8/12/2019 Rosicrucian Digest, January 1952 http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/rosicrucian-digest-january-1952 1/44 ROSICRUCIAN J A N U A R Y , 1952 - 30c per copy Weaving Our Destinies Do generations of men return to finish patterns of former lives? V A V West AfricanTribal Mysticism A primitive world of good and evil—and immortality. V A V Art in Expression Will modern art impress future generations? V A V 'pM tun iK f: • Mysticism • Science • The Arts V A V Ttext Ancient Wisdom and the Bible DIGEST
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T H E 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
MONUMENT TO A ROSICRUCIANIn quaint Mortlake. a suburb of London, this centuries-old church is best known because
of the celebrated Dr. John Dee (1527 1608). whose remains are interred there. Dr. Dee.
English mathematician and Rosicrucian. was falsely accused by the superstitious of usingenchan tments against Queen Mary. He was acquitted and became mystical adviser, astrologer,and counselor on affairs of the Empire, to Queen Elizabeth whose favor he enjoyed.
Beethoven evolved his subconscious unityinto a beautiful expression of harmony, eventhough lie had lost his sense of hearing.Thomas A. Edison achieved mastery by listening to this infinite creativity—yet. men calledhim deaf. By attun ing with the Infinite, youcan convert much of the disharmony of your
surroundings to a world of personal inspiration, a calm and successful pursuit.
/ Jc cef x i Q i j j t BaaJz
Attuneinent with the Infinite is neither a trite termnor an impractical one. It has a place in your everyday living. It is a blending of self, your personality,with the rhythmic forces of nature . Learn to amplifyyour personal power by working in unison with theInfinite. Challenge these statements. Wri te today tothe Rosicrucians, a world-wide fraternity of thinkers(not a religion). Ask them for a free copy of the
book. The Mastery of Life, which explains how youmay share this knowledge. Address Scribe S. P. C.
Have you had the experience of exquisiteinner harmony —of hearing a symphony oftones even where no sound exists? Has thesilence of a mountain retreat ever thrilled youwith notes no ear could hear? Do you findyour search for mental peace and harmonylimited to space and time—are they dependentupon where you live and the shaping ofevents? Can you rise above such limitationsand capture the rhythm of the Infinite wherever you are?
Some persons hear only the outer waveswhich seem to pound upon their ears. But there are others who can attune themselves tothat concord of vibrations having their sourcedirectly within the Infinite. Such persons areable to move through the outer chaos and distraction of a turbulent world with poise and
persona! power.
THE ROSICRUCIANS (AMORC) San Jose, Calif., U. S. A.
This is the third in a series of articles analyzing the preva iling conditions in Europe. Thissurvey consists of personal observations by the Imperator during his recent visit overseas.
e t w e e n the average A merican and the Britisher,there is much differencein opinion on world affairs. The disagreementis principally a result ofeach being u n fa m ilia rwith Ilie other’s customsand prevailing circuni-
e press, particularly inAmerica, has catered to the nationalistic biases of its readers, and they arethus oflon nol getting the facts so necessary for international cooperation. Theaverage American is still very insularin his views. For many decades hiscountry lias been quite self-sufficientand has been kept from ‘'foreign entanglements" except when precipitatedinto war by overt incidents. He is highly suspicious of collaboration withEuropean powers, believing them a possible drain upon United Stales economyand a potential involvement in affairswhich he believes to be none of hisconcern.
The average American citizen still believes also that United Stales securityis possible only by a complete withdrawal from the problems of Europeand Asia. 11i>attitude is: “ It is no t our problem; it is theirs—let them meet thecontingencies that arise.” He is slowin learning that if you pinch the tip ofthe cat’s tail, the cat feels it just asquickly as if his whiskers were being
pulled; the remoteness of the tail doesnot ease the pain. America cannot remain an island of tranquility in a sea
of turbulence. Its economy, transportation. and communications constitute anetwork of nerves spreading throughout the entire world. Anything, any where that impinges on one of thesenerves produces a severe sensation inthe very heart of America. Such incidents intim ately change, or will change,the life of America. Nevertheless, theAmerican feels that European economicaid or military collaboration is a political contrivance to be avoided.
Likewise, many British are anti-American. For years, they have beencontent to consider the Americans aslacking in old-world culture; they havethought of American progress, industrial and commercial, as having beenmade because of the individual's desireto sacrifice culture for dollars. Am erica as a melting pot of old-world customs had to evolve gradually a cultureof its own. It could not accept exclusively the traditions of any one ofthe peoples that a century ago were
pouring in upon its shores. Further , as
with any group who is to make a choiceof available resources, some are foundto be obsolete, or not preferred . Therewere practices, ways of living and ofthinking, which, though habitual inEurope, were no longer worthy of per
petuating. and especially so in a newcountry where pioneering was the need.For several decades, the Americanswere frontiersmen, bluff, aggressive,wrestling with the rugged conditions oftheir country. There was no opportunity for the refinements of Europe.
Individual wealth was relativelyeasy to acquire by some of the American pioneers—in industry and trade.They were new to the luxuries suchwealth made possible. Unaccustomed tothe powers of their financial position,
they often offended others by their behavior. It was na tural th at they shouldvisit Europe, the birthplace of their ancestors. Tney often created, in Englandand on the Continent, impressions whichwere most unfavorable. Unfortunately,many Britishers have retained thismemory as a kind of traditional concept of the average American; it has been handed down to them from theirforebears. Just as the average American wishes to feel independent of therest of the world, so too, the averageBritisher resents, no matter on whatgrounds, the necessity of dependenceupon the United States. These statesof mind are adolescent. Th ey have no place in England or in America, andcertainly not in a modern world—especially in a world where there is aneed of international unity if there isto be survival.
It is most regrettable when such restrictive and prejudiced thinking reaches into high places, when it is echoedin Congress and in Parliament. Therehave been, and still are, criticisms to
be heard in the United States Congressand in editorials in American newspa pers with reference to England’s tradewith Eastern Europe. These countries,such as Poland, Roumania, and Hungary, are in the Communist bloc. Theyare satellites of a nation whose political
policies the West abhors. Deeply in volved in the Korean conflict, theUnited States seeks to penalize economically all powers allied to her enemies.Therefore, American congressmen andeditors have named England’s EasternEuropean trade relations as a wholly
selfisn attitude—one of “business-as-usual.”
When Dollars Fall
These critics have declared that suchtrade was to secure England’s crowncolony investments in Hong Kong byappeasement. Jus t how Communism inChina was to be appeased by trade relations with Eastern European nationswas not made clear in the passionate bu t illogical polemic. England’s trade
with European nations behind the IronCurtain goes far deeper than any political ramifications. England must have
food. England is first and foremost anindustrial nation. She has far greatermills than farms, and mills must be
fed raw materials, lumber, cotton, andwool if they are to bring forth finished products for the world market. If themills are not fed, man does not eat. Thesale of the manufactured commoditiesmakes possible the purchase of foodstuffs—as wheat, meat, vegetables, anddairy products.
Before World War II and before thedismembering of the British Empire, in
art at least, England had sufficientollars, as a result of her production,
to buy from the United States andCanada the necessary raw materialsand foodstuffs. Then came the disastrous dollar shortage and the curtailment of basic raw materials. The M arshall Plan was a temporary expedient, but the relief was not for long. American public sentiment, unthinking as ithas often been, is against further loansin its struggle with its isolationist conscience. England, too, though in needof such aid, was sensitive to the prideof he r nationals. The only obvious relief was to concentrate on trade withnon-dollar countries. These Eastern
European nations did not have thetechnical resources of England. Theywere anxious to obtain farm machinery,trucks, electrical devices, mill equipment, in exchange for such raw materials and foodstuffs indigenous to theircountries.
There was no alternative for England. She must either continue suchtrade with the Eastern European countries, or “starve fifty million people.”Would such a disaster have providedthe American critics any satisfaction?Such critics are not inhuman; they are
just thoughtless, and often not conversant with affairs outside of the boundaries of the United States. One UnitedStates Congressman, fairly recently,voiced great indignation that Englandwas obtaining wheat from EasternEuropean nations. He pointed out statistically the plenitude of Canadian andAmerican wheat, and that such could be obtained from either of those countries. He did not , however, explainwith what England was to purchase the
wheat since she had no dollars—norwould he recommend a loan of thegrain. England could not send hermanufactured products to America forsuch an exchange because of the highUnited States tariffs which have placed
England at a considerable trade disadvantage. It is such thoughtlessnessthat keeps America and England fromexperiencing a political ana economicunity at a crucial time in their respective histories.
World War III
How does England view the possi bi lity of a World W ar III? Aside fromthe private opinions of Members ofParliament and the military, what doesthe press and the general public, those
in various walks of life, think aboutthe matter? As a people, the Englishare far less emotional than Americans.Th ey have emotional restrain t. This isevidenced not only in their nationaland international affairs but in the
private lives of the people. There is adefinite advantage in the exercise ofthe emotions if they are kept underthe control of reason. Emotions cause astimulus of the intellect. Th ey keepactive the aesthetic and psychic senses;they keep us sensitive to conditions andcircumstances which the intellect alonemight not appreciate. When, however,the emotions reach the proportion ofmass hysteria, as they do under certainconditions, the results can become disastrous. Domination by the emotionsaffects rationalization and calm thinking. As the result, the fear of war doesnot inhibit the calmer Britisher’s judgment in world crises as much as it doesthe average American.
Another factor influencing the Britishoutlook on the probability of war is thather newspapers and periodicals are less controlled by minority pressure groupsthan are those in America. In theUnited States it is far more evidentthat various religious, political, andcommercial interests have contrived togain financial or editorial control of public outlets of information. Thesegroups, though all the while professingfreeoom of the press, are, nevertheless,agitating for conditions to their partic-ular favor. A world-wide religious sectcontinually agitates indirectly in theAmerican press, for conflict with Soviet
Russia; they profess to want peace butstress every incident between the twoopposing powers. This arouses masshatred ana hysteria which breeds war.In England there is an evident lack ofthis agitation in the majority of the
periodicals available to the public.There are, as well, fewer tirades coming over the air.
The unthinking and unobservingAmerican is inclined to consider thislack of drum-beating in the British
press as a sign of public apathy. TheAmerican fails to realize that no nation,especially England, could afford to beindifferent to a menace to her principles and to her way of living, andvet survive. On the other hand, England’s circumstances are quite different
from those of the United States. Shelives at the back door of Russia. If youhave a powerful and aggressive neigh bor who, when aroused would be ru th less in his conduct toward you and yourassociates, you do not throw rocks athis door; you do not insult or taunthim. Certainly the British are not cowards. Th eir courage is insuperable. Onedoes not have to go back any furtherin history than the last war for proofof this statement. The days of the Blitzare memorable examples of the courageof this people with their backs to thewall. The whole world thought thatEngland was doomed at that time, butnot once did England show by her actions that she agreed with this opinion.
England is preparing her defenses. She is hoping that the cataclysm ofWorld W ar III will not occur. But herstatesmanship and appraisal of worldconditions will not let her chant that peace is inevitable. Actually, she is pu tting forth a more strenuous efforttoward armament than any otherEuropean power—and perhaps at a
greater sacrifice. Eng land’s great internal economic problem makes the extra load of armament at this time veryhard to bear. It means austerity uponausterity. It is to be expected tha t England’s place as the once greatest world
power is to be challenged by some nations that once collaborated with her,since they now experience her difficulty. England’s efforts, therefore, must be concentrated on holding her lifelinerather than unnecessarily offending a power that might perman en tly cripple
her at this stage of what she hopes will be her recovery.
Pride Faces Reality
From statesman to newsboy—thosefree of anti-American sentiment—thereis the conviction that the security ofEngland and America lies in theirmutual support of one another. Thegreatest fear in British political circlesis that some event, some maladroitstatement or act, would cause a severe
breach in Anglo-American relations.Bankers, industrialists, and the thinkingEnglish people at large readily admitthat England needs the United States.It needs United States moral and military support against aggression andagainst violation of democratic prin
ciples. It needs American resourcesand industrial might. False pride mustgo in the face of realities. America ismighty and she is basically standingupon the same moral grounds as England.
It is just as plausible that Am erica needs England —our economic superiority at the moment is not altering thisfact. W e face danger in the directionof Europe and in the Pacific. Englandis still far more well versed in worlddiplomacy than America. Further, shestill maintains a tremendous influencethroughout the world. England’s veryshores become the frontiers of UnitedStates defenses. Her industrial strengthand technical knowledge are needed toaugment those of America in the racefor technical superiority. In Englandare located huge American bomber
bases from which would be launchedan atomic attack on Eastern Europe ifneed be. Such locations save thousandsof miles of flight-time overseas by such bombers. They eliminate the necessityof large carr ier escorts. It would be
folly to permit political and nationalistic prejudices to jeopardize such amutual welfare.
Although England admires Americanindustrial and scientific know-how, sheis equally fearsome of our diplomaticimpetuosity. She thinks tha t an un realistic rashness upon the part ofmembers of Congress and our State De partmen t as the result of the influencesof pressure groups may cause acts thatmight precipitate war, either in theOrient or in Europe. Many with whom
we conversed pointed to the MacArthurincident as typical of the danger ofmass influences that could result in adisastrous emotional move. Englandknows well the horrors of the bombingof big cities, the terror of blasts snuff
ing out the life of hundreds of peopleat one time. She knows of the weeks ofsleepless nights with fire raging throughthe streets, buildings tumbling, sirensscreaming, the constant ack-ack of antiaircraft guns, the whirling, cracking ofshells and of bombs. Th e American
populace has fortunately not experienced such a holocaust. As a result,there is an impetuosity which mightengender acts of dire consequence.
A great portion of the American press has misinterpreted this attitude
on the part of the English to be oneof appeasement instead of caution. England states that, notwithstanding thetremendous United States expendituresfor armaments and the increase of herarmed forces, America is not yet in a position to defend the whole Westagainst attack from Soviet Russia andits allies. Her words are not words ofappeasement, but words indicating incomplete confidence in U. S. ability to protect the West against incidentswhich it might unreasonably create.
