AMORC - The Wisdom of the Sages (1934).pdf

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Until you have deliberated and real­ ized that within this booklet a mes­ sage of importance awaits you. This booklet is not for the idly curious and its contents have been sealed for a purpose. W hen you have broken the seal— do not proceed until you have read the next page. If a letter accompanies this booklet, read it first.

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Privately Issued by Permission o f The D epartm ent o f Publication o f the Supreme G rand Lodge o f The A n cien t and M ystical O rd e r Rosae Crucis, Jurisdiction o f N o rth and South A m erica

Rosicrucian Park

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5th Edition, Copyright 193 4 by A M O R C

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San Jose, C a lifo rn ia

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Official Publication Number Sixteen

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Printed in U.S.A.

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H E R O S IC R U C IA N S , as a body of mystical phil­ osophers and workers, invite all thinking men and women to share with them the knowledge which they have accumulated through their researches, their in­ vestigations, and their united experiments and dis­ courses, covering many centuries and culminating in the presentday Rosicrucian revelations. T h ey offer these remarkable and as­ tounding 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 ap­ proved by the Fraternity, you are invited to consider the follow­ ing facts which explain the primary causes for the existence of such an unusual Fraternity as that of the Rosicrucians.

A g e Old T ru th s T h e Rosicrucian O rder has often been considered by writers and some historical authors as a very secret society. T h a t is not correct because the society as a group of men and women through­ out the world is not truly secret for it does not try to conceal itself, nor does it have any reason for so doing. It has kept m any o f its teach in g s secret because not every man and woman is worthy of having these teachings, nor ready to have such ad­ vanced knowledge. Y ou will agree that it is unsafe to tell every person the great truths of life. W e do not think of telling our children all of the mysteries and truths of our existence simply because many of these principles would be misunderstood, and others would not be clear to them, and many of the principles might be misapplied. It is not that we want to keep our children in ignorance, but that we want to give them just such knowledge as they can understand when they are ready for it. T h e Rosicrucians have always gone out of their way to try to give their teachings to those who are ready for them. F o r this reason they constantly seek to contact or dis­ cover persons who may sincerely want the teachings, and if their interest is really sincere the Rosicrucians will invite them to come and share the knowledge or have it sent to them in the privacy of their homes where they can study C 3] The Rosicrucians— an august fraternity whose doc­ trines, hinted at by the earliest philosophers, are still a mystery to the unworthy. I do not blame them for their discretion. — L o rd E d w a rd B u lw er L ytton . (A Rosicrucian.)

these great truths conveniently and in a very interesting and at­ tractive manner. W e really do not know when the work of the Rosicrucians first began. W e do know that through the centuries it has been one of the most powerful helps and respected organizations of men and women that the world has known. T h is does not include, of course, such organizations as the churches and religious groups, because the Rosicrucian Organization is not like any of these. It is not a religion ; it is not a church; and not a strange cult of any kind. It would never have attracted the attention of men and women of all classes and of all religions if it had been a strange new form of some mysterious, religious cult. But it has been the most honored and respected, and the most fascinating organiza­ tion of helpfulness for men and women in every land for many centuries. Its oldest records show that it was well organized in ancient times, and its traditional history points to its foundation in Egypt, and in other oriental countries. It has been highly indorsed and praised by thousands of men and women who say that it has been the most helpful and practical form of guidance, and the most inspiring thing in their lives.

A W orld -W id e M ovem ent Y ou may ask how an organization can be an inspiration to a person. T h a t depends upon what the organization is trying to do, and what its purposes are. A fter all, any personal help that an organization can give to an individual must be of a personal and individual nature. T h e Rosicrucian O rder is a world-wide move­ ment devoted to c o o p era tiv e help am on g its m em bers an d frien ds for the purpose of assisting the individual through personal guid­ ance and personal instruction. It is not like a school where men and women take up the same course of study, and then must seek ways and means of using that knowledge in order to benefit by it. In a school of art you may become trained as an efficient artist, and after you have completed the study you still have the problem of starting out in life and beginning the career of an artist in order that you may make your knowledge of value and helpfulness to you. Y ou may study in a school of music and become an expert in music, but you still have the problem of establishing the career of a musician, and making your ability serve and help you. All present-day schools and colleges have certain definite courses of study. T h e graduates leave these in­ stitutions as competent physicians, attorneys, engineers, clergymen, scientists, chemists, or experts in other fields. T h ey must go out and start life over again, beginning at the bottom and building up their careers by application of the knowledge gained. Soon they meet competition, and each month and year thousands of other students are gradu[4 ] W hen nature’s many mysterious activities are under­ stood, man is able to conquer the so-called "evil in­ fluences” which beset his path in life. — R ev . G e o r g e Banning. (A Rosicrucian.)

ated in the same lines, possessing the same knowledge and same abilities, and they must compete with one another. Such a course through life is hard and difficult, and the school or college cannot help after they have graduated, and they must work out their own lives in their own ways.

C h a n g in g the C o u rse of L ife T h e Rosicrucian O rder is entirely different from this. It teaches each one of its members or friends the great fundamental truths of life and at the same time enables each one of these persons to personally apply these principles at once. T o establish contact with the Rosicrucian O rder and share in its education­ al work, requires no disrupting of the fundamental things in life, nor interference with the things that have proved themselves of value to the individual. A person does not have to wait until he graduates from some long course of study to start life along the better path, nor does he have to become a specialist in any one field, and enter into competition with other specialists in chang­ ing his career. N o matter in what line of occupation or what place in the social scheme of things a man or woman may be occupied at the present time, he or she is welcome to study the Rosicrucian teachings in improving the present position and in gradually changing it to something higher, something more con­ tented, something more profitable in every sense of the word, and something more inspiring. Y ou must admit that there is a great difference in the lives of men and women as we view them throughout the world today. T here are those who seem to be in a rut, and who follow the same course of living year after year getting nowhere and ac­ complishing nothing, and seemingly never realizing one of their fondest dreams. On the other hand, we see men and women around us who seem to have unusual success, and who seem to have a power that enables them to constantly improve their conditions and to take advantage of opportunities that others over­ look or never appreciate. O f course, there are persons whose lives have been helped through so-called political influences, or through

friendly influences, but such persons are always standing upon dangerous ground. In fact they are building their lives on quick­ sand because they do not know at what moment the same influ­ ences that helped them to lift themselves to a better position may turn about and bring them down to the most lowly and humble station.

T h e Fallacy of "Luck" SEima

W h en our career in life is not built upon the things which we ourselves have created we can have no depend­ ence in its stability. Bitter experience has taught all of us that the things which we can depend upon are those things

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[5] In our sanctuary all the hidden M ysteries are preserved intact, they have never been profaned . . . Our science is the inheritance promised to the E lect. — C ouncillor Von E ckh artsh au sen . (A Rosicrucian.)

which are within our own power to create and sustain. T h e man or woman who has special knowledge that enables him or her to do special things in life is always in a superior position to a person who is dependent upon others or upon certain influences, good fortune, some friendly assistance, or a temporary combination of conditions. A s we look around us in life we see the many individuals and families where ‘‘good fortune” has seemed to bless them. People will laughingly say that such persons were born under “lucky stars” or that they are simply "blessed with good luck.” O f course this is pure nonsense, for there is no such thing in life as luck, if we understand it properly. Everything that occurs in our lives is either the result of something we have already done, something we are about to do, or something we have created. Sometimes we fail to do the right things at the right time and in the course of events certain other things follow. T h ese things cause trouble or grief, and are frequently referred to as ‘‘bad luck.” All these conditions, however, are clearly the effects of natural laws. W hen we have learned to know the law it is easy to find the cause of undesirable effects. Thereafter is it possible to prevent unfortunate occurrences simply by avoiding such acts that create them or bring them about.

