Rosicrucian Digest, November 1941

8/12/2019 Rosicrucian Digest, November 1941

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The size of eachplaque, in any of theexcellent finishes, is

x 8% inches. Ac-curate in every detail.Archaeological records

verify the authenticityof the stone and itsinscription. A limited

supply.

Price 1.00

(includes mailing)

Qn (Jubilation (Jn tone . . .FROM TH E M Y S T I C CITY OF TEL-EL-AMARN

nrh a t which itself is immobile may yel move other things. Alimestone plaque erected over 3000 years ago moved to great e

heights thousands of men and wom en who read its simple wordsin the mystic city of I el-el-Am arna. established by Ph aroah Amenand dedicated to the everlasting God. that this inscription lirst aIt soon transformed mens religious thought, and gave new expretheir spiritual yea rnings . 1 he principal portion of this plaque wagain brought to light in recent years by archaeologists of the Exploration Societyit was then presented to the Rosicrucian O

now reposes as a prominent exhibit in the Rosicrucian Museum.strange fascination for all who see ifas if in some inexplicable mradiates the love and devotion of those who once looked upon itcenturies. It is graven with a double cartouche (seal) ol Aten (symbol of the one great Go d), and bears the inscription : Rejo icinhorizonwho gives life for ever and everLord of heaven. Lord oSo that even- Rosicrucian may have this beautiful, ancient symprayer in his or her sanctum, we offer a highly artistic metal plproduced from the origin al. I he plaqu e is embossed by a die mafrom the stone itself, and is perfect in every d etail. 1 he plaque isas burnished bronze. It wil l insp ire you as you meditate upon the that the original had upon the students and neophytes of themystery schools. A s a reproduction ol a rare Egyp tian antique , it be prized by everyone who sees it. Ord er your plaqu e today. Bemetal shortage this stock could never be replaced at same price.

ROS IC RUC IA N SU PPL Y BUREA U

SAN JO SE, CALIFO RNIA, U. S. A.

THE INSTITUTION BEHIND THIS ANNOUNCEM


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R OSIC R U C IA N C ER EMON Y PER FOR MED A T PY R A MIDS

For the first time in history an elaborate Rosicrucian equinoctial ceremony commemorating the Building ofthe Great Pyramid of Egy pt was conducted on the Sun Pyramid at Teotihuacan, Mexico. On September 21nearly sixty Rosicrucian members of the Quetzalcoatl Lodge in impressive ritualistic robes, accompanied bymany other members, conducted the beautiful traditional ritual with the assistance of the Imperator ofAM ORC . Above. Frater Ruiz, Master of the Quetzalcoatl Lodge of Mexico City, and Colombe SofiaHidalgo are shown on the stairway of the ancient Aztec Pyramid.

(Courtesy of the Rosicrucian Digest.)


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ROSICRUCIAN DIGESTCOVERS THE WORLD

R N A T I O N A L R O S I C R U C I A N M A G A-

R L D - W ID E R O S I C R U C I A N O R D E R

NOVEMBER, 1941

Rosicrucian Ceremony Performed

At Pyramids (Frontispiece)

Thought of the Month: Sacred Cities of the Andes

A Message for Our Time

Evolving Through Music

The Value of Hostility

Research at Rose-Crofx University

The Great Search 378

The Coming Ag e 379

Cathedral Contacts: Knowledge and Experience 382

Pre-Natal Culture Today 385

Man's Primitive Instincts ........... ..... ............... 390

Sanctum Musings: Divine Justice 393Mixtures of Sorrow and Jo y 395

Solemn Rites In Majestic Setting (Illustration) 397

Subscription to the Rosicrucian Digest, Three Dollars per year. Single

copies twenty-five cents each.

Entered as Second Class Matter at the Post Office at San Jose, Cali

fornia, under the Act of August 24th, 1912.

Changes of address must reach us by the tenth of the month preceding

date of issue.

Statements made in this publication are not the official expressions of

the organization or its officers unless stated to be official communications.

Published Monthly by the Supreme Council of

THE ROS ICRUCIAN ORDER AM OR C

ROSICRUC IAN PARK SAN JOSE, CALIFOR NIA

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The following is the first episode of a narration by the Imperator concerning his recjourney by air. train, and pack, into the interior of the Andes to study and film the ancicapital, temples, and cultural remains of the once lost Incan Empire.Editor.

T heRosicrucian

Digest

N ov em ber

1941

HE roar had ceas-ed. The tremorshad diminished toan almost imper-ceptible degree.The giant, twinmo to re d p l anehad once againsuccessful ly ac-complished a rou-tine takeoff. Thesteady pleasingdrone of the pro-pellers told that

their pitch had been changed from thatrequired for the tremendous initial liftto the lesser exertion of cruising. Th edeparture was over. W e relaxed andlooked about. Small, wellshaded lightswhich some passengers had not ex-tinguished, created a crepuscular at-mosphere making indistinct the faces ofour fellow travelers. W e peered up-ward through the small window of oursection. W e had now become one withthe starlit heavens of the very earlymorning. Glancing down, there sprawledbeneath us the great metropolis of LosAngeles. Its principal streets and boule-vards, even at that hour, were outlined

by what appeared at our height likelittle illuminated pearls. In fancy, itseemed as though some genie had be-gun to arrange them geometrically, andthen in confusion or abandon had justscattered them.

This was not a new experience forme. I had flown many times before.Our destination, however, what we

hoped to accomplish, the hazards we might encounter, the sheer mof it, heightened our excitemecould feel my face flush, as I leimagination dwell upon the possibOur goal was the heart of the oldEmpire in the vast Andean regiPeru, a journey to the sites of cof an enigmatic people in a settigrandeur, which 1 was then incof realizing. For approximatelymiles we would fly southward toquipa, Peru, and then begin our sjourney inland.

Aboard the plane with Mrs. Lewis and myself were especially

metal cases of 150 pounds or mmotion picture and still camera ment, films, and accessories. Wused the maximum baggage weiglowance for these, and were forcsacrifice our personal luggage. where enroute we would need toourselves with clothing suitable frugged country we would encand in which we would spend sweeks.

Our mission was not one whiSupreme Grand Lodge or we dividuals had originally conceiv

really was the fulfillment of aRosicrucian tradition. It was theciple that the Rosicrucian Ordepetuate as a heritage, through ficers and members, the culture ancients, their arts, crafts, and inideals. In fact, the Rosicrucian ings of AMORC today are a synof the gleanings of the sages

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past, and the investigations and re-searches of the progressive minds ofthe present. One must be familiar withthe past, or he can never be quite cer-tain that what he undertakes or plansfor the future will not be just a recurranee of what others have done wellbefore him, under a different name orsystem. To many persons it seems thata profound consideration of the livesand achievements of peoples who livedfrom twenty to forty centuries agocould not possibly produce any usefulinformation or knowledge which we ofthe 20th Century need or could use ef-fectively in our living. Th eir conclusionis formed upon the reasoning that ourpresentday civilization, with its indus-tries, arts, sciences, literature, and cul-ture generally, by comparison, reveals

how far we have come from antiquitythe progress we have made. In answerto such persons, we say, as Rosicrucians, it must be realized that progressis not alone indicated in change or inexisting differences, but in the directiontaken; even refinement of a process doesnot signify progress. Lopping off hu-man heads with a broad bronze swordin China, as a method of execution, wasimproved upon in France by the inven-tion of the guillotine, yet the functionof execution still exists; the refinementof its method hardly indicates progressin civilization.

For further consideration, what weremen seeking during the time of Ham-murabi, Solon, and Julius Caesar? Howmuch closer have we come to their goaltoday? Have we all through the cen-turies been travelling in the same direc-tion as they, making true progress, per-haps even inspired to excel them, orhave we been going through just aseries of mock refinements which havenot led us far during the past ten ormore centuries? And, for analogy, dur-ing the Fourth and Fifth Centuries of

the Roman Empire, the period of de-cline, history relates a considerablechange affecting the economic life ofthe peoples. Continual conquest by theRomans had brought into the capitalgreat numbers of prisoners who hadbecome slaves. They were put uponlarge estates owned by the nobles andwealthy. Th ey were able to produce atvery low cost farm products which

flooded into the cities. The small freeRoman farmer, with his few acres ofland, depending upon his own labors,could not compete with this mass farmproduction and slave labor. He aban-doned his few acres, which were ab-sorbed into the larger estates of thewealthy, and he, with thousands of hiskind, came to Rome to seek a livelihood.They became disinclined to work atvery menial and laborious duties, suchas the slaves did, for that would haveput a stigma upon them. Consequentlythe Roman state, through everincreas-ing taxation, started various projects athigh wages to keep them occupied, suchas the building of amphitheatres, ex-tensive roads, aqueducts, etc.some ofthe things needed, most of them not.

