Cromaat D - The Village of the Devil (1918).pdf

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CONDITIONS OF MEMBERSHIP IN THE AMORC COLLEGE LIBRARY .e see the monumental evidences of the beginning o f civilization, we are forced to adm it, of at least give credence to the theory, that the earliest material evidence of human existence upon this earth is to be found in the caves or cliffdwellings o f the early mound-builders whose peculiar constructive work is still to he found along the O hio R iver in the U nited States; and while we accept the scientists' claims that these prehistoric edifices anfedate all known records of men, we m ay or m ay not accept the theory that the Ohio valley was the original “ C arden of E d en ." T h e charm of E urope, however, does not exist altogether in its magnificent ruins and inspiring historical remains; but in the more subtle magnetism of its poetic romance and the mysticism of its traditions. In this respect France is the most popular, and, rightly, the most interesting. Its history from the days of the Cauls through the 8th, 9th» / Oth and up to the 15th century is one continuous tale of mystery, romance, valor, sacrifice and achievement. Its literature of these days — the songs of the troubadours m their romance tongue, and the monkish latin historical documents— alike revel in the delightful incidents so dear to the lover of French history and French mysticism. T he Courts of L ove, the F low er Fetes, the various royal ceremonies in the chateaux of the Counts, D ukes, Lords and Kings, the imposing crusades, the romantic struggles for the hands o f the beautiful heiresses, and the regal wars against religion, the suppression of vice and (he loss o f property and title— all these vie in their impressiveness and emotional tellings. These were the days of pleasure, love and war, and France more than any other country, was the stage upon which the truly great scenes of life have been so w onderfully and fatally portrayed.

Should one wonder, then, that the Frenchman is proud o f his country, of its history and o f its thousands of historical monuments, of which m any lie in forlorn ruin and equally as m any have been restored or rebuilt by a commission of scientists, architects and historians% which labor diligently to preserve for future generations of history-loving tourists, the most ancient and historical of the m any chateaux, citadels, castles, forts, walls, churches and mystic shrines? I1 is apparent to even the most casual tourist of Southern France that the provincial natives consider these monuments of history as personal assets. T h ey bring to their villas a continuous train of tourists from all parts o f the world, who by their extended[ visits., patrpnize their hotels, restaurants, stores, road-houses, garages and, local means of transporta­ tion. T h e native finds in the tourist an incentive to keep thoroughly posted on the facts relating to existing r p in s th e legends of those now gone and the history of those being preserved. H e is always alive to : the opportunity to act as a guide— at a small fee— and takes spccial > delight in being able to point out mapy^new and unsuspected Wonders. Is it not strange, then, that in Southern France, in the midst of sections where tourists travel the most, where artists wander yearly pre­ paring the m any books we now have on the ''C hateaux o f France" and > the "M onum ents of France," and where the natives are ever seeking new points of alluring interest to the tourist, there should have existed, unknown to the outer world until 1883, one of the most marvelous, weird and mysterious cities in the whole W orld? A n d , stranger still is the fa c t that until the present time, in the. story the author now presents, this city of mystery has been unchronicled, its true history untold, and its beauty unpictured. B efore attempting to take m y reader upon a personally conducted lour to ihis Wonder of wonders, it is well that I describe some of the historic features of the surrounding cities in order that one m ay the more naturally comprehend the significance of the fm lorv and legend of the V I L L E D U D I A B L E . A n d this can be accomplished more interestingly by describing the ordinary route to this city from that of Paris. ^ P aris is the hub from which the. various railroad lines radiate and we can m ake the trip to Southern France by night .by leaving at about 7 :3 0 P . A f. and go by way of D ijon and L yon to A vignon, where we must change cars. W e arrive here early in the morning, and after a breakfast we find that there are several Iwurs in which we can con­ veniently i>ien> the monuments of this city. A vignon is a city of 4 1 ,0 0 0 inhabitants, the capilol of the depart- . ment of V aucluse. It is situated on the leSl bank ° f the R hone and in , the background rises an. immense, rock upon which we see the ancient . P alace of the P opes, where from 1 305 to 1377 seven successive P opes , reigned here prior to ihe establishment of the V atican al R om e. W e-.

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examine ihe C ity W alis built in the 14lh century by the Popes, then visit the Cathedral built in :l I th century ( plainly showing where il has . been rebuilt and rem odeled) and then, desiring to reach our destination as quickly as possible, we lake /in omnibus and cross the river lo Vdleneuve-les-Avigr.on to visit the Fort S t. A ndre. This beautiful monu­ ment of architecture is considered one of the rarest o f the kind built in ih e . m iddle ages. Its imposing front, ils m ighty and war-like • appearance; showing plainly• i?iamj evidences of sIruggU and strife, do not lead one to think that ’ within its walls and towers are a peaceful convent and several houses containing veri; poor families. .. W e return to the C A R E 'a n d depart for N im es, ihe next important '. city on our route. 11 is necessary lo spend one whole day in N im es in order to become 1acquainted with the many antiquities o f special interest to the mystic. W e find this city lo tie a typical, prosperous provincial town of about 7 0 ,0 0 0 inhabitants, beautifully located al the Southern extremity ''of hills which join the Cevcnhes (the R o ck y M ountains of F rance) ' B efore us is spread a beautiful boulevard whose trees am ply shade us us we retreat from the hot sun. B efore visaing the man$ sights u»e inquire regarding the history df the city and learn that in B . C. 121 .this city Was called N E M A U S U S b y the R om ans and that il Was the capital of the Voleae Arecom ici. 11 became one of the principal colonies of the Cauls who took particular delight in embellishing it and in erecting m any of ihe beautiful buildings and monuments n»c are abo ut to see. Daring the 1Oth and •1 l//i centuries this city was the properlx of and ruled by the Counts o f Toulouse, from G uillaume in 8 0 0 A . D. .to the long line of R aym unds ending in 1222.*’ Until 1704, during the wars of religion, it suffered nuich because three-fourths of its pop­ ulation had embraced P rotestantism ’and it is today an important town in this respect. It was also the seat o f'n h ith strife during the 12th century when the R aym unds V ! and V IT 'W ere being prosecuted and excommunicated for permitting heretics and mystics in their domains. and everywhere , we-find evidences of war, rebellion and defeat. Passing up the main .'boulevard ( Feucheres) from the Care, we see before us, facing the Esplanade, ihe A rena, or Am phitheatre. It was built during the Is/ or 2nd centuries and is tvpical of th R om an architecture: Il is in the form of an ellipse. 146 yards long, H I wide and 70 feet high. Ils exterior is in belter condition than those of R om e i because, of ihe Commission & constant restoration and because here, on * T h e genealogy and history of these R aym unds was sel forth irt an article in the N ovem ber, 1 9 1 7 . issue of ihe Am erican R O S A E C R U C IS .