M a n s In n er Power T h e Rosicrucian Order is a group of men and women who have been studying since earliest times, the great fundamental, natural laws of life that explain man’s abilities to master his own affairs. W h en the first great schools and colleges of wisdom were established they did not start teaching about distant stars, nor problems of geometry, nor higher mathematics, nor ancient his­ tory of battles and discoveries. T h ey taught man how to under­ stand his own being, and his relationship with all the puzzling affairs of life. Gradually the schools changed their systems and the intellectual persons in these schools established new institutions devoted to the study of Latin and Greek, ancient and modern history, higher mathematics, and the various trades and sciences. T h ey entirely laid aside the study of man’s own powers, and man’s own abilities in his personal evolution. It must be apparent to every thoughtful student that man is here to live on earth for a better purpose than to become merely a walking en­ cyclopedia of science and ancient history. Even though he is a master in all forms of mathematics and eminent as a chemist, or an astronomer, he has still his own life to deal with, and all these sciences will not help him to change his career and make it a personal success except by becoming a

[ 6] Seek not too eagerly after the grace of devotion, sen­ sible 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. — A lbertu s M agnus. (A Rosicrucian.)

great astronomer, or a great chemist, or a great engineer, or professor in some college. In such a case he must compete with thou­ sands of others who are specialists in the same line, and he finds that this competition holds him down instead of helping him to rise to greater heights. In college he may dream about being a great engineer, or a great chemist, and having a very fine salary, a happy home, and perfect contentment in life. W h en he graduates and goes intp the business world he finds, however, that because of the keen competition with other chemists, other scientists, other well-trained men, he must begin at the bottom of the ladder, and take a very small salary, and live in a very small home in a humble way. A s year after year passes competition does not become less, but even greater, and he finds that he is not able to rise to the great heights that he dreamed about, and that he is earthbound by having prepared himself only in a material way to compete with material conditions. He does not realize that man was not born just to be an engi­ neer or chemist or scientist, but to be a perfect creator with creative ability to master his own life and to become wise and influential in the directing of his own career.

T h e Survival of the Fittest An examination of all of the fundamental laws of nature shows us that there is one great law that man must never overlook, and that law is called “the survival of the fittest.” In the animal kingdom, even among the specie of smallest insects, it is the strongest, the best qualified, the best prepared, that survives the attacks of others. In the vegetable world among all the plants, flowers, and other things that grow in the earth, it is the strongest the most important, the most perfectly evolved specimen that survives and crushes out of existence the less important ones. Mankind experiences the very same contest. T h e weak, the undeveloped, the unprepared, and the unqualified creatures of humanity are forced to give way to higher and more evolved individuals. T h is is not a man-made law. It is not a socialistic law that man can change. It is a fundamental law of nature, and only the foolish person thinks it is something that can be altered by the rules laid down by man, by socialistic schemes, or by any plan of civilization that the human mind can invent. As long as the world lasts, the most fit person, the most qualified, and prepared person will survive and dominate over the unprepared and unqualified and unfit. [7 ] T he 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. — P aracelsu s. (A Rosicrucian.)

Personal Evolution All this reveals a law of personal evolution. It reveals that man and woman are here on earth for some strange purpose. W e may not discover the exact nature of that purpose, or we may never fully realize it, but we can cooperate with that purpose by making out of our individual lives the greatest success and the greatest power that is humanly possible. T h e fish in the sea that are attacked by one another do not protect themselves by becoming experts in certain subjects. T h e insects that attack one another do not attempt to lift themselves out of the situation and survive the battles by becoming intellectually superior in some special form of knowledge. It is only through the use of certain inner powers, certain special abilities which they have that these forms of life can protect themselves against the law of outcasting the unfit. A simple, common vine of no particular outer usefulness may choke and destroy the most powerful and magnificent rosebush. But the vine is surviving because of some special power it has and which it uses and exercises in the proper way. Human experience throughout the world has taught us that the most successful men and women in the world usually are not those who have gone to college, or who have graduated from a university, or are specialists in certain intellectual lines of thought, H istory shows us that most of the great characters in the world had humble birth and came from humble social conditions and were often lacking in that kind of education that is called the superior form of intellectuality. But these eminent persons have had a strange knowledge and power developed within them that enabled them to be masters of their own lives and to lift themselves out of the condition in which they found themselves w hen they d is­ c o v e r e d w h at p o w e r th ey really p o ssessed . M an has neglected to learn some of the most important truths about himself. W e see some eminent men sitting at the end of a huge telescope looking at the far distant realms of space, and studying carefully and closely the strange actions of stars and planets millions and millions of miles away. These very men may know less about the powers within themselves than they know about the powers in some distant planetary space. Thousands of men have explored the surface of the earth and the un­ known sands beneath the sea, but they have never ex ­ plored their own minds, or their own powers. M an can discover more about himself in one hour, if he is properly guided in his exploring, than he will ever dis­ cover in a lifetime by exploring the heavens or the earth. W h en we read in certain secret writings the statement that “the kingdom of G od ” is within, we are reading a great

[8] T h e Eternal Truths are revealed through spiritual meditation, and make all men who receive them the M agi of their time. — S ir E d w a rd K elly . (A Rosicrucian.)

truth that was discovered in the so-called mystery schools long ago. All of the powers and all of the creative abilities expressed in the universe are also within man's own body. T h e inner part of man is a greater kingdom than any kingdom that exists on the face of the earth, and man can be truly a more royal king, a more powerful dictator, a more divinely-appointed regent, ruling over that inner kingdom than he ever can be over any outer kingdom created by man as nations, empires, or republics.

