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Rosicrucian Digest, October 1942

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Out of the Silence; A Sketch on Alchemical Theory; Pages From the Past: Our Rosicrucian Heritage; After the War— What?; A New Ontology; The Impelling Urge; That Fearful Word— Karma; Time and Change; Experiencing Initiation; and many more...

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Page 1: Rosicrucian Digest, October 1942
Page 2: Rosicrucian Digest, October 1942

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T h e fundamental law ol success is order. Systematic arrangement of your thoughts, your plans and your acts, assures you against lost time. I he greatest genius is at a disadvantage if he is compelled to search lor his implements, pen. or brush when inspired. The student is equally striving against odds if his monographs or lessons cire haphazardly filed, requiring a shuffling of pages, a sorting of manuscripts, each time a point, principle, law, or fact is sought. There is no greater torment than the tantalizing thought that you possess f/ie needed information, bu t just cannot locate it. I here is no wisdom so useless as that just beyond recall. W h y not begin today to file your mono­graphs methodically? W e have prepared a specially made, serviceable and attractive lesson binder for this purpose. I his special binder will accommodate a years monographs. It is very attractive, and stamped in gold with the symbol and name of the Order. It contains an index form for indexing the subjects of your mono­graphs for quick reference, and is made ol durable material. (II beyond eighth degree order top fastening binders. II in lower degrees order side fastening, as per this illustration.)

R O S I C R U C I A N S U P P L Y B U R E A USA N JO SE, C A L IF O R N IA , U . S. A.

THE I N S T I T U T I O N B E H I N D T H I S A N N O U N C E M E N T

Page 3: Rosicrucian Digest, October 1942

C R O S S E D T H E T H R E S H O L DKendal I. Brower, C u ra to r of the R osicrucian E gyptian . O riental M useum, passed through transition, to

experience the G rea t Initiation, on W ed n esd ay . A ugust 26th a t 10:09 P .M . in San Jose. P ra ter B row er had been in declining health for some time. T h e loss of his services to the R osicrucian O rder as C urato r will be considerable, but still g reater will be the void created on the A M O R C staff by the absence of his immediate personality . H is fidelity and devotion to his duties w ere adm irable qualities of his character. He w as know n to thousands of R osicrucians throughout the world. M any heard him lecture in the Rosicrucian M useum during Conventions, on the exhibits he loved and w hich he so d ram atically and efficiently displayed.

As a form er member of the C ourier C ar staff, he visited assem blies of R osicrucians in dozens of cities in the United S tates of A m erica. H e also served as motion picture cam eram an on expeditions for A M O R C to E urope, E g y p t, and the countries of the L evant. H e w as personally known to the high d ignitaries of the Rosicrucian O rd er in Europe. H e w as Regional Suprem e T reasu re r of the M artin ist O rd er of the United States, receiving his in itiations in Brussels, Belgium, with the p resent Im perator. f ie w as likewise a mem­ber of the A m erican A ssociation of Museums.

Page 4: Rosicrucian Digest, October 1942

The Mechanism of Mind

WHY YOU ARE A S YOU A R E -and lA /kat Ifou &an V o -f)It ou t D t!

DID you ever stop to think why you do the things you do? Have you often when

alone censured yourself for impulsive urges, for things said or done that did not truly repre- sent your real thoughts, and which placed you at a disadvantage? Most persons are creatures of sensation they react to instinctive, impelling in­fluences which surge up within them and which they do not understand— or \n o w how to control. Just as simple living things involuntarily with­draw from irritations, so likewise thousands of men and women are content to he motivated by their undirected thoughts which haphazardly rise up in their consciousness. To day you must sell yourself to others—bring forth your best abilities, manifest your personality, if you wish to hold a

position, make friends, or impress others with your capabilities. You must learn how to draw upon your latent talents and powers, not be bent like a reed in the wind. There are simple, natural laws and principles which—if you understand them—make all this possible.

For centuries the Rosicrucians (n u t a religious organiza­tio n ), a worldwide movement of men and women de­voted to the study of life and its hidden processes, have shown thousands how to probe these mysteries of self. Renowned philosophers and scientists have been Rosi­crucians— today men and women in every walk of life owe their confidence and ability to solve personal prob­lems to the Rosicrucian private, s ensib le method of self-development. Use the coupon below for a copy of the book, "T he M astery of Life." which will be sent to you w ithout obligation, and will tell you of the Rosi­crucians and what th e y cun do f o r you.

A c c e p t Thi s FREE Book

SCRIBE S. P. C .: T he Rosiervscians (A M O R C ), San Jose, Calif. Please send me your free book, “T he M astery of Life," which I shall read as directed. This does not obligate me in any way.

Name..........................................................................................A ddress ........................................................................................................................

T H E R O S I C R U C I A N S ( A M O R C ) . S A N J O S E , C A L I F O R N I A . U. S. A.

Page 5: Rosicrucian Digest, October 1942

R O S I C R U C I A N D I G E S TC O V E R S T H E W O R L D

O C T O B E R , 1942

Crossed the Threshold (Frontispiece)Thought of the M onth: W h a t o f Tom orrow?O u t of the SilenceThe M icrocosm in C re a t iv e PaintingA Sketch on A lchem ical TheoryPages From the Past: O u r Rosicrucian H eritageA fte r the W a r — W h a t ?A N ew O nto logyThe Impelling UrgeThat Fearful W o rd — Karm aC athed ra l C on tacts : Time and ChangeThe Law of BalanceExperiencing InitiationSanctum Musings: Youth and O ld A g eA M ystic 's Sanctum (Illustration) ..

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

Entered as Second Class M atter at the Post O ffice at San Jose, C a li­fornia, under Section I 103 of the U .S . Postal A ct o f O ct. 3, 1917.

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

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

Published Monthly by the Supreme Council ofT H E R O S IC R U C IA N O R D E R — A M O R C

ROSICRUCIAN PARK SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA

Page 6: Rosicrucian Digest, October 1942

T H E

THOUGHT OF THE MONTHWHAT OF TOMORROW?

By T H E IM P E R A T O R

T h e fo llo w in g is th e fif th in a b r ie f s e r ie s o f a r t ic le s b y R a lp h M. L e w is , F . R . C .. on th e c h a n g e s to d a y 's in te rn a t io n a l in v o lv e m e n t w ill p ro d u c e in th e w o rld in th e near fu ture. H e w ill p ro je c t a n o u t l in e o f th e e ffe c ts c u r r e n t e v e n ts w ill hav e o n n a t io n s a n d o n th e m in d s , lives, a n d c u s to m s o f th e p eo p le w h o liv e in th e m . I n p re s a g in g th e s e e v e n ts , he is u s in g n o th in g m o re m y s te r io u s a s a n a id th a n a p en c il, a w o r ld m ap . th e im m a n e n t fa c u lt ie s o f o b s e r v a t io n a n d a b s t r a c t io n , a n d a n a n a ly s is o f w h a t he p e rc e iv e s to be I he p re s e n t tre n d s .

E D IT O R .

T h eRosicrucianD igestO c to b e r1942

O R E intimate than a l l o t h e r effects upon th e peoples of the world will be the new social p h i l o s o p h y t h a t will em erge from the p r e s e n t war. D u r i n g th e l a s t fifty years in p a r­ticular. for an ex­ample. t h e w o r d

w o r k h a s b e ­c o m e an o p p r o ­

brium. In other words, it has become stigmatized by the multitudes. T h e av ­erage man or woman has come to think of it as a social affliction, which man should learn to remedy or am putate from his w ay of living. Since he has not quite been able to accomplish this, he endures work, but often under great protest. Since the dawn of history there have a lw ays been indolent people. N e v ­er. however, has the a ttitude toward work which now prevails among a great number of the masses of the people of the great democracies existed in any other era.

T h is a ttitude is due in part to two contributing causes. First, that period of reform ation when it w as sought to lift the yoke of serfdom from the in­dustrial and farm workers in the great nations of the world. For years, too much w as exacted from such workers

for w hat they received in exchange for their labors. T h e w orker’s long hours of labor were rew arded with nothing more than sustenance. T rue . he w as paid in the coin of the realm, but when it was converted into buying power. into purchases, all it provided was bare necessities. T h e re was no room in such a w orker 's life for cultural enjoyments, for those functions and activities that we like to think of as being the products of civilization — of a process of refine­ment of living. M oreover, imagination and idealism w ere being crushed in such individuals. T h is had the consequent result of dam pening their enthusiasm for life itself. T h is is easily understood, for certainly it avails a man nothing to think of a tom orrow that can only be exactly like today, no matter how dis­tant that tomorrow be in his life. It is also futile for a man to embrace an ideal that t ranscends his present kind of liv­ing. if no time is afforded him between sunrise and sunset to pursue and to realize it. It is one thing to think of g randeur: it is still another to have the time to create and to enjoy it.

So it came about that those who sought to remedy these conditions were looked upon as inessiahs and liberators. A ctually they were restoring man's freedom. T h e y were giving him hours of choice o f action. In o ther words, they w ere making it possible for him to decide w hat he w an ted to do with a

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portion of his time, as apa r t from those dem ands m ade upon him to live physi­cally. Somewhere in the course of this altruistic crusade, a misconception a- rose. T h e actual evil of excessive w ork ­ing hours and of u n der-pay w as con­fused by some reformers with the con­tent of work itself. W o r k came to be looked upon as a kind of social error.

T h e n began the tirade against work which continues to emanate in strident voice from m any quarters today. T h e attack is no t direct, bu t mostly by in­nuendo; nevertheless it has had a psy­chological effect upon the minds of mil­lions of wrorkers. It conveys the idea tha t the aim of a progressive state should be the abolition of work, o r a t least its reduction to a non-disturbing minimum. T h is led to the opinion, which has been pu t into operation by some, th a t it is not sufficient just to adequate ly com pensate for w ork or labor, but th a t in addition a premium should be paid because one is obliged to indulge its disagreeableness.

T h e second contributing cause to the growing resentm ent had tow ard work in certain circles is the belief tha t it is an imposition upon man. In o ther words, m any think tha t w ork is an im ­perfection in our social and economic system. Political agita tors and dem a­gogues w ho p an d e r to the desires of unthinking people have stressed this idea in their harangues. T h e y have de­clared tha t a well-organized s ta te or G overnm ent should absorb in itself near ly all kinds of labor, o r a t least so distribute w ork tha t it would no t a t all interfere with the individual’s personal desires. Consequently there a re ac tual­ly millions of people th roughou t the w orld today w ho lay a t the feet of dif­ferent classes of society w h a t they con­sider the b lam e for the hours they must w ork so as to live. T h e y hold capital, politicians, a n d other minority groups responsible for w h a t they consider their misfortune — the fact they still must labor several hours a d a y a n d several days a week.

A no ther reason for this second cause of dissatisfaction with w ork is the com ­p lex ity o f ou r living today. T h e aver­age man has come to think tha t much of his work is useless. It is no t tha t he believes tha t he is not producing some­

thing or rendering some service for each hour of labor he expends. R a ther he is under the impression that, even though he receives h igher w ages than ever before in history, too much of his compensation has to be spent for blind benefits, namely, for things which he canno t see as directly influencing his life to th e good. In p as t times, the w ages he received for work ing in field or shop a lw ays brough t visible, tangible things, such as food, clothing, his home a n d pleasures which he could immedi­ate ly experience.

W h a t m an will discover, following this conflict, o r a t least b y the end of the present era of high incomes for labor, is tha t the more he tries to reduce the hours of his work and create more leisure time, the greater responsibility he is putting upon his government. If he could, as he did in the simple life of several generations ago, make his own fun, entire ly produce his own pleasures, the responsibilities of the sta te would no t be so great. However, the average man to d ay w ould not be satisfied to toss horseshoes over the usual tw o-day w eek-end, no r the average w om an rock and em broider on the front porch for a like period of time. M a n y of these av­erage citizens, therefore being unable to occupy themselves by means of their own imaginations and initiative during the grea ter leisure hours afforded them, are making dem ands upon the s ta te to relieve them of their ennui. T h e state must, therefore, create for these men and w om en recreational centers, n a ­tional parks, super highways, institu­tions of free learning, and spectacular expositions.

C onsequently , today 's citizen has s tre tched the duties and responsibilities of the s ta te so th a t like a g rea t tent it can cover those interests once left sole­ly to the domain of the individual. T here fo re , w hen a man labors today, his w ork becomes one of the poles tha t supports this g rea t tent. H is labor is no t just so tha t he may live, b u t so that the s ta te m ay m ake it possible for him to enjoy the new freedom of leisure which he has brought about. M uch of w h a t he spends goes to this source. Because it cannot be immediately con­verted into something tha t can be handed back to him over the counter, or

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T h eRosicrucianD igestO ctober1 9 4 2

th a t is so tangible tha t it can be taken dow n from a shelf for him to take home under his arm, m any workers think much of the rew ards of their labors dissipated.

W e are fast approaching a climax, which will occur within the nex t very few years, w hen men will come to real­ize tha t if they continually lessen their hours of w ork per day and per week, this tent o f w elfare of the state, which provides for m a n ’s interests in his free time, will crash down upon them. T h e less hours p u t into w ork to produce consumer goods, the higher must b e ­come the level for the price of such goods. Excessive p r i c e l e v e l s , even though w ages a re higher, will eventu­ally find the individual once again spending nearly all he makes for direct necessities. T a x e s would have to be­come so restric ted tha t the s ta te could no longer provide those recreations a n d leisure interests which the citizen now enjoys; consequently, his free hours, with the exception of those people w ho are tru ly i m a g i n a t i v e and creative, w ould weigh extremely heavy on his hands. In no time a t all men would be seeking to create added hours of labor for themselves, if for no o ther reason than to relieve the m onotony of boredom.

In the new social philosophy, man will come to look upon his working hours as no t just serving him alone, bu t as a contribution to civilization. H e will no longer think of w ork as a social ill to be done a w a y with, bu t as a neces­sa ry effort on his pa r t to maintain the kind of governm ent and society he en­joys a n d w ants . H e will come to realize tha t each industrious individual is ac tu­ally not jus t w ork ing for an employer o r even himself, but for his government as well, even though he is no t on the s ta te ’s payroll. H e w orks not just to subsist, bu t also to enjoy that life which his kind of government affords him.

G rea te r stress, in this new social phi­losophy, will be pu t upon an en joym en t of the w ork the individual must do. It will make the w orker realize tha t he must take compensation for his labors, no t alone in a pay envelope, bu t in the satisfaction of doing something well, of taking part in an effort which fits into the p rogram of the state.

If this social philosophy did no t come abou t — a n d it actually will — it would mean the ruination of our economic and social system. W e m ust learn, as we all will, tha t w e canno t buy everything which w e w an t. Som eone m ust w ork to produce the things a n d services which we expect to buy. T herefore , it is not just a question of our having sufficient money. I t is apodictical tha t there must be a minimum of w ork hours to bring forth th a t which m oney is to buy . If labor hours fall below tha t level, money loses its purchasing power, for there is no th ing to sa tisfy its demand. A hu n ­dred dollar bill has no value on a desert is land, o r even in a land of plentitude of na tu ra l resources, if no one works them sufficiently to bring forth the products which it can buy.

T h e presen t r e l a t i o n s h i p between capita l a n d labor will be greatly altered by this new social philosophy. T h e s ta te itself, n o t the w orker o r the capitalist, will fix the minimum hours required to c a r ry on a program of production of es­sentials a n d non-essentials. T h e state will realize tha t a n y num ber of hours below such a minimum will jeopardize the s ta n d a rd s of living which the peo­ple themselves w an t. T h e w ages will, as now, be com mensurate with the kind o f w ork or skill of the worker. Such a w ag e scale will take into consideration th a t a proportionate am ount m ust go for those no t directly observed benefits which the individual enjoys as coming from the state.

Capita l , too, will be revolutionized. It will be m easured in terms of work. In this w ay, the capitalist, too, becomes a w orker, o r ra th e r his capital does. T o elucidate, if a portion of each hour 's w ork done b y a man is no t just for his sustenance a n d immediate comfort, but is to be able to maintain the sta te and sustain the benefits the s ta te affords him in his new leisure hours, then a portion of capital must be utilized for the sam e purpose. W h a te v e r percent­a g e it is estimated tha t workers of an industry a re giving in hours of w ork to sustain the p rogram a n d level of the s ta te ’s s tandards , then tha t same per­centage of the profits o f th a t particular industry or business m ust go to pu r­chase o ther w o rk hours which will also

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be used to fu rther the cultural level o f n ow sorely lacking, a n d which will gothe state. a long w ay tow ard healing a sick class

M en and w om en will come to have consciousness, tha t needed respect for w ork which is ( T o be continued)

V V V

Out of the SilenceB y P en sator

R O M the d e p t h s o f S e l f a r i s e t h o s e b i t s o f knowledge n e e d ­ed by an individ­ual in his partic­ular p lace on the Pa th . Recognition of this knowledge is d i f f i c u l t , and also a vital neces­sity. W h e r e there is a need, there c a n b e g i v i n g .

Realize that all know ledge comes from the sam e source for all.

Seemingly, one meets contradiction and pa radox every step of the W a y . Logically, w h a t could be more natural? Y ou a re dealing with N a tu ra l Law. Y ou have studied the laws o f polarity. W h a t could be more natura l than to find both positive and negative qualities in all manifestations and experiences? Y ou are seeking T ru th . T h e fact has been s ta ted innumerable times that T ru th is a lw ays relative, a t least to your limited understanding . If you can accept as a premise tha t T ru th is N a t ­ural Law, you must accept the logical sequence of tha t premise, and tha t is, tha t T r u th can be of both a positive and negative nature.

You are seeking something tha t you canno t define even to your own satis­faction. A nalysis will help you. T r y to reduce y o u r inner desires to clear-cut concepts. Realize th a t money will be of no help in try ing to contact H igher worlds. Y ou th ink tha t if you had more m oney you could pursue your inmost desires with more facility a n d greater speed. Such thinking is a hindrance. Stop the “day -d ream in g ” for money. T h e re is a “ short-cu t" to your goal, but

it is not dependen t upon wealth and leisure.

