this or do that. You must

know what these psychical functions are.

Scribe: S.P.C.THE ROSICRUCIANS (AMORC)San Jose, California.

Gentlemen: I am sincerely interested in theunusual knowledge possessed by the Rosicrucians: therefore, kindly send me a FR E Ecopy of The Secret Heritage.

Name ..........................................................................

Address...................................

..................................

In centuries past , to probe the myste r i e s o f m ind t o

investigate the source of intuition, the flow of ideas

to learn the cause of creat ive a bil i ty and talen t was

considered the works of the devil . But just as Colum-

bus dared cross uncha rted seas in the face o f ridicule

so, too, the Rosicrucians quiet ly explored and d i s -

coveredthe phenomena of self , the simple universal

natural laws that m ake for ma ns happiness and right-

ful place of dominance on this earth.

LET THIS FREE BOOK EXPLAINThe Rosicrucians, an ageold , worldwide fraternityof men and women, invite you to share their findings.

B y t h e ir m et h od s you can in the pr ivacy o f your h ome

cross th is last fron t ier , the border of your inner mind

and person ality, and work wonders with you r life in an

intelligent and rational way. Use the coupon below for

th e free book., which will tell you how you may receive,

for study and use, these simple, frank teachings.

V BeROSICRUCIANS I a m o r c JS A N J O S E , C A L I F O R N I A U . S . A.

(THE ROSICRUCIANS ARE NOT ARELIGIOUS SOCIETY)


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ROSICRUCIAN DIGESTCOVERS THE WORLD

T HE O F F I C I A L I N T E R N AT I O N A L R O S I C R U C I A N M A G A -

Z I N E O F T H E W O R L D W I D E R O S I C R U C I A N O R D E R

Vol. XIX FEBRUARY, 1941 No.

Do?

Rosicrucian Lecture Tour (Frontispiece) ___ ___ IThought of the Month: Making Your House a Home ......... 4Reputation and Character... ................ ...................... 9

The Rosicrucian Annual Convention 10American Indian Mysticism .............. ......... .......... 12

Thoughts on Happiness................................................ 15

As Science Sees It ..................... 16

Plato's Doctrine of Ideas .......... ...... ......... 19Life Modern Scientific Conceptions ............. ............... 21Cathedral Contacts: Peace From Within....................... 25Reincarnation ............... .............. ............... 27

If My Business Methods Are Wrong, What Shall

Past, Present, and Future....... .........................

Sanctum Musings: Life Eternal................... ........ ........Supreme Secretary Inspects Manuscripts (Illustration

Subscription to the Rosicrucian Digest, Three Dollars per year.copies Twenty-five cents.

Entered as Second Class Matter at the Post Office at San Jose,fornia, under Section I 103 of the U.S . Postal Act of Oc t. 3, 1917.

Changes of address must reach us by the tenth of the month precedingdate of issue.

Statements made in this publication are not the official expressions ofthe organization or its officers unless stated to be official communications.

Published Monthly by the Supreme Council ofTHE ROS ICRUC IAN ORDER AM O RC

RO SICRU CIAN PARK SAN JOSE, CALIFOR NIA


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T h eRosicrucian

Digest

February

1941

T HAS often beensaid in differentways that thehome is the foun-

dation of all soci-ety. Sociologists,psychologists, theclergy, and promi-nent jurists haveconcurred thatwhen those natur-al bonds of affec-tion and moral ob-ligations, and the

traditional customs which unite individ-uals as a family are severed or disin-tegrate, the security of the state is

threatened. Th e destruction of the fam-ily life, it is therefore conceded, meansan inevitable social disaster with itsaftermath of crime, lasciviousness, andthe degeneration of a people.

For this reason, the spotlight of at-tention and publicity is frequently turn-ed by the press, radio, and the pulpit,upon the results of modern home life.The fruits of the socalled g ood homelife upon the family are extensively de-lineated, and made to appear as worthyexamples. Likewise, the evils which are

said to be a product of an unsatisfactoryhome environment are equally empha-sized and are pointed to as warnings.It is strange, however, that the samesources and authorities on the effects ofthe proper home life are silent, or near-ly so, in enumerating those essentials,or enlightening the peoples on what isnecessary to build that home environ-ment from which blessings are said toflow. Their conduct in appraising re-sults, but doing nothing to guarantee ormake possible the continuance of the

approved kind, reminds one of a groupof men on a stormy winter night, hud-dled around a great fire in a log cabin,the door to which is flapping open and

closed with each gust of wind. Theycomment on the excellence of thewarmth within when the door is shut,and the disagreeableness of the roomtemperature when it is open, but noneproposes or does a thing to remedy thediscomfiture by closing the door.

Objectively, the materials and needsfor building a home have been highlydeveloped by the building trades, arts,and sciences. If one looks through abuilder s catalogue or an architectural

journal, it would appear impossible to

conceive anything else necessary for thehouse or the home. Th e variety of com-modities and services of a material na-ture seem infinite. Architects are pre-pared to suggest designs compatiblewith the topography of the home siteand the idiosyncrasies of the purchaserstaste. In every community of any size,there are interior decorators who createthe mode of the furnishings of the home,and who standardize certain styles anddesigns, whether they provide the es-sentials of comfort or not. In this armyof specialists are also included heatingengineers, landscape artists, home econ-omists. food advisors, and many others.However, even where the family incomecan afford several of these services, or allof them, too commonly the most impor-tant factor is lacking the co-ordinator.

A coordinator should be one who isas duly qualified and trained to integratethe multitude of elements the furnish-ings, architecture and interior decora-tionsas the specialists were to developand perfect them. The coordinators

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duty is to unite all the parts, the physicalthings, and make of them a home. Haveyou ever seen, for an analogy, a largenewspaper press just as it has been re-ceived from the manufacturer and is be-ing uncrated? There are at least adozen boxes, cases and crates, somelarge enough to accommodate an auto-mobile. There are myriads of parts suchas motors, air compressors, rubber hose,composition impression rollers, pulleys,gears, and automatic switch boxes. Eachmay have been made for the press by adifferent manufacturer who is a special-ist in that particular article. Each is anexcellent example of craftsmanship, butneeding the masterful assembly of theco-ordinator, the press mechanic, beforeit can serve the purpose for which it was

intended.Some to whom this matter of a need-

ed home coordinator has been broach-ed, and who had declared themselves asinterested in home life as an importantunit of our social order, replied that theestablishment of actual living conditionsin a home is the personal obligation ofthe members of the family. They be-lieved the matter too intimate for othersto assume as a duty or to propose anydirection. This, however, is an incon-sistent attitude. If those who are out-

side the pale of the family circle maysuggest the wallpaper one must gazeupon daily, and in fact create the verypattern, and others designate the ar-rangement of the rooms and suggest afamily budget and where your chester-field or baby grand piano is to be lo-cated, and the color and texture of yourdrapes, and are permitted to do thiswithout being considered violators ofthe family intimacy, then certainly onewho proposes how to make the houseyou live in a home is not an invader of

the family rights. Consequently, wedare to presume to offer recommenda-tions as to how you may co-ordinateyour home furnishings and yourself intothat family life, the results of which areso important to our presentday society.

It is boasted by some individuals thatwherever I hang my hat is my home.They of course mean by this expressionthat one place, or one condition, insofaras they are concerned, is as good as an-other to live in, and that circumstancesdo not detract from or add to their

home environment. In an elementarysense, this is true. If just shelter, com-mon conveniences, and the essentials ofliving are sufficient for an individual,then that constitutes a home to him.However, it is not from such a homethat there comes that spirit of sacrificeand devotion upon which a nation de-pends for the unity of its peoples andfor national security. Th e indifferenceis such that the individual would notendure many hardships to provide a de-fense for his home, because frankly, hishome life would not inspire it. A num-ber of those who speak thus about theirhomes are ones who occupy hotels bynecessity or choice. It is a matter of ob-servation, however, that they remain inthem no longer at a time than required

by the demands of their personal caresand wants. I think it will be agreed thatmost all of such persons spend their lei-sure time elsewhere. This in itself indi-cates that their surroundings cannot pro-vide something else which they desire.In fact, such a home, if it should becalled that, becomes merely a store-house of one's possessions and a restingstation.