T h e H igher Laws Throughout all the ages men and women have thought that most of their unfortunate conditions in life were due to the rules and regulations created by man as the laws of the land. W e hear about the laws of economics and the laws of justice, the laws of sociology, the civic laws, and the many other laws that man has made. All of these laws are charged with being responsible for man’s unfortunate conditions. T h e truth is that there are certain other laws higher than any of these, which man can use to over­ come all of the lesser ones. In the inner kingdom of man there are no laws of limitation, and there are no laws that hold man enslaved, or forbid him and prevent him from rising to the great­ est possible heights. In that inner kingdom man himself is the ruler and he can apply and use all of the higher laws to work out every one of his earthly problems. T h is is where the Rosicrucian O rder has established its pur­ poses. W h ile other schools and systems of instruction and guidance allowed themselves to branch off into sidelines of study and neglected man’s own inner self the Rosicrucians, as practical workers in the problems of life, established their own schools and own system of guidance and instruction, and this became a world­ wide organization. Each individual who becomes associated with the organization is privileged to apply to his or her life a true knowledge of fundamental laws. Such knowledge intelligently used can be applied by the student to develop his inner abilities, strengthen his inner powers, develop his inner qualifications and in every way enable him to overcome many everyday obstacles of life. T h e Rosicrucians did not go out and seek the success­ ful persons in life and those who had attained such happi­ ness and high position as they enjoyed and ask them to associate with the organization and help to build up a large membership of powerful influence. T h e Rosicru­ cians knew that all of the wealth in the world, all of the high titles and powers held by man in worldly affairs could not equal the combined wealth and power possessed by the inner selves of the average man and woman. It knew that if a group of men and women who sincerely and correctly understood their own inner powers united [9 ] T h e 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. T h e Brotherhood of Conse­ crated Lives admits all who are worthy, and all who are excluded exclude themselves. — "F ra." E lb ert H u bbard. (A Rosicrucian.)

to bring about some change in the world, or in their own personal affairs, this united inner power was greater than all of the worldly powers put together. T h is idea was known among the ancients, and in many countries where there were private or secret schools helping the people to fight against the superstitions of the day. T h e men and women were told that a small group assembled together who understood the power of mind and of inner self could accomplish more than the entire pagan priesthood or the courts of kings. Such an idea was even expressed by Jesus the Christ who said that where two or three were gathered together in His name, there would He be. He meant that where two or three were assembled in the proper understanding of His Christhood, and who exercised the power of the Christ Consciousness within, there He as a representative of G od ’s great laws would be present. W e do not have to be students of Christian Theology, nor members of a Christian Church to understand this great truth. Jesus the Christ represented the highest consciousness of God in man. He represented the powers of the Cosmic Universe created by God to serve man, and work through man to the building of a greater kingdom on earth.

As A b o v e, So Below M an is, after all, not only a living image evolving toward the perfect image of G od’s Consciousness, but a perfect evolving replica of God's creative powers. His Consciousness and powers are in man, and only need be awakened and quickened in the proper way to make man a master of his own affairs. O ne of the ancient philosophers expressed this idea when he said, “As above, so below.” It was also expressed in the term “macrocosm and microscosm.” T h is meant that just as there were certain great powers and creative energies and evolutionary laws working in the great universe around us representing the macro­ cosm, so there was in each living cell in our bodies and within our entire being a part of the same great universal energy and creative principles making us a microcosm. It is when man lives in harmony with these universal laws that he becomes a dynamic, magnetic, influential power controlling his own affairs, and even controlling the affairs and conditions around him. But these powers in man must be brought into use; they must be awakened through study and exercise. N early every fairly intelligent person has sufficient appreciation of music to understand what is good music, and what is not, but in order to be a master of music, or a fairly successful musician, the musical ability inside must be awakened and quickened. A fter some study and exercise the consciousness within becomes especially sensitive to musical sounds, and the difference between [10]

God's wisdom is for those who would reach up to receive it, and with others prepare themselves to be worthy of it. -—P etrus d e A b an o. (A Rosicrucian.)

musical tones, and the subtle laws of rhythm and harmony. T h e artist who studies art and practices it develops and awalcens certain talents within him that have always been there but which needed some guidance in being brought into proper action. All of us have certain talents and abilities which education and training will develop to a practical usefulness. W ith ou t instruction or guidance the ability is useless and lies dormant, asleep, inactive. T h e creative powers of man's mind and the abilities which he has to control his own affairs and to direct his own course through life are more potent and more influential in their field of attraction and direction than any of the mental abilities or emotional abilities which man possesses.

Influencing Others It has been proved— and you can prove it to yourself after learning a few simple laws— that the mind of man cannot only influence parts of his own body, but can influence others at a distance from him. T h e Rosicrucians in their studies of simple laws of nature easily make a demonstration among their friends in their homes of how the mind, or the will power, as some call it, can influence matter even at a considerable distance. T h e mind of man is not merely an organic functioning of intelli­ gence; it is a dynamo of the greatest radiant power that is known in the universe. It cannot only imagine things and mentally create things, but it can materialize things and bring things into actual existence by the application of natural laws and the use of principles which every successful man and woman in the world has learned to use. T h e Rosicrucians do not deal with a lot of superstitious subjects or with ancient beliefs that are mere fallacies of thought; they deal with actually proven laws which they teach to their friends and associates and help them to use in their daily lives. Such an organization could not continue to exist throughout the ages and attract the greatest thinkers and most successful men and women in every walk of life if its teachings and work dealt with theories or mere beliefs. T od ay the successful men and women want facts, and they want knowledge that enables them to accom­ plish things and make their lives what they should be. Every principle taught by the Rosicrucians has been tested in many coun­ tries by thousands of persons through the years. Every unproven idea, every untested principle, every undemonstrated theory is absolutely cast aside by the Rosicrucians in their teach­ ings and principles. T h ey know that man has suffered in the past, has been held back by superstitious beliefs and un­ proven theories. T h e Rosicrucians are not bound by any creed or dogma, and do not have to confine themselves to any school of philosophy, or to any one channel of usefulness.

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He who knows most grieves most for wasted time. — D ante. (A Rosicrucian.)

It is an interesting fact that in the past five hundred years not a single new discovery on the part of science that has any bearing upon man’s relationship with the universe, was new to the Rosi­ crucians or changed a single one of the teachings of the Rosicrucian Order. For hundreds of years it has possessed knowledge that the other schools of science and the other institutions of learn­ ing have not possessed. T h is is not because the Rosicrucians have tried to hold this knowledge secret, but because these other insti­ tutions, colleges, and schools have had certain definite theories, certain limited channels of thought, certain proscribed and pre­ scribed theories which they have had to promote and hold fast to, and they could not alter these things or change these things by adopting any of the knowledge possessed by the Rosicrucians.

G reat Discoveries O nly in recent years, for instance, did science undertake to translate the great mysterious manuscript left by that famous Rosicrucian, Roger Bacon. T h is manuscript was written many cen­ turies ago, and has been known to learned men as a strange work written by a Rosicrucian, and too troublesome to translate and decipher. But now when a great and eminent man connected with one of Am erica’s universities finally translates it, he finds that this manuscript revealed that the author knew all about the principles of the microscope and many other scientific instruments, and was very familiar with many of the great laws of nature that science has only recently discovered. O ther great manuscripts in the past which have been translated from time to time have revealed that the Rosicrucians were familiar with the roundness of the earth, and the existence of the continents long before Columbus made his discovery of North America, and we know that the ancient Rosi­ crucians were familiar with all of the stars and planets. It was a Rosicrucian who first discovered ages ago the fundamental laws of the composition of matter, and it was a Rosicrucian or a group of Rosicrucians who first revealed to the world many important things about man’s diseases and man’s health. In the art of medicine, and in the art of physiology and anatomy, Rosicrucians were leaders. In the science of chemistry, astronomy, and physics the most notable workers and discoverers were Rosicrucians. You may see in the Rosicrucian library the prints of ancient books dated in 1500 and 1600 containing marvelous information that is still new in the fields of modern science.