Combine thought a n d action. P e r ­haps one of your problems seem s to be tha t o f no t having enough time for s tudy . Such a problem is solved by a simple fundam ental principle. It is: order. Schedule y o u r daily activity and the result will as tound you; actually, you will be engaging in discipline of an occult na tu re . D o a n d you shall have.

You a re hereby given three princi­ples necessary for Spiritual growth, they are: T ho u g h t , W il l and Action. C o n ­sider the result o f action based upon careful, selective though t and powered by the burn ing force of will.

D o n o t concern yourself with an ­o th e r ’s place upon the P a th ; w hatever tha t place is, it has been earned. T h e Cosmic is impersonal, cannot you be likewise? Possibly, you could even be jealous a n d tha t w ould be a serious ob­stacle to yo u r unfoldment. You are asked to believe tha t you a re all very close together upon the Pa th , so close tha t the M as te rs a re know n as Elder Brothers. T o d a y there a re m any O ld Souls incarnate; you ask, can they be recognized? Certain ly , jealousy does not permit such recognition.

D o no t be misled by fellow students w ith only an intellectual understanding o f occultism. T h e intellect is no t the M a s te r K ey tha t unlocks mystical de­velopment. If you w ould wish to know one’s unfoldment, use your intuition to fe e l his H e a r t development. It is also possible tha t appreciation of a n o th e r’s Spiritual na tu re is a good gauge of your ow n unfoldment. Y ou m ay even p a y homage; n o t for an individual’s glorification, bu t ra ther, as recognition and tribute to the Living God.

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T h eRosicrucianD igestO ctober1 9 4 2

The Microcosm In Creative PaintingBy S o r o r E lo is e M y r u p O ls e n

O rganum , sta tes th a t “ the medium (of the a rtis t) is merely the means for the expression of tha t unders tand ing which canno t be entirely, exactly given in w o rd s .” T h u s the interpretation of emo­tional feeling is a problem for art. A nd in the w r i te r ’s previous article, T h e M o d ern A r tis t as M y s tic , it w as poin t­ed ou t tha t the expression of the deeper essence o r soul of an object o r event constitutes a lofty aim for the artist who. as mystic, has the ability to per­ceive a n d communicate these subtle values.

B ut the most p rofound a n d the pu r­est kind of expression in painting has to do with the elements of the medium it­self: colors, lines, planes, volumes and texture. T h a t it is definitely a mystical thing I hope also to show later on. In getting this thing into w ords one feels som ew hat helpless; y e t it is intensely real: once you have felt it you can al­w ays recognize it. T h o u g h it w as un­derstood in the O rien t centuries ago, Occidenta l art is ts have only become ob­jec tive ly aw are of it in the last seventy- five yea rs or so; in fact, m any have never done so, even yet. N either do all critics recognize it: it is interesting to note how critics w ho understand it group certain artists together as ex­pressing it, while o ther critics who are unconscious of it classify them into en­tirely different unre la ted schools. H o w ­ever, mystics and mystical students above all should have no difficulty in unders tand ing or feeling it. (F o r it is a m atter of feeling, no t explanation.)

N H IS book, T h e M o d e r n M o v e ­m en t in A r t , M r. R . H . W i l e n s k i writes: “T h e idea behind t h e m od­e r n movement in the a r ts is a re ­turn to the arch i­t e c t u r a l o r clas­s i c a l i d e a . . . . Romantic a r t as­sumes tha t the a r ­tist is more impor­

tan t than art, and tha t the a r t is t’s emo­tional personality should dominate his work. Classical a r t assumes tha t a r t is grea ter than the artist, and th a t the ar­tis t is m erely a link betw een the specta ­tor and som e universal order, which man, as such, is a lw ays seeking to discover.”

In either case the artis t is expressing something that he has perceived or felt: upon that all m ay agree. But the ques­tion as to w h a t the artis t m ay rightfully express, as artist, is a m atter of some controversy. Y e t it may be fairly simply stated: T h e proper subjec t-m atter of an y a r t is tha t which can be expressed better by its particular medium th a n by a n y other means. F o r example, the tell­ing of a s to ry can be best done through words: it is no m atter for painting. Again , mere imitation of na tu re can be best achieved today b y photography: even before the adven t of the camera it w as not a proper purpose of ar t since it w as im itation, which is no t creative ex­pression. O uspensky , in his Tertium

Page 11: Rosicrucian Digest, October 1942

N o w w h a t is this mysterious some­thing? H enri M atisse called it "com po­sition, the aim of which is expression." A n d in his opinion, " expression does not consist of the passion mirrored upon a human face or be trayed by a violent gesture. T h e whole a rrangem ent of my picture is expressive. T h e place occu­pied b y figures or objects, the empty spaces a round them, the proportions, everything plays a p a r t .” Ralph P e a r ­son calls it plastic design, plastic m ean­ing tha t which can be molded o r form­ed; which is mobile ra ther than fixed or static. Sheldon C heney speaks of it as expressive form; tha t is, form which is itself the expression and not the means for it. C om position, however, suggests the static composition o f the academic artist, which is an entirely different thing; design , though exact as far as it goes, is confusing to the average person to whom it means conventionalized d e ­sign; a n d the use of the term form w ould require an involved discussion as to the esthetic meanings of the word. T herefore , for the purpose of this a r ­ticle, I shall use the ph rase expressive organization o f m ovem ent, which in my opinion is more self-explanatory .

But w h y m ovem ent? W h a t does the artist mean by m ovem en t in his picture? F irs t of all, this movement is not the depiction o f the motion of living things, such as the galloping of horses, the leaping of dancers, o r w aving of b ranch­es in the wind. Actually , it is not in the picture a t all b u t is a subjective feeling of the observer. It is induced in several ways. I t may be suggested by the move­m ent of the eye as it roams over the p icture as directed b y lines and planes. Second, it m ay be felt in the relation­ship of p lanes a n d volumes to one an ­other, according to their positions and form. T h ird , it is induced b y the use of color a n d texture. A t your first op­portunity notice how, w hen gazing into deep blue, you have a feeling of depth or distance. Y ou will discover some­thing of the sam e effect in blue-green and violet, while the w arm colors, such as red, yellow and yellow-green, seem to advance tow ard you. T ex tu re also suggests movement in certain directions and contributes to the feeling of n ea r­ness or distance.

T h e artis t w ho strives for expressive organization in his picture is concerned with a rrang ing these elements into a u n ity of movement in every direction: in and out, back and forth a n d around; th a t is, plastic movement organized into a unity, a little world complete it itself, w ith life and vibration of its own, yet echoing the s tructure and rhythm of the universe.

T h is is not mere com position, for ac­cording to the rules of the latter, ob­jects are placed on the canvas so as to achieve a formal surface t alance, w ith­ou t regard for the subjective feeling in­duced b y colors a n d relationships be­tween lines, p lanes and volumes. Com ­position can be seen; expressive o rg an ­ization is fe lt o r experienced, the objec­tive subject-matter, w hen present, being only the means. N either is it perspec­tive, th a t science of d raw ing which su g ­gests distance by running parallel lines tow ard an im aginary point on the hori­zon. Perspective may or m ay not enter a picture having expressive organiza­tion, bu t w hen a picture imitates a w in­d ow out of which w e m ay look a t a scene tha t takes us miles aw ay the m ovement is mostly in one direction; th a t is, a w a y from the observer. O r­ganized plastic movement is in all d i­rections a n d is a t the sam e time con­cen tra ted into a limited space thus cre­a ting both unity and grea t dynamic intensity.

Im agine a picture frame standing erect. M en ta l ly extend its four sides backw ard to a short distance, so as to create a spatial field the shape of a flat box. N o w imagine a very small ball moving back and forth in every direc~ tion w ithin the limits of this field, ye t a lw ays tending to re turn to somewhere n ea r the center. T o get the idea of or­ganization, imagine these movements going on all a t once, b u t re la ted to one a no the r in such a w ay as to create ac ­tion a n d reaction. T h is will result in tension th roughou t the w hole space, a n d g rea test in intensity a t the central portion. N o w try to realize tha t this movement is directed by lines, planes, volumes, colors a n d textures in the pic­ture, as they are related to one another; as they seem to repel o r a t trac t one an ­other, while all the time contributing to the unity of the whole.

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T h eRostcrucianD igestO ctober1 9 4 2

N o w com pare this with the unit of creation, the cell. H ere , also, w e have dynam ic movement or vibration within an enclosed field, bounded by a n eg a ­tive wall a n d having a nucleus or focal point a t which the vibration is most in­tense. W h e th e r this ana logy has occur­red to a n y a r t is t I do not know, b u t it should be evident to s tuden ts o f Rosi- crucianism, w ho may also see a sugges­tion of the origin of the triangle from the p o in t w ith in the circle: tha t symbol of the grea t basic L aw of C reation which is too w onderful to be expressed in words. P erhaps the artist, w hen suf­ficiently a ttuned to the Cosmic, intui­tively expresses it, no t in w ords , bu t in the form or organization of his picture: thus, expressive organization o f m ove­m ent.

A s C heney says, the creation of the ar t is t “ is an echo— rather, an implicit p a r t—of first creation: a manifestation proceeding from the center of all that is, a pulsation in little of the rhythm self-perpetuated a t life’s Source” (T h a t is, an expression of the law of M acro ­cosm and Microcosm: as Above so Be­low) . . . . “ M ovem ent is a t once the most certain ‘element’ in the universe an d the greatest mystery. M o d e rn sci­ence traces the o rder of the spheres and the composition o f m atte r dow n to movement, bu t offers not the slightest clue to its origin. Life is movement: all tha t our senses report as solid, s tatic or material is, w e n ow know, movement poised.” . . . . “ Just as cosmic specula­tion a n d exploration ou tg rew the model of fixed stars and pendu lan t earth, in favor of p lane ta ry o rde r and orbital progression, so the a r t is t gives up static composition models, a n d reads into o r ­ganizational painting a reflection of the dynam ics of the perpetually moving but poised cosmic system ” . . . . “T h e rules o f composition m ay have been sufficient for a materialistic world, bu t plastic organized movement is far more ex­pressive o f the spiritual values of which the w orld is beginning to be conscious.”

T o a s tuden t of mysticism it is most interesting and illuminating to learn tha t centuries ago, in the far Eastern books o f wisdom, the first “ law ” of ar t w as s ta ted thus: “ Rhythmic V ita l i ty or Spiritual Rhythm expressed in move­m ent.” Lawrence Binyon, in T h e F lig h t

o f the D ragon, writes of the Chinese: " I t w as felt th a t the true artis t w ork ­ing w hen the mood w as on him, w as b rough t into direct relation with the creative pow er indwelling in the world, an d this power, using him as a medium or instrument, b rea thed actual life into the strokes of his b ru sh .” In the O rient, up to the recent invasion o f the Occi­dental ideas, abs trac t values were the core of creative a rt; there w as no felt compulsion tow ard exact representa­tion of nature . A s M r. B inyon writes, there need not be a n y representation of na tu re “only it must be alive with a rhythm ic vitality of its o w n .” Evidence th a t O rien ta l artists pu t their theory into practise is to be found in the ex­pressive organization of the Chinese Landscapists , a n d in a less profound w ay , in the a r t o f the H indus and Persians, and o ther E as te rn peoples.

In ou r W e s te r n w orld of the past there has been no grea t body of theory concerning this kind of creative a r t as in the E as t , ye t in all ages, a few artists have h a d an intuitional feeling for ex­pressive organized movement. F o r ex­ample, there is a suggestion of it in the w ork o f W h is t le r , a n d farther back, it can be s trong ly felt in the paintings of M ichael A ngelo and R em brandt. But the most ou ts tanding example is El Grecco, whose dram atic portrayals of events from the life o f C hris t prove that ar t need not suffer because it is created in the service of a “cause .” T h e aw ak ­ened appreciation of moderns has raised El Grecco from a position of com para­tive unim portance to a place among the g rea tes t m asters of all time.

A m ong the moderns a few names s ta n d out. T h e re are the F rench artists, V a n G ogh a n d G augin , both of whom did w ork closely allied to the Orient. A n d there is Cezanne, also French, w hose canvasses almost a lw ays contain a pow erfu l degree of expressive o rg an ­ization. It is said tha t C ezanne pene­tra ted through to meanings hidden from most eyes to give us the fundamental characteristics of an object as well as its universal import and relationship, a n d tha t he s aw behind each landscape some hint o f a cosmic s tructure and universal rhythm.

T h e A m erican water-colorist, John M arin , w ho does semi-abstract work,

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a n d the mystic artists mentioned in the previous article, K andinsky and Joseph Sheridan, also achieve fine expressive organization of movement in a more abstrac t w ay . In fact it m ay be easier to sense this quality in their work since there is not so much objective subject- m atter to a t trac t the attention. In ob­serving the w ork of a n y of these artists it is essential to remember tha t expres­sive organization is no t easy to see, but if yo u can get the fee ling of it y o u will have no difficulty in discovering its presence in a painting containing it.

O f course there are m any o ther a r ­tists w hose names might have been mentioned; it is impossible to include them all in this short discussion. A t best this article can only serve as an in­troduction to this vas t subject; if only a very few readers a re moved b y it to seek a fuller experience of mysticism in ar t it will have served its purpose. If anyone is interested in a more detailed s tudy the best source is to be found in the book E xpression ism in M o d ern A r t by Sheldon Cheney.

A s a m atter of fact no more fitting conclusion to this discussion could be found than the following statements selected from this very book:

"A n intensely creative abstrac t w ork

of art, affording an enjoyment that may border upon rapture , links with the mystic search for personal identifica­tion with the rhythm a t the heart of the universe, with the consciousness of d y ­namic o rder and harmonious progres­sion of the cosmos beyond time and space . . . . Knowing something of the mystic conception of the s tructure and meaning of all tha t is, w e find our facul­ties be tter able to identify, and enjoy, the echo of universal-eternal architec­ture in creative a r t . . . . A r t here be­comes a sensuous means to revelation of cosmic order. Expressive form, a- chieved. opens four-dimensional vistas. (T h e M o d ern is here aided and forti­fied by s tu d y of ancient Chinese art, in practise and th e o ry .)”

“ I believe moreover, tha t the increas­ing abstrac t significance in a r t is one phase of m ank ind’s contem porary ad ­vance in spiritual apprehension. In other w ords, I take the mystic’s view of the artis t as creator, and count the mystic artis t as the true m odern .”

“ P erhaps it is not too much to ask of the artis t th a t he be the first focusing agent, the perceiver and the herald of a new world order, nearer to the spir­itual type, underly ing all still-chaotic surface m anifesta tions.”

Y O U R L O C A L C H A P T E R O R L O D G EC hapters and Lodges extend a welcome fo r members to participate in the Rosicrucian

activ ities regu larly conducted b y them throughout the year. If you live in a city w here a C hapter o r Lodge is located, avail yourself of the opportun ity of w ithdraw ing from the dem ands of these busy times fo r the few m oments of instruction and inspiration that comes w ith the association w ith those of sim ilar in terests to y o u r own. If you do no t live w here you can a ttend a C hap ter regularly , ask to be pu t on the mailing list of the nearest C hapter, to be informed of special events. A ll active members are privileged to participate in these activities and m ay w rite to an officer of the organization to determ ine the loca­tion of the nearest subordinate body of A M O R C .

R O S I C R U C I A N R A D I O P R O G R A M S

C IT Y CallL etters

K ilo ­c y c les B eg in s D ay H our

C IN C IN N A T I, O H IO W L W 700 O ct. 12E v e ry

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E a s te r n W a r T im e

W h a t does m an need to stabilize himself and to p repare for the future? W h a t are the factors of our nature upon which w e can re ly in these times? L isten to this unusual series of program s, entitled "The M ysteries of L ife," fo r the answ er. Interesting, fascinating, w ith inspiring music. Invite y o u r friends to listen w ith you.

Page 14: Rosicrucian Digest, October 1942

A Sketch On Alchemical TheoryB y C o g n i t u r

H E R E a r e t h r e e q u e s t i o n s which a r e c o m m o n in d i s c u s s i n g t h e s u b j e c t o f a l ­c h e m y . F i r s t , W h a t is a lchem y? In s h o r t a n d all inclusive—it is the a r t of a ltering vi­b r a t i o n t h r o u g h natura l law. In its b r o a d e s t aspect, alchemy a p p e a r s

as a system of philosophy which claims to penetra te the M y s te ry of life as well as the f o r m a t i o n of i n a n i m a t e sub­stances.

Second, D oes m an perform the trans­m utation or alteration o f a particular rate? N o . N o true alchemist has ever taken credit for this. All that man can do is to duplicate the conditions used b y na tu re in the process and then to depend upon na tu re to perform the transm utation. T h e process m ay be lik­ened to the farmer w ho conditions the soil, conditions the seed, and sows the seed w hen w ea th e r a n d p lane ta ry con­ditions are most favorable for the gen­eration. If all conditions remain favor­able a crop will be produced. Yet, we cannot properly say that the farmer

T h e p roduced or grew the crop, for he onlyR o sic ru c ia n c rea ted, within his power, the condi- p.- tions necessary, by which nature per-

8 es formed the transmutation.O c to b e r T h ird , W h a t w ere the ch ie f reasons1 9 4 2 fo r the s tu d y or the practice o f the art?

T h e re w ere four chief reasons. T h e first w as for the prevention of disease; the second w as for the curing of dis­ease; the third w as for prolonging of life b y postponing decay (as with the pa tr ia rchs) . N o w be careful in con­stru ing w h a t I have just said, for "p ro ­longing life by postponing decay” does no t in a n y sense mean immortality. Hermes, Plato, Aristotle and all the rest knew tha t death w as inevitable, b u t they sough t tha t which would preserve the human body from corruption, and to prolong life. T h e fourth reason— which w as secondary in almost every case— w as for the acquiring of material things, through the transm utation of lesser metals into noble ones. All of this w as done with one thing which has been given a thousand names and y e t all of these are enigmatical.

E v e ry rate of vibration that is per­ceivable by the five physical senses is a vehicle, a temple or a matrix, for higher ra tes which we might call essence, soul, o r overtones. T h a t is, vibrations of sight, smell, sound, taste, a n d touch, are vehicles or temples f o r h i g h e r im­material rates. T h e se immaterial rates are never singularly imposed upon the fundam ental or material rate, bu t are in groups a n d follow the laws of harm ony within themselves as well as their re la­tionship with the material o r funda­mental rate.