Political parties at Rome vied witheach other to keep these masses of thepeople appeased by pretentious enter-tainments and doles of free grain andeven clothes. This class of people ob-viously became pampered and subse-quently more and more arrogant in theirdemands upon the government. At thetime, however, none of them gave anyevidence that they saw in what was oc-curring any menace to their civilization.In fact, they were confident that theRoman Empire would go on indefinite-ly. The point I wish to bring out hereis, to them times were only differentand

changing, and they made the great er-ror of conceiving difference and changeonly as aspects of progress. As welook around us today, we can drawparallels between that period of the an-cient Roman Empire and our presentworld. All too often those who are notstudents of the past erroneously acceptan actual decline as a new order.

It is readily and proudly concededthat in a strictly material sense, man'sworld has advanced. Th e environment,under his control, has correspondinglydeveloped with his objectivism. His

greater power of reason is reflected inhis ability to meet and conquer whatwere once insurmountable physical bar-riers. Th e elaboration of old and addi-tion of new sciences have made it pos-sible for him to pyramid his worldly ac-complishments of the past. Th e aque-duct of Rome falls into insignificance,for example, beside the colossal reser-voir lakes and dams of today. Our ir

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T h e

R o s i c r u c i a n

D i gest

N o v em ber

1941

rigation systems make those of theEgyptians, Greeks, and Romans ele-mentary by comparison. At no time inhistory, not even during the gloriousAge of Pericles, had art, in one expres-sion or another, the common apprecia-tion it now enjoys. Further, at no time

was there such a great percentage of apopulace participating in art as a hobbyor otherwise. Time has heightened theability of man to coordinate his innatesense of beauty with what he objective-ly conceives to harmonize with it. Helooks upon or sees a thing and instinc-tively he finds a gratifying response toit. Further, he has come to material-ize his ideals of beauty more, to forcethem to have an external independentreality.

W hat o f the psychic nature of man?Have we substantially progressed be-

yond the motivating inner forces had,for example, by the ancient Greeks?Can we conscientiously say we havemystically, or spiritually (if you preferthat term) transcended the Egyptian ofthe Memphite Period nearly 6000 yearsago? It is not a question of whether wehave more complex or highly elaboraterites, ceremonies, philosophies, and re-ligions today. Further, it is not a ques-tion of what greater perspicuity ourreligions and philosophies have in com-parison to those of antiquity. Rather,it resolves down to whether weman-

kind as a whole have been able toabandon today any fundamental urgeor sentiment upon which was foundedthe early religious, mystical, and phi-losophical concepts or whether wehave developed even one or more im-manent sentiments as causes for newspiritual perceptions. All religions to-day, systems of mysticism, and otherthan physical philosophies, no matterhow diversified their tenets, are rootedin the same unutterable sentimentswhich have always been within thebreasts of men. Fifty centuries ago

man had an undeniable realization ofself. Today he has the same. Fiftycenturies ago man also conceived whatamounted to a doctrine of immortalitythat that which is not the body is notcorruptible and in some manner mustsurvive socalled death, and today mil-lions still believe likewise. And thenalso men were faced by conscience , andwithin their minds could see paths

plainly designated as to the rigwrong course of human actionconscience still remains today. Thout the centuries men have clunciously to the belief prompted inthat some Being, Intelligence, God, or Force governs and dire

Our Twentieth Century has sshorn that intuitive impulse of itdeclarations. W e have greatly inualized our conceptions of these sentiments. W e have tried to alize and make them conform toer experience, but they persisttheir intangible substance have ed unchanged by time, or our obje

Because of a realization of tsome time back, I had formopinion that the homogeneity owell developed and complex rof the primitive peoples was not

them having a common origin athought. Many writers, some ians, archeologists, and anthrophave speculated upon the remsimilarity of the rites and ceremoancient or primitive peoples livmotely from each other. Th e coical explanations of those early pwhere they originated, and hworld began are startlingly alikalso their veneration of some cardinal virtues. These writers, speculations, presume that suchknowledge was transmitted by

from one people to another, there was a migration of a peopone continent to another, and thcomers introduced their old conthe inhabitants of the new lanfew instances possibly such pcontacts were established, accfor a merging of religious customthe other hand, there are primitiples having extremely highly dereligious customs, strikingly simthose had by another people imote section of the world, anhave not even had a legend or

suggesting that their knowledgthrough such races of peoples, they even knew of them.

If, after thousands of yeapsychic or inner self of man hasence and effect remained unaltenvironment or objective cultuthe theurgical and sacerdotal pwhich are always associated witonly the consequence of the

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state or quickening of the consciousnessthrough which man is passing at thetime. For further analogy, a whitelight looked at through red glasses mayappear red, while through blue, it willseem blue. No matter, therefore, what

men are concerned, where they are lo-cated in the world, or to what period oftime they belong, and whether theyhave ever known each other or not. ifusing the same glasses when peeringinto the same light they will all have thesame experience of color sensation.This quickening of consciousness is aprogressive development. One must risestep by step. Some may climb faster,but none can avoid any step in theelevation. Therefore, men in remotesections of the world, removed alsopossibly by centuries in time, have

ascended to a certain stage of mentaldevelopment and quickening of con-sciousness; they will manifest nearlyidentical outer expressions in the rhy-thm of their bodies, in the meanings ofthe wordsuttered or inscribedwhichindicate their realization of the mys-teries of their psychic selves.

If this hypothesis could be furtherconfirmed in the land of the Incas, itwould disclose no exact or perfe ct re-ligion, and no philosophy as a completepanacea for all human errors. It wouldshow man no closer to God as a realitythan he was 6000 years ago in the Nile

Valley, nor any further removed. Itwould make emphatic the necessity ofunderstanding self, of a full unity be-tween the intellectual and psychical as-pects of man. It would disclose the realbeauty of myticism, for God would al-

ways be perfect, as perfect as the hu-man consciousness could conceive Him.Man could never transcend his God,for any change would be of conceptiononly, not in his true relationship to theSupreme Being. When it would berealized that there would never be afinal step or stage where a man now, ora million years hence, would absolutelyknow the Supreme Being in all his Cos-mic magnitude, for the conceptions ofGod are as Infinite as his nature, menwould then discard religious intoler-ance. The words of Max Muller

There never was a false God, nor wasthere ever really a false religion, unlessyou call a child a false man"will thenbecome a maxim all will take to heart.These then were the principal reasonsand hopes for fulfillment, for which wewere flying southward, via Pan Ameri-can, at nearly 200 miles per hour.

The passengers were again fasteningtheir safety belts. Th e plane was dip-ping and rapidly dropping altitude inpreparation for landing at the MexicoCity airport. After nearly fourteenhours of flying, we were completingbut the first lap of the long journeyand adventure.

TH E M E A N IN G O F N O S TRA D A M US O RA C LES

Many have read the oracles of Nostramadus and made their own interpretations. Younow have the opportunity to read the interpretation of these oracles in the light of definiteevents, including the present time. A new book has just been released entitled Nostra-damus On Napoleon, Hitler and the Present Crisis, by Stewart Robb. In an announce-ment concerning this book the publisher says: More clearly and unmistakably than everbefore this book shows the unique quality and accuracy of the oracles': It is a searchingand scholarly study that cites quatrain after quatrain in which Nostradamus' predictions

can be applied to events that have happened only once in the worlds history. Moreover,in many cases, Nostradamus prophesied events of major importance by month, by year,by place: naming the persons involved and predicting the exact happening. Discussedfrom the viewpoint and knowledge of today, there are prophecies suggesting the partplayed in the present war by England, Germany, France, Italy, Greece, Spain, andRussia. There are a group of quatrains involving contemporary figures. Th e book con-cludes with the period after the war and predictions of a world federation. Everyoneinterested in prophecy and the writings of this mystic of the past will enjoy this com-mentary on his famous oracles. W e are very pleased that by special arrangement withthe publisher of this book it can be supplied at the economical price of two dollars post-paid. Send your order to the Rosicrucian Supply Bureau, Rosicrucian Park, San Jose,California.

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T h e

Ros i c ru c i an

D iges t

N o v emb er

1941

A M essage Fo r O u r T i m eByC e c i l A. P o o l e , F. R. C . , Supreme Secretary

The fol low ing is an excerpt from a message prepared by the Supreme Secretary to delivered to the members assembled at a rally conducted recently by the Milwaukee Chater of AMORC.

E DITO R.

E C A U S E o f a d -vances in moderns c i e n c e i n a l lphases, man hasa richer heritagetoday than he hasever had in thepast . Histor ica lrecords are morec o m p l e t e a n dmore accurate .Archa eolog ica ldiscoveries havehelped to fill the

gaps in the story of mans development,but regardless of what may be the past,all men in every age have had to live inthe present and that present is mansimmediate problem. He concerns him-self with it in order to insure that futuremoment when it, too, will be the pres-ent. The present does not run evenly.Some present moments bring happiness,some bring grief. Try ing times demandthe best of all men. It was an earlyAmerican patriot, Thomas Paine who,in referring to the times in which hewrote, began one of his famous essays

with the words: These are the timesthat try mens souls. Exactly whatwas his interpretation of these wordswe know only from contemporary writ-ers. Surely he did believe that the soulof man was being tested, because themen with whom he was working werestriving for the ideals upon which liber-ty is founded.