E m inent Persons T h e list of names of men and women who have con­ tributed to the vast storehouse of Rosicrucian knowledge in the past reads like a directory of the world’s greatest thinkers. And many are the books that have been written [ 12]

God operates by His work— heaven by Angels, and on earth by men. — E lip h a s L ev i. (A Rosicrucian.)

about the Rosicrucians. Lord Bulw er-Lytton in his story called "Z a n o n i” refers to the organization during his century as one of the most learned organizations helping men and women that the world has ever known. Hundreds of other great authors in Europe in past centuries have written about the Rosicrucians. M ost modern encyclopedias such as those issued in the United States, refer to the Rosicrucians as having been an organization of the utmost help to men and women throughout all periods of civilization. T h e Rosicrucian Order, then, is not new, and it is not peculiar. Its teachings are secret because it prefers to keep them limited to those men and women whom it invites to membership. By selecting the men and women to unite with the organization it becomes more powerful in the influence for good throughout the world. It wants only thinking men and women, regardless of what their present place in life may be.

H elp in the H om e T h e woman in the home who is seeking to make her home more happy, more contented, more prosperous in all of the many ways in which a home should be prosperous, is the type of woman that the organization desires to help. She has the problem of raising children, and guiding others, and she has the great privilege of inspiring and helping her husband or others through the home influence and through the influence of her own personal abilities when they are awakened and quickened into proper action. T h e woman in the school, the teacher, the instructor, or the nurse, or the woman in business, assisting others to become suc­ cessful in life, and who wants to make her own life a greater success so that she may be more efficient in helping the others, is also the type of woman who is invited by the Rosicrucians to share their knowledge.

O vercoming Daily Problems T h e business man, the physician, the attorney, are not the only ones who are dealing with big problems, and who can be helped by the Rosicrucians. T h e man who is employed in a menial position, every man in fact who has in his inner be­ ing a marvelous intellect that has not been awakened, a powerful mind that has not been quickened and a creative energy that has never been used, is the type of man that the organ ization es p e c ia lly d esires to help . T h e greater the position held by any individual, the greater is his field of influence and power as he uses the practical instructions and guidance which the Rosicrucians can give [13] 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 laudible a resolution. — F ran cis B arrett, F .R .C . (A Rosicrucian.)

him. T h e man in a less important position is the man who needs more than anyone else the influence and help of the organization providing he is sincere, honest, and truly anxious to make of his life something other than what it is at the present time. T h e Rosicrucian Order does not seek great numbers and it is not anxious to build up a world-wide organization of millions who are associated with it in name only. It wants those who are working diligently to make something of their lives so that eventu­ ally they will be outstanding examples of Rosicrucian unfoldment. It accomplishes this work quietly, conservatively, and in a dignified way in each individual’s home. T h ere are no great parades of followers, nor outer signs of peculiar dress or habits. Each mem­ ber studies quietly and personally in the privacy of his own home, or at small gatherings in a quiet, harmonious place where the serious problems of life are earnestly discussed in a simple manner and each individual given personal help and guidance.

U nusual G u idance W ith ou t changing your present relations, religious, social or business affairs, and without even causing any of your friends or acquaintances to know what you are doing, you can share with the Rosicrucians their guidance and their instructions. You can carry out the benefits and helps, and gradually change your life, so that only your success, the outstanding improvement in your a f­ fairs will b e noticed by others. It follows that your health will improve if you abide by the guidance given you. You will be far better able to resist the oncoming of those diseases or conditions which have affected your affairs in the past. You will be able to help those in your family and around you who have been suffering from conditions that are easily altered. You will be able to change your business affairs so that they improve gradually and make you more con­ tented. Y ou will be able to attract different kinds of friends, and a greater association of influences among friends and acquaint­ ances, so that even in a social way you will notice gradual improvement and a great benefit. No miracles are promised, and nothing is offered to you as a guaranteed elixir of life, or amulet of salvation. T h e Rosicrucians know only too well that the great changes that will come in your life will come so under­ standing^, so simply, and so directly through your own efforts that you will not be puzzled by them and look upon them as weird or mysterious things. [ 14]

All that happens in time has in Him its eternal principle. — A lbertu s M agnus. (A Rosicrucian.)

T our O wn Possibilities T h e only weird and mysterious things in life are the strange powers which God gave to every man and which only a few have ever tried to use. N ot one man or woman in ten thousand whom we meet upon the streets has any true realization of the great abilities, the great possibilities that are within him. But these few persons— these one or two out of every ten thousand— are the ones that the Rosicrucian O rder invites to join with them. T h e Rosicrucians send their literature out quite freely in order that there may be many thousands of contacts made each year. From these thousands of contacts a few are selected and invited to join and even from among those who are invited many are courteously told that they are not yet ready, but for those who are ready and who are accepted into the organization it means the beginning of a new life. It means the beginning of the development of their dreams into realization. It means a friendly association, a depend­ able guidance, an efficient helpfulness. It is not merely the sitting down and reading of some interesting pamphlet or book that may or may not give you any practical information. It is the reading of special manuscripts sent to you to be read only by you in the privacy of your home. Each one is as interesting as the most fascinating story you ever read. Each one gives you practical suggestions, practical advice, and practical guidance. Each one helps to awaken and quicken certain abilities that you possess, and which you can use to change the affairs of your life.

Fascinating Instruction You will find these private instructions so fascinating that you will not allow anything else in your life to interfere with them. Thousands of men and women in America today frankly state in their weekly and monthly reports that the Rosicrucian instructions each week hold first place in their lives. Thousands of them state that they would sacrifice anything else in their lives of a material nature rather than be without the Rosicrucian guidance. It helps them in their business problems, their social problems, their earthly problems, and in all of the other problems that have to do with their success in life.

M a n y Privileges, A dvantages T h e organization is incorporated in every country under state laws as a non-profit organization. It is not attempting to build up a great fortune for itself, but great fortunes for its members, great wealth of many kinds, so that the mem­ bers may benefit by this. It is classified in all records of each government and state as a n on -sectarian , n on -com m er­ cial, n o n -p ro fit organ ization . [ 15] 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.)

It has had favorable comment in newspapers and magazines all over the world, and participates in every form of human activity, national and international, and has donated huge sums of money to explorations in E gypt and other lands, and its chief officers are members of many learned, scientific, and humanitarian organizations in various parts of the world. T h e organization in America has its own colleges, university, museum, administration building, and other buildings in various parts of the country for the help and assistance of its associates. It is perpetuating in a modern form the work of the ancient Rosi­ crucians still active throughout Europe and the Orient, and it maintains the same high ideals, the same noble purposes, and the same glorious achievements as did the Rosicrucians of all ages. A t its annual conventions hundreds of members and delegates from all parts of North America come together for the purpose of recommending new and additional helps for the carrying out of the great work. Every member is constantly in touch with each department, and each branch of the work, and is free to take ad­ vantage of every assistance.