When selecting a house, flat or apart-ment, as a home, try and have it as ad-

jacent to your place of work as possible

and proper. Commuters, the majority ofthat patient army of routine travellers,have selected their place of living dis-tant from the locality of their work, inmost instances because it affords numer-ous advantages. Perhaps the communityhome provides expansive lawns, a littleorchard, and shade trees. These are, ofcourse, appealing to those confined somany hours daily in steel and concretefactories and offices, with an exteriorvista of only brick, asphalt and cement.On the other hand, distant commuting

requires an hour or an hour and a half,or perhaps more, each way daily. It re-duces considerably the time spent in thehome, and consequently detracts fromthe advantages the distant home mayoffer. Further, the more distant thehome and its environment from the placeof daily occupation, the more sharp thecontrast between the worlds of homeand business. One, then, does not seemto be a needed extension of the other.They become far removed, not only indistance but activity and purpose. There

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T he

Rosicrucian

Digest

February

1941

is developed the sentiment that one isbeing plucked from his home and de-ported daily, instead of feeling that heis just going across town to do a job. Inother words, the distance of commutingcauses one to become unduly conscious

of the two different states of his dailyliving, which is not conducive to satis-faction with ones work.

If you live in a city, select the neigh-borhood of your home with a view as toits environment. This is of particularconsequence if you have small children.The sidewalks in the vicinity of yourresidence become the frontiers of yourchilds home, and he or she is obliged tospend much time upon them. Look intothe reputation of the district. Do notassume a smug or superior attitude. You

must expect a community, even your im-mediate block or street, to be composedof all kinds of people of different strataof society. Th e question you must an-swer is not whether the children comefrom higher or lower economic levelsthan your own, but whether their fami-lies are on the whole respectable, cleanin habits, as well as in morals. A littleinquiry or quiet investigation somemorning or afternoon, when the chil-dren are playing in the neighborhood,will reveal these circumstances to you,if you know children. Do not confuseboisterous, raucous, even natural roughplay, with a poor home discipline ordeficient character.

Unfortunately, so many families cen-ter their considerations upon the exter-nal appearance of the dwelling andmake that a central factor in their deci-sions as to their future residence. Forvarious commercial reasons, realtors,architects, and agents stress the archi-tectural design in renting or selling ahome. If you are so situated financiallythat you can afford to have built, or to

choose, just the external appearancethat appeals to your fancy, then indulgethis custom. But if you cannot, concernyourself principally with the interior.You must realize that you do not liveupon the lawns or sidewalks lookingupon your house, but rather that youlive within it.

Members of a family pool their lives.Husbands and wives do so by choice,the children by dependency and neces-sity. Whether they will remain close

knit is determined by whether out ofthis aggregate of temperaments and per-sonalities there will be developed certaincollective ideals. By collective ideals, itis meant matters, topics, and plans inwhich all can share alike in thought for

the present, and eventually perhaps inreality. W hat is the man of the house,the husband and father, striving for?W hat are his future plans in his job orprofession? Is he, to use a trite term,

just a breadwinner? Does the family seein him, if everything remains undis-turbed, five, ten, or twenty years hencejust the same provider? The husbandand father should inspire the membersof his family with an outline of hishopes, the things he wants to accomplishin the future in which they will share

and by which each member of the familywill feel that he or she will be advanced.The family, like a football team, musthave an objective or several of them. Ifthe family head has no such aim, ordoes not disclose it to the family mem-bers, then when he closes the door ofhis home to depart for work each day,he shuts them out of his life until he re-turns, for there is nothing during theday which they can share in conscious-ness with him.

Almost all parents have plans fortheir children, which sometimes havebecome nothing more than fond wishes,and at other times they may materializeas conceived. However, it is essentialthat such hopes for the son or daughterbe frequently discussed, not only intheir presence but with them. The dis-cussion should not be evasive, but plen-ary, so that the childrens responses,especially when they are in their teens,can be studied. It sometimes becomesnecessary, and it is advisable, to altersuch plans if the son or daughter evi-dences a definite dislike for father's or

mothers future for them, especiallywhere a career is concerned. Th e wifeand mother's ideals for furthering hersocial and cultural activities for thehome environment should likewise betaken into the family council. The home,in other words, should be made a placeof conference, a chamber of living, im-partial advice and consolation.

All the advantages which the homeaffords must be devoted to each indiv-iduals interests. It should be a refuge

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T he

Rosicrucian

Digest

February

1941

current consumption, are more economi-cal than several smaller lights placedelsewhere in the room. Actually, how-ever, a few smaller well placed lampswill be a greater saving. Th e effect ofthese glaring ceiling lights is to causeall objects in the room to stand out insharp detail, and this causes those whoare sensitive to these conditions, whetherthey realize it or not, to become fatigued.

There is no mystery about this. It isquite easily explained psychologicallyand logically. When all objects in aroom are equally prominent, and thereare few, if any, restful shadows, thereis no relaxation for the eyes, in fact forthe consciousness, which is continuouslystimulated by these intense impressions.Everything literally seems to force itself

upon the attention, to jump out at us.W e find no one thing that is quietingand restful upon which to gaze. Everylittle filigree work, color, or blemish inan article or object in a room is soprominent that it holds the attention asthough an individual spotlight had beentrained upon it. Persons sensitive tosuch a condition, which a great manyare, find it difficult under such circum-stances and in such an environment tobe alone with their thoughts. Medita-tion or reflection is obviously impossible

unless one closes his eyes, and even thatwill not shut out the glare of light whichpenetrates the eyelids. It causes the in-dividual to feel lost in or rather sub-merged by his environment. In it eachthing seems as prominent as himself.The bricabrac, pictures on the walls,the radio in the corner there is noorder or gradation of importance. Everythings seems to shriek back at him,"I am it.

Is it surprising that the individual be-comes irritable, cantankerous, and nerv-

ous? Furthermore, in conditions of suchlighting, it is useless to attempt anydecorations, because there can be nomodeling to your room. Shadows weknow are necessary and play a promi-nent part in adding to the actual reliefof articles of furniture, and drapes, andin the emphasis of colors. This is a con-dition, however, that is easily remedied,and when it is, will bring favorablecomment even from those unaware ofthe disturbance previously. Subdue thegeneral lighting of a room. In other

words, do away with the overhead lightsif at all possible. You will be able tofind your way around freely and easilyin the rooms by means of the otherlighting which you will establish. Youdo not have to have such intense lightthat you can see a hair on the blue bor-der of the living room rug. Next con-centrate the light where you actuallywant, or rather need, it. Place a stand-ing lamp, bridge or table lamp, whereyou are to read, sew, play, or work, inthe living room, den, library, or parlor.Realize also that a strong overhead lightis not as ideal for reading as one thatcomes from over your shoulder rightupon the book or newspaper itself. Theshadows these lights will cause else-where in the room will produce the effect

of tranquillity. You will soon respondto their soothing effect. Even the diningroom lighting need not be searchlight-like in its illumination. Candles on thetable or small side lamps or lights, or,if it must be an overhead light, de-flected and shaded, will make the eve-ning meal more enjoyable. If there is tobe any exception to this psychologicalprinciple, it will be in the kitchen. Buteven there again it is best to have thelight concentrated in the region of thework.

If things intimate to us contribute toa happy family life, the opposite is like-wise true. W e all have minor com-plexes, phobias, instilled in our subcon-scious memory by childhood inhibitions,fears, wrong habits, or perhaps causedby some unpleasant experiences. Thereare things at times which we personallyhear or see, or even smell, which arousethese memories or cause these mild neu-roses. To persons not so affected or af -flicted by such objects, the reaction ofothers to them might seem absurd, only

because they do not understand or donot have the same feelings. I know of aman who detested the wire forms usedby dressmakers to shape a gown. Th every presence of one in his home an-noyed him. He could not explain why.There was nothing objectionable in theappearance of the object but it aggra-vated him. His wife was wise in plac-ing it out of sight whenever he washome. Likewise, each of us has somelittle thing or things that disturb us.Family cooperation will cause the dis

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T he

Rosicrucian

Digest

February

1941

The Rosi cruci an Annual Conventi onAN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR ALL MEMBERS

By T h e S u p r e m e S e c r e t a r y

IF E is a series of

events, but certainevents have moreimportance andsignificance thanothers. Like manythings in the uni-verse there arecertain cycles, andas a cycle reachesa peak in its prog-ress, so there arepeaks of events,insofar as the sig-

nificance which we attribute to an eventis concerned. Even in our daily lives welook forward to certain times of theday. To many people this may be theearly morning; to others it may be noonthe middle of the day itselfand tomany it is a period at the close of thedays work when we can relax and de-vote ourselves to interests we may havewhich are connected with, or sometimesentirely separate from, our occupationalduties.

