The Mastery of Life, 1945

MASTERY OF LIFE

An Admonishment Read. Carefully, E ach Page, Each Paragraph Place yourself in a quiet, restful mood, alone if possible, and permit the author to reveal to you the pic­ ture, the plan, the purpose leading to attainment, power, success, and— Illumination. The value of this book­ let cannot be obtained by skimming over the pages. This Booklet is gladly given to you. It carries with it the cordial invitation to attune yourself with The Invincible Empire, those who have become directors of human achievement.

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Start with the first page and, with­ out missing or passing a word or line, in orderly progression follow the development of its unique mes­ sage— and think as you read. You are a privileged seeker, in­ deed, and the AM ORC welcomes you within its private domains.

Issued under the S eal of the Supreme Scribe and Archivist.

Jlagterp of Htfe V

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Privately Issued by Permission of The Department of Publication of the Supreme Grand Lodge of

Qtty indent anti JUpsttcal < 0rber JXosiae Cruets, 3furisluction of Movtf) anb America Rosicrucian Park

San Jose, California

v Official Publication

Number Eighteen

Third Edition, Copyrighted 1945, AMORC 1 0 -45

...——

P rin ted in U . S . A .

(S u p rem e G rand L o dge)

The Mvsterv of Bein O

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^jpH IRTY years ago, a young doctor sat by a desper' ately ill baby on her deathbed. The parents were frantically begging for help, every treatment failing to aid. The parents became grief'Stricken to the point of death. I am the doctor who had that experience.11 “This experience created a desire in my mind to know why people are born and why Nature allows such a great difference between members of the human race. The hunger for knowledge drove me to labora^ tories and libraries for the answer—but I am still search' ing and determined to know.11 These are the words of a prominent physician. Unintentionally he has spoken for millions of men and women who today harbor the same thoughts. This inequality o f man is apparent to most of us. You know persons who are radiant with health from birth, and seemingly immune to disease. You know others who have their lives preyed upon by numerous ailments which rob them not only of enjoyments but of simple comforts. Also there are those men and women whose every plan becomes a successful venture. Each enterprise they enter turns into a golden opportunity— as if they had the touch of the fabled King Midas. Around them, however, a multitude of unfortunate be^ ings live and struggle. W hat makes one man more successful than another? Is it training in just o n e line? You know that is not true! You cannot make a good business man out of a youth who has been taught nothing more than buying and selling. You cannot make a good physician out of a man, or woman, who has been taught only the prin­

T h e R osicrucian s — an au g u st frate rn ity whose doctrines, hinted at b y the earliest p h i­ losophers, are still a m ystery to the u n ­ w orthy. I do not blame them for th eir discre­ tion. — L o rd E dw ard B u l w e r ' L y t to n . (A R o sic ru c ia n .)

P age T h ree

ciples included in the restricted four years in medical college. There seems to be some u n k n o w n elem e n t w h i c h some seem to possess, or have discovered. In your youth y o u feared things which you later came to recognize as harmless and really useful. In your days of developing observation, you were puzzled by the unknown elements in life. It seemed to you that there were more elements of the unknown than of the known. It is always the unknown in every day’s activities that causes us worry, concern, perplexity, and even suf' fering. In years since your youth, you have become well acquainted with things once unknown. Today you l^now them; you can see them, sense them, prepare fo r t h e m ; it is a power no one can take from you. But even now, are you fully prepared to meet all of the obstacles of life, to sweep them aside, or surmount them easily? If not, begin now to investigate further the still un' known elements of your existence—the m yste ries that make for the inequalities between men. Real knowledge by man a b ou t man is, today, the greatest power any man can possess.

T li e I li orou gli fare of Life

In o ur sa n c tu a ry all the h idden M ysteries are preserved in tact, th e y have n ever been p ro fan ed . . . . O ur sci­ ence is the in h e ritan c e prom ised to the Elect. — C o u n cillo r V o n E ck ' h artsh au scn . (A Rosic ru c ia n .)

