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The (Cathedral o f the Soul

B y H. S p e n c e r L e w is , P h . D ., F. R. C. Official Publication N o. 333

Privately Printed in the U. S. A. by The Publishing Department,

AMORC COLLEGER o s ic r u c ia n P a r k , S a n J o s e , C a l if o r n ia

Rosicrucian Press

T H E A N C I E N T P H I L O S O P H E R I N H I S S A N C T U M

From a rare painting by Rembrandt

their

[HE R O SIC R U C IA N S, as a body of mystical phil­osophers and workers, invite all thinking men and women to share with them the knowledge which they have accumulated through their researches,

investigations, and their united experiments and dis­courses, covering many centuries and culminating in the pres­ent day Rosicrucian revelations. They offer these remarkable and astounding disclosures not as dogmas or elements of a creed, but as a rational study and expose of the mysteries of life.

Since this book has come into your hands by some means approved by the Fraternity, you are invited to consider the fol­lowing facts which explain the primary causes for the existence of such an unusual Fraternity as that of the Rosicrucians.

1. The m ysteries o f life are alluring. M an’s very existence on this earth, including the presumption of a reason for his birth and his manifestation in a physical form, constitutes one of the greatest of all the mysteries which have confronted the human mind since the dawn of civilization. There are hundreds of other mysteries associated with his existence and his desire to attain an indefinable goal, which are alluring in their majesty and intriguing in their evasive and fascinating demonstrations.

2. The pu rpose of our existence as human beings on this earth- plane most certainly needs some explanation other than that of­fered by the dogmas and creeds of religions. W h y was it necessary for the C onsciousness o f G o d to extend itself into multiple forms of the Divine Image? W h y were physical forms of God’s likeness created with faculties superior to any possessed by other creatures of the earth and yet tempted to sin and to fall from grace? W h y

ANIN VITATION

M A N ’SEXISTENCE

MULTIPLEFORMS

[ 1 ]

The Rosicrucians— an august fraternity whose doc­trines hinted at by the earliest philosophers, are still a mystery to the unworthy. I do not blame them for their discretion — L ord E dw ard Bulw er Lytton.

(A Rosicrucian)

the necessity for man to save himself from that which was beyond his making and his responsibility? W h y the continuous struggle against seemingly insurmountable obstacles? And why the trials and tribulations throughout human life? O f what avail is the vic­tory gained through these tribulations if the worldly perfection thus attained becomes useless and of no value at the time of death? W h y this brief span of existence in earthly life, which is all too short in which to attain any considerable degree of soul perfection? Certainly the purposes back of our existence here have not been adequately explained by any theology or purely religious philosophy.

3. M an rightfully demands some knowledge of the cause of all c a u s e causes, and the law of all laws. These things must become com-

o f c a u s e s prehensible to him and not remain shrouded in allegorical and dog­matic symbology.

INQUIRING

4. The comprehension and understanding of man has risen through all the ages and is becoming broader, more penetrating,

m i n d more inclusive, and more approaching the absolute. That which satisfied his inquiring mind in ages past now constitutes the simple faiths of a childlike nature.

5. Through the ages in which man has personally evolved as man, he has become R esu rrected from the G rave of superstition and now lives a more regenerated life in a new cycle with a higher

e v o l v i n g form of consciousnss. He has risen from the tomb and cast aside the material limitations which held him captive in the darkness of intolerance and bigotry, and he now stands as a new being facing the sunrise o f a new d a y , and demands to know the meaning of the new cycle and of the coming life.

6. M an’s power to create and achieve contentment in his life is dependent on his freedom from the shackles which have en­slaved him. The Divine gift of creative mind pow er was given to

f r e e d o m man unsolicited by him. Therefore, it is to be used by him for his own redemption and advancement. By the same token this bless­ing must not be limited by the decrees or dogmas, the faiths or fallacies, of any group or organization of men.

7. M an’s understanding of his Divine mental powers and Cos­mic, psychic, faculties and capabilities, lies in his comprehension

[ 2 ]

W e now come to the knowledge of ourselves, whither we are directed by the ancients, which merits a closer examination, since the knowledge of himself is to man the end and time of the sciences, of which nature only forms a portion. —Sir Francis Bacon.

(Imperator of the Rosicrucians.)

COSMICTRUTH

VEIL OF

oi the real nature of his being, and the relationship he has to cer­tain spiritual and natural forces, and the true purpose of his exist­ence. Until man does comprehend and understand in Truth, and in the light of C osm ic Inspiration, the real nature of his being, he cannot understand the reason for the latent, undeveloped, or un­suspected powers and capabilities lying in his inner consciousness, and which he can use, an d shou ld use, to further his personal evolution.

8. The essential facts of life, and all of the laws and principles which surround man’s being and man’s relationship to universal powers, laws, and principles, are not con cea led from man by any D ivine d ecree , but by a “veil of obscurity,” as the philosophers of old expressed it. This veil has been placed before the conscious­ness of man’s penetrating gaze in all ages and all lands by the pow ers that represent the d arker fo rces in life , and by those who have much to gain through the continued ignorance of man and his slavery to creeds, dogmas, false beliefs, and superstitions. M an o b s c u r i t y

has at times torn assunder this strange veil of mental opaqueness and spiritual denseness, and in a flash of brilliant illumination has discerned the power that lies beyond, in his being and in his attune- ment with Cosmic forces. Such illuminated beings have revealed from time to time their flashes of divine wisdom, and by this light civilization has advanced and man has become mighty and power­ful in the true manner which God decreed when man was extended from Cosmic consciousness to this earthly plane.

9. The intellect in man is essentially the Divine Mind of the Creator or the Creative Causes throughout the universe. This in­tellect in man is capable of attunement to the evolving inspirations of Cosmic wisdom. The mind of God is in man; and in its search it functions like the searching consciousness of God. It can neither be stayed nor ever thoroughly allayed in its desires and ambitions for more knowledge.