To all Rosicrucians the period whichis devoted to the study of the Rosicru-cian teachings and to the application ofthe laws and principles presented is atime of significance during the week;and each Rosicrucian is conscious of thefact that what he is gaining though hisassociation with the organization andits activities is a more complete and useable knowledge to which each unit ofwork contributes its own part. For thatreason, all members of the organizationanticipate the annual Convention of theOrder held in Rosicrucian Park as one

of the most significant points of the

whole year, because it is during thatperiod that they can anticipate the op-portunity of participating in manythings which they enjoy. It is the desireof all Supreme Grand Lodge officersand executives of the organization tomake the Rosicrucian Convention anoutstanding event in the year, and it isfor that reason we are gratified to re-ceive comments from members who statewhy they have attended the Conventionin the past and intend to be present inother years to come. In the past fewmonths I have kept various of thesecomments in mind. Th e general trendof the comments is that the RosicrucianConvention provides the opportunity toeach member of devoting a week tothose things which are nearest and mostimportant to him or her.

At certain times of the year all of usare glad to have a vacation from ourusual routine activities, but at the sametime the conscientious student does notdesire a vacation which would be awaste of time, but enjoys the combina-tion of relaxation and instruction. Th eRosicrucian Convention provides thiswithout putting the member under pres-sure. The facilities of Rosicrucian Parkare available to all members. The wholeextent of Central California is here andready as a playground for those whowish recreation. Th e instruction of theofficers will assist in clarifying pointswhich may be somewhat misunderstood,and you will receive added informationin a way that only the spoken word cando. Each day as a regular feature of the

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Convention there will be special classesfor certain grades and degrees. Eachevening there will be entertainment andlectures upon certain topics by the of-ficers of the Order. During the rest of

the day there will be many events; somepurely for entertainment and some forinstruction. Members of the Faculty ofthe Rose-Croix University will presentlectures and demonstrations in the fieldsof their own particular subjects. Mem-bers from various professional fields willpresent informal discourses giving ad-vice and help to Rosicrucians as theyhave found the application of Rosicrucianism to their particular field.

This brief sketch of some of theevents of the Convention week adds upto a week well spent and completely en-

joyable. Therefore, we invite you now,early in the year, to begin to make yourplans for attending the RosicrucianConvention. All members, regardless ofwhat degree of study they are in, areprivileged to attend the RosicrucianConvention. Let every member deter-mine to make this years RosicrucianConvention the largest in the history ofthe organization. Let every Lodge andChapter make a definite effort to haveat least double the number of delegatesthat is usually sent. Th e dates of thisyears Convention are Ju ly 13 to and in-cludingJu ly 19. W e will be anticipatingmeeting you during that week. W atchfor further important announcements in'The Rosicrucian Digest concerning

the Convention.

V V V

Happiness is a satisfaction of the desires. Th e more simple and the fewer the

desires, the quicker the attainment of happiness. Validiuar.

V V V

COURIER CAR CONTACTS CITIES

Once again thousands of Rosicrucians throughout the United States will have the op-portunity of hearing an AMORC Rosicrucian lecturer discourse, forcefully and interest-

ingly, upon various aspects of the Rosicrucian teachings, in or adjacent to their cities.

They will likewise witness impressive and instructive demonstrations on many scientific

and mystical principles contained in their studies. The members will also, through special

arrangement, be able to participate in certain traditional ceremonies, with their mystical

and inspiring atmosphere similar to those conducted in Rosicrucian Lodges throughoutthe world and in the Supreme Temple in Rosicrucian Park, San Jose, California.

On January 12, last, a handsomeappearing and especiallybuilt car and trailer, known

as the Courier Car. containing all necessary devices and paraphernalia for demonstrations

and exhibits, left San Jose for a coast to coast tour of every principal city in the United

States accompanied by a wellqualified and trained speaker, Frater Gilbert N. Holloway,

Jr., his technician, Frater Bernard Ellis, and their assistant, Soror Holloway. In additionto conducting special convocations for members, they will hold public lec tures in all cities

visited. They will also exhibit special sound motion pictures, which were film ed and

prod uc ed by AMORC, of the sites of the Ancient Mystery Schools, early civilizations

and sources of the traditional wisdom teachings. Many of the temples have never been

filmed before.

There are no charges for the membership and public lectures. If the Courier Car is tovisit your city, or your district, you will be notified ten days in advance by a special

invitation. If you are not a Rosicrucian, you will be informed of the public lec tures bynewspaper and other advertisements. (See frontispiece)

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T he

Rosicrucian

Digest

February

1941

Ameri can I ndi an M yst icismBy D r . B a r n a ba s S H iu h u s h u ,

President Indian Association of America

ROM a study ofthe Plains IndianTribal Rites, whichare replete withintricate ceremon-ial forms and com-plex sy m bo ls, itbecomes evidentthat the tribal or-ganization of thePlains Indian isfounded primarilyupon a theological

concept. Their ancesters passed through transitional andexperimental periods, states suited tothe conditions of the people and thetimes in which they lived. Th e thought-ful men of these ancient days directedtheir energies toward creating a form ofgovernment that would be effective inholding their people together and mak-ing them strong as an organized body,yet, at the same time they also soughtto gain a clearer conception of thatpower to whom they could appeal forhelp that they might make their work oforganization effective. Their search be-gan under the broad expanse of theheavens. They watched the sun, moon,stars and groups of stars as they movedtherein, traveling vast distances, yet al-ways in a circle, each moving in its ownorbit, with wonderous regularity. Theynoted the gradual shiftings of the pathsof the sun, to the right or to the left.They observed the varying of the pathsof the moon, the paths of the singlestars, and of those that moved in dus-

ters. As they watched and ponderedupon what they saw, they discerned thatwith these shiftings there came changeswhich suspended for a time the life ac-tivities of the earth or awakened themagain to a renewed energy. The visualconnection between sky and earth seem-ed to give evidence of that continuity oflife, a belief which had actuated theirsearch for a clearer conception of theSupernatural, of the lifegiving powerthat animates all forms, plants, animals,and men, whether the latter are regard-

ed as individuals or organized as a body.Th e ancient menso say the W es t-ern Tribes of the Plains of today whoare learned in the old ritesset apart ahouse which they called the House ofMystery or Temple. W ithin thishouse they gathered from time to time,and, sitting around the sacred CouncilFire, they meditated upon what theyhad seen, and discussed together theirobservations of the celestial bodies. Asthey perceived that these bodies influ-enced the life on the earth they personi-fied them, even deified them, as if they

were selfexistent, supernatural things,exercising powers of their own. Butthese ancient men so it is said, were notfully satisfied that this conception wastrue; therefore they continued to ob-serve nature, to meditate, and to discussthese objects.

At last there came a time when thethought stole into the minds of theseold men that the sun, moon, stars, andearth, and all things within the range oftheir vision, whose movements they fol-

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lowed, were but the outward manifesta-tions of a creative, allpervading, ani-mating power that could not be seen orfully understood by man. That power,they became satisfied, is the Divine

source of all life. It abides in the broadexpanses of the blue sky, gives life tothe sun, moon, stars, sets them inmotion, each within its own orbit; itabides in the earth, gives life to man,to insects and animals, to grasses andtrees; it abides in the waters, giveslife to all creatures that dwell therein.These abiding places are made one andinseparable by this eternal mysteriouspresence, to which they gave the nameof W a-ko-da, the Great Spirit . W a-ko-da alone could give life and give con-tinuity to the life of an individual, andto the life of a people as an organizedbody; therefore, to this power, appealsmust be made when danger threatenedthe life of the tribe or nation.

It was this revelation, this conceptionof life, upon which these old men of thepast ages founded the organization ofthe tribe. In carrying out their plan theydivided the people into great divisions,one to represent sky, and the other theearth, the abiding places of Wa-ko-da ,the Giver of Life. Th e division repre-senting the sky they called Tsizhu;Household, and that representing theearth, they called Hoga, the SacredOne. They subdivided the Hogadivision, one part to be for the dryland and the other for the water, sothat the life of the seas, the lakes, riversand small streams might also be repre-sented in the great tribal symbol of life.The subdivision representing the waterthey called Wazhazhe, a name ofwhich they have lost the meaning bytransmission through many generations,and also through influence of foreigntongues. Th ey decreed that the familiesof Tsizhu take wives for their sons

from the daughters of the families of

the Hoga division, and vice versa.

Thus the continuity and the unity of

the life of the tribes was assured andthe two great divisions were bound to-

gether and made one and inseparableby a sacred tie, as between the sky and

the earth, by the eternal presence of

W a-ko-da.