It is interesting to contemplatthese words of Thomas Paine, were so applicable to the early hof this country, are again applicahumanity as a whole today. Bepart of this world, in fact an indicitizen, the Rosicrucian must take her place in today's world: musttion in order to uphold ideals whsome countries, force is attemptcrumble. It has been repeatedly in communications and publicatithis organization that the duty Rosicrucian is to his God and his

try. Th is is a generalization, in thduties of the Rosicrucian are maneach specific duty must be carriewith the idea of seeing beyond tmediate end to be accomplishethereby serving to the fullest exthis ability. Duty actually includholding, to the best of the indiability of each Rosicrucian, the which this fraternity representwhich the individual, in seeking tion with the organization, uphohis or her own thinking and aspattain. Th ere are difficult decisi

be made today. W e may not allwith all the policies and procesbring about certain conclusion

methods of procedure. Therefor

must at times lay aside our own opto uphold the will of the majorit

the decisions of those to whom w

entrusted our political destiny.

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As individuals, we must rememberthat we are attempting to represent inour lives, and to put into practice in ourdaily living, many things which are inreality the values of which some peoplein the world today are being deprived.Therefore, it is not wise that we shouldminimize our own importance. It isbetter judgment on our part to realizethat the obligation which we have as-sumed is not one merely of gratifyingpersonal ambitions by the gaining ofcertain individual development, but ofhelping others also to see the true lightof wisdom and knowledge. Th e Rosicrucian seeks to develop his own abili-ties. He seeks to bring about the prac-tical manifestation in accordance withthe laws of God and the Cosmic; tohave function in and through him theabilities and gifts with which we areendowed. In so doing, regardless ofthe time and effort he may put forth inbringing about this desired end, it isnot done with a selfish motive. Every-thing we do is to better fit ourselvesinto the environment of which we area part. Therefore , everything which wedo is, in turn, a contributing factor tothe improvement of that environmentand our fellowmen who compose it. Ifwe fail to recognize this, we are failingto carry into practical living an example

of the ideals for which all free peoplestrive.

Unrest and hostility in the world to-day are not necessarily signs that civ-ilization and its ideals have failed, be-cause these periods have existed before.However, it is truly an indication thatthere have been too few in the worldwho have recognized the true value ofthe individual and the Godgiven pow-ers with which he is endowed, whichshould be developed for the benefit ofman and the glory of God, and not

strictly for the acquisition of materialwants. As an institution this organiza-tion assumes the responsibility of plac-ing into the hands of sincere seekersthe tools by which they can developthese abilities to make themselves hap-pier to teach them to live in accordwith the purposes for which they arehere. These tools are important factorsto be made available to those who seek.Therefore, those who seek must do soin humility and must come not only to

gain knowledge, but to gain experienceand prove their worthiness to use thesetools. No one can have knowledge tothe point where he or she is exemptfrom experience. Tha t is why Rosicrucianism presents constantly the applica-tion of the principles which will bringforth the abilities which man seeks.

Many of our members today whohave sincerely and patiently soughtthese attainments have had untold suf-fering brought to them. Rosicrucianismis not confined to this country or to thishemisphere it is worldwide. I havehad brought closely to me the sufferingand sacrifice of our own members asthe result of the European hostilities.Many have passed through transition.Many have sacrificed their homes andfortunes and lost their loved ones whenthey themselves have devoted theirlives and purposes to peace and con-structive attainment. No one but thetrue mystic can see the meaning behindthis. He who is only superficially liv-ing, or intending to live, the ideals oftrue cooperation with the Cosmic forcesis apt to become cynical and claim thatafter all there is no God, there is nopurpose. But the evidence of purposeis found in the lives of many of theseindividuals who, having come throughsacrifices which many of us cannotrealize, are the most steadfast and sanein their convictions.

How many of us assign proper valueto the things which mean most to usuntil they are denied us? Because wehave failed to do so does not minimizethe value. If all that makes us what weare today were denied us, we could notclaim that those things which broughtus happiness, inspiration and joy wereof no value because they were takenaway. W e would then see where wehad failed to appreciate the value that

was inherent in those things which areabout us. The perspective developedby the true student of nature enableshim to realize that he is but a point inthe Cosmic scheme, but just as allpoints go to make a line and all linesgo to make a surface, so each has itsparticular part to play.

It is a purpose of the Rosicrucianphilosophy to make man cognizant ofhis true place in the scheme of the uni-verse; to place an accent upon the de

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velopment of his Godgiven faculties,which make it possible for him to livein harmony with all laws. Man is ofdual originphysical and spiritual. Hispsychic abilities are usually somewhatdormant and need development in order

that he may be brought to the pointwhere he has gained the ability to per-ceive beyond the limitations of the fivephysical senses. So it is that membersof this organization are attempting tobecome what is familiarly called psy-chic. To many, among the uninitiated,the individual who is psychic is con-sidered to a certain extent a freak" oreven a charlatan . Those attributeswhich are held in the minds of many inconnection with the word psychic arefactors which are not considered asparts of the normal development of thehuman being. It is our duty and obli-gation to break down such an attitude.There is a great deal occurring daily inthis country to uphold the attitude ofthis popular conception. It is amazingthe individuals and socalled organiza-tions who uphold practices and prin-ciples which would confirm these popu-lar opinions. The real fact is that thepersons who have true psychic develop-ment are the most normal and mostperfectly balanced of all human beings.They are the individuals who take theirstand in society in all humbleness andyet in firm determination to hold their

true place. Th eir outward appearancedoes not brand them as peculiar, buttheir steady hand and general appear-ance demand respect; their words arefew but positive and forceful; theirhabits are inconspicuous, but they arereal and radiate peace and harmony tothose who contact them. The trulypsychic individuals, regardless of whatstage their psychic development mayhave reached, have devoted certainperiods of time to the development of akeener objective cognition of subjective

impressions. They have not cothemselves to gaining an encyclknowledge. They have put bknowledge into practice step byThey realize that man has the abiinterpret by his own objective th

all impressions which enter intosciousness, and they further knowas they interpret these impressionrectly, they are using their abmore efficiently, and in turn, areing possible the application oknowledge so gained. Interprethen, is a task to which we must ourselves. W e must i nt er pr eknowledge, all impressions, and ustand that such interpretation ilimited to our physical existencemust realize that balance and harare of prime importance, and tha

must interpret his objective impreas well as his subjective onerealizing that in our daily lives nance has been given and is givthe objective, man realizes that also is the obligation upon his pincreasing the ability to gain kedge from the Cosmic to hearstrongly and clearly that voice oftion which directs man more ththe reasoning in the world.

My message to you, then, is tin harmony with the laws of GoNature; work to conform to the k

edge which is yours and which iincreasing. Determine to fulfillpart in this world by the practicazation of the knowledge which yoobtaining, and by putting into eence the simple exercises and prinwhich will make you actually livknowledge, and thereby show toworld an example that the asmystic is the human being whomally is living the most balancemost ideal life. That is the true of Rosicrucianism in the world

T h e


D i g e st

N o v em b e r

1941

L IS T E N T O T H E S E LO S A N G E L ES A N N O U N C E M E N T S

Hermes Lodge of the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC, in Los Angeles, California, h

announcements concerning its activities made over Radio Station KM'i'R, Hollwoo

each Thursday at 2:30 P. M. Th e announcements tell of plans for fraternal picnics,

public lectures, of numerous other things included on their interesting agenda. Tune

and learn of the Rosicrucian activitiesand then participate in them.

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Evo l v i ng Th rou gh M usi c

By SOROR K a T HA RIN A M . S C H E N D E L

ELVING into an-cient mythology,we find sometimesa very peculiar,and today noteasily understood,form or symbol ofadoration of god-ly personalities.The Egypt ia ns ,C h a l d e a n s ,Greeks, and laterthe Romans, often

venerated some of

their many gods in the form of animals;or they even complicated this religiouscomplex by forming idols of halfbeastand halfman. As the most generallyknown leftover of such early religiousconcepts we have the enigmatic figureof the Sphinx which is the characteristicadornment of the very old pyramid ofGizeh, and which shows the body of alion with human head and breasts. An-other remainder we find in the chaldeanzodiac as the "Archer" or Sagittarius:halfhorse, halfman.