P age Four

Let us begin with existence as we know it. Life is a thoroughfare upon which we find ourselves travelers. Behind us is our immediate beginning —birth. It is a vast eternity. Ahead of us is still another inevitable vast eterni' ty—death. It is a mystery which either instills fear or is accepted with under' standing—depending upon the expert ences we have along this course of life. W e did not ask for this life, yet, we could not have refused it. How, then. E very in te llig e n t trav eler know s from w hence he cam e an d w h ith er he goes. T h e span of life can be so m uch m ore free o f obstacles and cnjo yab le , if all of its purposes an d w ays are u n ­ derstood and used.

shall we react to it—what shall we do with this period of consciousness which the years afford us? M any men and women resign themselves to the in' fluences of their environment. They allow themselves to be drawn or impelled along this causeway of life. They are like balls of snow, rolling at a furious rate of speed down the side of a great mountain. One moment they are free, out in the open, encountering few or no obstacles, and they are unconcerned. The next moment they have collided with unanticipated events and hap' penings. They are at a loss to avoid these conditions, or to rise above them. Thus they travel through the years, sometimes wondering if the vicissitudes of life, the bit' terness, the pains, are worth the price, worth the occa' sional pleasures and snatches of peace of mind which come their way. WHY ARE WE HERE?

Certainly at some time you must have asked yourself as you looked back upon your past activities and like' wise contemplated your future: “Is this haphazard ex' istence my destiny? W h y are w e h e r e ? ” Also, is there a mother who has never gazed down on the innocent babe nestled in her arms, and wondered: “W h at does this span of existence hold for him?'1 Is it not time that humanity ceases plunging into the u n k n ow n along this thoroughfare of life, hoping to grasp the skirts of passing opportunity? W ould life not be entirely different for you if you could control your moods? If you could form desirable habits and break those not desired; if you could know how to see in the events happening about you the trends of tomorrow, would you not be more assured and confident in the strength of such knowledge? If you knew how to de' velop your will power sufficiently to meet the demands upon you, and to make the right decision, would not many of your troubles, the result of indecision, disap' pear? If you could reach into a dependable source and

T h e Cosm ic influences are in visib le, but th e y act upon m an. H eat an d lig h t are in ­ tan gib le and in co rpo ­ real; n evertheless, th ey act upon m an, an d the sam e is true o f other in visib le in flu e n c e s.— P aracelsu s. ( A Rosicru cia n .)

P age Five

produce helpful constructive, intelligent ideas at a time when an important thought, a useful plan, meant the difference between discouragement and achievement, would you not feel equal to any circumstance? Certain' ly such a life would be far superior to the one you now know. DOES FATE CONTROL US?

H um ans are not the puppets of fate. T he roles we each p lay in life can be in te llig e n tly and p erso n ally directed by ourselves.

T h e A d e p t o n ly converses at his best w ith the ad ep t. A ro u n d him is >a sacred circle, and w ith in it o n ly the Elect are allow ed to en ter. T h e B ro th er' hood o f C onsecrated Lives adm its all who are w o rth y, and all who are excluded exelude them selves. — " F r a ." E lbert H u b bard .

(A

R o sic ru c ian .)

Do not be deceived by some inadequate philosophy. Millions of humans try to excuse their perplexity or helplessness during this earthly span by saying to them' selves and others that they are dependent upon the d e c r e e s o f fate. These fatalists proclaim that infinite powers have pre'destined their every act, and it is use' less for them to intervene. The fatalist, by such a belief, damns his d iv in e heritage, his power to reason, his will and faculty of choice. W h y were these and other facuh ties, which so few men understand and use, given to us, if we are mere puppets? W h y do we possess the power of thought and the attribute of decision — if every human act and step along this span of life has been ordained for us in advance? Think a moment! Is it even reasonable that we should believe that a Supreme Being or God has con' ceived a complete plan for the universe—even for this life—and yet man must blunder on like a moth at' tracted by the light? Does it seem part of an intelligent design that man must stumble through a mortal exist' ence, make mistakes, and learn through suffering alone? Does it seem just that man must search for truth, hap' piness, and peace of mind—like hunting for a needle in a haystack—and hope to find it before the end of the span, or death? Does anyone compliment the Di' v i n e I n telligen ce by such reasoning? This is not a re' ligious question; it is a philosophical question, o n e that c o n c e r n s y o u and y o u r life. Success in life means mastership, and mastership means utilizing every inner force and power of the be' ing, as well as every o u te r force. M an's creative abilities

P age Six

do not rest in the muscular strength of his body, nor his fertile imagination. He must be able to bring his mental imagining into material expression daily, hourly. To do this, he must be able to use o t h e r fa culties than simple visualization. Furthermore, he must use these powers according to the purpose for which they were intended.