The old men embodied anotherthought in the rites of the tribe whichpertained to tribal activities, namely:That the life granted by W a-ko-da must be protected. The woman, the

children she bears, the home she buildsfor their shelter and comfort, and thefields she cultivates must be guarded;the land upon which the tribe dependsfor plant and animal food must be heldagainst invasion; and the life of the in-dividual and of the tribe itself must atall times be defended from enemies. Theburden of this protection rested uponthe men of the tribe and, to enable themto perform this duty effectively and suc-cessfully, the great tribal rite pertainingto war was evolved, a rite replete withsymbols and intricate ceremonies, hav-ing for its central thought that theremust be unity of purpose and actionamong the men of the two tribal divi-sions. This thought was symbolized bythe figure of man physically perfect andcapable of meeting the difficulties anddangers that beset human existence.This man was regarded as having two

pos itions; one indicat ive o f peace andlife; the other of war and death.

In times of peace this symbolic manwas thought of as standing facing theeast where the sun, the great emblem oflife rises. The place of the Tsizhu, orsky division, was then on the north andformed the left side of the man, whilethe place of the Hoga, the Earth divi-sion, was on the south, and formed hisright side. He, therefore, was an em-bodiment of the vital powers of thetribe, as having a place in the orderW a - ko - da had established, and withlife throughout the universe.

When, however, trouble arose, andthe people were constrained to moveagainst their enemies because of thekilling of members of the tribe, or ofen cr oac h m en ts upon their huntinggrounds, this symbolic man was thenthought of as having turned about,away from peace, and as standing so asto face the west. Whe n the people as-sembled for the ceremony by which theyrallied their warriors for action theypitched their camp in a ceremonial orderthat represented the dwelling places ofW a-ko -da, the sky, the earth, andthe space between, where, upon theearth, the setting of the sun took place.

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1941

The changed attitude necessitated achange in the position of the two greatdivisions of the tribe. The Tsizhu, Skydivision, which is peace, and had formedthe left side of the man, now camped tothe south; while the Hoga, the Earthdivision which had formed his right side,now camped to the North. They neverdeparted from the belief that W a-ko-da controlled all forms of life as wellas their movements, that it was neces-sary to invoke the aid of that P o w e r in all efforts looking to the safety of thetribe. They also held that so great aP o w e r as W a-ko-da should be ap-proached with a becoming solemnityand with an offering betokening peace,goodwill and reverence.

In the War Rite, observed by the

warriors when about to take up the hardtask of attacking their tribal enemies,the old men placed in the keeping of theWazhazhe the subdivision of theHoga or earth division. Th e nature ofthe offering to be presented to W a -ko-da was the smoke of tobacco, andits means of transmission, a pipe. Th ispipe was to symbolize a man, consciousof his own limitations and seeking theaid of the A ll-p ow er fu l.

The symbolic man, as has been ex-plained, was typified in the manner of

camping for this war rite, and stood forthe unity of the tribe both in purposeand in action. The ceremonial pipe,sacred to this rite, comes from the oldcivilization of Central American Indiansknown as the Mayan, and it not onlyrepresented a man, but it signified theunity of the W a-ko-d a for aid. Thisunity of the people was further set forthby their act of choosing, during thisceremony, the leader of a tribal warparty. Th e office of Leader was reli-gious, and not military, for the man

chosen never led in the fighting; this re-sponsibility he delegated to a sub-ordinate officer; his duty was that ofmediator between the people repre-sented by the warriors and W a-ko-d a.The symbolic ceremonial pipe of thisrite was placed in his hands, andby its acceptance his office began. Th eLeader at once went far away from thevillage and for seven days observed therite of fasting and praying. Throu gh-out the entire expedition the Leadercamped apart but near the war party

and continued his vicarious supplica-tions in behalf of the warriors and thepeople they were defending.

The unity of the tribe and of the war-riors was further emphasized during theceremony by an act which took place in

the presence of all the men who were toengage in the war. A representative ofthe Wazhazhe subdivision filled withtobacco the sacred pipe; and, as he pre-sented it to a representative of theHoga division, and later to a represen-tative of the Tsizhu division, he reciteda ritual that always accompanied theseacts. Th e ritual is of considerable length,and at the end of each line is the saluta-tion used: Abida Tsi g a meaningIt has been said in this house." Thissaluation refers to the origin of these

rites, to the gathering of the old menaround the sacred Council Fire withinthe House of Mystery.

I will give a brief paraphrase of thetrue ritual that was recited when thesacred pipe was offered by its tribalkeeper to the various men who repre-sented the two great divisions of thetribe. The various parts of the pipewere spoken of as if they were parts ofthe body of man. Into each of theseparts the representatives of their tribalorganizations must, as individuals, not

only merge figuratively, the correspond-ing parts of their own bodies, but thedivisions of the tribe they represented,must also be merged as parts of thesymbolic man. (In fact, all Indian ritesand dances are symbolic, representingin action, heavenly bodies, man, ani-mals, plant life, etc.) By this triuneblending, all became united in the pipe,the established medium through whichthe smoke offering was made to W a-ko-da in supplication for aid. Thuswas recognized the vital unity of thepeople of the tribe and their dependence

upon W a-ko-d a for the maintenanceof their life. From this recognition arosetheir faith that aid would speedily come,from W a-ko-d a, even before the sunshould oertop the walls of theirdwellings."

Holding up the sacred pipe, the repre-sentative of the Wazhazhe divisionintoned the following ritual, while theTomTom was softly drummed:Behold, this pipe. Verily, a man!Within it I have placed my being.Place within it your own being, also.

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Then free shall you be from all that bringsdeath.

Behold the neck of the pipe!Within it I have placed my own neck.Place within it your neck, also,Then free shall you be from all that brings

death, O, Hoga!

Behold, the mouth of the pipe!Within it I have placed my mouth.Place within it your mouth, also.Then free shall you be from all that brings

death, O, Hoga!

Behold the hollow of the pipe!Within it I have placed the hollow of my own

body.

Place within it the hollow of your own body,also,

Then you shall be free from all that bringsdeath, O, Hoga!*

When you turn from the rising sun to the set-ting sun to go against your enemies,

This sacred pipe shall you use when you goforth to invoke aid from Wakoda,

Then shall your prayers be speedily granted,O, Hoga!

Yea even before the sun shall oertop the wallsof yon dwelling,

Your prayers shall surely be granted, O, Hoga!

This is only a partial quotation. Similar stanzasdealing with the left side, spine, right side and lungof pipe have been deleted.

V V V

Thought s on H appi ness

By R u s s e l l H . W a r n e r , F. R. C.

R. Alexis Carre lsaid that life de-pends upon theovercoming of re-sistance.

Every organ ofthe body must

fight to live. Oncethe heart ceases itscontinual struggleto pump the bloodthroughout thebody, it ceases tobe a heart . To

cease to work and struggle is to die.Everywhere in life it is the samemanmust fight to live.

Satisfaction and peace of mind arethe rewards of a battle well fought andare attained, not thro ug h m ate rial

wealth, but in the mere possession of acalm, peaceful mind and a quiet heart.Happiness is relative and comes only

at intervals. It is a state of mind and isnot stable. Peace of mind and calmnessof soul bring a serenity, a poise, quitenoticeable in outward appearance. Theygive one strength of character and astability that others can lean on in timesof stress. The gaining of them is pos-sible and worthwhile.

The path that leads to peace isthrough the hearts of others. W e reap

as we sow. Peace is magnetic. It gainsstrength through sympathy, kindnessand understanding. W e must suffer thatwe may understand the suffering ofothers. W e can not comprehend theloss of some one else until we, too, havelost. Th at is why misery likes com-

pany,' mutual experience brings mutualunderstanding.

If you would have happiness, bring itinto the lives of others. W hat ever youput into life, you can take out; no more,no less.

Remember, to give to people is not al-ways to help them. Everyone mustfight his own battles. All we can do isto help; giving them the benefit of ourown experience.

Do not force circumstance. Let fate

decide its own issues. Just do the ob-vious task before you. Kind words anda friendly smile are always a help.

You will seldom be thanked for thekind deeds you do. Do not let this dis-courage you. Somewhere, somehow, na-ture keeps a balance sheet.

Try these things for a while and youwill soon find little spots of sunshinehere and there, foretelling the coming ofa new day.

I have found it so.

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February

1941

Science has never discovered new laws. However, each hour its ardent workersbring forth new demonstrations of the eternal Cosmic principles. Many of thesedaily scientific discoveries are but confirmations of secret doctrines expounded forcenturies by the Rosicrucians and other mystery schools at a time when popularacceptance of them was impossible. Some of these latest and startling con-currences with the Rosicrucian teachings by modern science will appear in this department monthly.