T h e material, fundam ental ra te is the negative condition, the passive or the inviting condition, the vehicle in which the i m m a t e r i a l rides, the matrix on

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which the immaterial family is super­imposed.

T h e immaterial (overtones or h a r­monic rates) is the positive condition, the aggressive or the active condition, the passengers o f the material vehicle.

N a tu re , on the physical plane, m odu­lates from one v ib ra tory ra te to another through the process of putrifaction. D uring the process of putrifaction, these h igher ra tes get ou t of their vehicle, or separa te from the material, until b y the law of duality, coupled w ith the law of harmonics and the law of progression, they once again take up their abode on the physical plane. Incidentally, this is also the principle of reincarnation.

T h e se th ree laws are very important. Let us analyze their relationship to one ano ther for a moment. W e find th a t the whole Cosmic keyboard is a progress­ing or an evolving m ass of vibration. T h is evolving process does no t take place in a skip and a jump m anner, bu t is slow, even, a n d according to definite laws of modulation. Each vibratory r a te is progressing to the nex t higher th roughout the entire Cosmic keyboard. AU the physical as w ell as all the sp ir­itual is progressing continuously, p ro­portionately and simultaneously. T h e only difference between the physical and the spiritual is v ib ra tory ra te . Since each physical manifestation is a vehicle or an abode for h igher immaterial rates, then there m ust be a relationship be­tween the physical a n d the spiritual in their conjunction, and w e find th a t this relationship exists th rough the law of harmonics. W e na tura lly find tha t the prim ary a ttraction between the material and the immaterial ra tes takes place according to the law of duality. T h is is w h y alchemy looked a t th a t pa r t of the Cosmic scale w here metals a re mani­fested as the evolving of one metal to another. T h is evolvement as carried out b y nature took between two a n d three million years, depending upon how fav­orable the conditions were. By studying this evolving process a n d the conditions necessary to c a rry it on, it then re­mained only a m atte r of duplicating these conditions. D u e to the fact tha t man had the power to purify his ma­terials and to create the conditions nec­essary for this evolvement of even a more favorable nature , he w as able to

accomplish this task in a very, very short space of time, in comparison.

E ach manifestation on the material p lane has a natural span or cycle of existence, the length of which can roughly be estimated by repeated ob­servation of similar m a n i f e s t a t i o n s . N e a r the end of the predestined cycle of existence of a n y physical manifesta­tion a breaking dow n or disintegration takes place, climaxed by a period of putrifaction. T h is period is the modu­lating period, the period w hen atoms a n d electrons begin to shift from their orbits, to regroup themselves into new combinations to form the new mani­festation. It is a t this time tha t the laws of a ttraction and repulsion are altering a n d regrouping their powerful forces through their representatives, the elec­trons. T h e results of this law can be traced th roughout the entire physical kingdom including man, a n d are re­sponsible for such sayings a s — '‘T h e only thing tha t is perm anent is change .” ‘‘E very th ing is b e c o m i n g s o m e t h i n g else,” and, perhaps,— ‘‘E v ery dog has his d ay .” W e find, then, tha t alchemy as applied to the physical portion of the keyboard is actually dealing funda­mentally with electrons, atoms and molecules. A nd that physical transm u­tation is fundamentally a case of a l te r­ing negative and positive charges of electricity called electrons and protons.

T h e chief difference between the al­chemist a n d the modern scientist is that w here the alchemist believed in s tarting a t the bottom, or with one of the simple metals and adding positive and negative charges or the building up of these, sci­ence believes in s tarting a t the top and tearing aw ay the charges necessary for the transm utation. O n e is a construc­tive process, a creative process, the o ther is a destructive, a destroying pro­cess. O n e is copy of n a tu re ’s divine evolving processes, the o ther is an ex­ample of science’s egotistical a n d w hol­ly materialistic viewpoint. O n e is a na tu ra l process, the o ther an unnatural.

W e find now here in na tu re an ex­am ple of actual devolution, bu t on the con tra ry everything seems to be in a sta te o f evolution. Y e t science with all its cyclotrons and various bom barding ap p ara tu s is attem pting to do just that. In o ther words, a f ter a metal o r element

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has evolved to its present state, to a t­tempt to devolve it is na tura lly going against all the na tu ra l forces involved in the evolutionary process; and it is no w onder tha t millions of volts of elec­tricity and various magnetic conditions are found necessary to pull or p ry off several positive or negative charges. T h ese men cannot know that they are fighting G od himself.

A p inhead of a n y pu re metal is com­posed of millions a n d millions of infin- itestimally small universes which we call atoms. Each atom or universe is composed of a positive sun and several negative planets. N o w no m atter how m any millions o f these atoms or uni­verses there are, they a re all m ade up exactly alike, tha t is, each and every atom or universe is exactly like every other in this p inhead of matter. T h e sam e laws of magnetic a ttraction and propulsion, gravity a n d all the rest tha t affect our own p lane ta ry system are also present in these miniature p lane­tary systems, and to a ttem pt to shoot off or pull off one or several of these little planets from its system is a very illogical and impractical w ay to perform a transm utation. N a tu ra l ly after these little universes have been subjected to millions of volts o f electricity and bom ­barded continuously with showers of a lpha particles and so on for a long period of time, the magnetic equilibrium is bound to become so stra ined that m any of these little universes are a lter­

ed. A s each and every individual uni­verse which becomes affected by this debacle is altered, so is there an over all alteration a n d redistribution of p lan­ets am ong all the little universes. T h is s ituation continues until enough little planets have been removed from their orbits for the a ltered universes to reg ­ister upon M a n ’s c o n s c i o u s n e s s as something different from the original.

Yes, the alchemists dealt with this sam e type of miniature universes, and they apparen tly knew it too, for the precept “As above, so below," w e find originated b y none other than Hermes himself, the first alchemical M as te r of recorded h i s t o r y . Yes, a l c h e m i s t r y deals with the alteration of these little p lanets and universes w e call atoms and electrons, bu t in a quite different m an­ner than science, for the alchemical m ethod is according to the laws of n a t­ural evolution, the strengthening of m agnetic fields am ong the electrons and the building up of these little systems g radually to the point w here the orig­inal identity is changed to tha t of some­thing else.

W h e n the laws of na tu re are really understood, no millions of dollars are needed to build cyclotrons, no r to use millions of volts of electricity to perform a transm utation, for the use of cyclo­trons, and even electricity, is compar- tively new com pared to the h istory of occult a lchemy and its records.

BUY UNITED STATES SAVINGS BONDS AND STAMPS

T h eRosicrucianD igestO ctober1 9 4 2

S U P R E M E T E M P L E S E S S I O N S

O n T u esd ay evening, Septem ber 29, convocations will be resum ed in the Suprem e Tem ple and continue every T u esd ay thereafter th rough the Fall. W in te r, and early Spring months. A ll members either in the vicin ity of San Jose or visiting Rosicrucian P ark are invited to avail themselves of the opportun ity of attending these special convo­cations. A t each convocation there will be an inspiring ritual under the direction of a Suprem e or G rand Lodge officer. T h ere will also be discussions on various subjects and, from time to time, an experim ent relating to the R osicrucian teachings. M em bers will a lw ays find a welcome and will w ish to avail them selves of this opportunity to participate in these convocations as a m eans of gaining know ledge and inspiration.

T h e sessions will begin each T u esd ay night a t 8:00 P. M . T h e doors will be opened at 7:30 P. M. M em bers should identify them selves to the guardian b y presenting their m em bership cards. A ll active m em bers of an y degree a re privileged to a ttend these sessions.

Page 17: Rosicrucian Digest, October 1942

P A G E Sfrom the

Our Rosicrucian HeritageBy T h e S u p r e m e S e c r e t a r y

But regardless, w e a re still aw are that the principles to which the compilers of our constitution dedicated themselves, and the general principles which they laid dow n as the basis for this democ­racy, have stood the test of time. M od i­fications have been m ade necessary by the course o f events, bu t the under­s tand ing of the ideals and the analyza- tion of the necessary changes help us to appreciate our heritage and better u n d ers tand the actual conditions which w e now face inspired by these principles.

In the h i s t o r y of the R o s i c r u c i a n movement, there have been those who in a similar m anner prom ulgated the basic principles, laws, a n d ideals upon which the present day organization is built. T h e literal application of some of these laws is no t practical today, bu t the idealism of them a n d the principles as exemplified in those w ho subscribe to these laws, are a perm anent pa r t of Rosicrucianism in all ages, past, p res­ent, and future. From time to time in the pages o f this magazine various ex­cerpts from the writings of these past m asters a n d officials have been pre­sented, and it is my purpose here to re­fer to some o f the writings of Michael M aier. W e can refer to various sources concerning his life and times. Briefly, I will quote from an article appearing in ‘‘T h e M ystic T r ia n g le ” published by this organization in September, 1926.

‘‘It is know n tha t he (M ichael M aier) w as born a t R e n d s b u r g , H o l s t e i n ,

T IS the obligation of the Rosicrucian O rd e r and the in­dividual m e m b e r to utilize the phi­losophy which is tau g h t by the or- g a n i z a t i o n t o e q u i p h i m s e l f b e t t e r f o r t h e p r o b l e m s of the present day, and a t the sam e time t o b e t t e r t h e

world to come. T herefore, it m ight be wise tha t our a ttention be directed to­w ard the methods by which w e can best p repare to have our knowledge and ex­perience t r a n s l a t e d into a practical means of contributing to the solution of the w orld 's problems now, and to the stability of the peace to come. T o be able to do this most effectively, it is well tha t w e occasionally look b ack —back tow ard the source of our knowledge. T o unders tand the problems and prin­ciples laid down b y our predecessors is the one w ay in which w e can be able to pu t into effect these principles as they may be related to our presen t existence and the problems to come.

In this country w e find tha t few of us af ter a s tudy of early Am erican history w ould care to re turn to the s tandards of living a n d the social practices that existed in the days th a t ou r present form of government w as formulated.

Page 18: Rosicrucian Digest, October 1942

T h eRosicrucianD igestO ctober1 9 4 2

Sazony, N. W . Germ any, in 1568; that he w as first a t t rac ted to the O rd e r by the writings of Paracelsus; tha t he re ­ceived his medical degree in 1597, when th ir ty years of age; tha t he practised his profession most successfully a t Rod- stock, and la ter a t P rague; tha t he w as held in ve ry high esteem b y contem- tem porary men of science; th a t he be­came the p e r s o n a l physician of the G erm an Em peror, Rudolph II, w ho had been reigning since 1576; tha t this em- peror-mystic conferred upon M aie r the distinguished title of ‘C oun t P a la t ine’; that, likewise, he w as the doctor of the landgrave of Hessen, and tha t both the la tte r and the emperor w ere M a ie r ’s R. C. disciples; tha t for some years M a ie r w as the G ra n d M a s te r o f the O rder of the R osy Cross ‘of G old , ' in G erm any; that, until the e m p e r o r ' s transition in 1611, M aie r a t tended to him devotedly, with the assistance of two o ther R. C . physicians, G erhard a n d T h a d d e u s von H ayeck. In pass­ing, be it noted, this emperor w as de­voted to a s t r o n o m y and a s t r o l o g y , which he s tudied under the famous T y c h o B r a h e ( 1 5 4 6 - 1 6 0 1 ) . W h e n M atth ias w as crow ned emperor in 1612, M ichael M aie r then gave himself up wholly to the G rea t work. T h e veritable connecting link between the Baconian Rosicrucian Society of E n g lan d and the Rosicrucian C h ap te r o f Cassel, M aier it w as who initiated F lu d d into the deeper mysteries of the Cabala; but M aie r did not establish Rosicrucianism in E ngland , nor did F lu d d .”

I t is apparen t from this short sum ­m ary th a t M ichael M aier w as active, no t on ly in the reviving of an active cycle of this organization, bu t also w as active in his a ttem pts to formulate for posterity, certain o f the then accepted ideals a n d principles which directed the w ork of this organization. W e will find in the analysis of some of his principles a n d his laws, th a t w e have a different conception, b u t y e t upon these princi­ples w e will be able to establish certain ideals th a t a re well known to every member o f this organization. In 1656 there w as prin ted in London an English translation of Michael M aie r’s ‘‘Themis A u rea .” F rom the title page of this book, a copy of which is in the vaults o f the organization, w e read the follow­

ing: “T h e Laws of the F ra te rn i ty of the Rosie Crosse, W r i t te n in Latin by C oun t M ichael M aierus, A nd now in English for the Inform ation of those w ho seek a f te r the know ledge of that honourable a n d mysterious Society of wise and renow ned philosophers.”

It is quite evident from the limited printing of this book th a t it w as a popu­lar presentation of the principles of the F ra te rn i ty probably to be used as a guide for those w ho w ere becoming familiar with the organization in E n g ­land. I t d id not claim to contain the p rivate teachings o r the secret rituals and signs of the Fra te rn ity , b u t w as in­formative in its nature, much as is the m odern book “ Rosicrucian Questions and A nsw ers W i t h C om plete H istory o f the O r d e r ” b y the late Dr. H . Spen­cer Lewis, now published b y this O rder . W e will unders tand the conception of the laws o f the F ra te rn i ty a n d the p u r ­pose of the title of the book by consid­ering the introduction to the first chap­ter o f this book. In the quotations from the English edition of “Them is A u re a ” which follow, the old English wording has been slightly revised, bu t not suf­ficiently to detract from the uniqueness o f the original.

“A s laws do differ not only in their Institutions, but their acceptance; so, if not tyrannically imposed, they cen ter in the public good; for if by them H um ane Society is maintained, Justice executed, V ir tu e favored, so th a t no man may fear the insolency a n d oppression of another , w e m ay conclude tha t they profit and advance a Commonwealth: If every man du ly receives w hatever be­longs to him, he has no cause of com­mencing a suit w ith any , o r to complain, much less to engage in a W a r , bu t on the contrary , All (as in the Golden A g e ) shall en joy peace and prosperity: B ut the Laws defend this justice by which only Peace is established, con­tention ended, T hem is worshipped, and lastly, all things in a flourishing state a n d condition. W h e n c e the Poets ad ­visedly f e i g n e d T h e m i s to be the D a u g h te r of H eaven a n d E arth , to be the S ister of Sa tu rn , and A u n t to Jupi­ter, a n d have done her very much honor, and celebrated her Fame, b e ­cause she so constantly administered Justice, for E qu ity and upright dealing

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w ere by her enjoined, and all V irtues which might render men either accept­able to the gods, or serviceable to each other, w ere to be embraced. She, there­fore, taugh t them to live justly a n d con­tentedly, to shun violence, injuries and robbery; th a t they should a sk nothing of the gods bu t w h a t should favor ho n ­esty and religion, o r otherwise tha t their p rayers w ould have no good issue. She furtherm ore said tha t the grea t G o d did look dow n upon the earth , a n d view the actions o f men, w he the r good or evil; and tha t he severely punished the w ick­ed for their iniquity w ith eternal p u n ­ishment; tha t he rew arded the good for their integrity w ith a life which shall neither end no r decay. O th e rs w ere of an opinion th a t T h em is w as a P rophe­tess am ongst the Grecians, a n d did foretell w h a t should happen , b y which endow m ent she gained grea t A u th o r ­ity; so th a t they esteemed her and though t tha t she h a d familiarity with Spirits, n a y even w ith the gods them­selves, from whom she sprung and had her origin; to whom also after her death she w as supposed to have returned, w here they have en larged h e r commis­sion in relation to mankind. W h e n she w as accounted the G oddess of Justice, by her kings held their dominions; she instructed them in their duties to their subjects, a n d m ade the ru d e multitude p a y due hom age a n d subjections to their lawful princes. S h e laid the foun­dation of magistry , a n d built an orderly s tructure o f politics; for which cause she w as in so high estimation am ong the H eathens, tha t they supposed the world by her divinity to be upheld a n d sup­ported. T h e y erected temples to her, and instituted divine rites and cere­monies in honor of her. T h e first tha t w as dedicated to her w as in Boetia near to the river Cephissus, a t which a f te r the flood, Deucalion and P y r rh a are said to have arrived; w here they in­quired of the O racle , how mankind which h a d p e r i s h e d in the Deluge, m ight again be res to red .”

W e unders tand from this reference tha t M ichael M aier saw laws, no t as compelling forces th a t w ould bind and restrict the actions of man, but when properly executed w ith a sense of jus­tice a n d virtue being favored, they would become a guide or se rvan t of

man, a n d so titled his laws in honor of the mythological G reek Goddess Them is because her constan t purpose w as to see tha t justice w as atta ined. A f te r this introduction, he proceeds to outline his presentation on the basis that no ra t ion­al individual can den y th a t good laws should exist “ that the s luggard hereby m ight be pricked on to V irtue , a n d the diligent might have his deserved re ­w a rd .” Furtherm ore, he pointed out tha t for any form of society to be good and worthwhile, it must be governed by good laws, and this s ta tem ent applies w he the r w e consider hum an na tu re as a whole or any segm ent there of.

T h e larger pa r t of this the “Them is A u re a ” is then dedicated to the s ta te­m ent and analysis of the first laws which M aier then laid dow n as the fundam entals of the F ra te rn ity of the R osy Cross. T h e first of these laws w as: “T h a t everyone of them w ho shall travel, m ust profess M edicine and cure G ra tis .” It is interesting th a t w e find the very first of the laws of the F r a ­ternity a t the time of the writing of this volume no t applicable to the present day. I t m ust be remembered tha t it is on ly within recent years tha t the heal­ing profession has become honored and established. W e do no t have to go back m an y years , possibly even in the life­time of some w ho m ay read these words, to know tha t restrictions placed upon the healing a rts w ere very limited. M a n y doctors w ho have practiced w ith­in the p resen t cen tury gained their training a n d experience through ap­prenticeship to ano ther doctor. O u t ­side of the heavily populated sections of this coun try a n d other par ts of the world, there w ere various individuals w ho w ithout claiming to be doctors or to practice the healing a rts as a profes­sion, w ere those w ho had administered to the sick. But with the complex p rob­lems of m odern society and with the double necessity of the protection of both those w ho w ere ill and of the heal­ing a r t itself, it became necessary to finally organize those w ho could p rac­tice the healing arts, a n d restrict the use of medicines and healing systems to exclude those not properly qualified for their administration.

