THE EVOLUTION OF ROSICRUCIANISM Copyright (C) 1992 Dan McClure, All rights reserved. The Rosicrucians were quite recognizable as Christian in the 17th century. According to legend Christian Rosencreutz traveled and studied widely in the Orient then formed the Fraternity of the Rosy Cross with Bros. G.V., J.A. & J.O. so it would be natural to be heavily influenced by Eastern ideas and beliefs. The Bros. then met in their house of the holy spirit, or Invisible College under the wings of Jehovah studying the "Ancient Wisdom" reading from the book of Nature in the imitation of Christ etc. The Rosicrucian movement was an attempt to combine Christianity with some of the Wisdom of the East. It was also an early attempt to harmonize men of different Christian denominations to a common goal of esoteric & scientific investigation & discovery. So that such diverse men as Robert Fludd an Anglican, Johann Andreae a Lutheran, Frederick of Palatine a Calvinist could share their discoveries in their Invisible College. The _Fama_ mentions "the perfect knowledge of his Son Jesus Christ" & "But so every Christian may know what faith we are, we confess to have knowledge of Jesus Christ ... most clear and pure is professed." While the _Confessio_ mentions "our Lord Jesus Christ" & "our Christian Father(Rosencreutz)." The _Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosencreutz_ was in fact written by Johann Andreae(Brother J.A.?) a Lutheran Pastor in 1615(he was heavily influenced by John Dee). He was the probable author of _Fama_ & _Confessio_ as well. The Church called it heresy and drove the Rosicrucians under ground. It touched off a witch hunt through out Europe looking for invisible Rosicrucians who were supposedly in league with dark powers and the Devil. Don't be mislead by A.M.O.R.C.'s modern blend of Egyptian ideas, motifs and Oriental mysticism into its teachings, its original foundations lay in and with Christianity. For further study on this issue I would suggest reading "The Rosicrucian Enlightenment" by Frances Yates ISBN 0-7100-7380-1 it is very well written and covers these facts in detail. In all probability when the Rosicrucian concept migrated to England it evolved into English Freemasonry with Robert Moray and Elias Ashmole in May 1641. The only thing certain is Rosicrucians such as Robert Fludd & Thomas Vaughn [Eugenus Philalethes] became Masons and Masons like Robert Moray and Elias Ashmole became Rosicrucians. In the 17th, 18th & 19th centuries there was a great deal of borrowing, amalgamation and incorporation from the Qabalah, Western Magickal Tradition and Oriental Wisdom into the Masonic Rites and Rituals as can easily be seen in the Rosicrucian degrees, Templar degrees, Memphis and Mizraim degrees etc. This combined with their Christian based paradigm makes for some beautiful Rituals. The Ancient Mystical Order of the Rose Cross was established in the U.S in 1694 under Grand Master Kelpius to study the traditional arts of; Hermetics, Natural Alchemy & Spiritual Alchemy, Qabalah, Skrying, Divination, Geomancy, Horay Astrology, Astral Projection, Theurgy, Music, Philosophy, Mathematics etc. In 1714 Samuel Richter formed his Golden Rosicrucian fraternity in Berlin which lasted until the end of the century. By the middle of the 18th century there was a great deal of activity in all kinds of esoteric endeavors in the U.S. Most of the Founding Fathers were both Rosicrucians & Masons. Paschel Beverly Randolph, continued the evolution by founding his Rosicrucian fraternity in California in 1861 teaching the traditional arts along with tantric mysticism. By the early 1900's Rudolf Steiner & Max Heindel were adding their interpretations to the body of Rosicrucian lore. Steiner's Berlin Anthroposophical Society was based on a blend of Theosophy, Rosicrucianism, Masonry, O.T.O. & G.D. He claimed that Christian Rosencreutz was an actual person who was constantly reincarnating. While Heindel's Rosicrucian Fellowship & the Societas Rosicruciana at Mt. Ecclesia in Oceanside, Ca was more in keeping with the traditional arts combined with Christianity as laid out in the _Fama_ & _Confessio_. Max Heindel died in 1919. H. Spencer Lewis was born in the late 1800's about the time of the Golden Dawn was getting started. He was initiated in a French Rosicrucian lodge in 1909. Lewis was influenced by Theosophy, Masonry, Rudolf Steiner & his Anthroposophical Society. In 1915 AMORC came out of a self imposed "outer silence." In the 20's Lewis shifted the focus of AMORC from the traditional arts of Natural Alchemy, Qabalah, Skrying etc. to the more mystical aspects of reincarnation, past lives, Spiritual Alchemy, combined with Theosophy and it Great White Brotherhood of hidden Masters which he incorporated along with Egyptian Magick, reincarnation beliefs and history, especially the rein of Akhenaton. Spencer joined the O.T.O. and obtained the VIIth. On March 20, 1921 AMORC received "Gage of Amity" document from O.T.O. to their founder, H.S.Lewis. In the 1920-30's AMORC sponsored several Egyptian "digs" and brought back enough mummies and booty to fill their museum! They were the first to have a mail order course in Mysticism and Egyptian religion starting in 1930. Lewis was a prolific author with more than 150 books to his credit on Mysticism, reincarnation, ancient Egypt, Rosicrucianism etc. On August 2, 1939 a Wednesday at 3:15pm that Dr. H. Spencer Lewis of AMORC fame gave up his earthly vehicle permanently. His son Ralph Lewis is now at the helm of AMORC.