10. “Let us reason together,” has been the "open sesam e" to man’s mastership over the ethical and moral principles of life. Throughout all the ages, men and women have come together to r e a s o n

reason and discourse on. the problems of life and to delve analyti­cally into the mysteries that constitute the real principles of our

[ 3 ]

DIVINEMIND

The Cosmic influences are invisible, but they act upon man. Heat and light are intangible and incorporeal; nevertheless, they act upon man, and the same is true of other invisible influences. —Paracelsus.

(A Rosicrucian)

existence. Out of these conclaves of investigation have come the ethical and moral standards by which man has broadened his life and advanced civilization.

ARBITRARYLAWS

BEYOND THE NOW

COSMICCONTACT

11. Religion, as a scien ce o f d og m a, did not have in it the es­sence of flexibility or evolutionary growth except by contraversion and contradiction of its doctrines. Its dogmatic statements, created by arbitrary decisions of a few men, had no element in them which permitted of expansion and growth in keeping with the de­velopment of man’s understanding and the evolving nature of his inquiries. T o question the authority of these dogmas meant con­demnation as a heretic. On the other hand, true religion, as a science of real knowledge, has always contained within itself the urge to reject that which is fou n d to be untrue, incom petent, or im practical. It is through revealed knowledge, therefore, rather than through dogm atic religion, that man may accomplish the greatest good in evolving his powers and understanding, and in bringing to his career all of the possibilities of human existence.

12. M an’s continued and concentrated gaze beyond his immedi­ate knowledge has been the beacon light guiding his inquiries and researches. Like the child who points into the distant space of the sky and asks as to what lies beyond his reach, and like the man or woman of today who sits in meditation at the fireside and wonders what the morrow may disclose, so man has always looked beyond the now and the im m ediate presen t seeking to bring from the mystic spell of the future not that which is imaginary or ethereal, but that which must be real and must come to pass as an inevitable sequence of the things with which he is familiar in his present mood. In this manner, man has extended and projected his consciousness into the absolute Cause of all Causes and dis­covered a new world of ineffable inspiration.

13. M an’s inherent restlessness for knowledge that will enable him to live in harmony with natural laws and be free from fear and doubt, has brought him in contact with the C osm ic M ind and the G o d C onsciousness ruling the universe. It has, in fact, brought him closer to God and the Omnipotent Intelligence residing within him and about him. Such higher contact has placed him in rapport with other seekers similarly situated and like-minded. He thus has found himself at times in mental com panionship with the higher minds on earth, and with the illum inated minds of the Cosmic.

[ 4 ]

The Eternal Truths are revealed through spiritual meditation, and make all men who receive them the Magi of their time. — Sir E dw ard K elly .

(A Rosicrucian)

This Holy Assembly has been his school, his church, his sanctum. In it he has revelled in the beatitudes, and basked in the sunlight of new life, new thought, new power, and new attainments. Here he has found peace and happiness, contentment and consolation, for all of the trials and tribulations of this earthly life. Here he has found inspiration, guidance, instruction, and the companion­ship of minds that sympathetically understand and offer brotherly association in the meeting of his personal problems.

14. In this wise there has been formed on the earth plane the groups of reasoning minds who come together to reason on life’s problems and mysteries. As the focal points on earth of these in­quiring minds and reasoning mentalities are called schools o f wis­dom , so the spiritual, or C osm ic fo ca l point of these minds, lifted beyond the earth plane in their thoughts, has become the t h e

C athedral o f the Soul, where the inner part of man’s being rises to sublime meditation, spiritual revelation, and transcendent thought. It is in this C athedral o f the Soul that man finds the mind of God revealed, the mystery of life explained, and the des­tiny of each individual open as a book, that all who wish may read and understand.

SOUL’SCATHEDRAL

THE POWER

15. Hence, on the earth plane and in our earthly affairs, groups of thinking and analyzing men and women have become essential students of the higher principles of life and are deemed to be the mystic ph ilosophers of the hidden and Arcane facts of our life here and now. In all ages and in all times, these groups of mystics, and these associations and assemblies of analyzing students, have w i t h i n

been the schools of advanced knowledge aiding men and womento attain, without bias and without prejudice, that knowledge which constitutes the real p ow er within man for the accomplish­ment of his desires and the fulfillment of his ambitions,

16. The earliest organizations of these inquiring minds and illuminated souls were known as the M agi o f C h a ld ea , the T h era -peuti o f E gypt, and the E ssen es o f Syria and India. Organized as s i l e n t

fraternities or silent Brotherhoods, non-sectarian in their discus- s e e k e r s

sions and speculations, unbiased in their findings and pronounce­ments, they came to be the leaders of this earth’s assembly of progressive beings.

m

The Adept only converses at his best with the Adept. Around him is a sacred circle, and within it only the Elect are allowed to enter. The Brotherhood of Conse­crated Lives admit all who are worthy, and all who are excluded exclude themselves.

— “Fra" E lbert H ubbard.(A Rosicrudan)

ROSYCROSS

FRATERNITY

PRACTICALTHINKERS

ALTRUISM

SPIRITUALBLESSINGS

17. In turn, these bodies associated and united in one organiza­tion that eventually became the foundation for the fraternity of investigators and seekers for Light known as T h e R osicrucians. The ancient records of this new foundation bespeak the glories of their accomplishments in behalf of man’s civilization and advance­ment, and give us, today, the most dependable record of man’s unflinching determination to pierce the veil o f obscurity, receive the Cosmic Illumination, and become the master of his life.

18. Because of their conservative activities, their exclusiveness, and their high accomplishments in art, literature, and the silences, they became generally known as the secret mystics of the hidden schools of true misdom. They were, however, practical workers and practical thinkers, determined to reduce to man’s immediate benefit all of the laws and principles which were revealed to their understanding, and thereby assist man to attain that essential de­gree of self-mastership through the power of knowledge that would enable him to face every problem of life, to solve every mystery of existence, and lead his own soul and the souls of others to the highest state of earthly existence.

