[Der Orden der Rosenkreuzer]
Translation from the German by Robert Hutwohl[1]
Preliminary Remarks.
Having come by chance (if you can call it that) in possession of an ancient manuscript, which gives information about the nature of the Rosicrucians and the purpose of their order, and also contains the rituals of this order, we are able to share to our readers a few excerpts.[2] For those who do not themselves belong to this order, the ritual is only of historical interest and can easily be passed over; but from the rest of the manuscript it is clear the sixteenth-century Rosicrucian Order was nothing but a yoga school and the purpose of its members was the attainment of spiritual rebirth and immortality. The occult processes which took place in this rebirth were symbolized in the rituals of the order. In our time, the understanding of these processes has largely been lost, and Masonry and Rosicrucianism have therefore often degenerated into childish play with external things, which serves more to satisfy the vanity of the external man than to glorify his indwelling higher Self, the God-man. But for those who grasp the spirit of this order correctly, it is truly the royal art (Rāja Yoga), which cannot be attained through external means, but only through one’s own becoming, although the external means may be useful as preparation, to elevate the soul and impress upon the memory the eternal truths, that the mind may remain steadily and unshakably directed to the Highest, and that the ideal, by grasping it in its symbols, may eventually find the way to its realization.
The Rosicrucians are a “Christian” order insofar as they use the symbols of the Christian Churches in their ritual; but this has nothing to do with external denominations or sectarianism. A Christian in the true sense of the word is every person who has Christ in his heart and is “baptized” by the Spirit of God, regardless of the external religious system he belongs to, and a true Rosicrucian is one who is imbued with the sense of the presence of the divine Spirit within himself [3]; just as a true Freemason is only one who has become free, or at least seeks freedom from selfishness and passion, freedom from bondage to life in the material body, and accordingly builds the temple of God within himself. The teaching gives the instructions, but the art consists only in practice. Therefore neither the Freemason nor the Rosicrucian can be made, but rather it must be made by one’s own effort. Acceptance into a Rosicrucian order is only an external confirmation that the person to be accepted has already become a Rosicrucian inwardly and is looking for further training in the order. From this it also follows that only one can become a true Rosicrucian who possesses the intuition necessary for understanding the higher mysteries of religion; such alone is able to enter the temple of the wisdom of God; while the “pagans,” that is, only the forecourt of the temple is open to sophists and the curious.[4]
The Origin of the Order of the Rosicrucians.
Karl von Eckartshausen writes about this, who himself, like Jakob Böhme et al. was a Rosicrucian, in his “Aufschlüssen zum Magic”[5] (Vol. II. p. 211) the following:
“In every century, even in the most ancient times, there have been mysteries. The misuse which an uneducated mind would make of undigested natural knowledge compelled the saner part of men to keep it secret, and hence higher knowledge became only the portion for few initiates. This is the origin of the Eleusinian mysteries, the Mithra mysteries of the Persians, the mysteries of the Orphics and Pythagoreans. With the introduction of the Christian (Orthodox) religion, the mysteries of the ancients were lost. This is what happened to the mysteries of the druids and priests of Wodan in Germany.[”]
Thus through the centuries the ages of superstition rolled on, until at length Francis Bacon, Chancellor of England, appeared, a man of knowledge and heart, who had nourished his mind by the wisdom of the ancients. He laid the foundations of a society of sensible naturalists, and the first Rosicrucian Society was formed in England on the basis of the idea of the “new Atlantis” which Bacon conceived.[6]
In 1646 several scholars gathered in London and formed the Royal Society. Then the Rosicrucians separated from it. The disciples of Bacon quietly secluded themselves and the true sages withdrew. They worked among themselves, spread throughout the world, for the good of mankind and as friends of God and men.
Their number is small; they live in different continents; but the same mood of soul binds them all together. They are together (spiritually), though a thousand miles separate them (physically); they understand each other even if they speak in different languages; for the language of the wise is clarity. They work against the darknesses, and impart their sciences with the gentleness and care which reason and wisdom require.
No wicked man can dwell among them; for he is at once known to be incapable of divine enlightenment, like a mirror which, when covered with mud, does not receive the rays of the sun. But the more the good man perfects his soul, the more he approaches divinity; as he grows up, his insight increases in earthly things with the light and his (magical) power through love.