A B lueprint of Living Since a Supreme or Divine Intelligence created an orderly universe, with its majestic and immutable laws, a b o v e and b elo w , then there also exists for man, as part of this great Cosmic scheme, a true purpose in life. By knowing this purpose, by relating it to his existence each day, man discovers himself. He becomes the right' ful master of his dominion—this world—and relegates suffering, misery, and ignorance to their proper places —and apart from himself. Certainly you have instinctively felt that there was more to life than you have already experienced. Let us assure you that there is a true blueprint o f living. Even those occurrences which have been painful to you have a place, a useful cause—when you know and mv derstand them. Those who continuously suffer misfor^ tunes, and whose lives are not as progressive or inspire ing as they would want them, are living outside of the Cosmic pattern. Did you ever stop to think why you do the things you do? Is it not often because you had no alterna^ tive—because there seemed nothing else to do, and you took the chance that it might turn out for the best? Millions of hu^ mans throughout the civilized world today live just like that, tak' ing blind chances — Life is w h at you m ake it. A n in te llig e n t plan w ell directed can provide personal pow er and a t' tain m en t.

T ru e h appiness consists n ot in the know h edge of good th in gs, b ut in good life ; not in u n d ersta n d in g but in liv in g u n d erstan d in g ly. N eith er is it g re at le a rn in g b ut good w ill th at jo in s men to God. — C ornelius A g rip p a . (A R o s ic ru c ia n .)

P age Seven

and these same millions often wonder, therefore, if the life they live is really worth while. CREATIVE FORCES WITHIN YOU

W ithin man there are constructive creative forces always at work and always attuned with the most per' feet wisdom of the immortal self. These forces must re' pair the damage done to the body, overcome the strains and stresses upon the mental system, and guide the inde' cision of man’s mind in the right direction. From the natural forces operating throughout the universe, cer' tain harmonic vibrations, ethereal energies, and vitaliZ' ing powers contact man’s being and change the nature of his physical body, or react upon his mental efficiency. Thus man is hourly a complex being, influenced by forces and potent principles of a serious and important nature. Man must understand these things, if he is to become a success in life and use his f r e e d o m to a ct in a wise man' ner. M an must either live completely in harmony with the forces in and around him, or at variance with them. There is no middle course. A n understanding of the natural, spiritual, and mental laws is the only means of mastership of life. For hundreds of years, the Rosicrucians have been able to prove this to men and women through their remarkable teachings. W hat this blueprint o f life, this plan for mastery is, and how it may be obtained, will now be revealed to you.

T h e re are n one so b lin d as those who will not see.

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I lie G olden Secret V

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thousand years ago, in ancient Egypt, man first began his investigation of those mysteries which surrounded him. The first and most stupendous discovery he made was th e duality o f self. He learned that in addition to his physical body, with its limbs and organs, there was some ethereal nature or element of his being. M an then became, for the first time, truly self-conscious, or rather conscious of the grea t inner self. W hence came this ethereal essence of his nature or self? It could not be affected by that which pained the body—by heat, cold, or hunger. It could be active, thinl{ and c o n c e i v e , while the body was at rest or even asleep. Moreover, what would happen to it at the end of life—or death? W as it indestructible? Did it survive? W ith such questions as these confounding the minds of the early Egyptians, and y e t intriguing them , man began a search that has never ceased, on the part of intelligent men and women everywhere. In the common phenomena of everyday life—in an observation of the coming and going of the seasons, in the ebb and flow of the tides, and the waxing and waning of the moon, these early men discovered the law of cycles, the periodici" ty of all nature. W ith the seasonal death of plant life and its re­ e v e r a l

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A rtist's conception of N ean ­ derth al M an (S to n e A g e ) sta n d ­ in g betw een a row of m onoliths m akin g a salu tatio n to the risin g sun. T h is phenom enon w as one of the earliest m ysteries to m an.

N o b u s in e s s , no m ovem ent, no activ ity on the p art of man or a group o f men can becom e a n y greater th a n th e t h i n k i n g m inds and conscious­ ness of the people who are back of the m ove­ m ent.— Dr. H. Spen cer Lew is. (A R osicruc ia n .)

P age N in e

current rebirth in the spring, they found the resurrection of nature—a stra nge immortality in living things. In the regular journey of the silvery specks or planets, and the apparent path of the sun across the heavens, men discerned the infallibility of nature, and the suggestion of a great universal order pervading all things. A ll of this heightened their inquisitiveness.