Dangers Under SurveyAmerican confidence in the atom
bomb is not shared in like proportion by all of Western Europe. They accept the American production of thisweapon as a fact; they agree thatAmerica undoubtedly leads the worldin the making of this powerful weapon.They also realize its effectiveness as adefensive power. Europe concedes thatit may be a deterrent factor for a while in preventing an all-out war, but theyalso take the position that it could not
save Europe if war were to be beguntoday.A war that would provoke the Soviet
might to move suddenly into Europecould not be stemmed by the presentAmerican and Western European armedforces. W hat then would the UnitedStates do with its atomic bomb? Itcould use it to strike the industrial centers and the transportation lines in theSoviet and its satellite countries. Butthis would not remove the Red armiesfrom the Western European countries
which they would occupy. The Redforces would have seized all of theWestern European mills and industriesand food resources to maintain themselves at the expense of the populace.The only way to prevent this latter act
would be to do what America did in Normandy, on ly on a fa r grea ter andmore devastating scale. This wouldmean to use the atom bomb on theWestern European countries, to try toforce out the Red armies. It woulcl beobliged to destroy all food transportation and industrial centers in WesternEurope. Th e cost in destruction of livesto the West as well as to the invaders,the ruination of the countries involved,would make the West an equal loserin every respect with the East—if wrewere successful. It is for these reasonsthat England did not endorse Mac-Arthur’s policy of an all-out activity inKorea and Manchuria at a time whenEurope is in a semi-helpless state.
Upon an analysis of existing trends,it is a safe prediction that no nationwill ever be able to hold a position ofdominance and power as long as didEngland. Nationalism, though still in -tense, is reaching the end of its usefulness to man. A closer unity or oneness of all people will be needed forexistence. Furthe r, a coalition of thetechnical knowledge and resources ofthe different peoples will eventuallymitigate that of any single power. Today, wars are no longer only hugearmies; they are, as well, competitionin industrial knowledge, resources, andtechnical skill. W here brains and creative intelligence are concerned, no nation exceeds another in potentiality. So,in the future, the size of an army,alone, will not be as important as the
brains a na tion can command and theskill it has developed. Any people,
no matter how small their population,if given the opportunity, will be ableto develop readily and powerfully inscientific attainment. An arm y tomorrow without huge industrial skill andscientific genius behind it will be nothing more than an immobilized giant.
T he There is no doubt that the United Rndrrurisin States will grant to England a huge
. portion of the sum of money which _ * 5 she will shortly request. In doing so, January the United States wall be investing in1952 its own welfare.
PAPYRUS PAPER By J a m e s C. F r e n c h , M.A., F.R.C.Curator, Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum
The papyrus plant, belonging to thesedge family, once grew abundantly in themarshes of Lower Egypt; today, it flourishesonly in the Sudan. The papyrus was usedfor many purposes by the Egyptians, suchas baskets and ropes, but its principal valuewas for making sheets of material for writing, and thus it became the forerunner of
modem paper.Papyrus from the Sudan has been foundto vary in length from 7 to 10 feet, excluding the flowering top and root with themaximum diameter of nearly an inch and one-half. The stem has a triang ular sectionconsisting of two parts, a thin strong outerrind and an inner cellular pith which wasused as the writing material.
The method of making sheets from thismaterial suitable for writing has been described by Pliny. According to him, thestems or inner parts of the stalks of the plant were sliced into thin strips and placedside by side upon a table, with similarslices placed across them at right angles.They were then moistened with Nile water,
pressed together, and dried in the sun. The Nile water, according to Pliny, when in amuddy state, had the peculiar qualities ofglue. However, modern authorities believePlin y to be wrong in his statements. They
prefer the later mention of a paste madefrom the finest flour of wheat mixed with boiling water. The length of the slices de pended on the width of the sheet desired,and the papyrus was extended to any desired length.
The date when papyrus paper was firstmade is not known, but The RosicrucianEgyptian, Oriental Museum has severalsmall papyrus documents which date backto the earliest dynasties.
Th e healing power of the green coloring matter of plants, chlorophyll,is mystifying our physicians. Thisgreen magic in its new uses is speeding
the repairing of tissue, the healing ofwounds and sores of all kinds. Now a puzzling discovery for doctors is thatchlorophyll also acts as an internal deodorizer. The claim is tha t it does notdestroy bacteria; does it then oxidizeor neutralize odorous substances?—doctors are asking.
In plants, this brainless, green pigment is known to utilize the sun’s energy to make food. Timely has becomethe statement written years ago by Dr.T. B. MacDougal, Research Associateof the Carnegie Institution:
“Leaf-green or chlorophyll is theconverter which operates the machinery of the living world. The power bywhich raw materials are split, recom bined, and pu t together to make the physical basis of life, comes to the earthas radiant energy in the form of lightfrom the sun.”
Modern science is now beginning toadmit that its further progress dependsupon delving into metaphysics. To
penetrate into life’s mysteries, ages agothe mystic alchemists searched into inner sources—into the spiritual dualityof all creation. Today ’s mysticism still profits by this example.
Dr. H. Spencer Lewis, late Imperatorof the Ancient Mystical Order RosaeCrucis (AMORC), in his book The Spiritual Property of Food (copyright,1935), presents to the public in simple
words the spiritual mission of vegetation—and the meaning of chlorophyll. While the physician puzzles as to howchlorophyll works, Dr. Lewis wonderedas to why the physician so greatly em
phasized the cnemical nature of foodand said nothing about the spiritualnature.
Dr. Lewis emphatically warned that“through wrong eating we are losing a portion of the spiritual energy that isabsolutely necessary to have a properlyharmonious body”—for health. He
stated positively that plants—especiallythose naving the green-leaf nature—contain an important essence, an electromagnetic juice possessing spiritualenergy. Pointedly, he explained tha t“chlorophyll . . . is a peculiar essencethat is very difficult to analyze from achemical point of view because it hassomething in it that is not purely earthly or chemical . . . chlorophyll notonly supplies the green color to the plants but supplies a form of vi talityor energy that enables the plant to liveindependently and separately from other plants. Fungi, for instance, andmany similar forms of vegetation orliving matter which do not have thisstrange essence of chlorophyll become parasites and have to attach themselvesto something else that does have thechlorophyll in order to derive the vitality and essence necessary to life.
“Here we see, therefore, one of God’sgreat miracles and yet one of the mostsimple of all nature’s laws. The greenleaf is green not only because of a col
oring matter but because of a vitality init, and when that vitality leaves the plant the green is changed into brownand yellow and the plant begins to die,to decay.
“It is not a wildly speculative ormystical statement to say that thischlorophyll is a part of the divine essence of the universe placed into vegetable life in order to feed all living beings. . .
In view of well-known health problems of the present day, the thoughtarises: What is the cause of this celldegeneration and decay now prevalentin the hum an world? Are human beings, through ignorance and neglect oftheir spiritual duality, becoming like
plan t parasites—depending upon theinadequate, external, artificial feedingsof chemicals and vitamins? Is not thisthe generation and the time to recognize our spiritual side? to give admittance and acceptance to the divinely-ordained essentials for our mastery ofliving?
Al l forms of expression are. phases of the processes oflife. We might even go sofar as to say that living and
expression are synonymous. Int h e p h y s i c a l e n v i r o n m e n twhere we find life manifest,everything is evidence of theimpact of life upon environment, and environment upon
life. Since life is an isolatedmanifestation in an otherwiseinanimate or material world,expression in its truest senseis an attribute of life rather than ofmaterial. In the sense tha t we are considering the word expression, we areinterpreting it to mean every change,every adjustment, even every movement that in any way is related to life,in contrast to changes in the materialworld, which are brought about byexternal phenomena.
Expression or ig in ate s w ith in themind, the accompaniment of life, andwhatever it may be—movement, anim ation, change, or accomplishment—thereis either an emotional or a rational basis for its existence. Expression carries out in activity the mental foundation from which reason and emotionspring, and thereby is the outlet forthe energy so created, as well as beingcreative within itself. The feeling behind expression gives it force and makesit a manifestation of life, wrhether the basis be reason or emotion.
Elementary expression is illustrated by the random movements of an infant.The hands, the legs, in fact all partsof the body, are moved without apparent purpose. These movements seem to be for the sake of movement and, to theadult reasoning, have little or no meaning. The ve ry fact tha t we refer to itas random movement is evidence thatwe have noticed it, catalogued it, and,therefore, have unconsciously realizedthat this expression is the only forman infant knows—the only manner in
which it reacts to environment. In the life of the human being, expression becomes progressively more purposefulwith age. Gradually, randommovements are organized anddirected toward certain endsforced upon the child by theadults around it, or, as thechild attains certain degrees of
reason, it directs its movements toward purposeful ends.
Mature Outlets
In the life of the adult, accomplishments are the highest forms of expression. Whatever is done in providing aliving, pleasure, or any satisfaction inlife, is a form of the expression withinthe mind of the individual, and is finally and ultimately manifested in thearts. By art we mean here the broadestmeaning that can be given to the word.We do not necessarily limit it to music,literature, and painting, but to thosetechniques whicn have reached a degree of coordination and perfection. Thecarpenter who works with fine woodsis an artist in his achievements, andthat work, if done carefully with consideration and pride, is the artistic ex
pression of the carpenter. Whateverone’s work may be—in the home, office, farm, or anywhere else—to learnthe techniques, to apply them conscientiously ana well, constitutes expressionin the form of art.
In the field of illustration—that is, painting, drawing, reproducing, in other wrords, reproducing the phenomenaand life about us on canvas, paper, orother medium—the position of the layman to the artist is that of one trying to utilize in his own mental processes the expression of another. The artist ex presses himself in reproducing wha t hesees—and the last two words of this
phrase are ve ry important. The artistsees beyond, or, we might say, his sighttranscends what the uninterested indi
vidual is seeing. Beethoven, afte r hewas deaf, heard music that he could notexpress to the human ear. He became progressively more dissatisfied with hiscompositions, realizing, as it were, thatthe full expression of his art was within
himself, within his own being. He feltthat regardless of whether his mediumof expression was a single instrumentor a symphony orchestra, he couldnever fully bring into the audible rangeof the human ear that which he, beingdeaf, could hear.
The painter looks at a landscape andmay see symmetry and beauty whereanother may see only trees, buildings,and land. Through his medium of artistic expression, he transposes the veryelemental scene into such expression
as develops within himself as a resultof the physical perception. Realistic artis therefore only a form of reproduction. Although certa in skill is requiredto paint a portrait, a landscape, or anyother thing, and make it a duplicate ofthe thing seen, it is actually nothingmore than a camera could do, probablymuch better. The great works of artare those in which the artist, throughhis technique and skill, has reproducedin full upon the canvas the transmutation of some actuality that has taken place within his own mind and soul.
Art is a form of expression that willalways be misinterpreted by those whodo not have the breadth of consciousness which makes it possible for themto see, in a degree at least, the mental
processes and depths of feeling th atwere transferred to the canvas fromwithin the soul of the artist . So-called“modern” art and music are frequentlyincomprehensible to the layman. Allof us have seen what is represented to be art th at seems no more th an linesand colors and carries no meaning be
cause wre have not had our imaginationfired with the same enthusiasm andrealization that took place within themind of the artist while transposing amaterial tiling into a vibrant concept.
Expressions by children and by prim itive people are also frequently misunderstood. Have you ever looked at
papers upon which a child has drawn,
with crayons, pencil, or paints, a haphazard arrangement of lines and colorswhich seemed to have little meaningto you as the external observer? Nevertheless, meaning is there—profoundmeaning, in fact—since within the
mind of that child, just as in the mindof the artist, feelings and meaningswere expressed that were the basis ofthe expression of that particular manifestation of life.
Groat Works
Imagination and sympathetic understanding help us to appreciate the greatworks of ar t in all fields. It is probablyimpossible for us to experience the samesensations as were experienced by theartist. We may never understand eachand every painting, or the musical
compositions that wre hear, but what issincerely the expression of its creator,can bring to us the thrill of achievement, some degree of the ecstasy thataccompanied its creation. To makeeverything obvious and apparent mayconstitute worth-while accomplishmentin the field of physical science and economics, but in the growth and expression of the soul-personality it is thethings lacking in obviousness whichcarry a touch of hidden meaning, thatmake possible those moments which br ing us into sympathetic relationshipwath the mysteries of life and death, ofGod, and of all being.
Through the various techniques wehave developed, our civilization hasmade its expression a patte rn. Its
buildings, its cities, its museums, all thatconstitutes civilization, may be foundin this expression. Will futu re generations in future centuries look at theexpression of our age, and, while observing certain crudeness in our efforts,will they also see therein sinceiity anda desire for growth, or will they see
selfishness and only a reflection of material values? The futu re will judgeus by our expression, and we too should judge ourselves by that expression. Welearn through the arts that they are a basis for inspiring our imagination andgrowth, and that they attune us moreclosely with those ideals and purposeswhich raise us above the commonplace.
V A V
When we are understood, it is proof that we speak well.—Moliere
c f^iaan ^Uxi(ja[ <A/[\j±tLai±m By W i l f r id D. H a m b l y , D.Sc.
Chicago Natural History Museum
Ne a r i n g the shoresof Angola, I lean
ed on the rail watching the coast line. A
strip of sand glistenedin a tropical sun, andfeathery palms were b e n d in g in a sea breeze. My thoughts
turned to contemplation of native peoplesin the interior whereI intended to live forseveral months, making an ethnologicalstudy.
For more than threecenturies the Ovim- bundu, a tribe of thecentral highlands, have been un der Portugueseinfluence. What wouldremain of their ancientcrafts? To what extent would the peo ple have been influenced by a succession of Christian missionaries, beginningwith the Jesuit Fathers in the earlyseventeenth century, and expandingthrough the years to almost everyknown Christian sect?
How resistant is an indigenous culture? and what chances are there forsurvival of native spiritual beliefs andAfrican mysticism in a modern, workaday world? The people of my inquiryhave the picturesque name of Ovim-
bundu, which means People of the Fog,in association with the morning miststhat shroud the hilltops. It is a landof lofty ranges and verdant valleys;the very antithesis of the popular concept of sweltering tropical Africa.
I was fortunate in having a com pe tent in terpreter, Ngonga—a youngman of the Ovimbundu tribe who hadlearned to speak English fluently at anAmerican missionary school. Equallyimportant was his command of thenative tongue, Um bundu. He took a
deep interest in pursuing inquiries in U m
bundu and translatingthem into English.
A Remote God
The Ovimbundu havea concept of a supreme
being, S uku , w hose
name is known andrespected over a largeterritory. But thoughSuku created the hills,and formed the landscape, he plays no partin the everyday life.He is remote, intangi ble, and cannot be ap proached by prayer orsacrifice. Neither canmortals come into contact w ith Suku throughthei r medicine man
(ocirnbanda), who is an intermediary between the sacred and the profane.
