Raymond Bernard: A Secret Meeting in Rome

SPECIAL EDITION

A Secret Meeting in Rome

by Raymond Bernard FRANCIS BACON LODGE PUBLICATIONS

The Rosicrucian Order, AMORC

Known as ‘T H E ANCIENT, MYSTICAL ORDER ROSAE CRUCIS” throughout the world

FRANCIS BACON LODGE 181A Lavender Hill, London SW11 5TE

Secret Meeting in Rome by

Raymond Bernard

Supreme Legate for Europe Past Grand Master for Francophone Countries

SPECIAL EDITION London 23-26 July 1981

World Convention RC 3334

Translated and firs t published in Great Britain by Pensatia and Benefactor - 1970 2nd e dition . Francis Bacon Lodge AMORC — 1978 3rd edition - a special lim ite d issue - 1 981 English translation copyright e Francis Bacon Lodge 1981

All rights reserved. No part of th is publica tio n may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or tra n sm itte d in any form or by any means, w hatsoever, w ith o u t the prior perm ission o f the publisher. This book is sold subject to the c o n d itio n that it shall not be re-sold, loaned or circulated in any m anner w ith any diffe re n t form of binding or cover other than that in w h ich it is published, w ith o u t the prior perm ission of the publisher. This co n d itio n shall apply to all subsequent purchasers or borrowers. Printed in Great Britain by EPCS, D ingw all Road, Croydon

CONTENTS Page F o r e w o r d .........................................................................................................................

i

In t r o d u c t io n ...................................................................................................................

1

1 — R o m e ......................................................................................................................

3

2 — Beside The F o u n ta in ............................................................................................

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3 — Secrets and W itc h c r a ft........................................................................................

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4 — In E xpectation o f the N ig h t............................................................................................. 16 5 — The Abbey o f San N ilo ..................................................................................................... 18 6 — The Cardinal in W h ite ........................................................................................................ 22 7 — The Times Have C o m e ..................................................................................................... 25 8 — The Life And Death o f The Order o f The T e m p le .................................................... 30 9 — The M ystery o f The G r a i l .................................................................................. ............. 36 10 — Tunis

...................................................................................................................... ............. 42

11 — And The Door Is Opened To U s ....................................................................... ............. 51

The cover design is th a t o f an emblem inscribed in the stone arch over the gateway to w hat was once a Tem plar establishment, located on the Tours-Navers road in France.

FOREWORD

The thousands o f copies o f this m anuscript sold till now, the quotations which have been made w ith great success in w ritings or heard in lectures, and above all the numerous letters received fro m my readers, have been fo r me very encouraging and moving evidence. However, some o f m y correspondents have been led to such erroneous conclusions th a t it seemed necessary fo r me to w rite a forew ord to be included im m ediately in this w o rk and in all those which treat o f sim ilar subjects, w ith the purpose o f preventing any fu rth e r tendency to misleading interpretations or sim ply misunderstandings. The fundam ental purpose o f this manuscript is to transm it certain knowledge o f particular subjects o f mystical tra d itio n w hich now-a-days, p a rticu la rly in France, continue to exercise a strong a ttra ctio n upon whoever is interested in great questions beyond the lim its o f a non-sensical item in the popular press. It is enough, to be convinced o f this, to notice the considerable success met w ith fro m the general public, by books dealing w ith these subjects. N ow, most o f these books are not b u ilt on any foundation. They do n o t have any basis OF T R U T H fo r m editation and reflection, and they lead their readers towards false and even dangerous conclusions. It was also necessary to show the im portance o f the Rosicrucian Order AM ORC in the w orld, and this manuscript is indeed to put it in its rig h tfu l place, th a t is first, regarding its objectives, its w o rld ly activities and the number o f its members. In spite o f the great tolerance o f our Order and its extreme liberalism, it has sometimes been necessary to show strict severity w ith regard to those w ho, deceived perhaps by th e ir own errors, risk deceiving others and leading them in to terrible ways w hich have no aspect o f psychic e quilibrium . To warn is a d u ty , especially if one such advertisement is directed to one who is on the sure and tru th fu l path offered by the Rosicrucian Order AMORC. To stray fro m this path o f certainty after assuming it is incontestably to retrogress. M y aim has been th a t m y Rosicrucian readers may avoid co m m ittin g this regrettable error o f seeking elsewhere th a t which they w ill always find at the most opportune m om ent, the most efficacious fo r them , in the teachings o f the Rosicrucian Order AMORC.

Such were the reasons which induced me to w rite this manuscript and some others. The manner chosen to communicate this knowledge is im p o rta n t. To understand certain subjects, it is not enough to read them , one must experience them , and th a t is w hy I adopted this form o f w ritin g . The result is th a t this manuscript is P A R T IA L L Y A L L E G O R IC A L A N D P A R T IA L L Y ALSO IT R ELA TES FACTS. It is based on S YM BO LISM , fo r the S YM BO L is, in essence, a language, which each understands according to his development and w hich the Rosicrucian understands better than most. Thus, through A L L E G O R Y , through S YM BO L and through FACTS, subjects o f the highest interest are examined, and this exam ination w ill lead you to an understanding more vast, more useful and more true, o f the great questions which tra d itio n , past and present, has applied itself in solving. My dearest wish w ill always be th a t this lecture may be fo r you a source o f inspiration, and a constant encouragement to carry on yo u r e ffo rts w ith in the Rosicrucian Order AM ORC towards greater lig h t and Peace P rofound. R AY M O N D B ER N AR D Domaine de la Rose-Croix Friday 17th O ctober, 1969

0 Chiunque tu sia, che fu o r d'ogni uso Pieghi natura ad opre altere e strane E spiando i segreti, e n tri al piu chiuso Spazio tua voglia delle m enti umane Deh! D im m i! (Gerusal) 0 thou whoever thou art, w ho obliges nature to apply itself to th y strange works, and who, master o f th e ir secrets, penetrates at w ill to the hidden depths o f the human soul, tell me . . . .

INTRODUCTION A secret meeting at Rome! The title could surprise or sim ply intrigue. In the final analysis, I have n o t been able to fin d a more appropriate one. O nly one other m ight be used and I had chosen it in the beginning, but to call this story "T h e Cardinal in W h ite ", as I had the in tentio n o f doing, w ould have been to run the risk o f a regrettable confusion. The question is, tru ly , to tell here o f m y meeting w ith a man whose unique stature in the invisible empire o f in itia tio n is such th a t he fills the role o f " p iv o t" , o r a hinge, and my recollection was n o t able to clothe him w ith a higher or more appropriate d ig n ity than that of the "W hite C ardinal". But the great Gustave M eyrink had already, in his tim e, reported the extraordinary message o f a "W h ite D o m inican". F urther the term "C a rd in a l" has taken a meaning much more precise in relation to a religious hierarchy in the See o f which my Cardinal had never entered in any way. The fact, also, th a t all, fo r me, may have happened in Rome, required the prudence o f n o t using a term w hich m ight be misunder­ stood and thus was born the d iffe re n t and less com prom ising title o f this manuscript . . . . Then, here once more I must clothe w ith words th a t w hich, in me, is o nly rememberance, sentim ent and em otion. Here then to transm it to others the message instilled in m y soul by a rare experience, the hour has come to reveal w ith o u t betraying much and to give w ith o u t abandoning anything. The task w ould be impossible if it did not deal w ith knowledge, perhaps o f wisdom , the o n ly dom ain where the transmission is so absolute th a t another becomes him self and that, in the u n ity thus realised, he w ho gives takes part in his own g ift. T o share a secret, is w ith o u t doubt, esoterically, to delegate a certain power, a form o f a u th o rity which is acted upon in our name, because, fo r the initiate, the secret is the very co n d itio n o f the sacred m ystery and o f the ancient powers in

w hich he is adm itted to take part. B ut to share a secret is above all to give to others the essential implements which w ill p e rm it them in d ivid u a lly to m anufacture the key opening the sublime portal o f the realised consciousness where emerging man is regenerated and forever raises himself. I am going to relive fo r you, w ith you, certain circumstances. I w ould have said "an adventure" if this w ord had n o t, in our day, lost its profound value o f exceptional occurrence, yet th a t all, in our universe, is so exceptional fo r him w ho knows how to see and take part, th a t the qu a lifica tio n here is w ith o u t im portance. These circumstances, this adventure, they can, at the end o f y o u r reading, become yours, as they were o r are mine, fo r they are placed, so to speak, "beyond tim e and space" where they are unfolded. They are in fa ct latent in each o f us and the e xte rio r element, th a t which is produced in the phenomenal w o rld , o nly fu lfills a fu n ctio n o f stim u la tio n o r awakening. The spark is th ro w n o u t, facts capable o f an illusory "o u ts id e " enflame the permanent reality in us and illum ine our consciousness. We learn nothing, fo r all is w ith in ourselves, b u t the veil cannot be torn aside except by the strange and irreplaceable action on us o f the exte rio r w orld such as it appears to us however unreal it may be. In th is regard, my SECRET M E E TIN G IN ROME has caused to resound afresh the echo o f a hidden wisdom at the heart o f the divine essence w hich I carry w ith in m yself ju st as you carry it w ith in you and I have gathered together, on the conscious plane, a little more lig h t and peace. It w ill be the same fo r you, as I w ould wish it to be. You can, by means o f this recital, make m y Roman adventure Y O U R adventure fo r, after all, the message w hich I have collected is destined fo r yo u and it is Y O U , EACH ONE OF YO U , w ho waits at this very instant fo r a secret interview, a sage, an in itia te , a m a s te r. . . TH E W H ITE C A R D IN A L . Raymond Bernard

A SECRET MEETING IN ROME

1 ROME

There are few countries in the w o rld where the exigencies o f an existence, at firs t profane, then consecrated to an exceptional mission, have not led me at various times. Few are im p o rta n t tow ns w hich one could name at random to w hich I may not have gone at some mom ent. O f all these countries and o f all these cities, Rome, in m y m em ory, is the Jewel. It was there in October 1955, in an imposing palace w ith an extraordinary silence b u t w hich, as promised, I w ith o ld the name, I received, in the autum n o f my 32nd year, the in itia tic adjustm ent o f a secular tra d itio n . It is there, in w hich I was led to accomplish in another dom ain, where "began the d e s tin y " w hich manifests my present responsibilities. It is there th a t friendship to o k fo r me the fo rm o f a friend fro m w hom , ever since, neither tim e nor distance have separated me b u t w ho one day, inescapably, as G ilbert Becaud, w ill be w ept "a b se n t". A t least it w ill not be so fo r me. It is there and it is Rome and a road has led me there in order th a t my soul manifest there in its completeness, in its absoluteness, in its fu ll am ount at all levels o f experience and o f consciousness. . . However, I feel m yself incapable o f describing Rome. While there, w hat w ould be the advantage fo r me reader to stroll w ith me in the Borghese gardens to see again the vestiges o f ancient Rome, to visit hastily certain museums, to admire some churches, to descend into some sad catacombs, to enter the Vatican C ity, to w alk through the basilica o f St. Peter and come at last exhausted, to look fo r an unattainable rest in a celebrated terrace o f the Via Veneto. To my Roman friend after having visited Rome o f the past fo r a long tim e, I said to him one day in je s t:— "T h is c ity is a m useum ." He then conducted me to modern Rome where there is nothing to be envied in other foreign capitals. Again jestingly I observed:— "T h is c ity is like the o th e r!" He led me towards the ancient ruins. I have understood and I am silent. Rome, it is the ancient and the modern mixed in the present w hich sings under the dark and cu rly heads, whose eyes give life to things and to beings w hich they touch. It is the reljgious and the profane, the beauty o f a thousand faces, the tru th if it is agreeable, the venial illusion w hich wishes to make pleasure and w hich fo r th a t is so sincere th a t it becomes tru th . Rome, it is a pleasure and a song, sad or gay, more lively than sad and perhaps sad and gay at the same tim e. The c ity , in the end, w ill be fo r you th a t which you are yourself, and it is yourself you w ill love through her. As fo r me, it is to the Roman fountains th a t I take pleasure in confiding myself. True, I never fail to give a piece o f money to the Fountain o f Trevi so th a t a favourable departure leads me q u ickly to Rome, but I have dow n there MY fo u n ta in ; the Fountain o f the Tortoise . . . . Why do I prefer it to all others, how should I know? It is sentim ental and there are memories.

N aturally, I speak here o f MY Roman fo u n ta in because it has a connection w ith my story. When I reflect on it, it could n o t possibly be otherwise. In Rome, if certain problems assail me, m y steps, invariably, lead me towards it. Strangely this tim e they take me into a journey w hich w ill culm inate in an exceptional experience.

A SECRET MEETING IN ROME

2

BESIDE THE FOUNTAIN It is nightim e in a Roman spring. From the balcony o f my apartm ent in the H ilto n Hotel Cavalien, adm irably situated on the Monte Mario, I contem plate, fo r some tim e, the lights o f the c ity . . . when I am seized w ith an irresistable impulse to visit MY fountain. I have arrived in the evening and my hotel being some distance from the centre, laziness has been more pow erful than the a ttra ctio n o f the deep bath o f which I always feel the need when arriving at some place . . . as much as making or remaking the acquaintance o f my hosts o f the m om ent. B u t now, the desire is more pow erful and it is concentrated w h o lly on M Y fo u n ta in . It is late, very late, but am I not, as one says " o f the n ight"? I w ill perhaps be alone there below . . . w ith my memories, w hat a privilege! . . . . The taxi le ft me at the corner o f the street and here I am before it . . . . Oh, I am not alone! Someone is there before me, b u t I do n o t feel myself troubled by this presence. A ll is so calm here at this late hour. "T h e O th e r", perhaps shares my curious a ttra ctio n fo r this fountain. A t least, I wish to believe it, and my heart w ith o u t any jealousy makes itself a silent accomplice o f the stranger. I come nearer to the fo u n ta in . . . and to him . He appears to be far away, wrapped up in him self and his eyes are closed. I make as little noise as possible, b u t scarcely am I near him when he gives a start and he looks at me fo r a long tim e. On me! It is on my eyes, I must be precise . . . like men w ho stare w ith o u t seeing! From the eyes come a mysterious vibrating alchemy whose power is the lo t o f him who knows how to give a meaning to his look and many ignore it. This man knows all which I believe I know myself. His eyes search m y soul, and mine his, and all is accomplished in understanding almost as attunem ent and in a smile. "D o you speak French?" What could I have said otherwise? One o f us must make the firs t move and w hy n o t me . . . w ith a banality? The reply is unexpected: "JE SUIS francais!" I take a better lo o k at m y q u e s tio n e r. . . he is more o r less m y b uild and clothed in an exquisite way. His grey suit is, in effect, cut in the French fashion and the blue tie is discreet. His face is angular, incisive and his brow n eyes which are fixe d on mine reflect a great goodness and melancholy. " I am F rench," he continued, " b u t o fte n in Rome. My affairs call me here . . . and other things! A nd you? Is this your firs t stay in Rome?" "C e rta in ly n o t! Many circumstances lead me to Rome frequently . . . . " My questioner interrupted me; "T h e circumstances . . . . religious ones?"

r

I smiled; "Religious? Perhaps, b u t n o t in the sense you w ould understand i

t

"

Who knows! If I meet this man, w hy should there n o t be a particular reason? The hazard, after all, only exists as such. I add then, and it is almost a challenge: " I w ou ld in preference say circumstances . . . tra d itio n a l and e soteric!" The man gave a slight sta rt; "Esoteric? Y ou k n o w then th a t esotericism exists in Rome! The devil! Our encounter does n o t w ant fo r c u rio s ity ." "E xperience has taught me th a t every encounter is curious. Certain ones are even strange . . . " and I add slo w ly; "Is it not, in the main, strange th a t at an hour so late at night, we chance to be, you and I, tw o Frenchmen, alone, here, before this fo u n ta in in the heart o f Rome, and is it n o t stranger still th a t we are chattering thus w ith o u t know ing each other, revealing ourselves rapidly one to the oth e r and, fo r m y part, showing you my esoteric interest. A llo w me to introduce myself . . . . " W ith out hesitation, moved by an irresistable and profound impulse, I declare my id e n tity, my title and m y responsibilities. He regarded me in te n tly and I suppose w ith surprise u n til m y ow n surprise reduced to nothing in me some instants q u ite another feeling. My questioner replied, indeed, to m y declaration w ith his, and there was no need whatever to p in p o in t his title or his responsibilities. HIS NAM E WAS S U F F IC IE N T , AND IT WAS ONE OF THE G R EATEST NAM ES IN FRANCE. A h ! When I was talking not long ago o f trad itiona l circumstances, how was I to imagine th a t the man to w hom I was addressing myself represented him self alone, by his name, many many great undertakings in the long h istory o f m y c o u n try ! Meanwhile I reacted very rapidly. Numerous are the great o f this w orld w ho honour me w ith their confidence and some o f them w ith their friendship, more relaxed w ith me than they w ould be in th e ir o ffic ia l position. Otherwise those o f the tem poral w o rld scarcely impress me always; my veneration goes to the simple ones, to the humble, to the smallest, fo r at the level o f th e ir reality they are great, much greater than he, proud o f his name and his qualitites, whose pride in the last analysis is on ly ju stifie d by his ancestors and rarely by him self or by the vainness o f an absurd vanity o f o ffice. B ut the man w ho was there, before me, is o f a sim p licity so vibrant th a t the illustrious name w hich he has inherited is an ornam ent fo r his profound personality which becomes him w ith o u t reservation. "Perhaps we could pursue this conversation at m y hom e?" said he, "Unless you feel to o tire d ."