T ke A n cien t Wiscl om Schools

In the great tem ples o f th e N i l e , th e brotherhood m et secretly as a school of arcane w isdom .

He who kn ow s most grieves m ost for w asted tim e.— D an te. (A Rosicru c ian .)

P age T en

W hat was man's relation to the heavens and the earth? Did these forces affect his daily affairs and the cycle of his existence? These further questions, like great spades, served man to dig beneath the surface of his own consciousness. Since as remote a period as 5000 B. C., certain m e n and w o m e n have sincerely, and without fear or prejudice, probed not alone into the earth or scanned the heavens above, but have investigated the mysteries of their minds and selves. They formed themselves into arcane or m y s t e r y s c h o o ls for the acquisition and study of such knowledge—and for the mastery of life. Much of the startling wisdom they acquired was reduced by them to writing on stone tablets and papyrus rolls—but the greatest portion was secretly conveyed from one to another by w o r d o f m outh. Sir E. A. W allis Budge, renowned Egyptologist, in one of his learned works, relates with respect to these mystery schools: “There must have been a progressive development in the wmysteries' and it seems as if some of them were en­ tirely unknown under the old kingdom. It is impossible to doubt that there were 'mysteries' in the Egyptian rites, and this being so, it is impossible to think that the highest order of the Kheri Hebs (M asters) did not pos­ sess esoteric (inner) knowledge which they guarded with the greatest care. Each, if I read the evidence cor­ rectly, possessed a Lgnosis,' a "superiority of knowledge' which they never did into writing, and so were enabled

to enlarge or diminish its scope as circumstances made it necessary. It is, therefore, absurd to expect to find in Egyptian papyri, descriptions of the secrets, which formed the esoteric knowledge of the Kheri Hebs.11 The disclosures of these ancient investigators are astounding, even to the scientific world today. The eternal truths they unveiled—the facts, the hitherto unknown laws of nature—made them “masters’1 of fear, and liberated them from the undependable elements of so-called chance and luck. W hat they were able to ac­ complish in their lives, to do for friends and members of their families, how they were able to utilize nature's forces to do their bidding, were the cause of the legends that have come down to us today about the a ncient miracle workers. To the uninitiated, to those still steeped in ignorance, and who have dwelt in darkness and doubt, these sages and mystics seemed to be performing miracles. To those of the mystery schools who knew, these demonstrations were not magical processes, but rather th e simple application o f a \ n o w le d g e by which man can direct the laws of nature and the faculties of his own being. W ith the same understanding, what they did, y o u can do.

T ke Supp ressed Knowledge T ruth ma\es m e n free. Consequently, those who sought it and attempted to expound it to their fellows became the objects of persecution by tyrants. The ty ­ rants were th e ancient dictators who sought to domi­ nate the lives and thinking of men and women to fur­ ther their personal gain or their be­ liefs. For example, the Roman Em­ peror Justinian was one of these. He was a misguided religious zealot who issued an edict in the Sixth Century seeking to abolish all the mystery schools. He considered

P age Eleven

Socrates, great A th en ian philosopher. condem ned to die b y d rin k in g the poison hem lock, be* cause he ta u g h t the esoteric ( in ' n e r) w isdom w h ich set m en's m inds free.

men and women who had acquired personal power and great confidence in themselves, by the unusual knowh edge they had discovered, a menace to the orthodox and often superstitious dogmas which he wished to promote. Thus it became necessary that this wisdom be s e c r e t e d and kept for the inquiring, c o u r a g e o u s f e w out of every thousand persons. This amazing knowledge, which secret brotherhoods have preserved, is available today to the seeker for per' sonal power, and the mastery of life. It exists f o r y o u , if you have an open mind. Its efficacy, its great power, can be applied to the affairs of your life with startling beneficial results.

Be p ersuaded first to a p p ly th y se lf to the E ternal M in d , e n tre a t­ in g Him to gra n t thee u n d e r s t a n d i n g ; then seek kn o w led ge w ith d iligen ce and thou sh alt n ever repent havin g taken so lau d ab le a resolution. — F ran cis Barrett. F. R . C . (A R o sic ru c ian .)