Meditating upon the probable signifi-

cance or the hidden idea behind suchimages, there develops a highly psy-chological solution of the problem, re-lated to thethrough ages and agespowerful priesthood of ancient days.Members of this priesthood alwaysbeing very zealous in guarding theirsecret knowledge of natures universallaws which was held sacred and underno circumstances revealed or divulgedto the profane


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T h e


D i g e st

N o v em b e r

1941

To our much greater present dayunderstanding of mans dual nature, thesignificance of those symbols is en-hanced by the almost generally knownfact that a great part of the wholenervous system of our bodies is underthe control of the autonomous or sym-

pathetic nervous system, and thatmeans that it directly obeys natureslaws decreed by God. W ith the exer-cising of our socalled free will and de-cision we are, cosmically, supposed tobring the other part, namely the volun-tary and dependent central nervoussystem, in coordination with this per-fectly working autonomous system.Misinterpretations of the faint direc-tions, which come to the brain of manfrom the depths of his subconscioussympathetic nervous system, very oftencause him false conceptions of what isright or wrong, or good or bad in rela-

tion to his state of perfect balance andequilibrium, which is called health. Dis-eases appear through the breaking ofthis law of coordination equilibrium.

Here lies the reason why a newbornchild which, of course, is not then ableto direct its outer will properties againstthis lawas adult people so often dois normally in such good health. Herethe inner and the outer will, or in otherwords the involuntary and the volun-tary nervous systems, have not yet lostthe inherent power of coordination,equilibrium and harmony, for whichstate of balance they are created. Per-haps, here too lies the secret of a longand youthful, beautiful and splendidlife, useful because of its equal valuesof physically, mentally and spirituallybalanced development. The quite oftenmentioned Elixir of Life, that magicaldrink to give back youth and health tothe old body, is only a chimera as longas certain basic rules or laws of natureare not faithfully obeyed. And in thatcase, if they are obeyed, vitamins, salts,hormones, magnetized food or drink,periods of fasting, etc., would do thesame or better than this famous, and in

fact never found, elixir, that supposedcatalyzer of catalysts (this special de-signation belonging really to love and,much more so, to metaphysics).

Nature does not work abruptly orwithout law and order, but follows al-ways a sequence of involved laws. Thenonviolation of any of these laws is

the reason, too, that a child in hfew years is almost entirely undcontrol of the cosmic subjectivesciousness and not under that objective or brainconsciousness, in that happy state of mind that know children possess in their

years of life. Adults with their oped brainconsciousness, or inovershadowing all higher and pperceptions, find it very hard, if npossible, to reach this state of ness and harmonium again, knowdirecting themselves thereto, instebeing directedfrom higher sourlawsas in the case of the child

One of the most wonderfustrongest coordinators of both nesystems is music. In the first music possesses that rhythm whso essential and so natural in thformance of the processes upon

the continuation of life depends, may easily observe in laboratoriethe other hand, music, as compoharmoniously following series or of vibrations, stimulates and both nervous systems beneficiallyhealth and joygiving manner;the sympathetic is stimulatedthrough this the central nervous s

Trying to prove all this, be careyour definition of real musicthapotential metaphysical agentannow so often found perverted ction of poor music, dissected andsected; which is nothing else but offending noise, disobeying the ruharmony, which may also severelturb the nerves instead of brcalmness and joy to the mind and

The higher the nervous systempersonality are evolved through tance or education, the higher avibrations of music needed for a hand uplifting nervestimulationnervetonic. One can safely sajudging another person: Te ll mekind of music you like and I wyou who you are, or where you your spiritual development. Eve

healthy music, from the simplelore song to the most intricatephony, is of many and different ties. One might say that each cotion of music bears within it the tance of its composers personalacteristics and also the characteof the race or nation to which the

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poser belongs. One may think of thepeculiar characteristics of French orItalian music as against that so verydifferent melancholic undertone inSlavic music. Or think of Spanish

music in comparison with Teutonicmusic. As you see, the differences aremore than obvious, they are astound-ing. Of course, if we go as far as totake into comparative consideration alsothe oriental music of Arabs, Chinese,etc., then the differences in style andtechnique are still greater. Th e na-tional or racial traits in the music of agiven composer are generally felt andliked much more by his own people thanby people of other nations, who sensethe strangeness of foreign customsoften in an upsetting and exotic man-ner. Besides all these peculiarities, andregarding only the very unique psy-chological value which is the inbornquality of each and every harmonicscale and tone and note of music, allthese kinds of music unite in one uni-versal purpose, and that is to stimulate,to uplift and to coordinate both bodyand mind, the heart and the soul. Theregular music, which we find in thou-sands of compositions of musicians offormer times and modern times as well,fulfills this purpose very well indeed.

Amongst the many compositionswhich serve well every day needs, wefind here and there, once in a while,some piece which suddenly becomes tous a priceless, precious gift of a genius;a setting of notes which is the deepestprayer to God and which accompaniesus to the metaphysical heights of Cos-mic Consciousness and perfect attunement with the Cosmic Soul; better said,the spirit of this piece of music guidesus thereto, bringing us revelations of anextraordinary kind. Th e gates to heav-en being open, one no longer remem-bers the earthly existence or the physi-cal needsfor a while.

Now, going still a few steps higherinto the cosmic realms, there we recog-nize the socalled Music of theSpheres," which must be the resume orthe blending of all of the cosmic vibra-tions in the fulfillment of the Laws ofGod's Creation; and this serves us asthe highest example of that which hasbeen told here.

Music can and does transmute eachand every sensation of our outer senses

to their highest point of metaphysicalexpression. The colors our eyes seecan be transmuted into music rhythmand tone, the same as are the soundsour ear can hear. Th e transfigurationof smell and taste is known to many.Last, and most important: our feelingsfrom physical depths to metaphysicalheights have their last and most won-derful transmutation into the vibrationsof music. The W or d which Godspoke in the beginning of the creation,as we are told in Genesis, was pro-

jected music in its fullest and allincluding vibratory potential; for ushumans not fully understandable in itscomplete scope. W e are allowed only acomprehensive glimpse of the scale ofinvolved laws (like concentric circles)in His Creation, and this only throughour attained Cosmic Consciousness.

When we have the feeling of some-thing most beautiful in nature, it maybe a landscape, a precious stone, aflower, tree or animal, or a perfect hu-man form, we wish to express it withthe highest poetical wordenthusiasm,and when this does not suffice we reachas the last term of expression: music.And in music, there begins at first theduality of all that we meet and observein nature, the negative and the positivepoles; or Moll and Dur,* as it is tech-nically called in music. So love, too, isa matter in Moll and Dur. And manhimself is created in Moll and Dur.Even his autonomous nervous systemhas its subdivision: parasympatheticin Moll, and sympathetic in Dur. Andso is every cell in the body; the Mollprotoplasmmatter and the Durnucleusessence. Our individual lack in Durqualities determines our weaker orstronger personalities and our individ-ual ability to reach a higher or lowerdegree of harmonium. A few may evenbe able to discern from afar the FataMorgana of the ultimate godly perfec-

tion. History and all that which weknow about man has told us that man-kind was always lacking in the divineDurqualities, and always had an over-abundant supply of Mollqualities, inthis way stumbling into disequilibriumand Karma, for a given individual aswell as for a given nation or race.

The tonality or key in music:Moll is commonly called in EnglishFlatMinorDur is commonly called in EnglishSharpMajor

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Acquiring such a standpoint, but alsonever forgetting that we are nothingmore than humble human beings sub-ject to error and sin, we may eventhink of God as being the true positiveopposite to the true negative mankind,involving a process like a diffusion ofboth qualities to a certain degree. Andhere arises the interesting question formankind: Does this process of os-mosis go on further and further?

V V

God, the Cosmos, and Mankinthis way form the Great Trinitylonging together inseparably. musicvibration plays its divine rthis triangle of perfection. In ththentic Word of Godthe cirthe triangle lies the metaphysmusic: its spiritvibration without mbut creating matter. And through physics we are evolving theternities.

V

T h e Va l ue o f H ost i l i t y

B y F r a t e r L e r o y L . B e a c h

T HAS been said,Extreme condi-tions contributestrength to theiroppos i t es . Sohas it always beenand so shall it al-ways be, for thisis a great naturallaw. The bestproof of the worthof a good is to

hear it condemnedby the wicked, forsuch condemnation gives merit to theprinciple when the quality of the judgeis considered.

How could man till the soil if it of-fered no resistance to the plow? Howcould the sun give light to the earth ifthere were no darkness? Or to whatuse could the schools of learning be putif all men were born objectively brilliant?

If a man be possessed with the facul-ty to realize the truth, should he fileaway in his own mind the true facts,

and follow the path of least resistancefor fear of the ridicule of his fellowT h e men? General opinion is no proof of

the truth, for the bulk of mans knowledge is founded on illusion and fused

t8est with deception. Profundity cannot beN ov em ber effaced, nor the fruits of the profound1941 affected one particle by the criticism of

the ignorant, for their censure is in the light of its frailty. Can thewho is devoid of knowledge passment on the doctrines of his tutor

Fear not to propound those prinwhich you know to be right, fomortal brain of man is not the sujudge of their merits; and remthat no truth was ever accepted afor time alone will bring public opinto concurrence. When such corence is effected, the truth shall b

a monument, solid in foundationendeared to the hearts of men.