Thus man can rise up to sanctification; he associates with perfect creatures of the spirit world; he is instructed and guided by them; his existence is that of a child of Deity; all nature is subjected to him; for he becomes the organ of the Creator; he penetrates into the future, the thoughts and destinies of men are known to him, and the mysteries of eternity are revealed before him.
“It is not what is in the outer that leads to light, but what is within, that is, the (spiritual) knowledge of God and (selfless) love.”
It is not the external signs which unite the true Rosicrucians, but when the human soul stands in the light, he comes into contact with those who are to the same degree of enlightenment as he is.”
The Manuscript.
The degree of “Eagle-Knight” or “Prince Rosicrucian.”
The same is the seventh and last degree of Freemasonry[7] and is referred to by various names, namely:
- The Eagle-Knight.
- Rosicrucian.
- Knight to the Pelican.
- Knight of St. Andrew.
- The Perfect Mason.
Just as there is only one religion but different systems of religion, so these five designations only refer to different methods in the practice of the royal art, which is only one. This order was given various names by the founders of the order; but all have the same purpose. In the royal art of living only one thing can be right. It is called “royal” because it is above all worldly arts; for it teaches us man’s highest destiny, to attain immortal life.
1. The Eagle Knight.
The eagle flies towards the sun; he is the symbol of the soul which aspires to the highest and whose eyes can endure the light of the spirit sun of the true knowledge of God. This aspiration is innate in man’s nature by the Creator, and this sun is the master who can truly say, “I am the light of the world.”[8]
Just as the eagle rises daily from its rocky perch to move in the pure heavenly air, to exercise its mighty wings and to enjoy the power bestowed on it, so should the soul on the wings of love and thought daily Soar to the highest, rise to those heights from which everything that has to do with transitory life on earth is recognized in its lowliness and smallness and withdrawn from the eye of the spirit; and as the eagle brings its prey to its young in the nest and feeds them with it, so should the eagle-knight bring the knowledge he has attained in the heavenly heights as spiritual food to those who desire it.
2. The Rosicrucian.
The Rosicrucian also regards the Master as the spiritual sun of the universe, which has sent down a ray of light to earth, which is now embodied in the material and crucified, as it were, in order to redeem man from his error by enabling him through his presence to become true to awaken self-consciousness, which then blossoms in him, comparable to the rosebud, which opens its calyx to this light and its heat rays in the light of the earthly sun.
The cross is the symbol of eternal life, but it is also the sign of mystical death, i.e., the fading away of the passions of the outer man, whereby the inner spiritual man attains salvation and resurrection. The rose is the symbol of supreme love, purity and beauty.
Both the Eagle-Knight and the Rosicrucian are called to build up the temple which they themselves are incarnate and to harmonize body, soul and spirit and each should practice it for an hour a day.
3. The Knight to the Pelican.
The eternal master of our order as the son of man is also compared to the pelican which hacks open its breast and feeds its young with its blood. The pelican is thus the symbol of sacrifice, as represented by the symbol of the cross, which reminds us of the sacrificial death of the Redeemer. The blood with which the pelican nourishes its young is the Spirit of God, the “tincture” or spiritual life, which the Son of God pours into the souls of the children of the world, and thereby nourishes them; for without this sacrifice they could not gain everlasting life. God sacrifices himself in man so that man can again become the image of God. As the deity sacrifices himself to humanity, so the knight to the pelican devotes himself to the service of the Most High and offers him his personal desires and passions; he sacrifices his personality for the good of mankind and performs works of love and mercy.
4. Knight of St. Andrew.
This lodge is named after Saint Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland and is said to have had its first seat on Mount Karidom and the members are also known as “Knights Templar.” They differ from the others in that they work in the open streets and show themselves through processions and festivals, while the other lodges work in secret and in secret their work of inner regeneration, as taught by the great Master, who says: “If you want to pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your father in secret, and your father, who sees in secret, will reward you.” (Matth. VI. 5. and following) But what applies to an individual also applies to an association, and it is clear that this order has done more harm than good to the cause of royal art through its public appearance. Not in the noise of the world, or with tumult and clamour, but in silence Christ enters the heart of man. But the Knight of St. Andrew or Knight of Karidom can also be a good Freemason if he does not put aside the true royal art with these outward appearances and pomp.[9] One belongs to the transitory, the other to the eternal.