T h e Spirit of Fellowship N o other organization in the world was ever established for the same purposes, and no other organization today is carrying out the same work in the same manner, and with such acknowl­ edged efficiency and success. It is a satisfaction, indeed, for one to be associated with such an organization. It gives a sense of protection and guidance in troubled times. Each member always feels that there is a group of individ­ uals and especially a group of qualified specialists ready to advise and help in any emergency and without any special fees or special rewards of any kind that must be paid in advance, or at any other time. It gives the member a sense of security, inasmuch as he develops the understanding of what he can do, and can achieve for himself. It takes away the feeling of the unknown, and of the unexpected. It reduces the mysterious problems of life to simple and understandable things. It eliminates the guesswork, and the speculation in planning the affairs of life. It guarantees a friend­ ship, a companionship that may be invisible but nevertheless always accessible, and ready when the important moment comes. It means that whenever there is a special occurrence in life, whether it be illness in the home, a sudden turn in business affairs, a perplexing social event, the anticipation of the birth of a child, the change of a home from one place to another, or any other event of equal importance, the member can instantly get in contact with some part of the organ­ ization, or with its specialists who can assist and bring out [

T he one remains, the m an y change and pass; Heaven s light forever shines; earth's shadows fly. — S helley . (A Rosicrucian.)

16 ]

of the chaotic conditions a proper and peaceful solution, or help in a crucial moment when life and health may be saved. •. r

t : ; ! .ia,ft'

: -iix i

•* • <

Becom ing S elf D ependent Thousands of mothers in North America will testify to the fact that it has aided them in a marvelous way in bringing their children into the world, and in caring for them with a free­ dom from pain, anxiety, and perplexing problems that they never thought possible. Business men will testify that they have saved fortunes or saved their earthly belongings through timely ad­ vice and guidance. M any have changed their careers from ones of unhappy and unsuccessful results to ones that are highly satis­ factory. All of these things are offered to you providing you are of that type of mind, and of that quality of foresight that war­ rants your association with the organization. F o r this reason the booklet now in your hands is intended to enable you to understand the opportunities that lie before you and to help you to arrive at some decision. T h e general affairs of your life may be quite satisfactory, or seemingly within your own control sufficiently to cause you to believe that the future will be quite satisfactory. But in every other sense you may find that you are at the cross­ roads of life. Like many thousands of others you may sense very often that life is more of a mystery than you have ever believed it to be. Perhaps the ordinary channels of instruction and illumina­ tion do not cast enough light upon these mysteries to make life and its intricacies as understandable as it should be. It is right and proper that you aim to really become a master of your career, and a director of all of the affairs which affect your life financial­ ly, socially, morally, and religiously, but such mastership requires knowledge and understanding.

Realizing T our D ream s V ery few men and women of the present time are satisfied to allow the events of life to present themselves suddenly and un­ expectedly like the characters of a play presenting themselves on the stage before an audience. T o cope with these unexpected events requires more than the mere fortitude or strength of mind to battle against their natures and tendencies. It requires foresight. T h e successful man and woman, the happy, contented individual, must be forearmed. Preparation for these daily, monthly, yearly events is necessary, if one wishes to prevent them from suddenly changing the entire course of one’s life. T hose who are prepared to meet life and master it must not only be ready and qualified with certain knowl­ edge and understanding to overcome the obstacles, solve the problems, meet the issues that arise, but must be able to bring into realization the normal, natural daydreams [17] In our M onastery library the sacred, secret manuscripts of the Rosicrucians furnish a never-failing supply of rare knowledge; the supply seems to be inexhaustible in its richness of illumination. — F ria r D u dley E v ersleig h . (A Rosicrucian.)

of every ambition and of every desire. T h e course of any suc­ cessful life is dependent more upon the bringing into action the dreams of the heart and mind, than upon the mere ability to face situations bravely and seek logically some way of evading their dire consequences, or take advantage of whatever opportuni­ ties they may present.

F o r Those W h o See\ Peace and C ontentm en t This, then, is your opportunity to decide at the crossroads whether you will continue to live in the manner and along the path of least resistance, accepting conditions as they come, or whether you will turn to the right on the newer and higher path that leads to definite mastership, peace and contentment. You alone can decide this matter, and no argument from any other individual can serve to do more than present the possibilities. If you decide to unite with those who through many ages and in many countries and in all walks and positions of life have found the Rosicrucian system unusually helpful and very definitely effi­ cient, then your next step should be to test this new path and give it an opportunity to serve you and guide you.

S O M E R O S IC R U C IA N S Y M B O LS

o>

THE EGYPTIAN CARTOUCHE

THE ROSY CROSS

T H E R. C. TRIANGLE

[

18]

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 — S ir F ran cis B acon . a portion. (Imperator of the Rosicrucians.)

S E A L O F TH E S U P R E M E COUNCIL

personal $ rto a te jHemtiersfnp W h a t the Rosicrucians O ffer Y o u W herever you may live and whatever may be your situation in life the Rosicrucians reach out with a kind offering and invite you to share in their fascinating work. M en and women regardless of age and regardless of any religious, social, or business connections will find the private, per­ sonal membership the most satisfactory at the very start. If you live where you can receive mail regularly each week, and if you are so situated that you can give a little spare time to private, personal reading without any effort of study and without any effort of memorizing, you will find that you have the very best opportunity to take advantage of this personal, private membership. V

Com plete H om e Study Those so situated will find that their spare moments are turned into golden moments of such real interest that they will become the most important moments of the day and the week. T h e Rosi­ crucians offer such persons all of the benefits of mental, spiritual, and metaphysical con tact with thousands of other students attuned to the same ideals and working toward the same desirable ends, without the necessity of actual personal association. Under the methods used by the Rosicrucians this system of personal, private reading and unfoldment has become an outstanding success pro­ ducing the same results as those achieved in the occasional lodges and temples of the organization in this and foreign countries.

Fascinating M etho d of Study T his plan of private instruction at home is so unique and lew to this country it must be explained so that it will not be compared with the so-called “correspondence courses” issued by correspondence schools in America, or the mere issuance of pamphlet lessons. F irst of all, it was recognized at once that such lessons as were to be sent to nation-wide students C O U L D N O T B E IN P R IN T E D B O O K S , for two excellent reasons: first, the time-honored injunction against any of the lessons of the O rder in any land being issued in book form; secondly, [20]

There is a transcendent power that comes to the human mind when it finds joy in attunement with the Cosmic wisdom. — F riar R o g er B acon . (A Rosicrucian.)

the continued changes, improvements, amendments, and modern adaptations of the teachings would prevent their preparation in text-book or printed form of any p erm an en t nature. It is common for a correspondence school to send its students a set of text-books accompanied by monthly printed reading les­ sons analyzing the various chapters of the text-books. Y ear after year the same instructions, the same books and pamphlets are sent to the thousands of students. T h is is possible in presenting such subjects as Law, English, M athem atics, H istory, or some of the sciences. It would not do, could not do, in presenting the teachings of the Rosicrucians, for such teachings are continually improving in subject matter, application to human affairs, and relation to recent discoveries by the M asters of the instruction.