How could a man have a greatlect if there were no fools? Whenaround you ridicule your worddeeds, let not this flood of mortal ance wash away a single stone froedifice of truth, but tolerate theigivings, for this is merely fulfillmthe great law: The deeper is the hiation. the greater shall be the vA clergyman has said, The Restion of Christ was not within threeof the Transfiguration, but withindays of the Crucifixion.

When all of your hopes and dseem to go wrong, the very rectyou propound and hold sacred arup to public mockery, and youyourself sinking deeper into the dof despair, stop and rejoice, for vis at hand.

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Research AtRose-Croi x U ni v ersi t yBy E r w i n W a t e r m e y e r , F. R. C.

This article, and others to fol low from time to time in the pages of the "Rosicrucian

Digest during the course of the next year, are contributions of Frater Erwin Watermeyerwho will, for the coming year, carry on specified research in the laboratories of the Rose-Croix Universi ty at Rosicrucian Park under the direction of the Imperator. The results ofhis work will be made available to members, and certain of his activities will be announcedin special communications to members of the organization.

SUPREME SECRETARY.

HIS fall semesterinitiates a newcycle for severalactivities at RoseCroix University.For the first timesince the uni-

versity openedits gates to thes t u d e n t s o fA M O R C , i t i snot only opera-t iv e d u r in g as in g le s u m m e r

month, but is continuing its work dur-ing the entire year. Th e university isnow offering to its students courses inthe arts and sciences, and at the sametime it is planning to carry out a pro-gram of extensive research. The courseswhich are now being offered by the

university have been fully described invarious publications of the Order. Forthis reason the present article will main-ly discuss the research plans. It is theaim of this department of the Rosi-crucian Digest to acquaint you whoare members of the Order with ourvarious plans and problems, and there-by enable you to obtain a clear mentalpicture of the numerous objectiveswhich the university is aiming to ac-complish. Naturally, it will be impos-

sible to present the entire research pro-gram of the university within the shortspace of a single article. Therefore thisarticle must be considered as the firstone of a series, serving as an introduc-tion to future articles to follow.

The word research is now so gen-

erally used that it has almost lost itstrue meaning. Almost every kind ofactivity, even the most trivial, which re-quires the investigation of facts is beinglabelled research. For this reason,let us inquire at the outset what thisword actually signifies.

It is the aim of every research to dis-cover new facts, using the scientificmethod in its investigation. A researchis a critical exploration of phenomenawhich occur in nature. It is the purposeof research to add to and to extendhuman knowledge. Th e human mind

proposes a question to nature. Theroad which man must pursue to elicit areply constitutes the research. Themethod of research is that of scientificexperimentation. The result of researchis to add to the body of knowledge andtruth. It follows, therefore, that it isthe aim of research to discover factswhich are new and have not been dis-covered before. This is what manypersons overlook when they use theword research. Research does not con

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T h e


D iges t

N o v em ber

1941

stitute a search amongst facts whichare already known. True research pro-gresses from what is known onward tothe unknown; it is a means to an end,an instrument designed to aid in thesearch for truth.

During the current period of civiliza-

tion much effort and energy are beingspent upon problems of research. Everylarge industrial and educational institu-tion possesses extensive research facili-ties. These facilities differ according tothe nature and needs of the differentinstitutions. Most industries have asso-ciated with them huge electrical andchemical laboratories. Universities pos-sess large libraries and collections inwhich research may be carried on. Butall research facilities differ in theirstructure. Each research laboratorymust be adapted to those special prob-

lems which fit the specific requirementsof the institution to which it is attached.Thus research at RoseCroix Universitymust move in synchronism with theprogram of the Rosicrucian Order.

The Rosicrucian Order is a humani-tarian fraternity. Its members havepledged themselves to serve and to aidmankind. It is the aim of the Rosicru-cian teachings to teach man to raise thelevel of his consciousness, to enlargehis circle of vision so that he may be-come a responsible selfaware link inthe chain of evolution of humanity. The

members of the Order are students,and the course of carefully guidedstudy which each member pursues is de-signed to equip him efficiently to ac-complish the aims of the Order. Theresearch activities at RoseCroix Uni-versity are being designed to fit intothe general plan of the Order. It is theobject of these researches to examineexisting methods and to discover newtechniques which will affect the evolu-tion of human consciousness.

There are many research problemswhich our RoseCroix University is

better equipped to pursue than most in-stitutions. The Rosicrucian principlesare unique. Th eir practical applicationin many fields of human endeavor isone of the most valuable contributionswhich the RoseCroix University iscapable of making. It would be a mis-take if the research aims of our univer-sity were to duplicate the excellentwork that is already being performed

at the mundane educational institof our time. The work at mundanversities has become channelized. objectives have become fixed. It rigidity of research aims which wRosicrucians are endeavoring to b

There are several roads of inve

tion along which research at Croix University could bear vafruit. Let us enumerate a few:

1. Investigations and researchthe field of the Rosicrucian teacand principles themselves.

2. Creation of methods designaid the members of our Order ining their missions in life.

3. Researches into methods will develop the faculties of crimagination.

4. Investigations concerning thture of subjective perception.

5. Application of Rosicrucian ciples to special fields, such as teducation.

6. Investigation of problems are being neglected at present by dox science due to prejudice.

Naturally, this enumeration bmeans exhausts the list of possibMany other research problems couadded to it. However, in this enution, I have sketched only those gdirections along which investigatmost immediate and most importamust also be borne in mind that

program of activities possesses anature. It must not only considmediate aims, but must also serve ends. In these articles we shalsider some of the topics which habeen enumerated. W e shall discuproblems which they imply ansolutions which we hope to accomThe reader will note that these vfields of research are all interrThey all are sections of the gplan.

The most immediate problem, we are studying at present, is the

tion of suitable methods designedthe members of our Order in ftheir missions in life. As Rosicreach one of us is aware of the fahis life has a mission. The realizathis mission proceeds in several First we must discover the natthis mission. Thereafter, we mustourselves for it and then work stoward its fulfillment. It is the

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T h e

Ros i c r t i c i an

D i gest

N ov em ber

1941

tion of psychic phenomena has alwaysbeen most difficult. The reason for thisdifficulty lies in the fact that psychicphenomena are not of a material na-ture. The y take place outside the do-main of space and time. Th ey are pro-

ducts of mans subjective conscious-ness, and are only perceived by man'spsychic consciousness. However, theelusiveness of subjective phenomena,due to the fact that they are only sub-

jectively perceived, can partly be over-come by the fact that such subjectiveperception may reflect in objective be-havior. To provide an example: If apersons emotions may be aroused to afeeling of ecstasy, this feeling will re-flect objectively in such manners aschanges in heartbeat, in pulse rate, inrespiration. Only by such changes inobjective behavior may the effects ofcertain psychic causes be objectivelymeasured by instruments. Thus by de-

vising suitable instruments it is poto investigate subjective phenomen

Therefore, our aim to constructing instruments will serve a dualpose first, such instruments withe individual to become acqua

with himself and his own capacsecond, they will be suitable for thvestigation of subjective phenome

It has been my aim in this brieticle to present the fundamental cepts regarding the meaning of resat our RoseCroix University, andgeneral research problems which winterested in solving. In future arwe shall discuss in greater detaivarious methods and instruments wwe are planning to construct anprecise aims which they are designaccomplish. The program of resat RoseCroix University is a vastW e are now laying the foundstones of a large edifice.

V V V

T h e G reat SearchB y S o r o r E d i t h S t u r g e o n

H E R E are manyi n t h i s g r e a tsearch who lookonly for materialthings. There are

t h o s e t o w h o m the indulgence insensual pleasuresmeans happiness,those to whomm o n e y m e a n shap p i ne ss . A l lthese may findt h o s e m a t e r i a l

things for which they sought only todiscover that life has become emptyand devoid of hope; that its beauty haspassed them by.

But there are also those few more

fortunate ones who often in the searchfor knowledge, and in the desire togain greater wisdom, have come uponthe Path illumined by those Divine lawsof God and Nature known only to themystic and the master minds. Then ifthe seeker is so fortunate as to con-tinue on the Path, once having foundit, never turning down dark and devi-ous sidetrails that only end in disap-

pointment, there takes place withina great unfolding of the Inner And here ends the quest for happ

He knows a deeper and more lsatisfaction than he has ever foun

fore in the study of the great lawprinciples as expressed in man anture. He finds a keener joy than hever found in ap plying these lawprinciples to his everyday affairsdiscovers at the same time that than ever before he is becoming perous and enjoying the material tthat were placed here for the benemankind. He learns too, the true ming of service; and it gives him ghappiness to do in a humble spirutmost to help those grasping in ness, to place their feet upon the

that leads to greater attainment ansame joy that he himself has founBut, most of all, by learning to

within and by attuning his oobjective mind, with the inner, jective mind, he learns to repose Cosmic Consciousness and therebceive Inspiration and Illuminationthat Peace Profound that passetunderstanding.