5. The perfect Freemason.
(Also called “Exalted Prince Rosicrucian.”)
This is the seventh, highest and last degree in Freemasonry. Here man is regarded as a living temple of God, in which the whole story of the passion (described in the New Testament) takes place, and the ritual of this lodge culminates in a presentation of these events: In the old lodges man is seen only as a temple of Solomon,[10] i.e., a temple of wisdom, but regarded as a temple of the Word made flesh. The old lodges have to do with the Old, these with the New Testament. The mason who works according to the old law seeks his salvation in blind obedience to its precepts and in the fulfillment of the duties assigned to him; the perfect mason steps into the light; he seeks union with the divine through spiritual rebirth and thereby becomes a different person. For this reason only those can be accepted into this lodge who are in truth Christians and have attained inner cleansing through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, i.e., become free from all sinful desires.[11]
To become a Master in this degree the disciple must be in possession of the Word, and in order to be in possession of it he must know that Word incarnate himself, i.e., be completely permeated and enlightened by the idea of God. Therefore the true Rosicrucian or perfect Mason is a rare phenomenon in this world; for spiritual darkness still covers the surface of the earth; the temples are destroyed and their pillars broken; the tools of masonry have become useless; the flaming star has dimmed; the army of phantoms darkens the air, the word is lost and the cubic stone sweats water and blood. Masonry, too, is in a state of degradation and can rise again only by recognizing the spirit which lies behind all its symbols and ceremonies.
The Ritual.
In the manuscript to which we have referred is contained a description of the ritual and ceremonies then in use in conferring the various degrees; However, communicating them has no practical value for our readers, especially since those who are seriously concerned with intellectual work can easily do without these superficial details. They consist of external representations of inner spiritual processes and, like all externals, are useless and even a hindrance to those who do not want to experience what is represented in themselves, for the spiritual development and growth of the soul. Like all symbols, they belong to the world of appearances and their only purpose is to lead people through appearances to the sun of self-knowledge. But the appearance is just a gimmick for those who get stuck in it. The true secrets of the Rosicrucians cannot be revealed to the uninitiated; for he who does not find it in himself does not understand it, and if an impure person were to succeed in awakening the occult powers to which they refer, it would be his undoing. Also, despite all the explanations, nobody will understand the deeper meaning of the secret symbols of the Rosicrucians if his understanding does not spring from his own intuition and spiritual knowledge; because they are “secret” precisely because what they represent is hidden in the human being himself and he can only attain the solution to the riddle on the path of love and self-knowledge.
The Jewels of the Rosicrucians.
These are not outward insignia, but twelve occult magical powers and virtues possessed by the true Rosicrucian. We give their description in the language of the original and leave the more detailed explanation to intuition:
- Jasper (dark red). The creative word of light, multiplied into a sevenfold degree of light, which engulfs in itself the seven nights or darknesses,[12] which were separated from the light.
- Hyacinth (yellow). From the Mother of Light[13] is born Love, which multiplies and is revealed as a beautifully burnished gold, radiating a fiery glow. Through his tincture, he overcomes the spirit of anger and wrath and casts it out.
- Chrysolith (white). Princely wisdom,[14] that puts everything to shame and shames all that is foolish and vain; thereby dampening it and gaining victory over it.
- Sapphire (blue). Truth arises from its natural originality and grows out of it.[15] The wisdom which can dispel all misunderstanding and the uncertainty of things.