manp Sundays throughout the year, as m any as 2 4 ,0 0 0 spectators see typical Spanish B ull-fights; the city being under Socialist government the m oney thus derived from a pleasure which the provincial natives themselves abhor is used for the good of the community. W e turn and follow the beautiful boulevard V I C T O R H U C O , where we find an open square, and facing T H E T H E A T R E we see the ancient and strange M A I S O N C A R R E E . It is one o f the finest and best preserved R om an temples in existence, 76 feet long, 4 0 feet wide and 4 0 high, with 30 unusually beautiful Corinthian columns. T he date o f its building is unknow n, it being credited to the period o f A ugustus and the A ntoinines; and foundations discovered recently show that it was probably located in the centre of other important buildings. I t is this building, whose perpendicular and horizontal lines are strangely curved, that was imitated when the N otre D am e was built in P aris. T h e M aison Carree now contains ancient French coins and tom e sculptures. W e continue a few blocks further and there We enter the J A R D I N D E L A F O N T A I N E , with its strange canals which feed water to this city in summer when water is very scarce and have their origin in the R om an baths beyond. This garden and ils canals were originally of R om an construction but were greatly beautified and enlarged by m any miles by K ing Louis in the I Sift century. A t the side of the garden is the ancient Tem ple of Diana, a beautiful sight and still showing in its ruins the rooms of D iana and the rare carvings. Close by are the old R om an baths for m en and Women; the form er being a stagnant pool now , enclosed by high marble walls; and we are warned not to approach the steps leading lo the water too closely for *'no one has ever learned the depth of the pool, and all who have fallen into it never returned." says the pleasing guide. T h e women’s baths, so often referred to in romances and at often pictured in paintings and etchings are really magnificent and are below the street level under a private Walk an{l enclosed by row « of columns. F urther on, outside of the city, wc see the mysterious R om an rums o f some unknow n building, never as yet given a name except that of “L e t Trois Piliers W e now hasten on lo M ontpellier, another ancient city and one which has considerable connection with the history o f the Village o f the D evil. B u t before entering this city we m ust begin the strange and romantic story which links these two cities together and which, fo r the first time, reveals the legendary secret of our strange mysterious goal.

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CH A PTER TW O T he whole Southern pari of France was at one time part o f the R om an Em pire, and Caesar in his "Com m entaries" describes these regions as C A U L . Its history from ihen until its possession by the Franks, ihe N orm ans and the English is exceedingly interesting, but has no place here except to introduce into this slory one of the characters heretofore unknown as associated in any w ay with the Village of the D evil. During the first few centuries after Christ, France was governed m ostly by the various Counts and L ords of its provinces. A fang at that time was nominal as far as his influence over these southern S E N E C H A U S E E S n>u5 concerned. Toulouse and ils county of the same name, known to the R om ans as Tolosa, was alw ays the centre of external strife and warfare; for i/s possession meant not only pow erful ruler ship of vast lands and wealthy towns and products, but such rulership gave influence to conquer and rule over other adjoining counties and towns. Thus, the zeal to become Count or Lord of Toulouse was shown by every European nation, and after P epin (he Short ceased lo exercise such rulership, Charlemagne, ihe great ruler of France and C erm any, under­ took to sclect the second Count. This, of course, was a new method lo those who had believed lhal warfare and possession of the land gave governing authority. T he man chosen by Charlemagne was Guillaume. In these days there were no fam ily or surnames and this Guillaume, like m any others. Was given a second name because o f some peculiarity, and thus D>c find him called G uillaum e Corlnez (from A U C O R T N E Z .) . H e was a son of C ount Theodoric and as Count o f Toulouse this G uillaum e had mediate or immediate rule over the C ounty of Toulouse with its many villas, and also over the important and ancient cities of, Beziers, N im es, A g d e. M aguelon, Lodeve and U zes. T he history of this man, in the m any peculiar French manuscripts, is remark­ able for ils numerous legends, chronicles and poems of praise, notablv: L E C H A R R O Y D E N I S M E S and L E M O I N A C E D E G U I L L A U M E . H e D>as a sincerely religious man and a lover o f peace and justice. In a rare account o f his life find the follow ing incident of interest lo this slory: " H e sought a place for a monastery where those, like him self, sincere in their religious beliefs and desiring quiet and peace, might II

worship undisturbed by the wars constantly being Waged about them. H e foun d , in ihe mountains o f L odevc ( in ihe. very distric t where we shall visit-the Village of ihe D evil) one gorge closed and profound, favorable by ils I S G L M E N T , for meditation and prayer. In effect, in the m iddle of the savage sight, surrounded by enormous masses of granite Was this beautiful plateau, whereon Guillaume decided to build cne o f the mosl fam ous monasteries of E urope." The monastery n>cs built elaborately and magnificently of lhal rare while granite which is so plentiful in this section of France; and it rose majestically amid the other rocks of dark °nd tinted colors. Guillaum e's intention v>as to call lh:s monastery the A b b e y de Gellon, a name which is often used for it in ancient manuscripts; but after Guillaum e's death, when il was consecrated by the P ope, il was named the abbey of S A I N T - G U I L L E M - D U - D E S E R T , in honor of its founder and in souvenir of ils deserted location. Guillaume died in 6 1 2 or 8 1 3 . fn two ancient charts, dated in ihe 34th year o f the reign of Charlemagne (8 0 4 A . D .) there appears the fa d that he left, besides several sons, two daughters, A lbane and Berthe. Il is with these two sisters that we musl begin the foundation o f the know n history o f the Village o f the D evil. I f we are to believe the troubadours and the monks of these days, who were so careful to chronicle the smallest detail, we must believe that these two sisters were extremely beautiful. B eauty in those days was not of the standard of today. These girls were French, not of the Parisian, but of the R om an type. It is features such as they possessed, the beautifully modeled chins, lips, nose and forehead, that ti>e see in the rare paints o f the old masters; it Das the highest type of that Latin charm now almost extinct. A n d they were young at the time this story begins. In these days knighthood was in flow er. T he ambition of every young man was lo become a Lord. T he strong, the brave and fearless became the Counts, the D ukes and Princes. Professions there were none, and the trades with other manual w ork, rvere left lo the masses. W arfare, gallantry and love were the occupations of ihe young men, and, con­ sequently, the beautiful and wealthy D A M E S were fervently and steadily courted by these aspiring Princes. It n>as in these days that the art o f serenading became sopopular. To be a successful troubadour, n>as to be the admiration o f all ihe noble and gentle ladies, and the envy of every man in the kingdom . H ere we. find the origin o f th e b e a u tifu l rom ance language a n d ih e w eird a n d captivating poems of love. T h e troubadour, young or old, wilh some musical instrument strung over his shoulder and clad in the knee breeches and cloaks so popular then, Was a lw a ys w elcom e a t the royal ceremonies, and the Q ueen s chamber or court u?as always open to 13