Theism is of a most elementary kind,and does not appear to involve anyconcept of sin in the sense of diso bedience to a deity. The law recognizesmany crimes—theft, murder, adultery —and there are severe punishments, bu t the offense is against individualsand the community, and not contraryto the laws of Suku, for he does notappear to have issued any divine commands. There is, however, a clear
concept of what is morally right orwrong, apart from any tribal laws.Such a concept is expressed by theword ekandu. To send a stranger alongthe wrong path is ekandu. The wordis also applied to punishable offenses.
Belief in immortality
The word utima which means ‘heart’has also the connotation of soul, spirit,or the part of a person that does notcease to exist at the time of physiological death. Definitely there is a clear
concept of life after death, but no ideaof rewards or punishments in a worldof spirits. The ghost of a bad personmakes an evil spirit which can injureindividuals as such, or the communityas a whole, by any epidemic disease of
people, crops, and cattle. The souls ofsuicides and of those murdered are saidto be malevolent. Therefore the corpsesof those who have died a violent deathare buried near a river so that theirsouls will be carried out to sea, andthereby be unable to injure the community.
There is another name that meanssoul or spirit, ornuenyo, but I could not
be sure whether this is just the sameas utima. Spirits go to an invisibleworld where they continue to exist and
perform much the same tasks as thosethat occupied them on earth. Socialstatus is retained in a spirit world.Spirits are divided into two classes,olosande (good spirits) and olondele (bad spirits), who work according totheir natural propensities when visitingthe wrorld of the flesh. There is a definite idea of a constant coming and going between the visible and the invisibleworlds.
Appeasement of ancestral spirits bysupplication and sacrifice of an animal,usually a chicken, is a basic idea. Th espirits of dead relatives are potent forgood or evil, and owing to tneir great power over the living, combined witha jealous disposition, care mu st be takenthat supplication and sacrifice are notneglected.
A personal experience in attendingfuneral rites made clear to me the relationship between the living and thedead. The deceased was a boy of twelveyears who had died from an illnessnot diagnosed. There was clear ly theold idea of death by witchcraft, and the
spirit of the dead boy wras interrogated.In the funeral party there wrere four
drummers. Their rhythm s were accompanied by the hand clapping of agroup of women wrho chanted “God hascheated us of a life.” The casket was ofwood covered with thin, blue cloth. Itwas lashed to a pole which was sup ported on the shoulders of two youngmen. At intervals, and quite spontaneously, a youth, or two women at a time,sprang from the group of spectators
and executed a dance in front of thecoffin. An elderly relative of the dead boy stood near the casket and held upan offering of corn meal on a platter;then, he began to question the spiritof the dead.
He said, “My boy, we want you tomake us glad. Tell us all that took youfrom the earth.” The answers weresupposed to be given by a slight forward or backward movement of the pole th at supported the casket. A backward swing would indicate a negativeanswer, and a forw ard movement w'ouldmean an affirmative. The most important question was, “Is it witchcrafttha t hates us and killed you? If it iswitchcraf t come to the fron t.” I couldsee no movement of the coffin, but
Ngonga said he could see the backwardmovement that said No. The questioning lasted two hours, and the conclusionwas that the boy died from naturalcauses. The words used w ere “diedfrom a bad belly.”
In bygone days an answer affirmingwitchcraft as the cause of death wouldhave made an inqu iry necessary to findthe evil witch. The poison ordeal wouldhave been given to suspected persons.If innocent, an accused person couldeat a poisoned potato without harmfulresults, but a guilty person would suf
fer violent spasms and possible death.At this funeral, Ngonga called myattention to a curious belief of theOvimbundu that a spirit can die a second death. There is an evil bird of thenight named Esuvi who is able to catcha spirit and make it die this seconddeath. A living person is thought to beunfortunate if one of his ancestral spirits has been caugh t by Esuvi. Thismeans that a friendly ancestral spiritcan no longer help his living relative.For example, a person in poor healthsays, “The spirit of my grandfather has been caught by Esuvi.”
An important facet of the spirituallife of the Ovimbundu is a reverencefor the supreme chief of the country.He is called Osoma. This deep regardis not exactly evidence of divine kingship, but belongs to the same categoryof ideas. Osoma has the closest possiblerelationship with the world of spirits,and it is his duty to consult them intime of drought or of any epidemicdisease.
On such an occasion, Osoma retiresto a small hut where a sacred fire iskept perpetually burning. The sacredfire is common among the Hamitic cattle-keeping peoples of east and southwest Africa. The idea seems to have
been borrowed by the agriculturalOvimbundu. There, while fasting, theking supplicates the ancestors, askingfor rain, or for instructions for dealingwith disease. Sometimes the answer isthat there must be a ceremonial washing of the body of Osoma. This is donein secret by an ocimbanda (medicinem an). Or the answer might be that thesacred fire “is dirty and worn out.”Then the Ocimbanda makes new fire by the old method of friction—th at is,the twirling of a thin hard rod on asoft baseboard. This newly made lireis placed in the house of meditation,and in the official residence of theOsoma. Fragments of the burning logsare distributed to each home in thevillage, and in this way is accomplisheda cleansing, and also a spiritual revival.
Spiritual Intermediaries
Not on ly is Osoma, the ruler, an official contact with the world of spirits,there is Ocimbanda as well. This Ocim banda, or medicine man, is not to beconfused with a wTorker of evil magic,
who is termed nganga. Ocimbanda exerts his powers in a social direction,while the works of nganga are antisocial.
It seems to me that the spiritual powers of the ru le r Osoma are exertedwith a priestly dignity, whereas theoperations of the Ocimbanda are on amore trivial and mercenary plane. Yetone has to admit that Ocimbanda, likeOsoma, is a definite point of contact
between the living and the spirits ofthe dead.
Ocimbanda has a small figurine with
a hole in the belly, and into this he places a magical concoction. In a darkcorner of the hut where he is visiting,he carries on a conversation with thissmall image, and makes replies in aventriloquial voice. These answers aresupposed to come from the ancestors.Ocimbanda also divines by shakingsmall symbolic objects in a basket.While doing this he wears a ceremonialheaddress of porcupine quills, andworks to the tune of a small friction-drum played by an assistant.
The office of Ocimbanda is not hereditary, and any boy who is of a ratherdreamy, imaginative, and somewhatneurotic disposition is likely to be ap prenticed to this profession.
In days before European restrictions
wrere imposed, Ocimbanda would smellout witchcraft, impose a poison ordeal,and generally act as the magical sideof legal processes. Ocimbanda is an ex pe rt in making charms to wrard offsickness and other evils. He makesthe simple fertility charm which married women w^ear as a necklace. Hefills with ‘medicine’ small horns of antelope and carapaces of tortoises. Theseare worn about the neck and perhapsnibbled at intervals.
Magic in Daily MJving
I was impressed by the failure ofthe people to divide life into two com
partments, the sacred and the profane.Without doubt there is a spiritual as
pect for many of the everyday tasksand occupations.
Attention was first called to this bywatching Ocimbanda sacrifice a chickenand sprinkle the blood on a pit of clay.This act was thought necessary in orderto make the clay tractable in the making of pottery. At the side of the blacksmith’s forge stands a little woodenfigure wherein dwells a helpful spirit.In the old days of caravans a smallwooden figure of a woman was carried.This was consulted by Ocimbanda ifthere was doubt as to the best path tofollow.
A young hunter serves years of ap prenticeship with a professional hunter,and at the end of that time the youthis taken by the master hunter to a‘house of bows,’ within which hang theweapons of deceased hunters. The boymakes a sacrifice, and pours native beerand the blood of a chicken over theweapons. He declares tha t he feels‘spirit in the head.’ This means thathe is favored by the spirits who willgive him skill and courage beyond thedegree known to ordinary mortals.
From the Stone Age
In Europe, perhaps 150,000 yearsago—there can be only a rough estimate of time—Paleolithic (Old StoneAge) man sometimes placed stone
weapons beside a corpse. The inferenceseems to be that some part of the deceased entered a spirit world where hemight continue his life as a hunter. Naturally , he would be in need ofweapons and implements.
Burial equipment in the Neolithic(New Stone Age) included food in asimple earthenware vessel. This ideaof providing for the spirit of the dead progressed, un til it found its most elaborate expression in the Egyptian custom of furnishing underground tombsin a sumptuous manner.
The Ovimbundu provide one of manyexamples of man’s effort to keep intouch with spiritual forces, becausethese are necessary for the welfare ofthe living. Despite the destructive power of European controls which are oftenopenly hostile, and the well-intendedefforts of Christian missionaries, theOvimbundu have shown surprising tenacity in fostering their own ancientcustoms. These are prim arily directedtoward harmonizing spiritual beliefswith the well-being of a living community.
V A V
▼ Our Chief Desire By E d i t h H. M a s o n , F. R. C.
ph il o s o ph y may be described as a bird’s-eyeview of life. To live oneday at a time, is whateach of us must do inany case, but to have a
philosophy— a bluepr int
or plan of life—is to givedirection to our activity, place a goal in view, and pu t all the pieces of the jigsaw in their position.It is the only way to achievement.
A universal philosophy, acceptable toall minds must be based on scientificfact, must be in accord with the truthat the root of all religions. It m ust besimple enough for the child to graspand yet profound enough for the adultto meditate upon and still find newaspects of thought. It must be a guidein all problems—an anchor in the
rough seas of life, and a sail to catchall the energizing breezes. It must holdthe key to masterful living, from thecradle to the grave and beyond. Itmust answer satisfactorily tne questions: W hy are we here? Whence havewe come? and Whither are we going?It must inspire men with hope, with
joy in achievement, and with a goalworth striving for.
Perhaps thoughts of contemplationsuch as these may enter into it: Whydoes not the plant need to be taught
to grow to maturity and produce seedaccording to its kind? Because itsgrowth is governed by the simpleconsciousness or “instinct” of its individual cells. It has not developed“free will.” It lives according to thenatu ral laws of its growth. W hen man
decided to experiment and “eat thefruit of the tree of knowledge,” hethereby threw off the restraint of instinct and intuition with its sure guidance, and “fell” into all the miseriesof living contrary to natural laws.From this state he must be “saved”if he is to reach the goal of hisevolution. W ha t is this goal and howis man’s “salvation” to be achieved?
At least three common states orstages in the development of consciousness are known to us: (1) tha t of
plants—a cell consciousness, sensitive
to light and food, with no mental oremotional sensitivity; (2) that of animals—a wider range of feeling and response to stimuli, wdth mental and emotional development, but lacking thesense of “I”; (3) that of man or self-consciousness—a wide range of feeling,mental and emotional activity, andideation.
Now, is there a higher kingdom toward which we are developing? Havewe any logical reason for assumingthat man is at the highest peak of
evolution? All we can say is that he isthe highest that we know through our physical senses. And are our eyes andears such infallible organs that weshould limit one knowledge to theirevidence? W hat of infrared? and what
of supersonic sounds? W ith the discovery of “wireless” and the vibratory activity of all matter, man stands at thethreshold of a new era—that of sensitivity to higher octaves of vibratoryrates, to a consciousness of wider rangeand larger mental and emotional development.
This is necessary if man is to achievethat higher consciousness which thousands of men and women of all racesand ages have testified as having ex
perienced in flashes. They say, and
their evidence is so similar and exactthat it cannot be imagination, thatthere is a state of being in which timeceases, eternity is of its essence; ecstasyor sublime joy and divine love possessthem; white light surrounds them; theyare one with the Source of All. It isthe most vivid of all experiences. Nevercould it be forgotten, nor could it beexplained away as anything else otherthan what it is—a God Consciousness orCosmic Consciousness.
In the same way as those devoted
servants of ours, the horse and the dog(which show at times gleams of humanintelligence and consciousness), attaina higher consciousness by close association with their master, so perhaps weare “owned” and trained by a Masterin the next higher kingdom, the spiritual kingdom, or as one Master termedit, the Kingdom of Heaven.
When we have learned to serve selflessly, to discipline the body for thesake of the work to be done, to striveto interpret the guidance and teachingof one who is our Master, then we can be sure there will come to us at the
proper time, when conditions are ripe,that experience which it is worth everything to know—the experience of Cosmic Consciousness.
The way of achievement is the“Way” that Jesus taught, but it has
been misunderstood and misinterpreted by most of the orthodox preaching.Jesus did not come to found a churcnor religion but to show men a way ofliving that would lead them to an enrichment of consciousness, the Kingdom of Heaven. The “W ay” was that
of Love and Wisdom; and by the unionof these two, power is released.Always of interest is that story of the
upil who sought out a sage to ask toe taught wisaom. The sage sent him
away to learn from life. Three timesthe pupil returned to the sage begginghim to teach him. So the sage tookhim to the river, and wading in withhim, pushed him under and held himthere till he was nearly drowned. W henthe pupil was released, the sage askedhim, “My son, what was your chiefdesire when you were under thewater?”
“O Sire, I desired only air, nothing but air.”
“Then,” said the sage, “When youdesire truth as ardently as you justnow desired air, then I can teach youwisdom. Until then, go and learn fromlife.”
ATTENTION, HIERARCHY MEMBERSThose who have attained to the Hierarchy and understand the purpose and im portance of these special Meditation Periods are invited to partic ipate in, and report on,the following occasions. In each case, the time is Pacific Standard Time.
Jan uary 17, 1952, 8:00 p.m .April 17,195 2,8:00 p.m.
By marking these dates upon your calendar and arranging in advance for a fewuninterrupted minutes, you may not only benefit yourself, but also perhaps aid theHierarchy. In reporting to the Imperator, kindly indicate the monograph last received,as well as your degree and key number.
when we look back on a preceding R o sic ru c ianconvention and forwardto a coming one. Ourthoughts are confused—they seem to overlap inwhat has been and whatwe hope will be. It seems
a very short time since the last Rosicrucian convention completed its finalsession and Rosicrucians representingmany countries, and a number of theworld’s continents, as well as all walksof life, dispersed at Rosicrucian Park
in San Jose to return to their homes.From many parts of the world havenow come comments and suggestionsin regard to the convention, and statements of memories of what each hadexperienced during the conventionweek. From the thousands of membersof this organization who have attendedthe annual conventions of the organization and who have, in turn, written tothe Officers of the Supreme and GrandLodges concerning such experiences, itwould seem that it would be possibleto summarize the reactions and to classify in simple terms what the membersof the Rosicrucian Order find of valueand interest at a convention. Actua llythis is not possible because, to a degree,each member experiences many thingsat a convention from which he alone benefits and finds enjoyment.
At this time it is impossible to givea program of the 1952 convention, butin making our plans we will bear inmind the many comments of memberswho have attended past conventions.
We will do our best to incorporate into
the convention program all featuresand activities which have proved useful and enjoyable before, and we hopeto add new attractions that will proveof equal benefit.