M ichael M aie r himself w as a physi­cian, a n d while I know of no historical

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reference to the fact, it is p robably true th a t m any members of the Fra te rn ity w ere tra ined b y him in the healing arts. T h e ir system of healing w ould prob­ably be considered much inferior from a scientific viewpoint to those of today, b u t it is true tha t they used all the physical and metaphysical principles which w ere a t their command. In refer­ring to the position o f a physician, we again quote from his book: “W h e re fo r a P hysic ian’s em p loym en t is so fa r from being contemptible th a t it is concerned in a m an’s chief o u tw ard good a n d hap ­piness in maintaining health a n d curing disease. G od a t first created man; n a ­ture G o d ’s handm aid conduceth to the generation of him from the seed of both sexes: a n d it is the physic ian’s office to recover man diseased, a n d to re ­store him to his native health , so that this a r t has much in it of Divinity, hav ­ing the sam e subject w ith the creation a n d generation .”

It is evident tha t this s ta tem ent is som ew hat of an apology for the physi­cians; tha t evidently physicians w ere no t held in h ighest regard a t tha t time. T h is evidently w as due to superstition a n d to the fact tha t healing in all forms w as in a more experimental s tage than it exists today. Notice also that the law sta tes tha t all healing tha t is ren ­dered must be done freely. In other words, for those of the F ra te rn ity w ho traveled among other people, their ob ­ligation w as to assist in establishing harm ony within the individual, adm in­istering both to the needs of the body and the soul. T h e y w ere also to instruct w hen knowledge w as needed, thereby administering to the mind. O n e w ay in which w e see tha t the principle of this first law still applies to the modern Rosicrucian is tha t this organization has a lw ays held fast to the principle that w hatever the member m ay learn which is conducive to the betterm ent of the health of the hum an being, is to be rendered freely as a m eans of assisting another. W h i le the Rosicrucians are no t a therapeutical school— in tha t their p r im ary purpose in this ag e is not to train healers— they do have as their heritage certain principles for the main­tenance o f health and the restoring of health, the knowledge and practice of which in so far as it does no t conflict

with a n y healing art, is freely given in the form of advice to those w ho need it.

Am ong the O r d e r ’s members w ho are licensed physicians of a r e c o g n i z e d school o f healing, they too follow the injunction of this first law in tha t in ad ­dition to the practices of w hatever their particular healing a r t m ay be, they also, w ithou t charge, render those services a n d apply those principles which come from the unders tand ing of the Rosicru­cian laws rela ting to health and healing.

T h e second law was, “T h a t none of them, no tw ithstanding their being of the F ra te rn ity , shall not be subjected to one habit, b u t m ay dress according to the Custom and M o d e of those C o u n ­tries in which they reside.” T h is second law is som ew hat outm oded in the m od­ern day, a lthough it has been reiterated time a n d time again in modern Rosicru­cian teachings tha t the members o f the O r d e r must under no circumstances ad o p t an appearance , dress or even a m anner of living which w ould make them peculiar to the society of which they a re a part. In o ther words, the Rosicrucian w orks best in an environ­m ent of w hich he is a part, no t of which he s tands out, w he the r by peculiarities o f dress or action o r by s tan d a rd s of unique values.

It m ust be remembered tha t a t the time th a t these laws w ere established transporta tion a n d communication were extrem ely limited and , consequently, between sta tes a n d communities there existed a far grea ter diversity of lan­guage, dress, and forms of behavior than w e would find today in most coun­tries o r parts o f the world. Neverthless, it is interesting to point o u t tha t the first Im perator of this jurisdiction of the O rder , the late Dr. H. Spencer Lewis, when conducting members of the O rd e r whom he took with him on various tours to different pa r ts o f the world, a lways suggested tha t these individuals not w ear clothing tha t w ould be ou ts tan d ­ingly different from tha t o f the country or section of the w orld in which thev w ere visiting. O f course, he did not ex­pect members in this country to adopt the form of dress of every country which they visited, b u t he illustrated the principle of this fundamental Rosi­crucian law, th a t to a ttem pt to stand

(C o n clu d ed on P age 340)

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After the W ar— What?B y F r a t e r a n d S o r o r J . D u a n e F r e e m a n

N ote— T h is article is not a d issertation on the righ ts and w rongs of our present conflict, but a consideration of the necessary ethical values to be m aintained now and alw ays.

ly well for the rich and the poor, the good and the bad, the weak and the strong. T herefore , G o d is Im personal.

N o w each of us, passing along life’s w ay , strives to do our bit to m ake this w orld a be tter place in which to live. Do w e realize tha t in thus striving we a re perm itting just a tiny ray of the S o u l o f G o d to shine through this ma­terial manifestation?

T h e S o u l o f G od? Yes, friends, the Soul o f God. A s we come of mature yea rs a n d grea ter u n d e r s t a n d i n g , we realize tha t this God, this supreme in­telligence, is an essence, in and about everything, animate and inanimate, and is the activating principle of all material manifestation. T h u s w e see how im­possible m a n ’s existence would be w ith­out this essence, this Soul of God.

So may we account for those unselfish actions, which have to do with helping ou r fellow man, those urges from the Soul within, the Soul which, w hen fully permitted to d i r e c t the a c t i v i t i e s of m a n ’s manifestation, makes that mani­festation no longer necessary.

But. G o d is Im personal and, there­fore, this segment of G od which resides within us must also be impersonal. So, in o rde r for us to permit the full light of the Soul of G od to shine through, we too, m ust be impersonal.

But there is ano ther aspect to be con­s id e re d — T o le ra n c e — for w hen w e are

S W E s i t in o u r b o w e r , w e lo o k o u t on a w o r l d h e a v y w i t h th e approaching h a r ­v e s t , a n d w e w a t c h a n e a g e r b i r d b u r r o w i n g for the proverbial " e a r l y w o r m . ” T h e y e l l o w i n g l e a v e s still cling

__ to the b r a n c h e s ,bu t there is in the

air tha t indescribable scent indicative of early fall. Lost in the ecstasy of c o n t e m p l a t i o n , w e are w afted aw ay into th a t realm w here t h o u g h t reigns supreme.

God'—In his boundless love for m an­kind has created all th ings a n d has established laws tha t certain periodi­cities shall manifest. G od did not give these things to you alone, no r to you a n d me alone, bu t to all mankind, yes, even the blind and the halt, tha t they m ay have comfort and joy, ever, in their distress.

God, then, cannot be a personal God— tha t is your G od or m y G od, bu t he is the G od of all, white, black, brown, red, Gentile, Jew, M oham m edan, B ud­dhist, in fact the G od of all people on this earth . T h e proof is tha t the im­mutable laws which H e has established w ork a t all times, and they w ork equal­

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im personal, w e are to lerant and when w e a re tolerant, w e are unselfish.

Let us examine this last, tha t w e m ay have a be tter unders tand ing of the un ­derlying thought, and let us use an analogy for simplicity.

John a n d M a ry a re m an and wife, and John is one of those old-fashioned husbands w ho believes th a t the w ife ’s place is in the home. M a ry before her marriage, w as very popular, p retty , a charming personality, vivacious, and a l­w ays being invited here a n d there be­cause of her ability to fit into any situ­ation. M a ry w ould like to continue with some o f the friends of her girlhood days a n d join with them in the activities of the different w om en’s organizations. John, however, feels th a t M a ry belongs to him and therefore, should be inter­ested on ly in those things which he likes, such as listening to selected serial stories on the radio, read ing the new s­p ap e r and calling it a day. O f course, w hen he is aw ay a t work, there is a l­w ays the house to be taken care of. Such is M a r y ’s life, stifled, repressed, an d as time goes on the ve ry things which first a t trac ted John begin to fade. Yet, he has no realization th a t his pride and joy, the jewel given into his keep­ing, is slowly tarnishing because of his actions. Actions which a re selfish, in­to lerant a n d personal. Selfish because of his unwillingness to unders tand that to maintain its even tenure, life m ust be permitted to associate with o ther life, else like the lowly drop of w a te r on the leaf, it quickly evaporates and is gone; intolerant because on ly the wishes o f John are considered b y John; personal, because like the miser, w ho hides his gold and permits no one to see, John keeps M a ry all to himself.

T hus , do w e u n d ers tand through our analogy , h ow these three vices, Intoler­ance, Selfishness a n d being Personal, a lw ays go together a n d according to the law of opposites. If Intolerance, Self­ishness a n d being Personal, are phases o f the sam e thing and a lw ays manifest together, then the reverse is also true, th a t Tolerance, Unselfishness and be­ing Impersonal, are one a n d the same manifestation.

G etting back once again to our orig­inal thought, w e had agreed tha t G od w as Impersonal. T herefo re , G od is also T o le ran t a n d Unselfish, a n d as within each o f us resides a segm ent of the Soul o f G od , then w e too have within us Tolerance , Unselfishness, and the abil­ity to be Impersonal.

T h e chaotic condition of the world today requires tha t those w ho are s tu ­dents on the path, maintain an ever watchfu l vigilance lest they unwittingly fall b y the wayside. T h is same condi­tion requires th a t all of us redouble our efforts, tha t the light within may shine th rough a n d help the forces of light to an everlasting victory over darkness.

A t the time of this victory, and a f te r ­w ards, in o rde r to bring abou t an ever­lasting peace, there must exist Im per­sonality, T o le rance a n d Unselfishness. It is ou r duty , each a n d every one of us, to start now , manifesting these three virtues so that, like the w aters held back by a dam, w hen all is aga in quiet, we will no t ask “A f te r the W a r —W h a t? " , bu t th rough the release of this s tored- up Impersonality , T o le ran ce and U n ­selfishness, w e m a n i f e s t , “A f te r the W a r , Peace on E a r th , G ood W il l to all M an k in d .”

V V V

O U R R O S I C R U C I A N H E R I T A G E (C o n tin u ed from P age 338)

o u t b y a n y peculiarities from among those w ith whom they w ere th row n in contact is a detriment ra ther than an aid to the promotion of the w ork of this organization, a n d even in a more subtle m anner to the development of the in­dividual. T h is law illustrates still an ­o ther principle well know n to the mod­ern Fra te rn ity , tha t to bring about a constructive form of evolution is the

only m ethod of a ltering the though t and activities o f hum an society. T h ro u g h the using of the available knowledge a n d materials, w e can best serve to pro­mote ou r ideals, and no t b y conspicu­ously taking the position which w ould cause us to be poin ted out from among those whom w e strive to serve.

( T o be con tinued in a fu tu re issue.)

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A New OntologyB y D r . H . S p e n c e r L e w is , F. R . G .

( F r o m th e “ M y s t ic T r ia n g le ,” N o v e m b e r , 1 9 2 8 )

M an y o f th e a r t ic le s w r i t t e n b y o u r l a t e Im p e ra to r , D r. H . S p e n c e r L e w is , a r e a s d e a th le s s a s t im e . T h a t is , th e y a r e c o n c e rn e d w i th th o s e la w s a n d p r in c ip le s o f life a n d l iv in g w h ic h a r e e te rn a l , a n d th u s n e v e r lo s e t h e i r e ffic ac y o r th e i r im p o r t , a n d a r e a s h e lp fu l a n d a s in s p i r in g w h e n r e a d to d a y a s th e y w e re w h e n th e y w e re w r i t t e n five, te n , f if te en , tw e n ty o r m o re y e a r s ag o , a n d l ik e w is e w ill c o n tin u e to b e a s h e lp fu l a n d a s in s t ru c t iv e in th e fu tu r e . F o r t h i s re a s o n , a n d f o r th e re a s o n th a t th o u s a n d s o f re a d e r s o f th e " R o s ic ru c ia n D ig e s t” h a v e n o t r e a d m a n y o f th e e a r l ie r a r t ic le s o f o u r la te Im p e ra to r , w e a r e g o in g to a d o p t th e e d i to r ia l p o lic y o f p u b l is h in g in th e " R o s ic ru c ia n D ig e s t" each m o n th o n e o f h is o u t s ta n d in g a r t ic le s so t h a t h is th o u g h ts w ill c o n t in u e to r e s id e w ith in t h e p a g e s o f t h i s p u b lic a tio n .

H E o t h e r d a y I r e a d t h i s p a r a ­graph in an inter­esting book:

“ S o m e t h i n g in u s b e l i e v e s t h e Beatitudes, e v e n though as a m at­t e r o f b u s i n e s s w e s h o u l d nev­er dream of pu t­t i n g t h e m in t o practice.”

T h e t h o u g h t expressed by the w riter of this p a ra ­g raph challenges the Rosicrucian or the mystic. H e natu ra lly agrees tha t there is something in each of us that believes the Beatitudes a n d revels in them; but the modern Rosicrucian would instan t­ly say tha t the w rite r of this pa rag raph w as w rong w hen he said tha t as a mat­ter o f business w e should never dream of putting them into practice.

N e a r ly everything else in the world of business has failed, a n d all tha t is left for the average man or w om an to do, in o rder to be successful in business

a t all, is to idealize it and to bring the Beatitudes into his business methods.

T h e real trouble has been tha t the m an has feared to bring the ideal, the mystic, the metaphysical into his prac­tical affairs. F e a r o f some unknow n re­sult, o r the operation of some unknown principal, has held him in bondage. T h is is because man has had essential­ly a materialistic training, and has be­come almost an unconscious slave to the materialistic ideas of life. F o r cen­turies m an 's mind has educated itself in the belief tha t certain effects noticed by him are due to certain material causes, a n d tha t these effects a re inevitable. H e has come to believe tha t m atter in its gross or refined form has the ability to develop its own discords, independent of a n y though t or action on the pa r t of mind. H e has come to believe th a t even the mental p a r t of himself can manifest only through matter, and th a t m atte r is the channel for the expression of mind. T h e idea th a t mind m ay manifest through mind, o r tha t the mind of man can affect th a t which is no t m atte r or produce a dem onstration or m anifesta­

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tion not w holly of the material realm, has been reluctantly accepted by the average human. M a n has tended to­w ard thinking tha t every exertion of mind must leave an impress solely upon matter, and if its impress is not upon matter, it has m ade no impression a t all. W e find this materialistic idea express­ed even by such an eminent authority in physiology as D r. W ill iam M. S ad ­ler. In one of his books, he said:

"M in d never fails to impress itself upon matter. F o r every mental process, there never fails to follow some physi­cal response. E v ery thought of mind, every process of consciousness, is un ­failingly transla ted into some sort of material movement.”

Y ears ago, w hen M a ry Baker E d d y issued one of the early editions of her famous book, in the introduction there­of she had this significant remark:

" W h a t the w orld needs today is a new onto logy .”

She meant to say tha t w h a t the world needed w as a new science of being. T h e Rosicrucians have ever been advo­cates of this new ontology, a n d the Rosicrucian teachings of today present this new ontology in a better form than it has been presented by any m eta­physical o r occult school.

W h a t man needs to learn today is tha t m atter does exist, bu t tha t its exist­ence is no t an independent one, as the Rosicrucian teachings state. In the de­sire to place m atte r in its p roper cate­gory, some o f the metaphysical schools of today a t tem pt to say tha t m atter has no real existence, with the result that the s tuden t w ho is no t analytical in his thinking believes tha t the statement means tha t m atte r does not exist a t all. T h e Rosicrucians, realizing tha t such a s ta tem ent is not fair and not explana­tory, s ta te tha t m atter has no inde­pendent existence, but tha t its existence is dependen t upon our realization of it. T herefo re , even if w e assum ed that m atter is a real substance, with body, weight, hardness, and other objective qualities, w e must admit also tha t w ith ­out mind in man, m atter could not exist to us or have any manifestation to our consciousness.

Furtherm ore , the teachings of our h igher g rades show tha t these qualities of m atte r which ou r mind seems to ac­

cept, such as weight, size, hardness, softness, opaqueness, and so forth, are not really qualities a t all. W e find as w e develop our comprehension, our consciousness a n d our mystical under­s tand ing and relationship of N a tu re 's h igher laws, tha t m atter is not opaque, tha t it is no t m any things tha t w e have a t tr ibu ted to it. T h e gradual discovery of these mistakes in our understanding reveals to us th a t the material qualities of m atte r have been accepted b y a ma­terialistic mind, in us, while the Divine or spiritual M ind in us has no compre­hension of these materialistic qualities a t all.

T h is brings us to w h a t is looked upon as the h ighest revelation th a t ever comes to the mystic, namely, tha t only in mortal mind, o r only in the material­istic m ind of our objective conscious­ness, does m atte r exist w ith all of its limited and limiting qualities. T h e im­portan t d iscovery is m ade th a t m atter exists in a material sense only as a men­tal concept on the pa r t of the material mind. In the mind, as a mental con­cept, exists the hum an body and all of the o ther materia l m anifestations o f this ea rth plane. T o the Divine M ind or spiritual mind in man, m atte r is non­existent. T h e limitations of the m ater­ial world cease to be, so far as the con­sciousness o f the spiritual mind in man is concerned.

A n d so the mystic comes to learn that he is living in a w orld w here two classes of hum ans a t tem pt to live a n d become happy, healthy, successful a n d prosper­ous. T h e one class consists of those w ho have a h igh ly developed mortal mind, with a keen objective mortal con­sciousness, and a consequent material­istic concept of all tha t exists. T h e other class is composed of those w ho have developed the spiritual mind to its nor­mal degree of comprehension and un ­derstanding , freed from the enslaving dom inancy of the materialistic mind. T h e se persons, in the la tter class, con­ceive m atte r with the materialistic mind a t the one moment, bu t instan tly have the spiritual concept of these things as a companion concept. Such persons are m asters of both the visible and the in­visible, the material and the spiritual,

C 342 ]

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The Impelling UrgeB y C ora B erg , F . R . C .