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T h e Com i ng A ge

ByT h o r K i i m a l e h t o , Sovereign Grand Master

OU have heardmany times the

statement madethat on this con-tinent the newrace is beginningto be formed. Youhave heard thatwhen this world-w i d e s t r u g g l ehas ceased, thebrave, new worldof our dreamswill emerge. You

have heard of the Divine Plan for hu-manity in which each race, each nationplays its part. It is consoling andstrengthening to know that there is aDivine Plan, that our world will notdisappear in chaos, and that inspiringand helping us all along the way arethe silent and invisible Guardians ofhumanity.

The point to be borne in mind is thatthese plans imply the cooperation of thehuman race. There is a tendency onthe part of even understanding and in-telligent people to rely almost whollyon the invisible worlds. There is a

tendency to sit with folded hands andrely on holding a thought and utter-ing a prayer or an affirmation. Fa r beit from me to underestimate the powerof a prayer or an affirmation. Many ofthe greatest occultists of the world, itmust be remembered, such as MadameBlavatsky, felt that for the average stu-dent a prayer or an affirmation hadonly psychological value. It helped tokeep a positive and constructive thoughtbefore your mind. It kept your cour-age up. It helped build constructive

thoughts and emotions into your mentaland emotional makeup. All educators

have realized the value of repetition.As the Jesuits taught, Repetitio materstudiorum est. Repetition is the motherof studies. In the opinion of MadameBlavatsky, conviction alone was suffi-cient as an incentive to action.

Not that a prayer or an affirmationdoes not have occult power. Every stu-dent knows that there is power inherentin sound, that the universe is thethought of God materialized, and thatChrist is the W ord made flesh. Th eaverage student, however, has not theability to utter an affirmation so that itis poten t. A degree of concentration, ofpurity and singleness of purpose is nec-essary, a degree of soul developmentthat the average student does not pos-sess is necessary. A group affirmationmay prove more effective. You maythereupon ask how healing frequentlyresults from an affirmation. Cyril Scottin The Initiate series points out thatone of the Masters deplores a healingthrough affirmation alone. W hat hap-pens is that the disorder is transferredfrom the physical to the psychic plane,

to be precipitated even more virulentlyon another occasion. Th e Master feltthat it was indicative of greater strengthof character to permit the system to becleansed of impurities on every plane;physically, mentally, and emotionally.

When we study the situation in theworld today and when we contemplatethe utopia destined to appear in thefuture, the conclusion to which we areirresistibly drawn is that we must makeevery possible personal effort to bringthe present state of chaos to a speedy

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D i g e s t

N o v em b e r

1941

termination and to help usher in the agethat we long to see realized. Th e pres-ent situation, I feel, is a challenge toour understanding, our worldmindedness, and our ability to participate incooperative action. To take the rightattitude toward world affairs, we must

actually be informed. W e must demandthat the newspapers on which we relyprint all the necessary information.Oswald Garrison Villard, the distin-guished editor of The Nation, wasshocked to discover that the newspapersof the United States said very little ofthe mass Nazi deportations. Thesewere carried out in so cruel a mannerthat he felt the conscience of the worldshould have been aroused.

It is true that the nations of theworld have sown the wind and mustnow reap the whirlwind. It is true that

the Karma of the human race is de-scending upon it. It is true that the oldorder must come to a close and thedebris must be cleared away before thenew order can arise. Th e horror andthe pain and the suffering, however,need not be so appalling nor so pro-longed. How many would stand byunmoved if a child or an animal wereinjured? Yet colossal tragedies thatshriek to high heaven occur every mo-ment of the day because the world isuninformed, indifferent, or criminallyneutral.

If dynamite must explode under ourvery feet that we may be galvanizedinto action, we are still intellectuallyand spiritually unawakened. The Pil-grim on the Path, as we are well aware,is dedicated to the life of love. Hemust try to see good in everything. Hemust aim at being impersonal and im-partial. At the same time there aresome things that the mystical studentmust no longer tolerate. There aresome things that he must oppose withthe might of his being and with his life,if need be. He must oppose tyranny,injustice, and oppression. He must ex-

pose cruelty. Madame Blavatsky inPractical Occultism points out thatone of the qualities demanded in thecandidate for initiation is a ready re-sponse to suffering. He must courage-ously champion the cause of the help-less victims of persecution and ofaffliction.

To reiterate, we must know whhappening in the world today. must understand the issues involveis dangerous to play the part oostrich that hides its head in the It is dangerous to be ignorant or iferent or narrowly nationalistic. indifference may make the task ofighters all the more difficult. Youdifference may prolong the struYour indifference may be the caumany more millions suffering unnsary cruelty. It is sad indeed wheunenlightened citizen vehementlyclares that he refuses to be conceuntil the disaster is at his very It is tragic when an enlightened indual expresses a similar opinion.

The human race is an organic wCan you function efficiently if a liminjured or an organ is impaired? world cannot function smoothly igroup is plunged into needless mThe world cannot function smootthere is widespread poverty or frtion. The mystical student musthink of himself alone. He must in terms of groups. Personal welfbound up with group welfare. Achment is through the group. Thrtremendous effort I may be able tprove my own lot a little, but that amount of effort applied to the wof the group may aid in improvinlot of many, even of hundreds athousands as when the conditions

whole group are favorably alteredThe Guardians of humanity

world servers. Th ey openly admiTheir efforts will be far more effand conducive to speedier resultsevery group of workers added tranks. They inspire all publicspand philanthropically inclined pit is true. Ye t it is selfevident thoperation on our part will be mofective if we understand the plathe Hierarchy and cooperate consly. Unconscious efforts may abortive. It is said that the M

tried frequently to work througfamous novelist, George Sand, butlittle success because she was absin her own interests. Take, foample, Richard Wagner who utilized by the Masters to bring public sublime melodies from thedhic plane. Wagner, too, was a

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conscious instrument. The Masters didinspire him to write some beautiful pas-sages which have a wonderful effectupon those who listen to them. Th eywere unconcerned about the plots ofhis operas. W hat was the consequence?The human, alltoohuman Wagner ex-pressed through the plots of his operasand through many of his prose essaysa philosophy that proved to be the di-rect inspiration for the vile conditionsof today. The spirit of the music ismost unfortunately neutralized. AsShakespeare said, The evil that mendo lives after them. The good is oftinterrd with their bones.

Consequently, although the Guardi-ans of humanity are ever working for

the benefit of the whole human race andare ever seeking to inspire every onewho is receptive to inspiration and willutilize every available channel for carry-ing out Their noble purposes, yet it isto our advantage to be informed, co-operative, and conscious helpers. W e,too, are eager that the worldconflict bespeedily terminated. W e, too, are eagerto help build the brave, new world.Much is learned through mistakes, it istrue. In fact, life on earth is a processof education through trial and error. Ifeel, however, that the present crisis is

too severe for a blundering, uninform-ed, and unintelligent type of coopera-tion. The servers of the world mustwork with definite, clearcut aims.Every blow must count. Plans must befarreaching, yet practical. Th ey mustwork as a unit. The y must be readyfor instant action wherever necessary.They must choose leaders in whomthey have implicit confidence.

The destructive forces of the worldare organized, fighting ruthlessly anddesperately, pursuing a plan of actionthat is satanic in its calculated outrage

of every human feeling and decency.The leaders demand obedience andsacrifice. W hat they need they con-fiscate. The forces of light are not soeffectively and completely organizedamong men. As yet obedience and

sacrifice are voluntary on their part.They give as much of their time andtheir effort and their money as theychoose and no more.

It is natural for people to unite inselfdefense. W e must not wait untilour throats are in danger of being cut.Wherever the work of the Order ishindered, there are the enemies of light.Wherever man may not worship God,there are the enemies of light. Whereverthe cultural values built up so slowlyand painfully over a period of twothousand years are being ruthlessly de-stroyed, there are the enemies of light.Wherever the press and the radio arecompletely muzzled, there are the ene-mies of light. W here the Christian vir-

tues are scorned, there are the enemiesof light.

Civilization must be salvaged. Th evirtues inculcated by the avatarsthrough the world religions must beaffirmed. Freedom of scientific researchmust be asserted. Th e unity of the hu-man race must be emphasized. Thesebasic principles are life to us. How canwe live without them? Do we want tolive without them? Therefore, weshould arise in our strength and com-mand the forces of evil to retreat. W hathave we to fear? Is not God with us?The forces of evil for all their hellishpower have only the strength of selfish-ness and greed and brutality. W e havethe willtogood of the whole universe.W e are in harmony with the DivinePlan for the human race.

The crisis is imperative and immedi-ate. The opposing forces are locked ina lifeanddeath struggle. Let us closeour ranks. Let us forget labels andsuperficial distinctions and immediatepersonal aims. Let us exert every bit ofinfluence that we possibly can. Let the

Order be a pillar of fire in the murkydarkness that exists throughout theworld. Brothers and sisters, I call youonce again to immediate action. Let themembership throughout the world unitefor world action.