During the past three conventions,numerous daily convocations have beenheld in the Supreme Temple whichwas dedicated two years ago last July.Members, particularly those visitingRosicrucian Park for the first time,
lace these convocations among theighlights of the convention week. To
enter the Supreme Temple and beseated while the music is playing fromthe East, to be present as the variousrobed Officers perform their functionsin a Rosicrucian Lodge session, and tofeel oneself present and participatingin this activity, is an experience thatis never forgotten. The beautiful Egyptian Temple gives one the feeling oflosing oneself in both time and spaceas he looks out toward the blue-domedstructure over his head which represents the sky of a desert night.
The Temple convocations and spe
cial initiations will be only two features of the convention week. Therewill also be classes of instruction forthe degree in which you are studying,demonstrations under the direction ofthe Technical Department of the Order,a special allegory representing both historical and doctrinal principles of theOrder, and the special demonstration ofmystical principles of Rosicrucian philosophy by the Imperator. And yetthese are but a few of many featuresthat will be awaiting you when you
arrive to register at the convention onSunday, July 6, 1952. The conventionwill continue from July 6 through July11. All active members, regardless ofdegree or length of time they have
been affiliated with the Order, are welcomed as members participating in theconvention week’s activities. We willlook forward to meeting you at thisyear’s convention.
Simon the Magician o s t Christians have heard
of Simon the Magician,or Simon the Magus, ashe is also called. In theBible it is stated in theActs of the Apostles thathe had a great following, because of his power to
___________ bewitch people throughthe use of sorcery. It is also stated in
that book that Simon became a believerin Christianity, and that after he had been baptized, he worked un de r theApostle Philip. When, in the course ofhis association with the apostles, Simonsaw that by the laying on of handsthe Holy Ghost descended, he offeredthe apostles money in return for the power they had to give. It was thenthat Peter rebuked him w ith the words:“Thy money perish with thee, becausethou hast thought that the gift of God
may be purchased with money. Thouhast neither part nor lot in this matter:for thy heart is not right in the sightof God.”
In the early Christian records, it isstated that Simon the Magician was a
The son of Antonius and Rachel of Samaria, Rnd rruristn w^o came from the village of Gitthae. p . Simon had disciplined himself grea tly
tSes in Alexandria and had become very January powerful in magic. He was also am-1952 bitious to be known as having supreme
power, grea ter even than that of God.It is related in the old records that heeven called himself Christ, and that hewanted to be known as the StandingOne, thereby intimating that he wasfree from any corruption in his body.Thus he was charged with failure togive God glory. Simon also rejected
Jerusalem as the place of worship andsubstituted Mount Gerizzim instead. Inthe course of time he proclaimed himself in the place of Christ.
Simon had been the foremost disciple of John the Baptist, and uponthe death of the latter, he became thelogical successor to John. While, however, he was absent in Egypt, anotherdisciple, by the name of Dositheus, whoalso wanted to be the successor to John,started the rumor that Simon had died,with the result that Dositheus waschosen to head the movement. Upon
Simon’s return to Palestine, he learnedwhat had been done in his absence.However, he did not displace Dositheus,knowing that a man who has attained
power beyond his expectations cannot be removed from the position he hassecured.
In the course of time, Simon journeyed to Rome. The Em peror Nerohad sent for him to demonstrate hismiraculous powers. Standing before theruler, Simon assumed the forms of dif-
ferent persons. First he became a child,then a little old man, and later a youngman. The emperor was so impressedthat he believed the sorcerer to be trulythe Son of God. But the Apostle Peter,observing what was happening, proved
tha t Simon was both a liar and a wizard,and in all things opposed to the truthof God. Simon, however, not willingto be defeated, appealed to the emperor.On the plea of the magician, the em peror, therefore, called Peter, Paul, andSimon to appear before him. In thecourse of the trial, Simon demonstratedhis powers. As his greatest feat, heset out to fly. The emperor was dulyconvinced of his sincerity, but whenPeter and Paul began to pray, themagician fell down and perished.
Simon claimed great powers; he saidhe could render himself invisible; he boasted that he could dig through the
mountains and pass through rocks asif they were clay; he said he couldthrow himself from a mountain and be borne unhurt to the earth; he claimedhe could loose his bonds if he weretied; he could make the prison doors
open of their own accord. He assertedhe could animate statues and make newtrees spring up and sprout. He maintained that he could go through fire unharmed; also that he could change hiscountenance so that he could not berecognized and thereby show peoplethat he had two faces. He also claimedhe could change himself into a sheepor a goat, proclaiming that whateverhe wished to do he could perform. Inother words, he knew many of the traditional tricks of the clever magician,
bu t when he was confronted by thegenuine power of God, his deceptionsalways failed.
V A V
Once a man has achieved the impossible, it is no longer impossible. Once aman has stood up, straight and tall, he cannot ever forget it, however low hemust stoop. Once a man has loved, a light has been lit within him, and all the
shadowy things find it the more difficult to cluster about him. Every time he binds himself to something by Love, one of the chains he has forged of dullhatred is snapped asunder, with the ease of a child snapping a strand from aspider’s web.
For Love is Light, with all its quiet power, and all its calm, intensely personal pervasiveness, all its im partial givingness. Through it all shadows are dissi pated, shown for wha t they real ly are— nothingness—a section of being whereone’s sight is not as clear as it should rightfully be.
And each time a man loves something, he achieves the impossible; he doessomething that, a moment before, he had not dreamed himself capable of doing.
—By R. J. Fr a n c i s K n u t s o n , from Medita tion on Love
ROSICRUCIAN RALLY IN CHICAGO
The Nefertiti Lodge of Chicago will sponsor the annual midwestern Rosicrucian rallyon Friday, Saturday, and Sunday—February 15, 16, and 17. A program includinglectures, demonstrations, and the conferring of the Ninth Degree Initiation will be presented. There will also be a banquet, as well as enter tainm ent during the three-day-rally period. For fu rthe r information, members are invited to write direct to:The Secretary, Nefertiti Lodge of AMORC, 2539 North Kedzie Avenue, Chicago 47,Illinois.
When Thy Life Has Fled’ By R o d m a n R . C l a y s o n , Grand Master
t has been said that we build upon the past. This
would indicate that the present determines thefuture. Now, what is itthat we are building, andwhat is our structure being built upon?
In contrast to the magnitude of the universe, man seems infinitesimal. Some of the planets andstars are of incomprehensible dimensions. Between the most tremendouscreations of the universe and the mostminute ones, such as the atoms of the
chemical elements, stands man. It isthe earth, however, and life upon it,with which man is mostly concerned.
In the beginning of earthly events,very little land was above the surface ofthe water. Life in the sea was crude andcoarse. As more and more land rosefrom the sea, the developing conditionsmade possible weird forms of life whichmade attempts to walk upon the land. Nature vied with herself in creatingstrange creatures which were near monstrosities. W ith the passing of muchtime, refinement tooK place in thisdrama of creations on earth. Vegetation and the trees of the jungle werean important phase. Through eons oftime and changes of environment, oneform of life after another disappearedfrom the scene, to be supplanted withmore complex and more highly developed forms of anim al life. This is perhaps also true of the vegetation.
Into this scene came man—a thinking, conscious being. The firm footingof the land, atmospheric temperatures
and humidity, flora and fauna, had laida foundation for the advent of man.
These were creations of the past, andman’s existence was thereby made possible as well as the present functions of
Nature.Because man was a conscious being
and capable of thought, he began torule the beasts of the land and sea. Hewas able to provide for his immediateand futu re needs. He used his mightyfacu lty of thought. He could think,imagine, and visualize; he could recallevents of previous weeks; he learnedto control his thoughts.
Under the mastery of his mind, mancreated a new world for himself. Ventures he planned were not for himselfalone. As his intellectual powers developed, civilization was introduced and
began to progress. M an was aw are ofthe power with which he was imbued;he came to realize that this was only a phase of a higher power—a creative power, which became one of life’s mysteries. Man foimd new meaning in theflower, the cloud, the tree, the star—revelations profound and universal.
M atter too became resolved into manifestations of force. It is no longer acold and static condition. The atom issubdivided into particles yet more minute, and in a violent state of agitation.The stability of matter is maintainedthrough forces in such balance as toseem to be at rest.
Beyond Matter
Refinements of thought and speculation have done away with what wasonce looked upon as gross materialism.
Human thought can bring about changeseven in forms of matter. Thoughthas, for instance, provided steam andelectricity by utilizing water and heat.Mind with its creative power does notcreate something new, but recreates out
of existing elements. It is an activeand determining force seeking to control matter. Mind and matter are different in degree, but both are creations ofa higher mind, theSupreme Intelligence.
In the scheme ofnature we find thatone aspect reacts toother aspects. Throughout m an ’s advan cethere has ever beenthe conquest of Na turein accordance with hisneeds and desires. Themind of man continuesto expand and buildupon its knowledgeand experience of the past.
T ho ug ht is m an ’sg r e a t e s t f a c u l t y .Mental possibi l i t iesseem inexhaust ib le .Through thinking, endless vistas are opened
for further development. The more thatman understands himself, the more he ex plores the universe,and the vaster hisachievements become;and perhaps man iscreating a new universe. Personal exploration discovers not only existing fields, but opens new fields for investigation.
The very essence of life is growth,
expansion, the power to create conditions in which man can continue to live.The surface of the earth upon whichman walks is the result of previousmanifestations of life of one kind or another. It is said that our soil, at leastin part, consists of disintegrated vegetable and animal matter. In digging inthe earth, archaeologists come upon fossil remains of plant and animal forms.Limestone beds provide lithographs ofshellfish and fern. The ea rth’s soil,made up of disintegrated forms of life,
affords nourishment for new forms oflife such as the now existing plants andanimals. Early creations in ancientcivilization lie buried deep in the earth.Ancient Troy was found beneath theruins of several other cities, one upon
the other. Bones of prehistoric animalsare covered by beds of shale and clay.Fossils are imprinted in stone.
Astrophysicists tellus that the dust frominterstellar space andthe material from meteorites have also contributed to the soil ofthe earth. In accordance with the law ofthe conservation of energy, nothing is lost.What is taken from
one condition is addedto another. We see,then, that the universe enlarges. Newand distant frontiersresult from our progress in the acquisitionof knowledge.
In pursuing the molecule to the atom tothe electron, we find amysterious somethingwhich lies beyond. In
allowing our contem plation to travel fromthe earth to the planets to the stars, weseem to feel there issometh ing beyond ,which i s even yetm o r e i n t a n g i b l eand m ys ter iou s—theforce w'hich makes
life possible.The mind is continually concerned
with endless complexities and combina
tions of life aspects. All exists in astate of balance, and all seems to beinfinite, having no end. This leads tothe conception of the unity of life andmatter.
Each form of life in the past ceased because circumscribing physical conditions no longer made life possible forthat particular expression of Nature.With the cessation of one life aspect,that w7hich was left behind contributedin a large degree to a living materialworld.
By Lester L. Libby, M.S. , F.R.C.Director, AMORC Technical Dept.
• Scient is ts a t the Cal i fornia Ins t i tute of Technology have recent lyreported evidence indicat ing thatcerta in prote ins have a moleculars t ructure in the form of a hel ica la r rangement o f the many cons t i t uen t a toms. Pro te ins are thec om p le x m o l e c u l e s c o m p ri si ngmost l iving subs tances , and s tudyof their characteris t ics is moste s sen t i a l towards an unde rs tanding of the l i fe process .
• A m ember f rom Germany hascal led a t tent ion to a recent newsi t em s ta t ing tha t the S tu t tga r tBureau o f P ub l i c S a fe ty has re
p o rte d th e exis te nce of a co rr e la t ion between the number of s t ree taccidents and the presence ofvery low frequency (very longwave l eng th ) e l ec t romagne t i c ra dia t ion in that area . Source ofthe radia t ion was not disc losed,
b u t It w as m enti oned th a t th ereact ion t ime of individuals toemergency s i tua t ions was longe rwhen the rad ia t ion was p rominen tthan when i t was of subduedin tens i ty . F ur the r in fo rma t ion onth i s phenomenon may be fo r th coming in the future .
As man observes the passing paradeof Nature, his mind builds new ideals,in the extension of the horizons of hisknowledge. Habit patterns form thecode of morals and ethics, and thought
conforms to scientific knowledge. Fromthat which is seen and experienced,man builds new ideals, and he is givenstrength for greater creative effort. Thesum of the combinations of ideas andideals of men represents the degree ofcivilization and its progress, both individual and universal. From his personalcreative ability, man may contribute toworld’s enrichment.
What man thinks and does today isthe result of his evolution from the dead
past, which has provided a foundationfor nourishment and growth. Life seeks
to master matter; life seeks to masterits past; it seeks free expression; it seeksto use its creative ability.
We are moved to admiration by thecomplexity, vastness, and order of theheavens, but there is just as much com plexity, vastness, and order on earth inthe functions of Nature, as well aswithin man. Just as the physical un iverse enjoys evolution and growththrough the function of natural laws,so man evolves and grows in understanding. He desires to unders tand thelaws behind the manifestation of everything, the laws which apparently have been evolved by the Infin ite CreativeMan. Just as the Supreme Mind workswith these laws, so does man, or atleast they are available for his use.
One of the most remarkable qualitiesof life is the ability of the mind of anindividual to set an ideal for himselfand then to proceed to the realizationof that ideal. The human mind is em
powered with will which brings to theindividual the ability to master himself and his environment.
Inspiration, new impressions, andnew ideas are the result of worn-outideas of the past. To the thinking m anthe old ideas have provided materialfor the new ideas, just as decomposedlife matter in the soil has made possible more beautiful forms of plantand vegetable life.
I larmonious Adjustments
When man is adjusted to the lawsof nature, he finds peace and a sense
of unity. For the moment he mentally bathes in the sea of life. In his in spired moments he feels a kinship withall of mankind and the universe. Hesenses the breathing of Nature, and herejoices at his own existence. In suchmoments he seems to lose something
of himself and to become a part ofsomething greater. Man receivesstrength and inspiration from thesemoments and from the beauties of Nature in much the same manner as thecontinuance of life is made possible bythe air which he breathes. It is notchildish to think of the wind, the sun,and the moon as creative expressions ofan Infinite God, projected on the darkvault of the sky.
The evolution of the human beingdepends largely upon thought and ac
tion. For progress, men and womenmust agree in their ideals and worktowrard their realization. Every manand woman should desire to exercisehis faculties to the utmost. Love of
personal power and expression is a trueimpulse as long as it does not subjugateothers.