Thus we have an outline of the ideals and purposes, the motives and inherent tendencies in man, which have brought into existence the present world-wide organization of R osicrucians. Misunder­stood by those who have not contacted their philosophy or their knowledge, misquoted by those who could not and w ould not view with the same tolerance and broadness of vision the power they offered man through their wisdom, they were imitated by those who sought to lead the true seeker from the real path of the quest. The Rosicrucians maintained, however, a unique organization and solidarity, unblemished by any of the fanaticisms of the past period of evolving civilization, uncontaminated by the political or social powers of any government or faction of men, uncontrolled by any personal ambition or selfish interests, and altruistically devoted to the betterment of humanity.

Appealing to the cultured and the intelligent, the progressive, and the thinking persons of all lands, and all ages, the brotherhood today constitutes the most intimate, the most complete, and the most fascinating movement for the advancement of knowledge, and the attainment of Spiritual, Cosmic understanding, leading to a higher expression of earthly life, a higher attainment, and the full realization of God’s blessings on earth.

[ 6 ]

God’s wisdom is for those who would reach up to receive it, and with others prepare themselves to be worthy of it. — Petrus de A bano.

(A Rosicrucian)

I V_yur Cy nviiahonS v v Leansa\T he ideals of the Rosicrucian Brotherhood can be carried out

only by the spread of its principles, teachings, objectives, and inspiration.

Bringing these things into the lives of as many progressive, thinking men and women as possible and aiding them to attain greater happiness, contentment, intellectual mastership and spiri­tual uplift, is the age-old purpose of the Brotherhood, and con­stitutes the G reat W ork .

This book was designed for private circulation, and more than likely reaches your hands through a desire expressed on your part to know more about the Rosicrucians, or through the desire of some member to aid you in your search for greater Light.

In either event, this book is an open invitation to you to unite with the Rosicrucian organization in its unselfish efforts and high ideals. You are invited not to become merely a member of a fra­ternity or a Neophyte of an Arcane School of Mystical Philsophy, but to become a personal, private student of the sane, practical, and sacred principles of which the Rosicrucian Brotherhood is an age-old exponent.

Uniting with the Rosicrucians means more than simply making an intimate contact with a group of persons or a body of like- minded individuals . It means entering through an invisible portal that stands like the ancient pylons of Egypt, at the entrance to a new section of the world. It means passing through the gateway that leads to a new world of thinking and living, presenting to the one who passes through the gate, a vista of life that is fascinating, intriguing, uplifting, inspiring, and practical in its helpful solu­tions of the every day problems that confront all human beings.

Coming within the fold of the Rosicrucian Brotherhood means entering into the close spiritual and mental companionship of a

AGE OLD PURPOSE

PRIVATESTUDENTS

THEPORTAL

He who knows most grieves most for wasted time.— D ante.

(A Rosicrucian)

M ANYBENEFITS

ANEW

OUTLOOK

MASTERSHIP

world-wide organization composed of those intellectually happy, spiritually contented, and materially successful men and women who may be your neighbors, your acquaintances, or the outstand­ing characters in your community or your city.

Aside from the very many practical benefits that accrue from such association, and which are given to each member of the Brotherhood week by week in a very definite form, there are so many spiritual and mental benefits from the companionship, and from the contact with the spiritual forces and mental vibrations, that it is hardly possible to even outline them in the brief space of this book.

One of the most common expressions on the part of thousands who are within the fold of the organization is that the entering into membership, or the C rossing o f the T hreshold , brought into it an immediate sense of security as well as of illumination, and a realization of a new outlook on life with the accumulating power to understand and master each major or minor problem of life as it arose in the course of human events. Another expression used most frequently in the remarks of the members everywhere, is that they wished above all else that they had m ade this contact and fo rm ed this association years ago, because of the greater good that would have come through the inevitable changes and prog­ress created in every important feature of their lives.

If we review the history of the Rosicrucians, as presented in the writings of such eminent characters as Roger Bacon, Sir Fran­cis Bacon, Lord Bulwer Lytton, M arie Corelli, Shelley, da Vinci, and scores of others, we learn that it has always been conceded that the students of the Rosicrucian principles and the practitioners of its fundamental laws were not only healthy and immune to the common ailments of the flesh, but were more fortunate in their personal affairs through the high developm en t o f their intuitive facu lties, and more masterful in their attainment of the higher and better things of life, because of their attunement with spiritual forces that made them appear to be blessed by the gods and the recipients of Cosmic beneficence.

[ 8 ]

God operates by His works— in heaven by Angels, and on earth by men. E liphas Levi.

(A Rosicrucian)

In America, today, we find the traditions of the Order, which was first established in this land in 1694, held sacred and in the highest regard by the descendants of old families in whose blood and hearts are the cultural, intellectual, and spiritual principles which appeal to reason, satisfying the inquiring mind, giving a guiding index to the purposes of life, and fortifying the soul and mind against the perplexities that tend to bring discontent and unhappiness.

Men of eminence today in the highest circles of scientific achievements, at the helm of great industries, or leaders in scien­tific research and instructors in schools, colleges, and universities, l e a d e r s h i p

express without reservation their high praise for the benefit that has come to them and to mankind generally through association with this unique Brotherhood.

In the highest circles of music, in the recognized fields of art and literature, in medicine and surgery, in law and other profes­sions, we find the outstanding successes, the illuminating, unsel­fish, humanitarian workers, active in their Rosicrucian affiliation and nobly trying to promulgate the Rosicrucian ideals in their own lives and in their contacts with others.

Here, then, is an exclusive yet world-wide organization com­posed of men and women who are united by purposes free from bias or self-aggrandizement, extending their hands to you to join in fellowship, and in spiritual and mental association, that you may have the benefit of what the organization has accomplished in the past and aid in the Great W ork of the future. This, then, f e l l o w s h i p

is the invitation extended to you, personally, and to those of your immediate family; for in this organization men and their wives, parents and their children unite and find common interests and common ties that help in establishing peace and harmony, beauty, elegance, richness, and spiritual inspiration in their homes and in their daily activities.

