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Some Notes on the History of RosicruciansBy Royle
Thurston[From The Mystic Triangle July 1927] Some Facts That Our Members Will Like To Use In Talking To Seekers. THE ROSICRUCIAN Order or movement did not begin with the plans presented in that famous book called the Fama and published in Germany during the seventeenth century. And Christian Rosenkreutz was not the founder of the Order in Germany. It seems that these denials are absolutely necessary in speaking of the Rosicrucians to anyone who has attempted to learn of their history. Years ago when encyclopaedias were first introduced, one of them contained a brief explanation (?) of the Rosicrucians, in which it was said that Rosenkreutz started the Order with his famous Fama and that upon his "death" the Order died. Along with this very important, and false, information, it was explained that the real meaning of the Rose Cross had something to do with the Latin word Ros, which means dew, and that dew was an important element in the alchemical process of transmution, etc., etc. Since this very illuminating explanation was written by someone who was not acquainted with even the outer phases of the work, most other encyclopaedias have copied the statements, and we of today have this to contend with. If someone writes to the editor of any large newspaper, asking about the Rosicrucians, the said editor usually turns to the official and time-honored encyclopaedia in his office and proceeds to answer the question. The reader believes that a newspaper editor knows what he is writing about, and takes the explanation as soundly true. Other writers in stories, magazine articles, and essays, seek their information from the same source and we are in receipt of daily extracts from papers and books containing these same repetitions from the same few sources. It would seem that the thing to do is to send reliable information to all these editors. This has been done over and over by AMORC. We have sent to the principal editors and publishers of the world the most reliable and authenticated information about the Rosicrucians throughout the world. Some--a great many--have written us thanking us for the information, but they fail to place it in between the pages of their old encyclopaedias, or they file it where it is forgotten; for a few weeks later references to the same old antiquated falsehoods appear in the papers again. We find some modern books catering to the gullible seekers for rare knowledge in cheap books, issuing Secrets and Rites of the Rosicrucians in hundreds of pages as authentic information, but always starting the history with Rosenkreutz and the German movement. Such books have been sold by the thousands and the readers believe the story told. All this makes it difficult for our members and friends in spreading the truth about the Rosicrucians. Again and again they hear the statement: "I thought the Rosicrucians died out in Germany if they had any real existence at all." The truth of the matter is that no one knows when the birth of the Rosicrucian movement occurred. It had no sudden birth as a full fledged body or a mighty power. It was so gradual that its infancy is lost in extreme antiquity. Can you say when the American nation was born? Certainly not in 1776, for what, then, are you to say about the trials and tribulations of the thousands before that year? They were laboring to bring about the birth! Truly, but had they no conception of what they were laboring for? Was not that conception, then, a part of the beginning of the nation? And when did such a conception take place? I can trace it back into the eighth, ninth and tenth centuries, when many men, and women, dreamed of the new world that was known to the few long, long before the first explorers attempted to verify the contentions of the wise men. The Rosicrucian IDEA had its inception in the mystery schools of the Orient. Traditional history--only partly reliable--says this was in Egypt, but it may have been in India, it may have been in Persia, it may have been elsewhere. That the idea reached a high degree of evolution in Egypt is true, and that in the mystery schools of Egypt we find the Rosicrucian principles highly developed, is also true. Hence we start the known history of the Rosicrucians with certain eminent mystics of Egypt, whose writings and life give absolute proof of their knowledge of the sacred, scientific principles which form the basis of the Rosicrucian philosophy. From the time of the thirteenth century, B. C., it is comparatively easy to trace the development and growth of the Rosicrucian mysticism. There are the easily recognized gaps of one hundred and eight years when the movement was secret and silent, followed by the periods of one hundred and eight years of public activity--just as in recent centuries. There are the mystic titles added to the names of eminent philosophers whose writings can be understood today only by Rosicrucians. There are the strange Temples with peculiarities identical in many lands, unique to Rosicrucian purposes as in modern Rosicrucian Temples. There are the secret manuscripts, even from the pre-Christian days, referring to lessons given in person and transmitted by the Magi of the secret school, and which we still refer to in our teachings. There are the undisputed records in Thibet, belonging to the chiefs of the Great White Brotherhood, containing references to the work of the Masters in the Orient in the height of the Order's glory. The Rosicrucian Order is too old to give it a known birthday, but we do turn our eyes backward to one great day in its history, in the year 1350 B. C., when a most important event occurred, and we use that date as the beginning of the real Rosicrucian Light. That makes our present year the 3,280th year of Rosicrucian illumination, and that is a ripe old age for any movement, so far as traditional history is concerned. The important point is this, however: No ONE man founded or controlled the Order in the past, no one man invented or discovered its remarkable teachings, and no one man directs the whole international organization today. That makes it distinct from the many so-called occult and metaphysical movements of modern times. While the Imperator for North America and the Imperators for other lands are the absolute, autocratic heads for their various Jurisdictions, these men are part of an International Council, or Supreme World Council, with committees formed by the various Delegates and Representatives in every part of such Jurisdictions. And above this International Council are the several Masters of the Great White Lodge, who give their kindly suggestions and continuously protect the Order and its Imperators and Councilors in the fulfilment of their duties. More wonderful than even that form of government is the further direction on the part of the Holy Assembly of Invisible Masters in the Cosmic, who transmit their observations and dictums psychically to the leading earthly disciples on the International Council. Thus the direction and control of the Order can be traced back to Cosmic and Divine agency, a truly universal source of pure purpose. Remember these facts, Brothers and Sisters, and let them inspire you with greater reverence for your association with the Order and its symbol. And bear in mind that loyalty to this symbol, fidelity to the Order's purposes, as well as devotion to its work and obligations, place you directly in attunement with the most influential forces and minds in the world. Such attunement once established is not severed without a noticeable reaction on one's worldly and spiritual development, and a lack of reverential appreciation prohibits the full influx of the blessings that are possible. | ||
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