Nature is creative and beautiful.Man, as a part of Nature, desires tofurther his creative work and to refinehum an temperam ent and character. Hisreasoning ability enables him to bringorder into his development. Not onlyshould he study himself, but also themasterpieces around him, as well as thearts revealed in paintings and in stone.That there is a God, or Supreme Mind,and an eternal purpose, and that thereis an animating force in all of us, isevident. This makes it possible foreveryone to contribute, within the province of his knowledge and understanding, to the progressiveness of our world.Through man’s creative ability the Divine Mind is permitted new expressionin maintaining the purposes of life.
God’s World
We do not mean to be trite whenwe say tha t this is God’s world. Thestars that wheel through the firmamentdo so harmoniously. Man also is endowed with the power and the abilityto work harmoniously and intelligentlywith all of mankind. Hum anity onearth could not persist without somefaith or belief sufficiently strong to animate its conduct and give value to ex
istence. Each of us can hasten thecoining of the realization of this ideal.
In man the flow of life is in accordance with his more profound impulses.He who has clarified his viewpoints bythe use of a workable philosophy is bet
ter able to progress amid conflictingimpulses. Life and the desire to liveare the strongest of all urges. Theknowledge which one has gained fromthe past indicates that life can be pur
poseful, meaningful. Life can becomemore real to us as we grow in self-knowledge with faith in ourselves andfaith in the universe, and the will to br ing our world into conformity withour ideals.
The study of the serious aspects oflife, if faithfully pursued, will inevita
bly lead to the fundam entals of ph ilosophy. W e will assume life to be aunified whole. This whole is dominated by an inclusive consciousness which wecall God. God works through us and alllife. M an’s instinct to create represents the Divine desire to develop richerforms of Infinite expression.
Man should seek to discover the creative purpose of life and to make thisend attainable, for thus is utilized thecreative ideal of the Supreme Intelligence. The intelligence in man hasnow evolved to a point aiding directly
in this process. It is very likely tha t thecreative principle, the life force, findsits greatest pleasure in the product ofits creative effort. This may be external to itself, and yet a part of it.An understanding of this conceptionhelps to make God very real to us.
Will those who follow us find this period in history as one of grea t vigorand productivity? We in this age likewise venerate our past history, for ithas given us the present. However,
the work of our times should too provide for a golden age—now and for thefuture. This is in accord with the flowof life which is ever onward and seeking new expression.
That which represents the past will
be found in our many museums. Theyare the proper place for it. We shouldnot try to re-live the past. By liftingour eyes toward the future and livingmore vitally, we can hasten a betterday by formulating new and properideas and acting upon them. We can be parents of the fu tu re just as trulyas we are inheritors of the past.
Belief in a just and Supreme Intelligence and in the evolving universedemands forward progress. The highest ideals and the creative force latent
within our minds tend to manifest nomatter what the field of endeavor. Ourideals grow in power as they reflect ahigher understanding of God and theuniverse.
The life force ever perpetuates itselfthrough the vegetable ana animal kingdoms. The scope of knowledge progresses on to infinity. Man becomesaccustomed to changes, even in his convictions. Each new experience enricheshis life.
Knowledge does not depend upon a
limited truth, but on universal truthwhich more and more becomes personal. Therefore, in his own littlenessthe individual can gradually discover ahigh and eternal dignity.
This preparation for the building ofthe future reminds us of the words ofthe fourteenth century Persian mysticand philosopher, Hafiz: “So live thouhere that when thv life has fled, noone may say of thee, ‘This man isdead’.”
Q Vs OF l an tz n jo u
The Supreme and Grand Lodge officers and the Rosicrucian staff express their thanksand appreciation for the many wonderful Christmas greetings which they have receivedfrom members and friends throughout the world. It indeed brings us much closer toour members and friends when this flood of good wishes crosses our desks. We take thisopportunity to wish each and everyone of you a very happy and successful New Year.
The “Cathedral of the Soul” is a Cosmic meeting place for all minds of themost highly developed and spiritually advanced members and workers of theRosicrucian frate rni ty. It is the focal point of Cosmic radiations and thoughtwaves from which radiate vibrations of health, peace, happiness, and innerawakening. Various periods of the day are set aside when man y thousandsof minds are attuned with the Cathedral of the Soul, and others attuning withthe Cathedral at the time will receive the benefit of the vibrations. Those whoare not members of the organization may share in the unusual benefits as wellas those who are members. The book called Liber 777 describes the periodsfor various contacts with the Cathedral. Copies will be sent to persons whoare not members if they address their requests for this book to Friar S. P. C.,care of AMORC Temple, San Jose, California, enclosing three cents in postagestamps. (Please state whether member or not—this is important.)
MYSTICAL LITERATURE
The Rosicrucian Digest January 1952
On e purpose of litera ture isto convey the thoughtsand feelings of the authorto the reader. It is a
process by which language is used in itshighest form of expression, for good literatureconcerns itself not only
with the content of thought but alsowith the technique of the skillful useof language to convey the feelings thataccompany the thought. This criterionis a severe one. Fur therm ore, theremight be considerable disagreement asto what writings of any languagemight, in this strict sense of the word, be considered true literature. The finaldefinition for the individual is somewhat relative. Not all of us will agreeas to the quality of literature, becausewhat will seem as the best will be that
which strikes a responsive chord in one’sconsciousness and makes it possible forhim to realize the full import of thethought, the ideals, the intensity offeeling that was in the mind of theauthor. It is even possible tha t feelingsand inspiration may come to us whichwere beyond the concept of the author.The skill in the use of words can soarrange certain associations within ourown mind as to enable us to bringto consciousness such inspiration, knowledge, or feeling as we intimately understand.
Mystical literature is that part of thegreat literary contribution of the pastand present that conveys the feelings ofmysticism to the individual reader. Notall mystics have produced the best ofliterature, and some who might not betechnically considered mystics havewritten in a form and in a style that
produced in the consciousness of themystically inclined individual the statethat was necessary to lift his thoughtsto the point of inspiration.
Mystical literature is not confined tothe fields of religion and philosophy.Religious writings have a tendency todirect our attention toward the religious concepts of the wri ter. Philoso ph y is an analysis of thought thatdirects our attention toward an analytical point of view and to the studyof man’s progress through history, inorder to learn to understand the phenomenon as well as the world ofthought in which he resides. Inspiration comes to the individual who directs his attention toward those thingswhich cause him to be able to formulate
in thought and words the feelings thathave already been stirred within his being.
Mysticism, the process of associatingthe human consciousness with DivineConsciousness, is a means of makingman become aware of the immensityof the universe and the Cosmic schemeand his part in it. It is through themystical concept that man, withoutintermediary, has direct access to thewisdom of the ages, to God as a sourceof being. Literature such as will helpto create the frame of mind conducive
to these thoughts has the true scope ofmystical literature. It produces the im petus for meditation—an active formof meditation that leads to creativethought and action. Literature whichonly informs and does not inspire may
be interesting *.nd at times worth while, but the true form of meditation is notmerely our dwelling upon the thoughtsof someone else, but in creating withinour own consciousness thoughts thathave sprung from a combination of ourown thinking and the inspiration of thewords of another.
The periods outlined in the booklet Liber 777, which describes the functionof the Cathedral of the Soul, are shortintervals of the day set aside for thistype of meditation. Preparation of our
selves not only with the instructionscontained in this booklet but with the proper frame of mind, created throughthe reading of inspirational literature,will enable us to more easily enter intothe spirit of this Cathedral of the Soul.In future months we will direct ourattention in this department to variouswritings in the mystical and inspirational field. This will not be for the pu r
pose of examining the life and litera ryskill of the writers selected, but forexamining some of the passages of
literature that will provide inspirationfor our own individual thinking.
THE ROSE-CROIX UNIVERSITYThe Rose-Croix University was established in 1934, under the direction of the late
Dr. H. Spencer Lewis, and every year since that time there has been a threeweeks’ period of resident study for members of the Rosicrucian Order who wish to cometo Rosicrucian Park to study. The faculty of the Rose-Croix Un iversity is made up ofmembers of the organization especially trained in the ir fields. The three weeks’ summer term of the Rose-Croix University puts within the reach of every Rosicrucianmember the opportunity to study those subjects closely related to the Rosicrucianteachings, or to advance his knowledge in other fields of his selection.
At the 1952 term, June 16 through July 5, courses will be offered in art, music, philosophy, psychology, physics, chemistry, and other interest ing subjects. In addit ionto the classroom instruction, the three weeks’ term of the University provides a periodof association with o ther Rosicrucians from various parts of the world. There a re also presented special lectures, exclusively for the student body, by the Imperator, theSupreme Secretary, the Grand Master, and members of the Rose-Croix Universityfaculty. Do not postpone for another yea r the opportunity to participate in this threeweeks’ period of instruction. You will find tha t the Rose-Croix University courses will both ins truct and inspire you. Write today for a copy of The Story of Learning , whichdescribes the courses to be offered. Direct your request to: The Registrar, Rose-CroixUniversity, Rosicrucian Park, San Jose, California.
<Jacz £ La±k7 HOW THE COMPASS INFLUENCED RITUALISM
By R a l p h M. L e w is , F.R. C.
The Rosicrucian Digest January 1952
o s t religious andtraditiona l esoter
i c ce rem on i es havethe i r foundat ion , in part at least, in the phenomena of nature .The basic element ofreligion is subjective.It is a gradual ly
evolved idealism thatstems from man’s psychic nature. These
p sych ic inclinationsfind their form of ex pression in the things of man’s world.The human being seeks some object orcondition that will symbolize or represent those innate feelings which hehas. Since these subjective impulses arevague—that is, not associated with any
pa rticular objective experience—man ismclined to think of them as being
supernatural. To the primitive mindthere is also much in nature which, because it seems inexplicable, appears to be of supernatural origin. Consequently, it seems appropriate to this mindto relate such phenomena to one’s emotional and psychic nature. The naturalelements, the seasons, the sun, themoon, the stars and the heavens, eventhe earth itself, become symbolic ofthe religious concepts. They provide ameans of dramatizing, that is, teachinga graphic lesson, by which to explainthe subjective experiences underlying
man’s moral self.With increased intelligence and philosophical insight, the elements andforces of nature were not always considered as directly related to man’ssubjective impressions. Th ey were,however, conceived as an esoteric language, as a kind of symbolism by whichthe immanent impulses and spirituallife were to be explained. The mostimpressive of all natural phenomenahas been the sunrise. W ith the comingof the sun, the darkness of night, which
holds terrors to the primitive mind, wasdispelled. Man’s visionwas returned to him.The world and i t s beauty took form inthe rays of the sun. Inthe temperate zone thechill of the night air
gave way to the caressing warmth of the sun.The golden majesty ofthe orb, as it seemedto slowly float across
the heavens, transcended man’s power.In no way could he affect its course. Allof these things deeply impressed him.
Notwithstanding the omnipotence ofthe sun, it was realized by almost all peoples of every age as a beneficent power. Its efficacy in sustaining lifewas soon discovered by the primitiveminds which lived so intimately withnature. As a consequence, the sun wasapotheosized and venerated as a god.It is not difficult to understand why theheavens were quartered into the cardinal points of East, West, North, andSouth. These quarters have relation tothe rising and setting of the sun andto the seasons of the year. The word
East is of Aryan root and, significantlyenough, means “shine or burn.” West is also of Aryan origin, being the Aryanword for “dwell.” This was very likelyassociated with the abiding place of the
sun at night. Etymologically, the wordSouth means “sunned.” This meaningis perhaps based on the sun’s greater potency when it follows the southerncourse in the Northern Hemisphere.The origin of the word North is, however, not known with certainty.
Attraction of Consciousness
An example of early primitive orientation of structures to the sun is Stone-henge on the Salisbury Plain in England. It consists of huge monoliths
erected in a vast circle with one rowon an east-west axis. It has been surmised that the early people who erectedthis structure used it for religious ceremonies. At certain times of the year,the position of the sun on the horizon
at sunrise is in the center of the eastend of what was the great row ofmonoliths. Thu s priests, candidates orsupplicants could stand at the west endof the row and make a salutation tothe sun as it rose above the horizon.
In the earliest burials in Egypt, the body is said to be laid on the left side,lying north and south, with the faceturned toward the east, according toMaspero, noted French Egyptologist.Most of these burials were, of course,of proto-Egyptians, that is, prehistoric,
ana before embalming was in generaluse. Budge, however, says that prehistoric Egyptian skeletons were laidon the left side with the limbs bentand with the face generally toward thesouth. These observations indicate thatearly burials did take into considerationorientation according to the points ofthe compass.
The pyramids of Egypt generallyhave one side facing to the north, relates Petrie. One side of the GreatPyramid of Gizeh is 4' west of north.
This difference, it has been surmised,is probably due to the movement of the pole ra th er than an y er ror in calculation on the par t of the builders. Thesix remaining pyramids in the vicinityof Gizeh have a north entrance passage. This entrance leads to an inclined passageway down the center.This is no mere coincidence. Such anorthern passageway, with an opening at the apex of the pyramid, wouldhave given the Egyptians an excellentview of what was then the Pole Star.As one archaeologist admits, it is “acircumstance whicn can hardly be sup
posed to have been unintentiona l.”It is of more than passing interest
to note that the pyramids stood on theWest of any temple that was adjacentto them. This orientation is perhapsdue to the significance attached to thewest by the Egyptian—“the blessedWest, the Land of the Souls.” The religious significance of the Cardinal
oints of the compass perhaps also in-uenced the orientation of the Great
Sphinx. The ancient Egyptians called
the Sphinx HoremKher which means“Horus on the Horizon,” or, in otherwords, the sun in the act of rising.Horus had many virtues but he was
primarily the god of sunrise. The refore, the Sphinx was erected so that it
gazed eastward—not, however, to justlook across desert wastes or irrigatedlands, but to peer into an ethereal worldof sublime sacerdotal import to theancient Egyptians.
Every temple in Egypt is directedtoward the point on the horizon wherethe sun or the particular star, to whichthe temple is consecrated, will rise orset. This rising or setting is related toa “particular ceremonial day.” A particular star was first observed, thenthe temple was constructed according
to such orientation. If the entrance ofthe temple faces due east and west—that is, on an east-west axis—it is calleda sun temple. It derives its name fromthe fact that at some time during theyear it faced directly either the sunrise or sunset. The temple Sebak-Raat Ombos, points toward the setting ofArcturus which the Egyptians sym bolized as the crocodile. That this orientation of temples was very importantto these ancients is indicated by the bas-relief in the Temple of Denderah which
depicts the king stretching a cord forfoundations and with eyes set uponwhat appears to be the Great Bear.