Those who are radical in their political, religious, or social views, or those who are unworthy to have the highest respect of their communities, or who are engaged in any hobby or practice e x c l u s i v e

beneath the dignity of respected men and women everywhere, are not invited to join with the Rosicrucians and are not truly ready

[ 9 ]

Be persuaded first to apply thyself to the Eternal Mind, entreating Him to grant thee understanding, then seek knowledge with diligence, and thou shalt never repent having taken so laudable a resolution.

Francis Barrett, F . R. C.(A Rosicrucian)

THEINNER

CALL

OURDUTY

HONOR

for the greater Light that can only be appreciated and utilized for the benefit of all by those who have been properly prepared in the ancestry and evolution of their mental abilities.

T o you, then, as one who is specifically invited because of your worthiness and willing readiness of open mind, this book, and especially the following pages, are dedicated with the hope that you will find in it the urge and the inner call to enter the First Portal and dwell in the Temple of Knowledge.

An Ancient CustomDiffering from other fraternal organizations to which the appli­

cant must humbly submit a petition, the Rosicrucian Fraternity has always believed that it was its duty to invite worthy and sincere seekers to join its ranks and share its knowledge.

Throughout Europe and the Orient it is generally considered a distinct honor to receive an invitation to unite with the Rosicrucian Fraternity. This is because it is a definite recognition by the Brotherhood of the individual’s sincerity and earnestness in his de­sire for L ight, L ife , and L ov e. It is with this tradition in mind that the Rosicrucians in America today extend the ancient invitation and a cordial welcome to such persons as they believe are sincerely interested in the great work and truly desirous of knowledge. The insincere, the unworthy, the frivolous, the skeptic, and the one who believes neither in the directing power of a Supreme Intelligence nor in the immutability of the Spiritual and natural laws, are not invited to join the Brotherhood, nor is the portal open to them until they have learned the first great lesson of life.

An Ancient, E soteric S ym bol of the Rosicrucians

[ 1 0 ]

All that happens In time has in Him its eternal principle.— A lbertus M agnus.

(A Rosicrucian)

embersi

^YYleans

W e have said that membership in the Rosicrucian Brotherhood means more than mere fraternal fellowship. W hile the principles of fraternalism, or true universal brotherhood , are highly exempli­fied in the Rosicrucian movement throughout the world because of its many centuries of operation, nevertheless, there are other direct benefits.

It is not possible to outline to the unaffiliated all the activities of the Rosicrucians, but these may be sensed in the references of eminent scientists, theologians, educators, and leaders in man’s progress, intimating that in every field of spiritual and mental illu­mination, the Rosicrcucians have been found in the silent ranks of the most devoted and influential.

The Rosicrucians have always been happy in the fact that they have been successful in protecting their unselfish, austere, and honorable activities from the spotlight of idle publicity and bom­bastic expositions. Their existence as a fraternity, their activities in the educational fields, and their humble accomplishments in the spiritual elevation of man, have been conservatively revealed in hundreds of public pieces of distinguished literature. This has had the desirable effect of removing any possible conception that the Rosicrucians were a con cea led group of mysterious philosoph­ers. But, the complete program of their unified and long estab­lished activities is known only to those who search for the deeper spiritual and mental labors of the M aster of Rosicrucian principles.

If you accept our invitation and submit your application for membership in the Brotherhood, your plea for admission will be duly considered from the standpoint of how helpful the organi­zation may be in bringing to you the knowledge which begets

UNIVERSALBROTHERHOOD

TRUESEEKERS

The First Personal Benefits

[ i i ]

Life is a mission. Every other definition of life is false, and leads all who accept it astray. Religion, science, phil­osophy, though still at variance upon many points, all agree in this, that every existence is an aim.

— M azzini. (A Rosicrucian)

Peace and Power, and how helpful you may become in carrying into the lives of others the great message of Light, L ife , and L ove. All other possible considerations are secondary. Your w orthiness of character and soul, even in the utmost humility and simpleness of earthly position and occupation, are paramount qualifications.

Upon being found worthy and sincerely deserving of the efful­gence of the F IR S T P R IN C IP L E S , you will be notified in due form, and certain secret, private, typewritten instructions will be dispatched to you, sealed against undesirable scrutiny.

Strictly Private

FIRSTPRINCIPLES

UTMOSTPRIVACY

These first Manifestos, containing the First Principles, will re­veal to you in simple language, and in a most interesting and in­triguing manner, the foundation facts of a series of revelations and discourses which will reach you weekly by mail, sealed and protected. No one but yourself need know that you have made any definite contact with the Rosicrucians, nor have any idea of what you are reading and studying.

Certain papers of general instruction, and documents of identi­fication will also be sent to you whereby you may keep us ac­quainted with your progress and privately communicate with one of the secretaries at the Supreme Temple, and express your fur­ther wishes and desires.

You will not be required to do anything, say anything, or con­duct your personal or public life in any manner that will embarass you, change the even tenor of your manner of living, or cause any inconvenience. Men and women of established routine habits appreciate this feature of privacy and reserve in the study of the Rosicrucian revelations. There is no need for association with other members unless this is desired and requested. You may even now live closely associated with or in daily business relation with one who is an advanced disciple of the principles of the fra­ternity, without your knowledge of the fact.

Continuous Revelations of Laws

From week to week there will come to you through personal, sealed communications, the carefully prepared discourses, lectures,

[ 1 2 ]

The one remains, the m any change and pass; Heaven’s light forever shines; earth’s shadows fly.

—Shelly .(A Rosicrucian)

and lessons which are officially issued by the Research and In­struction Departments of the large organization established in the Administration and Temple buildings of the Brotherhood.