N C L U D E D w i t hthe many interest-ing subjects dis-cussed more orless extensively byRosicrucians, andmentioned in the

teachings thathave come downto us through theages, is that ofcosmic ray andear th ray inf lu-ences on man and,

in fact, all living things. Members ofthe Rosicrucian Order will recall dis-cussions that point out the importanceof planetary influence upon life on earth.Naturally such unorthodox discussionsare scoffed at by the average school ofphysical science. It is interesting, how-ever, to note that a few have gone quiet-ly about the business of investigatingand experimenting in a scientific mannerto determine the truth of the writings ofthe ancient mystics that are perpetuatedeven today by the several esoteric so-cieties whose fundamental purpose is tohelp man to know himself and his rela-tionship to the universe. Th e followingcomments, which of course have nobearing upon the subject of astrology,present theories regarding the effect of

planetary influences on human life, themolding of character, and so forth.

One of the unusual claims discussedin the teachings of the RosicrucianOrder is the moons influence uponplant life. Th e average school of sci-ence ridicules these beliefs, claiming that

it lacks scientific proof, and yet we quitefrequently have placed in our handspapers prepared by modern scientists,setting forth the results of their care-fully conducted investigations whichtend to substantiate the claims of themystics of yesteryear.

Among the interesting discourses andmonographs presented to the new stu-dent of Rosicrucianism is one dealingextensively with the effect of cosmicrays, earth vibrations, and the influenceof the planets upon all life on earth.This special monograph should be care-fully read by all members of the Orderand their close friends who are interest-ed in these ancient teachings, as well asthe excerpts from the writings of thosefew modernday scientists who dare todefy the orthodox and conduct seriousinvestigations of these subtle laws andprinciples of Nature.

As students of the ancient Rosicru-cian teachings and experimenters in thephysical and metaphysical sciences, ourmembers will recognize the extent to

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Platos D oct r i ne of I deasBy C o n s e n t ia , F. R. C.

HE intellectual man

is a unit of energyoccupied largelywith percepts andconcepts regard-ing his environ-ment, his place inthe universe, andthe Ultimate Real-ity or great FirstCause. This mindenergy i s con-stantly weighing,comparing, m ak -

ing judgmentswhether consciously orunconsciously and on the judgmentsmade depend the resulting decisions in-volving the W ill and Action.

Objects of the senses," Kant oncewrote, "are perceptible by us only asthey appear and not as they really are;and in the same way, objects which arebeyond our apperception are not objectsof our theoretical knowledge."

Kant demanded that all attempts toobtain a comprehension of the transcen-dental by means of the reason be defi-nitely renounced. Agnosticism denies

any possibility of attaining transcenden-tal truth by means of the reason."

How then can we attain to the tran-scendental, the superphysical, the real,behind and above the changing phe-nomena of the material world? How canwe sense the noumenon behind themany manifestations of the physicalworld?

To advanced mystics like Socrates,Plato, and Boehme, cognition of thereal is immediate. Through Cosmic at

tunement they are enabled to pass be-

yond the veil which separates the un-initiated from the world of Reality. AsJacob Boehme said after his last Illumi-nation: In a quarter of an hour I sawand knew more than if I had been manyyears together at a University, for I sawand knew the Being of all things, theAbyss and the Byss, so that I did notonly wonder but exceedingly rejoice."

W e are told that the Buddha knewby direct cognition the laws behind thephenomena revealed by the senses. Heperceived an ordered Universe, thesmallest movement definitely caused anditself the cause of action, and he per-ceived that when these are understood,power follows as a necessity."

In the transforming magic of thehigher interpretation of the Mystic,facts which heretofore seemed dull andlifeless take on an added lustre of won-der and achievement.

Thought is vital and progressive andconsists of a continuous series of judg-ments a constant tearingdown andbuildingup in the light of newer knowl-edge and experiences, as Hegel has so

ably demonstrated in his famous doc-trine of Becoming.

All the separate sciences are simplysegments of the great circle of theknowable universe. And scientistseverywhere are devotedly toiling to re-veal hidden treasuresthe divine lawswhich uphold the universe and proceedfrom the great First Cause.

Spinoza says: W e do not see thelaw of inverse squares, but it is thereand everywhere, it was there before

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1941

anything began, and will survive whenall the world of things is a finishedtale.

The great French philosopher, Berg-son, says: Reality is fundamentally aspiritual activity . How well we of theR os icru cia n O rd er understand thisde finition ! It is to use one ofPlatos phrases a priceless pearl ofphilosophy.

As opposed to the purely mental pro-cesses of thought, the mystics immedi-ate cognition of realities is inspiring andilluminating. And the purp ose of theMystic, as Clifford Bax says, is themightiest and most solemn that can everbe, for the central aim of all mysticismis to soar out of separate personality upto the very consciousness of God.

In our journey toward the lofty

mountain peaks of Illumination thereare many milestones, and we who areendeavoring to travel along that Path-way have realized many marvellousmanifestations of psychic phenomenahitherto hidden and unsuspected.

When one is able to perceive super-physical phenomena, one knows thatone has made at least some progress onthe Path; and this knowledge, howeverslight, is an earnest of further develop-ment which will open a doorway of in-finite possibilities, and may lead to the

very footstool of Divinity.To Plato that Mystic of mysticswho had attained Cosmic Conscious-ness, and one of the brightest ornamentsof that brilliant galaxy of philosopherswho belonged to our OrderIdeas werereal.

Probably not many of our membershave passed through the Seventh Gradewithout realizing the validity of Plato'sDoctrine of Ideas, that wellwornbattleground of philosophers in theirsearch after Truth.

Up to this time, for most of us, thisdoctrine may have been only an inter-esting hypothesis, an unproven theory.But if experience is knowledge, then theexperiences we have had in mountingthe first seven steps of the Mystic W ayhave given us a clearer conception ofPlatos meaning than years of bookstudy and philosophical speculationcould otherwise have done.

Through Cosmic attunement, all thesubtle forces impinging on the sensitive

nerve centres of the human organismgive us varied and multitudinous visionsof the landbeyondtheveil, the veilwhich separates our objective conscious-ness from our subjective consciousness.

Who, for example, that has been

privileged to enter the Cosmic Garden,can doubt that it is the archetype of allthe particular manifestations of gardenson the physical plane? In that luminousgarden, vibrant with architectonic andprismatic harmonies, a light of laugh-ing flowers along the grass is spread . . .the soft sky smiles, the low wind whis-pers near, and one senses part of thedivine plan of the great Cosmic Mindof the Universe.

With Cosmic attunement we are en-abled to penetrate beyond the veil andsense the Ideal, the Real, which mani-

fests on the earth plane as Actua lity, orthe objective phenomena of the physicalworld.

The Idea of the Supreme Mind iscreative, and manifests first on thesuperphysical plane as thought-forms, or, as Plato calls them, Ideas;and later,on the physical plane, as the objectivephenomena of all the outward mani-festations of nature.

Platos Idea is the eternal, the ideal,the real, the universal, the archetype,the prototype, the noumenon; and all

physical phenomena are but the tem-poral and particular.As above, so below thought is cre-

ative. Let us take a portrait painted asa concrete example of the creative powerof the human mind. W hat is the powerbehind this picture? Surely not the pig-ment, not the canvas, not the brush;these are but instruments in the guidinghand of the artist who brings to fruitionhis Ideahis idea of color, form, pro-portion and harmony, plus the person-ality of the sitter.

In the realm of abstract qualities, oractivities of the Soul such as good-ness, justice, temperance, beauty, truth,and so forthfor this seer of the invisi-ble, there is a norm or pattern inherentin the human mind and deriving fromthe Universal Mind, against which andwith which one judges all particularmanifestations of these qualities.

T h e s e transcendental Realities, orIdeas, are eternal conceptions in the

(Concluded on Page 24)

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1941

However favorableor otherwiseajudgment we may pass on today's civ-ilization, it is Science and its applica-tions that have revolutionized mansliving, affecting all conditions: prolong-ing the life span, providing better foodwith greater efficiency and variety, re-ducing drudgery in the home and en-hancing more tolerable working condi-tions, creating more leisure time inshort, raising the standards of livingmanyfold within less than a hundredsolar revolutions. It has done this uponan ideal The Scientific Method ob-servation, experiment, trial and error,giving truth as it appears, guardingagainst dogmatism, and, all with a tem-pered imagination. Science rests uponempiricism.

In a scientific discussion of life asthe theme, science draws on the data af-forded by chemistry, chemistry of col-loids, physical chemistry, physics, biol-ogy, biochemistry, etc., and, not, re-motely, psychology. Science is the em-pirical study of the transformations ofmatter through energy and the trans-formations of energy via matter; it iswhat appears to happen to matter andenergy. Biologists hold that life is anexpression of the transformations ofenergy and of matter in protoplasmicsubstances, protoplasm, the latter of

which Huxley said is the physical basisof life. Life, then, is what appears tohappen in and to the protoplasm of allcells in all living creatures and plantsunder the influence of physical (andchemical) energy. Matter: Protoplasm:Energy: Life.