I was n o t tired and the in vita tio n pleased me. "O u r conversation w ill be more p ro fita b le than sleep. I w ill fo llo w . Thank y o u ." We walked fo r some minutes . . . his car, badly parked — but we are in Rome — is licensed in Italy and I conclude fro m that, th a t he lives here more often than he is w illin g to adm it. It is one o f my failings, in this incarnation, to appreciate pow erful cars. They are a human e ffo rt to overcome the illusion o f tim e and the mirages o f space. A t the same tim e they are the admirable fr u it o f research and o f the genius o f man w ho, in his wide awake dream, believes w ith o u t ceasing in going more q u ickly, to come nearer a sum m it where tim e and space w ill o n ly be u n ity . They are so in fact and the m ystic knows it fro m experience b u t h um anity has chosen the long, the very long road o f materialism and o f sensation. Man, whatever may be his degree o f internal awakening, cannot reject his hum anity w ith o u t co m m ittin g an unpardonable sin o f proudly supposing him self separated from others. He can only be awakened among the others; and the others, he can o n ly serve them by remaining human him self. The awakened consciousness has no room fo r hypocrisy. It sees all and at firs t the body which it inhabits te m p o ra rily; this body w ith its appetites and its shortcomings w hich are n o t an ill unless th o u g h t and remorse consider them so and make them an im pedim ent. I do n o t feel it a hindrance to my higher consciousness to appreciate the power o f a car. Strange inner experiences have come to me when driving at a very fast pace, and in the same way useful in tu itio n s have sprung to my th o u g h t whose consequences fo r many others have been o f considerable use. My com panion drives w ith a sure and agile hand w hich requires silence and concentration. D uring the days w hich fo llo w he w ill give me the pleasure o f driving this exceptional car. This indeed w ill be, on his part, a sign o f confidence and esteem, b u t both o f us are today concentrated and silent. It is w ith o u t d o u b t during this tim e o f apparent repose from th o u g h t th a t knowledge and light w ill gather beneath our objective consciousness and w ill spring fo rth fro m our being, firs t in our conversation and, a little later, in the exceptional circumstances we w ill live through together. I t is very necessary to give a name to my com panion and I decide th a t there cannot be any question o f giving h im HIS OWN name. No particular recom m endation has been given me by him on this subject, b u t ano n ym ity is an im p lic it rule in this kind o f adventure, fo r the stronger reason a name risks personalising the story and leading away from the in te n tio n . It is n o t the history o f a man which I w rite , it is the story o f a meeting, where he, like me, is nothing but an actor and not even in the leading role. Thus, my com panion cannot be anything else in these pages but a Christian name chosen at random

fro m a fleeting idea . . . . Robert, P hilip, Louis? What m atter! However it is necessary and th a t is w h y m y frie nd, I have baptised yo u JOHN. That John's apartm ent is situated on one o f the celebrated hills o f Rome is not surprising and it is less surprising when one knows w ho John is th a t the " V ia " where this apartm ent is, is one o f the most desirable in Rome. I shall n o t describe this dwelling except to underline in a few words its discreet lu x u ry , composed o f a s im p lic ity and grandeur where one recognises in all circumstances and in every occasion the im p rin t o f authentic n o b ility . Meanwhile, in his other residences, elsewhere in the w o rld , I shall later fin d everywhere th a t w hich I name to m yself "T h e Sign o f J o h n ". This sign I shall also see in the homes o f those w ho encompass him , at the home o f his children, certainly, b u t also at the homes o f those w ho serve him . F or example, this manservant w ho comes in an amiable manner to make sure we are alone in the d im ly lit lib ra ry where we have sat down, side by side, on a couch w ith glistening designs near an elegant w ritin g desk . . . .

A SECRET MEETING IN ROME 3 SECRETS A N D W ITCHCRAFT

" In the august lineage w hich, in o u r tim e, has grown d im b u t w hich f represent In spite o f everything, an irresistable a ttraction fo r mystery has been transm itted fro m one generation to another and I am certainly not, in this regard, an e xce p tio n ." Does m y host intend to do all the talking during the tim e we are together? . . . I do not know . . . although I am disposed to listen o n ly and to learn. He speaks in a grave voice and the gestures w hich accompany certain words do not lack in grandeur. That which he goes on to a ffirm is n o t said in the guise o f an excuse. A confession, in whatever form it is clothed, always begins w ith a d e fin itio n , more or less precise, o f self. John was not ignorant th a t the " o c c u lt" history o f his ancestors is well know n to me. Much is know n of it and perhaps a little more to me w ho has the privilege o f access to rare archives. So I w ill in te rru p t m y questioner as little as possible. " . . . Power in this w o rld , po litica l, financial and even religious, concentrates in itself the desire o f a power still greater, fo r man is ever unsatisfied w ith his lot. Power must have its com plem ent in power. The p o liticia n feels the need to dom inate the financier, the financier is irresistably inclined to weigh all his gold against the p o liticia n and as for the church, it aspires often, alas, to tem poral power and seeks the favour o f the politician and the financier. What a strange triangle, in tru th , where one o f the points can only fu n ctio n w ith the other tw o fo r its proper m anifestation! Now, these three points m y fam ily has overcome and persevered fo r ages and a far greater compensating power was necessary to it placing itse lf beyond the tem poral triangle. From it has become w hat I consider to day the quest, so to say, I have thus inherited. . .w ith the rest, and my privilege is assuredly not to have to go over th a t which was surm ounted before my tim e, after many gropings, mistakes, and even deviations such as one could q u a lify as " w itc h c r a ft" ." These last words are accentuated w ith a smile w hich I share. John is silent fo r a few moments and I ask m yself a question. What is he leading to? I w ould have to ask myself the question very soon, b u t fro m habit, I am so curious o f others, so adventurous by nature, so eager to share w ith others, that my idle soul refuses to anticipate. Meanwhile, all is at this strange p o in t in this adventure and in w hich is confided to me th a t questions emerge to m y consciousness and that I ask myself w hy and how I agreed to come here. However this man w ith the illustrious name, w ho o f course is nothing else in this story but "J o h n ", he was near M Y fountain at an unexpected tim e and, after a few words, received me into his home, treated me as an old friend and that appeared to me norm al, coming from him . . . Once again my psychology astonishes me! Unless . . . Unless he A L R E A D Y had knowledge o f the Rosicrucian Order AMORC and to confide in me would allay his restless hope. Why should I at b o tto m be surprised? I had recently arrived at

O rly, then w hile w aiting to embark, to say a few words to a very old passenger departing fo r another destination and suddenly to listen to him , during some minutes, speaking to me o f " c ry p tic secrets o f Is ta n b u l"! Why then should I be astonished at this adventure which I see at this m om ent! I could not however avoid an inner start when m y com panion continued, seeming to reply to m y secret question. " I have read attentively all the docum entation concerning yo u r Order and I have been instructed in y o u r philosophy and y o u r tra d itio n , in particular w ith regard to the Rosicrucian Manual and the Sanctuary o f self. I could not. imagine meeting you this evening in Rome at this fo u n ta in . . . " I interrupted h im : " I t is M Y fo u n ta in , charged w ith m y memories, w ith m y thoughts, perhaps my doubts . . . " "F o r m y part, it is the firs t tim e th a t I have stopped th e re ," he replied. " A fte r a late meal, I fe lt the necessity o f taking a w alk and m y steps to o k me there by chance . . . " "B y chance?" "Y o u are right. Do n o t let us seek to understand. We have met and there is a profound purpose in everything. I believe you have come to me at the mom ent when the need has made itself fe lt. I am w ith in a few hours o f an IM P O R T A N T IN T E R V IE W in the quest o f w hat I have undertaken many years ago. Now, curiously I have been forewarned T H A T I W O U LD NOT COME A LO N E . . . and you are there! A few hours . . . It is you, assuredly, w hom I sought unconsciously near the fo u n ta in . . . A t last! Tim e presses. A llo w me to "Place m yse lf" before you, allow me to unburden my soul o f ITS SECRETS A N D OF ITS W IT C H C R A F T ! It is necessary th a t yo u should kn o w where m y quest has led me, fo r the level attained is fundam ental BECAUSE OF W H A T IS PREPARED FOR ME A N D FOR YOU . . . " He rose and opening a drawer in the w ritin g desk w ith an engraved key taken o u t of his le ft pocket, he lifte d a rolled parchm ent w hich he handed to me saying: "R e a d ". I unrolled the slightly yello w docum ent and as well as having d iffic u lty in scrutinising the fine penmanship and in decyphering certain ancient phrases. I am at the height o f bew ilderm ent . . . I w ill not reproduce here the secret symbols nor the exact titles inserted below the main device (Text?). They have a very considerable im portance at the dawn o f these new times through w hich we are passing and T H E Y BELONG TO "T H A T WHICH C OM ES". I w ill sim ply say that " the phoenix is reborn fro m his ashes" and TWO DECADES Wl LL NOT R O LL BY before all these symbols and titles w ill have a new life in

a w o rld where A L L V A LU E S W IL L BE UPSET TO SUCH A DEGREE th a t no comparison w ill be possible between this tim e and that, and th a t, naturally, in the sense o f a G R E AT GOOD — and since I am in Rome, w ill I dare to reveal so soon th a t the fa ith fu l o f our epoch, if they still live, w ill have great d iffic u lty then to recognise th e ir own church? TW EN TY YEAR S HENCE . . . and in te n tio n a lly I prolong the expiration by some years, but w hat is one year, tw o o r E IG H T years in an o u tlo o k so confused"? The docum ent then reproduces tw o quatrains fro m the prophecies o f Nostradamus and here they are: "W ho w ill open the discovered m onum ent and w ill n o t come to close it p ro m p tly Evil w ill come to him and w ill n o t prove W hether it is better fo r Breton or Norman to be King When the w ritin g D.M. found And the ancient cave has lamps discovered Law, King, and Prince Ulpian proved Royal pavillion and duke under cover." Im m ediately below these incomprehensible words "N ile has source in Crypta Ferrata." And at the b o tto m o f the parchment the incredible signature, made authentic by a cross spreading towards the extrem ities. LOUIS. Tem plar . . . I made appeal w ith in myself to all the knowledge, transm itted or acquired, to all the initiate power accorded o r merited. I scrutinise the te x t and plunge my search into my subconscious mem ory. I pick up several leads and liberated them to m y reasoning, but the road to solution is still not established . . . N IL E has source in crypta ferrata! What does th a t Latin q u o ta tio n mean in relation to the river Nile? It is the firs t time I have seen such an association o f terms so contra dictory. The Nile, o f course, — who does not know it? — was venerated by the ancient Egyptians. It was the servant o f the Gods, the good genie. A t the tim e o f the pharoahs, it was said th a t Hapi lived in a g ro tto at the b o tto m o f the Nile, in the middle o f the firs t cataract. His nourishing fruitfulness earned him the breast o f an androgine. Those are com m on notions know n to all, and they invade my thoughts o f the mom ent

w ith o u t however enlightening me. Crypta? C ryp t, g ro tto . . . A h perhaps the legendary g ro tto o f Hapi? . . . but "fe rra ta ", iron, iron w indow . No lin k has ever been made between the g ro tto o f Hapi and an iron w indow , even if one adm itted in these fa r o ff times the unlikely supposition th a t the Nile could have had its source in this gro tto . I no longer know w hy, S U D D E N L Y , t th in k o f Osirian history and the cu lt o f Isis. We are in Rome. Would it be so stupid to believe th a t there was here or in the surroundings a centre o f ancient in itia tio n ? IS NOT IN IT IA T IO N R EA D Y IN A L L THESE PLACES FOR THOSE WHO A R E R E A D Y TO SEE? It is then th a t there sprang to m y m ind THE HYPOTHESIS that the event was to ju s tify in a great part b u t my reasoning still did not recognise it. However IT IS T H A T ! IN T U IT IO N HAS SPOKEN! I have said it in other circumstances; I am a creature o f nocturnal habits, and I rejoice this night, to have agreed to keep awake. The talkative heaven has once more revealed to me its secret. The w o rking o f m y m ind is certainly more rapid than the setting dow n o f the w ritte n explanation, and several minutes have in reality been s u fficie n t fo r me to understand the parchment, reflect on its contents and return it to my host. He looked at me in te n tly and m urm ured; "Have you understood?" I replied: " I cannot be sure o f my in terpretation. I naturally have an idea, but long m editation w ould be necessary to define a correct and above all a complete solution. I must say, meanwhile, T H A T I KNOW A PLACE. IN THE O U TSK IR TS OF ROME . . . But I refuse to intervene u n til you have to ld me o f yo u r own interpretation. I w ould not wish to be a source o f confusion fo r you. A llo w me to listen to y o u ." " A PLACE IN THE O U TSK IR TS OF ROME! B ut . . . you are rig h t! How strange is our encounter. A h! Sir, yo u w ould n o t know how to measure my inner jo y ! What an extraordinary universe where THE LAW manifests itself to the p o in t o f supposing th a t all is pre-established, then it is ourselves w ho, in observing the law and in applying it quite apart fro m our true selves, fo rm our destiny . . . OUR E X C E P T IO N A L M EETING S . . . In short! Here is the story and the conclusions I have drawn fro m i t . . . " I have mentioned to you just now "SECRETS A N D W IT C H C R A F T ". This docum ent is one o f the secrets o f m y fa m ily and I shall confide in you others just as surprising, b u t where do you th in k the w itc h c ra ft is? This is so mixed up in the secrets th a t m y explanation w ill contain both. I have spoken o f "w itc h c ra ft” and it is true that, n o t long ago, TO KNOW, certain o f my people have been adepts . . . let us say, o u t o f respect, o f lesser theurgy. They sought and refused nothing, not even the aid o f

interested adventurers im puting to themselves the title o f Magi and impressing th e ir ignorant pupils by the unconsidered and anarchical em ploym ent o f form ulae o f a Kabal o f which they themselves knew nothing. I pass over the alchemical swindling o f which certain relatives o f m ine were victim s. The swindling was above all moral and it had its uses. I shall show you later on, in France, the private notes o f one o f my illustrious ancestors. I also pass over the black masses and other incantations which deceived the curious o f these times. I now come to the essentials: MY F A M IL Y , IN SECRET. A LW A Y S SOUGHT FOR ITS E LF THE ID E A L TE M P LA R . I cannot be more precise and I cannot, in particular, pretend th a t a R E A L A F F IL IA T IO N undeniably exists between the Order such as it was and over the period such as its knowledge has come A T LAST TO ME. EVEN IF THIS WAS SO, I W O U LD REFUSE TO M A K E A CASE OF IT and I shall leave you then in d o u b t on this subject. It is not im p o rta n t anyway, it is not a fundam ental element fo r that w hich concerns us, you and me, im m ediately . . .

" \ must however state clearly that a little before the PUBLIC disappearance o f the Order o f the Temple, one o f my ancestors at the age o f 11 years, had received fro m the Grand Master a particular unction and that this u nction is perpetuated right dow n to our days, FOR I M YSELF R EC EIVED IT A T ELEV E N YEARS OF AGE. Our times have conferred on me advantages which my predecessors were not able to enjoy. I have passed three years in India and in T ib e t and I have been a disciple o f the Sage Atamanda. A certain wisdom was comm unicated to me during this stay. A fte r that, I to o k part in the instruction o f other Masters, in the Middle East and in the secret w orld of Islam. In France I have passed through dangerous experiences, to o q u ic k ly classified as occult and FROM A L L T H A T I H AVE G A IN E D MUCH KNO W LEDGE A N D IN N ER POWER BUT I H AVE NOT FOUND PEACE . . . A lthough born a Christian, my fa ith is universal. I practice, by tra dition and respect fo r m y fam ily, w ith o u t ceasing fo r one single instant to vibrate an interior rhythm fo r a belief which I designate as "C o sm ic" . . . BUT I H A V E NOT FOUND PEACE, YET. A N D I SEEK IT HERE, KNO W ING T H A T FOR ME IT IS HERE, SOMEWHERE, and if you ask w hy, I reply th a t I do not know . . . " I rather wanted to say to him th a t this peace fo r w hich he sought is neither here nor there, but where he finds it, th a t is to say W IT H IN H IM S E LF. But I judged it preferable not to in te rru p t him , fo r he was above all speaking at this mom ent fro m his inner self. "Somewhere! I believe I know where and it is there that I am going to seek it . . . This parchm ent which during the years, I have examined w ith o u t understanding the sense and w ith o u t evaluating its im p o rt is revealed to me IN ITS T R U T H , today exactly THREE years later. It required all this tim e fo r me to determ ine "th e m o m e n t", to define "th e w ritin g D .M .” and to place "th e ancient cave o f the lamp in the o pen" THREE YEAR S!

Could it be otherwise! The O TH ER indications o f the quatrains are applied more to me fo r having been at some tim e an enigma fo r the seeker th a t I am, and I have been no more surprised by the signature o f m y ancestor and the title he has used since IT IS MV ABSO LUTE R IG H T TO M A K E USE OF THE SAM E, as it w ill be th a t my son and heir after me A N D HE HAS KNOWN IT SINCE HIS E LE V E N T H B IR T H D A Y . , . " I f you share m y a ttra ctio n fo r the symbolism o f numbers, remember again that it is eleven days since I received the "c a ll'', th a t it is T O D A Y (see the dawn is breaking), this night at ELEV E N o 'clock I am awaited w ith M Y COM PANION and this com panion, I cannot d o u b t it, IS Y O U ! What w ill the ONE say w ho must receive us? The coming night w ill teach us b etter than the hypothesis about w hich our thoughts w ould be able to unfold the p lo t. Where? I believe th a t you have divined it and I am stupified that you have been able to arrive at i t . . . "O h ! An association o f ideas has rem inded me o f a visit w hich I made, some tim e ago, to the Abbey o f " " . . . o f S aint-N ilo, and th a t is THE PLACE. I kn o w Rome and its outskirts as well as Paris and it has required THR EE years to come to this po in t. Let us say IT WAS W IL L E D , otherwise it w ould be absurd. " N ilo . . . N ile! And one has made o f it Nile, a saint — S A IN T N IL O . I w ould love to read the biography o f this saint. I w ould be interested in i t . . . to know the " b o d y " and the "p e rso n a lity” where an excess o f devotion has been able to reclothe the N ile to make o f it N ilo and reward him w ith Sainthood. " In any case, 'cryp ta ferrata’ designates the village of G ro tto fe rra ta w ith o u t any possible d o u b t. There is o n ly one in the whole w o rld — and it is exceptional! The o n ly agglomeration bearing this name. "T hus, IN THE G R O TTO W ITH THE IRON W INDOW , THE N IL E HAS ITS SOURCE . . . The Nile, the land o f Egypt, the ancient in itia tio n . . . “ It is now tim e fo r us to separate. I shall accompany you to yo u r hotel. Rest during the day. We shall meet this evening at eight o'clock. W ait fo r me in the hall . . . . " I propose to take a ta xi, w hich w ould perm it him to retire at once, b u t he refuses and his pow erful dark Ferrari, in the calm o f a Roman evening, takes me q u ic k ly back to the Cavalieri H ilto n . In the lift , tw o American night birds, bachelors fo r the tim e being, return to th e ir room . They suppose me to be t h e ir . . . accomplice and smile at me. A fte r

all, they have had t h e ir . . . experience and w ill remember the Roman "dolce v ita ". I have also had my adventure and it is equally an experience. Then, beyond them , it is to San NiJo that I send m y ow n smile. . . and o u r dreams, in a mom ent w ill be joined to ­ gether, perhaps.. . .