H A V E g o n e to c h u r c h s o m a n y times a n d h e a r d the p e o p l e p r a y for the f o r g i v e ­ness of their sins. W h a t s i n s ? D o they know? But I do. F o r t h e for­g i v e n e s s o f t h e sin of no t listen­ing to t h e i r con­s c i e n c e — for the sin of no t looking

about them to see with their ow n eyes the opportunities tha t lie before them, the gifts of G od 's love.

P lenty in abundance — bu t w e must p repare the w ay to receive it. N o t by speaking idle w ords, wishful words, but by working in all the w ays w e know to prepare ourselves to receive our fortunes.

H av e you ever had an impelling urge to be alone, to be quiet, to think for just a moment? It w as an inspiring impulse tha t w ould no t be suppressed. Y ou per­mitted tha t inner feeling to hold sw ay in your being a n d a lovely harm ony like a melody from H eaven sw ept your heart. It w as as though you entered a beau ti­ful T em ple to worship a t a Shrine. M a y b e you did!

People build magnificent temples out of lime and brick a n d stone, and dedi­cate them, calling them the “ H ouse of the Lord" or the “Tem ple of G o d .’’ But those are only m an-m ade temples. U n ­der analysis one is inclined to believe tha t m an has glorified the w orks o f his

own hands, and has forgotten the God w ho inspired him.

Really then, w h a t are the Tem ples of G od? If w e s top to think, w e should consider them to be our own bodies w herein the Soul is housed, erected in the image of God, a n d embodying the faculties to be used tor creative abilities.

T h e Shrines in the Tem ples m ay be the glands of the b o d y —■ little altars w here the different lights of the person­ality b u rn in brilliance, according to the level of their understanding.

E ach Shrine is p r o v i d e d w i t h a G uard ian , the hormone secretion, which gives or re ta rds energy in relation to its position in the Tem ple. T h e secretion carries the atoms of inner knowledge, spirituality, stability, etc., and the im­pulse is m ade manifest t h r o u g h the intuition.

W h e n a G uard ian gives an impulse through the intuition a t any time, un ­der a n y circumstance, w e should listen —we must listen to the urge or inspira­tion. W e should meditate, and in p ro ­found worship of the G od of o u r hearts, contem plate the w onders presented to us through the G uard ians a t the Shrines.

Let us no t forget, even under the in­fluence of increasing educational, poli­tical and economical accomplishment, tha t w e have a fine sensitivity to crea­tive energy. T h o u g h w e may go far in the intellectual world, let us retain that sensitivity by keeping alive the energy of intuitive development by tending the Shrines in ou r Tem ples of God.

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T h eRosicrucianD igestO ctober1 9 4 2

That Fearful W ord— KarmaB y O . F . H a u p t , F . R . C .

H E subject for dis­cussion t h i s eve­ning is G od 's mis­u n d e r s t o o d law. I say “misunder­s to o d ” because it s e e m s to be t h e o n e o v e r w h i c h w e s tub our toes a n d b r u i s e o u r shins q u i t e early in ou r studies, and therefore adop t a defeatis t att i tude

until it either gets ou r “g o a t” o r we get the best of it.

W e hear much conversation, w e read m any pages of books, w e hear m any lectures about this bugaboo— this weight tha t poor hum anity m ust perforce carry abou t upon its back. W e hear m any very disquieting tales about w h a t a really dreadful fellow this law is. W e hear tales as w ide a n d as b road as the imagination of man. M an y , m any of the things for which w e fail to find reason are laid a t his door. A nd m any is the excuse for failure also laid there w hen we really feel th a t w e have not done our best bu t w ant to feel th a t we have. W e use him as a balm to our pride w hen conscience pricks a bit w here w e a re som ew hat tender.

I believe no fu rther introduction is needed to those who have travelled a a little w ay with him.

T h e nam e Karma has ra th e r an in­teresting sound a n d we soon t ry to find out something to substantia te ou r inter­est. A lmost immediately w e find the

terms action a n d reaction; cause and ef­fect; retribution, compensation, a tone­ment, sins, errors, the balancing of the scales a n d o ther p o o r l y u n d e r s t o o d terms, a n d our minds get busy and con­jure up pictures and ou r emotions s tart to function and w e m ay even feel fear a n d dread.

W e ask some of our fellow students about it a n d find tha t they feel some­w h a t as w e do abou t it; a n d so, we, a little later, accept it as one of our bu r­dens in life a n d try to do good deeds to offset some of the b a d deeds w e have done a n d try ve ry studiously to avoid doing any th ing ve ry bad from then on.

M ost of us th ink along with the gen­eral level o f the mass of m ankind for ou r span of yea rs upon this earth . F ew can summon up from the dep ths of themselves the necessary fortitude or courage (o r cussedness) to kick them­selves free from the p lane o f mass con­sciousness, o r as D a n e R u d h y a r pu ts it —-take ou r ‘‘second b re a th ” and rise free to think ou r ow n thoughts. A s he pu ts it a lso— free to be exiles w ander­ing in search of those with whom we can tru ly commune on an equal level. A n d so, w e come to our Rosicrucian O rd e r , w hose dedication is to the w el­fare o f all hum an kind; and yet, whose s tuden ts a re more or less exiles in the midst of their own kin and countrymen.

V e r y ear ly in ou r studies w e were told to think of ourselves as above and a p a r t from our universe, looking down upon it as from a distance. T h is w as to help us to get aw ay from our usual small circle of surroundings a n d to see

Page 27: Rosicrucian Digest, October 1942

in perspective— from a point removed. T h is we tried w ith varying success and varying experience. By this means, w e w ere able to get a more true premise upon which to base our reasoning rela­tive to the subsequent m atters of study.

N o w as w e all know, a true conclu­sion to our reasoning is dependent upon a proper a n d true premise. T h a t which appears most obvious or most accept­able is no t a lw ays true and correct. T o accept as t rue something tha t seems easy to unders tand or seems on its face to be correct, or because someone else says so, is one o f the failings o r w eak­nesses of our present age.

In our search for our correct premise it is necessary to use the process which one of ou r advanced brothers calls “ thinking th rough ." A n d so, w e find tha t all things s ta r t a n d end w ith G od.

W e find tha t in the beginning w as the “W o r d " a n d the “W o r d " w as sent out and became cause o r creative power. T h is creative pow er o r cause b rough t into being tha t which w as created, or effect.

W ith the going forth of the “W o r d ” came the cycle of w h a t w e term life or the law of cyclic motion w here it be­came necessary for the descent o r in­volution of consciousness th rough the various phases or p lanes into m atter, or our material world.

Since it is by the law of cause o r the cycle of necessity tha t w e have involved or descended into this material world, b y the same cycle's upw ard turn w e shall climb out of, or evolve, o r move within ourselves to an eventual p ro x ­imity with our former sta te (before the fall) w i t h a l l t h e w e a l t h o f o u r experience.

This, I maintain, to be the real es­sence of the law of K a rm a—action and reaction, cause a n d effect. E ach incar­nation may be pictured as a smaller cycle imposed upon the vastly larger cycle som ew hat as pearls upon a string, excep t tha t w hereas each pearl is sep­a ra te a n d complete un to itself, each cycle of incarnation is a pa r t o f a n d in­separable from all the o ther incarna­tions, each cycle o f which describes an eccentric arc, the eccentricity being governed by a m y s t e r i o u s average m athematical formula which w e might call the function of the law of Karma.

T ak ing this into our daily lives, we find it to indicate the pa th of wisdom upon which to search for peace pro­found. Being the first and divine law, w e find it to be positive in essence, dual in m anifestation—cause being positive, effect being negative a n d N o u s being the th ird point, the medium through which all manifestation occurs.

N o w let us restate a previous thought. W h e n w e first knocked a t the O r d e r ’s door a n d w ere accepted as probation­a ry students, we w ere told tha t it w ould be necessary for us to disengage our center of consciousness a n d realization from the very small area to which w e were accustomed to center ourselves and to d raw aw ay so tha t w e might look a t our universe from a point of perspective—so th a t w e might see the whole forest instead of the trees which surround us and hem us in. A great deal o f the w ork is designed to assist us in doing tha t very thing. W e may have m any failures and m any little successes before w e are able to say, “ I saw as through a glass dark ly bu t now face to face.”

T h ro u g h continued practice and con­tinual striving w e become gradually able to expand our consciousness to a po in t w here action a n d reaction take place within the perimeter o f our own consciousness. But w e find no venge­ful god w ho metes out punishm ent for sins a n d errors. W e find instead the force o f harm ony and rhythm of re ­sponse to G o d ’s W il l . W e find action a n d reaction according to specific plan —which w en t forth as one of the func­tions of the “W o r d . ” W e find that there is purpose which underlies and guides the action a n d reaction of all things in na tu re from the vibration of spirit energy to the complex vibrations of the Cosmos.

F o r mankind, tha t purpose is evolu­tion, as defined by the eccentric of our cycle of incarnations, and all Karmic action is devoted to tha t specific pu r­pose. W e find no possibility of Divine punishm ent '—no malicious retribution.

B ut how does this fit in w ith the law as set forth for our guidance— “ Be not deceived; G od is not mocked—w h atso ­ever a man soweth, th a t shall he also reap ” ?

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T h eRosicrucianD igestO ctober1 9 4 2

T h a t which sent forth the “W o r d , ” in His grea t wisdom a n d love overlook­ed nothing, bu t gave into our hands the things in nature, from vibrations formed the tools which w e must use in our jour­ney of necessity (our “ fall” and subse­quent “ rise” ). A s w e learn, life after life, to unders tand and use these tools, so w e find the efficiency thereof. So also, w e find instead of something to shun and try to appease or avoid, that by taking hold w holeheartedly and us­ing the law of Karma as it w as intended tha t w e should, w e become attuned in harm ony with i t—sta r t to move forward with it consciously.

Let us realize tha t evolution is the necessary thing required of us as asp ir­ing students. W e w a n t to evolve. I t is necessary tha t w e a t some time become conscious of the desire to evolve and then the w ill to evolve— to return to the consciousness o f our heritage.

Krishnam urti is supposed to have said th a t there a re only two kinds of people— “ those w ho know and those w ho do no t know .” H e referred to those who know tha t G od 's law is evolution and those w ho do not know. This , he says, is w h a t causes men to enter the path and to travel it all the w ay to its goal.

H o w can w e ever hope to travel any pa th to a goal if the pa th goes nowhere a n d has no purpose and no signposts? T h e “W o r d ” w en t forth in the begin­ning of our cycle — perfect in all its parts. O u r pa r t is the part of un d er­stand ing and becoming attuned in h a r ­mony with it and the utilization of its beneficent power. O n ly upon the path m ay Peace P rofound be atta ined be­cause the pa th is the fulfillment of the law. H arm ony , system, order, rhythm, cyclic activity —- all exist because of Karma. W i th o u t it w e would not exist. W e cannot conceive of creation w ith ­out law. T h e re is nowhere a cessation of law. W e strive in our meditations to­w ard G o d — in W h o m we live and move and have our being. W h e r e w e are, G od is. W h e r e G od is, law is. W h e r e law is, Karma and evolution a re insep­arab ly w edded.

Picture in your mind, if you will, for a moment, a great, a m aster violinist p lay­ing before a large audience. Picture also the audience in rap t attention, almost b reathless for fear of missing some de­

lightfully executed passage. Notice now the violinist. W h a t is ou ts tanding about his perform ance aside from his music? Is there not a poise, a sureness and ease a n d gracefulness? Does he not in his execution dem onstrate an a t t i tude of def­inite, exquisite control? In o ther words he has mastered the technique by which he expresses his know ledge and emo­tion, which is his consciousness of music.

H e has no t become the m aster violin­ist in an hour, a day, or a year . H e has evolved his consciousness of music from sensing ry th m —perhaps from the beat o f the surf against a cliff or the beat of a tom tom in some far d is tan t land and time— through life after life, until he desired and yea rn ed to be tha t which he is today.

W e have all heard the squaw ks and screeches produced by the youngster just s ta r t ing his violin lessons, and ex­perienced the effects on our nerves of their aw fulness. But the lovely orchid grows from mould and decay. W e have all heard of artis ts w ho have gone th rough poverty, hunger, rags and cold in o rder to pursue their s tu d y and prac­tise their chosen art.

Yet w e have had tha t something within us which has urged and driven us to set our sails tow ard mastership of a hundred times grea te r a r t — the a r t of mysticism, the m astery of life. W e d e ­sire to m aster this a r t — some w ith a luke-warm desire (bu t a precious one nevertheless) a n d some with a burning, driving flame of determination.

But w e must m aster the technique, for technique there is to this a r t also. W e must m aster the very finest, the most exact control of ourselves until the most fleeting of thoughts can be captured by ou r delicately balanced and expanded consciousness, at will. A deep, sym pa­thetic unders tand ing of the problems and trials a n d errors of mankind must be gained; and w e have M r. A n d re a ’s w ord for it tha t this is very important.

W e must so sensitize and control ourselves th a t w e may sense and feel the pulsation and rhythm se t up by conditions and circumstances and u n ­ders tand the working and import of the action of Karma in them, not only as they affect ourselves bu t also others. T h is comes with difficulty to the occi-

( C oncluded on P age 348)

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ntart;

T h e “C athedral of the Soul" is a Cosmic meeting place for all minds of the most h ighly developed and spiritually advanced members and w orkers of the Rosicrucian F ratern ity . It is a focal point of Cosmic radiations and thought w aves from w hich radia te vibrations of health, peace, happiness, and inner aw akening. V arious periods of the day are set aside when m any thousands of minds a re attuned with the C athedral of the Soul, and others a ttuning with the C athedral a t the time will receive the benefit of the vibrations. T hose w ho are no t members of the organization m ay share in the unusual benefits as well as those w ho are members. T h e book called "Liber 777" describes the periods for various contacts w ith the C athedral. Copies will be sent to persons who are no t m em bers if they address their requests for this book to F ria r S. P. C., care of A M O R C T em ple. San Jose, C alifornia, enclosing three cents in postage stam ps. (P l e a s e s ta t e w h e t h e r m em b e r or not—this is impor tan t . )

T I M E A N D C H A N G E

events th a t took place and do not re­strict them in our minds with the same sense o f time as we had w hen they first took place.

O u r conception of time is limited to our objective consciousness, as is illus­tra ted in these comments. Time, in our objective conception, is measured by change — change in o u r s e l v e s a n d change in environment. T h e more com­pletely w e are able to a ttune ourselves w ith tha t change, the more rapidly time seems to pass.

U n d e r conditions such as exist today, when man is striving to aid in ending the w o r ld ’s turmoil, it is well tha t he be occupied. Dissatisfaction develops on the p a r t of those whose hands are idle, and as w e each do our particular part in the work before us, we aid in help­ing ourselves as individuals as well as aiding society as a whole T h is is an

T IS a well-known fact tha t everyone has e x p e r i e n c e d how time seems to pass q u ick ly when one is o c c u p i e d , e s p e c i a l l y when one’s i n t e r e s t is directed a t w h a t ­ever he is doing. O n t h e o t h e r hand , time passes slowly o r seems to d r a g w h e n o n e

has nothing to do and simply m ust wait. But in memory the perception of time changes. W e look back upon the hours tha t seemed to pass quickly due to the fact tha t we w ere occupied, and they seemed to be longer than the time that w e found difficult to pass. T h is is true because in m em ory w e think of the

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T h eRosicrucianD igestO ctober1 9 4 2

im portant fact to rem em ber—that under today 's conditions w e as individuals are on ly a segm ent of society as a whole.

H av e your loved ones been taken from you to serve their country? H ave you h a d those from among your im­mediate acquaintances m ake the sacri­fice of their lives for the cause to which th ey a re dedicated? W h e th e r you have or not, you will realize tha t such sacri­fices bind together those w ho are giving like contributions. T h e immediate h u ­man reaction is the desire to see the end in view; bu t merely to sit and w ait for the end to come will only cause the pressure of these times to bear more heavily upon us. T herefo re , I again s ta te tha t in o rder to bring about the more reasonable ratio in your mind be­

tween the phase of time and the chang­ing conditions, you must help overcome th a t objective conception of time by using it as it occurs.

First, consider time as a useful tool, one which is useful, however, only in proportion to the exten t you avail y o u r­self of it. Consider it further as a measure b y which you judge the com­ing of a desired end. and a measure of your p ro g ress—progress in growth and comprehension. See th a t all time is well spent, a n d in so doing, do no t forget the w ork of the mind as well as the hands . F o r guidance and help in the use of this time, w e direct you to the C a th ed ra l o f the Soul and its periods as outlined in the book Liber 777.

V V V

A N E W O N T O L O G Y

(C on tinued from P age 342)

the h igher and the lower forms of uni­versal existence.

M a n m ay become the m aster not only of his own environment, and of his own presen t and future place in life, bu t he m ay become the m aster of the creative processes of God, which operate through the spiritual being which is the only pa r t of him. Just as m atter in its gross, material form has no other existence except in a materialistic concept of the mortal mind in man, so many of his problems and most of the obstacles which prevent his progress and a d ­vancem ent are things which have no other existence except in the concept of the mortal mind. T o the spiritual mind,

there is no body of flesh, therefore there is no disease, there is no death. T o the spiritual conception there can be no failure—only joy a n d peace. T h e re can be no limitations — only the unlimited eternal. T h e re can be no stay ing of progress, no prevention of the onw ard march of civilization, no closing of the book, no limitation of time, no end of space. T o the spiritual concept, life is continuous, eternal, and beautiful.

W i th such conceptions, man may bring the Beatitudes into the practical things of his life and find a place for them, and even th rough them be inspir­ed a n d helped tow ard the goal of his ambitions.

V V V

T H A T F E A R F U L W O R D — K A R M A

(C o n tin u ed from P age 346)

dental person, because it requires a stillness and attunem ent tha t is distinct­ly unlike our daily objective living. H ow ever, having once been atta ined it becomes a pow er in the mystic’s hands so long as he is willing to advance him­self according to the same law.

K arm a is no t a law which w e evolve beyond bu t a law which we must learn

to use. M o s t certainly w e m ay find some of the effects of this law decidedly unpleasan t. W i th a ham m er one can e ither drive nails into a new home or the pylons of a temple or smash a thumb •—a n d neither hurts the hammer.

Be no t afra id of life! Live life—light a n d love. It is said tha t the gods love a man o r a wom an.