PRACTICALPRINCIPLES

These lectures, lessons, discourses, and secret manuscripts in typewritten form, are not the work of one mind or one personal­ity holding the position of “discoverer” of some new or old phil­osophy, but the findings, expositions, and carefully edited writings THEof a world-wide group of secret workers, philosophers, scribes, t r u t h

and Spiritual thinkers, who constitute the international instruction committee of the Rosicrucian fraternity in all lands. No statement, no law nor principle, no observation nor any natural or transcen­dental fact of life, is a person al opinion of one human mind.

T he instruction given in this manner is dual in purpose and effect. First, it relates certain known facts to others hardly sus­pected and thereby reveals surprising knowledge along many lines, and, second, it gives certain definite principles for test and trial during the spare moments of daily life which bring forth in­teresting and helpful demonstrations of fact and arouse many new thoughts and revelations in the subconscious mind of the student.

Step by step, in a manner more absorbing and pleasant than the reading of fiction, astounding truths are revealed which require no blind faith for acceptance and no child-like beliefs.

As an additional contact with each member, to keep him in-ANformed of the most illuminating discourses of the leaders of Rosi- a d d i t i o n a l

crucian thought throughout the world, a monthly magazine, “The h e l p

Rosicrucian Digest” is sent to each member as a part of his study and the educational system.

Mal{ing Life a Song of Joy

From the very first hour of the course of contact with the fra­ternity, the outlook on life changes and then a new viewpoint brings the dawn of a new life. In each revelation of truth, the PEACEmind and intellect are raised to a higher concept of all the prin- p r o f o u n d

ciples and problems of our existence here on earth, and the spiri­tual nature within becomes slowly attuned to Cosmic forces and inspirations which bring joy, mental power, and a Peace that the Rosicrucians have ever termed, P ea ce P rofou n d .

[ 1 3 ]

When man neither careth for, nor seeketh, nor desireth anything but the Eternal Good alone, he is made a partaker of all manner of joy, bliss, peace, rest, and consolation.

Ja cob Boehm e.

No books are necessary to the thorough understanding of the carefully prepared weekly discourses, although the brotherhood does publish some books for specialized reading along practical Hnes of everyday interest. All the necessary charts, illustrations,

EXPLAINED J J Jreports, explantions, and expositions are contained in what has been acclaimed by thousands to be the most thorough, most ex­haustive and the most understandable revelation of the mysteries of life ever given to man.

Systematic and Complete

CAREFULLYGRADED

THEGREATWORK

It is not pretentious to say that no other school or system of human thought is as inclusive, as broad and unbiased, as is the elaborate and graded manuscripts sent to each member of the Rosicrucian Brotherhood.

Thousands in America today, as in other lands, look forward to the coming of the weekly envelope— the large envelope that contains the larger knowledge of life. Men and women in all occupations, from that of dircting the affairs of a home to the pinnacles of eminent professions, have found the weekly study period and the minutes of meditation and reflection associated with this Great W ork, the happiest and most profitable moments in their lives. It must be so, for, throughout the centuries the Rosi­crucian movement has grown in numbers of members and in power of accomplishment in a tremendous and inspiring manner.

CASTINGA W A YFEARS

T he Security of Attunement

T he simple language, the unquestionable self-evidence of the facts revealed, their easy application to the affairs of life, and the resulting mastership over perplexities of life, make the lectures, lessons, discourses and instructions a real pleasure to anticipate each week, and a blessing to absorb.

T h e whole attunement with the study and the high ideals of the organization, brings a sense of security and protection , a casting off of fears and dreads, and a blotting out of the doubts that for ages have held millions in mental and spiritual slavery.

There grows in the hearts and souls of all true Rosicrucians an increasing intimacy with the God Consciousness within, and the God Mind without. This is accompanied by a carefully arranged

[ 1 4 ]

Seek not too eagerly after the grace of devotion, sen­sible sweetness and tears, but let thy chief care be to remain inwardly united to God by good will in the intellectual part of the Soul.

— Albertus M agnus.

development of the Higher Faculties, or what da Vinci the emi­nent painter and Rosicrucian called, the Higher Powers, such as intuition, foresight, inspiration from the Cosmic, and an enlarging degree of Divine Love, which adds to the vitality of the life forces, improves the health and mental faculties and brings true immunity from disease and errors of mind and body.

The Cathedral of the Soul

Gradually, and in no indefinite manner, the consciousness of the student is raised to a point of easy attunement with the spiritual consciousness of the universe.

It is then that the student becomes aware of one of the most astonishing and consoling principles of the Rosicrucian knowledge. During the weekly study periods the student is prepared, by the secret system of the Rosicrucians, to sense the mental and spiri­tual contact of the thousands of other idealized thoughts attuned with his own from all parts of the universe at given periods of the night or day. These, uniting in one universal Cosmic Conscious­ness of M an, constitute a mighty Assembly of attuned minds, directing their thoughts toward the mystic beams of Light, Life, and Love. Gradually the focal point of this universal Assembly is raised higher and higher until, in a short space of time, the student finds that his weekly period of meditation, brief or long as he or she may wish to make it, lifts the consciousness to a Holy Sanctum within the C athedral o f the Soul. Here is the ultimate of Spiritual Contact. Here are Rest, Peace, Power, and Illumination.

COSMICLIGHT

The Miracle of G od’s Existence

It is during these weekly contacts with the Sanctum of the C athedral o f the Soul, that the worthy seeker of Divine Illumina­tion finds the realization of his quest, and the Dawn of Eternal Life. The very attunement with the Spiritual Power in that etherial but very real Cathedral, is beyond any description that may be reduced to words or finite concept.

Here the higher consciousness of the soul of man senses the Music of the Spheres, the Rhythmic Vibrations of Spiritual Music and Harmonic Chords. W ithin the vast spaces of that Cathedral

[ 1 5 ]

SPIRITUALPOWER

There is a transcendant power that comes to the human mind when it finds joy in attunement with the Cosmic wisdom. — Friar R oger B acon.

the Soul and Mind of the individual seated comfortably in the privacy of his home, finds spiritual companionship in prayer, medi­tation and contemplation of the Miracles of God’s Existence and God’s Beneficence.