It has been pointed out that thisexact orientation of the ancient Egyptian temples, with the stars, would provide us today with a kind of telescope.It wrould tell us of the heliacal rising(on the horizon at sunrise) of stars inthat remote time. The natu ral shiftingof the earth’s pole, in relation to thecelestial one, would cause such starsnot to be seen in the same position at
present. The halls of the great temples,during the period of their use, weredark, especially at the end opposite theentrance. The dividing or transversehalls each have a central doorway directly on the axis of the main hall.Thus “a priest standing in the dark atthe farthest end looking through thelong series of doorways would have agood view of a star at heliacal rising,that is, rising a little before sunrise.”Such an occurrence would have been
for sacrifice or other important sacerdotal events.
Light and lAfe
The Egyptians, during the height ofthe priesthood at Heliopolis and subsequently during the 18th Dynasty, hadtne sun, whom they called Ra , occupya most prominent place in their religion. Ra rose in the east. The eastwas the place of glory or rebirth oflight other than physical light. Ra wasthought to pass into the world of deathand darkness in the west, thence totravel through that realm to be rebornin the east at sunrise. That which portrayed death was related to the westand that representing life, the soul anddivinity, was always directed to theeast. The private tombs in Egypt gen
erally have their entrance to the east,directed to Ra—never in the west.This orientation according to the
quarters of the heavens is not confinedto Egypt. Some African tribes havethe ir homes face the east. Sometimestheir explanation is that they face eastso as not to offend a deity whose spiritis associated with the east and the rising sun. Many American Indians placetheir encampment so that its entranceis toward the east. The Omaha tribeis especially particular about this arrangement of its encampment during
the ir ceremonies. The mystical meaning the American Indians have conferred upon the phenomena of natureis most illuminating and is an extensivestudy in itself.
In the state of Manipur, India, thetribe known as the Naga have, as a rule,the ir houses face the west. They statethat the west is the direction taken bythe spirits of the dead, which was also believed by the ancient Egyptians. Infact, the great Egyptian funeral processions were from east to west. Thelarge mortuary temples are almost allto be found on the west side of the Nile. The so-called Valley of theKings and Queens and the tombs ofthe nobles are west of the Nile acrossfrom Thebes, ancient capital of Egypt.
The Babylonian temples had theirT he corners oriented according to the pointsRosicrucian t ie compass. However, they almost
all had entrances on each side. Inl£es India, also, the Buddhists orien t the ir
January temples so that they face east with the1952 entrance in that point also.
With the Greeks there appears to bea syncretic influence in the orientationof the ir temples. In other words, theimpact of the Egyptian custom madeitself strongly felt upon the Greeks.The Greek cella, the enclosed area ofthe temple, had a door in the east side.The cella or inner sanctuary containedthe image of the deity. The imagealways faced east. In these templesof the gods, the image was so orientedthat “it would catch the first rays ofthe morning sun.” This would, ofcourse, not occur each day but on thoseceremonial days for which the templehad originally been oriented to the exact position of the sun on the horizon.In temples consecrated to heroes, thereverse practice was followed. Thetemples were erected to face the west.
It is odd to note that the Romansgave no evidence of this symbolic orientation. At least the direction of theirtemples is not sufficiently consistent todraw any such conclusion from them.
It appears that the early Christianchurch took cognizance of the age-oldorientation of sacred edifices. There isan interesting comment to the effectthat Pope Leo of the 5th century com plained that the people turned to salutethe rising sun as it shone through theeast door of St. Peter’s. It is stated thatthis is the cause of one of the reversals
of the churches to the present aspect,with the door to the west so that theworshippers face the east end of theedifice instead. Most of the Christianchurches are constructed on the east-west axis today if circumstances permit.
The Search for Wisdom
The term The East has inherentwithin it a wealth of mystical meaning associated with the eastern pointof the compass. It generally portrays,in occultism and mysticism , tne pointfrom whence illumination or divinewisdom emanates. It represents, as well,the traditional oriental source of wisdom and the beginning of the search by man in the orient for truth andfor personal evolvement. It furtherrepresents a fixed point in a lodge ortemple for adoration or worship, indicative of the point where the consciousness of God descends to contact thatof man. The Brahman today stillturns east for prayer at sunrise. Thesupplicant in the ancient mystery
schools usually faced the sun or theeast when taking solemn oaths and inoffering prayers.
In the interrogation in the ThirdDegree of Freemasonry, there is theexpression of “coming from the east,”and “going to the west.” These havea mystical meaning. Mirandola, in his
Kabbalistic Conclusions, said: “Everygood soul is a new soul from the east.”Thomas Vaughan (Eugenius Phila-lethes) defined “the east” as being Kokmah, that is, wisdom, the secondSephira which the Kabbalists style thesupernatural east. According to the
Didascalia, the Greek Apostolic Constitutions, prayer is offered with the faceturned to the east “because God ascended to the heaven of heavens to the
east and because paradise is situatedin the east.” (Apost. Const, ii.57)C. R. C. (Christian Rosenkreuz), often
referred to as the traditional founderof the Rosicrucian Order, but actuallythe symbolic title of a Rosicrucian master, was said to have brought the wisdom “from the east” and then to have“come to the west.” In almost all themystery schools—as in Rosicruciantemples and lodges today—the candidate, during some part of his initiation
ceremony, was obliged to perambulateabout the temple. This consisted of a
progression from one point of the tem ple to another. Each point or station in the temple corresponded to a cardinal
oint of the compass. These stations
ad an allegorical relationship to thequarters of the heavens. Thus the tem ple became in fact a small world orearth itself and the journey symbolicof the journey through life.
In the Rosicrucian Manual, we findthe following: “Our Lodges also represent the surface of the earth with fourcardinal points or horizons—East,South, West and North, with earth,fire, and water beneath our feet, andair and ‘Nous’ overhead, beyond whichare the ‘stars and sky’—the immaterial
world.” The Manual, referring to thesymbolic east of the Rosicrucian Lodge,says: “In the East is the new life begun. From the East comes forth theGlory of God, ‘which is of God.’ Therefore, in our Lodges, the East is the
point in which AMORC members seekthat Dawn of Illumination and DivineResurrection, from the ‘dismal darknessof the North,’ as will make them freefrom the superstitions of darkness (ignorance) and fears of the night (evil).”
V A V
AMORC CHAPTER IN FRESNO, CALIFORNIA
An AMORC Chapter has been organized in Fresno, California. All active members
in Fresno and the surrounding area are invited to visit at the regular meetings. Members
will enjoy contacts, as well as their being able to participate in ritualistic Convocations
and hea ring the special discourses which will be presented. Regular meetings will be
held on the second and fou rth Fridays of each month at 8:00 p. m. at the HotelCalifornian.
TEMPLE DEGREE INITIATIONSThe New York City Lodge, 250 West 57th Street, will confer the Third Temple
Degree on Jan ua ry 27, and the First Temple Degree on February 24. All eligibleAMORC members are invited to take advantage of these opportunities.
^ t i o n a l Art Week wascelebrated in the Rosicrucian Egyptian andOriental Museum by anexhibit of “Prints of theModern Mexican Renaissance.” The local pressreported the exhibit as “a
___________ carefully balanced studyin calm acceptance of life in general,
and turbulent reaction against the morespecific unpleasant facts of modemcivilization. As such, it is deeply honest and subtly moving.”
On November 11, Edmundo Gonzalez, consul general of Mexico in SanFrancisco, spoxe on “The Art and Culture of Mexico.” At this meeting therewas shown a sound color-film calledThe Maya through the Ages. Becauseof the large number who were not ableto be accommodated in the art gallery,Senor Gonzalez very graciously re peated his rem arks for a second audience.
V A V
If one wants to give himself a refreshing hour he need only delve intolodge and chapter bulletins. He willfind activity and interest aplenty.
Frater Arthur Piepenbrink of theAMORC Board of Lectureship recentlysaid in Washington that a lodge or achapter should be a cultural and intellectual center in its community. Reading the bulletins gives one the conviction tha t it is just that. Art, music,language, science, and mathematicseverywhere are given due attention—so that every night in the week something is offered the Rosicrucian chaptermember.
The spirit of true fraternalism seems more than evident among Rosicrucians,according to the Bulletins from Australia, Germany, Cuba, Brazil, New
York, Boston, Cincinnati, and fromeverywhere else.
Here is a sampling of items fromvarious fall bulletins: Rallies and Halloween parties, of course. The Ralliesreported excellent attendance and deserved it, for the programs were wellthought out and worth-while.... Essene
Chapter of Minneapolis wants to havea Rally next year—and why not, thesuccess of others might just as well bethe lot of Minnesota Rosicrucians. . . . Nefertit i in Chicago had its Reincarnation Party again at Halloween. It issaid that some who couldn’t project
backward did so forward and came astheir own sweet selves which they hopeto be next time around!
♦ * *Some lodges and chapters are honor
ing members who have been affiliatedwith the Rosicrucian Order (AMORC)for ten or more years. This is an excellent gesture. It ’s no small thing toremain steadfast for so long a time inany endeavor.
* * *Youngstown, Ohio, Chapter has is
sued its first bulletin and a worthy effort it is, too. In it we read tha t itsColombe, Carole Jean Cassetto, wasnamed and christened “Colombe.” Hermother promised the “Cosmic” that ifthe baby were a girl, she would bededicated to service of the Order. What
a beautiful mission for any soul- personality.* % *
More and more Bulletins are beingillustrated—we mention Takhoma, Boston, Philadelphia especially—and theillustrations are imaginatively conceived and carefully drawn, too.
of good things. . . . Hermes of Los Angeles has an initiation group made upof Past Masters. Isn ’t that somethingto be proud of? It has ta lent galore inother directions as well: Have you seenGillian Gray on television and heard
her sing? W heth er it’s Brahms’ Lu lla-by or Gounod’s Juliette or Delibes’
Lak me, Gillian (or Colombe NancyBissett to you) has the poise, technique,and voice to pu t it over. And Willa-mary Azmann and her theremin! Hereis something electronic that can be ap plied to the performer as well as to theinstrument! . . . Cincinnati has blossomed into a new format. From thecomments on its Rally (attended bymembers from several nearby states),this group is riding a new cycle of
achievement. . . . John O’Donnell Lodgeof Baltimore amazes with the things itasks for through its Bulletin and getsthem—lamps, chairs, folding beds, antimacassars, and Franklin stoves. Itis operating according to law. . . . Finally George Washington Carver’s recentBulletin carried a nice picture andstory of a “fraternal visitation” by themembers of John O’Donnell. . . . Don’tmiss Pauline’s newsy column in the
Rocky Mountain Rosicrucian.
V A VSoror Edla Wahlin’s book reviews
are becoming an established thing atRosicrucian Park. Her first of the season was recently given in the readingroom of the Rosicrucian Research Li brary. Having to do with the ciphersof Roger Bacon, it intrigued all whoheard it, and opened up a fascinatingnew field of study. Another review isscheduled in the spring.
V A VThe male employees at Rosicrucian
Park, some thirty-six in all, foregathered recently to test the 1951 version
of Peter Falcone’s spaghetti dinner. All pronounced it excellent.V A V
Job’s Daughters, holding a Convention in San Jose, descended on Rosicrucian Park a few weeks ago. Six Peerless buses, three Greyhounds, and oneSpecial School Bus emptied their loadsof charming junior misses at the Rosicrucian Egyptian and Oriental Museum. It proved an exciting morning forall concerned.
V A V
Not too long ago, the Rosicrucian Digest published a picture of the Im- pe rator and the Grand Master of Egyptmeeting between the paws of theSphinx. In November, Grand MasterSaad of Egypt came to Rosicrucian Park
to retu rn the Imp erato r’s call. Whilehere he had the pleasure of inspectingthe Museum’s recent acquisition of afine collection of Egyptian objects (Tart.
* * *
Another distinguished visitor wasFrater Joseph Weed of New York City,Grand Councilor of the Order for the
North Atlantic States. After a conference with the Imperator, he made a brief tour of the Park, renewing acquaintances with other officers and staffmembers.
V A VPerhaps Rosicrucians imagine thatonly members read and appreciatethe Digest, but this isn’t altogether thecase. Here is proof from an “outsider’s”letter: “The Digest is by far the mostinteresting and informative magazinewe have ever subscribed to, and we intend to renew our subscription for alonger period.”
V A VAt the Fresno County Fair—the third
largest in the state of California—a fair
share of first and second prizes forfruit and vegetables went to KennethE. Garberson of Hanford. “I use,”Frater Garberson writes, “what some
people call the ‘organic method,’ andsince my last operation about four yearsago, the ground has never been spadedor cultivated .” For many years a Rosicrucian, Frater Garberson claims gardening to be only one of his manyhobbies. At 42 and active in businessand the affairs of his community, heyet finds time to study law, the piano,and also does orchestra conducting. It’s
our guess, too, that he finds time for hisRosicrucian monographs as well.V A V
Paraphrasing the sentiment of anAmerican statesman, let it be notedthat although Indiana is a small state,there are those who love her—and allthe more because of the Rosicrucianswho are tucked away within her borders. Occasionally, some of them cometo Rosicrucian Park and make themselves known. Soror R. O. Botkin ofPortland, Indiana, did just that recently.
Cult of Mithras in Roman Britain A Shrine Recently Discovered at Carrawburgh on Hadrian’s Wall
By Professor Ian A. Richmond, M.A., F.S.A., Ford’s Lecturer inEnglish History, Oxford, 1950-51.
(Reprinted from The Illustrated London News, issue of March 24, 1951—by kind permission)
Professor Richmond describes the excavations undertaken during 1950 by the Excavation Committees of the University of Durhamand the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and conducted by himself and Mr.J. P. Gillam. The owner of the site, Mrs.Benson, of Newbrough, has given the site tothe Nation, and it will in due course be putin order for exhibition by the Ancient Monuments Department of the Ministry of Works.
A m o n g the numerous mystery-re-ligions of the ancient world, the worship of Mithras is that w'hich has mostcaught modern fancy, because, thanksto archaeological discoveries, much isknown about it. The cult was of Persianorigin. Mithras, the God of Light andcompanion of the Sun, had for his
prophet Zoroaster, whose precepts formthe ancient background of present-dayParsee worship, and preserve much thatis valuable for the understanding of theMithra ic cult. But the branch of worship which spread westwards to theRoman wrorld did not develop in thesame direction as Parseeism. The classof people to whom the cult of Mithras
there became attractive, army officersand merchants, found in his teachingsthe sources of strength which they mostneeded. Invincibility, fortitude and vigilance were the qualities which a soldier could ardently desire and whollyunderstand: uprightness, fidelity and
T he constancy, not to mention again forti- Rosicruc ian tu< e anc^ vigilance, were the virtues
• . essential to continued mercantile sue-cess.