How the Lessons A r e Prepared T h e first principle insisted upon by the Imperator of the Order (the Supreme officer of the O rder) was that the lessons to be sent to the home-study members must be specially made and prepared from time to time to keep them up to the minute with the findings and elaborate experiments made by the most learned workers in the O rder in this country and in other lands. T h a t means ex­ tensive work, great cost, and a staff of master teachers continually working upon the lessons. It is because the O rder is able to keep its members informed in advance of important matters, and give knowledge which out­ siders cannot obtain, that it enables them to overcome obstacles, meet oncoming conditions, and prepare for future circumstances. T h e world outside of the O rder is just now trying to discover and evolve certain principles regarding health, disease, and the prolonging of life which Rosicrucians have known and practiced for centuries. T h e same can be said regarding new “discoveries” in the various methods of using the mind to attain success in life.

H ow Lessons A r e Issued Therefore, the Imperator appointed a staff to prepare and issue the private lessons for those members who would be admitted to the Home Study Classes. Such members were to be I N V I T E D to join by sending them, upon recommendation, an application blank. A fter the answers in this form were examined and an investigation made of the ap­ plicant’s sincerity, he or she was to be notified to prepare for the preliminary, fundamental lessons. A plan was finally adopted, based upon an old system used by the early Rosi­ crucians, whereby such members arranged to use one part of some room — usually a sleeping room — as their “study corner” or personal “Lodge corner.” B y the use of private instructions in typewritten, personal form, the members pre­ pare for the first surprising lessons. T h e many thousands [2 1 ]

T here is no chance, no destiny, no fate Can circumvent, or hinder, or control T h e firm resolve of a determined soul. — E lla W h eeler W ilco x . (A Rosicrucian.)

in America today who have used these instructions— men and women in all walks of life from the highest positions in the country to humble workers in the home— have found the lessons, explana­ tions, simple experiments, and practical tests more fascinating and alluring each week than the best drama or works of fiction.

H elpfulness of the System Such lessons are not mere speculative statements or points of philosophy, but carefully written and edited explanations of laws, beginning with the fundamental and simple ones, worded in language which any can understand, and illustrated by analogies, examples, common references and every-day experiences. Then several experiments are given to be practiced at convenient times throughout the week. In this way, week after week, month after month, special lessons, always being revised and amended, are sent to each member, covering the whole system of private Rosi­ crucian teachings, developing faculties and powers the members never realized they possessed.

A rra n g ed in Easy Steps T h e lessons are arranged in Grades or Degrees, like classes or grades in a school. There is no better way to spend an evening than by reading these fascinating lectures, lessons, and explana­ tions. T h ey are sent to the student weekly in a sealed, private envelope. It is like having the heart and Soul of the R E A L mys­ teries of life opened to you in a picturesque, intriguing manner. A t the end of each grade there is a self-examination to be sent to the M aster of the class. He may thus see wherein you have succeeded or failed to grasp a clear understanding of each point and will send you such additional information as you need. These examinations are not at all difficult if the lessons have been prop­ erly read. T h ey do not require laborious study.

A Lodge at H om e Members are asked to reserve part of one night of the week to be their “Lodge night" at home. W h eth er it be every W ed n es­ day night, every Thursday night, or every Friday night, thousands of other members will be studying, practicing and experimenting in attunement with you. W e prefer that each member select an early or late part of Thursday evening for his or her Lodge night at home, for this is the Rosicrucian night throughout the world and it means greater power through the multitudes who are thus attuned. But any other evening will do, however, should you find it necessary to temporarily change your selected weekly Lodge night.

T im e R equired for Study As stated above, we recommend that each member select one evening of the week for a definite study evening. On that [22]

God is a Number endowed with motion, which is felt but not demonstrated. — B alzac. (A Rosicrucian.)

evening, one hour to one hour and thirty minutes is sufficient time for the reading of the new lesson, the testing of the new principles and a complete understanding of the work for the week. Then throughout the following days in spare moments while resting, walking, riding, or even during the busy hours of work, the member can test the new principles in connection with the many incidents of daily life and the solving of serious, personal problems. In this way the old principles of the previous weeks, and the new ones, are constantly applied and used and made more familiar. Such testing and application of the principles and laws do not interfere with any of your daily affairs but actually help you to make the day more successful and profitable in whatever you are trying to accomplish.

Personal Service and Instruction Letters and telegrams come daily to Headquarters from students to their teachers here asking for immediate and special help in illness, business problems, help for others, and guidance in times of perplexity. Such personal help sent at once is one of the im­ mediate aids rendered by the O rder to its members, and without any fees for such service. In this way the “National Lodge” permits men and women in all walks of life, and with just ordinary school education, to have the full advantage of Rosicrucian membership regardless of where they live.

7\[o College Education 1Necessary These interesting lessons begin with the very fundamentals of nature’s laws as they relate to man and the universe, and make plain all man's secret powers, possibilities, and potential activities. T h e lessons are carefully graded. N o college, academic, or even high school education is necessary to understand them, for they have been prepared by some of the best educators in various lands for the purpose of meeting the general mind. T h ey are simply but effectively worded and easily understood.

7\[o M em orizing R equired V arious educational boards have said that the system employed by the Rosicrucians in teaching and instructing is the ideal system for it does not require memorizing. Through examples, illustrations and experiments, the student compre­ hends and remembers without conscious effort. Concentra­ tion upon words you read, and a few moment’s meditation upon each principle or law, makes them stand out in the mind and consciousness tor all time. [23] But among these doctrines, there is none more neces­ sary than an inquiry into the proper habits of each faculty of the soul in the body and its organs. — S ir F ran cis B acon . (Imperator of the Rosicrucians.)

M astery at Each Step Th ere never was and never will be a more systematic, a more detailed and complete course of personal-development study than this. T h e student becomes a master of certain laws and principles each week and before the first few weeks have passed he no longer desires to hurry and goes no more rapidly than the system pro­ vides. It is not like a course of study which must be entirely fin­ ished before it may be put into practical operation. M ost of our members discover the true value and efficiency of the work after the first month of reading and experimenting and derive help from the very first lessons.

A tta in in g Health, Prosperity, and H appiness T h ese three elements are G od’s divine gifts to man. But man knows not how to accept these blessings. God and nature provide for man being well born— when the parents live as nature seeks to instruct— and from the moment of birth H E A L T H , not disease, is man’s most natural endowment from all the forces and elements of the universe. Prosperity is the result of attraction; poverty is the perfect manifestation of repulsion and negation. Not only is it true that man is as he thinks, but he enjoys and possesses that which he attracts. T h e next step is to attract to one's s e lf that which is de­ sired, and such attraction on the part of man is only possible when the inner self is permitted to function, to manifest and direct the forces of the outer self. Prosperity in material things is happiness, health, power to direct, power to control, power to will and become; assuring success of venture, attainment of ambitions, and the blotting out of all unhappiness, ill-health, and misfortune. T h is prosperity is man's rightful, divine privilege and naught but man's ignorance of laws and principles, and his misguided belief in the falsities of limiting creeds and dogmas, keep him from being P R O S P E R O U S in every sense of the word.

Science Building, Rose-Croix University T h is beautiful structure houses the various C h em istry, P h y sics, and E x perim en tal Laboratories.