In the Holy Assembly of the Cathedral are the minds of the THE Illumined Masters of the world today, lifted to this great sanctuary

m a s t e r s by their noble thoughts and aspiring souls. In the East of the Cathedral is the Great Altar out of which comes the sweet tones of the inspiring message speaking to the veary hearts of those who listen with understanding.

Only those who for years have experienced this most mystical of all periods in human life, ever realize the secret of the Inner Kingdom proclaimed by Jesus, and found to be the mystery of His Mission and the Mission of every great Avatar who pre­ceded Him.

Here is the true church, the true Holy of Holies, the Dwelling t r u e Place of God and the Cosmic Hosts. This is the secret of the

c h u r c h exoteric meaning of the Rose on the Cross and the meaning of the cryptic message of I. N. R. I.

Personal Guidance

JOYOUSCONTACTS

NON-SECTARIAN

In every possible way, by private letters in answer to inquiries for more Light and guidance, in special communications of a more intimate nature, and in ways and means unknown to others, the Masters of the Supreme Lodge maintain a close contact with each member and extend with real joy the hand of fellowship in meet­ing all the spiritual and mental problems of life.

Each member finds that the personal interest in his welfare, the whole-hearted concern in his progress, and the sympathetic desire to help in every practical affair, makes membership in the Rosi­crucian Brotherhood a living exemplification of the human spirit of Divine relationship.

No element of religious sectarianism enters into tne spirit of the teachings or other activities. Persons of all religious denomina­tions are active members in all lands, and whether Jew or Gentile, Christian Protestant or Roman Catholic, Mohammedan, Buddhist, or a member of any other denomination, there will be found only that which will bring your God closer to you and make the mys-

[ 1 6 ]

True happiness consists not in the knowledge of good things, but in good life; not in understanding, but in living understandingly. Neither is it great learning, but good will that joins men to God.

— Cornelius Agrippa.(A Rosicrucian)

teries of life, the mysteries of your being, and the powers of your faculties, more understandable and worthy of your adoration.

A Schooling Unusually BroadIn the course of lessons, lectures, and discourses the student

finds invaluable and helpful knowledge covering all the princi­ples of so-called natural laws, such as chemistry, physiology, biology, onotology, cosmology, and psychology. All the fine arts of civilization are explained in their relation to the Cosmic princi­ples. The human mind, the Divine Mind, the Spiritual Conscious­ness, the physical faculties of the body, the psychic faculties of the e t e r n a l

Soul, the harmonics of evolution, the cycles of life, the Cosmic 'VISD0M vibrations and their manifestations, the true cause of diseases, the creative powers of thought, the emanations of mind, the Infinite Graces of God’s blessings in man— all are explained and made understandable and of service in the awakening of the S U P E R ­M A N within each of us, bringing that magnetic personality, that masterful intellect, that charm and poise of personality that mean R E G E N E R A T E D B E IN G S on earth, evolving to the High State of Supreme Consciousness and Eternal Life.

Wide Range of SubjectsEverything that has ever been taught in the past or is being

taught at the present time in Europe or the Orient, and that is true, inspiring, and of practical use is included in the lectures, lessons, and discourses. W hether it be such fascinating studies as the laws of vibrations in the sounds of names, colors, music, and other manifestations of natural law, or the vibrations of life and health, or lessons dealing with oriental breathing exercises, processes for mentally creating ideas to be brought into realization, modern psy- qld

chological principles, the alchemy of the mind, the transmutation a n d

of base elements into refined expressions, the transmission of NEV/ thought, the projection of the human consciousness into space, the mystery of the powers of the Divine Mind over mortal mind and material things, the secret doctrines of the early Christians, and other great Lights of the Spiritual Schools, or whatever else one may find in the ancient writings of the leaders of human thought, all are revealed and explained in a practical manner in the com­plete and simple lectures and lessons that constitute the great Rosicrucian system.

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Ignorance is the true original sin. Men are bankrupt morally because they do not know the gold mine that is in them. — Brierley.

ystery o/ xe Cy \osy

ross

AN TIQ UITY

M ANYMEANINGS

BODYAND

SOUL

The symbol of the Rosicrucians through all ages has been a golden cross with a red rose in its center. This symbol has both an Exoteric and an Esoteric meaning, and neither of these are related to any sectarian symbolism of the cross.

In fact, the cross is so much older in symbolism and in both scientific and spiritual significance than any Christian symbol that there should be no reason to associate the cross with any sectar­ian application. The cross as a symbol of mystical principles can be found on many of the ancient carvings in periods preced­ing the birth of Christianity and the Maltese cross and many other forms of the cross including the Swastika are developments of this very ancient mark.

The complete Rosy Cross symbol as shown on the opposite page is truly a key to all of the arts and sciences taught in the secret manuscripts of the Rosicrucian Fraternity. The number of petals constituting the rose in the center of the cross and the marks upon these petals are highly significant as are the chemi­cal, alchemical, and astronomical emblems appearing on the face of the cross, including the Pentagram and King Solomon’s seal, both of which were well recognized philosophical symbols long before the Christian era. The wisdom of the world is contained in the symbols of the Rosy Cross, and by its mathematical, geo­metrical, and allegorical form, every problem of the arts and sciences may be worked out including the fascinating problems of the Euclid.

The spiritual significance of the cross used by the Rosicrucians through all ages is as follows: The cross itself represents thebody of man with arms outstretched and typifies the physical body of man suffering the trials and tribulations of earthly ex­perience, which crucify his body and constitute the process lead­ing to regeneration. The unfolding rose in the center of the cross

There is no chance, no destiny, no fate Can circumvent, or hinder, or control The firm resolve of a determined soul.

— Ella W h eeler W ilcox .

represents the soul of man developing and unfolding through the experiences and tribulations of earthly life, by which process the soul attains divine perfection. Thus the soul of man evolves through the crucifixion of the body of man. This interpretation was held by the Arcane souls of oriental lands long before the

T he Ancient R osy C ross Is V ery D ifferent From A ny Religious Em blem

crucifixion of Jesus the Christ and is referred to in many ancient manuscripts as the great law of life.