The presence of life in a mass of sub-stance under examination is determinedby the character of the activity exhib-ited. This activity, synonymous withchange, is classified in general as: (1)motility, the power of spontaneousmass

motions; (2) irritability, the property ofcausing change and composition by ex-terior or interior stimuli, causing con-traction of, secretion by, and growth ofthe mass; (3 ) metabolism, ability tomaintain itself by absorbing and dis-carding materials from the surround-ings, and using energy thereby; (4)growth, increase in mass and complex-ity; (5) rhythm or cyclic change, as celldivision (not really understood by sci-ence); (6) reproduction. This descrip-

tion fits the activities of the cells of liv-ing plants and animals as well as socalled single celled animals (protozoa).Each cell, typically speaking, consists ofthe nucleus, the most important part, theprotoplasm (about which alone volumeshave been written of cytology), and thecell wall or membrane. Cells, whetherof tree or man, are of many forms andeach is far from simple in structure andcomposition. Each is a simple expres-sion of life as the organism of a multicelled animal, man, is a complexexpres-sion of life.

Accepting, as a point for comparison,that the three principal divisions of thecell are the nucleus, the protoplasm andthe membrane wall, we have the type ofdynamic unit that is universal: There is

the solar system with its central sun, thepositive nuclear center, with its revolv-ing planets and their satellites, numer-ous planetoids, periodic comets; con-sider the atom with its positively chargednucleus comprising the proton and theneutron, with the negative electron vi-brating about it; the sleeping man hashis subconscious control center carryingon the complex activities of his multicelled body; at our fe d eral capitol thecentralized powers carry on by consti-tutional law, insuring domestic tran-quillity, promoting the general welfare,

securing the blessings of liberty, all toform a more perfect union (unit)', etc.Natures final ends are to unite, to or-ganize, to integrate. Conflagrations ofdwellings, ruinous floods, dust storms,the mowing down of grain fields at har-vest time, animal death, are disintegra-tions that prepare the way for integra-tion to follow by the laws of evolution.

The aim of the the scientist, or theend that he holds before him in his par-ticular field, is to seek first for funda-mentals, the unit indivisible. Biologists

and cytologists maintain that the cell isthe unit of life, the smallest and simplestexpression of life as life is known. Untiltoward the end of the last century theatom was firmly believed to be the in-divisible unit of matter. To day it seemsthat more data has been accumulatingon the components of the atom than hasever before been written about the atomitself. In a like sense the mass of workand quantitative data upon such non-living bodies as vitamines, enzymes and

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viruses, will in all probability carry thelife unit below that of our cell! (cf . infra)

Suppose we attempt a closeup of ourcell and see if we can find what has in-trigued the scientific mind in concludingthat this microscopic object is the be-ginning of life. Let us first dispose ofthe chemical composition. When thecontents of the cells are analyzed bydestructive decomposition to determinethe chemical elements compounded, thereare found carbon, hydrogen, oxygen,nitrogen, sulphur, phosphorus, chlorine,sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium,and small quantities of iodine, iron,manganese, silicon, copper, and meretraces of a few more which might be ac-cidental. All that this information tellsus is that we have in our bodies much

in common with the earth from whichour bodies spring, and, the earth beinga member, though so very insignificant,of the cosmic universe, entitles us alsoto that membership. Yes, we are starstuff, but how wonderfully and fear-fully organized! and, we know it! (con-sciousness) Of the elements listed onlycarbon, oxygen, nitrogen and sulphurare found as such on the earth; theprotoplasm holds all of the above, how-ever, in chemical and physical combina-tion in a complexity unequaled by any-

thing else known. It would not be toour purpose to detail these compoundsexcept insofar as they directly exhibittheir ability as actors in the drama oflife activity.

Of the metal salts may be mentionedthe chlorides of sodium and potassium,calcium phosphates, and salts of mag-nesium, iron and manganese; their mostimportant role is their ability to ionizein aqueous solution, i. e., create a differ-ence (minute) of electrical potential indifferent or adjacent parts of the cell.

This potential difference polarizationis one of the factors responsible forenergy exchange within the cell. Th enext class of compounds that may beconsidered is known as carbohydrates,playing a major role in plants; they arethe sugars, simple and complex, thestarches, and the celluloses. Anotherimportant class is the fats and oils,which are mainly compounds of glycerinwith fatty acids; the latter are madeduring metabolism from glucose, asugar, by the process called dehydration

(removal of water from several mole-cules of glucose) and by condensationof the remaining residues into the rela-tively complex fatty acid. Th e glycerinis also derived from glucose by a split-ting up of the molecule. Th e fats are

utilized as emergency sources of energyin cell metabolism. Closely related tothe fats are the liqoids or lipides. Thesedo not occur in all cells and when foundare in relatively small quantity. Th eyare given notice here because of the un-doubted part they play in keeping thebalance in cells by rendering the cellmembranes permeable to chemical sub-stances as fats and other important com-pounds of the life process; the most im-portant are the lecithins, the cerebro-sides, both classes found in brain and

nerve tissue of animals; the sterols, ofwhich cholesterol, occurring in all ani-mal cells, chiefly of the brain and nerves,andphyto st erol, occurring in plant cells;of this class ergosterol is of great im-portance since when exposed to ultraviolet lightit is converted into vitamin D.

W e now come finally to that mostimportant class of chemical substanceswithout which a cell or man could notmaintain life: the Proteins, which con-tain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and ni-trogen mainly, with sulphur and phos-

phorus in many, and a few holding ironand iodine. The molecules are al l oftrem end ou s size. Co m pare d to theweight of hydrogen taken as equal to 1(the chemists standard) the molecularweights of proteins are estimated to befrom 1,000 as minimum to over 200,000times that of the hydrogen atom. Forexample, most measurements and esti-mates place the casein (chief constituentin milk) molecule in the 16,000 classwith a formula of C708H1130N18002 24 S4 P 4. A few years ago Dr. Stan-ley of the Rockefeller Institute an-nounced that he had isolated the activeprinciple of the dreaded tobacco virus,proved it to be a protein of the tremen-dous molecular weight of 17,000,000!the largest molecule on record and near-ly a million times the weight of a mole-cule of water: H OH =1 8.

The very magnitude of the proteinmolecule signifies its co m p le xity ofstructure and of activity within the celland organismfor a wonderfully andfearfully made structure it is, not a

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mere conglomerate of enmassed ele-ments. All is order within the cell fromthe central nuclear bodies to the mem-brane, proteins of many different struc-tures all in their places serving with thefats and carbohydrates, the salts and

the water, their several offices in ab-sorbing and exchanging energies, re-ceiving and giving, and, unlike manysocial organizations of mankind, nevercomplaining but always ready to sacri-fice for the good of the whole.

The greater the complexity of themolecules of the protein in the proto-plasm and the greater the number anddifferentiation of the cells in an organ-ism, the greater is the complexity of lifeexhibited. C om ple xity of stru ctu remeans relative instability and conse-quently high sensitivity to external en-ergy impacts and internal energy ex-changes; this spells activity, life. If onewere made to select from the 90 oddchemical elements three that were themost essential to life and lifes evolutionthey would be, without doubt or quali-fication, Nitrogen, N; Oxygen, O; andHydrogen, H. Nitrogen is given first

place for without it there would be noproteins, no life manifested: the proto-plasm is the physical basis of life, theprotein the chemical basis of proto-plasm, and nitrogen the distinguishingelement of the protein. (An old name

for nitrogen was Azote, meaning with-out life, applied at the time when thepresence of combined nitrogen wasnever suspected in living tissues, andhence a measure of the degree of in-fancy in chemistry and knowledge aboutlife but 150 years ago.) Th e chemicalproperties affinities of this elementare unique (as are also those of carbon),for on them we go places and do thingson the material plane. Nitrogen mayalso be thought of as the static basis oflife when compared to the second andthird choices, oxygen and hydrogen.Oxygen alone and in the compoundwater, HOH, together make the dy-namicbasis of life. Perhaps a few wordsof explanation for the reason of so con-trasting these elements, as regard theirunited roles in the activity we call life,would not be out of place.

(Conclud ed next month)

V V V

P L A T O S D O C T R I N E O F I D E A S

(Continued from Pa ge 20)

Cosmic Mind. And it is only by refin-ing, by a constant process of dialecticalinclusion and exclusion of definition thatwe may hope to attain to an approx-imate comprehension thereof. This in-ward dialectic is the birthright of everyindividual, and its spokesmen are thetwo inner voices, which are never still,but are constantly defining, analyzing,weighing, judging, accepting or reject-ing, by the power of reason vouchsafedto us by the Divine Mind.