[24]

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

A W E E K LY LESSO N T h e illustration above shows just how each weekly lesson is sent to each member. F I R S T , there are the personal letters— as many each week or month as are necessary to answer your questions and help you solve your personal problems. Intimate, precise facts are given in these letters, dictated by a number of experts who keep a careful record of your progress, your needs, and your desires. S E C O N D , the weekly monograph. T h is monograph, con­ taining a number of pages, is carefully prepared by the teachers and graded to prepare you step by step in the mastership of the Rosicrucian laws and principles. E ach lesson contains not only a full explanation of laws which you will wish to use in your per­ sonal affairs, but also experiments and tests whereby you can P R O V E and D E M O N S T R A T E to yourself the efficacy of the principles. T h e lessons also contain, as an added help, the opinions and judgment of the world's most eminent thinkers upon the subjects of your lessons and the nature of your problems. This makes the monograph different fro m p rin ted p a m p h let les> son s containing only theories and philosophical essays. T H IR D , whenever necessary, charts and diagrams of the laws and principles are sent with the lessons to help clarify every point, and to save the later purchase of reference charts. [25]

Men who are devoid of the power of spiritual percep­ tion are unable to recognize the existence of anything that cannot be seen externally. — P aracelsu s. (A Rosicrucian.)

IN V IT IN G Y O U T O B E C O M E A MEMBER

READ VERY C A R E F U L L Y

W h a t M em bership W ill M ea n to Y o u Membership in the Rosicrucian Brotherhood means all that is included in most other fraternities, plus many features not offered by any other. Fraternal membership has so many values that it has been pop­ ular for ages. Both men and women of the present day are rapidly filling the ranks of hundreds of associations solely because of the personal, direct and indirect benefits to be derived. Perhaps this desire for alliance and association with oth ers o f lik e m ind is born of the human tendency toward the formation of clans, a tendency responsible for the building of hamlets, towns, cities, countries and nations. Membership in the Rosicrucian Brotherhood means that each member is affiliated with a large and in creasin g b o d y of progress­ ive men and women whose sole purpose in life centers around the desire to advance, succeed, and become unusually contented with the building and enjoyment of a better life. Each member is part of the g r e a t w ork. T h e work is to master the obstacles in life and make the world better for the individual. Each member, therefore, is kept in contact with all the progressive methods for bringing about such results. In other words, each member is kept informed of all the in­ formation, advice and help that the O rder possesses which will help him in his personal affairs. Through correspondence, through the monthly magazine, T h e R osicru cian D igest, and through con­ tact with members, unusual help is offered by those who have had all kinds of experiences in life and are ready to help others to master similar ones.

T h e F ree Instructions and Lessons In addition to all the other benefits, the Rosicrucian Brotherhood offers its members the special help of graded instructions. T h e Rosicrucian Brotherhood is not a cor­ respondence school. Its lessons and private instructions are not for sale on any basis. T h ey are given freely to those

[ 26] 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 ckh a rt. (A Rosicrucian.)

who desire them. N ot all members are pursuing the courses of instructions; many of them have been through the degrees, have long since completed the regular course of study and are not on the student lists at all. T h ey retain their active member­ ship in the Rosicrucian Brotherhood because of the very benefits to be derived from association and intimate contact with the Order. Every member, however, is entitled to the complete

instructions.

A ccep tin g O u r Invitation T h ose to whom this booklet is sent receive a letter usually in­ viting them to become a M ember o f the Order. No one is invited to become a mere student of the course of instruction. As a member of the Order you are entitled to every benefit of any kind the O rder has to confer and which it may add in the future. B y filling out the enclosed application form— which should ac­ company this book— you accept our invitation to apply for the opportunity of uniting with us. T h a t application will be examined by a Committee and passed upon. If for any reason you cannot be accepted you will be notified. Otherwise, you will be accepted and a formal notice sent to you.

V

V

V

W H A T TH E STUDENT RECEIVES W h en an application proves acceptable, it is first given to one of the Class M asters and Secretaries for personal attention. T h e procedure thereafter is as follows: F IR S T : the chosen candidate is immediately notified of the acceptance and is sent without delay the preliminary Secret Mandamus Number O ne, which contains valuable information, enabling the applicant to immediately attune himself and relate himself with certain fundamental principles of the organization. W h ile the applicant is studying the very important, private docu­ ments, the M aster of his class and certain scribes of the Order make further investigations to determine how best to pro­ ceed with the applicant in order to give him or her the very best instruction and personal help. T h is results in a Second Mandamus sent to the applicant the second week, and other similar private documents are sent each week for six weeks, thereby giving the new member an excellent foundation for personal development and experience with important laws and Cosmic principles. [27]

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. —C orn eliu s A grippa. (A Rosicrucian.)

S E C O N D : the chosen candidate also receives a Membership Identification Card number; and certain signs and words as he advances, whereby he becomes recognized as an initiated member of the organization. T H IR D : thereafter he receives weekly the specially pre­ pared private instructions, monographs and lessons, with daily and weekly experiments and exercises which enable him to master each step easily and properly. T h e lessons and monographs each week require a part of one evening of the week for study or reading (there being nothing to memorize— everything remains in the mind through the unique methods used by the Rosicrucians to teach its law s), and the exercises and experiments require only a few minutes each night, morning or noontime, at the member's con­ venience. T h ese exercises and experiments develop certain facul­ ties from the very first lessons. F O U R T H : the lessons relate to life’s immediate problems as well as the future needs of the members. T h ey help the members to master the obstacles and overcome adverse conditions from the very start. N ot vague theories, no speculation about conditions in the “ethereal realms” that have no bearing upon our present life, but laws and principles that men and women must use here and now in practical ways. F I F T H : the monthly private magazine, called “T h e Rosi­ crucian D igest,” is sent to each member each month without ad­ ditional fee. It contains special instructions and lessons on general life problems, and the questions and answers relating to new principles as well as reports from members, and articles by leading persons in the country on what the Rosicrucian Order is doing for them. It also contains a beau tifu l pictorial section of rare my­ stical pictures. S IX T H : each member, regardless of the study course, is entitled to the many departmental services of the Order, which include help by correspondence and through our metaphysical methods, as well as additional information by mail on points in the monographs, aid in health matters, without additional fees. S E V E N T H : the privilege of meeting with other members in the same locality as soon as a certain stage of the work is reached where members can assemble weekly in our own Temples in various cities, or in special meeting places for mutual discussion and help. T h e graded, systematic lessons and experiments continue weekly with special helps to make each member proficient until the first degree is completed. From this point onward the member may proceed with the higher lessons, through all the degrees of the W o rk , having the satisfying knowledge that under the tutelage of the wisest fraternity of the centuries, he or she is remaking himself or herself into a newer and finer personality, build­ ing toward the Perfection we seek in the M an and W om an. [28]

Ignorance is the true original sin. Men are bankrupt morally because they do not know the gold mine that is in them. — B rierly. (A Rosicrucian.)