The Rosy Cross is one of the symbols found in the highest spiri­tual writings of all ages, for it is also a key to the mysteries of the Bible, the mysteries of the alchemists, and the metaphysicians. No other symbol has ever served so many purposes, and retained the high spiritual esteem and veneration as has the Golden Cross with the Red Rose. Day after day and year after year its unfold­ing wisdom and fascinating revelations will lead your life to higher realities.

[ 1 9 ]

AREALKEY

God is a N um ber endowed with motion, which is felt but not demonstrated. — Balzac.

(A Rosicrucian)

SINCERITY

LIVINGTHELIFE

WONDERFULHELPS

OBLIGATION

The paramount requirement on the part of each member of the Rosicrucian fraternity is that he or she shall strive in every possi­ble way to understand the so-called m ysteries o f life , and through spiritual illumination and self-mastership over the human traits of character and the problems of life, attain happiness, power, and peace on earth.

The second requirement is that each member shall become unto himself, and unto those whom he may contact, a demonstration of the power of the M ystic Trinity— the three elements of which are Light, L ife , and L ove.

T o enable its members to attain these high powers and ideal principles, the Brotherhood maintains an elaborate Research Staff associated with other departments of investigation and education constituting the Rosicrucian R esearch Foundation . It also prepares and distributes to its membership weekly, with no cost attached thereto, the complete graded system of instruction, discourses, lec­tures, and lessons referred to previously, constituting many courses of profound study and practical help unequalled by the curricu- lums of any school or college. The monthly “R osicrucian D ig est” is also given to each member.

W hile it is not compulsory, it is most advisable, for every mem­ber of the Brotherhood to accept the instructions and lectures offered, and thereby increase the spread of the greater Light.

On the other hand a third requirement on the part of all mem­bers is that they contribute to the support of the R osicrucian R e ­search Fou n dation and all the other material activities and operat­ing expenses of the physical organization known as the Rosicrucian Brotherhood. W hile the personal benefits from membership are many, and are entirely distinct from those offered by any other

[ 2 0 ]

But among these doctrines, there is none more neces­sary than an inquiry into the proper habits of each fac­ulty of the soul in the body and its organs.

— Sir Francis Bacon. (Imperator of the Rosicrucians)

fraternity, there are no fees connected with these benefits, and the course of instruction is given gratuitiously to all members.

By a vote of the large membership in North America expressed through the delegates in the National convention held in America, a nominal contribution was established as the most fitting manner in which all members might equally and properly support the physical organization without bringing the element of commercial­ism into its activities in any form.

Therefore, all applicants for membership are asked to merely make a contribution of Five Dollars to the R osicrucian R esearch Fou n dation at the time of the submission of their application for membership. All accepted members will continue to support the physical organization and its elaborate operating methods through a monthly contribution to the Foundation Funds of Tw o Dollars payable each month by mail. No other fees are required because all advancements and degrees of promotion or initiation into the higher teachings are without price, without fee, and without any other consideration than the good and welfare of the individual member and his or her relation to the great work being carried on by the Brotherhood. Nor are there any fees or assessments asso­ciated with the weekly mailing of the lectures, lessons, discourses, monthly magazines, or other forms of personal instruction, or with the giving of personal advice and help through correspondence or other means to individual members.

Members may withdraw from active association with the Brotherhood for good cause at any time, and their contributions to the funds of the organization continue only so long as members maintain active affiliation. The great work is supported by the good will of the members through an equal and nominal distribu­tion of the operating costs of the foundation work. This has been the age-old custom of the organization and has been highly ap­proved by all those in the past and present who have participated in it. It makes each and every member of the fraternity a willing and hearty supporter of its physical activities while enjoying to the utmost the unique privileges of its spiritual and mental benefits.

EQUALITY

GOOD WILL

FREELYENTER

Good always flows in the channels it has once selected.— L. C. d e Saint-M artin.

(A Rosicrucian)

e i l i n e ov ro c e a u re

AN8NNER

URGE

CAREFULPREPARATION

Your attention is called to the following important points, which should have your careful consideration. If the reading of this book arouses in you any desire to share the knowledge and wisdom of the Rosicrucians, or you feel any urge to unite with them in their private and exclusive studies, you should submit your application for membership either by using the blank Q uestionnaire that may be enclosed with this book, or if no Questionnaire accompanies this book, by simply writing to the Secretary-General and expres­ing your desire. T o hesitate, or to lay this book aside, may mean the passing of the opportunity; for the direct invitation may not come again in the form in which it is presented to you at this time.

The work of the organization is very systematic and definite. Immediately upon receipt of your application for membership, you will be notified of its consideration, and upon acceptance you will receive certain secret manuscripts of profound interest and fasci­nating reading. From that moment onward, your membership will consist of a dual form of activity. First there will be the weekly lessons, lectures, or discourses, and confidenital letters, which will go to your home with a regularity and with a sequence and system of graded information and knowledge that will please and surprise you. This information constitutes the schooling and impartation of the great wisdom of the organization. On the other hand, from the moment of your affiliation, you become attuned with others of similar mind and with certain M asters and workers who will pri­vately and in their own way keep in touch with your progress and your personal requirements. In this way the Cosmic, metaphysical, and spiritual activities of the organization are carried on, culminat­ing in the great spiritual assemblies that are held several times each week through meditation, at which time you, in the privacy o f your own hom e, and unbeknown to others around you, come in contact with illuminating mentalities and inspiring impressions emanating from the C athedral o f the Soul.

[ 2 2 ]

Men who are devoid of the power of spiritual percep­tion are unable to recognize the existence of anything that cannot be seen externally. — Paracelsus.

Through the monthly magazine, through personal letters, and through many channels of well organized activity, the Brother­hood will help you in your personal problems of health, success, and progress in the attainment of mastership.