P age Tw elve

Let us face facts. Your life is influenced by many in' explicable things—phenomena, happenings, that you sometimes cannot quite explain or overcome. You may call them u n can n y . Perhaps you seek to push them into the background of your consciousness. You may even laugh about them to others. Yet nevertheless they are often the direct or indirect factors in preventing you from realizing some ideal, something you are seeking to attain or accomplish, or freeing yourself from worry and strife. Have you, for example, had these strange ex' periences? You have met persons for the first time who have been presentable in appearance and in speech— and yet immediately a wave of distrust and dislike for them would sweep over you. W h y? It is a manifes' tation of th e human aura—an invisible, magnetic radia' tion from the human body which we can detect, and which either repels or attracts—and it is scientifically demonstrable. This emanation also has a most practical mystical p o w e r which was known to the students of the mystery schools, to the sages and adepts of yore, for centuries. Have you ever entered a room that greatly depressed you? The room, perhaps in a home, hotel or office build'

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mg, might have been clean, orderly, and even attrac' tively furnished, yet while in it you were unable to ac* complish your best work or feel at ease. Do you know that intense emotional outbursts, hatred, jealousy, and anger, can and d o affect material substances so that every room in which they occur takes on a depressing environment? T h e s e are n o t superstitions—not sup' positions—but the effects of little known natural laws around us. Obviously, understanding them as do those who have this esoteric knowledge, makes for the m astery o f s u ch circum stances.

U sing Your Intuitio n You have often had the experience of an intuitive im p ression, a hunch or idea that was most enlightening and that seemed to come from nowhere. Do you know that intuition can provide an answer for almost every question, a solution to many predicaments in which you find yourself? Do you know that it can aid you in keeping the affairs of your life in order? Do you further know that this intuitive \ n o w le d g e is part of the great Cosmic intelligence which pervades the en­ tire universe and every cell of your being, and that you can command it to serve you—that you can draw upon it as you will? W hile millions of men and women rely solely upon their brains and the training which is given to them through education, those who know the esoteric wisdom wait for no hunches. They do not rely solely upon their outer minds, but are able to draw upon the vast powers they possess, and which also exist in the Cosmic forces around them. Psychologists today say that man uses only ten per cent of the inherent powers with which he is imbued as a human

P age Thirteen

M an is often a stran g e r to him self. W ith in him is a g re a t in visib le influen ce, an in tu itiv e self w h ich he little un d erstan d s, an d th ereb y denies it expression.

L ife is a m ission. E very o ther definition of life is false, and leads all w ho accep t it a stray . R eligio n , sci' ence, philosophy, tho ugh still at v a ri­ ance upon m any points, all agree in this, th at e v ery existence is an aim . — M azzini. ( A R o sic ru c ia n .)

P age Fourteen

being. The secret brotherhoods have known for cen­ turies how to command and use the other ninety per cent, to round out and enjoy an enriched life. Hun­ dreds of the so-called mysteries are understandable and workable laws of the universe to those who master this esoteric (inner) knowledge. “W h y,” you may ask, “is not this knowledge gen­ erally and widely disseminated to mankind today? W hy, if such illuminating truths exist and are avail­ able to man, is he deprived of them?" W e have shown what occurred in ancient times when the attempt was made to teach man these simple truths. They were often suppressed. Even today, such knowledge cannot be taught to everyone. To those who are sincere in bet­ tering their own lives and advancing humanity, such knowledge becomes a power for good. On the other hand, in the hands of the selfish and the bigoted, the same knowledge might become a factor for misuse and further persecution of the ignorant and the help­ less. But today, as we have said, it has survived because of the careful guardianship of the brotherhood mystery schools and societies. The oldest of these humanitarian societies, world­ wide in extent, and not a religious sect, is the Rosicrucians. It offers to you this knowledge as old as time for the fullness of life, free of any religious intolerance or political or other prejudices or biases. Attune yourself with those who are successful and happy. Cooperate with nature’s laws and revel in the power that comes into your being with the dawn of each day, and abides like an unseen guest in your home, your office, your places of meditation and pleasure.

i You

THE

TO U C H

OF LETTERS AND

C A N IM M ED IATELY C O N V EY N CE M E N PAST TR A G IC EVENTS AND WOMEN w ere relu ctan t to discuss or adm it stran ge p h e n o m e n a in their lives. E xperiences, h ap ­ p en in g s, a n d events w hich could not be e x ­ p lain ed b y the lim ited kn o w led ge of th eir period w ere left un said and unm vestigated . Ign oran ce and p reju d ice relegated the notunderstood functions of the m ind and of the in n er faculties of man to the catego ry of su p er­ n atu ralism — and m ystery.