FEES A N D DUES T h e Order is strictly a brotherhood operating in that sense as do other fraternities. Membership in the Rosicrucian Brother­ hood carries with it the many benefits distinct to all fraternities and many others quite unique. As in fraternities, there are mem­ bership dues, payable monthly. And a nominal “ registration fee." T h is fee and monthly dues of small amount are the contributions on the part of members to the general operating funds of the Order, and take care of its propaganda expenses, its building funds, na­ tional and international humanitarian activities, and donations to many scientific expeditions and methods of research and investi­ gation. In addition to these general activities of the Order, the Rosi­ crucians conduct the courses mentioned on previous pages. These courses of study are given freely and without charge or fees of any kind to members of the Order. Therefore, we wish you to keep in mind that the study and instruction work is a separate and distinct feature of the Order, not found in any other fraternal or­ ganization, and for which, in reality, our members do not pay. T h e Supreme Council has purposely made the “Registration F e e ” very nominal. It is five dollars, payable with application. M onthly dues are two dollars, payable on the first of each month. T hese fees include all the benefits of the O rder’s activities

.

There are no other fees nor assessments, nor books which must be purchased in order to study, and no limitations to the degree o f advancement that members may make in their studies. T h e

monthly magazine, “T h e Rosicrucian D igest,” is also given free to all members taking the course of study by correspondence from the Grand Lodge.

The monthly dues are to be paid by members so long as they are active members o f the Brotherhood sharing in all its manifold benefits. (Remember, the Rosicrucian Brotherhood, AM O RC, is not a sectarian nor religious organization.)

[29]

W hen man neither careth for, nor seeketh, nor desireth anything but the Eternal Good alone, he is made a par­ taker of all manner of jo y, bliss, peace, rest, and con­ solation. — J a c o b B oeh m e. (A Rosicrucian.)

F IN A L IN S T R U C T IO N S VERY IM P O R T A N T

T h ere are several ways in which this booklet may have come into your hands. It is intended for careful and discreet distribu­ tion to only those who seem worthy of admission into the Order. It may have been handed to you by someone who wishes you to realize that there is something vital in life that may answer your desires and end your quest. It may have been passed along to you by a friend or acquaintance who feels that it will arouse an inquiry in your mind. Therefore, there may be no application blank or letter of invitation enclosed. In that case if you feel interested you should write at once to the Grand Secretary and ask for an application form. If your inquiry appears to be sincere the Secretary will invite you to file an application with him. You may have written to Headquarters for this booklet and it may have come to you accompanied by a letter and Application Blank. In such a case the letter will invite you to become a mem­ ber. It is a direct invitation issued after your request has been properly considered.

How to Proceed F I R S T : Carefully fill out the Application Blank. T h e answer to each question is important and will be treated as strictly con­ fidential, S E C O N D , Having answered all the questions in the Applica­ tion Blank sign it accurately. Enclose with it the Registration Fee of Five Dollars. T H IR D , M ail your Application Blank and Registration Fee promptly to the Grand Secretary. Register your letter if it con­ tains cash, and if you send a check or money order make it payable to A M O R C F U N D S . Acknowledgment should reach you within ten days or less. If you do not hear from the Secretary in that time write him in detail. If your application is rejected for any reason whatsoever your Registration Fee will be returned to you with a frank explanation. A d d ress A ll M ail T o R O S IC R U C IA N B R O T H E R H O O D (A M O R C ) R O S IC R U C IA N P A R K SA N JO S E , C A L IF O R N IA

L o n g D ista n ce T e le p h o n es: Ballard 8295, 8296 R a d io S tation W 6 H T B [30]

The soul dwells not where she lives, but where she loves. — T h om as V aughan. (A Rosicrucian.)

Looking toward the " E a s t” of the Supreme Lodge where all Esoteric Ceremonies are conducted by the Supreme Officers at Rosicrucian Park. This Supreme Temple is visited by several thousands of members and visitors each year.

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T his artistic building is occupied exclusively by the Editorial, Art, Printing, and Publishing Departments of “T he Rosicrucian Press, Ltd.,” for the preparation of our Literature, Magazines, and Books.

A V E R M E N T

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T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L N A M E T h e Order uses the same ancient name that is found in the oldest records. T h at name in complete Latin form is: Antiquae Arcanae Ordinis Rosae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis. In America and other English speaking countries the name is shortened to Ancient, M ystical Order Rosae Crucis. T he Latin words Rosae Crucis mean "of the Rosy Cross.” For the sake of brevity, the initials are used thus: A. M. O . R. C. T H E TRUE O R G A N IZ A T IO N There are certain characteristics that determine at once the authenticity of any organization claiming Rosicrucian authority. T h e true Rosicrucian Organization for every jurisdiction of the world is represented at all International Rosicrucian Congresses held in Europe. In North and South America that Organization is the A. M. O . R. C. and has a United States patent on the name of the Order, and its true symbol. It never uses the name of Rosicrucian Society or Rosicrucian Fellowship or Center. T he initials A. M. O. R. C. appear on all of its literature, on its announcements, and are associated with all of its outer activities. ITS TRUE S Y M B O L T h e official true symbol of the Order is a gold cross with a single, red rose in the center. T h e cross has no religious significance, as it was used as an ancient symbol before Christianity. Its true meaning is the material body of man with arms outstretched in salutation. T h e rose represents man's soul confined in the body unfolding as it receives more light and understanding. D IR E C TO R S O F T H E STAFF T h e following are the staff directors of the North and South American jurisdiction. T h e Organization maintains subordinate bodies in all of the principal cities of the countries composing this jurisdiction. D R . H. S P E N C E R L E W IS , F. R. C .............................................. ..................President of the University and Imperator of the Order RA LP H M. L E W IS , F. R. C ............................ Supreme Grand Secretary C L E M E N T B. L E BRU N , F. R. C ..........................................Grand Master H A R V E Y M IL E S , F . R. C ...................................................Grand Treasurer E T H E L B. W A R D ............................................. Secretary to Grand Master

R O S IC R U C IA N B R O T H E R H O O D ( A M O R C ) R O S IC R U C IA N PA RK , SA N JO S E , C A L IF O R N IA

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I predict that when the world’s history is ultimately written, one golden cord of human helpfulness will be found to have bound the nations together. It will be the co rd of the Rosicrucians. — C hris H an s M iller. (A Rosicrucian.)

& n gfomontstfjment Read Carefully each Page, each Paragraph! Place yourself in a quiet, restful mood, alone if possible, and permit the author to reveal to you the picture, the plan, the purpose leading to attainment, power, success, and— Illumination. Th e value of this booklet cannot be obtained by skimming over the pages. This Booklet is gladly given to you. It carries with it the cordial invitation to attune yourself with T h e Invincible Empire and conquer. Start with the first page, and without missing or passing a word or line, in orderly progression follow the development of its unique message— and think as you read. You are a privileged seeker, indeed, and the A M O R C welcomes you within its private domains.

—PROFUNDIS XIII.

You have broken the sealI Your quest has opened these pages! T h e reading of the book may be the turning point in your life! It may prove to be the most vital factor in your future career! Thousands, in many lands, have lifted their hands and voices in tribute to the Light that sheds its rays from these pages. T h e unsealed Booklet, with its open Path, is before you!

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uateevJpruria; The matter contained in this booklet is officially issued through the Supreme Council of AMORC. The Ancient Name and Symbols of the Rosicru­ cian Brotherhood are Registered and Protected by The United States Patent Office exclusively in the name of AMORC.

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