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The Law of BalanceB y E r n e s t H . S i n n a t t , F . R . C .

H E a c t i o n of the balance wheel of a w atch illustrates a fundamental law of nature. If you s tu d y it you will see tha t the b a l­ance wheel itself is c o n t r o l l e d by t h e h a i r s p r i n g and in turn con­trols the train of w heels t h a t con­nect w ith the cen­

ter canon pinion upon which the hands are set, which in tu rn is the terminus of all w atch energy. W i th o u t balance, there can be no control. In balance we find proportion, a harm onious re la tion­ship of parts , in o ther w o rd s —sym m etry .

T h e other d a y I w atched a friend of mine make a cake. W i t h care she measured each ingredient a n d finally when all w as in p roper proportion and blended together, it w as placed in the oven and in due time came out a perfect cake. T h e law of balance so predom i­n an t in a w atch w as also used to make the cake. T h is law governs all w e do. w ithout it life w ou ld be chaos.

T h e law of balance, as visualized in a w atch, brings to ou r a ttention one of the grea t secrets of life, and w e become aw are of it only after much pain and suffering brough t on ourselves by our insistence, through ignorance, on living outside this law. Life is for balance, and tha t is the reason w h y you and I are here. T h ro u g h the experience gained by experimenting with life w e evolve

into the consciousness of the laws by which life is controlled, and thus our manifestation improves with our un d er­standing and we find harm ony entering through obedience to the law of ba l­ance. Synchronization of the cosmic forces produces a condition of balance, and the eternal law of ages "a s above so below ” dem ands tha t w e inhabitants of the earth p lane give heed to the law if o rder a n d harm ony are to be the ru l­ing factors of our lives.

Every th ing tha t happens to us in life th a t speaks of an inharmonious condi­tion is due to lack of balance; w hether it be ill health, social mal-adjustment, lack of self confidence, emotional stress o r a thousand and one things which we are all more or less acquainted with tha t bring about an un h ap p y condition for us. It makes no difference w he the r the condition concerns us physically, men­tally or spiritually, it is b rough t about by a violation of the same law.

A person w ho lives abundan tly is one w hose life is controlled by the law of balance. W h e n thinking of life in its entirety , w e m ust learn to place values w here they rightly belong, hence a suc­cessful business man w ho has acquired a full sha re of material wealth is not necessarily a man who lives abundantly . U nfortuna te ly , w e look upon w ealthy people as models for the coming gener­ation to imitate, forgetting the fact tha t wealth is often the result of a fixed a t ­tention a t the sacrifice of everything else worthwhile. T h is is an outrageous violation of the law. O n the o ther hand, a man w ho lives abundan tly is one who

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recognizes the spiritual purpose of life and so pa tte rns his life to fit the purpose tha t through his life this w orld becomes a better place to live in. T h is is the law of balance functioning in a c c o rd ­ance with the will of the Creator. A b u n d a n t living is the result of the fulfillment of the law, and the whole effort of our beloved O rd e r is p lanned to so expose its membership to this law tha t they will come to recognize its significance and subject themselves to its purpose.

T h e complex conditions of life on this planet often force us into trying s itua­tions, a n d sometimes w e find ourselves a t ou r w i ts ’ end for a solution. T h ese conditions though unpleasant are often good for us, as they force us out of our complacency a n d dem and initiative to meet the emergency. T h e re is no doubt tha t the large majority of Rosicrucians en te r the O rd e r because of a conscious­ness of unfulfilled desires not fully un ­derstood. T h e urge within compels us to search for a solution, and somehow w e are led through the darkness by an unseen han d and w hen the day breaks we find ou r footsteps on the Path . T he unseen M aste rs know the necessary ex­periences through which we must pass in o rder to gain ba lance—by which we prove our w orth iness to a higher initia­t ion—and w e pass the threshold only to find new obstacles to bar the way. P rogress dem ands effort, the path to a h igher consciousness is an ascending one a n d calls for courage.

H o w often when things go wrong and w e find ourselves baffled and dis­couraged, do w e en te r into the C a th e ­dral of the Soul, a n d there in the deep silence find the inspiration tha t fires us with faith and action again. W h i le ir, the C athedra l, w e reach out for tha t which w e lack, and through the benefi­cent forces of the cosmic, w e are re ­stored to balance in order that w e may ca rry on our mission on earth. This mission can b e fulfilled only b y b a l ­ancing the character qualities in such a w ay tha t the spiritual values are recog­nized and m anifested by the individual. T h e spiritual quality of all manifesta­

tion is determ ined by obedience to the law of balance. T h e s ta te of the physi­cal body also is governed by this law, a n d how quickly one notices the need of it w hen emotions gain control. T h e intellect also acts very strangely when the sta te of balance is upset. By ad h e r­ence to the law all sides of the human na tu re blend together and find harm ony in the spiritual purpose of life.

T h e re is a story, though not a Bibli­cal record, tha t previous to his arres t in the G ard en of G ethsem ane, Jesus w as sum m oned to a secret interview with P ila te and the two met in the Palace G arden , and there Pilate tried to dis­su ad e Jesus from following the course which finally led to Calvary . T h e con­versation rela ted betw een the two w as not so important, bu t I ven ture to say tha t before their talk ceased, in the heart o f P ila te burned a secret admiration for the N azarene . Pilate, a Roman A ris to­crat, called to the high office of P ro ­cura tor o f Judea w hose thoughts and desires w ere never h igher than a physi­cal horizon, faced Jesus the Galilean, the most perfectly balanced man the w orld has ever known, a n d there is no doubt that P ila te recognized in Jesus a man of vastly superior quality when com pared to himself, for Jesus had w eighed life in the balance. His forty days in the wilderness had settled for him a n y question th a t P ila te might ask. T h e perfect balance of the M a n of Principle w as too much for P ila te and the interview w as a rank failure from the P rocura to r 's s tandpoint. T h e law of balance is summed up to satisfaction b y this quotation taken from the A q u a r ­ian Gospel. “ Jesus said, ‘O u r G od is Spirit, and in H im all wisdom, love and s treng th ab ide’ . . . ‘In every man these sacred attr ibutes are budding forth, and in due time they will unfold; the demon­stration will completed be, and man will com prehend the fact of un ity ’.’’

T h ro u g h the sacred attributes sh e l­tered in the human soul, the law of bal­ance is fulfilled a n d w e come to perfec­tion o f charac ter stability, and thus we unfold in the consciousness of God.

V V V

O B S E R V E F I R E P R E V E N T I O N W E E K — O C T O B E R 4-10

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Experiencing InitiationBy R a l p h M . L e w is , Imperator

P A R T II

E T us now consid­er some of the an ­cient initiations in t h e i r entirety, o r the m y s t e r i e s as they w ere called. P e rh ap s t h e o ld ­est o f a l l is th e O sir ian c y c l e o r O sirian m ysteries. T h e y w ere called the O sir ian cycle because they were c o n c e r n e d w i t h

the birth, life, death and rebirth of Osiris. In these mysteries the doctrine of immortality w as first in troduced to man.

According to E g y p tian m ythology the E gyptian goddess N u t w ed the E gyp tian god Geb, a n d they h a d four children; two bro thers Osiris a n d Set, and two sisters Isis a n d N ep thys . A c ­cording to legend O siris as a god w as given sovereignty over the entire land of E gypt, and his w as indeed a munifi­cent godship, for w e are told th a t he in troduced to the people laws w hereby they could govern themselves, taugh t them ar t a n d agriculture, irrigation and m any of the refinements which brought them ease and comfort. H e also taught them how to worship their gods, in o ther w ords in troduced religion. A nd the myth continues tha t he w as most beloved by the people.

Set is said to have become extremely envious of the affection of mortals for Osiris, and thereupon he plo tted to take

O s ir is ’ life. H e surreptitiously obtained the measurements of O sir is ’ body and had m ade a very ornate chest which w ould fit only the body of Osiris. T h e n he gave a great banquet which he and his seventy conspirators a ttended , and he invited Osiris to be present. D uring the course of the merriment Set, in a jocular vein, rem arked tha t he would give the elaborate chest as a gift to anyone w ho would lie down in it and whom it would fit perfectly. Each of the assembly of course tried it, knowing the intention, and it fitted none, until O siris himself lay down in it. It fitted him perfectly, and while he w as lying in it they pounced upon the chest and nailed the cover down. T h e n the god S e t gave o rders that the chest be thrown in a tr ibu ta ry of the Nile, a n d this w as done. It finally reached the sea and eventually w as w ashed up on the shores o f ancient Byblos which a t tha t time w as o f the old land of Phoenicia. T h e legend fu rther relates th a t a great hea the r p lan t grew around the chest so th a t it w as completely concealed, and the p lan t reached such proportions that it looked like a g reat tree. O n e day the king discovered the tree a n d had it felled to become a column to support the palace roof.

Isis learned of the disposal of the body of Osiris, her husband-bro ther , from some children, a n d she set about to recover it. Going in disguise to Byblos she finally obtained possession of the heather-tree . She eventually found an opportun ity to remove the

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chest from the tree-like p lan t a n d re ­turned it to E gyp t. She then placed the corpse of Osiris on the sands a n d one nigh t Set walk ing in the moonlight came upon it a n d w as extremely angry, so much so tha t in his ha tred he com­pletely dismembered the body, sca tte r­ing it fa r and w ide th roughout Egypt. Isis, upon discovering this, wailed loud a n d long. H e r grief has been the source of m any renow ned E gyp tian tales. A gain she se t o u t to recover the body, a n d it is said tha t she eventually re­covered all the pieces. T h e important thing is tha t when all the pieces were b rough t toge ther she breathed into the mouth of Osiris, and w hen he received her b rea th he w as resurrected and again w as a living being, no t a being of this w orld bu t of ano ther and higher life.

H e r son H orus b y Osiris la ter set out to avenge the dea th of his fa ther by Set. I t is interesting to add tha t this tale of two brothers, O siris and Set. is the oldest s to ry in the world. In fact thousands of years ago in E g y p t this s to ry w as entitled “T h e T a le of T w o B ro thers .” T h e first translation of the s to ry w as m ade by the famous E g y p ­tologist Dr. C harles E . M oldenke. W e have much of this eminent person’s col­lection in the Rosicrucian Egyp tian O rien ta l M useum , a n d his original notes an d papers concerning his translation of the famous “T a le of T w o B rothers” are in the Rosicrucian Research Library as a very treasured manuscript. It is also of historical interest to know that the biblical s to ry of Cain and Abel is generally agreed by exegetical au thor­ities to have come about as a result of the H ebrew s being in exile in E gy p t a n d their becoming familiar with the above E gyp tian myth.

T h is O sirian legend w as enacted as a m ystery dram a particularly in the ancient cities of D endorah and Abydos. A s the dram a unfolded the initiates, or candidates, had related to them by the high priests o r Kheri Hebs, the signifi­cance of each part as a lesson learned. Sometimes these were enacted on great barges on sacred lakes, in the moon­light. O f te n it would take several nights to witness the whole ceremony, and the candidate w as no t permitted to witness the next act o f the dram a until he thor­ough ly understood the preceding ones.

It w as explained to him th a t O siris rep ­resen ted the creative forces of the earth , virtue a n d goodness, and his bro ther Se t w as the manifestation of evil. T h e tw o forces w ere explained to be continually in conflict in the world. T h e n m ore im portant it w as show n to him th a t Osiris had led a good life, had tried to a id a n d help others, bu t when there is no ear th ly justice a man can be rew arded in an after-life. M a n must no t hope to receive just compensation for all o f his deeds here on this earth. T h e n it w as show n how O siris w as resurrec ted a n d how he enjoyed an a fter life.

W e are fu rther told th a t the candi­date in p repa r ing for such initiation had to abstain from food o r w a te r as a fast for a brief time, th a t he had to shave his head, and tha t the unfoldm ent or illumination o f the dram a took many nights.

T h e re is still ano the r ancient initia­tion of in terest to us. It is know n as the E leusinian m ysteries. It derived its name from the fact th a t it w as perform ­ed a t E leusis in ancient Greece. It lasted for a period of about eight days, a t a time corresponding to our September 15th to 23rd. T h e se mysteries h a d two principal characters , the A gra r ian god­desses, tha t is the goddesses of ag r i­culture know n as D em eter and her dau g h te r Persephone. T h e earliest E leusinian m yste ry p lays depicted the suffering which D em eter is said to have experienced w hen her dau g h te r P e rse ­phone w as spirited a w a y b y enemies. Later however they endeavored to con­vey and dem onstra te some knowledge of w h a t man w ould experience in the after-life and to teach the lesson of im m ortality . T h is w as tau g h t by com­paring m an to vegetation. I t w as shown how p lan ts w ithered and died in winter bu t th a t they a re reborn in the spring, given n ew life, new power; they are resurrec ted from the earth in all of their former s treng th a n d glory. A nd it w as declared that w hen m an’s days on this ea r th a re over, he will wither a w a y to be resurrected in E lysium , the ancient equivalent of heaven.

W e know from certain historical rec­ords th a t the candidates had to journey grea t distances to the place of initia­tion, nam ely Elysis, a n d they had to

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w alk in single file. W e know, too, that during the course of the ceremonies they had inscribed on their foreheads a tau cross, tha t is a cross in the shape of a capital le tter T . T h e y w ere also given, as a symbol, a sprig of the acacia plant to signify immortality, possibly because the acacia p lan t opens a n d closes its leaves thereby representing birth and death.

N o w w h a t shall w e sa y is the na ture a n d pu rpose of Rosicrucian Initiation? F irst, generally speaking, Rosicrucian Initiation is similar in spirit and pu r­pose to all true esoteric or m ystery ini­tiations, though its function, m anner of perform ance a n d symbolism of course a re different. O n the face of each ini­tia tion m anuscr ip t in the Rosicrucian O r d e r there is the statement, ‘‘Initiation b rings into the realm of reason the pu r­pose and into the realm of emotion the spirit of o n e ’s introduction into the m ysteries.” T h a t s ta tem ent is really the key, as w e shall see, to Rosicrucian initiation.

Previous initiations, th a t is those w e have considered here, w ere mostly all concerned w ith the realm of reason. T h a t is they w ere in tended to introduce to man new knowledge, experiences th a t had a noetic quality. T h e y w ere p repared to im part to man a knowledge of his various existences, the after-life, the na tu re of the gods, and the content of virtue, etc. But reason is not suffi­cient for mastership in life, a n d for h a p ­piness m an m ust not be solely and ex­clusively dependent upon it. If he were, hum anity would become nothing else bu t a calculating machine. Justice would be solely a m atter of man-conceived law, devoid of sy m p a th y and un d e r­s tanding. T h a t which w e w ould do for each other would rise exclusively out of necessity, in o ther w ords, because it w as the correct thing to do. H um an kindness would be dorm ant. T o d a y ’s society would conduct itself entirely in the manner of the ancient Spartans. T hose who were w eak or ill, would be

destroyed regardless of a n y feeling or love. M ere ly because reason would dic­tate tha t it would be the practical thing to do a w a y with them, since they could no longer serve the s ta te efficiently, or to the best of their ability, they would be executed.

T herefo re , esoteric initiation seeks to acquain t the individual w ith the content of his ow n soul, to help him express it, to m ake it as much a pa r t of his con­sciousness as the o ther things of his life. It endeavors to make the intelligence of soul no t merely a philosophical princi­ple, o r a rite in a m ystery dram a, bu t a reality to man. T herefore , w e may sa y conservatively tha t Rosicrucian ini­tiation is tha t process or method for the purpose of attaining inner conscious­ness, experiencing Cosmic Conscious­ness. Rosicrucian initiation has as its end the aw akening of the inner con­sciousness of our being. Each man has such a consciousness, b u t unfortunately in most persons it is dormant. So that this can be accomplished Rosicrucian initiations, since their earliest inception, have been so designed in their function as to a r res t the objective consciousness of man, control it in such a w a y that the inner consciousness or subliminal consciousness will be liberated and come to the fore.

T h u s while w e are objectively going th rough the Rosicrucian ceremonies, in­toning certain vowels, and burn ing in­cense. w e a re also stimulating our psy­chic centers a n d quickening the con­sciousness o f the soul within us. All of these things provide the mood, an emo­tional outle t if you wish, tha t permits an expression of the soul. F o r most certa in ly such conditions as peace, hu ­m ility and order which w e experience in Rosicrucian Initiation are as gra tify­ing to the soul as food a n d drink are to the body. Rosicrucian Initiation exer­cises the self, the real inner you. by placing it in an environment which stimulates it, just as s tudy develops certain association areas of the brain.

V V V

Cosmic Consciousness is the consciousness of spiritual causes as distinguished from the consciousness of phenom enal effects. — V alidivar.

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• y .

Y O U T H A N D O L D A G E

By T h o r K i i m a l e h t o , Sovereign Grand Master

a rdo r of youth a n d the experience of age. As the bee takes honey from many flowers, so the w orld should welcome all that life provides th rough both youth and age. If the w orld is ever to im­prove, a place must be found for every human being. Y outh must have the op­portunity to learn, to gain experience, to try its wings, to experiment. A ge must have opportunity to teach, to w ork side by side with youth, to point out to youth the most useful channels for its energy in the light of experience and wisdom.

T h e modern w orld is unique in the premium it places on youth . In one in­dustry a f te r the other, employment is almost impossible for the man past forty. T h e reason is usually misplaced economy. Social g r o u p - i n s u r a n c e is paid b y the em ployer on the computed age level. T h e younger the ag e level, the less is the cost. N o account is taken of the lessened efficiency of the plant. In no o ther period of the history of the world have men a n d women made fran­tic efforts to look far younger than their years. M e n and women not on ly try to look young b u t they try to do the things tha t a re becoming only to youth. T h e re is no welcome and gradual transition to a new level of living, to new interests, to less violent activities.

N o t tha t old age has to be a pitiable object. It is possible to remain vigor­ous, in good health, and mentally alert until the last day of one ’s incarnation.