A SECRET MEETING IN ROME 4

IN EXPECTATION OF THE NIGHT I wake up at tw o o 'clock in the afternoon! Lucky th a t I am not o f the m orning, it is a record fo r me w ith o u t precedent b u t I absolve m yself at once in th in kin g th a t the coming night w ill allow me little sleep. I order my breakfast and I surprise nobody. In Rome, as in Madrid, one does not rise early . . . I w ould rather be born Roman than M adrilanian! The next tim e perhaps. Quite naturally my thoughts return to the preceding night, I promise never to relate such an adventure to anyone, and fo r all th a t, today, I w rite it fo r a great number. True it is a com m on saying to say th a t tru th is stranger than fic tio n , in the emergency, I do not feel any need fo r such ju s tific a tio n . My Roman fo u n ta in , if I were a poet again and I had sung o f it, yo u r soul w ould have been able, reader, to kn o w the embrace and jo y o f the voluptuous secret. I am no longer a poet and I do not dedicate an ode to the Fountain of the Tortoise. I feel some jealousy in having had to reveal p u blicly in these pages, the love th a t I bear fo r it b u t I have not been able to do otherwise in order to be tru th fu l. It has been the meeting place and fro m it this adventure was born. Pardon my memories! I have only betrayed my founta in . . . To believe or not to believe, to be o r n o t to be, the dilemma is the same . . . This tale, I proclaim it T R U E ! For you, frie n d , may it be w hat you wish, but consider carefully yo u r own life, see if, o fte n , it is n o t interspersed w ith m ystery, and th a t w hich, fo r others

than yourself, w ould be im probable . . . in case you w ould tell it. Then m y im p ro b a b ility w ould rejoin yours and both , the one fo r the other, w ill be T R U T H . I shall speak in a m om ent o f the Abbey o f San N ilo and it is in this enchanting atmosphere th a t together we shall meet the C A R D IN A L IN W H ITE. It w ould have been wrong to present it otherwise than I have done. I was not put suddenly in his august presence. It is slow ly th a t I have been led near to him and it is thus th a t w ith an illustrious com panion, I have been to collect his message and draw fro m it a veritable spiritual p ro fit. I respect you too much, reader, n o t to wish th a t you benefit yourself IN THE SAME C O N D ITIO N S AS M YSELF o f w hat I have learned fo r the enrichm ent o f my soul, and th a t is w hy I conduct yo u to THE EXPERIENCE exactly as I was myself. Ah! if, at the tim e o f yo u r reading, YOU BECAME ME; if this story could be YOURS; if, by light, I was able in these pages to be Y O U ; w hat a sublime end w ould we have attained together, since I w ould have received and YOU W O U LD BE THE IN IT IA T E ! . . . Reflect w ith me before the adventure is follow ed to its end . . .

"H api was living in a g ro tto at the b o tto m o f the Nile . . . HIS N O U R ISH IN G FR U ITFU LN E SS M AD E HIM W ORTH AN A N D R O G IN E B R E A S T ". Quite true, you know w hat the A ndrogine is. Again th a t ofte n one o n ly considers the principle fro m one p o in t o f view . . . let us say "b io lo g ic a l". I do not wish to make myself the herald o f my own w ritings, b u t do yo u remember w hat I w rote in "th e couple and their problem s". You, man, you believe yourself to be a man, and you are woman ALSO. You, woman, you believe yourself to be a woman and you are man ALSO. According to yo u r sex, yo u r com plem entary masculine or fem inine part is IN Y O U R S E LF, at the level, if you wish, o f yo u r subconsciousness and IT IS FROM T H E IR R EFOUND U N IT Y T H A T ONE D A Y W IL L SPRING FORTH YOUR R E A L IT Y . Each being is complete in him self and have you understood at last that this illusory w orld w hich surrounds you A N D IS N O TH IN G ELSE BUT W H AT YOU A R E , has no other reason fo r being than to make you perceive and R EALISE Y O U R OWN U N IT Y ? . . . Also remember the long alchemical monologue o f a Father Rosencreutz in the Secret Houses o f the Rose-Croix. He also, by his explanations, symbolised YOUR androgine. These are w ith o u t ceasing THE SAME TH IN G S which are said to you w ith d iffe re n t words, in various circumstances, w ith a changing ceremonial. It w ill always be thus u n til the flash o f the awakening thunders w ith in you, and that w ill not be u n til the m om ent where having know n A L L , proved A L L , Mastered A L L , you w ill be ready, in a R E C E P TIV ITY which is n o t what you suppose as yet. You w ill then understand that ONE WORD was sufficie n t, o r rather ONE a ttitu d e , or sim ply ONE gesture. D IV E R S IT Y was necessary fo r you to recover U N IT Y and th a t was inescapable. There is no quick way. It is necessary to fo llo w the horizontal line and then the vertical in order that they rejoin at the proper tim e and at th e ir intersection the rose o f YOUR reality flourishes, forgotten b u t NEVER lo s t . . . The Cardinal in W hite has other revelations to transm it to us. You foresee that, by his voice, THE TEM PLE w ill teach us and yo u r presentiment is ju stifie d . . . Besides, the tim e has come and the w aiting is over. In a few moments it w ill be eight o'clock. Come . . . He w ho comes is not o f those one can keep w aiting.

5

THE ABBEY OF SAN NILO Some th irty kilom etres fro m Rome . . . the Abbey o f Saint-N ilo! at G ro tto fe rra ta , the Italian version o f the ancient crypta ferrata, the g ro tto or c ry p t w ith the iron w in d o w s . . . the A bbey, has it conferred its name on the village, or on the contrary, in selecting the place, gathered its history and its name? My soul has chosen to th ro w itself on an assault o f the past and dig in it fo r remains in order to attem pt to extract fro m it the true secret, and here is w hat I saw . . . I see advancing towards these solitary places, in the night, the solemn procession o f the forgotten wisdom gathering together around the g ro tto the postulants to the mysteries. The g ro tto on the outside, w ith in becomes the c ry p t whose altar is the heart where three lighted candles p o u r o u t in silence their waxen tears. The shadow o f the Master w ho awaits falls on the circular wall in m u ltip le silhouettes w hich occasionally die in the obscurity behind the iron bars o f non-existent windows. Is it the sacred w ailing o f Isis o r the psalmody o f Eleusis w hich here strikes the echo of the eternal tra d itio n ? In an instant, resigned to the gesture o f the supplication and guided by the one who has elected him and judged him w o rth y , the in itia te , bending low , w ill cross the narrow doorw ay, and descending seven steps, and suddenly before the in itia to r, he w ill fall to his knees, his hands clasped on the altar, his head on his hands, ready to die or to live as the sage in w hite decides, w ho, in this instant, reads his soul to the smallest detail . . . Then, the mantle o f lig h t descends on the in itia te , fo r the master has extended his hands over him . . . and the G R E A T LESSON is learned; death and life are ONE. There is o n ly PERM ANENCE, One does n o t die nor does one live; ONE IS and o n ly the w o rkin g o f the m ind creates the artificia l d isfu n ctio n o f life and death, o f anim ation or inertia, in a w orld where man dreams in an illusion w hich he believes is life u n til the sublime instant where, the veil is to rn , etern ity and consciousness w ith o u t aspect BECOMES KNOW N. The in itia te rises again now pow erful, b u t W ITH POWER. He has not obtained any right to the tru th not tru th itself. HE IS T R U T H and the Master, u p rig h t before him , in his immaculate robe, is no longer another b u t H IM -SE LF, the in itia to r and the initiate now manifest the same inseparable T R U T H , THE U N IQ U E w ord which has been pronounced, the three sounds w hich have been e m itted, the seven gestures w hich the fingers have accomplished, all th a t is shaded o ff in a cloud w hich the consciousness fo r EVER A FTE R awakened dissolves . . . a postulant has recently entered, the in itia te goes o u t towards the w orld . . . the "c ry p ta fe rra ta " has fu lfille d its w o rk o f w isdom : it has liberated a man fro m his earthly ties and has loaded him w ith fetters o f freedom fo r the service o f h um anity.

Thus, the monks, w ho, in the Abbey o f Saint-Nilo, render to the creator a cu lt recognised here by the Catholic Church, but which in other places one w ould call "o rth o d o x " , and observe a strict oriental rite as much by their ecclesiastical robes and their physical appearance, whose long beard one knows is a distinctive element, as by their furnishings, the icons, and the diverse phases o f th e ir ceremonies. These monks, w ith o u t know ing it, perpetuate, in their em otion provoking chapel, the m em ory o f an ancient in itia tio n and prolong the beneficent e ffe ct on those who come to these places, the simple fa ith fu l or the in itiated pilgrim . I shall always remember my firs t visit to the Abbey o f Saint-Nilo. My Roman friend had conducted me there, so to say by surprise, know ing th a t he w ould thus add to me inner enchantm ent. It was a Sunday and the monks were celebrating their own very attractive service. I was at the same tim e impressed by the unforgettable atmosphere which impregnated each stone o f the church whose style was very d iffe re n t fro m that w hich the tru ly catholic church o f Ita ly offered fo r comparison. I seemed to be abruptly transported to some oriental church, and I experienced no astonishment, once inside, in assisting at the sacred pageantry o f an o rth o d o x service. I had a presentiment then that I w ould one day learn something HERE b u t I naturally did not kn o w the nature o f w hat w ould be revealed to me. However it remains in m y m em ory th a t on leaving these pleasant places we were plunged extra-m urally in to an atmosphere o f the market place. It was market day and the greater part o f the merchants were offe rin g the fru its o f th e ir harvest to the passers by. W ith o u t reflecting very much, I came to a halt before a stall w ith tools fo r the garden. I bought a little wooden fo rk w ith three prongs, quite inoffensive, and I offered it to my friend w ho accepted it laughingly and placed it im m ediately on the back seat o f his c a r . . . Now one w ill see it is a utensil very sim ilar, although smaller, w hich I shall soon perceive on the le ft hand side o f the w ritin g table o f HIM w hom m y friend now reveres as the Cardinal in W hite. A ll is sacred, even the pebble w hich a careless fo o t displaces in the course o f a w alk! To distinguish the sacred value o f an object supposedly profane is one stage and not the least on the Path. The fo rk w hich one used fo r eating is forgotten in the autom atism o f movement and habit. Is it not meanwhile the essential instrum ent employed to o ffe r a S AC R IFIC E, bearer o f v ita lity , to the body, SACRED cathedral o f a soul in quest o f itself? and is not th a t but an example? Today, anew, sees me at the Abbey o f S aint-N ilo, and fo r him who accompanies me, it is the end o f a long inner search. We go to discover together A SECRET. For him , assuredly, this secret is THE secret in his completeness o f the mom ent. W ill I dare to a ffirm th a t this w ill be fo r me ONE secret after many others? In this case, our meeting has an end more far reaching and this discovery mastered, m y role — more p a rticu la rly th a t

o f our Order — w ill begin fo r him . The fu tu re w ill indicate the tim e . . . and I m urm ur: "So Mote It Be." We have arrived and then the darkness o f the nig h t descended after a dusk whose ra p id ity made sport o f our rapid journey in the qu ie t Roman countryside. My companion was driving, his gaze fixed on the assumed road, b u t his thoughts, I fe lt, were echoing w ith mine. It was o n ly at the entrance to G rottogerrata th a t he had m urm ured: We are there " and I could add nothing more to the pointless remark than, "S o we are." The m arket place seemed deserted and any way it is early in the season. It is true th a t television, here as in oth e r places, has transform ed habits. Then, passively, one sinks deeper and deeper w ith in oneself and one is more than ever, perhaps more, separated fro m others. We have not entered the gateway. The car is parked at the fo o t o f the road. It is on fo o t th a t we shall go to the Abbey close by, a massive shadow form ed there, before us, in a sky fu ll o f clouds. John has quite co rre ctly th o u g h t th a t to break the silence o f these places where we were secretly awaited w ould arouse the cu rio sity o f some o f the monks and compromise our undertaking. He has n o t received any precise orders and these questions were le ft to his judgem ent w hich could o nly be o f goodness and grandeur. The tim e only was fixed and it was o n ly five minutes to the appointed hour o f eleven o'clock. We hastened our steps, the shadow became darker and darker. Here we are beyond the gateway, here we are in the vast cou rtya rd , then near the church and . . . someone approaches us, as if emerging fro m the night o f a neighbouring colum n. It is a monk in his dark robe, his hat thrust dow n on his long dark hair and his beard added to the severity o f his young face where, alone, lived his b rillia n t dark eyes: " F o llo w m e." The door o f the church is ha lf open. He enters firs t, and hardly daring to breathe, we enter in our tu rn . . . On the occasion o f y o u r next visit to Ita ly , it is in this extraordinary church o f G ro ttofe rrata th a t I suggest to yo u th a t you give yourself over to the deepest o f m editations. If you find yourself there at the tim e when the o rth o d o x service is perform ed, take part in it w ith all y o u r being. Analyse each move o f the officia n ts A N D SEE BEYO ND. Beyond the icons, perceive THE IN T E N T IO N . Transport yourselves by means o f the ritu a l, TO THE V IB R A T O R Y P LAN E TO W HICH THESE PLACES P ER M IT YOU TO A T T A IN . You w ill be bathed in the ONENESS and in the U N IT Y and you w ill have, fo r some moments, perceived in yourself THE IN T E G R A L R E A L IT Y OF THE COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS. But before this p articipation in the rite, try to realise intensely W HAT

THIS CENTRE REPRESENTS IN THE H ISTO RY OF THE T R A D IT IO N . The 'crypta ferrata' fo r you w ill remain U NKNO W N. It exists meanwhile, SECRET, FO R G O TTEN, DISOWNED and it is fro m it th a t these places have T H E IR POWER. It is to t h i' cry p t th a t m y illustrious com panion and myself are conducted at this mom ent. Why must we, in order to arrive there, to pass by A T FIRST, this sacred enclosure, where in the obscurity, the red, flicke rin g flame which symbolises THE PRESENCE, shines in the background. We have stopped fo r scarcely the tim e o f a prayer, the m onk between us, w ho had taken our hand and almost as q u ic k ly released it — I o n ly understood later this gesture o f p o w e r. . . we go forw ard again in silence, inside and o u t, like a m inute in heaven, and the narrow doorw ay appeared suddenly before us; a little d oor set in a low and enormous doorw ay w hich, by reason o f the im m ensity fro m the other side, awaits our littleness. My hands are clasped over my heart which does n o t feel any fear. I experienced meanwhile a sensation which I kn o w w ell, since it is a privilege o f my position, o f my fu n c tio n ; my eyes seem to trem ble fro m " w ith in " at the level o f my neck and ears, a scarcely p e rce p t'ile quivering begins and I KNOW th a t from this m om ent THE EXCHANGE HAS BEEN M ADE „nd th a t m y psychic being, my true self, has taken CO NTRO L. I am from th a t mom ent myself and a little more, th a t is to say, in the state which I have always designated in my personal term inology under the name o f T O T A L and where, w ith o u t losing the fa cu lty o f reasoning and discrim ination, the consciousness impregnates every sentim ent fe lt and every sensation perceived, at the same tim e that the being lives and knows the universal diapason o f the absolute. The m onk opens the door, and w ithdraws slightly to allow us to pass. Bowed dow n, we cross the threshold and here we are, my com panion and I, he on the second step and I on the firs t o f this stone stairway w hich descends towards that w hich we know nothing and a w a it. . . the unforeseen. The m onk closes the door behind us, the vigilant guardian, silent and discreet w atcher, he w ill keep guard outside the portal u n til our return. FOR US, TIM E IS NO LONGER, THE W O R LD HAS BECOME S IL E N T . . . A T THE "OPEN SESAM E" OF OUR IN N ER APPEAL, THE CRYPT IS OPENED . . . A N D THE WISE MAN IS TH E R E. WHO REGARDS US IN T E N T L Y .

A SECRET MEETING IN ROME

6

THE CARDINAL IN WHITE The c ry p t is really a g ro tto . A t least it ought to be such fro m the beginning, at that long ago epoch where the postulant came to receive the light in the fo rm dispensed at that tim e. One still perceives the openings w hich not long ago had an iron grating, b u t they have all been fille d in w ith the exception o f one. The door by w hich we entered should itself be one o f the w indow s, w hich w ould explain its reduced dimensions. We had to descend eleven steps, c u t in to the rock at certain spots, so rough, th a t it seemed to constitute one more obstacle to overcome. B ut fro m the firs t steps, on glancing below to the right o f the staircase in to the c ry p t, I have been struck by the extraordinary sight which was offered to o u r eyes and the hesitation, q u ic k ly overcome by my com panion, marked also his surprise . . . The gro tto is on ly lighted by three torches supported by rings sealed in the wall — one to rch at the end, another at the le ft and the last on the opposite side. In the m iddle of the c ryp t, w hich was seen to be circular, d ire ctly below the well supported arch, which we were near, is a rectangular block o f granite worked by human hands and covered throu ghou t its length by a spotless clo th in the centre o f w hich a great cross o f metal glitters. To the le ft o f the cross, on this w ritin g table, on this altar, is placed a large wooden coffer and it is to the right th a t I see th a t w hich resembles a fo rk w ith three fla t teeth. On the side opposite to us, p rom inent w ith the w h ite clo th , a red w ritin g pad and alongside a sword w ith an ornam ental grip placed h o rizo n ta lly at the very fo o t o f the cross. But all that IS N O T H IN G , scarcely a furnishing w hich m ight blend harm oniously w ith the arrangement o f this strange place w hich one w ould call a cavern, w hich is a g ro tto and its fu n ctio n invested w ith the sacred character o f a c ry p t — NOT A T A L L , because everything here appears to be nothing else than the background o f him , seated before the w ritin g desk which I prefer to call the A lta r, his arms resting on the arm chair w ith a rounded back, whose eyes never le ft us w hile we descended towards him . HE IS T H E R E , P ALE, HIS H EAD A N D FACE S H A V ED , H IE R O P H A N T , and HIS IM M O B IL IT Y IS SUCH, HIS B E A R IN G SO N O B LE, T H A T ONE W O U LD H A V E S AID HE WAS A STATUE WERE IT NOT T H A T HIS EYES WERE SO A L IV E . Over the ample w hite robe, a cross o f a red colour, near the heart, is a stigmata which designates the rank, the q u a lity o f him w ho wears it and whose collar o f interlaced rings supporting a seal reveal a fu n ctio n . . . N ot once during the course o f our interview did he m ention the title or the responsibilities he was able to assume.