him. H e "would sit for hours, and, surrounded by these noble girls and rxwmen, w ould compose and sing words of love and admiration, while they w ould shower upon him flow ers of many colors. H ere, too, U»as the origin of the fam ous Flow er Fetes, and the Courts of Love. ft was in this manner that A lbane and Berthe were courted. B eautiful, young and noble, they were fam ed for their virtue. Their home was a strange old stone castle built upon the pinnacle of a large rock situated in the mountains leading to the Village of the D evil. H ere they led a most enjoyable life, constantly courted by Dufies, Lords, Counts, Viscounts and Princes and at all times the centre of every conceivable form of entertainment. In addition to their charms, they were wealthy. Considerable properly had been given to them by their father, and since it covered a large and prosperous territory, there were always among their admirers those who sought to obtain possession of it through marriage. A n d thus the two sisters eventually became engaged to two brothers, M s. Jean and Pierre D e A lm on d. Little is known of these two, except that they were gallant, romantic in their songs and ardent in their seemingly sincere love fo r the two girls. T hey were not of noble birth, but cunning as a fox, and diligent in their aspiring fortitude A lw a ys together, alw ays intoxicated with plans for overthrowing km g“ doms with their power, and always holding themselves aloft from the other gallants o f the day, it is little wonder that they were considered as suspicious characters. " T he D evil's pair" was a common name for them ; and “Frers du D iable" seemed to be the most apt description of John and P eter de A lm on d . Their home was situated in ihe mountains in the vicinity of M illau; and these black mountains seemed to cloak the actual location of their claimed chateau. A t least no positive knowledge is evidenced as to its exact situation, but from circumstances now lo be related, it is apparent that their chateau or castle must have been in the immediate vicinity of T he V illage of the D evil. Certain it is. that all this land was ow ned by these two V I R G IN S , A lbane and Berthe, a name given to them because of their undoubted purity even though in constant com pany with such suspicious characters as these two brothers. A n d still more certain is the fact that these tw o brothers desired to marry A lbane and Berthe only that they might obtain possession of this land. R um ors began to spread that Jean and Pierre held nightly con­ ferences with his Satanic M a jesty; for, did not m any see, in the mountains near L A R O Q U E S T E . M A R G U E R I T E , midnight fires of brilliant red? A n d , were not these conferences and signals follow ed by dire results in war and pestilence ? 14

N o wonder that these mountains became forsaken in the localities where small towns were situated! T he provincial French were a m ystic people and were awaiting the predicted second coming of Christ or the end of the w orld; and the year 100 0 (w hen this was to take place) was rapidly approaching, bringing with il every conceivable form o f superstition. Thousands were forsaking their homes, their friends and their wealth to journey to Jerusalem, that the coming of the Lord might find them within H o ly precincts; and ihe thieving and cunning took advantage o f these fears of ihe ignorant to secure power and wealth. Just w hy these two brothers and two sisters never married is a matter of conjecture. B u t the legends relate that it became fairly Well established lhat John and P eter were in some mysterious w ay associated with all that was evil, unfortunate and repulsive and that, literally, if not in fact, they were F R E R F S D U D I A B L E . W hen this idea had implanted itself into the minds and hearts of A lbane and B erthe, and when they discovered that possession of their property n>as the brothers' only motive, il was only natural that they should look with scorn upon their proposals and reject them with rebuke and disdain. B u t this added only wrath lo their m any evil qualities and soon these two brothers were the subject of much discussion throughout the kingdom s of Southern France; and much attention at the time was directed to the Canons of the Tarn where, in the B la ck mountains, was supposed to dw ell these two in some mysterious village. A lbane and Berthe, disappointed not only in their love, but in their faith in m ankind in general. agreed henceforth to live a life of celibacy and religious activity, and a few months later retired to a convent built by order of their father some time previous lo his death and which was located in the mountains some distance from that bearing his name. Their chateau, built upon the rocl(s, and now deserted, was given the name of P E C H D E S D E U X V I E R C E S * This chateau became fam ous as the birth place of a brother of these two virgins, known as St. Fulcran, who was at one time a bishop of L cdeve. In the " L I F E O F S T . F U L C R A N . B I S H O P O F L O D E V E ” t n>e find these fa d s set forth, and in a rare and precious manuscript which was discovered at Campous, where m any monies retired after their expulsion from the abbey of St.-G uillem -du-D eseri in 1 7 90 . and which is now among ihe manuscripts possessed by M . A u g u y de V iiry, of C ignac, France. we find the follow ing interesting fa d s: * T h e R o c k ° f the T wo Virgins. "|’A very rare manuscript o f unusual interest lo mystics. 15

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" T h ere is a legend in a manuscript regarding St. G uillaume, en­ titled 'L E G A L L I A C H R I S T I A N A N O V A L E P L A C E L E 3 4 ’ which states that the T w o Virgins (D eu x Vierges) rverc of the antique fam ily o f M ontpeyroux. O ne can still sec, on the cratcr of a mountain, situated on one side of M ontepeyroux a hermitage in ruins and some vestiges o f this chateau where was horn Saint Fulcran who ivas its Lord. It was called the C H A T E A U D E S D E U X V I E R G E S because of two sisters of the same Saint Fulcran who lived in celibacv A N D O N E O F W H O M IS T O T H I S D A Y K N O W N A S A S A I N T ." B u t before these two virgins retired to the convent, they expressed their utter disgust for earthly matters by renouncing all claim to their property. Their particular motive was lo make barren all that section o f their property which was within the precincts of ihe black mountains. B u t in doing this they realized that the m any little villas situated therein w ould suffer and many w ould be deprived of their homes and lands. Consequently these two sisters decided to found a large city where all who then lived if> the B lack M ountains might have free ground and the other necessities of life. A fte r careful consideration they selected as the site for this new city (wo divisions of iheir land situated on the banks of the L ez, about ten miles from the M editerranean Sea. These two sections they called M O N T P E L I E R and M O N T P E L I E R E T T E (from memory of the great bald mountain, M O N T - P E L E , which Was situated in the mist of ihe B la ck M ountains). These facts are verified by statements to be foun d in V E R D A L E 'S R E C O R D S in the follow ing w ords: "F rom all time there has been a w ell-founded tradition supported b y the public archives, which slates that two sisters founded the city o f M ontpellier. O ne possessed M ontpellier and the other MontpelUerette adjoining. T h e y were of ancient nobility, for il is proven that they were sisters of goodly Saint Fulcran, one lime beloved Bishop of L od eve." In ihe testament of this St. Fulcran, which m ay be foun d in the ancient archives of Lodeve, and which is d a te d : "m ade on ihe 4 th o f February under the reign o f Jesus Christ while hoping for a K in g ." he mentions these two sisters, and calls them D A M E S D E M O N T ­ P E L L I E R , "because," says the commenlor, "they were responsible for the origin o f this village." T he two sisters dem anded that a commission be appointed to govern this city and that it should be built, managed and maintained on progressive lines for the general education and uplift of its inhabitants. H o w well these plans succeeded m ay be seen by visiting the city today, and noting, as we shall do in a few minutes, the m any historical sights. 17