O U N G people nev­er t h i n k o f o l d age; middle aged p e o p l e d r e a d it; a n d o ld p e o p l e w ait pa tien tly for the inevitable end. M ost people think of old age in the n a t u r e o f a c a ­l a m i t y , a s d im e y e s i g h t , d e a f ­n e s s , b a l d n e s s , c r a c k e d v o i c e ,

snow y w hite hair, short memory and general feebleness. T h is a t t i tude is, no doubt, an inherited race-reaction from remote antiquity w hen a man w as re­spected in the tribe only as a warrior and hunter. Still, w e find today that m any a young m an has some of the c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s a s c r i b e d to old age. T h e re are young hearts b e a t i n g in breasts of old men, a n d old heads on young shoulders.

A hum an being becomes more useful and more valuable as he g row s older. W h a te v e r toll the years may take phys­ically is more than compensated by the gains in unders tand ing and spiritual g row th. T h e world must learn to ap-

7 ~he preciate and utilize w h a t age can offer.R o sic ru c ia n N o t tha t appreciation o f w h a t age can

offer precludes recognition or the vir- &eS* tues of youth . Youth has its gifts to of-

O c to b e r fer the world, even as age has its gifts. 1 9 4 2 Both a re needed. T h e world needs the

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T h ese blessings must be earned. Youth, too, m ust ea rn these blessings. N o t every young person has good health and vitality and capacity for intellectual and spiritual g row th. T h e limitations tha t are usually associated with any particular period in life are usually the limitations of the individual and no t of his age. Some of the most intolerant a n d reac tionary individuals I have met have been college students. Some of the m ost open-m inded forward-looking men have been men advanced in years.

M odern psychology tells us that one of the dangers on the p a th w ay of life is fixation. W e m ust be very careful to avoid fixation in a n y period of life. C e r ­tain qualities, certa in a tt i tudes are p rop­er to each period of life. C erta in quali­ties are normal in children. T h e y are no longer normal in the adolescent, in the adult, in the m arried m an or woman. Difficulties in ad jus tm en t in life a re due to childish traits being carried over to later periods o f life. D ependence is n a t ­ural to the child. A n older person must be able to assum e responsibility.

Some people ad ju s t themselves to every change dem anded by life with ease. Some people find every change painful. A g e makes no difference. T h e im portant thing is to p lan one 's life. Children live for the d a y alone. T h e i r paren ts do the p lanning. O ld er people w ho try to live as carelessly as children do a re precipitating difficulties. Good health must be achieved through self- control, through the patient cultivation of good health habits. It will not help you to be resentful of the fact tha t some people you know lived to ninety despite continued defiance of every law of health. It would be interesting to s tudy the statistics o f the num ber of people w ho became incapacitated or w ho pass­ed on from wholly preventable diseases a n d accidents after the age of forty. T h e trouble is tha t the only people we see a re those w ho a re well a n d able to work. W e do no t see the large arm y in hospitals, institutions, and bedridden a t home. It seems to be almost impossible to make people give as much attention to their bodies as they would to a m a­chine or to an automobile. F o r some unknow n reason they feel tha t the body should be able to endure every type of abuse and neglect. T h e diseases of mid­

dle age and old age are p lanted in youth. Kidney trouble, B righ t’s disease, ulcers and cancers, for the most part, a re due to years o f w rong living habits. T h e y do no t descend mysteriously from heaven.

N o t only is it necessary to build good health habits, bu t to provide intellectual pursuits. E veryone should be expected and permitted to have some o ther inter­est besides tha t of his daily occupation. A w om an must prepare for the day w hen her children will no longer need her. A man m ust prepare for the day of retirement, if his w ork dem ands the vitality of youth. A man a n d a w om an should have so m any interests tha t they look forw ard with p leasure to the op ­portunity of cultivating them. Age. for the most part, should be merely a m atter of the shifting of interests from one sphere to another. Enthusiasm will keep an old man youthful a n d interesting. Y oung people w ithout enthusiasm are not particularly interesting to anyone. O ld people with enthusiasms will serve as a good example to the community. T h e y can teach people how to live. T h e y can compel people to admire and respect old age.

T h e re is no more pathetic spectacle than the old man w ho is lost w ithout his business, or the old w om an w ho is lost w ithout her children. A man of my acquain tance w as unable to m arry be­cause his mother w as completely de­p en d en t upon him for companionship. H e w as her on ly interest in life. For ten yea rs he courted the woman whom he did not dare to introduce to his m other. F inally he married bu t was compelled to keep his marriage secret. M a n y young persons have no friends because their paren ts have been so com­pletely dependen t upon them for com­panionship. A young wife complained to me tha t she h a d to give up every ac ­tivity upon her marriage. H e r husband w an ted her to s tay home with him every night. A n o th e r young w om an sa t at home and felt so rry for herself because her husband came home late every night. She refused to entertain guests o r go anyw here w ithout her husband.

E v ery hum an being must have an in­tellectual life of his own. O u r happiness must no t be dependent upon the physi­cal presence of ano ther individual, no

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T h eRosicrucianD igestO ctober1 9 4 2

m atte r how dear. If w e have much lei­sure, then w e are very fortunate . W e should utilize tha t leisure to the best a d ­vantage. If business compels a m an to keep late hours , he is going to feel much happier if he knows tha t his wife is busy and not weeping for the companionship that it is impossible for him to give. T h e re is nothing more w onderfu l than for husband and wife to sha re the same interests. M a n y problems thereby dis­appear. T herefore , men and women m ust have their hobbies and projects, and they m ust n o t selfishly dem and of each o ther a n y curta ilm ent of interests. T h e man a n d w om an with m any inter­ests and m an y friends, will not fear the loss of children, the inevitable changes of life, a n d old age.

R egard yo u r life objectively. S tu d y the experiences tha t you have had and t ry to discover the pa tte rn tha t your soul has been w eaving on the loom of time. A nalyze your custom ary thoughts. T r y to be aw are of y o u r habitual emo­tional reactions. T h e re would not be much point to this careful scru tiny of ourselves if this existence w ere the "end-a ll . '’ But w e are not living only for today. W e are building for the future. E v ery degree of mental s trength tha t is cultivated, every degree of emo­tional control a n d t h o u g h t c o n t r o l , every degree of will-power a tta ined means a so much s tronger character, a more effective personality with which to begin the next incarnation. T h is con­ception gives a tremendous impetus to living life fully here and now. Every d a y is important, and yet length of life is un im portant and old age is nothing to fear or dread. N ever give up a cher­ished dream. N ourish it in your heart an d it will spring up full blown in the nex t incarnation. A lw ays bear in mind tha t you a re going to s ta r t in just where you leave off in this incarnation. Y our opening chord depends on the closing chord. H ere is a glorious task for de­clining years. M ak e tha t closing chord just as noble, as lofty, a n d as beautiful as you can. Let it b e a song of harm ony, of peace, of faith, and of love. Let it include forgiveness for every hurt, every wrong, every tear. Let it include toler­ance for every hum an being. Let it in­

clude faith in your divine destiny. Let it end in rap tu re so celestial, in love so compelling, tha t your transition will be a n inspiration to all w ho witness it.

If w e are young, let us begin today to prepare for a healthy, contented old age by extending our interests. Let us be active in a t least one organization. Let us find a t least one avenue of use­fulness to the community. T h e re is nothing more stultifying no r ageing than an idle life, or an extrem ely re ­stricted life. In personality as in other spheres of life, “ to him w ho ha th shall be given; from him w ho hath not shall be taken aw ay .” You must either integrate or disintegrate. You must use your forces a n d abilities, a n d as you use them so will they g row a n d expand. If you do not, they will a trophy and w h a t you possess will be taken aw ay from you. W h e n w e cultivate an interest it keeps us mentally alive. It is w onderful how much people can accomplish under pressure or in an emergency. It is w on­derful how people go to pieces physi­cally and emotionally when life makes no dem ands upon them and w hen they a re able to take the pa th of least resistance.

M a n y of the problems of life should cease to exist for a s tuden t of the Rosi­crucian philosophy. O u r studies should be sufficient to fill the life of a n y earnest s tudent. O u r studies embrace every aspect of life, every field of though t and activity. M ystic ism embraces philoso­phy, com parative religion, science, art, a n d practical w elfare work. Reconcile yourse lf to life as it is and to life’s methods, a n d peace of h ea r t and mind will be yours, and harm ony will not be difficult to acquire. If you can devote yourself to the O rd e r you need nothing more in life. Y ou have a philosophy tha t gives purpose to life. You have studies to occupy a n d develop your mind. You have a channel through the local lodge or chapter to be of service to the community and your fellow mem­bers. All life can be a climbing of a lo f ty mountain range, a n d the last moment can be N e b o ’s majestic peak w here G od took M oses to Himself in a kiss divine.

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A M Y S T I C ' S S A N C T U MI he sanctum of a m ystic is not a lw ays devoted to w orship alone, nor is it but a shrine in which he m ay find repose. M any of

the sanctum s of the m ystics of the M iddle Ages, concealed in g a rre ts or in other obscure places, served also as workshops, a l­chemical laboratories, and repositories for ra re books. T here , through the mediums of the arcane sciences, m athematics, and mys­tical precepts, the mystic actually explored the Cosmic, gleaned knowledge of its law s through personal experience.

Above, is a reproduction of the sanctum of the celebrated N ostradam us, renowned French mystic and prophet (1503-1566). N ote the herbs suspended from the beams, the alchemical paraphernalia , and the chart of the Zodiac.

I Pho to . C ou r t e s y M c t c o -G o ld w y n -M a y e r S tud io s . )

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Supernatural!

The W orld of Mysterious PhenomenaA T T H A T are the strange journeys of the soul? W h o speaks the w ords you hear

V V within? A re the visions you glimpse, and which lift you to the heights, p ranks of the mind or are they m om entary glimpses into a world of phenom ena of which man is yet in ignorance? Is there an intelligence which manifests in an ex trao rd ina ry manner or can all unusual experiences be explained by natural law and order?

The word S U P E R N A T U R A L rings throughout the world today as it has for centuries. But in this age an impartial investigation and a serious study of the unusual can be had. W h a t greater fascination is there than that of the unknown? W h a t greater enjoym ent can be had than an inquiry into the mysterious? T h e greatest m inds of all ages have put themselves to this task of investigation. Some oppose and contradict each other, but their findings constitute a wealth of knowledge.

T h e R E A D E R 'S R E S E A R C H A C A D E M Y has collected their writings and is presenting them in a simple and efficient m anner for all who enjoy good reading and who seek an instructive pastime.T h e following are but a few of the many courses the R eader’s R e­search A cadem y offers you:S U P E R N A T U R A L H E ARK H E R E — W H Y ?SOM E M Y ST ER IO U S A D V E N T U R E S T H E KEY TO T H E U N IV E R S E A R C A N E COSMOLOGY U N IV E R S A L S P IR IT

(T h e s t r a n g e th e o ry o f o u r u n iv e rs e ) (T h e t r u t h a b o u t C osm ic C o n sc io u sn ess )

You may have two lengthy lecture-lessons of any course you select each month for the small sum of but 50c per month. You may discon­tinue the course at will or transfer to ano ther any time you desire.T h e re is no better w ay to occupy your spare time, or no more profit­able enjoym ent than these exceptional courses of reading. Send your request for the course and remittance to:

THE READER’S RESEARCH ACADEMYR O S I C R U C I A N P A R K . S A N JO S E . C A L IF O R N IA . U . S . A .

T h ese co u rse s are th e open door to a natural w orld o f m y ster y .

W ith in the com fort and secu r ity o f you r hom e th e s e straiiKe tru th s are revealed .

Page 41: Rosicrucian Digest, October 1942

M e m b e r of “ F I D O S ! ”

( F e d e ra t io n U n i- v e rs e lle d e s

O rd re s e t S o c ie tes

I n i t ia t iq u e s )

T H E P U R P O S E S O F

THE R O S I C R U C I A N ORDERT h e R o s ic ru c ia n O rd e r , e x is t in g in a ll c iv iliz ed la n d s , is a n o n -s e c ta r ia n

f r a te r n a l b o d y o f m e n a n d w o m en d e v o te d to th e in v e s t ig a tio n , s tu d y an d p r a c t ic a l a p p lic a tio n o f n a tu r a l a n d s p i r i tu a l law s. T h e p u rp o s e o f th e o r ­g a n iz a tio n is to e n a b le a ll to liv e in h a rm o n y w ith th e c re a t iv e , c o n s tru c t iv e C osm ic fo rc e s fo r th e a t t a in m e n t o f h e a l th , h a p p in e s s a n d peace . T h e O rd e r is in te r n a t io n a l ly k n o w n a s "A M O R C " (a n a b b re v ia t io n ) , a n d th e A M O RC in A m e ric a a n d a ll o th e r la n d s c o n s t i tu te s th e o n ly fo rm o f R o s ic ru c ia n a c t iv i t ie s u n i te d in o n e b o d y fo r a r e p re s e n ta t io n in th e in te rn a t io n a l fe d ­e ra t io n . T h e A M O R C d o e s n o t s e ll i t s te a c h in g s . I t g iv e s th e m f r e e ly to a f f i l ia te d m e m b e rs , to g e th e r w ith m a n y o th e r b e n e f its . F o r c o m p le te in ­fo rm a tio n a b o u t th e b e n e f its a n d a d v a n ta g e s o f R o s ic ru c ia n a ss o c ia tio n , w r i te a l e t t e r to th e a d d r e s s b e low , a n d a sk fo r th e f re e book " T h e M as te ry o f L i f e .” A d d re s s S c r ib e S. P . C ., in c a r e of

AM ORC T E M P L E R osicrucian P a rk , San J o se , C aliforn ia , U. S . A.

(C able A d d ress: “AM ORCO")

S u prem e E x ec u tiv e for th e N o rth and Sou th A m erican Ju r isd ic tio n R A L P H M. L E W IS , F . It. C. — Im perator

D I R E C T O R YP R IN C IP A L AM ERICAN B R A N C H E S OF T H E A. M. <). K. C.

T h e fo llo w in g a re th e p r in c ip a l c h a r te r e d R o s ic ru c ia n L o d g e s a n d C h a p te r s in th e U n ite d S ta te s , i ts t e r r i to r i e s a n d p o s se ss io n s . T h e n a m e s a n d a d d re s s e s o f o th e r A m erican B ra n c h e s w ill b e g iv en u p o n w r i t ­ten re q u e s t .C A LIFO R N IA

L o s A n g e les:H e rm e s L o d g e , A M O R C T e m p le . M r. G ilb e r t N. H o llo w a y . S r .. M a s te r . R e a d in g ro o m a n d in ­q u i r y o ffice o p en d a ily e x ce p t S u n d a y s : 11 a. m. to 5 p. m . a n d 6 to 8 p . m . ; S a tu rd a y s , 12 noon to 4 p . m ., 148 N o. G ra m e rc y P la c e .O a k la n d :O a k la n d M in o r L o d g e .* P ac ific B u ild in g , 16th a n d J e f fe rs o n S t r e e ts ; M r. A lf r e d W . G ro esb ec k . M a s te r ; M rs. B e r n a r d D, S ilsb y , S e c re ta ry . C o n ­v o c a tio n s 1st a n d 3 rd S u n d a y s . 3 p . m . in W ig ­w am H a l l : L ib r a r y . R oom 406, o p en a f te rn o o n s .2 to 4:30, e x c e p t S a tu r d a y s : T u e s d a y a n d T h u r s ­d a y e v e n in g s , 7:30 to 9:30 p. m . P h o n e H ig a te 5996.Sacram ento:C le m en t B. L e B ru n C h a p te r ,* M r. W illia m P o p ­p e r , M a s te r . M e e tin g s 1st a n d 3 rd F r id a y s a t 8 p. in ., F r ie n d s h ip H a ll, O d d F e llo w 's B u ild in g , 9 th a n d K S tr e e ts .L on g B each:L o n g B ea c h C h a p te r . M r. W m , J . F lu r y , S e c re ­ta ry , 2750 C h e r ry A venue. M e e tin g s e v e ry T u e s ­d a y a t 8 p . m ., C o lo n ia l H a ll , 951 L o c u s t A venue. San D ieg o :S an D ie g o C h a p te r . M rs. J . C. S h u lts . S e c re ta ry . 1261 L a w S tr e e t , P ac ific B each . M e e tin g s 1st a n d 3 rd S u n d a y s a t 4 p. m .. H a r d o f H e a r in g L e a g u e 's H a ll. 3843 H e rb e r t S tre e t .

COLORADOD enver:C h a p te r M a s te r , M r. A. T . S t r e a te r : S e c re ta ry , M rs. L o u is F . B ra n c h . 12 E . B a y a u d . M ee tin g s e v e ry T h u r s d a y , 8 p. m .. F r a te r n a l B u ild in g , 14th a n d G le n a rm S tr e e ts .

M A SSA C H U SET TS B o sto n :J o h a n n e s K e lp iu s L o d g e . W illia m A. C o rey , S e c ­r e ta r y . T e m p le a n d r e a d in g ro o m . S u ite 237. 739 B o y ls to n S tr e e t . C o n v o ca tio n s fo r m e m b e rs T h u r s d a y e v e n in g a n d S u n d a y a f te rn o o n . S p ec ia l C o n v o ca tio n s fo r a ll m e m b e rs a n d fo r a l l d e g re e s th e seco n d M o n d ay o f e ac h m o n th a t 8 p. m . fro m S e p te m b e r to J u n e . S p ec ia l s e s s io n s fo r th e p u b ­lic S u n d a y e v en in g s a t 7 :45 p . m .

IL L IN O IS C h ica g o :T h e N e f e r t i t i M in o r L o d g e .* M r. S. L . L e v e ll, M a s te r : M rs. V e ro n ic a N ic h o ls , S e c re ta ry . R e a d ­in g ro o m o pen d a ily , 12 to 5 p . m ., a n d 7 :30 to 10 p . m . : S u n d a y s 2 to 5:30 p . m . o n ly . L a k e v ie w B ld g ., 116 So. M ich ig an A venue. R o o m s 408-9-10. L e c tu re s e s s io n s fo r A L L m e m b e rs e v e ry T u e s ­d a y n ig h t , 8 p . m .C h icag o (C o lo red ) C h a p te r , N o . 10. M r. R o g e r T h o m a s , M a s te r , 2920 E l l is A v e n u e . M e e tin g s 1st a n d 3 rd F r id a y s a t 8 p . m ., 12 W . G a rf ie ld B lv d ., H a ll B.