January Small wonder that temples of Mithras1952 abounded in the great mercantile port
of Ostia or in Rome itself, or that theyspread far and wide to the base-for-tresses and frontiers of the Empire,from Syria to the Danube, from Danubeto Rhine and from Rhine to the Tyneand Solway. This did not happen, however, either rapidly or early. Romefirst heard of the Mithraic mysteriesin the first century B.C.: it is not untiltwo centuries later that they are coming into vogue on the Rhine frontier.On Hadrian’s Wall the known shrines
all belong to the third century.Mithraism was inculcated by initiation and revelation, not for divulgenceoutside the cult. To apprehend it insmall degree demanded special tests ofendurance, understanding and courage:to comprehend all meant passingthrough seven grades. The names ofthe different grades, Raven, Bridegroom,Soldier, Lion, Persian, Sun-Courier,Father, to mention those most widelyand generally attested, give a hint ofthe complex ideas involved. The casual
references to tests for terror, for endurance, or to rites of binding andloosing, of crowning and renunciation,and of sacred feasts partaken in mystical commemoration, indicate the com plexity and rich symbolism of Mithraicritua l expression. Actual prayers toMithras which survive show the passionate fervour and the white heat ofinspiration which they were intendedto evoke. In the East the teaching wasoften, though not always, in the handsof special priests: in the West the gen-
eral rule was that the Father, or highest grade of initiate, handed on sacredteaching of the cult and acted as head.
It cannot be supposed that there waseverywhere strict uniformity of practice. But it is certain th at women had
no place in the orthodox cult, and thatthe rigour, austerity, and intellectualdemands of the worship kept its malemembership not only small but select.Consonantly the individual groups werenever large: a dozen might well be afair average, and a score was on thelarge side as provincial groups went.This explains why the temples orshrines of Mithras are neither verycommon nor very large when they occur. On Hadrian ’s Wall two such tem-
Sles are now known, at the forts of
[ousesteads ( Borcovicium) and Car-rawburgh ( Procolitia), the former astructure 42 ft. by 16 ft. internally,the latter 38 ft. by 15 ft. The House-steads temple was discovered in 1822,examined afresh in 1898, and is notnow visible. The building was muchdamaged, and while the relics from theshrine, now in the Blackgate Museumat Newcastle-upon-Tyne, are very remarkable, the structural remains aredifficult to understand in detail. TheCarrawburgh temple was found in 1949and fully excavated in 1950. It owesits remarkable state of preservation to being engulfed in the peat-bog th at inlate-Roman days choked the little valley of which it occupied the side.
The last phase of the temple belongsto the first quarter of the fourth century. When the building was desertedthe bog encroached upon it, causing itswalls to slide and collapse, while thearea was being used as a rubbish dumpfor animal bones and refuse. But before this the temple had been desecrated.The main relief of Mithras had beentaken out of the sanctuary, leaving onlya single fragm ent behind. The statueof Cautopates had been broken off its base and removed, while th at of Cauteshad been beheaded and thrown down.
Many shrines of Mithras were singled out for this kind of treatment during the fourth century by Christianzealots. But three altars in the sanctuary remained, which had been gathered there as treasured relics of theearlier local phases of the cult. Allwere dedications by former comman
dants of the adjacent fort, and two datedrespectively to A.D. 205-211 and toA.D. 213-222. The third bears a half-length figure of Mithras, in the guiseof the unconquered Sun-god, with charioteer’s whip, scarlet cloak (the paint
still remaining), and radiate crown, theravs being pierced for illumination bya lamp in a cavity behind them. Thiscorresponds precisely to the liturgicaldescription of Mithras as revealed to theinitiated. These remarkable altars,standing almost in original position,were matched by miniature altars placedat the edge of the raised benches forworshippers which filled each aisle.The benches were of beaten clay facedwith plaster on a wattle backing.
The acid peat has almost totally destroyed the plaster but preserved thewood. The stumps of the uprights ofthe nave and one of the longitudinal beams which they had carried werealso thus preserved, together with theuprights for a screen separating themain part of the temple from an anteroom. The temple can thus be restoredas a long, low building, with anteroom,nave, aisles, and niched sanctuary.There is no suggestion of windows, butthe planning suggests a low clerestory,for ventilation rather than for light.
The anteroom of this period accom
modated in one corner a little pedestalfor the statue of a mother-goddess, atthe foot of which stood a jar for offerings. The occurrence of a mother-
oddess in a shrine of Mithras is rare,ut not without parallel . . . in this ex
clusively male cult she does not enterthe sanctuary proper but is confined tothe anteroom.
In the previous stage of the temple’sexistence, however, tne anteroom hadcontained another rare feature. A section of its floor of stone slabs formed
the lid of an ordeal pit, a stone-lined,gravelike receptacle just big enough tocontain a man. The pit lay in frontof a large open hearth capable of developing much heat, so that the initiate,virtually buried alive in the damp, coldcavity, could be subjected to those alternations of heat and cold whichMithraic endurance tests prescribed.
No less remarkable were the remainsof successive floor-coverings of heatherand boarding, and the wattled revetments of the penultimate period were pa rticularly fine.
Weaving Our Destinies By H. S p e n c e r L e w i s , F. R. C.(From Rosicrucian Digest, August 1937)
Since thousands of readers of the Rosicrucian Digest have not read many of the earlierarticles of our late Imperator, Dr. H. Spencer Lewis, we adopted the editorial policy of
publishing each month one of his outstanding articles, so that his thoughts would continueto reside within the pages of this publication.
eldom do we pause in our periods of medita tion andconcentration to reflectupon the processes where by we weave our destinies and determine ourfutu re lives and activities.Too often we take it forgranted that we have a
c to do here in this life,
and that we should concern ourselveswith what lies immediately before us.We have no concern regarding the future—the great future beyond the present horizon. Too many of us feel tha tif we make good preparation for tomorrow and for the years that lie ahead, just this side of the spiritua l horizon,we will be doing our duty by God andman and laying a sufficient foundationfor whatever existence there may befor us after transition. Very often ourattitude is that “the distant future willtake care of itself if we are diligent
and mindful of the immediate future.”But the truth is that while we are plotting and planning for tomorrow,and tomorrow’s tomorrow, and seeingour path only so far as it reaches the borderline of transition , we are actuallylaying a foundation for a future existence. Whether we are believers inreincarnation or not, we are all of us
believers in the immortality of the soul,the survival of personality, and the integrity and stability of character. On
the other hand, we know that thatcharacter and personality are built outof the elements of the experiences ofeach day, and that tomorrow we arethe result of what we experienced andthought and created this aay. Whetherthat future existence is purely andwholly spiritual in an invisible andintangible kingdom called heaven, oran impersonal existence wherein we
are absorbed into the Consciousness ofGod and become a part of God, withno knowledge of ourselves as entities, itreflects also our present life. Whetherwe will dwell in this indefinite spiritualkingdom for a time, and then incarnatein a fleshy body to carry on again anearthly activity, the fact remains thatwhatever of us is to survive this lifeafter transition will be a reflection ofthe sum total of our experiences, ourideas, our ideals, standards and convictions, while in the present earthly body.
For this reason we should be more
mindful of our acts, our thinking, andthe molding of our characters hour byhour and day by day. We may feelthat what we determine today as beingof benefit tomorrow, or next month, ornext year, is all that is necessary forour future happiness and enjoyment ofall of life’s blessings, but we shouldkeep in mind that the things we dotoday and tomorrow, and what we plot and plan for next month or nextyear, may have a direct bearing and
out Europe; that he made as manyfriends as he made enemies, both politically and socially; that he reawakened the spirit of patriotism in thehearts of the people of France, particularly when such patriotism was atits lowest ebb and a glorious nation wasface to face with threatened annihilation. He inspired man y ideals, inflamedmany magnificent passions in thehearts of men and women.
We may view many of Napoleon’sacts as being ignoble in motive or pur
pose, but we cannot deny th at manyother of his acts and intentions wereas noble as any man ever conceived.He had as many strong points of character as weak ones, and he had surrounded himself with eleven similarminds and similar characters. Even to
day there are many cities and townsand many thousands of persons inEurope who pay high tribute to himand to his companions. Switzerland,for instance, will never forget that itwas Marshal Ney, cooperating with theidealistic plans of Napoleon, who savedthe country of Switzerland from dissolution through its continued quarrelsand wars among its cantons. The patriots of Switzerland will always feelthat the bejeweled snuff box whichthey officially presented to Ney and themonument they built to him are only
small tokens of the still greater monuments they have erected in their heartsto his memory and to his achievements.
Even the Duke of Wellington of England, the political and military opponent of Napoleon and of Marshal Ney, paid the highest tribute possible to Neyand assisted in planning for his escapefrom the unreasonable execution thathad been ordered and decreed by therevengeful mind of Louis XVIII. Andall of England concurred in Wellington’s opinion. In fact, Napoleon andhis group made friends of their enemies
and won the admiration of their op ponents. So far as love and esteem areconcerned, Napoleon’s great defeat wastruly a victory.
But in thinking of these things wemust remember that somewhere, some
time in the past, and undoubtedly in arevious existence, these twelve menad labored together or labored indi
vidually in behalf of some great plan,some great scheme, which laid thefoundation for their coming togetheragain in such a strange and fortunatemanner. It would be interesting indeed to know what each of them hadachieved in a previous incarnation, orin a previous existence, what foundation each one of them had laid for thefuture, and what high ideals or whatvery definite convictions and beliefsthey carried with them across the borderline at the time of their previoustransitions.
fit the Far Future
No doubt many of us today who are
associated directly or indirectly in ourcampaign for the awakening and thedeveloping of the inner self in the massof mankind are laying foundations forthe future and creating our courses ofdestiny, our paths of achievement, ourcareers of experience. No doubt ma nyof us will be rejoined and reunited in
perhaps closer companionship and inmore intense activity, and historians ofthe time may wonder at the strangetrick of fate that brought together somany persons of diversified nationalityor tongue or social position in life.
Just as surely as we enjoy tomorrowand next week, next month and nextyear, the fruits of our actions, the accumulative effect of our thinking, ourstudies and our experiences of todayand tomorrow, so we shall be face toface with a standard of character anda path of activity in the distant future,resulting from these same efforts of today. We are all builders of our destinies, creators of our fate. But thestones in such a building and the elements of such creation are laid uncon
sciously and consciously in the thingsthat we do and think, that we believeand take unto ourselves as parts of ourcharacter and our personality in eachconscious and unconscious moment ofthe present time.
NIN TH DEGREE IN IT IA TIO NThe Benjamin Franklin Lodge, 1303 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia 23, Penn
sylvania, will confer the Ninth Degree Initiation on Sunday, January 13, 1952, at 3 p.m. Elig ible members are invited to attend.
HERBERT SPENCER’S HOMEIn Queens Gardens, London, stands this well-preserved edifice in which the English philoso
pher. Herbert Spencer, resided. It reflects the dignity of this prominent thinker who livedin the second half of the 19th cen tury. This period began the great scientific movement whichfound Spencer t rying to reconcile philosophy and science. To the scientist, tic was not sufficiently specialized: to the philosopher, he was too technical. A friend of Darwin and Huxley,he held that evolution is an intentional progress—there is purpose in creation.
W k i t l l e r . . . W h e r e . . . W l l e n c e ?
I"ROM w i i i -n c e arises llie idea ol sell, ol immortality, of eve rlasting life / C an we prove by logi c th a t life conti nues aft er death / O r is th e co nce pt i)iil a fo ible ol mankind?I la\ e you ever stood in so litude npoll the brink ol a yaw nin g ch asm, a deep canyo n, inthe dead ol night? Do you realize that each hour ol your l i le you stand up on the brinkol just such a ch asm . . . the chasm of eternity? Is the span of your life sus pen ded b etween a vast mystery preced ing your hi rt 11 an d a gr eat mystery still to com e/ Are yousatisfied to end ure years ol conscious life in ignoranc e ol the purpose o f li fe .. .t l le endtowa rd wh ich life is mov ing? II these subjects ap peal to you, if they present a challengeto your thinking, then one ol the following series ol discourses will particularly interestyou. I hey are prolound in thought, but s im ply and lorcefully written. Do not missreading them.
No. 3. The Faiths of the World No. 15. Life's Mysteries No. 17. Life Everlasting 1 wo discourses will he sent yo u every mon th for only 75 cents.^ ou may su bscribe for only one month or lor as m any monthsas you please until one or all of the courses are completed.When order ing , please give number as well as the name ol thecourse (or courses) you select. Se nd yo ur ord er to the address
be low.
For Only
7 5 c
MonthlyYou Receive TwoLarge Discourses
Every Month
THEiiMYSTERY OF LIFE
I tEAKEKS HESEAI I CH ACADEMY n o s t v 11 v v i a x r a n k V . S . A .
T H E R O S I C R U C I A N O R D E R The Rosicrucian Order, exis t ing In a l l c ivi l ized lands , is a nonsectarian fra ternal body of men
and women devoted to the inves t igat ion, s tudy, and pract ica l appl ica t ion of natura l and spir i tuallaws. The purpose of the organizat ion is to enable a ll to l ive in h arm ony with the creat ive , cons truct ive Cosmic forces for the a t ta inm ent of heal th , ha ppiness , and peace. The O rder is inte rnat ional ly known as "AMORC" (an abbrevia t ion), and the AMORC in America and a l l otherlands cons t i tutes the only form of Rosicrucian ac t ivi t ies uni ted in one body. The AMORC doesnot se ll i ts teachings . I t gives them freely to aff i l ia ted mem bers togethe r with m any othe r benefits .For com plete in formation about the benefi ts and adva ntages of Rosicrucian associa t ion wri te ale t ter to the add ress below, and ask for the free book The Mastery of Life . Ad dress ScribeS. P. C.. in care of
AMORC TK.UI’LK • Rosic rucian P ark, San Jo se, California, U.S.A. • (Cable Ad dres s: “A.MORCO” )
Su p r e me Ex e c u t iv e f o r th e . J u r i s d ic t io n o f Th e Ame r ic a s , Br i t i s h Co mmo n we a l th a n d Ump i r e ,F r a n c e , a n d Af r i c a : Ra lp h M . Le wis , F . R . C .— I mp e r a to r
D I R E C T O R Y p r i n c i p a l a m e r i c a n l o d g e s a n d c h a p t e r s o f t h e a . m . o . r . c .