G radually every home in the B lack M ountains was deserted; and, when the year 10 0 0 camc and G od did not visit the earth or cause its destruction, thousands returned to France from the. H o ly L an d to begin life anew. M ontpellier, with its strange boundary walls, became thickly populated and by the m iddle of the 1 I th century all knowledge of the old villages in the B la ck M ountains, and especially the village where lived the B R O T H E R S O F T H E D E V I L , was forgotten and one part of France, once fam ous and infamous, Was lost in oblivion.

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L et us now continue our journey by leaving the station at M o n t­ pellier and walking up the main street,— R U E M A G U E L O N E . IV e notice that modern M ontpellier is a city of about 5 7 ,0 0 0 inhabitants, clean and cheerful and strangely white. This is due to the while lime­ stone o f ihe ground which lies pulverized upon the roads and streets and which the high winds keep constantly blowing over the buildings made of white rod(. T he appearance is like a city in a snow storm, for even the trees are always covered with this while powder and all the buildings are closely blinded with shutters thus whitened. W hile the effect is pleasing, and cooling in the shade, il requires one to kccP w ell veiled when travelling, especially in automobiles; and in the sun il is anything but pleasing to stare into ihe reflected glaze of white light. T h e streets arc short and crooked, narrow and roughly paved. T he buildings arc generally very old and if wc turn into some of the alleys n?e find m any historical buildings being occupied by industries of modern limes; for M onlpcllier is still progressive ajtd cares naught for its antiquities. O n one side street or alley, unnamed, n>e can see ihe old C haleau de A ragon, where D ona M arie, L a d y of M ontpellier, lived and from which home she emerged in stately robes to become ihe Queen of A ragon in 1200. It is interesting, as a typical experience, to enter this old stone chateau. Its broad entrance, seen even in modern French buildings, designed lo allow passage for horses and carriages, is paved inside the building with cobble-stones, and to one side is a very narrow door leading to circular stone stairs, about three feet wide, which give entrance to the various stone rooms and halls. W hile ihe main building looks small from ihe outside, we find that inside the adjoining buildings are all connected with secret passages and in many of ihe secret and oddly closed rooms one m ay slill see beautifully carved mantles, doors and arches. This building, in 1909, while worthy of preservation for visitors, was occupied by a wholesale grocer as a storehouse, and in one o f ihe prison rooms a coffce-roasling plant was in constant operation, much lo the disgust of the antique and history-loving visitor, while on two upper floors there were old Rosaecrucian Lodge rooms which had been used from 1843 to 1859 by a G rand Lodge of M ontpellier. A t the end of R u e M aguclone is the Place de la Comedie, adorned with the graceful F O N T A I N E D E S T R O I S - G R A C E S , built in 19

!7 7 6 and which faces the Thealrc. A t another part o f the town we see ihe P E Y R O U , a fine promenade and park, and at the sides o f the great radings of the P E Y R O U we sec two stone groups, strangely, yet eloquently, telling the tale o f ihe two sisters who founded the city; one group represents L O V E O V E R C O M I N G S T R E N G T H , and the other, S T R E N C T H V A N Q U I S H E D B Y L O V E . A t the end o f ihe park is the fam ous C H A T E A U D ' E A U , constructed in 1753. L ei us now continue on our journey to M illau, situated about 6 0 miles distant from M ontpellier on the left bank of the river Tarn. This city was called A E M I L I A N U M C A S T R U M by the R om ans and is today a city of about 1 6 ,5 0 0 inhabitants. H ere n>e enter the C A N O N D U T A R N and ihe B lack M oun­ tains. A s the name indicates, the Canon of ihe Tarn is com parable with the celebrated C anyon of Colorado and is as w onderful in beauty, if not more w onderful in construction, than the former. It is the m ost curious of the gorges produced in ihe C A U S S E S by the erosion o f the streams during the glacial epoch in the C E V E N N E S . A s We enter ihe Canon we notice ihe sheer rocks which rise to a height of from 8 0 0 to 1 10 0 feet and that the distance between ihcif summits varies from one-half io three-quarters of a mile. H ere in this section is ihe original B lack M ountains, form erly mentioned, and it is difficult to imagine anything more weird and impressive. Gigantic ramparts and perpendicular cliffs al one time overhang the R iver Tarn and in other places they retire in terraces form ed of several strata of the limestone and as varied in outline as they arc in those peculiar and delicate colors which seem lo vie w ith each other in assuming strange markings; the rocks themselves are shivered into a thousand different shapes and there appears yellow limestone, black schistous marl and brown and pinl( dolmite. In passing through the Canon, and especially through the B lack M ountain section. We must lake strange winding courses in order to follow any sem blance o f a path. A l times we are upon some high and m ighty ridge overlooking a vast and bottomless valley; a l other limes we seem to be descending into the very bowels o f ihe earth a nd as the D-'ap grows darker a n d the m any small and uninviting caverns are brought to our nolice, we do not remember that this place Was claimed as the domain o f his Satanic M ajesty. A n d , were it not for ihe occasional spring, the fe w beautifully colored flowers and some vegetation and vines, we W ould fe e l that we were passing through Jules Verne’s volcanic entrance to the center of the earlh and imm ediately retrace our steps. B u t we hasten on to ihe village of Peyreleau, situated on the banks o f ihe Jonte, reaching there by w ay of modern paths and easing our w alk upon the backs o f mules. H ere we prepare for our interesting journey to the strange, mysterious city of T he D evil. 20