Are we not all sparks of the Divine

Fire? Are we not individual souls de-pending upon, and drawing inspirationfrom, the great Oversoul of the Uni-verse? And can we not by loving searchpartake in some measure of the ineffablewisdom, and approach in thought to the

T h e intellectual beauty of perfect justice,p p e r f e c t truth, and the other virtues?Kostcructan In hig Dialogues piato makes his be-

loved Master, Socratesthat old gad-fly who brings souls to birth,the ar-biter and judge of all the definitions of

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abstract qualities brought forward byhis listeners.

For Socrates, the human mind andreason are much more worthy of studythan the physical world around us, andthis is expressed in his famous dictum,Know T h y s e l f He himself professesto know nothing, but only to be a loverof wisdom. And he occupies himselfwith the eternal verities, those Ideas ofall the intellectual abstractions whichform the su b je ct m a tte r of PlatosDialogues.

For Pla toas for Socrates'the su-preme Idea was the Idea of the Abso-lute Good, or God, the essential unityinvariety of all that IS.

The one remains, the many change andpass;

Heavens light forever shines, earth'sshadows fly;

Life, like a dome of m an y co lo ur edglass,

Stains the white radiance of Eternity.

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The "Cathedral of the Soul is a Cosmic meeting place for all minds of themost highly developed and spiritually advanced members and workers of theRosicrucian Fraternity. It is a focal point of Cosmic radiations and thoughtwaves from which radiate vibrations of health, peace, happiness, and innerawakening. Various periods of the day are set aside when many thousandsof minds are attuned with the Cathedral of the Soul, and others attuning withthe Cathedral at the time will receive the benefit of the vibrations. Those whoare not members of the organization may share in the unusual benefits as wellas those who are members. The book called Liber 777 describes the periodsfor various contacts with the Cathedral. Copies will be sent to persons whoare not members if they address their requests for this book to Friar S. P. C.,care of AMORC Temple, San Jose, California, enclosing three cents in postagestamps. (Please state whether member or notthis is important.)

9(5 !*8A! 1*8*! !\8*! !*8*! !*8/J!*8*J !*8*J 1*8*1!*8*11*8*11*8*11*8*11*8*11*8*11*8*1!*#*!1*8*11*8*11*8*11*8*11*8*11*8^

PEACE FROM WITHIN

o hn B u r r o u g h ssaid, There is adependence of thecapacity to con-ceive or to projectgreat things uponthe capacity to beor to do them. Itis as true as anylaw of hydraulicsor of statics, thatthe workmanshipof a man can neverrise above the level

of his character. He can never ade-quately say or do anything greater thanhe himself is. Th ere is no such thing,for instance, as deep insight into themystery of creation, without integrityand simplicity of character. A carefulanalysis of these words brings forceably

to our attention the fact, as was statedby the late Imperator of this organiza-tion, that no enterprise which is madeup of individuals can become greaterthan those individuals who compose it.W e are all a part of various socialgroups. W e are each a member of anindividual family. The family in turncomposes the various political divisionsof the country in which we live. But weare also members of various institutions,organizations and associations fromchoice, or from occupational and pro-fessional necessity. All these social in-stitutions are purposeful in that manhopes to accomplish by his associationwith others those things which he couldnot do himself.

It is good that men should join to-gether for the promotion of worthycauses. W hile it is true that some or

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ganizations and social enterprises haveapparently failed in their purpose, it is amistaken idea to blame the failure uponthe existence of an institution or an or-ganization. I recently contacted an in-dividual who bragged of the fact thathe never affiliated himself with any or-ganization or group. He seemed to thinkthat that was a distinction, and he basedthe reason for his action, or we mightsay lack of action, upon the basis thatall organizations were superficial. Hadhe analyzed carefully, he might haverealized that it was he who was su-perficial; that to refer again to thethoughts at the beginning of these com-mentsno project can materialize great-er than the individuals who conceiveand promote it.

Man has certain abilities within him-self, and he is able to comprehend thingsabout him and to contribute to the wel-fare of those things of which he is a partto the extent he avails himself of theseabilities. Therefore , the greatest obliga-tion of man in his earthly environmentis to be able to understand that which isoutside of him by developing that abilityto understand which is within him. SirThomas Browne said, W e carry withinus the wonders we seek without us. Inother words, those things which man

aspires to understand or attain are fre-quently denied him, not because of theirlack of existence or because of mansunworthiness to attain them, but becausethey are within man himself and in hisceaseless search to find them on the out-side, he overlooks that which is within.

It is a proven fact that when morethan one individual witnesses the sameevent their interpretations, or even theirstatements of what occurred, will vary.It has been found in traffic courts of ourlarger cities that witnesses who saw thesame accident will give different inter-pretations and statements concerningthe actual occurrence. Th is is becausewe all interpret in terms of our abilityto perceive. Our ability to perceive, inturn, is dependent upon so many factorsthat it is difficult to analyze them. Thereare our hereditary abilities, our environ-ment, our knowledge, our training, all ofwhich contribute to color our interpreta-tions. Man has a tendency to interpretalso on the basis of opinion. W e allowour own ideas to influence what we

actually see. The man or woman inwhom there is the true experience oflove and charity sees good and beautyin the same world in which the indi-vidual whose primary attitudes are thoseof greed and selfishness sees only bitter-ness and wrong. Therefore, as withmany other things, if man is going toimprove his world, his conditions, andhis welfare he must start with himself.Potential abilities lie in man undevel-oped, but it is within his power to de-velop them. Th ere are no secrets in thesoul of the universe itself. All thingsare known, and man is a segment ofthat soul. It lies within his power alsoto know.

Tod ay there is restlessness; there areevidences of greed; there is hate; there

is actual hostility of men against men.Can we fit ourselves into the world bysaying that all is wrong and bewail ourlack of opportunities, or can we reasonthat in spite of all which we beholdthere may still be a reason, that theremay still be a place in all of this for us?W e have nothing to lose and much togain by adopting th e la tter attitude. W ecan become conscious of the fact thatnot only are we segments of the soul ofthe universe which includes all wisdom,but we are capable of becoming aware

of the knowledge and wisdom of thatsoul. Therefore , let us not be fooled bythe physical expression of things whichwe see in our environment daily. Let ustake some time to ourselves. Instead ofdevoting all our time to the meeting ofour physical wants, let us devote a fewminutes of the many hours of the day tothe development of our psychic quali-ties, the feeding of the soul. In thismanner is found peacetrue peace thatis a stabilizing force from within, re-gardless of what the conditions may bewithout. To gain in the development ofhis inner potentialities, man must haveguidance, as he must also have guidancein any other phase of life. Th is guid-ance is freely offered to all who willonly avail themselves of it. Th e booklet,Liber 777, explains the purposes andprocedure of the Cathedral of theSoul, which directs man toward asource of inspiration and guidance whichhe cannot find outside himself. Requestyour copy today; it will be sent withoutcost or obligation.

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Reincarnation

By T h o r K i im a l e h t o , Sovereign Grand Master(I crave the readers' indulgence for the use of the personal pronoun in writing about my

reaction to the doctrine of reincarnation.)

HEN I first becameacquainted withthe philosophy ofmysticism, one ofthe most inspiringof its teachings tome was the doc-trine of reincarna-tion. It came as asort of revelation.It struck me im-

mediately as beingan eternal truth, asolution to the

many enigmas of life. It was the assur-ance of immortality that my inner selfwas unconsciously seeking. I wonderedthat I could ever have doubted the exist-ence of the soul, the purpose of life onearth, the inherent justice of the DivinePlan. I had sought the solution for life'sills in the many schools of philosophiesand religions, and in the various theoriesof economics, but not one had satisfiedboth the inquiring and reasoning mindand the aching heart. A philosophy oflife without a spiritual basis seemed tolead merely to fitful efforts to grasp asmuch of this worlds goods and pleas-ures as circumstances permitted. It ledto a decided lowering of moral and eth-ical standards of conduct.