That is w hy although A L L in him , be it deportm ent, the insignia, or the purple ring which I soon perceive on the th ird finger o f his right hand, would fo rm e rly have signified that we were in the presence o f the highest SECRET dignitary o f THE ORDER OF THE TEM PLE. I shall designate this being o f majesty and power under the sole name o f the C A R D IN A L IN W H IT E , and th a t whatever I may be able to know and whatever may be the secret o f which m y heart hereafter the loyal casket. He had not as yet pronounced one single w ord. Meanwhile my companion is now near him and I a little behind him . His eyes le ft us fo r a mom ent, fixed themselves on the cross, and then returned to us. He rose at last and faced us. How tall he is in his immaculate robe and the extreme fineness o f his ascetic face. W ith a slight movement o f his hand he seems to bless us, then to John he m otions to a stool at his right w ith one w o rd : "M onseigneur," and to me the neighbouring stool. And he reseated him self after having turned his heavy arm chair towards us . . . For once, I am n o t alone in undergoing a strange experience and one w ould be able to suppose th a t I would p ro fit fro m it by regulating my a ttitu d e to th a t o f my companion. Such is not the case. In fact, we have reacted, BOTH OF US, in the same way, that is to say, th a t WE H AVE NOT H AD A N Y R E A C TIO N , A N Y GESTURE, A N Y W ORD, as such, after our admission into the cryp ta ferrata, we were P H Y S IC A L L Y subdued by a supreme w ill surpassing EVEN th a t which welcomed us, and this w ill, I recognised it to belong TO TH IS SAME PLACE and to the vibratory force which accumulated there in the past A N D THE PRESENT by the visible and IN V IS IB L E action o f those w ho have the sacred charge o f this exalted place. The triangle w hich we fo rm in this same m om ent is a COMPLETE M A N IF E S T A T IO N o f w hich only the Cardinal in W hite knows the meaning and I understand w hy " tw o visito rs" were awaited here. W ith o u t me or another, the th ird po in t w ould have been missing and T H A T A T W HICH WE WERE NOW S ER VIN G W OULD NOT H AVE BEEN POSSIBLE TO ACCOM PLISH. Our shadows w hich are visible round about and which project bizarre silhouettes towards the dome, make me th in k , and I do not altogether know w hy. o f the cavern o f Plato, and the image is perhaps true, b u t we are here and it is outside these walls th a t illusion abides . . . By the movement o f his lips, it is certain th a t our host prays in silence and secretly I join my prayer to his. I feel suddenly that he is about to speak and his voice, in effect, raises itself, sweet and incisive at the same tim e. W ith his hands clasped and his eyes closed, does he speak to us. to others o r to himself? No m atter! WE U N D E R S TA N D , WE

A R E A B O U T TO LE A R N , WE A R E GO IN G TO KNOW . . . fo r fro m this instant, nothing b u t ourselves exists in the crypta ferrata b u t the voice o f him w ho TR A N S M ITS A N D TEACHES, the voice o f the SAGE, the voice o f the MASTER at whose feet, awaits our soul, humble and thirsting.

7

THE TIMES HAVE COME "There is no need o f presentation and certainly not o f history. I know you BOTH, as fo r me, I must not be FOR YOU anything but HE WHO T R A N S M IT S , and th a t is w hat I must be fo r others. From our meetings you w ill make thereafter perhaps certain deductions. Whether they are correct o r not, there is w hat is I believe o f the domain o f the relative, b u t the im p o rta n t thing is w hat I shall say or SUGGEST IN TH IS interview which fo r you, Monseigneur (he looks fo r several seconds at my com panion) is a growing up and fo r yo u Frater, (he looks at me fo r a tw in k lin g ) . . . also a growing up, in a certain measure. B ut let us leave at once on one side these E XTE R IO R considerations, that each instant of yo u r presence here — and o f mine — may be usefully employed . . . "T he precise spot where we fin d ourselves at this m om ent IS ONE OF THE TW ELVE E X A L T E D SECRET PLACES OF AN IL L U S IV E T R A D IT IO N . . . T ra d itio n ! The w ord is at once to o defin ite and to o vague. I th in k it preferable to explain it first. By d e fin itio n , it describes an O R A L tra d itio n during a long space o f tim e. It is true fo r that w hich concerns us here, but is insufficient. I wish, by tra d itio n , to refer to consciousness, and more exactly, A P A R T IC U L A R S TA T E M E N T OF THE DOCTRINE OF CONSCIOUSNESS. Consciousness, in its absolute form , is itself THE PERCEPTION OF THE E T E R N A L WISDOM SUCH AS IT IS A B LE TO BE UNDERSTO OD BY M AN . In other words, there is, on one part, the PERMANENCE o f the eternal wisdom — THE R E A L IT Y OF THE ABS O LU TE FOR EVER A L IK E TO ITS E LF BECAUSE IT IS A L L and, on the other part, th a t which incarnate man is able to know o f it in p ro p o rtio n to his collective or individual evolution. I mean, like every m ystic, the state o f CONSCIOUS KNOW ING of a S TA TE w hich, being itself E T E R N A L, can neither dim inish nor increase. T ra d itio n is b u ilt up FROM THE M O M ENT WHERE MAN H A V IN G BECOME A CONSCIOUS C R E A TU R E HAS BEGUN TO T A K E HIS PLACE IN THE W O R LD A N D THE U NIVER SE OF W HICH HE KNOWS H IM S E LF TO BE AN ELEM EN T. My purpose is not to look fo r the origins o f the tra d itio n . It is to SPECIFY th a t which represents the eleven exalted secret places o f w hich I speak. It is necessary meanwhile fo r you to understand clearly th a t the tra d itio n is opened up w ith the expansion o f the human consciousness and th a t since the beginning o f tim e when MAN HAS BEEN M AN . " A t a determined stage in the state o f human consciousness the LAWS AND PRINCIPLES drawn up in due fo rm by a progressive access to more CONSCIOUSNESS and subm itted to the tria l o f L IF E , have been G A TH E R ED A N D REASSEMBLED by the wisest o f men and they have been PRESERVED A N D T R A N S M IT T E D more and more secretly in p ro p o rtio n as H U M A N IT Y SINKS IN ITS IN V O L U T E D CYCLE TOW ARDS T H E DENSE A N D M A T E R IA L . It is thus th a t were born, as you know , the

M Y S TE R Y SCHOOLS and it was in fact A tla n tis — w hich one calls so prem aturely "leg enda ry" — which sheltered them . "A tla n tis is the FIR ST C O N T IN E N T where the fo rm a tio n (of laws) o f consciousness to o k the form o f a group, if you are w illin g to accept this curious expression. A L L the authentic sages w hich the w o rld could produce at th a t tim e WERE IN EFFECT REGROUPED IN T H IS V A N IS H E D C O U N T R Y and in itia lly the m ystery schools were in consequence A COLLEGE OF SAGES rather than a centre where one could reseek the light o f in itia tio n . TH IS C O LLE G E , at the m om ent o f its final disappearance from A tla n tis, was composed o f E LE V E N Sages and th e ir MISSION has been above all to G A TH E R A N D REASSEMBLE all the knowledge, to which h um anity in its elite, let us say m ystique, had had access up to th a t tim e and this A C Q U IR E D consciousness was T O T A L , ABS O LU TE . I mean by th a t th a t this "College o f Sages" had reunited the IN T E G R A L F O R M A TIO N OF THE E T E R N A L W ISDOM, th a t is to say KNOW LEDGE which was in the power o f man to acquire and w hich he w ould never be able to go beyond in his human state. It is at this state o f the absolute attained by the college o f Sages that there was b u ilt, under th e ir d irection, the SPHINX o f Egypt and it is towards the same epoch th a t, know ing by foreknowledge the end o f the con tin e n t o f A tla n tis, where, after all was achieved, THE FU N C T IO N , THE C E N T R A L IS IN G MISSION led to its end by the College o f Sages, th a t the ELEV E N le ft A tla n tis fo r Egypt where the Sphinx was to symbolise fo r ever fo r the W orld T H A T THE E T E R N A L WISDOM H AD T A K E N SHAPE FOR H U M A N IT Y A N D ITS IN IT IA L PRO PAG ATIO N MUST BE EFFECTED FROM THE C O U N T R Y K N O W IN G LY D ES IG N A TE D BY THE C O LLEG E OF THE SAGES: EGYPT. "A n d the E LE VE N , in the land o f Egypt d id not experience any d iffic u lty in convincing the pharoah o f th a t tim e so much less th a t this pharaoh was o f a lineage o f which the w orld w ould say "p re d e stin e d " and w ho, fo r decades, H AD PREPARED FOR THE COM ING OF WISDOM . . . and the ELEV E N BECAME T W E LV E , the TW ELVE w ho are the source o f A L L SACRED SCIENCE. A little later F IV E set o ff across the w o rld, one in each o f w hat are know n as the continents, in order to examine there not knowledge b u t the MEANS OF D IS T R IB U T IN G IT TH E R E. The others remained in Egypt w hich became the centre o f the sixth co n tin e n t and, at the same tim e the H E A R T WHERE A C TIO N had its source after the T H O U G H T had taken fo rm in the H EAD which constituted A tla ntis . . . and the same knowledge, over the whole w o rld , incorporated itself EVER YW H ERE in exterio r and secret SYM BOLS corresponding to the profound nature o f the peoples to w hom it was addressed b u t w ith certain fundam ental elements and signs revealing fo r ever, fro m one side o f the w orld to the o ther, a u n ity th a t the astonished man o f our days calls S IM IL A R IT Y . These fundam ental elements and signs are those naturally w hich "E X P R E S S " man in his inner tru th and n o t in his tendencies and aspects subm itted to the variations o f tim e and space.

"T he era o f gestation had in all cases term inated; the hour o f IN S TR U C TIO N had sounded. The cycle must become expansive FOR THOSE WHO DECIDE FOR THEM SELVES, having taken account o f their "previous p re p a ratio n " and it is thus th a t, finding th e ir origin in the sacred centre form ed by Egypt and fro m the supreme school o f the mysteries which was operating there oth e r schools in Greece and in other countries in Europe to o k th e ir impulse adapting THE M EANS o f bringing knowledge to the conditions o f the territo rie s o f w hich they had charge. . I listened w ith eagerness to this pleasing voice which this long explanation did not seem in any way to make more feeble and w hich gave inflections to certain words as if to impress them on us in an unforgettable manner. "M y purpose," this sage had said, "is not to seek the origins o f tra d itio n s ," and he was refusing also all history . . . he seems to have done up to this p o in t, exactly the contrary to th a t which he was a ffirm in g . . . but noJ He has not sought the origins o f tra d itio n ; HE KNEW T H E M ! He is n o t making h is to ry ; HE RECITES HIS H IS TO R Y ! I wish to be more attentive to his intonations, I try b u t I cannot. The voice absorbs me to ta lly and I am nothing BUT W H AT HE WISHES. "Each o f them had a PLACE KNOWN TO A L L — and it was the one where 'TH E IN IT IA T IO N ' was unfolded, Eleusis, fo r example, and AN E X A L T E D SECRET PLACE TO WHICH IT WAS A T T A C H E D . It is in this E X A L T E D PLACE that there reunited round the INSTRUCTORS o f the SUPREME R E S P O N S IB ILIT Y , the most im p o rta n t o f the in itia tic schools dependent on it. These exalted places were ELEV E N in number, I have said, and fo r the "In s tru c to rs " o f w hom I speak they were 'the tem ple' o f th e ir highest in itia tio n . A 'tem ple' w hich represented, 'materialised if you wish in a d iffe re n t surround­ ing the central 'TE M P LE ' o f Egypt. "Such places had not been chosen by hazard. They had been 'localised' thanks to the knowledge o f the Sages reunited in Egypt. These exalted places, in fact, are the O N LY points where the w ork fo r which they were destined could be accomplished. They were the receptacle where the universal force is transm itted in a de fin ite action tied to the particular w ork pursued. "O h ! How our w orld is a marvellous keyboard fo r the universe such as it manifests itself to man. Ita b o u n d s w ith points where the cosmic power awaits, to materialise itself^ the occasion w hich only man can supply by his presence and an in te n tio n directed towards the good. THER E ARE OTHER HIGH PLACES T H A N THE ELEV E N OF WHICH I SPEAK. C E R T A IN OF THEM TR A N S M U TE THE SAME ENER G Y FOR ENDS OF LESSER IM PO RTANCE, OTHERS, ON THE C O N TR A R Y , TR A N S M U TE IT FOR ENDS C O N S ID E R A B LY H IG H E R . THE 'R E A L IS E D ' ROSE-CROIX FOR E XA M P LE . DISPOSE. AM ONG T H E M . OF T W ELV E HIGH PLACES BUT T H E Y ARE UNKNOW N

BY A L L , EXCEPT AM O N G THE M S E LVE S A N D T H A T IS E X P L A IN E D BY THE H E IG H T T H E Y H AVE A T T A IN E D BY T H E IR M E R IT A N D W HICH ASSURES THEM THE P LEN ITU D E OF CONSCIOUSNESS A N D THE SH A R IN G IN THE E TE R N A L W IS D O M ." "U n kn o w n by all except among themselves." I feel a profound em otion w ith in m yself. It seemed to me at these words. The Cardinal in W hite, once again, gave me a brief glance . . . was I going to sink in to mem ory and EXPERIENCE? No! my w ill is opposed to it. This is neither the place nor the m om ent. "U n k n o w n by all except among themselves!" There are at least some w ho know these places O U TSIDE OF TH E M SELVES, but it is true th a t the LAW OF SI LENCE, in th a t which concerns the site, is equivalent to FO R G ETFU LNESS o f w hat it constrains. It is true then th a t T H E Y A LO N E know them, if to know is to T A K E PART. Better to forget THE OTHERS and listen HERE . .. "T he eleven places have thus their particular fu n ctio n . They are SECRET but contrary to the twelve high places o f the R EA LIS E D w hom I have just mentioned, they can be 'revealed' to certain ones in case o f necessity fo r the accomplishment o f the 'm ission'. They can even at times be commissioned fo r a d e fin ite task in keeping w ith the exterior w orld o f in itia tio n by the twelve high places o f the Realised and they then operate as a medium or interm ediary, although those, 'fro m outside' called to receive fro m them their instructions do n o t know th a t the con fid e n tia l mission had its origin among the twelve whose secret is inviolable . . . " I t is thus th a t on the mandate o f one o f the eleven high places and on occasions o f exceptional im portance, on the general mandate o f the eleven high places, 'missionaries' have been sent to the w orld and to certain organisations 'to set the lost ones back on the narrow path.' It is also fro m the eleven secret high places th a t great movements have 'set o u t' whose end was to reassemble th a t which was scattered or to regive body to a saviour fo r w hom the m om ent has come to relive, to 'rise u p ' in the service o f h u m anity, and here is w hat fo r you w ill be a revelation . . . " I t is in this secret high place where we are now, in this C R Y P TA F E R R A T A that THE C O N S T IT U TIO N OF THE ORDER OF THE TEM PLE was decided. I see your stupefaction b u t this revelation H AD to be made. It H AD to be made, T O D A Y , THIS N IG H T A N D HERE. FOR THE T IM E HAS COME . . . Let us p ra y !” A t these words, in his impressive w hite robe, a fte r having taken hold o f the sword on which he then supported him self, he kn e lt dow n, we did the same and the three o f us prayed in silence. A fte r some minutes the Cardinal in W hite raised his voice. It appeared d iffe re n t and the c ry p t seemed to vibrate under the im pact o f THE SACRED O R D IN A T IO N OF THE TEM PLE whiah was given at this mom ent.

“ Nomine dei o m n ip o te n ti et vigore mei o ffic ii aperitur capitalum hoc m ilitu m christi tem piique Salomoni ci secundum ritus ordinis sa criticissim i!" In the name o f God all pow erful and by virtue o f my fu n ctio n , may this chapter o f the soldiers o f C hrist and o f the Temple o f Salomon be open according to the rite o f the V E R Y SACRED ORDER. On rising, he m urm ured: "A p e rtu m e sto " (May it be open.) How strange it w ould have appeared to us th a t these words should be pronounced in these places if the revelation had n o t been made to us o f th a t which happened before . . . He has declared "V ig o re mei o ff ic ii" " in virtue o f m y fu n c tio n ", o f my o ffice . . . The latin o f the Templars, everyone knows it, was uncertain but this short phrase does n o t lead to any confusion . . . " In virtue o f my fu n c tio n " . . . Who is the Cardinal in White? He does not say and my heart cannot be deceived . . . IT KNOWS!