C H A PT E R FOUR In order properly to enjoy and appreciate our visit to the Village o f T he D evil, we should spend al least two days there, but since the village is uninhabited, il is necessary to spend the nights al M aubrel. a hamlet several miles distant, which boasls of only a few beds and accommodations for but two or three tourists al one time. Nevertheless me prepare fo r one whole day by taking ihe neces­ sary provisions, food being unattainable en route. 11 is necessary to dress com forlably, but suitably for mountain climbing and with as little luggage as possible. There are several methods of transportation, each having ils advantages and disadvantages, but at L e R ozicr, the village adjoining Peyreleau, we m ay hire a carriage seating three for 15 franks ($ 3 ) and proceed to M aubert, a ride of two hours. H ere we secure a guide and the question of transportation to the Village of T h e D evil is decided according lo ihe guide we select. M . Lavinne, the most popular of the two rival guides possesses a typical French mule-curt sealing from two lo four persons, and his enthusiastic arguments relative lo ihe advantages of his guidance and means of transportation arc convincingly explained by as m any gestures as words, and it is amusing to see him hold up his hands in horror and derision when mention is made o f M . R obert who possesses a few mules and who likewise, though less strenuously, claims his guidance and mule-ride the safest means of traversing the mountains. I f n>e are alone we accept the mule ride, but if there are three or four of us We arc tem pted to ride in ihe carl. A b o u t one-half mile distant we enter the borders of the Village of ihe D evil, and before actually passing through its stone G A T E S we ascend the mountains on the right, where there is situated the ancient C I T A D E L , form ed of rocks, and where, il is said, the D evil and his brothers who sought lo marry Berthe and A lbane, sent forth their midnighl signals of fire and where the ghastly and villainous consultations were held. From this position We can overlook the cily in general and stop a few moments to consider the slory of the discovery of this city. A s form erly slated, this village was unknown lo w orldly history or research until ihe year 1883. 7 his will not appear strange to those who have taken ihe journey. U nlit after its discovery there were no, public guides to show ihe winding w ay, and the city o f M aubert, if it m a y be called a city, Was then unborn and there was no inducem ent 21

for any tourist, no matter how keen his delight in mountain climbing, to pass through these black mountains without food or place to rest. B ui in 188 3, M ons. L . de M alafosse, a Rosaecrucian. whose chauteau is near M ende, 35 miles distant, made the w onderful explora­ tion of its location and called the attention of scientists to it. T he matter greatly interested M ons. E . A . M artel of the French A lpine C lub, who imm ediately visited the village and drew a plan of its STR E E TS A N D BO U LEVARD S. T h e village is situated upon a plateau one and one-half miles square and it Would seem that this plateau itself was especially created by nature for the sole purpose of supporting a village; for, in such a moun­ tainous region a level plateau of such extent is remarkable and there is no parallel to it in the whole of E urope, except possibly the much smaller B O I S D E P A I O L I V E . N o w , while M ons. de M alfosse made an explanation of its location and called the attention of scientists to its existence, I have am ple proof that the Village of the D evil and its surrounding V alley o f the D evil was know n to a fetv mystics and learned men many years before 1 8 8 3 ; for I haire in my possession a rare record of the legends of A uvergne in which mention is made o f the supposed council of the D evil and his two brothers as heretofore described and giving an original sketch of these devils holding one of their midnight councils; and while this rare record, which was first brought to light in 1838, gives a few minor details as to what was believed to exist in the V alley o f the D evil, it does not attem pt to give the complete story o f the existence o f the village and o f the romance connected with it. Therefore, M ons. dc M alfosse did not discover an hitherto u nkno w n village, but, rather, rediscovered what was publicly and generally unknow n. T o quote de M alfosse in his original report: " W e cannot, w ithout having seen it, form an idea of this collection o f apparent ruins, where, by the side of rocks representing gigantic monsters are facsimiles of imposing monuments. T he whole entangled m ass o f streets, arches, passages and projecting cornices, sometimes intersecting one another at right angles, as in a town laid out by line, sometimes form ing a crescent or square, is a veritable labyrinth of about 5 0 0 acres. Isolated rocks, in the shape o f towers or pyram ids, are more than 3 0 0 feet high and some of the S 7 R E E T S pass between row s o f E D IF IC E S 100 to 2 0 0 feet high. T he whole of this huge space is abandoned to complete solitude." This description presents the picture we see from the old citadel on its borders. N o w let us descend the rock ond enter the city itself by o f the main street, called the B O U L E V A R D D IA B O L O . W e are at once impressed with the fact that no hand o f man ever laid out this city; for n>e cannot believe that there ever existed a brain 22

so fertile in fantastic creation and so weird in constructive detail, as the intelligence which must have guided the building or planning of this strange city. A n d y e t! W h o can say that nature alone, even in her wildest dreams and most deluding schemes, ever produced the m ystifying sights we now see? W e try to be logical, reasonable and sane in our conclusions, but we are haunted with the possibility, yes even probability, that some diabolic power was manifesting itself when this city was built. T he very atmosphere, heavy with the silence of death and laden with the pallor of solitude, m ystery and forgotten life, makes us whisper in reverence,— reverence for what W A S and what M I G H T H A V E B E E N . N o revelry or mirth here and no heart that can help but feel that in this forsaken place C od and D evil, happi­ ness and sorrow, love and hatredt power and Weakness and life and death meet upon the border-line. The ground before us is level, smooth, and in some places actually presenting a stone surface, like a paved street. O n either side rise high B U I L D I N G S carved by the mysterious hand into the semblance o f chateaus, forts, and cottages. W indow s, broad and imposing, door­ ways, passages and even B A L C O N I E S are in evidence and we cannot help wondering at the strange sight of an occasional sloop or arch at some entrances and at the finely projecting cornices of the higher buildings. W alking through this main street we come to what might be called a corner, for here we notice a cross street, at exactly right angles, and faced on either side by similar structures. Further on we come to an imposing structure with an enormous entrance and we rightly name this H O T E L D U V I L L A , or C ity H a ll; and with little stretch of the imagination we can picture the silent mysterious figures of the former inhabitants of this city walking slow ly and dejectedly into its court to plan the diabolical w ork accredited to them in the years 8 0 0 to 1000. I'urlher on we enter a C IR Q U E or circle, such as are so artistically built in m odem cities. W e are told that this circle, one of the smallest in the city, is called the C IR Q U E D E S R O Q U E T T E S and that Us longer diameter is 1652 feet, the shorter diameter 6 5 0 feel and the walls 3 8 0 feet high. A s we gaze upon this sight we allow our minds to wander and think of the legend of the Brothers of the D evil who lived here and try to picture the use they may have made o f this cirque. W ere the m any men and women who strangely disappeared in their time brought here and put to an ignominious death? W ere the fires of pestilence, plague and suffering km dled here, or were these brothers partly human after all and here worshipped a master o f some km d? T he human m ind is fickle, its paths of reasoning arc oddly branched with byw ays of enticing illogical pictures and when aw akened and alive with 21

th e sub tle p o w er o f suggestion We im agine m a n y things; this m a y account fo r our su d d en aversion to this cirque, fo r , do D>e not see in the interior g lo om o f this arena the transparent a nd lum inous figures o f m en a n d w om en on b e n d e d knees begging fo r m ercy a n d h e lp ? a n d ca n no t w e hear the a go nizing cries o f children a n d the silencing groan o f a life d ep artin g in a g o n y w hile everyw h ere w e see the d a rk crim son stain o f innocent b lo o d ?