Then I learned about the divine lifeforce and how it manifested in matterin an impulse of energy and rest, energyand rest, ad infinitum. I saw the seasonscome and go, and recognized in naturethe same law of activity and rest. My

own body unconsciously manifested thesame law. The heart action, the pulsebeat, all demonstrated the natural lawof life. Activity and rest and activityagain without end. Life is eternal andcan not be destroyed, only its expres-sion changes. Th e doctrine of reincar-nation completely changed my outlookupon life. Previously I had chafed bit-terly against the limitations of my lotand place in society. There were so

many things I had ardently, even fierce-ly, desired. W hy was one born to suffersickness and distress, and another withhealth and wealth? A glimpse of thetruth flashed across my inner conscious-ness. One lifetime was but a single pagein the volume that made up the life ofthe soul. And my turbulent spirit wasat peace. Not a single limitation in mylife had been removed, and yet I feltemancipated. Life had completelychanged its aspects. I regarded withnew interest my own character and per-sonality, my environment, and the peo-ple with whom I came in daily contact.W hat had I brought with me from thepast? How could I build a better future?Life had seemed a senseless and dullaffair, but now it suddenly became veryexciting. I had learned that the per-sonality progresses very slowly throughthe early incarnations. Th e conceptionof consciousness develops graduallythrough nature. Th e day of enlighten-ment comes to all of us. With effort andpurpose it can accomplish in one incar-nation what had previously taken fifty.

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where no incentive existed. Th at actedas a spur and a challenge. W hy takefifty incarnations if it can be done inless?

Then I learned that nothing is lost.Every new idea is a permanent posses-

sion of the subconscious mind. Everylittle achievement leaves an impress.Every attempt makes future effortseasier and more fruitful. I found a newinterest in every study, in every activity.Old age that I had pitied and dreadednow seemed as beautiful and as full ofopportunity as youth. To me it was abeautiful thought that one could growand study and improve right till thevery last day on earth, and even beyond.To plan in terms of incarnations wasan intoxicating thought. T o think that

the horizons of life and of experienceshould suddenly have so unimaginablyexpanded!

The thought of death had been everlike the clutch of an icy hand. But nowI no longer feel sorry for one who pass-es on. I feel sorry for those who arebereft. Some day, I know, even thatsorrow will vanish. W hen knowledgeof the conditions after transition be-comes more prevalent, when peoplelearn how to become en rapport withthose on the plane of soul, transitionwill be regarded in its true light, asmerely the passing from one state ofconsciousness to another, as the clos-ing of one period of development, andthe beginning of another period ofdevelopment.

It is wonderful to know that dearfriends are never lost. It is wonderfulto know that love does last for ages. Itis wonderful to know that the cynicsand the pessimists and the killjoys aresuffering from myopia, spiritual blind-ness. Th ey grope in the dark like batsand moles. They think the world is

black because they are blind to thelight. It is wonderful to know that theseers, the prophets, and the poets spokethe truth. Th e lofty statements of thegreat thinkers of the ages assumed anew meaning, an added significance. Iturned over the pages of Plato, Goethe,Shakespeare, William Blake, WilliamWordsworth, Emerson and W alt W hi t-man with new interest. Strange that Ihad not noticed how saturated thesegreat souls were with the mystic phi-

losophy of the East. There was a newbond now between me and my oldfavorites.

The earth is a school and every soulis learning a lesson. All nature is help-ing us learn our lesson. W e are on the

road to unimagined beauty and splen-dor. W e are on the road to perfection.W ha t a tremendous incentive to co-operate with the forces of nature, toparticipate in the great plan for the evo-lution of humanity.

I had been so absorbed in my ownproblems and troubles that it did notoccur to me that other people werestruggling just as desperately. I be-came conscious of the fact that otherswere struggling with greater handicaps,were stumbling under greater burdens.

How beautiful it is when we struggletogether, when we lighten one anothersburdens, when we walk together on thePath leading to Love and Joy andLiberation!

All these thoughts came to me whenI accepted reincarnation. It was a greatshock to discover that others did notreact in the same way to this greattruth. Th ey were afraid of reincarna-tion. They did not want to return to theworld to continue their development.The law of compensation they lookedupon as divine vengeance. They did

not like the idea that their own past hadshaped their present, and that the pres-ent was shaping their future.

I pondered long over this unexpectedreaction. I came to the conclusion thatthey were afraid of responsibility. Per-haps they were even lazy. They wantedto eat their cake and still have it. Th eywanted to yield to all their baser im-pulses and escape the consequences.They thought nature very cruel in notpermitting us to eat as much as our ap-petites would like, or to drink as heavily

as we would like, or to smoke toomuch, or to turn night into day, or beutterly reckless of the needs of thebody. I have very rarely heard suchpeople admit that they have broken na-tures laws and now they must live moreintelligently.

Such attitude is indicative of immatur-ity. It is a childs point of view. W hatsort of world would it be, were there nosuch law as that of cause and effect?W hy should it be more annoying to

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care for the body intelligently than tocare for the family car or the heatingsystem in your home? W hy should webe too lazy to make an effort to controlthought, and speech and action? Everyrelationship in life requires a sense ofresponsibility for its consummation. Youcannot be a satisfactory parent withouta sense of responsibility. You cannot besuccessful in your business or professionwithout a sense of responsibility. Ourcountry would be a far finer place inwhich to live had we more citizens witha sense of responsibility. Democracyand our Constitution will survive only ifenough people are ready to take the re-sponsibilities seriously of upholding it.

To be ready to assume responsibility

is a sign of maturity. It is a sign thatwe are beginning to grow up. As weare ready to assume responsibility forour various duties of life, so must we beready to assume responsibility for theevolution of our souls, for our relation-ships with others, for the evolution ofhumanity as a whole. Life on earth is avast cooperative enterprise. As each oneimproves, so is the world benefited. Aseach one helps, so is the burden of theworld lessened. Each soul is needed.No soul is superfluous. Think not whatan insignificant unit you are, or thatyour efforts do not count, or that no onewill miss you. Think rather of the peo-ple that need you, of the causes thatwait for your interest and activity, ofthe part that you are destined to playin the working out of the divine Plan.

Every one has his allotted part toplay in the unfolding of the divine Plan.Our experience in life is training us forthis great work. If we are ready to takeourselves in hand, if we are ready to as-sume responsibility, if we are ready to

give the necessary time and make therequired effort, we can qualify all thesooner for this great task. If we lovethe world, if we love our fellowman, weshould be ready and eager to play ourpart, to do our share. The world todayis in the slough of despond. Civilizationseems in the process of dissolving beforeour very eyes. The shadow of wardaily comes closer. Most people arehelpless and bewildered.

It is painful to realize that one mustshare the responsibility for the present

debacle. It is painful to realize that in-difference and apathy permitted theforces of evil to gain control, that thepurpose of life is not indulgence inphysical pleasures only, that interest inones own private affairs alone is suici-dal for the nation and for the world.The cataclysm in the world today is theinevitable consequence of personal in-terests and national interests taking pre-cedence over world welfare. It is theinevitable consequence of living forgreed instead of for service.

W e must awake. W e must becomeresponsible human beings. W e mustrealize that every link in a chain isnecessary. In fact, a chain is as strongas its weakest link. Our actions envelop

us like a cloud. Th e evil that we do be-comes mire around our feet, dragging usdown and delaying our progess. Thegood that we do gives us wings onwhich to soar.

Karma has a gloomy note only forthe irresponsible, for the selfish, for thelawless, and for those who delight inevil. It works for good as well as forevil. It brings joy as well as sorrow. Itmakes for greater opportunities. It cre-ates genius. It brings liberation nearer.Let us do the task we love, and our

genius will become manifest. Let us dofaithfully the task at hand, and new op-portunities will appear. Let us study theAncient Wisdom and learn to live in ac-cordance with natures laws. Let us livethe life of love and service, and helpmake the world a better place to live in.As long as we refuse to realize that lawis the foundation of the world, we mustlearn through blood and tears. Whenwe are ready to realize that the onlyjoyful way is God's way, we transmuteexperience into wisdom, and we dis-

cover the isle of safety in the midst ofthe storm.

The storm is wholly of blundering

and ignorant mans creation. Man plays

with dynamite and is appalled to dis-

cover that dynamite explodes. W e can

make this world a beautiful place to live

in. W e can make it a fascinating labor-

atory where every moment we learn

new things. W e can make it an or

(Concluded on Page 34)

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I f M y Business M et hods A re W rong,

What Shal l I D o?By D r . H. S p e n c e r L e w is , F. R . C .

The Mystic Triangle, May 1928

Many of the articles written by our late Imperator, Dr. H. Spencer Lewis, are asdeathless as time. That is, they are concerned with those laws and principles of life andliving which are eternal, and thus never lose their efficacy or their import, and are ashelpful and as inspiring when read today as they were when they were written five, ten,fifteen, twenty or more years ago, and likewise will continue to be as helpful and asinstructive in the future. For this reason, and for the reason that thousands of readers ofthe Rosicrucian Digest" have not read many of the earlier articles of our late Imperator,we are going to adopt the editorial policy of publ

Documents

Rosicrucian Digest, February 1941