8

LIFE AND DEATH OF THE ORDER OF THE TEMPLE We are once again, m y com panion and I, listening to the Sage . . . Each o f us has again seated him self and he im m ediately continues w ith his explanation: "W hy n o t lin k the W HY o f the Order o f the Temple to the universal quest o f the G rail! But w hat is the Grail? For many, a legend and fo r all an enigma. THE G R A IL N EVERTH ELESS IS NOT A LEGEND A N D IT DOES NOT CONCEAL AN EN IG M A . IT HAS BEEN AS MUCH M ISUNDERSTO O D BY THE IN IT IA T E AS BY THE PROFANE . . . W IT H O U T D O U BT BECAUSE IT IS THE U L T IM A T E E X P L A N A T IO N A N D SYM BO L OF THE ABSO LUTE R E V E L A T IO N . " L e t us firs t b rie fly review w hat we have jo in tly considered u n til now . . . Here are the ELEVEN SAGES o f A tla n tis in Egypt. Here is the stage set by this chosen land and F IV E o f the eleven th a t had become twelve sent as missionaries to the entire w orld. Here are the other six 'operating' on Egyptian soil through the Pharaoh who had become one of them and in all Europe through the secret high places defined from their sublime knowledge — eleven secret high places on which depend the in itia tic centres to which the prepared man could have access. “ These centres are born W HERE A N D W HEN necessary. They exist as long as it is necessary then they disappear and th e ir masters return to the supreme centre as long as it was in Egypt. "B u t at a precise epoch, A L L BEING EVER YW H ERE ESTA B LIS H E D . IT IS NECESSARY T H A T A L L IS CO N SU M ATED E X O T E R IC A L L Y . THE COMPLETE SACRED MISSION R ETIR ES FROM THE W O R LD . THE IN IT IA T IC EGYPT DISAPPEARS A N D THE CENTRES W HICH DEPEND ON THEM DIE IN T H E IR TU R N . THE W HOLE W O R LD ENTERS THE OBSCURE N IG H T OF P U R IF IC A T IO N , A FTE R H A V IN G A T T A IN E D THE E XA C T STAGE OF E V O LU T IO N WHERE TH IS FIRST G R E AT STEP H AD LED THEM . ‘ ‘The obscure night commenced E X A C T L Y at the instant o f the death o f the Fourth Amenhotep. It is this death w hich marked the retirem ent o f the entire sacred mission w hich retired from the w orld A T THE SAME T IM E as Am enhotep, after he had given to the w orld the last message o f the Sages o f knowledge; THE ONE GOD . . . "A fte rw a rds there remained in the w orld o n ly, let us say . . . "C E N TR E S FOR THE PR E S ER V ATIO N OF K N O W L E D G E " and the eleven secret high places are among the

highest o f them . . . and the knowledge is thus perpetuated IN THE SILENCE A N D SECRECY OF THOSE O N L Y who fu lfill the conditions o f ADEPTS and they are rare! Meanwhile, E X O T E R IC A L L Y , the preparation is maintained. It is under a d iffe re n t form , "sym bolised" so to say, among the corporation o f hum anity. "Yes, it is really THE OBSCURE N IG H T fo r the w o rld , and it was to last a long tim e b u t the hour o f the Golden Dawn w ill come one day and the sacred mission W IL L IN C A R N A T E ANEW , com pletely, fo r a new stage. This came about in 1096 in Constantinople begun by the Crusaders whose mission has been, from this p o in t o f view, TO PREPARE THE W A Y such as, in the last analysis, the Roman conquest had fo r a fundam ental end to reveal to the w o rld the GOOD NEWS sown in Palestine, w hich, otherwise, would have run the risk o f not being understood . . . "1 0 9 6 ! Constantinople! THE M E E TIN G OF THE E N V O Y , OF THE SUPREME SAGE WHOSE NAM E C AN N O T BE KNOWN EXCEPT AS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RESPONSIBLE SECRETS OF THE TEM PLE, W ITH THE SEVEN IN IT IA T E S OF WESTERN C H R IS T IA N IT Y A N D THE IN IT IA T E S OF THE W O R LD OF IS LA M . "1 0 9 6 ! C O N STA N TIN O P LE ! It was there th a t the bases were form ed that w ould come to Jerusalem, tw e n ty tw o years later, in 1118, THE ORDER OF THE TEM PLE, under the double investiture given to those o f these initiates; Hugues de Paynes and G eoffroi de Samt-Omer, the SECRET investiture o f the Patriarch Theocletes, six ty seventh successor o f the Apostle John and THEN the PUBLIC investiture o f the Patriarch Garimond, representing the o ffic ia l w o rld . . . In 1127 the Order was to take its flig h t, protected by the G R E AT IN IT IA T E S A IN T -B E R N A R D . "1 0 9 6 ! Constantinople! THE R EA LIS E D CONJUNCTIO N OF C H R IS T IA N IT Y A N D ISLAM . . . THE SECOND STAGE OF THE G R E A T RETURN OF THE SACRED MASTERS. "T he second stage! THE FIR ST WAS FRAN CH ISED IN ONE OF THE SECRET HIGH PLACES S IM IL A R IN A L L POINTS TO THE FORM ER! It is in this secret high place that the missions conducted by Hugues de Paynes and delegates fo r the "centres o f preservation and know ledge" to w hich all belonged, received IN IT IA T IO N , SECRET IN V E S T IT U R E , POWER A N D IN S TR U C TIO N . "T he fundam ental tie w ith the vanished mission was thus established in the secret high place chosen in KNO W LEDGE o f cause. This was the FI RST POINT. This same place was reinforced in Constantinople; this was the SECOND POINT. The mission took possession o f its NEW BODY in Jerusalem, A N D TH IS was THE T H IR D POINT. The

manifestation was finished, the w ork was able to be undertaken, and it was, in 1127, on the stability and solid foundation o f the FO U RTH and last echelon o f the preparation then plainly achieved. “ It is in 1087 that the in itia l investiture to o k place in the secret high place designated fo r this purpose and in the presence o f the supreme representatives o f the ten others. N IN E years were to run by before the meeting in Constantinople. T w o times ELEVEN years passed before the firs t bases were established in Jerusalem, and again nine years were necessary before the w ork properly speaking could commence. Meditate one day on the symbolism o f these numbers. It w ill be A R E V E L A T IO N fo r you . . . "T he public history o f the Order o f the Temple, you already know in its essentials. I w ill presently clear up a few o f its SECRET aspects. Before all, allow yo u r soul to understand. The Order born in 1118, a number whose theosophical addition is E LEV E N , (1+1+ 1+8 = 1 1 ), died in 1314 fo r IT IS W ITH THE LAST BR E A TH OF THE GR AND MASTER JACQUES DE M O L A Y T H A T THE COMPLETE MISSION FOR A SECOND TIM E w ithdrew , AS IT H AD R ETIR E D W ITH A M ENH O TEP IV . The Order then had know n a PUBLIC life o f 196 years. " In 1962, a N O TA B LE date in the occult history o f m ankind, and the beginning o f the era o f Aquarius, it had disappeared 648 years previously, that is to say SIX TIM ES 108 years ago and I send you back once again to the sacred study o f the numbers which were so im portant fo r the initiates o f the Temple! " A few decades ago, the mission has again taken force and vigour in the w orld, after having fused, if this term is perm itted, w ith the POWER o f the tra d itio n a l school o f the w orld whose twelve secret high places which I have said to be those o f the Rose-Croix Masters are so to say the "IN N E R L O C A L IZ A T IO N ’ . THER E IS THUS HENCEFORTH A R EU NIO N OF THE TWO PLANS, ABSO LUTE C O N JU N C TIO N , A U N IT Y OF FORCE AN D POWER, such as was D E M A N D E D in view o f the w ork to be accomplished in the new era o f Aquarius. M E A N W H ILE , in this body, actually at w o rk, where the mission is incorporated, THE TEM PLE TO O K ITS PLACE. It became P AR T OF IT , IT IS RECOGNISED . . . A N D THE O R G A N IS A T IO N , C O N STITU TE D A N D STR U CTUR ED, T H A T IT G IVES LIF E TO THE W ORLD A N D FOR THE W O R LD M A Y C A R R Y IN ITS BREAST THE TORCH OF THE TE M P LA R . "Since February 5th 1962, there is a resurgence o f the th o u g h t o f the Temple. That was established and this RESURGENCE IS THE EFFECT OF THE ASPECT TEM PLA R o f the reunified mission. Now this aspect must materialise and it w ill do it better IN THE BODY STRUCTURE A L R E A D Y ESTA B LIS H E D . The force is such that, perceived FROM

O U TSIDE, it gives b irth to laudable endeavours which, n o t being supported by the T O T A L mission, naturally cannot come to anything and which are the source o f regrettable errors. . . . But EVEN T H A T is useful IN ORDER T H A T H U M A N IT Y M A Y KNOW! In any case, the tim e has come FOR THE R E H A B IL IT A T IO N OF THE ORDER OF THE TEM PLE IN ORDER T H A T THE L IG H T OF THE TEM PLE M A Y GROW, T H A T WHICH H AD CONDEMNED IT W lL L GROW LESS A N D LESS. For those w ho in the w o rld can understand, know : THE HOUR OF JU D G M E N T HAS SOUNDED, THE TEM PLE, MORE POW ERFUL T H A N E VER , DIFFUSES OVER THE EARTH ITS FORCE A N D ITS V IG O U R . . . and in the eleven secret high places the torch in spite o f all gives fo rth its brilliance . . . Once again, brothers, let us p ra y ." As before, he kn e lt down, his tw o hands placed on the sword before him , and it is on our knees th a t we also await the w ord. Oremus charissimi fratres praesta quaesumus om nipotens deus ut ordo noster et aeternis p ro fic ia t in stitu tis et tem poralibus non destituatur auxiliis. Let us pray very dear brothers; God all pow erful, make it come about we pray you th a t our Order may be useful in the eternal designs and never be abandoned by its earthly helpers. Strangely. I do not perceive the sound o f his "A m e n " u n til the m om ent he is seated and it must have been the same fo r my com panion as fo r me, in reseating ourselves, that he repeated in a low voice; "A m e n ". That was the second tim e the Cardinal in W hite had invited us to pray and EACH TIM E he has pronounced the W O R LD OF THE TEM PLE. It seemed to me th a t IN THIS SAME M O M ENT th a t we are taking part IN AN IN IT IA T IO N w ith o u t having objective consciousness o f it, o r a R IT U A L A D JU S TM E N T, the explanations, "th e in stru ctio n s", being nothing more than "IN C ID E N T S " and sim ply com pleting the a ttitu d e and the sacred gesture as if to make, THE END TO BE A T T A IN E D rise up afterwards to the critical faculties. But already he is speaking. "T H E CIRCLE IS CLOSED A G A IN ! That which you were able to know on the Order o f the Temple is NOW cleared up by a greater knowledge. YOU H A V E THE BASES WHICH U N T IL NOW H AD TO R EM AIN THE SECRET OF OUR HIGH PLACES. The Order o f the Temple has taken ITS PLACE fo r you in the filia tio n o f the absolute tra d itio n . THER E IS NO LONGER "S E P A R A T IO N ", THERE IS U N IT Y , and thus.

Monseignor, the docum ent w hich came in to y o u r possession is explained as is explained the adjustm ent perpetuated to each generation o f yo u r illustrious fa m ily and to you at the age o f eleven years. Y o u r predecessors have received the M A R K OF THE TEM PLE A N D YOU H A V E R EC EIVED IT Y O U R S E LF, b u t being concerned, by reason o f the tim e in w hich you live, BY TH E RESURGENCE, the docum ent is cleared up fo r you O N L Y at a recent date. You have come here later than your ancestors BUT yo u r presence in this place is MORE SIG NI FI C A N T A N D OF AN IM PORT MORE FAR R EAC HING than theirs, when, one by one, ONCE IN T H E IR L IF E , they were adm itted in one o f the secret high places . . . As fo r you Frater, (and I knew th a t now he was addressing me) YO U SHO ULD be w ith us, fo r THE TEM PLE IS Y O U R TEM PLE AS IT IS THE TEM PLE OF E V E R Y S E R V A N T OF THE CAUSE, OF E VER Y S E R V A N T OF MAN A N D WHERE YO U SERVE, THERE IS THE KNO W LEDGE . . . " L e t us pray fo r the last tim e ." A last tim e ! THE T H IR D ! It is now in me a ce rta in ty. We are adjusted. Does my companion understand? I have a sudden impression T H A T HE H AD KNOWN IT SINCE OUR M E E TIN G N EAR THE F O U N T A IN ! He however w ill never adm it it. In effect, TH IS T IM E IT IS I WHO IN S T IN C T IV E L Y REPRODUCE HIS GESTURES. The Cardinal in W hite has not knelt. He is standing, ta ll, immense in his w hite robe, the sword raised above our bowed heads, w hilst kneeling, our hands palm to palm before o u r breast, we are w ith in ourselves in silent prayer o f surrender and com m union: " U t gladius nisi fo r ti et intrepida manu geritur d e fin it esse tim endum sici ordo nisi superiores regulae quoe eum d irig u n t non potest subsistere." In the same way that the blade ceases to be redoubtable if it is not directed by a firm and resolute hand so in the same way the Order cannot continue well w ith o u t the superior RULERS w ho dire ct it. A nd the fo llo w in g phrase, I o n ly understood the beginning: "ECCE V E S T IM E N T A T E M P L A R II. N O M IN E DEI OM NIPO TENTE ET VOGORE MEI O F F IC C II . . . " fo r the sword, then, touched m y le ft shoulder, then my head and my right s h o u ld e r. . . A N D I FEEL T H A T MY SOUL IS REJO ICING . . . A N D I feel th a t I am weeping . . .

Seated now at the side o f my com panion, he him self still a prey to an unspeakable em otion as if the sword had pierced his soul, delivering thus fro m all its lim ita tio n s and from the veil o f error, I feel fo r my part, A PROFOUND PEACE. Before us, the Sage does not seem to feel any fatigue and it is however THR EE o 'clock in the m orning. During FOUR hours HE HAS DISCOURSED A N D F U L F IL L E D W H AT I KNOW IN W A R D L Y TO BE HIS O FFIC E. W ith o u t d o u b t, THE TIM E OF THE PRAYER - OF THE OFFICE - HAS BEEN LONG, LONGER T H A N HAS BEEN S AID IN THESE PAGES . . . But my own experience perm its me n o t to ignore th a t the TIM ES OF SILENCE OF THE MASTER WHO O F F IC IA T E S are more exhausting than the hours o f speaking, FOR THE ENERGY T R A N S M IT T E D A T T H A T M O M ENT bruises the body perm itted, by the masterly in itia tio n , to bring it towards the others. He suddenly looked straight at me: "CHOOSE TWO POSTULANTS A N D BE A T C HARTR ES ON THE 23rd SEPTEMBER 1968 A T M ID D A Y , N EAR THE V IR G IN , THE S IG N A L W IL L BE G IVEN YOU BY H IM WHO IS HERE W ITH YOU T H IS N IG H T. HE W IL L POUR OUT HIS M ITE (fo r charity?) THEN GO T O THE CRYPT. A N D BEFORE THE A L T A R . W ITH YOUR HAN DS, M A K E A G A IN TO EACH OF THEM THE LA S T GESTURE W HICH I H AVE JUST M ADE OVER YOU TW O, FOR TH IS PRECISE A C T, DO NOT T A K E LONGER T H A N THREE M INU TES, T H A T DONE, A L L W IL L BE A B LE TO BE A C C O M P LIS H E D !" And th a t, I have carried it o u t exactly, as prescribed, in the tim e and place required, w ith o u t however relating anything o f m y own adventure to the tw o postulants that my m editation — and more perhaps — had indicated to me. TH E Y A LO N E have received but they are n o t able to know th a t W ITH A L L . . . and they w ill o n ly know at the same tim e as you. Such is the law o f h u m ility and obedience! . . . The Cardinal in W hite has resumed his fu ll d ig n ity. He has again become IM PERSO NAL and he continues . . . " I am NOW able to handle W ITH REVERENCE A N D DISCR ETIO N the high symbolism o f the Grail. N O T H IN G FUR THER opposes itself to it, neither fo r you NOR FOR OTHERS. The hour has come. THE C O N D ITIO N S ARE F U L F IL L E D . IN THE C O N TEXT OF W H A T I H A V E S AID A N D DONE to n ig h t, THE G R A IL CAN BE UNDERSTOOD by pure and sincere hearts fo r IT IS TO THEM A LO N E by means o f you, I w ould wish to address myself and not to those whose pretensions and deceiving wisdom ruins the soul by its em pty pride and stupid am bition. M A Y THE L IG H T OF THE G R A IL EVER IL L U M IN E TH E H U M B LE A N D TH E PURE, fo r it merits the sacred revelation . . . ! "

A SECRET MEETING IN ROME 9

THE MYSTERY OF THE GRAIL " I t is assuredly a grave error to consider the Grail as fro m a source exclusively Christian. For another reason it w ould be also q uite erroneous to include it o nly in the m ystic aspect o f the Soufis o f Islam. In reality, THE G R A IL IN D IC A TE S A W AY OF APPROACH TOW ARDS THE D IV IN E ; TOW ARDS A P A R T IC IP A T IO N SUCH T H A T IT IS NO LONGER M A N WHO S E E K S TO U N D ER S TA N D GOD BUT GOD H IM SELF WHO SEEKS H IM S E LF IN M AN . The Grail is the access to the secret o f Universal life , IT IS A D IV IN E R E A L IT Y , A PER M A N EN T PRESENCE, it is a T O T A L A N D ABSO LUTE R E V E L A T IO N OF THE U N IV E R S A L W ISDOM. It is THE SUPREME IN IT IA T IO N . Thus, w hat one calls the "legend o f the G ra il" belongs as much to Christian esotericism as to Islamic esotericism or even to Hebraic esotericism. The "le g e n d " is U N IV E R S A L , fo r it contains the U N IVER SE and each m ystic, whatever may be his origin, his "s ta te ", his path, or his religious fundam entals, whether he lives in the West, or in the O rient, be he Christian, Muslim or Jew, aspires in the last analysis, to arrive by in itia tic stages th a t he may break through to the R O Y A L T Y OF THE G R A IL , TO THE SECRET OF SECRETS.. . "T he symbol o f this sublime m ystery is everywhere a sacred object. For the Celts, this object is the PROPHETIC CUP. For the Christians, the sign is the cup having contained the blood o f Christ, fo r Islam, it w ill be the stone descended fro m heaven. The conquest o f the Grail, by d e fin itio n , is an A C T IV E W A Y , which includes the W ORD, THE LIG H T OF L IF E . This way was follow ed BY THE K N IG H TS OF THE ROUND T A B L E , th a t is to say, THOSE WHO, ON E AR TH H A V E BEEN A D M IT T E D AFTER IN IT IA T IC TEST OF AN A U T H E N T IC T R A D IT IO N A N D RECOGNISED AS H A V IN G ACCEDED A T LAST TO H E A V E N L Y K N IG H TH O O D . A m ystic, an in itia te , has always been a K N IG H T in every age and in every clim e and as the last sum m it o f attainm ent is symbolised by the G rail, this is marked w ith a seal o f U N IV E R S A L IT Y . . . "C u riou sly, and few have remarked it, the Islamic influence is incontestable in the transmission o f the secrets o f the Grail to the East. Many, certainly, have recognised w ith o u t hesitation the role o f the Arabs in this transmission but rare are those w ho have adm itted AN IN FLU E N C E that the texts, even PUBLIC have meanwhile made to appear clearly. This can be surprising fo r the non-initiated. It is not the presence o f the Islamic elements in the active path o f the Grail whose APPEARANCE is w ith o u t Christian protest, it is the coherence between these tw o symbolisms — the Christian and the Islamic - in the "legend". Could it be otherwise since the Grail is U N IV E R S A L?