D IS T R IC T OF COLUM BIAT h o m as J e f fe rso n C h a p te r . M rs. M. E lo ise L a v - riso h eff. S e c re ta ry . 1318 11th S t., N. W . M e e tin g s C o n fe d e ra te M em oria l H a ll, 1322 V e rm o n t A ve., N . W ., e v e ry F r id a y e v e n in g , 8 p . m .

M ARYLAND B a ltim o r e :D r. E a r l K . M y ers, M as te r. 1917 E d m o n d so n A v e .: G e o rg e M. F r a n k o , J r . . S e c re ta ry . 1536 M cK ean A venue. M ee tin g s 1st a n d 3 rd S u n d a y s o f each m o n th a t 8 p . m ., S t. P a u l G a rd e n H a il B u ild in g , 806-8 S t. P a u l S tree t.

F L O R ID A M ia m i:M r. C h a r le s F . M e rric k . M a s te r , 411 S u n s e t D r.. P . O. B ox 164, So. M iam i, T e l. 4-5816: M rs. R . E. T h o rn to n , S e c re ta ry . P . O. B o x 724, So. M iam i. M e e tin g s e v e ry S u n d a y , 3 :30 p. m . a t B e rn i H o te l, B isc a y n e B lv d . a n d N. E . 2 nd S tre e t .

M ISSO U R I St. L ou is:C h a p te r M a s te r , M r. L . J . S m a r t , 1731 N . 48th S t., E . S t. L o u is , I l l in o is , T e le p h o n e B rid g e 4336: M rs. J . B . R e ic h e r t , S e c re ta ry , 2934 M ilto n B lvd ., S t. L o u is , M isso u ri. R e g u la r c o n v o ca tio n s each T u e s d a y , 8 p. m . a t 3008 So. G ra n d . I n q u i r y office o p en to p u b lic d a ily 2 to 5 p . m ., M o n d ay a n d T h u r s d a y n ig h ts , 7 :30 to 9:30 p . m.

N EW YORK B u ffa lo :C h a p te r M a s te r , M r. W illia m A. G e lo n ek ; M rs. S y lv ia R o m a n , S e c re ta ry . 36 S y c a m o re S t. M ee t­in g s l3 t a n d 3 rd S u n d a y s . 7 :30 p. m ., L a fa y e t te H o te l .N ew York C ity :N ew Y o rk C h a p te r ,* 250 W . 57th S t. M r. W a l te rG. K lin g n e r , M a s te r : M iss B e a tr ic e C ass , S e c re ­ta ry . M y stic a l c o n v o c a tio n s e a c h W e d n e s d a y ev e ­n in g a t 8 p. in ., a n d S u n d a y a t 3 p. m ., fo r a ll g ra d e s . I n q u i r y a n d r e a d in g ro o m s o p en w eek d a y s a n d S u n d a y s , 1 to 8 p. m .B o o k e r T . W a s h in g to n C h a p te r . M r. E u g e n e T . H o ld e r , M a s te r . 435 H a n co c k S tr e e t , B ro o k ly n : M r. P h i l ip D. N e lso n , S e c re ta ry , 20 S p e n c e r P lace , B ro o k ly n . M e e tin g s e v e ry S u n d a y a t 8:00 p. m ., Y. M. C. A. C h ap e l, 180 W . 135th S t.

W A SH IN G T O NS ea ttle :C h a p te r M a s te r , M r. T h o m a s W . L e e : S e c re ta ry , M r. W . F . L a r im o re . M e e tin g s 2nd a n d 1 th M o n ­d a y s . 8 :00 p . m . a t H o te l M ayflow er, R o se R oom , l t h a n d O liv e W ay .T a co m a :C h a p te r M a s te r , M r. M ilto n A. R e in e r ts o n . 431 B ro a d w a y . C h a p te r m e e t in g s 1st a n d 3 rd T u e s ­d a y s , 7 :45 p. m . in A fifi R oom . M aso n ic T e m p le ,

47 S t. H e le n s A v en u e .( D ir e c to ry C o n tin u e d on N e x t P a g e )

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M ICHIGAN D e tr o it :T h e b e s C h a p te r N o. 336. M r. W illia m H . H itc h - m an , M a s te r , 16133 C ru se A venue, T e l. V E rm o n t 5-0956: M rs. D o ro th y C. M u ttk o w sk i, S e c re ta ry , T e l. U N iv e rs i ty 1-3372. M e e tin g s a t th e D e tro it F e d e ra t io n o f W o m e n 's C lu b s B ld g ., 4811 2nd A ve., e v e ry T u e s d a y , 8 p . m.

M IN N E SO T ASt. P a u l-M in n ea p o lis :E s s e n e C h a p te r . M r. S. M. P e n n im a n . M a s te r ; M iss A n n B . F is h e r . S e c re ta ry , 977 G o o d ric h Ave.. S t . P a u l , M in n eso ta .

N E W JE R S E Y N ew a rk :H . S p e n c e r L e w is C h a p te r . M r. E d w a rd D u d d en , M a s te r . M e e tin g s e v e ry M o n d ay . 8:30 p. m ., 37 W a s h in g to n S tr e e t .

P E N N SY L V A N IA P h ila d e lp h ia :B e n ja m in F r a n k l in C h a p te r . M r. C am p E zell, M as te r , 400 K e n m o re R o a d .. B ro o k lin e . U p p e r D a rb y . P a . : M iss V ie n n a K a c h e lr ie s , S e c re ta ry . 4736 B a l tim o re A v en u e . P h i la d e lp h ia . M e e tin g s fo r a ll m e m b e rs e v e ry S u n d a y . 8:00 p. m . a t 219 So . B ro a d S tr e e t .P it t s b u r g h :F i r s t P e n n . L o d g e . M r. D a n ie l H o le cy . M aste r, 227 H e n d e r s o n S t. . N . S.

OREGON P o r tla n d :P o r t la n d R o se C h a p te r . M rs. F lo re n c e B u tso n , M as te r , T e l. O sw ego 22711: M r. H . T . H e r r in g ­to n , S e c re ta ry . T e l. TR -0428.. M e e tin g s , 714 S. W . 11 th A ve., e v e ry T h u r s d a y , 8 p. m,

U T A HSalt L ake C ity :M r. H e rm a n R . B a n g e r te r . M a s te r . 3288 S. 2nd W e s t S tr e e t . M e e tin g s in th e Iv o ry R oom , N ew - h o u se H o te l . 1 s t W e d n e s d a y o f e ac h M o n th a t 8:15 p . m.

OKLAHOM AO klahom a C ity :C h a p te r M a s te r , M r3. N e w m an E . J o h n s to n e : M r. F e rd in a n d W . A rn o ld . S e c re ta ry , P h o n e 3-5875. M e e tin g s e v e ry S u n d a y . 7 :30 p. m ., R o o m 318, Y. W . C. A. B ld g .

on ioC le v e la n d :M r. H a r r y A. D o h e r ty , M a s te r . 486-1 E . 9 0 th S t., G a rfie ld H e ig h ts ; M iss A n n e R o se n ja c k , S e c re ­ta r y , 12504 R e x fo rd A v en u e . C lev e lan d . M ee tin g s e v e ry F r id a y a t 8 p . m .. H o te l S ta t le r .C in c in n a ti:M rs. C ar l A. H a r ts o c k , M a s te r , T e l. W o o d b u rn 8749; M rs . E m m a L . R a n s ic k . S e c re ta ry . T e l. J e f fe r s o n 1726. M e e tin g s e v e ry W e d n e s d a y a t 7:30 p . m . , G ilb e r t H a ll, 2521 G ilb e r t A ve., W a l­n u t H ills .D a y to n :D r. J . H . G ib so n . M a s te r ; M rs . G . C. H y n e s . S e c re ta ry . P h o n e M a. 3933. M e e tin g s e v e ry W e d ­n e s d a y , 7 :30 p. m., 56 E . 4 th S t . , R a u h H a ll.

TE X A SF o rt W orth :C h a p te r M a s te r . M rs. R u th P a g e , 1420 W a s h in g ­to n A ve.. T e le p h o n e 9-2702. M e e tin g s e v e ry F r i ­d a y , 7:30 p . m ., a t E lk s C lu b , P a r lo r B. 512 W . 4 th S tr e e t .

W ISC O N SIN M ilw a u k e e :C h a p te r M a s te r . M rs. F r e d C. B o n d : M rs. E d w in A. F a lk o W sk i, S e c re ta ry . M e e tin g s e v e ry M onday a t 8 p. m ., 3431 W . L isb o n A venue.

IN D IA N AI n d ia n a p o lis :C h a p te r M a s te r , M r. R o b e r t E . S c h m id la p ; S ec­r e ta r y . M rs. N o rm a S tr u b b e - B e a l l . 902 N . P e n n ­s y lv a n ia . M e e tin g s 2n d a n d 4 th T u e s d a y s . 8:00 p. m .. A n tle r s H o te l , B lu e R oom .Sou th B e n d :C h a p te r M a s te r . M r. W ilb u r L . K lin e . 1156 F o x S t. , S. E . M e e tin g s e v e ry S u n d a y . 7 :30 p . m .. 207 S. M ain S tre e t .

P r in c ip a l C a n a d ia n B ran ch es a n d F o re ig n Ju r isd ic t io n sT h e a d d re s s e s o f o th e r fo re ig n G ra n d L o d g e s , o r

be g iv e n u p o n re q u e s t .

A U ST R A LIAS y d n e y , N . S. W .:S y d n e y C h a p te r . M rs. D o ra E n g l is h . S e c re ta ry . 650 P ac ific H ig h w a y . C h a tsw o o d .

CANADAT oron to , O ntario:M r. C. M. P la t t e n . M as te r . S e ss io n s 1st a n d 3rd S u n d a y s . 7 :30 p . m ., 10 L a n s d o w n e A venue.V an cou ver , B r it ish C olum bia:C an a d ia n G ra n d L o d g e . A M O RC. M r. C h a r le s A. C arr ic o , M a s te r , 1057 W . 7 th A ve .: M rs. D. L . B o lso v e r , S e c re ta ry . 876 13th A v en u e. W ., P h o n e F a i r m o n t 1440-Y. A M O R C T e m p le . 878 H o rn b y S tr e e t .V ictoria , B ritish C olum bia:V ic to r ia L o d g e . M r. E r n e s t M acG in n is . M a s te r : S e c re ta ry , M rs . V. B u rro w s . P h o n e E-7716. I n ­q u i r y office a n d r e a d in g ro o m . 725 C o u r tn e y S t.W in n ip eg , M anitoba:C h a r le s D a n a D e an C h a p te r . 122a P h o e n ix B lock. M r. W m . M o n ro G la n v ill, M a s te r . (>'75 D u ffe rin A v en u e . S e ss io n s fo r a ll m e m b e rs o n W e d n e s d a y , 7:45 p. m . th ro u g h o u t th e y e a r .

D ENM A R KC openhagen:T h e A M O R C G ra n d L o d g e o f D e n m a rk . M r. A r u th u r S u n d s t ru p , G ra n d M a s te r : C arli A n d e r ­se n , S. R . C .. G ra n d S e c re ta ry . M an o g ad e 13th S tr a n d .

th e n a m e s a n d a d d re s s e s o f t h e i r re p re s e n ta t iv e s , w ill

EN G LA N DT h e A M O R C G ra n d L o d g e o f G re a t B r i ta in . M r. R a y m u n d A n d re a . F . R . C ., G ra n d M a s te r , 34 B a y s w a te r A ve., W e s tb u ry P a r k , B r is to l 6.

EG Y PTC a iro :C airo In f o rm a t io n B u re a u d e la R o se C ro ix . J . S a p p o r ta . S e c re ta ry , 27 R u e S a lim o n P a c h a . H e lio p o lis:T h e G ra n d O r ie n t o f A M O R C , H o u s e o f th e T e m ­p le . M . A. R a m a y v e lim , F . R . C .. G ra n d S e c re ­ta r y . % M r. L e v y , 50 R u e S te fa n o .

M EXICOQ u e tz a lc o a tl L o d g e , D o n ce le s 92, D e sp . 12, M ex­ico. D . F . S ra . M ar ia L o p ez d e G u z m an , M a s te r : S r . M a u r ic io L e o n . S e c re ta ry .

PO L A N DP o l i s h G ra n d L o d g e o f A M O RC. W a rsa w , P o la n d .

SW E D E NG ra n d L o d g e " R o s e n k o r s e t ." A n to n S v a n lu n d , F . R . C ., G ra n d M a s te r . V a s te rg a ta n 55, M alm o: In e z A k e sso n . G ra n d L o d g e S e c re ta ry , S lo t t3 g a ta n 18, M alm o.

SW IT Z E R L A N DA M O R C G ra n d L o d g e , 21 A ve. D a p p le s , L a u ­s a n n e ; D r. E d . B erth o le t.. F . R . C ., G ra n d M aste r. 6 B lv d . C h a m b la n d e s , P u l ly - L a u s a n n e : P ie r r e G e n illa rd . G ra n d S e c re ta ry , S u r la c B , M ont C h o is i, L a u s a n n e .

D U TC H A N D E A ST IN D IE SD r. W . T h . v an S to k k u m , G ra n d M a s te r : W . J . V isse r, S e c re ta ry -G e n e ra l . G o m b el 33. S e m a ra n g .

S p a n ish -A m e r ic a n D iv is ionA rm ando F on t D e La Ja ra . F . R . C ., D e p u ty Grand M aster

D ire c t in q u ir ie s r e g a r d in g th i s d iv is io n to th e S p a n is h -A m e ric a n D iv is io n . R o s ic ru c ia n P a rk . S an J o se . C a l ifo rn ia . U . S. A.

JU N IO R O R D E R OF TO R C H B E A R E R SA c h i ld r e n ’s o rg a n iz a t io n s p o n so re d b y th e A M O R C .F o r c o m p le te in fo rm a tio n a s to i t s a lm s a n d b e n e f its , a d d r e s s S e c re ta ry G e n e ra l, J u n io r O rd e r , R o s ic ru ­

c ia n P a r k , S an J o s e , C a lifo rn ia .

THE ROSICRUCIAN PRESS. LTD. PRINTED IN U .S .A .

Page 43: Rosicrucian Digest, October 1942

*7 4e

M ifAticcd A Hama

I ) Jf-efihi ,

How The AncientsChanged Their Environment

H A T is the ethereal link between scents and our moods?1 he fragrance of a spring morning—the delicate perfume of growing things—exalts our spirits. The salty tang of a sea breeze invigorates

—it excites the imagination and encourages bodily action. I here are other odors which depress and plunge us into despondency.

Would you like to control your moods—and create a pleasing environment? Do you enjoy a restful atmosphere after a strenuous day? Nature has created such conditions deep within her forests and on the peaks of her mountain tops. But the ancient alchemists discovered her secret. I hey learned that from the sun. the air, and the earth, nature has drawn certain properties and embodied them in plants. This essence is released in their vapors—the aroma which they give forth. Thus the ancients were able to produce these effects at will.

Some of these herbs have been used for centuries by mystics, because of the positive vibrations they create. The poet Virgil immortalized them in verse. The great physician and alchemist, Paracelsus, wrote of their invigorating, stimulating influence. Kings sent great caravans across vast desert wastes to bring back cargoes of these strange herbs.

These Herbs tynea To YouC O M PL E T E IN S T R U C T IO N S IN C L U D E D

Now we offer you, free, two of these most vital herbs. I ry them —burn them. Notice their appealing fragrance—the passive a tm os­phere they create. Experience the breath of nature they bring into your home, 'i ou are only required to subscribe to this magazine— the “Rosicrucian Digest.’ for 6 months, at the usual nominal rate of $ 1 .50 . Two packets, one containing Hyperion and the other Dittany, with instructions for their use, will be sent you at once.Herbs are rare today. This, therefore, is an unusual offer. Send your subscription today—and ask for this gift. Use the coupon opposite.

T h is h e rb d e riv ed its n a m e H y p e rio n from th e su n god o f an c ien t G reece . It sym ­b o lized th e in c a rn a tio n o f D iv in e L ig h t o r W is d o m on e a rth . Its te ch n ica l L a tin n a m e is H y p e ricu m P e r ­fo ra tu m . It is ex tensively m e n tio n e d in th e a lch em ica l w ritin g s of P a race lsu s .

M ysteriousD ittany

T h is h e rb w as first d iscov ­e red a to p M o u n t D ik te , on th e m yste rious is la n d of C re te , b y th e a n c ie n t G reek s . It is im m o rta liz ed in th e p o em s o l V irg il. Its te c h ­n ica l n a m e is O r ig a n u m D ic tam n u s .

R o s ic ru c ia n D ig e s t R o s ic ru c ia n P a rk S a n J o s e , C a l ifo rn iaG e n t le m e n :

E n c lo se d p le a s e f in d $ 1 .5 0 f o r a s ix m o n th s ’ s u b s c r ip ­t io n to th e R o s ic ru c ia n D ig e s t . S e n d m e a t o n c e , f re e o f c h a rg e , th e tw o h e rb s , D i t ta n y a n d H y p e r io n , w ith i n ­s tr u c t io n s fo r t h e i r u se .

N A M E ............................................................................................................................

A D D R E S S .................................................. ................................................................

( T h e s e h e rb s a re n o t o ffe re d f o r m e d ic in a l o r c u ra t iv e p u r p o s e s . )

^7/te R O S IC R U C IA N D IG E S T , San Jose , Ca lifo rn io , U . S . A.

Page 44: Rosicrucian Digest, October 1942

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rUJosUU fU/lule RooJzl"THE SYMBOLIC PROPHECY O F THE GREAT PYRAMID"

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'THE TECHNIQUE O F THE DISCIPLE"

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This vo lum e c o n ta in s the au th e n tic a n d m y sterio u s h isto ry oi the R osicrucian O rder, from a n c ie n t tim es to th e p re se n t d ay . It a lso in c lu d e s a n sw e rs to m a n y q u estio n s on occult a n d m ystica l s u b ­jec ts of in te re s t to s tu d en ts . Price $2.35 p e r copy , po stp a id .

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