H orror fills our souls; we try to rise above the power that grapples with our reason, but we are held fast, captive in the hands of the same unseen and unknown might that wielded the instrument which carved the fantastic sights surrounding us. W e turn to the E ast and pass through another street unnamed but magnificent in its structures and passages covered with arches which darkened the unknow n interiors of the courts; for while one m ay boast o f having entered the various caverns of the Ccvennes, especially those at R oquefort, where the fam ous chcese is made, and at other places where the environment may be as gloomy, still one would never attempt an entrance to the interior of these unknown courts and we arc held, it seems, in iron bonds, and our feet refuse the mental volition to trespass. B efore us we see the C IR Q U E D U L A C , which is similar in construction to the Cirque just visited, but which at one time contained water. N o w , however, as if to add to the forsaken, forlorn and cheer­ less aspect of the scene, the cirque is dry and we cannot help feelin g that perhaps nature has refused to furnish to this ungodly place one of its most bountiful, sustaining gifts. N ear here are several A M A T S or public S Q U A R E S and again n>e slop to question whether nature alone constructed this village where there are so logically arranged and attractively located these circles and squares; and if further circumstantial evidence of this possibility we need only walk a short distance and view a perfectly proportioned F O R U M , in outline and contour similar to those often seen on the continent. B u i perhaps the most weird and suggestive view o f all is that o f the B O U L E V A R D M O N U M E N T , where are located seventeen obelisks or m onum ents, ranging in height from 100 to 3 0 0 feet. T hey stand cl various open spaces between the numerous castles and each is different in shape and, apparently, designed to express sym bolically the incident in m emory of which they were erected. O f course, these are likewise mere freaks of nature, like the trembling rock in the near locality, which trembles every m idnight so violently that one fears it m ay fa ll and injure the bystander. Y e t, like the trembling rock, legend says that these obelisks were erected by the D evil and his two brothers in memory of the terrible plagues. W ars, dcalhs and crimes planned and consummated by litem.

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A s we stand here and view these strange monuments in the lifeless city and note jusl outside of its boundary line the beautiful vines, the arbutes and holly flourishing al the base of the majestic pines, and, rais­ ing our eyes see the same blue sk y • the same sun, and the same spotless groups of clouds as pass over more cheerful and divine dwellings, Wc marvel at what these strange streets m ay have once been, what the buildings m ay have contained and wlm l the inhabitants of this I illage of the D evil m ay have done that C o d and nature in evident chagrin, sorrow and repulsion, should have brought death, barrenness, infam y and dis­ consolate gloom upon only one section of the world and this in the m idst of fertile regions, surrounded by wondrous beauty. C od-fearing people and progressive, active and religious nations. Passing to the South n>c leave the Village by one of its main entrances consisting o f an arch typical of the R om an P O R I and fla n k e d on cither side by what m ay be called the Village W all. W e stand for a fe w minutes on a slight elevation which affords another general view o f the streets and buildings and it is only at this time that We fu lly realize that all wc have seen, the remarkable structures, the C IR Q U E S , arenas, fo ru m s, amphitheatres, castles, obelisks, etc.. were the result o f som e strange fr e a k ° f nature and that no human hand w as concerned in the smallest detail of the construction of the village; that even the imposing courts, the doorways and windows Were m ade by the action o f W ater, w ind and other elements in ages gone by and w hen a ll this p a rt o f the world was unknown to man. Thus I leave you, m y reader, on your w ay back to M ontpellier a n d the land o f the living. Y ou r journey has been safe and interesting a nd We will rest a while in M ontpellier while you review the wonders o f the sights y o u have seen and I hasten on to m y many other duties. I will meet y o u again in M ontpellier shortly, and from that old c ity lve shall ta ke a second journey to another strange city near by and there attend a few of the Rosaecrucian mystic convocations such as are unknown to this country and equalled perhaps only in E g yp t in the Tem ples o f our Order.

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THE SUPREME MATRE EMERITUS RAISED TO THE HIGHER REALMS O n January 21 , 191 8, there passed from this material plane to the H igher Realm s, the soul of our dearly beloved Suprem e M atre Em eritus, M ay B anks-Stacey, widow of the late Col, M . H . Stacey. M rs. Stacey was a direct descendant of Oliver Cromwell and an indirect descendant of M ary Stuart and N apoleon. She was a native of Baltim ore, her father having been an eminent jurist. She was seventy-six years of age at the time of her passing to the beyond, and leaves a daughter and two sons, both of whom hold high military positions. M other Stacey was a deep student of mysticism. She was a graduate physician and a graduate lawyer. She had travelled t:> nearly every foreign land and has been entertained by mere potentates than possibly any other Am erican woman. W hile journeying through India her attention was given to the mystic teachings of the H indus and these started her long career of research in that field. A fter having lived a while and studied with many cults, she finally visited Egypt and there came in contact with the R osae­ crucian M asters. T his was a few years prior to the coming of the O rd er to A m erica. M rs. Stacey desired the privilege of bringing the O rd er’s teachings to A m erica and so expressed her desire, pointing to the fact that her A m erican parents and relatives had been among those who established the first M asonic Lodge in Baltimore and Philadelphia and that she was not only a member of the Eastern S tar but a D aughter of the A m erican Revolution, Colonial D am es, etc. It was pointed out to her, however, that the O rder could not come to A m erica until the year (9 1 5 . It was further explained that when the O rder did come it would come through the sponsorship of France. M rs. Stacey was given by the M asters in E gypt a certain mystical Jew el of the O rder and several sealed papers which she was requested to hold until such time as another came to her with a duplicate of one of the seals and requested her assistance in establishing the O rder in Am erica. M rs. Stacey then returned to India and after showing the recognition she had received at the hands of the M asters in E gypt she was duly initiated into our O rder there and was given other papers signed by the Suprem e Council of the W orld . In writing of her part in the establishment of the O rder in A m erica, M rs. Stacey has put upon official record in the Archives of the Suprem e G ran d Lodge in N ew Y ork the following statem ent: “ I further state that the said Jewels and IN C O M P L E T E 26