"C onnect this notion to o u r preceding explanations. THE G R A IL THEN BECOMES THE U N IV E R S A L WISDOM, "T H E A D V E N T U R O U S C A S T L E ", th a t o f the " G R A IL " , BECOMES THE ABS O LU TE KNO W LED G E. A L L THE HIGH PLACES, SECRET OR NOT, ARE THE STAGES OF THE CONQUEST OF THE G R A IL . THE MASTERS A N D THE IN IT IA T E S ARE THE O FFICERS A N D THE K N IG H TS OF THE ROUND TA B LE U N ITE D IN THE SAME C O M BAT FOR THE POSSESSION OF THE G R A IL . . . " In fact, the Grail is found buried in the universal symbolism o f the U NIQ UE T R A D IT IO N under its many aspects — o f this tra d itio n the W ORD o f which has ever been the living soul . . . "C h ris tia n ity and Islam have contended w ith each other, but that is the e xterior cloak o f th e ir meeting. In reality, beyond the com bat and the apparent hate, the elite are found united, Islam, fo r a long tim e, having been in these contacts, the guide, the inspiration. This meeting, n aturally, was o n ly possible on the level o f ESOTERICISM, on the SECRET A N D IN N ER ASPECT o f these tw o great trends o f religious philosophy w hich, w ith Judaism, fo r another reason, had their source in the Abraham ic tra d itio n . . . "M y purpose here is not to examine the three tales w hich, towards the thirteenth century, revealed suddenly the "legend o f the G ra il” . You w ill have to read or re-read these works o f initia tio n s keeping in m ind the lines o f force which I indicate to you. The recital w ill then appear to yo u very d iffe re n t, charged w ith U N IT Y and a revealer of IN IT IA T IO N . Remember this above all: "T H E D IV IN E W O R K, IN ITS P ER M A N EN T R E A L IT Y . IS THE E T E R N A L PRIESTHOOD A N D THE ORDER OF THE G R A IL , IT IS THE EXPRESSION OF THE ORDER OF M ELCHISEDEC. THE ORDER OF M ELCHISEDEC A LW A Y S DW ELLS IN THE T R U T H , PERMANENCE A N D U N IV E R S A L IT Y . IT IS THE U L T IM A T E END TO A T T A IN . IT IS IN V IS IB L E A N D EVER PRESENT. IN IT ARE H ID D E N THE G R A IL A N D THE W ORD. MELCHISEDEC IS PRIEST A N D KIN G . "N o w . the Order o f the Grail is id entified w ith the Order o f the Temple which is an outer and protecting shell fo r it, A N D , AS IN THE TEM PLE OF THE G R A IL , ONE RECOGNISED ALSO THE TEM PLE OF THE SACRED S PIR IT OF THE ROSE-CROIX. one refinds, sparkling w ith tru th THE U N IT Y OF A L L THE T R A D IT IO N S . "T he Order o f the Temple is a connecting link between the tem poral and the spiritual as it has been and IS a connecting lin k between Islam and C hristianity. Its participation in the Crusades themselves had fo r its end. co n tra d icto ry as that may appear.

PEACE ON A L L PLANES, and fru itfu l contacts have been m aintained, W ITH O U T A B R E A K IN FR IEN D SH IP A N D F R A T E R N IT Y , BY THE E L IT E o f the tw o camps, even at the height o f the wars. The fra te rn ity w hich united the APPAREN T enemies was founded on the U N IT Y OF T H E IR RESPECTIVE IN IT IA T IO N , ON THE COMMON SEARCH OF THE SAME KNO W LEDGE A N D THE FACTS CON CLU DED W ITH THE G R E A T M U S U LM A N IC ORDERS. The best p ro o f o f this "u n d e rsta n d in g " was it not given one day by numerous Spanish Templars who, at the beginning o f the persecutions, in place o f using the right w hich is perm itted to them o f entering other Orders, chose to T R A N SFE R AS A BODY TO THE SARACENS. What a "resem blance" also between the Musulmanic Orders and the Order o f the Tem ple! Resemblance in the "m ilita ry and In itia tic " structure! Resemblance in the fact that all call themselves "guardians of the H oly La n d " and how many other like sayings! Now it is not " im ita tio n " , it is not, properly speaking, filia tio n . THER E IS. I INSIST. C O NJUNCTIO N OF THE TWO ESOTERICISMS A N D T H A T AS MUCH IN THE MESSAGE AS IN THE IN IT IA T IC TEC H N IQ U E. " In any case, the Grail has its origin in the P R IM O R D IA L T R A D IT IO N and it is d irectly bound to the symbolism OF THE HIGH PLACES, o f the spiritual centres w ith their SUPREME CENTRE w hich is represented by the H oly Land o f Christian and Islamic esotericism whose profo u n d origins dip into Abraham him self, surrounded and blessed by Melchisedec o f w hom St. Paul said th a t he is " w ith o u t father, w ith o u t m other, w ith o u t pedigree, th a t he had neither beginning nor end to his life, b u t he is made thus in likeness to the Son of God and w ho remains a priest in p e rp e tu ity ", PRIEST OF THE G R A IL , OF THE SUPREME IN IT IA T IO N , OF THE T O T A L A N D A BS O LU TE R E V E L A T IO N OF THE E T E R N A L W ISDOM, and to his Order - THE ORDER OF MELCHISEDEC C hristianity and Islam belong and participate, in such a manner these tw o aspects OF A SAME S P IR IT U A L M A N IF E S T A T IO N could o nly refind and associate themselves so th a t the Grail one day may re-establish itself openly in the East and this was the mission of THE O R D ER OF THE TEM PLE to establish the co n ju n ctio n between these tw o aspects . . . and one w ill see later the legendary Christian Rosencreutz him self go to the land of Islam . . . "Rose-C roix, Soufis! A SAME S P IR IT U A L STATE A T T A IN E D BY D IF F E R E N T e xterior form s: Rose-Croix and Soufis! U N IT Y REFO U N D A T THE S U M M IT ! The forms o f the tra d itio n recover A L L , o f the S H E K IN A H , o f the D IV IN E PER M AN EN T PRESENCE. It is in drawing near or w ithdraw ing fro m the Shekinah th a t man HIM SELF establishes THE CYCLES OF HIS RETURN . . . THE G R A IL , also, is the great symbol OF THE S H E K IN A H .

"Y o u w ill be astonished perhaps th a t I do n o t speak o f the Celts, o f M erlin, o f the Druids, b u t the cu lt o f the Celts also IS A T R A D IT IO N and the secret o f this tra d itio n , the Druids transm itted to Celtic C h ristia n ity. I do not say to a church . . . I say to Christian Esotericism . . . There never was "separation", there is nothing b u t U N IT Y in the tra d itio n . Where ever you take y o u r course, the gentle clim b conducts you to the same sum m it. The source is the SAME w hich has given life to Celticism , to Judaism, to Islam or to C hristianity . . . IN THE H O LY C IT Y . IN THE SUPREME S P IR IT U A L C EN TRE, THE G R A IL HAS EVER D W ELT. H U M A N IT Y IS A B LE TO HOPE FOR ITS EMPIRE FOR TH E PACT IS M A IN T A IN E D , RESPECTED A N D V IV IF IE D BY THE HIGH PLACES, SECRET OR NOT, A N D BY A L L THE S ER V AN TS OF THE E T E R N A L CAUSE! "Such are THE KEYS, such are THE SIGNS. I have said and YO U MUST W ORK, pray and m editate, establishing fo r yourself the convergence in the apparent diversity. N O T H IN G MUST APPEAR TO YO U "A L O N E " (distinct? separate?), I repeat it, yo u have THE KEYS and yo u have THE SIGNS. I repeat it, W ORK, P R AY A N D M E D IT A T E . . . and remember: THE G R A IL , M ELCHISEDEC . . . " N ot fo r a single instant, had I been distracted and I have not experienced any fatigue — my com panion — I see him , no more so. The subject meanwhile could have been hard. He has rendered it simple and o f easy comprehension, avoiding discoursing too much on the "k n o w n " , on th a t w hich any good library w ould be able to o ffe r fo r reflection and on the contrary attracting our a tte n tio n to the essential, on that w hich is able later, in a m editation or a reading, to constitute the corner stone o f a new vision o f knowledge and the spring board towards m ore lig h t and u n ity : U N IT Y . This w ord came up again and again in his expose as if he wished to im p rin t it in us and designate it as the ultim ate solution to every question w hich reason raises w ith obstinacy and sometimes w ith peevishness . . . I look at him w hom I have accompanied here. His face radiates a peace o f rare intensity. HE HAS H AD HIS REPLY . . . and me? shall I say it; a fu rth e r confirm ation? That w ould be unjust. I H A V E L E A R N E D A N D I H AV E M A R K E D . By privilege, w ith o u t dou bt, I believe myself to be a little more receptive than others. It is an everyday occurrence fo r me, to understand w hat is said to me, and to kn o w w hat at the same tim e, is hidden from me, in te n tio n a lly or not. I have thus an immediate knowledge o f the motives o f my in te rlo cu to r. In a trice, so to speak, I know the W HY o f his a ttitu d e and the R E A L REASON fo r his question, o f his remark, or even o f a silence, w hether o r n o t he may be at one w ith me. The experience is always curious, it is at times exhausting. One affirm s th a t this "K n o w le d g e " is one o f the acquisitions o f mastership. As fo r m yself I w ould be tempted to underline that mastership resides rather in the inner force than manifested so th a t the in te rlo cu to r does n o t dou b t th a t he has not only been heard but understood . . .

I have several times been inclined to in te rru p t the Sage to enlarge on a p o in t which seemed to me d iffic u lt BUT ONE DOES NOT IN T E R R U P T THE C A R D IN A L IN W H IT E ! He knows perfectly w hat he is able to transm it and HOW he must do it. In his presence one experiences FORCE A N D LIG H T . The self does not interrogate a H IGHER S ELF. It receives, vibrates under the physical and spiritual im pact o f a Master and responds to the call o f a sublime com m union . . . Is it by the order o f the Sage that, suddenly, m y com panion, erect, to o k m y right hand in his? That could o nly be pre-established. . . We are now face to face, hand in hand before the cross, and the Cardinal in W hite alm ost between u s . . . His right hand covers our joined hands, his le ft hand, firm ly holding the sword, places itself perpendicularly above the U N IT Y w hich we fo rm and the C R Y P TA F E R R A T A SEEMS TO BE OBSCURED IN AN IN C R E D IB LE B LU ISH LIG H T W H ILST THE A L T A R A N D A R O U N D US S ILH O U E T T E S , IM M A C U L A T E SHADOWS S U D D E N LY APPEAR A N D I SENSE THER E ARE E LEV E N . . . w hich strange gathering also recalls to me others somewhere else, calling all my being to the U N IT Y of knowledge. Why does the voice o f the Cardinal in W hite seem in this m om ent to take on the deep sound o f a gong w hich 3wakens the echo . . . Listen, listen to the w ailing and the triu m ph o f the w ord u n tirin g ly repeated: T E M P LA R S ! T EM PLA R S! TEM PLA R S! A h! Monseignor, do you remember? When our hands fell apart y o u r eyes were again open and fo r the space o f a th o u g h t I have supposed th a t WE H AD L IV E D IN OU R SELVES TO THE U N IV E R S A L R H Y T H M , TO THE L IG H T OF THE G R A IL and we have later adm itted that it had really been thus. Do you remember Monseignor? We were in each others arms you were crying and I was crying. Like tw o children, before the Cardinal in W hite, we had thro w n ourselves on our knees, our hands joined, im ploring a benediction w hilst in our hearts the soul-stirring WORD was resounding once m ore: Templars! TEM PLA R S! T E M P LA R S ! The Cardinal in W hite touched our foreheads w ith his firs t three fingers, then, each in turn, he raised us. and fo r the firs t tim e w ith a smile on the face which I had thought unsm iling has accompanied the last in s tru c tio n : "T h e dawn w ill soon break. W ait here. Watch and pray. The m onk, at the hour ordered w ill conduct you back to the w o rld . . . ' May God come to yo u r aid! . . . " He slow ly mounted the eleven steps. A t the to p o f the stair he turned once more towards us and traced w ith his right hand the sign o f a large cross before bending towards the door which was opening and in disappearing through our tears, entered in to our hearts and our m em ory.

Before the cross, o u r head on o u r hands resting on the A lta r, we watched and prayed. How long? I could n o t say, fo r prayer, in such places and after such experiences, takes no account o f tim e. A lm o st at the same tim e, we raised our heads. The m onk has n o t said a single w ord but we have understood th a t all was finished and th a t the clock o f the w o rld must once again rule o ur existence. When we came o u t o f the crypta ferrata, the church, DOWNTHER E, was awakening w ith the o ffic e o f matins. The m onk inclined his head slightly to us. We were alone. In Rome, I w ent to my fo u n ta in . . . my heart w ould go somewhere else, to G rottofe rrata , to a cryp t. I have never again seen the Cardinal in W hite, b u t my path ofte n crosses that o f my com panion, o f m y friend, OF M Y BRO TH ER . . . The firs t tim e we met after our Roman experience, was in Tunis . . . I w ill relate our conversation.

10

TUNIS To its visitors, Tunis can procure E V E R Y T H IN G or accord N O T H IN G . A Great Coquette, her charms are reserved fo r those w ho know how to please and understand her. Detesting the conceit o f the superficial traveller, she w ill show him nothing but her modern European face, o f which many o f her companions o f the co ntinent however w ould be jealous, and deceived he w ill go to the Cafe de Paris whose surroundings w ill be little d iffe re n t fro m some terrace o f the French capital — that o f the Cafe de la Paix, fo r example, o r better s till, th a t o f the Cafe de Flore. For him w ho, attentive and foreseeing, wishes w ith jo y to accord to it the best of his tim e. A h! Tunis is then ready fo r its last surrender. She decks herself o u t w ith all her oriental beauty. In her soul; here are the mosques where the accent and the music o f the Koran vibrate w ith o u t ceasing. In her eyes; here in the reflection o f mysterious palaces w ith their involved history and sometimes scandalous chronicles. Her surroundings? Look! The surprising Kasbah, sym pathetic, clean, w ith , like eager neighbours, the souks which set at defiance, from afar, these strange buildings which Europe dotes on and which seem to have been able to adapt themselves so well here o n ly because the Tunisian hospitality is proverbial. Such is the texture, living w ith colours w hich change w ith the times, one friend has sworn fid e lity ; the sunshine. It makes a thousand new details appear and, w ith to rrid insolence, embraces the c ity w ith its indiscreet caresses. Perhaps you may see Tunis decked o u t in other dresses. You w ill always fin d her elegant and you w ill love her affable people, frank, sometimes sad yet fu ll o f gaiety. In other circumstances, I have vowed that I appreciated the co m fo rt o f the H ilto n Hotels — London apart whose welcome and service leave so much to be desired, w ith o u t d o u b t because it is sure o f strangers, in w hom no Englishman w o u ld recognise him self. In any case, Mr. H ilto n , always so vigilant when it touches his reputation as hotelier, should survey his London province . . . th a t it runs the risk o f tarnishing his crow n, and he does no t deserve it. The Tunis H ilto n , on the o ther hand, like the most o f the hotels o f the same name, is an enchantm ent o f calm, discretion, smiles, courtesy and co m fo rt. A fte r an exploration o f the c ity , one appreciates the charm and the respose. M y com panion o f Rome and of G rottoferrata is there . . . by chance — I also, at least almost, and it is evening on an isolated seat in the gardens o f the hotel th a t after the em otion o f meeting again, we "re liv e " and "analyse" our adventure. It is I w ho poses the question about w hich both o f us have been th in kin g since we saw each other.

" Is th a t fo r which you are w aiting dow n there?" "Yes, and over there! I was hoping fo r an explanation o f a fa m ily tra d itio n . Much more has been brought me, thus by you and fro m elsewhere. What an extraordinary "C E R E M O N Y ", did you not fin d it so? And how all th a t was unusual . . . strange . . . " I smiled. "Strange! Perhaps! I have been through other experiences o f w hich I w ill speak to you one day . . . they also were strange, although o f a d iffe re n t nature in apperance. Meanwhile, FOR THE FIR ST T IM E , I have had a com panion and, FOR THE FIRST T IM E I was able to go beyond m y own subjectivity and compare my impressions w ith those o f another. For me it was an advantage, and certainly a privilege, but in the occurrence I played a secondary ro le ." 'T h a t is n o t correct! We were, you and I, in S T R IC T L Y ID E N T IC A L conditions. That which I received, you also shared and yo u r part was equal. "How ever, by a fa m ily adjustm ent — th a t which you have received at eleven years o f age — you were " in essence", so to say, 'T e m p la r'." " In essence! The form ula is a happy one! Basically, we are A L L Templars in essence . . . but the value resides IN THE A C T OF T R A N S M IT T IN G A N D R E C E IV IN G . N ow this act has been accomplished A T THE SAME T IM E fo r both o f us." " I t is true! A no th e r p o in t gives me thought, at Rome, near the fountain, were you w aiting fo r someone?" " I was w aiting fo r someone T H A T N IG H T b u t I d id n o t kn o w if I w ould meet him . The hour was late, I found myself near the fountain and you arrived. Was I there by chance? C ertainly n o t more so than yourself. Do you remember our conversation? We very q u ickly came to THE ESSENTIALS. I because I was there in expectation and you because this kind o f question is, to sum it up, y o u r constant preoccupation, and you see thus th a t all was w ell. T hat w hich you have said to me on our re tu rn ; to consider how a Cardinal in W hite welcomed BOTH OF US w ith o u t any surprise and w ith o u t the slightest observation. IF YOU Y O U R S E LF had not awaited, do you believe th a t the events would have happened thus?" "Y o u are right. I also th in k so, b u t I am glad to hear you co n firm it. Had yo u already been welcomed in the g ro tto , in the crypta ferrata?"