You will come to realize what the greatest of writers and think­ers have meant when they have said so often in veiled or plain language that association with the Rosicrucian fraternity brings one into contact with those constructive, progressive, mighty forces of the universe that carry the loyal and devoted student of the teachings to eminent heights and planes of joy and peace. Nothing of an abstract or theoretical nature is contained in the teachings or in the plans of operation. The knowledge imparted is concrete, definite, demonstrable by the student, easily applied to all the affairs of life, and related to the fundamental knowledge of all of the sciences and arts constituting a course of education equal to that of a university or several colleges. It is easy to understand, p e a c e

simple in its unfoldment, rich and beautiful in its inspirinq wis- AND1 , . 1 - . 1 . • , • r POWERdom, and practical m its application, during every moment of

your life. The Rosicrucian work constitutes the great work of man’s life, and every man and woman regardless of position in social life or business world or in the home, can benefit equally with all other minds through the study and contact afforded each member. There is nothing in the work that will detract from your political or religious convictions, nor interfere with your daily occupations. You do not subscribe allegiance to any indi­vidual, and you do not pledge yourself to lifelong adherence to the work, unless you find it the joy of your life to do so, for freely may you enter the organization and freely may you withdrawat any time. T he outer portal is now open to you, and you are invited to cross the threshold and enter the new world that lies beyond.

As long as you live, you will value your membership in this F ra ­ternity because of its honored past and the great work it has ac­complished in your country for the unfoldment of man’s highest a

powers and the advancement of civilization. You will come to ,1 HERIT/iregard your affiliation with the Rosicrucians as a blessing, a privi­lege, and a rich heritage to be preserved for the future as a bene- ditcion to others.

[ 2 3 ]

In proportion as you detach yourself from things, in that same proportion, not one degree more or less, will God enter in with all that is His. — E ckhart.

verm ent

The AMORC in North America constitutes a separate Jurisdiction, affi­liated with the international AMORC Rosicrucian Order. Similar Jurisdic­tions exist in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and South America. The word AM ORC is an abbreviation of the complete name of the Rosicrucian Brotherhood.

The Rosicrucian Brotherhood is, therefore, an international organization having had its origin in the traditional Arcane S chools of Egypt and Asia, and operative for many centuries in the civilized lands of the world. All Jurisdictions are operating uniformly, and as one organization, under a Su­preme Council for the world with in­ternational and world congresses held at various periods in Europe.

Each branch of this organization is identified by the ancient and accepted symbol of the fraternity— the Cross with one Red Rose in its center. The AMORC has no connection with any cult, or personal philosophical move­ment, using the word Rosicrucian and a different symbol.

The Rosicrucian principles and ac­tivities were introduced in America through a Rosicrucian movement formed by several European branches, and which established itself in Phila­delphia in 1694, and later moved to its own lands outside of the city where it became associated with the estab­lishment of many of America’s earliest educational and cultural institutions. Many eminent characters associated with the foundation of the American Republic were very active in the Rosi­crucian work, as is revealed in many historical documents.

In the present regime of the AMORC, the ancient traditions, prac­tices, and high ideals are rigidly main­tained, and there are reading rooms, libraries, l e c t u r e rooms, temples, groups, and representatives in all the principal cities of the United States, Canada, Mexico, the W est Indies, and Latin America constituting the North

American jurisdiction, with its Execu­tive Staff and various Research and Educational Departments located in the Administration building in San Jose, California, where an Egyptian Temple and Oriental Museum are also maintained by the Fraternity.

The States and Provinces of North America constitute divisions of the North American Jurisdiction, and each is under the direction of a Grand Lodge and a Grand Master, as are the W est Indies. In the Egyptian Tem­ples of the various lodges, the ancient forms of ritualistic ceremones are con­ducted for those who wish to partici­pate in this method of dramatization of philosophical principles taught in the organization.

While AMORC in all lands oper­ates as a fraternity, it has no direct re­lationship with any other fraternity or brotherhood. Although there is a Rosicrucian (Rose Croix) degree in Freem asonry, named in honor of the antiquity of the Rosicrucian fraternity, there is no connection between the Rosicrucian Brotherhood and Free­masonry, except that the principal offi­cers of AMORC in all sections of each Jurisdiction are Freemasons.

The Rosicrucian Research Founda­tion of AM ORC in North America has participated for many years in ex­cavations and research work in Egypt, and is affiliated with research and ex­ploration expeditions in various coun­tries.

The highest officials of AMORC have participated in initiations and ceremonies in foreign lands, and par­ticularly in the ancient temples in Egypt.

The entire organization of the Rosi­crucian fraternity throughout the world, operating under the name of AM ORC is unique in all of its pro­cedures, its instructions, discourses, educational programs, and its scien­tific and humanitarian activities.

There can be but O N E internationally recognized Rosicrucian Brotherhood perpetuating the ancient traditions and principles.

[ 2 4 ]

The soul dwells not where she lives, but where she loves.— T hom as Vaughan.

(A Rosicrucian)

The Ancient Name and Symbols of the Rosi' crucian Brotherhood, Registered and Protected by The U. S. Patent Office exclusively in the

name of AMORC.

D IR E C T O R A T E F O R N O R T H A M E R IC A

H. SPEN C ER L E W IS , Ph. D„ F. R. C.Imperator and Dean of the AMORC LIniversity.

RALPH M. L E W IS , F. R. C.Secretary General and Archivist.

A. LEO N BATCH ELO R, F. R. C.Director, Department of Correspondence.Chief, Personal Advisory Staff.

DR. ARTHUR B. BELL, F. R. C.Director, Department of Welfare.Chief, Cultural Development Staff.

CHARLES DANA DEAN, F. R. C.Director, Research Department.Chief, Lecture and Educational Staff.

H ARRY L. SH IBLEY, F. R. C.Director of Editorial Department

All general correspondence pertaining to Membership should be addressed to:

T H E SEC R ET A R Y -G EN ER A L, AMORC,

Rosicrucian Park

San Jose, California (U. S. A.)