OBJECTS

IMPRESSIONS

THE H U M A N CONSCIOUSNESS CAN BE IN­ STA N TA N E O U S LY EXTENDED O UT O F THE BODY TO REM O TE PLACES A N D EVENTS.

T he co urageo us, the th in kers, the d u rin g such tim es had to m ake th eir in q u iries into the secrets of n atu re behind elosed doors. T h ey feared a bigoted public o pin io n. lovers o f truth

M E N T A L IMPRESSIONS A N D S IG H T AND

T o d a y, this sham , h yp o crisy and SOUND SENSATIONS C AN BE C O M M U N I­ CATED AT A DISTANCE W IT H O U T PHYSIp reju d ice are abolished. M a n y w elcom e C AL MEANS. truth w ith open arm s; th e y no lo n ger look upon her w ith suspicion or as an un w anted guest. T h ese u n iq ue truth s w hich once had to be concealed and w ell gu ard ed in the ag e of darkn ess, are now brou ght to light by the R osicrucian s. S tran g e h ap p en ings are m ade un d erstan d ab le: th e y are shown to be use­ ful law s, which m ake for gre ate r m astery and en jo ym en t of life b y the in d iv id u al. T h e re is no su p ern atu ralism . E v eryth in g oc­ curs by Cosm ic, n atu ral law . T h ere are no m ysteries, except as our ig n o ran ce and m isun d erstan d in g m ake them ap p ear so. T h ere is no g re a te r th rill than ex p lo rin g the n atu re of yo u rself— and the un iverse in w hich you live. T h ere is no gre ate r confidence than th at w hich is born from u n d erstan d in g. T h ere is no g re a te r pow er b y which you can ach ieve, than th at w hich arises from a useful kn ow ledge such as the R osicrucian teach in gs co n tain. N ow, in the p riv ac y of yo ur home, the n atu re of all such phenom ena, not ju st a few illu s­ tratio n s shown above, w ill be revealed to you in an in tellig e n t, sim ple, and fascin atin g w ay.

H U M A N S RADIATE A M AG N E TIC ENERGY REVEALIN G THEIR TRUE PERSO NALITY. TH O SE IN THEIR PRESENCE CAN SENSE IT AT ONCE.

C H A N G IN G T H O U G H T S INTO TH ING S WE CAN

M E N T A LLY

CREATE USEFUL R EA LI­

TIES FROM OUR IDEAS.

P art T

Pharaoh A m enhotep IV , T rad itio n a l G rand M aster of the A n cien t E gyptian Brotherhood of 13 50 B. C.

hree

I k e Ade-Old Rosi sicru cians V

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*npHE R osicrucians are a fraternal order. They are a -L body of progressive men and women, interested in exhausting the possibilities of life by a sane and sensible use of their heritage of esoteric knowledge and the faculties which they possess as human beings. This knowledge which they cherish, and to which they add further contributions, embraces every realm of human endeavor and every phenomenon of the universe known to man. They are men and women such as you would meet in any gathering of thinking, open-minded, and inquir­ ing people—yet they are to be found in every walk of life, from the humblest to the highest. Your next-door neighbor, perhaps the man or woman who works in the office or shop with you, may be a Rosicrucian. In o ur M o n aste ry li' b rary the sacred, se­ cret m anuscrip ts of the R osicrucian s fu rn ish a n ev er-failin g sup p ly of rare kn o w led ge; the su p p ly seems to be in ­ exh austib le in its ric h ­ ness of illu m in atio n . — F ria r sleigh .

D u d ley

(A

c ia n .)

P age Sixteen

E v er'