"Y o u know th a t I have not. I knew, like yo u , o f the G ro tto fe rra ta , I was even ignorant o f the existence o f such a cryp t. We w ould not be able, after all, to return there W IT H O U T OUR G U ID E , and I am convinced th a t he w ould refuse to know us again even if we ourselves were able to fin d it once more. One day I shall tr y something at G rottoferrata. I shall ask someone, and if possible a m onk about the g ro tto , b u t I already see his real or simulated a sto n ish m e n t. . . No m atter! The c ry p t, we know it, and that w hich, fo r us, is still more im p o rta n t, we have found there THE T R A D IT IO N and . . . m o re !" " A t any rate, I shall try , on each o f m y journeys to Rome, to go to the G rotto fe rra ta and pray there. The church bathes in the vib ra to ry atmosphere o f a secret high place. Do no t let us forget th a t." " I also w ill go to the G ro tto fe rra ta above all w ith this purpose . . . Have you reflected on th a t w hich was to ld us about the tra d itio n , A tla n tis, Egypt and the high places?" " I have reflected on it and I have read again certain lectures. The keys given by the Cardinal in W hite have, in one day, shown them in an e ntirely d iffe re n t light. I knew the Islamic esotericism but up to the present tim e I have never supposed such an interpretation between Christian and Islam and I had never imagined th a t they could be so closely attached to the same source although U N IT Y is my profound conviction in all things and in all regards. Abraham is certainly the original o f the three great currents w hich are Judaism, C hristianity and Islam . . . " "A braham 'Blessed' by M elchisedec!" "Y es, and that is w hat one forgets to o ofte n , fo r one should not d o u b t any more that the E XTE R IO R religious fo rm w hich is destined fo r the mass and who maintain it, by veneration, respect, fear, and even superstition, in a certain moral d ire ctio n , this E X T E R IO R form is a shield, an appearance protecting THE SECRET o f ESOTERICISM. To sum up, beyond Abraham , it is Melchisedec w ho gives force and vigour to esotericism and to tra d itio n w hilst Abraham, 'the Blessed o f Melchisedec' remains the father o f the three fundam ental religions." " I t is in my view the correct way to analyse these facts. The Grail and the Order o f the Temple fin d in it, moreover, th e ir exact re la tio n sh ip ." "E x a c tly ! The Grail is the eternal wisdom in the keeping o f Melchisedec and the Order o f the Temple, especially, is the chivalry o f the initiates whose mission is to

re assemble the diverse aspects o f tra d itio n a l esotericism and especially its Christian phase and its Islamic one fo r the 'com ing o f the kingdom o f the G ra il'." "Y o u express th a t in sym bolic language and I adm it th a t it is the better one as it happens. I w ill say, fo r m y part, th a t this terrestial chivalry in the microcosm corresponds to the heavenly chivalry o f the Macrocosm and that these are the tw o chivalries which should be reunited in order th a t the end may be attained . . . " " I prefer to envisage THE A C Q U IR IN G OF A STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS by the terrestial chivalry fro m the Heavenly Chivalry, b u t yo u r p o in t o f view expresses the same co ndition in another way . . . In any case, this conjunction or acquiring consciousness, as you wish, is THE A C Q U IS IT IO N OF THE G R A IL ; the pa rticip a tio n OF THE ORDER OF MELCHISEDEC. A t this level, all is completed, and the many paths o f consciousness, even the most opposed in appearance are reunited. A ll lead to Melchisedec and also to the Grail. In the last analysis, man carries w ith in him self A L L paths, the one he chooses is le ft to his own choice, he can take the shortest, the longest, the most w inding or the most direct. In any case, he w ill arrive at the end, that is to say A T THE DEPTH OF H IM S E LF, TO HIS A C Q U IR IN G T O T A L CONSCIOUSNESS, TO THE G R A IL . He is A L R E A D Y o f the Order o f Melchisedec b u t HE MUST become this consciously. His journeys in life have no other end but to lead him to the final state. Have you meditated on the secret high places and on the symbolism o f numbers as the Cardinal in W hite had advised us to d o ? " " I have done it every day. I have tried an analogy between these secret high places and the centres o f force in man, w hich one calls Chakras. But there are no more than SEVEN chakras and I gave up this idea — SEVEN chakras, ELEV E N HIGH PLAC ES." "Y o u were wrong not to examine this p o in t tho ro u g h ly, fo r you were on the track o f the tru th . Y ou remembered O N L Y the E LE V E N secret high places b u t yo u have forgotten th a t it was said to us th a t in Egypt the ELEVEN had become TW ELV E . The T w e lfth high place was the SUPREME C E N T R E ." "O h w ell! From seven to twelve, the difference is still greater." "A ssuredly! However I reflected fo r a long tim e on this question fo llo w in g visits I have made to certain secret houses . . . and my conclusions are now well established. Thus as you kn ow the musical scale comprises TW ELVE tones, SEVEN notes and F IV E sharps or flats and it is this scale w hich perm its the IN F IN IT E varying o f musical themes, as from the beginning the consciousness can take in fin ite form s fro m the twelve secret high places, co nstituting fo r man the con d u cto r thread towards the twelve fundam ental paths. The

analogy o f the musical scale is then the most appropriate fo r our purpose. It reveals th a t there are SEVEN F U N D A M E N T A L SECRET H IG H PLACES'AM D F IV E IN T E R M E D IA T E H IG H PLACES. Seven high places are in C O N STANT a ctiv ity , I was going to say 'in current usage*, while five, although never ceasing to be 'active' b u t transm itting a P A R T IC U LA R in flu x , are employed in exceptional circumstances, and I w ould n o t be surprised if it is one o f these five secret centres which has served fo r 'the inception o f the Order o f the T em ple', o r fo r the resurgence o f an organisation such as th a t w hich I serve, fo r example . . . There remain the SEVEN secret high places corresponding to the chakras and it is evident th a t the coronal chakras, situated by tra d itio n at the to p o f the head is, in this case, the highest secret place, th a t is to say the centre or supreme college. It w ould be necessary to make an exhaustive study in order to draw proper conclusions fro m these assumptions. I have made this study, but it behoves each one o f us to do the same, A N D TO F IN D O U T, fo r, if the search is well conducted, it w ill be revealing and precise W ITH R EG AR D TO THE LO C A L IS A T IO N OF THE SECRET HIGH PLACES A N D THE 'F U N C T IO N ' OF EACH O N E ." " I w ill not fail to undertake such a search! I regret I gave it up. The assumptions you have transm itted to me, it is true, make me appear to have been at fa u lt." "E veryth ing comes in its ow n good tim e. W ith regard to the symbolism o f numbers, what has been yo u r conclusion?" " I am still at the prelim inary stages o f my w o rk. The num ber seven has n o t raised any problem . Its symbolism is universal and know n to a very great number. N othing more can be said. B ut E LEV E N and ONE H U N D R ED A N D E IG H T, I acknowledge it, are an enigma fo r me . . . " " I do n o t believe th a t all has been said on the subject o f the num ber seven in relation to the occult co n s titu tio n o f man and the 'correspondence' o f his 'psychic' organs. The tru th in this dom ain, is little know n and the deductions o f certain individuals have been given to o soon. I kn o w a certain person whose disposition fo r esotericism was considerable and whose sincerity could n o t be questioned. His academic qu a lifica tio n was average and th a t is an advantage on the path, fo r the m e n ta lity makes less o f a hindrance. He advanced rapidly and well. "O ne day, he had the impulse to begin a particular study fo r which the use o f o ffic ia l academic textbooks was necessary. This one act transform ed him com pletely. His textbooks or the guarantee o f certain great names in science and research became fo r him an absolute reference. Everything w hich did not enter in to his hide bound idea w hich he had imposed upon him self was fantasy and sometimes more. Doing this, he lim ited his

possibilities w hich u n til then had been great. To the d e trim e n t o f in tu itio n and th a t which opens up new perspectives, he had become a prisoner o f his books . . . That is a mistake w hich should not be made. IT IS necessary to read and know the E X TE R IO R thought as a basis o f it. IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO BECOME a slave to such reading. Fanaticism is dangerous even if it is academic, although the la tte r may be less dangerous than religious or esoteric fanaticism . I know one other person w ho refers everything to the Akashic archives! However much one explains to him , however much one wishes to show him in order to carry him along fu rth e r and higher, his mental reaction is the same; 'Akashic Archives'. This person has fettered him self and nothing can be done about i t . . . One can do nothing except it be by oneself. In short, the path is made up o f stages and halts, and the progression o f each one merits homage even if fanaticism and self sufficiency are n o t yet bypassed. They w ill do it in any case, sooner o r later . . . " I wish to pause fo r some moments fo r a b rie f m editation b u t my questioner seems im patient and I continue. "T he number E LE V E N . Secret research considers it as the M A R R IA G E NUMBER OF WHICH Plato has spoken w ho w ill teach you much on this subject if you take the tim e to read attentively w hat he has said o f it. BUT A LSO , this number designates A M E E TIN G which is made at the E LE V E N T H CONJUNCTIO N on the 'signs o f the Zodiac'. One knows th a t the tw o great axes o f the earthly o rb it requires 129.600 years to come back to p o in t zero o f the 'signs o f the zodiac'. So! As I have just said, this meeting is made at the E LE V E N T H co n ju n ctio n ! This meeting, this marriage o f the tw o axes o f the o rb it explains the N U P T IA L character to the num ber E LE V E N . "F o r th a t w hich interests us, the number ELEVEN'has an im p o rt o f A L C H E M IC A L M A R R IA G E and you are not ignorant o f the value accorded to this n o tio n o f the Templars The number ELEV E N im plies then U N IO N o f the in itia te w ith knowledge, o f the human chevalier w ith the heavenly chevalier, o f the West w ith the East, o f C hristianity w ith Islam, o f all the 'Orders' w ith the Order o f Melchisedec, o f the A dept w ith the Grail & c., and this union was recalled to us th ro u g h o u t; the hour o f the meeting, the steps at the Crypta Ferrata, the secret high places, the words o f the Cardinal in W hite, and so many other sym bolic representations . . . "O n the subject o f twelve, you know th a t it is THE COSMIC N UM BER. It contains the FOUR ELEM EN TS under the THR EE aspects o f the manifestation. It is N A T U R E AS IT IS, the PERFECT N UM BER o f the universe o f the three dimensions and o f the fo u r elements . . .

"T he NUMBER ONE H U N D R ED A N D E IG H T also has a unique value in the tra d itio n . It is the 'p ro p h e tica l' number as the long esoteric calculations show. It is FOUR TIM E S the number 27 found in the tetractys o f Plato. It is above all 'the periphery' o f a triangle based on the num ber 37 o f which the to ta l o f the sides is 111, Christian number, it symbolises the S U M M IT th a t a man can attain on the path during his incarnation and it is thus the number o f accom plishm ent. It is one o f the reasons fo r which the cycle o f 108 years had been adopted fo r the periods o f active and inactive existence o f the Rosicrucian Order. In 108 years, the w ork was accomplished and the departure was able to be given towards a new sum m it, a fte r 108 years o f silent preparation. The Cardinal in W hite has underlined th a t at the start o f the era o f Aquarius, in 1962, the Order o f the Temple had disappeared fro m the exterior w orld fo r six times 108 years. He then clearly mentioned the 'proph etic' number and marked the beginning o f a new cycle. " In y o u r search, lo o k back alike to the in stru ctio n conveyed by the ta ro t. See the number TW ELVE indicate the 'H A N G E D M A N ', ELEV E N to mark T H E FORCE' and SEVEN ' THE C H A R IO T '. Reduce E LEV E N TO TWO (11 = 1 + 1) and listen to the message o f T H E PRIESTESS'. You can even make 108 in to 9 (1 + 0 + 8) and analyse the ninth card o f the T arot, th a t o f the 'H E R M IT '. It is in my opinion OSW ALD Wl RTH in his 'T A R O T o f the images o f the M iddle Ages' who w ill give you the most efficacious K E Y S ." "W hat marvellous knowledge is at our disposal and all is harm ony, order and method. Do not believe th a t I have not been inclined towards these great problems. I have never ceased to be so and you kn o w it since we met. However, my search was all disordered by wishing to be exclusive and centred o n ly on the Order o f the Temple. I have learned much and I acknowledge th a t I k n o w n o th in g ." "Y o u have not the right to conclude th a t you have wasted y o u r tim e. If such were the case, you w ould not have T A K E N P AR T as you w ould have done in the crypta ferrata, yo u r eyes turned inward at the culm inating p o in t o f the . . . 'P ra y e r'. . . " "Y o u rs had been JUST BEFO RE! Could we have dreamed or could we have been the prey o f a com m on suggestion?" " I t w ould be an insult to the Cardinal in W hite to suppose it fo r an instant. We H A V E SEEN THE TRUE V IS IO N and that implies THE SILENCE OF THE EYES. That w hich I have observed o f y o u r demeanour o f th a t m om ent and th a t which you noted o f mine PROVES on the co n tra ry, th a t we have shared in the same M Y S T IC A L E X P E R IE N C E ."

" I t w ould not be otherwise, in fact, and my heart has never doubted it even if my rebellious mind has sometimes raised its insidious doubts. We are the privileged ones, b u t What a responsibility has become o u rs." " I t is the responsibility o f every man, sooner or later, in one way or another. Wherever he may be or whatever he may do, M A N IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS A T T A IN M E N T OF IN N ER CONSCIOUSNESS. He is before him self and BEFORE OTHERS. Let us say th a t y o u r present responsibility is a little more specific." In a conversation so intense as ours at this m om ent, tim e turns back on itself and does n o t w o rry us. This kind o f exchange on the greatest questions w hich are posed to man is always o f a fo rm o f introspection. One believes one speaks to another, one replies to oneself and the in te rlo cu to r does the same . . . There comes fro m it a challenge to the in tu itio n and that, challenged, gives the essential in fo rm a tio n . A question fro m my companion however surprises me. "A m o n g the secret high places, how w ould you place the C rypta Ferrata?” "Y o u wish to say in its im portance. I have not reflected on it. However, I do not th in k I deceive myself in considering it as a high-place nearest to the o uter w o rld and that fo r several reasons. There is firs t o f all th a t 'the flam e' is held unconsciously perhaps by an ’o u te r’ c u lt w hich one must regard meanwhile th a t it is o rth o d o x and in consequence more mystical. Then it was there we have been 'received' and th a t an esoteric instruction was given us. Now these high places are certainly more and more secret. The Crypta Ferrata is then, to my way o f th in k in g , THE FIRST P O R TA L, w hich does not take anything away fro m its im portance. The orders always come fro m the CENTRE even if it is at the lim it o f the last o uter circle th a t they must be 'tra n sm itte d '. Then again, you have noted the extraordinary vib ra to ry in flu x to which we have been subm itted. In an inner high place, this in flu x w ould be hum anly insupportable. These are the reasons fo r which I believe th a t the Crypta Ferrata is the most e xte rio r o f these sacred centres. I w ould see it even as the chakra o f the heart fo r it is at this level th a t a 'transm ission' generally takes place . . . It is possible th a t the C rypta Ferrata may have fo rm e rly been a more secret high place. A ll the reasons I have given fo r placing it 'at the e xte rio r' w ould be equally valid to prove its highly secret character in the past, p a rticu la rly the presence o f the monks around. In this case, an in flu x o f an incalculable im p o rt at another tim e w ould have been 'transform ed’ to be 'assim ilative' to o u r tim e and to th a t w hich happened w ith our participation . . . " "D o you consider Chartres as a high place?"

"A ssuredly! But as a high place 'among m en' and n o t to be a secret high place comparable to those o f w hich we have spoken. By Chartres you certainly mean the c ryp t, and it is w ith regard to this, naturally, th a t I reply. By reason o f w hat must take place there soon, I see AN IN D IS S O LU B LE L IN K between the c ry p t at Chartres and the Crypta Ferrata, in this sense th a t the c ry p t at Chartres is v ib ra to rily 'charged' by the Crypta Ferrata. It is the opposite num ber o f the latter in the outer w orld. It is the 'place' where THE W IL L , G IV E N O U T IN TH E SECRET IN F L U X OF TH E C R Y P TA F E R R A T A , IS C A R R IE D OUT. It is the place o f the IN C A R N A T IO N .” " I feel intensely th a t such is the tru th and o f him you call the Cardinal in White, what is yo u r o p in io n ? " "D ear me, I shall have to take care! He is one o f those beings th a t a Judgment, even favourable, must n o t touch on. He has been the bearer o f the word and the TR A N S M IT T E R . He is HE w ho has to come. In H IM , are incorporated knowledge and tra d itio n . His face is, fo r me, th a t o f the Legate, o f Him w ho is also part o f ourselves. I do n o t have an opinion o f h im , sim ply o f surrender and o f absolute confidence in a T O T A L com m union whence I draw love and peace." "We are in Tunis! Why should we n o t deliver ourselves up to some researches! A fte r all, here, as much as elsewhere, C hristianity has joined Islam . . . The body o f Saint-Louis has rested in Tunis since the Eighth Crusade in 1270; Christian Rosencreutz is said to have made a stay here, What do you th in k ? " " I accept w ith pleasure b u t w hat w ould we be able to fin d w ith o u t a lead?" "W ho knows! We shall soon see. It is o n ly necessary to k n o c k ." It was very late when we separated, but here we are, eager fo r a new experience. It is necessary fo r us to be directed IF tru ly we must learn something. On the seat, before separating, we closed our eyes and 'asked' together. Shall we receive a reply? T o m o rro w w ill te ll. We are to meet at eleven o 'clock in the vestibule o f the hotel.