The fol lowing are the principal chartered Rosicrucian Lodges and Chapters in the United S ta tes , i tst e r r i to r i e s and pos sess ions . T he names and addres se s o f o the r Amer ican L odges and Chap te rs wi ll begiven upon wri t ten reques t .
.1. Clifford
C A L I F O R N I AI.onj; Beach:*Abdiel Lodg e, 2455 A tlantic Ave. H enr y L. Fon t,Master, 335 E. 9th St., Apt. 7.Los Angeles :*Hermes Lodge. .148 N. Gramercy Place. Tel.GL adstone 1230. T. H. Win sbor row , M aster,400 S. Kenmore Ave.Oakland :*Oa kland Lo dge , 263 12th St. C. A. Joh ns on ,Master. 5936 Keith Ave.P a s a d e n a :Aklm aton Chap ter , 20 N. Raym ond St . Fran k L.Barnett, Master, 3134 N. Bartlett Ave. , SanGabriel .S a c r a m e n t o :Clement B. LeBrun Chapter, I.O.O.F. Bldg. . 9tli& K Sts. M arg are t Irw in, M aster, 1516 15th St.San Diego:San Diego Ch apter, 4567 30th St. Nell D. Jo h nson, Master, 2521 Frankfort St.
Sa n F r a n c i s c o :*Francis Bacon Lodge. 1957 Chestnut St. , Tel.W Est 1-4778. Carl T. End em ann , M aster, 87Central Ave. , Sausalito.
C O L O R A D ODe n v e r :Denver Chapter. 1470 Clarkson St.Ca rr. M aster, 1235 W ash ingto n St.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washington:Thomas Jefferson Chapter, 1322 Vermont Ave.W. Rainey Andrews, Master, 321 Lynwood St. ,Apt. 203. Alexandria, Va.Geo. Washington Carver Chapter , I .O.O.F . Hal l .9th & T Sts. Henry Purvis Wiley. Master, 404M>12th St.. S. E.
F L O R I D AM i a m i :Miami Chapter, Biscayne Temple. 120 N. W. 15thAve. A. E. Sh ep ha rd . M aste r, 2829 S. W. 17th St.
I L L I N O I SChica go :*
N e ferti ti L odge. 2539 N. K ed zi e Ave .. Tel . E v e rglad e 4-8627. Ch arles Wilson Gadd is, Master,3500 N. Natchez Ave.
I NDI ANAI n d i a n a p o l i s :Indianapolis Chapter, 311 Ober Bldg. . 38 N. Pennsylva nia St. Osca r R. Small, M aster, 849 E.Morris St.So u th Be n d :May Banks S tacy Chap te r , Knigh t s o f P y th ia sHall. 519 S. St . Joseph St . L ou i s a M. Weaver.M aster, 2868 Lincoln way E., M ishawaka.
M A R Y L A N DBa l t imo r e :*John O'Donnell Lodge. 301 W. Redwood St.William A. Jones, Master, Box 4, Savage, Md.
M A S S A C H U S E T T S
Boston :*Johannes Kelpius Lodge, Hote l Brunswick, 520Boylston St. Clara A. Bro m ley, M aster, 262
N ew bu ry St .
M I C H I G A NDe t r o i t :*Th eb es Lodg e, 616 Han cock Ave., W est. S. F.Kambol. Master, 7372 Kipling.L a n s i n g :Leo nard o da Vinci Ch apter, 603 S. W ashin gton .William A. Burrell. Master, R.F.D. 1.
MINNESOTA M in n e a p o l i s :Essene Chapter , Northern Light Hal l , 938 22ndAve., N. E. Irene Lindsay, Master, 525 4th Ave. .S. E.
M I SSOI KlSt . Louis :*Thutiho.se Lodge, Geo. Wa shin gton H otel, 600
N. K in g sh ig ln v ay Bl vd . B la nche P a tt o n , M ast er ,2234 Yale Ave., Maplewood 17.
N E W J E R S E Y
N e w a r k :H. Spencer Lewis Chapter, 443-445 Broad St.Rebecca Barre t t , Master , 112 Washington Ave. ,Belleville.
N E W Y O R KR u l f a l o :Ram a C hap te r. Benev o len t -T r in ity L odge T emple.34 Elam Plac e, Be rn ard B. Kish. M aster, 308VjOntario S t .
N ew Y ork C it y :* New Y ork C it y L odge. 250 W. 57 th St . W a lt e rG. Klingner. Master, 135-15 Dennis Ave. , Springfield Gardens, L. I.Booker T. Washington Chapter, 69 W. 125th St.Clarence M. Callender, Master, 35 Ml. MorrisPark. Apt . 4-D.R o c h e s t e r :Ro ches ter Chapter , Hote l Seneca. W il liam II .Rabjohns , Master , 1199 Hil ton-Parma Corners
Rd. , Spencerport .O H I OC i n c i n n a t i :Cincinnati Chapter, 204 Hazen Bldg. , 9th & MainSts. Lillie M. Co rbett, M aster. 40 Hig hw ay,Ludlow, Ky.C o l u m b u s :Helios Chapter, 697 S. High St. Wesley M. Car
p e n te r , M as te r, R .F .D . 1, H il li a rd s .D a y t o n :Elbert Hubbard Chapter , Rauh Hall , 56 E. 4thSt . Josephine Chris t ian, Master . 318 LexingtonAve.Toledo :Michael Fa rad ay Ch apter. 116M» Erie St. InaM. Daniel, Master, 5740 Lakeside Ave.Y o u n g s t o w n :Yo ungstow n Chapter. 301 E. Wood St. Jam esGallo, Master. 2822 Mahoning Ave.
O K L A H O M AO k l a h o m a C i t y :Amenhotep Chapter, Rm. 318, Y.W.C.A. Bldg.E rn es t A. Tttner, M aster, Box 3555 N. W. Sta.
O R E G O N!*<>rt liiii«I:*Po rtlan d Rose Lod ge. 2712 S. E. Salmon. K ath leen D uthie. M aster, 2767 S. W. T alb ot Rd.
P E N N S Y L V A N I APhi lade lphia :*Benjamin Franklin Lodge, 1308 W. Girard Ave.M arga ret Klug . Master, 168 W. Nedro Ave.. Olney.P i t t s b u r g h :*F irst P en ns ylv an ia Lodg e. 615 VV. Diam ond St., N. S. Ange lo S a lv a tt i, M ast er, 2035 C ircl e D rive ,Clark Manor. Aliquippa.
R H O D E I S L A N D
P r o v i d e n c e :R o g e r W i l l i a m s C h a p te r , S h e ra to n - B il tm o r eHo tel . Lil l ian M iller, Master, 33 Circuit Drive,Rivers ide .
T K X A SH o u s t o n :Ho uston C hap ter, 1320 Rusk Ave. W. C. Pu tney ,Master, 1404 Nashua St.
W A S H I N G T O NSeat t le :*Michael M aier Lodge, W intonia Hotel . 1431Minor St. R. S. Quinill, Master. 8118 CaliforniaAve.T a c o m a :Takhoma Chapter, I .O.O.F. Temple, 508 6th Ave.Richard C. Parent , Master. Box 95, E. Olympia.
W I S C O N S I NM i l w a n k e e :Karnak Chapter, Commerce Bldg.. 711 N. 1th StFr ied a F. Lu ctm an, M aster, 1.954-A W. Keefe Ave.
LODGES and CHAPTERS throughout the WorldThe addresses of othe r Grand Lodges , or the nam es an d add resses of th ei r representa t ives , wi ll be
given upon request .
A I 'ST KA MAA d e l a i d e , S o u t h A u s t r a l i a :Adelaide Chapter , 12 P ine S t . E . Mansbr idge,Master, 19 Stanley St . . Lower North.B r i s b a n e , Q u e e n s l a n d :Brisbane Chapter , New Church Hal l , Ann S t .Hi lda Montei th , Master , Oxley Rd. , Sherwood.S. W. 3..Melbourne, Victoria :H arm ony Ch apter, 25 Russell St . Lance E. El I t .Master. 18 Lascelles St., W. Coburg N. 13.Sydne y, N. S . W. :
Sydney Chapter, I .O.O.F. Hall . 100 Clarence St . B. W inte r ford. M aster, Box 889, G. P. O.I 5 K A 7 . I L
I l i o d e J a n e i r o :R i o de J ane i r o C hap t e r , P r aca da I ndependenc i a10, 2 an dar. Jo s6 Nunes Gouveia, Master, CaixaPostal 152, Copacabana.Sao Paulo :Sao Paulo Chapter, Rtia Riachuelo, 275, 8° AndarSalas 815-16. Ore ste Nesti . M aster, Caixa Postal6803.
CANADAM o n t r e a l , Q u e . :Mount Royal Chapter , Victor ia Hul l , Westmount .Peter Maydan, Master , 26 Levesque Blvd. ,LAbord a P louf ' fe .T o r o n t o , O n t . :Toro nto Chapter. 39 Da ven port Rd. Cyril Buck-sey. Master. 12 Hatberly Rd.V a n c o u v e r , B . C . : *Vancouver Lodge, 878 Ho rnby S t . Ro ber t Spalding, Master, 2828 Kitchener St .V i c t o r i a , B . C . : *
Victoria Lodge, 725 Co urtney St . G ertrud eShewell , Master, 549 Vancouver St .Wind sor, On t.:W indsor Chap ter. 808 Ma rion Ave. George H.Brook . Ma ster, 2089 Arg yle Ct., Wa lkervil le.W i n n i p e g , M a n . :Char les Dana Dean Chapter , Royal Templar Hal l .360 Young St. Ronald Scarth, Master, 155 LyleSt. , St . James.
C H I L ES a n t i a g o :Santiago Chapter. San Diego 224 (Substerraneo).Arist ides Munoz Olmos, Master, Clasificador668-H.
CUBACamague.y:Camague.v Chapter , Independencia y Raul Lamar .Dr. B. Alvarez Lopez, Master, Republica 160.C i e n f u e g o s :Cienfuegos Chap ter . Jose M. Era Yero, Master ,Apartado 167.H a v a n a :Havana Chapter, Masonic Temple, ‘•Jose de la
Luz Cabal lero," Santa Emi l ia 416. a l tos SantosSuarez. Srta. E. Montalvan, Master, Calle 16 No.53. Apto. 1, Vedado.S a n t i a g o :Hel iopol i s Chapter , "Logia Fraternidad No. 1 ,”Cal le Desider io Fajardo (Esquina Gral . Por-tuondo) . J . M. Subi ra t s , Master , Hernan Cor tes 20.
D E N M A R K A N D N O R W A YC o p e n h a g e n : *The AMORC Grand Lodge of Denmark and
N orw av . A r th u r S u n d str u p , Gr. M ast er, V est e rVoldgade 104.
D O M IN I C AN R E P U B L I CT r u j i l l o :Truji l lo Chapter. R, F. Mejia S., Master, CalleGeneral Luperon 42.
* ( I n i t i a t i o n s a r e p e r f o r m e d . )
E G Y P TC a i r o :Am enhotep Grand Lodge. Salim C. Saad, GrandMaster, 1 Kasr-El-Nil St .
E N G L A N DThe AMORC Grand Lodge of Great Br i ta in.Raymund Andrea . Grand Master , 34 BayswaterAve. , Westbury Park, Br i s tol 6 .L o n d o n :Francis Bacon Chapter . Ins t i tute of Journal i s t s ,2 & I Tudor SI. Lawrence Ewels, Master, 86Da tchet R d., Cat ford. Lond on S. E. 6.
. M a n c h e s t e r :John Dal ton Chapter , S t . Michaels , Spath Rd. .D ids bu ry. C. E. D. M ullins, M aster, 15 MossBank. Off Crescent Rd.. Nr. Crumpsall .
F R A N C EMile. Jeanne Guesdon. Sec.. 56 Rue Gambetta,Villeneuve Sai.nte Georges (Seine & Oise).
G E R M A N YAMORC, Muenchen 15, Postfaeh 76.
H O L L A N DA m s t e r d a m :*De Rozekruisers Orde. Groot -Loge der Neder lan-den. J. Coops, Gr. M aster, Hu nz estra at 111.
I N D O N E S I AB a n d u n g , J a v a : *Mrs. M. C. Zeydel. Gr. Master-General , DjalanS u l and j ana . n r l .
I T A L YR o m e :Ital ian Gran d Lod ge of AMORC. (Direct inqui r ies regarding the act ivi t i es of thi s Lodgeto A. M. O. R. C., Ro sicru cian Pa rk . San .Jose,California.)
M E X I C O.Mexico, I). F. :*Quetzalcoatl Lodge. Calle de Colombia 24. RafaelVertiz Rojo. Master.Monter rey , N. I . :Monterrey Chapter, Calle Doblado 622 Norte.Eduardo Gonzales, Master. Hidalgo 2625 Pte.
N E T H E R L A N D S W K S T I N D I E SA r u b a :Aruba Chapter. The Foresters Court No. 10028.H. Spong. Master. 17 Mgr. Neiwindstreet , San
N ic ola s.<' u ra ea o:Curacao Chap ter. Klips traat 27. S tephen Vialva-la Roche. M aster. M orris E. Curiel & Sons.
N E W Z EA L A N DA u c k l a n d :Auckland Chapter, Victoria Arcade, Rm. 317.John Orriss Anderson, Master, 99 College Hil l .P onsonbv .
PANAMAP a n a m a :Panama Chapter, Logia Masonic,-t de Panama.
Octavio A. Arosemena. Master. Calle lo-A No. s.P U E R T O R I C OS a n J u a n :San Juan Chapter. 1655 Progreso St . . Stop 24.San turce. Arm ando Es trel la. Master. 1356 Es trel laSt. , Santurce.
S W E D E NIMalmo :*Gran d Lodg e "Ro senk orset .” Albin Roimer , Gr .Master, Box 30, Skalderviken, Sweden.
\ E N E Z I J E L AB a r q u i s i m c t o :Barquisimeto Chapter. Carrera 21 No. 327. Apartado Postal No. 64. Dr. Epifanio Pe rez Perez.Master . Apar tado de Correos 211.C a r a c a s :Alden Chapter, Calle Norte 11. N. 6. Sra. YolandaDiaz, Master, Apartado 988.
Latin-American DivisionA r m a n d o F o n t D e L a J a r a , F . R . C .. D e p u t y G r a n d M a s t e r
Direct i .nnui r ies regarding thi s divis ion to the Lat in-American Divis ion. Rosicrucian Park. San Jose ,California. U. S. A.
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