Frater Joseph J. Weed

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[From "Temple Echoes" by Platonicus, F.R.C., The Rosicrucian Digest January 1947] Must one be poor to enter the Kingdom of God? Is there no correlation between material abundance and spiritual attainment? In various parts of the world some Rosicrucians have attained outstanding positions in commerce, industry, and finance. This achievement has not dulled their mystical inclinations nor hampered their unfoldment. An excellent example of a successful Rosicrucian businessman is Frater Joseph J. Weed of New York City. Joseph John Weed was born in Manhattan on April 11, 1901. His father is of English descent and his mother of Irish stock. Young Joe attended parochial schools and won an eight-year scholarship to Fordham school and university in the Bronx. In college he was socially minded and popular, and was active in football, tennis, and swimming. In 1923 he was graduated with a B.A. degree in psychology. The youthful and ambitious Mr. Weed entered the business world of New York City in the advertising department of the New York American. He took post-graduate courses at Columbia University in various phases of advertising, and gradually advanced as an advertising salesman. Radio advertising was an entirely new field, and he was allowed to develop the advertising accounts of radio manufacturers. For the greater part of ten years, Mr. Weed worked on the advertising staff of Hearst publications in New York, with temporary excursions into the clock and printing businesses. In June, 1932, the depression caught up with him and he lost his job. As Frater Joe humorously describes it, he really went broke. Eight different jobs in as many months netted him about two hundred dollars. He sold everything and even, as he says, "went into hock." At the nadir of his fortunes in December, 1932, he affiliated with the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC. In the spring of 1933 he contacted, through a friend in the advertising field, a group of New England radio stations who were looking for a live representative to sell their time. Joseph Weed obtained the position (his salary immediately lifted him out of the financial doldrums) and started out to produce in radio advertising. Three years later, in 1936, he formed his own organization, Weed and Company, as radio station representatives. From the original four New England stations, his representation grew to eighty-one, of which all the national advertising time is sold by Weed and Company. The organization maintains branch offices in seven principal cities of the United States, and is now one of the top three firms in the business of selling radio advertising. Frater Weed was married in 1935 to Ruth Pedersen, a New York girl whom he had known for many years. The Weeds have three lovely children: Joseph William, age ten; Betty, eight; and John, seven. Their home is in Larchmont, New York. For winter rest, sun, and pleasure the family maintains a home in Palm Beach, Florida. Our good Frater recalls that in 1927 his active interest in the mystical life began. Nominal exposure to the Catholic religion in youth had not deeply affected him, but the adversities of maturity turned his mind to Hindu philosophy and Oriental mysticism. He plunged into the subject deeply, reading many books on Raja Yoga and kindred subjects. He practised breathing exercises faithfully, and developed some proficiency in concentration. However, this discipline began to result in dizzy spells, which frightened him into giving up the Oriental systems, which were without tutelage. In 1932, he read about AMORC in an astrology magazine. He wrote for the introductory booklet, and immediately sent in his application for membership along with seventeen of his last thirty-one dollars in the bank! From the outset he was very pleased with the Rosicrucian studies, and became one of the first members of the New York Chapter of AMORC when it was organized in 1933. In succeeding years, he served twice as Master of the Chapter, for five years as a member of the Board of Trustees, and now functions actively as Inspector General of the Order for the State of New York. Summing up his conception of the Order and its effect upon him, Frater Weed states that it has completely revised his outlook on life. It opened doors within his personality that otherwise, he believes, would have remained closed. It enabled him to expand his consciousness and to broaden his understanding of many phases of life and nature. His outlook is continually changing, expanding and deepening, and he finds pleasure in constant learning. Frater Weed frankly attributes much of his personal improvement to the training of the AMORC studies and the advice he has received. He is wholly convinced that he has been compensated in a practical way many times over for the thought, time, and substance that he has given to the Order and its local Chapter, now evolved into the New York City Lodge of AMORC. As Master of the Chapter for two years his self-confidence was enhanced, so that now he is able easily to stand and address any group of people. This has been a business asset for him. Additional lessons in tact and diplomacy came from Chapter associations, which were also invaluable in business. Frater Weed says his work with Rosicrucian students shows that many of them regard the Order's instructions too academically. The teachings are far more practical than most students realize! The essence of Rosicrucian development, to him, is to make it a part of your everyday life at all times. He believes the Order's capacity for national and international influence is tremendous, but is not wholly exercised at present because the members do not all think wholeheartedly together as a unit. Some are lost in personal concerns and difficulties; others are not reaching out for a higher perspective in world problems. Let us not regard ourselves too humbly, counsels Frater Weed. Actually, we can and will become a great international force for peace and brotherhood among men! ----------------------------- Webmaster's Notes: 1. Joseph J. Weed's book "Wisdom of the Mystic Masters" is excellent and highly recommended for reading. New or used copies can be purchased from or through amazon.com or other booksellers. 2. His book "A Rosicrucian Speaks" is online here (external link).

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