V V V

If, on selfexamination, I find that I am not upright, shall I not be in fear even

of a poor man in his loose garments of haircloth?

If, on my selfexamination, I find that I am upright, I will go forward against

thousands and tens of thousands. Men cius, C CS II.


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The Cathedral of the Soul is a Cosmic meeting place for all minds of themost highly developed and spiritually advanced members and workers of the

Rosicrucian Fraternity. It is a fo ca l point of Cosmic radiations and thoughtwaves from which radiate vibrations of health, peace, happiness, and innerawakening. Various periods of the day are set aside when many thousandsof minds are attuned with the Cathedral of the Soul, and others attuning withthe Cathedral at the time will receive the benefit of the vibrations. Those whoare not members of the organization may share in the unusual benefits as wellas those who are members. The book called "Liber 77 7" describes the periodsfor various contacts with the Cathedral. Copies will be sent to persons whoare not members if they address their requests for this book to Friar S. P. C..care of AMORC Temple, San Jose, California, enclosing three cents in postagestamps. (Please state whether member or notthis is important.)

tXg/JIVgA! LVgjJivguj t tvgjj

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

T h e


D i g e st

N o v em b e r

1941

O A kind and con-siderate parent orteacher the prob-lem of explaining a new fact to animmature mind isnot always as dif-ficult as it mightseem to the inex-perienced. Forone who is notfamiliar with the

thinking of chil-dren it is extreme-ly difficult to explain an abstract fact,but the teacher, by exercising patienceand Judgment, will explain a mathe-matical process such as multiplicationor long division to a ten year old child.The explanation of such a process isdifficult, regardless of the experience of

the teacher or parent, not becausebeyond the grasp of the child tothat knowledge, but because knowwhich can be effectively understosuch a way that a process can acbe carried out through the acquof the knowledge, is usually somwhich is entirely unrelated to thperience of the child. W hat poconception of a practical use oknowledge of long division couldbe in the mind of a child whose

concern is play? It is the purpmodern schooling, or instruction home, to bridge the gap betweenperience and experience by the uknowledge. Knowledge is the mosential step toward experience, buquently is overemphasized in thfind, as a product of a system ofcation primarily based upon know

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that the individual so taught has gainedan immense amount of fact and has notbeen able to make those facts exist inthe world of experience.

Nothing can produce experience ex-

cept experience itself. All of the knowl-edge in the world will not cause an in-dividual to be in a position of utilizingin any form that particular knowledge.To revert again to the illustration of thechild, a wise teacher or parent will il-lustrate the new process which is beingtaught by an actual life situation withinthe comprehension of the child. Th is isthe trend of modern classroom instruc-tion, but unfortunately some of the il-lustrations are very artificial. The gain-ing of experience is not only a part ofthe process of attaining adulthood, butit is one of the few processes which

continues throughout life, regardless ofthe age in years to which we may ad-vance. Most life processes end at a cer-tain time, even to the totality of life it-self. Certain glands cease functioningat a very early age. Others begin, lasttheir particular span of years, andcease. The human being reaches apoint of full development and thenutilizes the development so obtaineduntil a gradual disintegration takesplace. But regardless of the point inlife's process where we may be, eitherin childhood, early adult years, or ad-

vancing years, the thing which we aredoing is gaining experience. It is a Cos-mic law that such must be. The experi-ence gained adds to the totality of ourexistence, serves the purpose of our ex-istence having been once established.

The interesting fact, and as far as that is concerned, the important factorwhich we as individuals have to face, isthat regardless of how old we may be-come, few of us completely realize thelesson we should have learned in child-hoodthat is, that experience alone isthe teacher, not knowledge. It is a wise

man who can utilize knowledge to savehimself time in experience. Few do it.The reason for this is that one field ofexperience cannot be brought into di-rect relationship with another. The in-dividual going through a certain ex-perience for the first time should, fromall standards of reason and logic, bene-fit by the experience of one who adviseshim. A recent illustration of this hascome to my attention concerning an in-

dividual who was seriously ill for thefirst time in his life. The first day hewas permitted to sit up and movearound he thought he was well andcould carry on any activity he normally

did. Though advised and warned thathe was overestimating his strength, hewould not heed the experience of others,and as a result his strength was soonused up, and several more days wererequired for him to regain what he hadlost than would have been required hadhe gone about it more gradually.

This illustration does not reflect uponthe intelligence of the individualinfact, the failure to utilize properly theexperiences of others is not in any wayconnected with native intelligence, butit is merely, to repeat what I have al-ready stated in another way, that the

experience of another person cannotpossibly become our own. W e actuallyhave to feel and live a condition, inso-far as the physical organism is con-cerned. It is impossible for two peopleto so correlate their experience as to beable to work together, unless that ex-perience has similar origins and a basisof wide understanding. It is very easyto conceive of how two people whospeak different languages, the languageof one being unknown to the other,would have extreme difficulty in carry-ing on a conversation, yet this is only

an exaggerated illustration of the factthat the two fields of experience havevery few points in which they couldoverlap each other. That is why fewindividuals with an academic educationcan fit well into the environment ofthose with no academic education; whythe artist may find little in common withthe engineer, etc. It is also an explana-tion of why it is impossible to instructa human being who is looking for amiraculous or magic way to attainhealth, happiness and success in a ra-tionalized course of instruction which

would help him to bring about that con-dition himself.Most of these observations have been

based entirely upon the considerationof man as a physical organism. If it istrue that man is so limited by the ex-periences of the material world that hecan in no way correlate the experienceand knowledge of others with his own,then it would seem man has not ad-vanced far in an evolutionary process,

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that he is confined to the limitations ofhis own physical being. This observa-tion is absolutely true provided we limitman to a physical being with no otherdegrees of potentiality. But just as ex-perience itself is a bridge between lackof knowledge and a complete compre-

hension of knowledge, so the psychicabilities of man, when properly devel-oped, become a bridge between recog-nizable knowledge and our own experi-ence. The man or woman who has asincere desire and motivation to con-sider carefully the experience of others,and who is desirous of devoting a fewminutes or a few hours to contempla-tion and meditation, seriously analyzingthe experience of others, the knowledgein relation to his own problems, and atthe same time listening to the smallvoice of intuition that gradually slipsinto the objective consciousness fromour subjective faculties, will be able tobenefit by experience in which he hasnot actually physically participated.

Therefore, the connecting link, orwhat may prove to be a help thoughnot necessarily a short cut, is found byman utilizing all of his potentialities.The individual who lives so thoroughly

in the physical world that he takes time for true meditation antemplation is causing himself momore physical difficulty. He is whis time and energy. It is like thwho may be dying of thirst, burefuses to draw the water from a

well. There is a deep well in oings, a well filled with the true eof life and knowledge. W hen weto draw upon it we put togethsections of our problem into oulife like we might make completesaw puzzle. Physical strength adurance are not in themselves eto accomplish this purpose. Thelearn to draw upon the reservyour soul.

While this is an individual pit can be helped by others. W eyou to plan such contemplatio

consideration with others througutilization of the Cathedral of theIts process is simple. It is not a cal organization or institutionmerely a point of meeting for that aspire to know the truthbooklet, Liber 777, explains inits work and purposes, and will bto you without obligation upon r

RO S IC RU C IA N RA D IO BROA DC A STS

CITY CallLetters

Kilo-cycles

Begins Day Hour

WASHINGTON, D. C. WOL 1260 Oct. 30Every

Thursday

7:15 P. MEasternTime

Our members and friends who live in the vicinity of Washington, D. C. are inv

to listen to the Mysteries of Life" series of interesting discourses which will

Lbroadcast weekly. These programs will prove both enjoyable and instructive. W

not make arrangements now to have a group of your friends listen with you to e

of these progams through the entire series?

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1 9 4 1

A 1942 C A LEN D A R

W e are preparing an interesting calendar for the year 1942, which will be of par

ular interest to members in the United States because of its patriotic theme. This att

tive calendar will be furnished at cost as long as the supply lasts. Send your orde

the Rosicrucian Supply Bureau, and enclose ten cents for each calendar requested. Th

calendars will be mailed by the end of the year.

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Pre-N a ta l Cu l t u re Today

MODERN RECOGNITION OF ANCIENT GREEK THEORIES

ByE u s t a q u i o P a s c u a A l c a b e d a s , F. R. C.

N E M I N E N Tscholar once saidthat the educationof a child shouldbegin two thou-sand years beforehe is born. Manyof us, missing hispoint, would takehis remark merelyas a joke or anexaggeration anddismiss it with a

s h r u g o f t h eshoulders. W e are at a loss to under-stand how cultural facilities could beprovided for a nonexistent child. Onfirst thought it is really difficult to com-prehend the deeper implications of thescholars transcendental idea. But weare too broadminded to begrudge himthe reconsideration of his statementwhich at least has nothing to detractfrom our own conception or knowledgeas to how the education of a child isimparted or acquired.