R osicru-

The Rosicrucian traditions which have come down by word of mouth, and those which are so often related in literary reference works, tell how the Order had its birth as one of the mystery schools of secret wisdom in ancient Egypt during the 18th Dynasty, or the reign of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV, about 1350 B. C. Its fas' cinating sym b o lism and rituals relate it definitely to the illuminating wisdom of the sages of Egypt and the great centers of learning of the ancient lands of the East. Its first member-students, it is further traditionally re­ lated, met in the secret chambers of the Great Pyramid. In the magnificent temples, as candidates, they were initiated into th e great m ysteries. These legends also recount how its adepts, its great masters and teachers,

imparted some of their wisdom to the builders of King Solomon's magnificent and symbolic temple. M any tomes, rare books, and documents of several centuries ago. reposing in the archives of the Rosicrucian Order in this country and in Europe, describe its early spread from the Orient to that continent in ancient times, and the great influence it had upon the minds of men and women thirsty for knowledge. Some of the world's most celebrated writers, such as Swedenborg, Dumas, and Lord Bulwer-Lytton, have written of its history and its renowned accomplishments. W ith the spread of printing in Europe during the Fifteenth, Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, nu­ merous pamphlets appeared telling of the Rosicrucians and their great work, notably the Fama Fraternitatis Rosae Crucis in 1610, and the Confessio R. \ C. \ Fra­ ternitatis in 1615. The celebrated Sir Francis Bacon is conceded to have been their author. This sudden ap­ pearance of the literature of the Order caused many writers and people of the day to believe, erroneously, that the Rosicrucians had just come into existence as a brotherhood during that period.

The W estern W orld R osicrucians The Rosicrucians first came to America and to the W estern W orld in 1694. A small band of members under the leadership of Johann Kelpius, a Master of one of the Rosicrucian Lodges of Europe, who sought frcedorn o f thinking and of speech and the right to search for truth wherever it might be found, desired the liberty of the new land to the west. They landed in what is now the great city of Philadelphia, and their first colony was located in what became the famous Fairmount Park of that city. Their de­ scendants built a colony at Ephrata.

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P age Seventeen

T he p ictu resq u e old do rm ito ry used b y the un m arried women m em bers of the R osicrucian C o lo ny established at E p h rata. P en n sylv an ia, n e ariy a cenUiry an(j a h aJf a g0

Pennsylvania, and there they constructed the first as­ tronomical observatory in America and the W estern W orld, also the first paper mill; they organized the first American symphonic orchestra and developed the first botanical gardens. Their later leaders and mem­ bers actively participated in the founding of the United States of America as a nation.*

Not a R eligion — N on-Political Since its earliest inception, the Rosicrucian Order has kept free of religious sectarianism and affiliations, desiring rather that each member follow the dictates of his own conscience in religious matters. It has never been involved in political controversies, and has con­ sistently fought superstition, ignorance, and fear, as the greatest enemies of man and the obstacles to his mastery of life.

W h e n n atu re's m any m ysterious activities are understood, man is able to co n quer the so-called “ evil in fluences" w h ich beset his path in life. — Rev. G eorg e B an n ­ in g. ( A R o sic ru c ian .)

Page E ighteen

Today the Rosicrucian Order, as a vast, progressive movement, has Lodges and fraternal Temples through­ out the entire civilized world. It no longer has to be secret in the sense that it conceals its identity. A t the North and South American headquarters of the Order in beautiful Rosicrucian Park, San Jose. California, it maintains for its research, and f o r the benefit o f its vast m em b er s h ip wherever they are located, a research library, science laboratories, a planetarium for astro­ nomical studies, a museum of Egyptian antiquities, a research institute and sanitarium, and extensive admini­ stration buildings. It is today known by its traditional and authentic complete title, the A ncient M ystical O rder Rosae Crucis, (abbreviated A M O RC , and used in that man­ ner tor simplicity).

*T h e fo llow ing are but a few of the m any w ell kn ow n , im p artial lite rary and reference sources re ferrin g to the R osicrucian h isto ry and cu rren t activities of the A M O R C . T h e referen ces ap p ear un d er the sub ject o f "R o sic ru c ia n ." E ncyclopedia B ritan n ica, 14th E dition: E ncyclopedia A m erican a; W in sto n ’s C u m u lativ e Loose-Leaf E ncyclop edia and D ictio n ary: Funk and W a g n a lls ’ N ew S tan d ard D ictio n ary, 1938.

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The explanation of the psychic self. I

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Explanation of and experim ents with the doctrine of reincarnation. How to attain C o sm ic Consciousness.

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The purpose and airectio n of th e ’ emotions.

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The developm ent of will power and memory.

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Developm ent and use of psychic centers. The projection of consciousness.

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The study of the Vital Life Force in man.

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The com parison of the ancient philosophies.

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The Hum an aura— its vibratory effects.

The subjects in which you now indicate your sp e cia l interest will be sent only in their proper $tudy order. However, by knowing and where you may expect them you are thus able to

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