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THE EVOLUTION OF ROSICRUCIANISM
Copyright (C) 1992 Dan McClure, All rights reserved.
The Rosicrucians were quite recognizable as Christian in the 17th
century. According to legend Christian Rosencreutz traveled and
studied widely in the Orient then formed the Fraternity of the Rosy
Cross with Bros. G.V., J.A. & J.O. so it would be natural to be
heavily influenced by Eastern ideas and beliefs.
The Bros. then met in their house of the holy spirit, or Invisible
College under the wings of Jehovah studying the "Ancient Wisdom"
reading from the book of Nature in the imitation of Christ etc. The
Rosicrucian movement was an attempt to combine Christianity with
some of the Wisdom of the East. It was also an early attempt to
harmonize men of different Christian denominations to a common goal
of esoteric & scientific investigation & discovery. So that such
diverse men as Robert Fludd an Anglican, Johann Andreae a Lutheran,
Frederick of Palatine a Calvinist could share their discoveries in
their Invisible College.
The _Fama_ mentions "the perfect knowledge of his Son Jesus Christ"
& "But so every Christian may know what faith we are, we confess to
have knowledge of Jesus Christ ... most clear and pure is professed."
While the _Confessio_ mentions "our Lord Jesus Christ" & "our
Christian Father(Rosencreutz)." The _Chemical Wedding of Christian
Rosencreutz_ was in fact written by Johann Andreae(Brother J.A.?) a
Lutheran Pastor in 1615(he was heavily influenced by John Dee). He
was the probable author of _Fama_ & _Confessio_ as well.
The Church called it heresy and drove the Rosicrucians under ground.
It touched off a witch hunt through out Europe looking for invisible
Rosicrucians who were supposedly in league with dark powers and the
Devil. Don't be mislead by A.M.O.R.C.'s modern blend of Egyptian
ideas, motifs and Oriental mysticism into its teachings, its
original foundations lay in and with Christianity. For further study
on this issue I would suggest reading "The Rosicrucian
Enlightenment" by Frances Yates ISBN 0-7100-7380-1 it is very well
written and covers these facts in detail.
In all probability when the Rosicrucian concept migrated to England
it evolved into English Freemasonry with Robert Moray and Elias
Ashmole in May 1641.
The only thing certain is Rosicrucians such as Robert Fludd & Thomas
Vaughn [Eugenus Philalethes] became Masons and Masons like Robert
Moray and Elias Ashmole became Rosicrucians.
In the 17th, 18th & 19th centuries there was a great deal of
borrowing, amalgamation and incorporation from the Qabalah, Western
Magickal Tradition and Oriental Wisdom into the Masonic Rites and
Rituals as can easily be seen in the Rosicrucian degrees, Templar
degrees, Memphis and Mizraim degrees etc. This combined with their
Christian based paradigm makes for some beautiful Rituals.
The Ancient Mystical Order of the Rose Cross was established in the
U.S in 1694 under Grand Master Kelpius to study the traditional arts
of; Hermetics, Natural Alchemy & Spiritual Alchemy, Qabalah,
Skrying, Divination, Geomancy, Horay Astrology, Astral Projection,
Theurgy, Music, Philosophy, Mathematics etc.
In 1714 Samuel Richter formed his Golden Rosicrucian fraternity in
Berlin which lasted until the end of the century. By the middle of
the 18th century there was a great deal of activity in all kinds of
esoteric endeavors in the U.S. Most of the Founding Fathers were
both Rosicrucians & Masons.
Paschel Beverly Randolph, continued the evolution by founding his
Rosicrucian fraternity in California in 1861 teaching the
traditional arts along with tantric mysticism.
By the early 1900's Rudolf Steiner & Max Heindel were adding their
interpretations to the body of Rosicrucian lore. Steiner's Berlin
Anthroposophical Society was based on a blend of Theosophy,
Rosicrucianism, Masonry, O.T.O. & G.D. He claimed that Christian
Rosencreutz was an actual person who was constantly reincarnating.
While Heindel's Rosicrucian Fellowship & the Societas Rosicruciana
at Mt. Ecclesia in Oceanside, Ca was more in keeping with the
traditional arts combined with Christianity as laid out in the
_Fama_ & _Confessio_. Max Heindel died in 1919.
H. Spencer Lewis was born in the late 1800's about the time of the
Golden Dawn was getting started. He was initiated in a French
Rosicrucian lodge in 1909. Lewis was influenced by Theosophy,
Masonry, Rudolf Steiner & his Anthroposophical Society. In 1915
AMORC came out of a self imposed "outer silence."
In the 20's Lewis shifted the focus of AMORC from the traditional
arts of Natural Alchemy, Qabalah, Skrying etc. to the more mystical
aspects of reincarnation, past lives, Spiritual Alchemy, combined
with Theosophy and it Great White Brotherhood of hidden Masters
which he incorporated along with Egyptian Magick, reincarnation
beliefs and history, especially the rein of Akhenaton.
Spencer joined the O.T.O. and obtained the VIIth. On March 20, 1921
AMORC received "Gage of Amity" document from O.T.O. to their
founder, H.S.Lewis. In the 1920-30's AMORC sponsored several
Egyptian "digs" and brought back enough mummies and booty to fill
their museum!
They were the first to have a mail order course in Mysticism and
Egyptian religion starting in 1930. Lewis was a prolific author with
more than 150 books to his credit on Mysticism, reincarnation,
ancient Egypt, Rosicrucianism etc.
On August 2, 1939 a Wednesday at 3:15pm that Dr. H. Spencer Lewis of
AMORC fame gave up his earthly vehicle permanently. His son Ralph
Lewis is now at the helm of AMORC.