- Emerald (green). The blooming spring in an eternal righteousness, consuming the curse of the unjust qualities in degenerate and corrupt nature, and opening the fountain of all infinite treasures.[16]
- Topaz (golden yellow). The emblem of peace, which is gentle and graceful; he will permit no impurity of division, nor anything which can cause trouble or war. It is the virtue stone or power stone that fills all fractures and heals all wounds.[17]
- Amethyst (purple). Impartiality of justice and judgment, which cannot be bent nor falsified, but weighs all things in the balance of equity, also resisting all oppression, deceit, and cruelty.[18]
- Beryl (different colors). The gentleness and equal temperament of a spirit, even kind and kind, overcoming harshness, grimness, and obstinacy.[19]
- Carnelian (pale red). The high, energetic faith, which draws the power and essence to itself with its first beginning and origin, thereby driving out unbelief, fear, and doubt.[20]
- Chrysoprase (dark green). Insurmountable power and strength, which overcomes all contradicting and resisting powers, so that nothing remains which would like to prevent what omnipotence is aiming for.[21]
- Sardonix (red and white striped). The triumphant joy and delight which flows from the fountain that is ceaseless delight, and which swallows up all sighing and lamentation.[22]
- Chalcedony (striped). The crown of victory, dominion, and glory, as the keystone, or the greatest of all miracles, which all uses in praise and glory to the founder of that glory.[23]
Anyone who has mastered the spiritual powers, the symbols of which are the precious stones mentioned, no longer needs these stones; but for the beginners it can be useful to carry such stones; for every thing in the world is an embodiment of a spiritual force which gives the thing its essence and character. The visible arises from the invisible, and thus each gemstone is also a crystallized part of a force contained in the universe, the essence of which arises from its properties. Every gemstone, like every other thing, has its aura surrounding it and attracts those forces that correspond to its nature, and thus, e.g., a person who wears a sapphire increases his intuition, the wearer of an emerald increases his sense of justice, the wearer of a topaz increases his sense of sublimity, the carbuncle[24] increases the power of the spiritual will, etc. An experienced Rosicrucian writes the following: The electric-power of a gem creates a “fohatic” connection between the reincarnated Ego and a planetary Spirit. What the planetary Spirit is in the spiritual world, the precious stone is in the mineral kingdom. The gems are nature’s supreme product in this realm, and through fohat they are related to buddhi and manas. The metals and earths belong to the gross substance of the planets, their elements are material; the jewels are associated with the plane of Ātmā and are, as it were, the condensed or congealed essence of the spiritual influence of the planets corresponding to their nature.
The gem is the spirit, so to speak, the metal is the body. Body and soul can be connected to each other and then exert an influence on two levels, the material and the spiritual, such as e.g., when a sapphire is worn in a setting of copper, as both are related to Venus; the sapphire acts on the spiritual, the copper on the material principle. However, the planetary effect also depends on the character of the wearer of the stone and what is good for one may be harmful for another. So e.g., the opal should only be worn by quite pure, dispassionate persons; to these it brings happiness, but to the unclean the opposite. The decisive factor in judging the power of a gemstone is its color because its light vibrations are intimately related to those of the planet to which it is related.[25]
The Constitutions of the Order of the Rosicrucians.
From these, perhaps the following may be of historical interest:
The main festival of the Order is to be held on “Maundy Thursday”[26] each year. No member may refrain from this assembly, under any pretense, and if there is only one knight in a place, he shall hold the celebration alone, and unite spiritually with his distant brethren who are thinking of him at the same moment.[27]
The Rosicrucians have the right to preside in all lodges wherever they go; but everyone is also free to take the place he likes.
The Rosicrucian may not use any Masonic mark other than that of the degree he possesses.
If a knight finds out that there is another knight three hours away, he should invite him to come to see the chapter and he will then go halfway to meet him.
In the case of a chapter, the number of members should not exceed eleven.
Every knight is obligated to love all unfortunate ones, and should strive to help them.
Anything which can attract public attention should be carefully avoided.
The Rosicrucian teaches, but he will not argue with anyone.
“He will not announce himself as a Rosicrucian to any uninitiated.”
At the communal table, no knives are to be put on the table, no servant is allowed, and the bread goes around in turn, each breaking off a piece. Likewise, there is only a single cup, from which is drunk in turn, and then the rest is poured into the fire. A Rosicrucian can appoint his successor before his death; i.e., before he dies he transmits the magic word to the disciple he has chosen.
The symbol of all Rosicrucians is this:
(Sequel follows.)
Notes
[1] The Order of the Rosicrucians. [Der Orden der Rosenkreuzer. Franz Hartmann, M.D. Neue Lotusblüten 4, no. 5-6 (May-June 1911), 148-170] {This was reformatted from the original, but with the content unchanged other than fixing minor typos. Translation from the German by Robert Hutwohl, ©2025}
[2] The same is signed with the name L. S. G. Lavalette St. George.
[3] II Corinth. XIII. 5.
[4] F. Hartman. “In the Pronaos of the Temple of the Rosicrucian”. —London. Theosophical Publ. Co.
