Rosicrucian Writings Online

 
 
As this is written, a few days over ten months have elapsed since the transition and Higher Initiation of our late Imperator, Dr. H. Spencer Lewis, which occurred on Wednesday, August 2nd, last. When most of you read this it will be one or possibly two weeks until the first anniversary of his great experience.
 
In every city of the world, there are buildings, institutions, and parks as physical reminders of the achievement of some great departed personality. The passerby, upon seeing them halts, and by his recollection pays a silent, if but momentary, respect. It is a far greater tribute to him that throughout the world Dr. Lewis' influence resides hourly in the consciousness of thousands of men and women. They need no material substance or form by which to recollect his deeds. His precepts and policies remain, even his attitude of mind toward the finer things of life, deep within their beings where he implanted them with his oral and written words. To thousands, his life has become their lives, and his ideals theirs to cherish as a heritage. There is no greater proof of this than their magnanimous and loyal continuous support of the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC, and its activities; and their failure to deviate from the path he pioneered, and for which he gave his life. His life was the Ancient, Mystical Order Rosae Crucis, and so long as it adheres, in this jurisdiction, to those altruistic and noble principles he laid down for it in this new world, each of its activities in which the fratres and sorores participated will be imbued with his undiminishing personality.
 
It was Dr. H. Spencer Lewis' wish that his earthly remains after cremation be interred in the moist soil beneath an equilateral triangle, which years before he scratched in the flagging in the center of the Rosicrucian Egyptian Shrine in Rosicrucian Park. At a private ceremony, attended mainly by members of his family, and following the elaborate last rites held in the Francis Bacon Auditorium where nearly a thousand members and friends attended, his wishes were fulfilled. Not requested by him, but as a loving token, the Board of Directors of the Supreme Grand Lodge of AMORC have erected above the triangle in the Shrine a cube of white granite, on which was placed a pyramid of red granite, the total weight being in excess of two tons. The red granite is of the same beautiful texture as that of which many of the great temples in Egypt were constructed, and which the late Imperator admired in his travels to that ancient land. Polished to a glasslike smoothness, it reflects the sparkling sunlight with a dazzling brilliance and at night the soft colored lights which play upon it. Etched around the base of the pyramid is the design of a scroll. On one of each of the three sides, and on the scroll, are inscribed the following Latin words: Vita, Lux, Amor (Light, Life, Love). On the fourth side is inscribed the Imperator's insignia, the Rosy Cross, the official symbol of the Order, and numbers representing the various degrees of his attainment in AMORC and affiliated orders. On the face of the pyramid and toward the portal of the Shrine is etched a solid triangle with point downward, which completes the symbolism of the interlaced triangle. In this triangle appears his name, with dates of birth and transition, and the title and years of his Imperatorship.
 
To commemorate him, the Supreme and Grand Lodge offices and various departments and buildings will all remained closed for the entire day of August 2, 1940. Each officer of the Supreme and Grand Lodges will be asked to spend some time during the day in meditation in the Shrine (see frontispiece). It is hoped that our fratres and sorores who read this will likewise select on that day some period for meditation upon his life.
 
 
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Webmaster's Note: There are photographs of the burial marker on-line. See (external links):

• Front of burial marker for Dr. H. S. Lewis; and
• Back of burial marker for Dr. H. S. Lewis.