One of the most outstanding observa-

tions that has ever been made on childculture was chronicled in the personalmemoirs of the great Antoine Farrar.W e learn from his writings that thechild born of humble servants in a royalfamily, and chosen as a companion tothe royal one who was placed under hischarge, could not be distinguished fromthe latter when both were given thesame cultural environment and oppor-tunity. His experience with such pair-

ings of children from both types ofparentage led him to say, Give me thecare of any child of good blood for thefirst seven years of its life and I willshow ten years later a youth of refine-ment and personal elegance, and twentyyears later a man or woman of admir-able culture and eminent success in life.

His statement is general enough butnot altogether as sweeping as it mayappear to be. Upon closer perusal o fthe quotation we find the most impor-tant qualification, that the child must be

one of good blo od . W e are emphasizingthese two words by giving them initalics because they will help disabuseour minds of any bias that we may haveagainst prenatal culture. It is notenough that special care and directionshould be given the children from thevery first year of their lives. It is afundamental requisite that from thetime of their birth a supply or streamof good, healthy blood must be coursingin their veins. Th e question then clear-ly is, can such children be born at ourcommand? And if so, how can it be

done?It must be realized that the body ofthe child before delivery has been livingfor nine months. It has been found thatthe conditions under which the motherhas lived during those months greatlyaffect the state of her baby at birth.Unfavorable conditions, such as pre-vail among the poor working classes inEurope, America, and Asia have graph-ically shown where the dregs of human

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society are bred and born. It is ofcommon knowledge that in the congest-ed slums of great industrial centersanywhere in the world we find suchdefective and enfeebled denizens as thevicious, uncouth, anaemic, idiotic, andimbecilic. Wherever there is ignorance,intemperance, and improvidence among

the people, the progeny is bound to de-generate. W e cannot very well expectchildren of good blood and health to beborn in the midst of an environmentmade so delinquent and miserable withpoverty, filth, and disease. W e arethankful, however, that, on the otherhand, the g ood influence of heredityand environment existent for hundredsof generations past also remains a vitalfactor not only in our present culturebut in that of the countless generationsthat are yet to come.

The problem of ameliorating the un-speakable conditions of social life to-

day should include the consideration ofthe science of eugenics as it relates tothe belated realization of the import-ance of prenatal culture. As far ascould be determined from our informa-tion on the subject, prenatalism saw itshighest development among the initi-ates of ancient Greek wisdom whichflowered in the glory and grandeurachieved along various kinds of humanendeavor by their renowned leaders ofthought and action. That their valuableknowledge on such a farreaching phaseof human culture should have been hid-den if not entirely lost to us is perhaps

traceable to our sophisticated biasagainst the socalled pagan practices.However in 1895 there was an effortmade in France to investigate the pre-natal conditions affecting the newbornand to bring such modifications as arefavorable to motherhood and the wel-fare of the child.

In that movement Pinard succeededin showing the importance of rest forthe expectant mother two or threemonths before the day of delivery.Working women who were given sucha rest had their children much healthierand better developed than those whosemothers were even more robust andvigorous but had not enjoyed any restduring the latter months of their preg-nancy. Sufficient leave from work forthe expectant mother has also provedsignificant in other ways: it has con-

tributed much towards the reduof mature birth and infant mortaW hi le such rest means healthier band welcome relief for laboring mers, its bearing on the improvemethe human pedigree and the lighteof social burdens is even more tappreciated.

Closely related with the regulatiothe conditions under which expemothers are allowed to work is thecovery of the result that their nutrbrings upon the quality of the foDefective or imperfect nutrition caan adverse effect upon the vigorvitality of the mother. Th e bodyis anaemic from malnutrition natulacks those vital elements in the bnecessary for the normal developof the foetus during its period of gtion. Th e natural, healthy formatithe body of the infant largely depupon the food supply that it can as

late from the blood of the moHence a deficiency in any of the ppal vitamins has been invariably spicuous by its corresponding tathe defective infantile constitutiogood, healthy blood is hardly to bpected in such a descendant at bi

The need for a working knowof the duties of motherhood betherefore evident. In 1900 Dr. MiGhent, Belgium, was impelled to the first School of Mothers with a dozen different branches of actThe outcome of his work a few later attracted no less than the em

scholar Bertrand Russell who, paying him a visit, established a sischool at St. Pancras, England, inwith the able assistance of Dr. SShortly thereafter a number of scfor mothers were opened in other tries. In these schools elementarytomy and physiology are taught, eially as they relate to the care ofdren which usually includes intions regarding the care and mament of pregnancy.

Both America and the Philipseem to be somewhat slack in thspect. But civilization is univers

though it may be more advanceretarded to a lesser or greater din one country or another. Th e of time which is ever moving fois now indicating how we are finto line. Already a higher conce

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of motherhood is shown in the fore-thought and control with which childbearing is being approached and con-sidered. There has come an ever grow-ing realization of the need for limitingthe size of the family to the numberwhich may not unnecessarily deprivethe children of their decent schoolingand support. In many countries puericulture centers, day nurseries, and fac-tory nurseries have been establishedby the government, or some privateconcerns, and their incalculable valuefor the improvement of the parentaland childrens wellbeing is beingrecognized.

W e must not, however, lie supinelyat ease after such initial and promising

success. Th e need for arousing a fullerappreciation of the deeper implicationsof prenatal culture has still left muchthat is to be desired and pushed furtherahead. Through the skill which we candevelop from it, we must keep on im-proving our present heritage and en-vironment to the end that we may makeand leave them better than when wefound them. W e cannot leave the sac-red privacy of prenatal culture toprivate or public agencies concernedprimarily with the general rather thanthe individual case. Child bearing is

not a problem of conforming to a setstandard as in a factory system of massproduction. No two individuals areborn exactly alike and the parents alonecan competently decide the kind ofchild they are best fitted to bring intotheir family hearth.

Neither Church nor State, and muchless any other individual for that mat-ter, can experience for the mother thehigh privilege of attracting to herselfthe soul that will dwell in the body sheis expecting to deliver as her own dearchild. W e know well enough of coursethat in the overwhelming majority ofcases, the prospective parents are theones most particularly concerned withthe type and kind of child they want tohave born and brought up in theirhands. But of both mother and father,it is the former who, looking forwardto the day of delivery from the verybeginning of her conception of thechild, is primarily concerned, thinkingof and praying for the little ideal onethat is soon to come. Deep in her

heart she keeps on cherishing as no-body else can the hope that it will bewell and happy, loving and dutiful,kind and good, blessed with a long lifeof service and usefulness to the family,the nation, the world, and the AlmightyGod.

The prospective mother alone cansense and feel all the physiological andpsychological changes that conditionand characterize the delicate functionof child bearing. This consequent trans-formation tones and tunes her beinginto perfect harmony with the creativeforces of the Supreme Cosmic Power.First of all there comes to her the de-sire of holding her mind to nobleraspirations and higher ideals. Th is ex-plains why, as we have already inti-mated, she secretly cherishes a veryhigh expectation for her coming child,dreaming for it a bright arrival andfondly pinning on its future life thehope for the complete realization of theparental yearning for a more accom-plished family enjoying a much happierand contented home. W here her psy-chic faculty was before lying dormantand inactive, it is now fully awakened,and thus highly receptive to outsideimpressions. She even gets easily an-noyed with certain sounds or noisesand atmospheric variations to whichordinarily she would never give any bitof attention. She becomes very partic-ular about the remarks, thoughts, oremotions of every one who comesaround her. Even where ethical stand-ards and norms of conduct indicatelack of culture and refinement, thegarrulous behavior and querulous tend-ency have been found to subside. Th ebeautiful, wholesome, clean, and pleas-ant things of life usually attract and

gener al ly hold the attention of theprospective mother and make theirstrong impression upon her innate senseof motherhood.

To the expectant mother life acquires a significance which she unfailingly re-flects upon her immediate surroundings.Along with the atmosphere of motherlytenderness, affection, and dignity thatdevelops about her, we find her mater-ial preferences also radically changed.The things she occupies herself withtake on a touch of orderliness and tidi-ness indicating a more delicate aesthetictaste. The desire or choice for a certain

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kind of food, and maybe some linen orhousehold article that she has perhapsthought of previously, is very notice-able in many cases. Her interest in thewardrobe at this period is coordinatedwith the needs of the little one that sheis soon to bring into the light of day.

She looks forward to the future andbusies herself with those soft linenpieces that a loving mother must affordher coming child. Everything must beready that will contribute to the warmthand comfort of the accommodation thatshe can devise and prepare with herown hands. Her exercises or activitiesas well as her reading, relaxation, andentertainment are all motivated con-sciously or unconsciously in conformitywith the needs of her present state andthe wellbeing of the little one she iscarrying.

W e have also noticed that duringthe period of pregnancy, the mothercarries on wi

Documents

Rosicrucian Digest, November 1941