instructions were delivered into my hands by the R . C . Master* of India, representing the Suprem e Council of the W orld , and that I was there m ade an initiate of the O rd er and a Legate of the O rder for A m erica. I also state that the said Jew els and papers were represented to me as coming direct from E gypt and France, and that they w ere given to me to be form ally handed to that man who should present certain papers, documents, jewels and key in A m erica. Such a person having m a tu re d and being B rother H . S. Lewis, I did the duty expected of me, fulfilled my commission and with pleasure express the joy at seeing the work so well under w ay in accordance with the prophecy m ade in India to me in person. “ T h e history of the Jew els and papers are, to my knowledge, exactly as stated herein and as described by M r. Lewis, our Im perator, in the H istory of the O rder as published in the Official M agazine.' M rs. Stacey retired as active M atre of the Suprem e G rand L odge after its first year and has since devoted her time to deep study and research. She was greatly loved by all who knew her. H er kind smile and ever cheerful disposition as well as her deep knowledge of hum an nature and the trials of life cn this earth, m ade her truly a M other to all her “ children” of the Lodge. A s one of the co-founders of the O rder in A m erica her nam e ever shall be cherished and we know that in another incarnation she will take up the work which she was unable to complete at this time.

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M ARIE CORELLI SPEAKS OF ROSICRUCIANS Her Lat&tf Novel “The Young Diana”. Mentions Their Knowledge of Light and.,Life.

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M arie Corelli, the great writer of mystic arid occult stories, and hitherto a member of the R osaecruciari O rder in Italy, has written anothet intensely interesting hovel in her usual weird style, and again she refer? to the R osaecrucians and their knowledge of Lfght, typifying the wonderful divine vibrations of the cosmic forces. < >: \ -c T h e .new novel entitled T h e Y oung Diana,: is described as a story, relating-bn, E X P E R I M E N T O F . T H E F U T U R E , Like he> other novels, A rdath, the Soul of Lilith, B arabas, T h e Life Everlasting, etc., I he. Y oung D iana is replete with occult laws, and explanations. •Th}s..new novel .is now running serially, in the magazine caflqd “H e a r ts ," published by the International M agazine Com pany of 119 W est 40th Street. N ew Y ork City. I he first installment w as pub­ lished in the early 1.918 issues and undoubtedly the story will be pul> Jished in book form.latter. In the installment in the February 1918 issue of. the magazine appears the following extracts regarding Light. T his will give our readers some idea of the knowledge which M arie Corelli possesses and can utilize in a very interesting story for popular reading: D iana looked back for a second; the great metal door had closed behind her; the negro attendant had disappeared; she was shut within this great weird cham ber with Dim itrius and that whirling W heel! A sudden giddiness came over her— she stretched out her hands blindly for support— they were instantly caught in a firm, kind grasp. “ K eep steady! T h a t’s right!” This, as she rallied her force* and tried to look up. “ It’s not easy to w atch any sort of spherical motion w ithout wanting to go with it among ‘the dancing stars.’ T here' B etter?” “ Indeed, yes! I ’m so sorry and asham ed!” she said. "Such » stupid weakness! B ut I have never seen anything like it ” “ N o, I ’m sure you have n o t!” A nd Dimitrius released her hands and stood beside her. " I o give you greater relief I would stop the W heel if I could— but I cannot!" “ Y ou can not!” “ N o . N ot till the daylight goes. 1 hen it will gradually ceasc revolving of itself. It is only a very inadequate m an-m ade exposition of one of the Divine mysteries of creation— the force of Light which generates M otion, and from M otion, Life. M oses touched the central pivot of truth in his Book of Genesis when he w rote ‘T h e earth war 26

without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep . A nd G od said, Let there be Light. A n d there was L ig h t!’' From that ‘L ight,’ the effulgence of G o d ’s own A ctual Presence and Intelligence, cam e the M ovement which dispelled ‘dark­ ness.’ M ovement, once begun, shaped all that which before was ‘without form* and filled all that had been ‘void.’ Light is the positive exhalation and pulsation of the Divine Existence— the A ctive Personality of an E ternal G o d ; Light, which enters the soul and builds the body of every living organism ; therefore Light is L ife.” D iana listened to the quiet, emphatic»tones of his voice in fascinated attention. "L ight is L ife," he repeated, slowly. "L ight— and the twin portion of Light— Fire. The R osicrucians have come nearer than any other religious sect in the w orld to the comprehension of things divine. D arkness is C haos— not death, for there is no death— but confusion, bewilderment and blindness which gropes for a glory instinctively felt but unseen.- Ip these latter idays science has discovered the beginning of the wonders of L ig h t; they have alw ays existed, but we have not found them, ‘loving darkness rather than light.’ I say the ‘beginning of w onders,’ for with all our advancem ent we have only become dimly Conscious of the first vibration of the C reator’s living presence, Light! — which is ’G o ^ walking in H is garden’— which is color, sound, heat, movement— all the Divine Pow er in eternal radiation and luminance! — this is L ife; , and in this we live— rin this we m ay live and renew our lives— ay, and in this we may retain youth beyond age! If we only have courage!— courage and the will to learn !”

THE SEAL OF THE UNITED STATES T h e G reat Seal o f the U nited States is one of peculiar interest, and theref re we feel w arranted in giving more details of its design and history than can be allotted to the Seals of the several States. Soon after the declaration of independence, Benjam in Franklin, John A dam s, and T hom as Jefferson were appointed a committee to prepare a great seal for the infant republic; and they employed a French W est Indian, nam ed D u Simitiere, not only to furnish designs, but also to sketch such devices as were suggested by themselves. In ( ne of his designs, the artist displayed on a shield the arm orial ensigns of the several nations from w hence America; had been pe pled— embracing those of F.ngland, Scot­ land, Ireland, France, G erm any, and H olland. O n one side was placed Liberty with her cap, and on the other was a rifleman in uniform, w ith his rifle in one hand and a tom ahaw k in the other— the dress and w eapons peculiar to A m erica. Franklin proposed, f r the device, M oses lifting his w and, and dividing the R ed Sea, and P haroah and his hosts overwhelmed with the waters. F or a motto, the words of Crom well, "R ebellion to tyrants is obedience to G o d .” A d ars proposed the C hoice of H ercules; the hero resting on a club, V irtue pointing to her rugged mountain on one hand, and per­ suading him to ascend; and Sloth, glancing at her flowery paths of pleasure, w antonly reclining on the ground, displaying the charms, both of her eloquence and person, to seduce him into vice. Jefferson proposed the Children of Israel in the W ilderness, led by a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night; and. on the reverse, Hengist and H o rsa, the Saxon chiefs, from whom we claim the honor of being descended an d whose political principles and form of government we have assumed. Franklin and A dam s then requested Jefferson to combine their ideas in a com pact description cf the proposed great seal, which he did, an d that paper, in his handw riting, is now in the office of the Secretary