11

AND THE DOOR IS OPENED TO US In making myself ready in the m orning, my thoughts, w ith o u t ceasing, return to a mosque — n o t any particular mosque in Tunis or elsewhere, b u t quite sim ply to a mosque, in the same manner as I w ould have been able to th in k o f a church. W ith o u t any d o u b t, if one seeks something or someone w ith relation to the s p iritu a lity o f Islam, o f course it is a mosque which lends itself most to such a purpose. There is then nothing surprising th a t this idea o f a mosque should fascinate me and I am n o t even astonished, when arriving in the vestibule o f the hotel, to receive a welcome in these words: "We must go to a m osque." I sm ilingly reply, "T h a t is precisely m y advice, b u t which? The prinsipal Mosque could not be the place fo r such a search as ours. N ow if we were to go to the Kasbah?" "We can see in this way. A fte r all we are not looking fo r anything precise . . . A lthough I always ask myself are not all o u r paths prepared?" "T h e y are, b u t generally one does not realise it u n til after the event." The taxi man w ho drove us to the entrance o f the Kasbah was talkative. A ll o f a sudden an idea came to me, and progressively I led the conversation to the Koran, and noting clearly the interest I showed in this sacred w ork and to its conception o f a sole God, the driver appears to appreciate my commentaries and my com panion w ho had understood by in te n tio n , supported my remarks w ith enthusiasm. I became more precise. "Is there n o t in Tunis some sage w ho is a mussulman?" " A ll the mussulmen are sages," replied the driver sm ilingly. " I do n o t d o u b t it, b u t th a t is not w hat I wish to say. Are there in Tunis, at the present tim e, one or several mussulmen whom others consider to be saints?" " A marabout? There is one, b u t he is a mussulman and he is not a mussulman. He lives like a saint. However, they say th a t he does n o t fo llo w the Koran as he should. They speak also o f tw o or three others, b u t . . . " I hasten to in te rru p t him . "T h is marabout mussulman and not mussulman, do you know where he lives?"

" In the Kasbah, exa ctly! Quite close to the little mosque." "W hat is his name?" "O h , say only 'the m arabout'. He is k n o w n ." My com panion tapped me three times on the hand to signify a satisfaction which I share. Thus, it suffices to ask, even and perhaps above all a ta xi driver, to receive a reply. W ill this be THE reply? We shall see. We do n o t expect anything in particular. We are seeking and th a t already is much. We go astray several times in the Kasbah and several times we retrace our steps thanks to the courtesy o f a Tunisian w ho each tim e came a few steps w ith us. A h ! here is a little mosque. It is tim e fo r us to learn more precisely; tw o young men are talking at the entrance o f a small alleyway. "Pardon! Do you know where the marabout lives?" They look at each other, they look at us and again look at each other and I do not understand this hesitation. A t last one o f them replies, indicating w ith a finger a house w ith a closed double d o or o f wood. "T h e re ." We thank them , and fo llow ed by th e ir surprised eyes, we go to KNOCK on the door. What pretext are we going to invoke? No m atter! We KNO CK again more loudly. Will we have a response? Suddenly we alm ost jum ped, w ith o u t being the least surprised in the w o rld : SOMEONE IS BEFORE US . . . A N D HAS OPENED THE DOOR TO US. The man is old and bent in his w hite djellabah. He looks at us w ith o u t a w ord. Does he understand French? I had better speak to him . "Excuse me sir, is it possible to meet . . . the m arabout?" My com panion and I were mute fo r a fe w seconds at the perfection o f his French u n til the explanation was given to us by himself. "T h e y call ME a m arabout, th a t does not mean to say th a t I suppose myself to be one. Well, come in! You are French aren't you? I R A R E L Y H A V E V IS IT S FROM MY FELLO W C O U N T R Y M E N !"

. . . Fellow co un trym e n l He is then French. He could not be considered a marabout in the real sense o f the term as if he were a mussulman . . . I recall w hat the driver o f the taxi a ffirm e d ; 'T h a t he is a mussulman and he is not a mussulman." O nly the marabout can clear this subject up fo r me . . . In the room where we fo u n d ourselves, little fu rn itu re , m agnificent rugs w ith remarkable patterns, several A rabic cushions are the o n ly seats offered to visitors. It is evident th a t our host had adopted the tra d itio n a l way o f living o f the c o u n try. W ith a sign, he invites us to be seated, joins his hands and waits. My companion undertook to give him, w ith o u t betraying anything at all, the reason fo r our presence here. "W e are interested," said he, " in all form s o f religious th o u g h t and being in Tunis, we have thought to probe deeply in to Islam, to see it at close quarters. In reality we were looking fo r a mussulman sage . . . w h y, after all, n o t be more sincere? We are drawn by esotericism and one has indicated a 'M arabout' w ho is a mussulman and w ho is n o t a mussulman. NOW, IT IS Y O U . Are we indiscreet?" The reply is im mediate. "Y o u are n o t in the least, I A M M U S SU LM A N ! I am not one by b irth , sure enough, I am a convert to Islam b u t I am w ith all m y being and w ith all my strength a M U S SU LM A N ! W ith regard to esotericism, I am always interested in it and it is amongst other the reading o f Rene Guenon w hich led me here a long tim e ago. Rene Guenon him self was converted to Islam and he died a mussulman. I am n o t in such bad company w ith him th a t his spiritual course has led to a final choice identical w ith mine. I do n o t wish to say th a t one must necessarily be converted to Islam but o nly th a t, fo r me as fo r Rene Guenon and many others, it was the better o u tle t. For m y part I have accomplished MY M YSTIC R E A L IS A T IO N as a mussulman. I do not teach you anything in rem inding you th a t the mussulman is 'consecrated to G od'. Are n o t you also?" It is fo r me to reply to him . "We try to be. Excuse me fo r insisting; Are you soufi or mussulman?" "W hat difference do you see between the two? I am soufi and mussulman or more e xactly, in spite o f redtindacy, soufi-mussulman. Y ou are drawn to esotericism. F or that do you cease to be a Christian? Esotericism has no religious colour. The soufi that I am wishes to be a good mussulman. The M O VEM EN TS o f the body aid in the expression o f the soul and the soul always like u nto itself gives to the body its reason fo r being . . . If you wish I belong to the body o f Islam and I am a F A IT H F U L , a mussulman entirely, striving towards the love o f God as fa r as possible in the m ystic soufi. My being is U N IT Y , as is yours. Where fro m th a t p o in t can one have separation? They call me a 'M arabout' because, to the people, I lead an existence which they esteem esoteric and because I have

a few fa ith fu l w ith w hom we probe in to THE BOOK and a particular tra d itio n o f which one day I received the custody w ith others. They ask fo r my prayers and m y help, I never refuse them and Allah assists me. That which I have been able to accomplish fo r others, others can also do. Everyone could be a marabout, it is su fficie n t to wish it. . . In past times, TH E M A R A B O U T WAS A W A R R IO R PRIEST L IV IN G IN A F O R T IF IE D M O N A S TE R Y FOR THE CRUSADES . . . " I interrupted him in spite o f myself. " A w arrior-priest! A mussulman tem plar, in fa c t? " "Y o u have said it: A T E M P LA R and the marabout o f our times is once more a te m p la r. . . " "C ould you be more precise?" asks my com panion. " T o be a Tem plar, was to accept a precise state, th a t o f m onk and soldier. To be a m arabout, at the same tim e, was to accept a state just as precise; th a t o f m onk and soldier. Once again, where is the difference? The Templar, by d e fin itio n , consecrates him self to the Temple. The 'm arabouts' were received in to the Order o f the Temple and the Templars became, in the broadest sense o f the term , Soufis. N othing is nearer together than C hristianity and Islam in the ESSENTIALS, o f course." I look at my com panion and we understand each other. Our host w ho seems to have seized upon the meaning o f this look, then continued: " In interesting yourselves in esotericism, to use y o u r ow n term , y o u have not been able to neglect the history o f the Order o f the Temple. You, yourselves, elsewhere, have mentioned the Templars. Y ou are then n o t ignorant o f the special places w hich were established, over and above the strife, among the adversaries. The true Soufis o f today perpetuate these ties . . . They have a secret heritage w hich is identical to th a t which certain legitim ate organisations o f Europe and elsewhere have received. The one is united to the other by this com m on heritage. Ours has been shaped by the thoughts o f Islam, it has taken fro m it the fo rm and the term inology b u t it d iffers little fro m the others: THE T R A D IT IO N IS THE SAM E, EVER YW H ERE THE SAME . . . O nly the technique varies w ith the tim e and the place." "W hat do you kn o w o f the G ra il? " He reflected fo r a few seconds before replying to me: " I understand the sense o f y o u r question and it is as a Soufi th a t I wish to give my p o in t o f view or as an esotericist if

you prefer, and this p o in t o f view w ill be b rie f: The Grail is the heritage w hich I have mentioned. It is 'in essence' TH E O R IG IN A N D TH E T R A D IT IO N . It is yo u r aspiration and ours. THE G R A IL IN THE LAST A N A L Y S IS , IS THE D IV IN E CONSCIOUSNESS W HERE RESTS A L L POWER A N D A L L WISDOM . . . but a w ord is a w ord and it has no more value than th a t which is accorded to it. The Grail, fo r me, has another name w hich encloses exactly the symbolism o f the term you em ploy, in the same manner th a t God, in English, designates to the Dieu o f the French . . . " My com panion continues as if talking to him self: "T o be fra n k, we have o n ly come here but to seek a co n firm a tio n o f w hat we have already learned . . . " "H ad we n o t need o f it? " My response wishes to a ffirm , in spite o f all, a satisfaction. Meanwhile, it must contain a tinge o f deception fo r the m arabout intervenes at once. "W ith o u t d o u b t you were also w aiting fo r a message? I can give you one o f the most im po rta nt ones o f our times . . . " We look at him anxiously w ith a regard which signifies "W H IC H "? "Y o u have y o u r confraternities. We have ours, and ours cover all Islam o f which they are the inner life , the spiritual body if this w ord means more to you. In a greater and greater measure yo u r confraternities assume this fu n c tio n consciously. THE HOUR APPROACHES WHERE TH E C O NJUNCTIO N W HICH THE ORDER OF THE TEM PLE AN D OUR ORDERS OF THE ERA PROPOSE TO R EALISE FOR THE W O R LD , MUST BE ACC O M PLISH ED: Lately it had to break in order to reconstruct or better to show pro o f o f a secular patience and to progress w ith extreme slowness. The Temperam ent o f the age and other circumstances did not perm it it. T ra d itio n w ith d re w itself in to its m illenium position, leaving to the w o rld the advantages and the hope o f a material progress which is only one o f the aspects o f knowledge. This was only THE G R E A T R E P E TITIO N : THE T IM E OF THE R E A L IS A T IO N APPROACHES A N D TH IS R E A L IS A T IO N W IL L BE R ES TO R ATIO N . There is nothing more to do than break up in order to reconstruct. The 'o ld leather bo ttle s' fa ll in ruins o r in decadence, b u t the 'new ones' are ready. Everything which is E X T E R IO R in the beliefs w ill weaken little by little and more and more q u ickly W ITH YOU A N D W ITH US. A fte r several starts the disappearance w ill come, w hich, as you know , is O N L Y A T R A N S F O R M A T IO N . THE T R A D IT IO N IS IN M O VE M E N T A N D IT IS U NCONSCIO USLY A W A IT E D . E V E R Y T H IN G IS R E A D Y W ITH YO U AS W ITH US. The co n ju n ctio n o f the diverse traditional form s is accomplished A T THE CENTRE w hich maintains force and life in the authentic and prepared confraternities. THE W ORLD CAN BE IN JO Y A N D Q U IE TU D E OF HOPE' THE LIG H T , THE TR U E L IG H T OF T R A D IT IO N W IL L SHINE FO R TH , FOR A NEW S T A G E !"

"D o you wish to im p ly th a t the co n ju n ctio n is established between the West and the Arabic O rien t?" " I t has newer ceased to be th a t in the silence, BUT IT IS NOW MORE A L IV E A N D MORE O P E N ." "A n d the other expressions o f the tra d itio n , those w hich exist in India, A frica and other places?" "There has been a regrouping among some and I can be more precise: THE C O N JUN CTIO N IS U N IV E R S A L !" "Has th a t had an influence on the 'high places' or rather have these high places had an influence on the situ a tio n ? " "E ve ryth in g emanates fro m w hat you call the high places and other centres more secret still. THE C O N JUN CTIO N HAS A L R E A D Y BEEN ACC O M PLISH ED A T THIS L E V E L ." "W hat do you mean by that? Do you believe th a t each high place is composed o f adepts o f all the exterio r tra d itio n a l fo rm s? " " O f course not and fo r the very reason that at this stage TH E R E IS NO LONGER FORM, THER E IS B E IN G ." " I t is true, since there is only being, can one conclude th a t the secret high places o f the trad itio nal form are the SAME as the secret high places o f A L L the o ther form s?" "F O R A L L THE M A N IF E S T A T IO N S A N D FORCES OF THE T R A D IT IO N , THE 'C E N TR ES ’, THE SECRET H IG H PLACES, A R E , IN EFFECT, THE S A M E ." I do not hestiate to pose the question which fo r a mom ent has preoccupied me. " L o o k ! I KNOW th a t all is U N IT Y . Meanwhile, let us take fo r example, the secret high places w hich w ould be those o f the Rose-Croix, o f the in itia te d . What w ould they be w ith reference to the other high places?" "E V E R Y T H IN G IS A POURING OUT, T H A T W HICH IS O UTER IS O N LY THE IN T E R IO R A L IT T L E MORE M A N IF E S T . NO LONGER IS THERE S EP A R A TIO N . T H E R E IS A TIE A N D A T T U N E M E N T . The high places th a t you m ention have their

attunem ent or replica at a low er grade and so on. THE E M A N A T IO N COM ING FROM THE SUPREME CENTRE TO A L L STAGES DOWN TO O U R S ." "O ne can conclude then th a t the new age is a state o f the collective consciousness on a higher stage where new high places take hum anity in charge. What becomes o f the old ones then?" "T h e y integrate themselves, fusing w ith the new high places, in other words, even the old centres R E M A IN A N D L IV E but th e ir energy is more concentrated, more pow erful than before. In some way they are placed in greater concord . . . BUT T H A T ALSO HAS A L R E A D Y BEEN A C H IE V E D !" "Y o u r message is in e ffe ct o f an extraordinary im portance, b u t you, as a marabout, how do you conceive y o u r state in this new set up?" " I , I am a 'lover o f God'. What more can I hope for? If God commands I obey. He is the ONE A N D O N L Y and U N IT Y . I am His m onk and His w arrior. He has prepared and ordained all. My state, to m o rro w , w ill be the same as today . . . a lover o f G o d ." This admirable lesson o f C O N FIDEN CE A N D PEACE concludes our conversation. In a mom ent, he is serving1us w ith the fraternal tea. We speak o f Tunis, o f France, o f the circumstances o f the W O R LD OF IL L U S IO N , b u t o u r thoughts w ill be elsewhere, in the R E A L IT Y th a t once more we have recognised in the marabout. We have m utually respected our silence on re-entering the Tunis H ilto n . Our consciousness was travelling elsewhere. Have we not, we also, realised 'O U R ' conjunction? The Crypta Ferrata and the Cardinal in W hite, Tunis and the m arabout, do you remember, Monseignor? Villeneuve-Saint-Georges Domaine de la Rose-Croix Dimanche 27th Octobre 1966 Fete du Christ-Roi.

FRA N CIS BACON LODGE PUBLICATIO NS

The Francis Bacon Lodge (London) o f the Rosicrucian Order (AMORC) contributes tow ard auth orita tive Rosicrucian literature by pub lish in g certain, generally unavailable w orks of inte rna tio nally acknow ledged, modern Rosicrucian leaders. The publications listed below are not fo r casual reading but fo r serious study and, like the books sold by the Supreme Grand Lodge of AMORC, are offered to mem bers as additional m aterial to th e ir regular, o fficia l studies. The publishers recom m end th a t the w orks of each author be read in sequence, as listed.

Raymond Bernard Supreme Legate fo r Europe and previously Grand M aster fo r all Francophone Countries and author of "M essages From The Celestial S anctum ". By means o f the fo llo w in g allegories he transm its special inform ation fo r the purpose of show ing the im portance of the Rosicrucian Order and also for co rre ctin g certain m isconceptions. STRANGE E N C O U N TE R S : w ith those w h o are responsible to r gu id in g and ensuring the harm onious developm ent of human society th ro u g h o u t history and into the future, in accordance w ith established cycles of 'evo lu tio n a ry' developm ent. SECRET HO U SES OF THE R O SE-C R O IX: elaborates upon the fu n ctio n of the inner, invisible C ollege of the Fraternity of Rose-Croix Adepts and th e ir especial state of consciousness. It also reveals th e ir con n e ctio n w ith the AMORC and th e ir concern for each sincere Rosicrucian student. A SECRET M E E T IN G IN R O M E : w h ic h divulges th e m odern m ission o f the Order of the Temple and its connection w ith A tla n tis. Pharoah A khnaton and the Rose-Croix as w e ll as the esoteric relationship betw een C hristianity and Islam and the quest for the Holy Grail. THE IN V IS IB LE E M P IR E : relates that the m ission o f the A tlantean Sages has continued throughout history and is approaching its clim ax. This volum e includes the first publically know n account of the legendary A tlantis as described by Plato, reviews the evidence of Ignatius D onnelly and gives an account of visits to authentic W est African in itia tic societies.

Harvey Spencer Lewis Late Im perator o f the AMORC fo r N orth and South Am erica, one of the d irecting trium virate o f Im perators of the federation of ancient, esoteric societies, the FUDOSI and p ro lific author of num erous m onographs, articles and books. THE D IV IN IT Y OF M A N : a c o m p lica tio n o f nine articles from 'The Rosicrucian D igest" based upon the dictum , "Seek ye firs t the Kingdom o f G od" and first published to com m em orate fifty years of activity of the Order in the ju ris d ic tio n inaugurated by Dr. Lewis.