[5] Aufschlüsse zur Magie aus geprüften Erfahrungen über verborgene philosophische Wissenschaften und verdeckte Geheimnisse der Natur [Insights into magic from tested experience, hidden philosophical sciences and hidden mysteries of nature.] München [Munich], 4 vols., Munich. 1788-1792.
[6] This might be enough to relegate the story of the mummified knight, “Christian Rosenkreuz,” who came back to life a hundred years later, to the realm of fable, where it belongs.
[7] The so-called “higher degrees” in Masonry are a later introduction and were probably instituted because in the three “St. John’s degrees” the spirit of Freemasonry and the understanding of the mysteries of these three degrees had been lost. The higher degrees were to relate to the occult realm of Freemasonry; but he who has actually attained the third degree, and has become a master in the royal art in the true sense of the word, has no need of higher degrees.
[8] The grade of Eagle Knight embraces and includes all other grades; for the eagle is the symbol of the light of truth, without which there is no true knowledge and for which every Freemason strives. Its opposite is the dragon which dwells in dark caves on earth. He is the symbol of selfishness and greed in the supernatural as well as in the sensual.
[9] H. P. Blavatsky writes: “The true Rosicrucians and Knights Templar are easy to distinguish from the false ones with their fossil “knights” and their “eternally burning lamps” (inventions of Valentin Andreae). The true Order is today, as it has always been, quite unknown to everyone and especially to its greatest enemies — the (Orthodox) Church. The modern Knights Templar have, without their knowing it, become a tool of the Jesuits. (“Isis Unveiled.” Vol. II. p. 383.)
[10] The word “Solomon” consists of a threefold designation of the sun; namely: Sol = Latin, Om = Sanskrit, On = Chaldean and means the sun in its three aspects, as the eternal spiritual sun of wisdom and its two manifestations in the soul and in the visible world.
[11] The true lodge of the perfect Masons thus corresponds to the community of adepts, which theosophists call “the white lodge.”
[12] The seven rays of the spirit sun.
[13] From the heart of the logos.
[14] Spiritual self-knowledge.
[15] Intuition from which knowledge of truth is born.
[16] The good will.
[17] The symbol of grandeur, purity, chastity and tranquility.
[18] Deep insight which grasps the reason for all actions.
[19] Benevolence towards all creatures.
[20] The spiritual power of living faith, from which springs the conviction of the heart.
[21] The power which comes from distinguishing between good and evil.
[22] The knowledge of reality and true existence, in the light of which everything that is ephemeral is seen as temporary illusions.
[23] The blessedness of the consciousness of eternal life and immortality in God, which says: “I will give my peace and blessedness to everyone who is of good will, and the will of the Eternal is that they all be united in human dignity and from human dignity come to me; put death (passions) underfoot, life (spiritual) in the heart, head to the light” (R. C. Brevier.)
[24] {R.H.—Uncertain what this is. The German word is, der Karfunkel but I don’t know which gemstone this would be.}
[25] All this belongs within the realm of the science of the interrelationships and affinities of occult powers, and for reasons that are easily understood, it cannot be dealt with in detail here.
[26] {Maundy Thursday, also known as “Holy Thursday,” is the Thursday of Passion Week, one day before Good Friday (the Friday before Easter). Maundy Thursday is the name given to the day on which Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples, known as the Last Supper. Two important events are the focus of Maundy Thursday. First, Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with His disciples and thereby instituted the Lord’s Supper, also called Communion (Luke 22:19-20). Some Christian churches observe a special Communion service on Maundy Thursday in memory of Jesus’ Last Supper with His disciples. Second, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet as an act of humility and service, thereby setting an example that we should love and serve one another in humility (John 13:3-17). Some Christian churches observe a foot-washing ceremony on Maundy Thursday to commemorate Jesus’ washing the feet of the disciples. The word Maundy is derived from the Latin word for “command.” The “Maundy” in “Maundy Thursday” refers to the command Jesus gave to the disciples at the Last Supper, that they should love and serve one another. Should we observe Maundy Thursday? The Bible neither commands nor forbids it. It is a good thing to remember the Last Supper and Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. It is a good thing to remember the Lord’s example of humility. [from, https://www.gotquestions.org/Maundy-Thursday.html }
[27] A perfect Rosicrucian has the ability to move spiritually wherever he wants. In the middle of the last century, secret gatherings of the Rosicrucians took place on Maundy Thursday in the “Untersberg” near Salzburg.