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of State at W ashington, I liis design con-istcd of a hield with six quartering*, parti one, coupi tw , in heroldic phrar.c. I he fir t gold, and an enameled rose, red and white, for E ngland; the second white, with a thistle, in its proper colors, for S co tlan d : t';e third, rrt a harp of gold, for Ireland; the fourth blue, with a golden ! r, for France; the fifth gold, with toe imperial black ca^le for C r mpv; and the sixth gold, with the Belgic crowned red lion for i i- Han I. These denoted the countries from winch A m erica had been pe pled, t ie proposed to place the shield within a red border, on w h i'h thor*' should be thirteen white escutcheons, linked together iiy a gc!d cf •>:n, c , h bearing appropriate initials, in black, of the confe countable reason, their report was neglected, n t ha . ng been placed on record: and the affair was allowed to lumber until the of M arch, 1779, when Messrs. Lovell, of IV a~ ichu >tts, S c/:t. . V irginia, and H ouston, of G eorgia, were appointee! ! com i :i • make another device. O n the 10th of M ay follow mg they reported in favor oi a I four inches in diam eter, one side of which should be composed of i shield with thirteen diagonal stripes, alternate red and white. Supp rters, a warrior, holding a sword on one side, and on the other the h; of P eace, bearing an olive branch. T he crest, a radiant constellation of thirteen stars. M otto: Bello vel P ace— “ F or W a r or P eace.” anrl the legend, “ Seal of the U nited States. O n the reverse, the figure of Liberty, seated in a chair, holding the staff and cap. M otto: “ Forever” — and underneath, M D C C L X X V I. T his report was committed, and again submitted with some slight m o iic atio r. stituting the figure of an Indian w.lh bow and arrows in his right for that of a w arrior) just a yeai afterw ard; but it was not a< and the m atter rested until A pril, 1782, when H enry M iddleton, Elias Boudine and E dw ard R utledge were appointed a third tec to prepare a seal. T hey reported cn ih • 9lh cf ? r . substantially the same as the committee of 1770 and ’ 7'man letters, M D C C L X X V I.; and underneath the motto, /Vovus O r do Seclorum— A new Series of Ages — denoting that a new order of things had commenced in the W estern hemisphere. T hus, after many fruitless efforts, for nearly six years, a very simple seal was adopted, and yet remains the arms of the U nited States. W h y did John Prestw ich of E ngland, suggest the Pyram id for A m erica’s seal? T h a t is another story— and therein is the occultism and mysticism.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Q

H e w is the selection of a new v ehicle or m aterial body m ade by the K iu l)

A . A cco rd in g (o the s o u ls stair of evolution. If w e grant the doctrine of the^ e ' olulion ot the soul to be (roe, w f must at once adm it certain Ir-.ws associated w ith the process of evolution. 1 hese law s a r e : the so u ls evolution occurs through experience* in the m a leriai b o ry and out c f it, during its c y c le o f in carn atio n *; (h r undevelo ped soul appear* first in the lowest form of m aterial body the purely nn>ma! b o d y ; developm ent or evolution o f the soul take* the soul into higher forms of m aterial bodies, cu lm inatin g in incarnations in human b o dies; each m a te ria l body into w h ich H e soul passes, in t h e process o f e v o l u t i o n , must necessarilv be a body or veh icle w hich w ill serve w e ll the requirem ents of the soul in its needed ex perien ces. V ith the above outline it must be app arent that the m aterial body required for the soul s incarnation at an y lim e must con font* to the requirem ents of the soul a< that tim e. If the soul in one incarn ation has learned w ell its lessons and a ’oned fnr its errors of expression, according to the law of compensation that soul Will en ter a body in its next incarnation w hich w ill perm it that soul to live • better expression and evolve higher in its u p w ard unfoldm cnt. Su ch a body w ould have to be m ore perfect (p h y s ic a lly ) thiin the previous body of the soul, and it w ould have to be a body bom in a fam ily ar.d in an environment w here not only r f jt e r opportunities w ould be given to the soul for expression, but w here rr i.s n teris and trisls w ould come to the soul w hich it had not experienced before or w hich it req uired in that p a rticu la r incarnation. fh u s a soul w hich had been expressing through a h ealth y, norm al body in a fa m ;ly and environm ent w h ere disease, poverty, temptation and sin w ere unknown, indy h>ive Us next incarnation in a bodv born diseased in a fam ily or environment su r­ rounded w ith p o verty, sin, d isease and every form of e v il. T h is w ould be the ►jr m a of that so u l; it w ould test that soul as it m ay never have been tested before T h e soul m ay feci that it is being tested -though this consciousness of te«l and tria l m a j not come to it until after so rely trie d ; then it w ill c ry "O h G od! w h y tn i I tested t h u s ? '’ T h e soul m ay not understand, or it m ay com prehend wuh a d ivine intuition and. with brave effort and ad m irab le fortitude s a y : “T h is is lo tcach me a lesson by w hich 1 w ill profit.” and thus the soul, patien tly suffering, ev er learn in g a n d never c o n d e m n i n g , w ill evolve in that incarnation as it could evolve in no other w a y . That D ivine M in d , that G reat Consciousness, w hich sees a ll, knows a ll and i* ju *t. K ind, W is e and M igh ty, selects the proper body for a soul about to incarnate. here is no other answ er unless w e d en y the v ery fundam entals of the law of the evolution of the soul. In the E ighth and Ninth D egree of our work you w ill learn m ore o f this. Q . W L a l is the d iffe n n c e betw een the anim al soul and H* consciousness and •V hi;m tomelhmg lo say regardin g the cause of the P yra m id l>":nv there h i .1 . umious to knew the truth. Is there any occult ex p lan atio n ? A . W e thoroughly app reciate your desire lo know the trutri reuardine the G reat S e a l. T h ere has been much ado nboul nothing. Iru lv ; yet the truth ot the m atter is interesting and contains enough of occultism lo w arran t n com plete explanation here. S e e A r tic le . " T h e S e a l of th e U n ite d S ta te s ’ in th is is s u e o l C R O M A A 1

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THE NEXT ISSUE

will contain a com plete System of ! ranscenclental G eom ancy, as practised by the Veiled Prophets of our ancient O rder, and never published before, except in secret M anuscripts. By it our M em bers w i l l be able to m ake M ysterious D ivinations and Predictions regard­ ing the future, and to answ er all questions propounded of a personal and private nature. O ther interesting features will m ake the t \t l.-sue of great value to our M em bers of all Dc es 55