[Der Tempel der Menschheit und die Loge der Meister]
Translation from the German by Robert Hutwohl[1]
Motto: “I believe in the communion of saints.” (Christian Catechism.)
Every man who seeks truth begins by looking for it in external things. Therefore the call is heard from many quarters: “Which church should I join? Which association should I become a member of? Which society should I join?” etc. But “Christ is neither here nor there”—no association has a monopoly on the possession of the truth. — The truth is everywhere, and its light penetrates wherever it is allowed to enter. There is no lack of important doctrines in all major religious systems; all that matters is that they are properly understood and followed. Many are looking for “masters” and cannot find them; but the Master is always there, though invisible, and ready to teach the student as soon as he opens his heart to the light of truth and is ready to receive the lesson, while a violent and premature opening of the inner senses to the immature person would be a great misfortune and would also serve to increase his moral responsibility; for the awakening of the spiritual-divine powers in man brings with it the possession of magical faculties, and between white magic and diabolical work the difference lies only in the manner in which these powers are employed. If you don’t have it, you can’t misuse it, so you don’t run the risk of spoiling yourself.
The temple of truth is wherever it is felt; for sensation comes from touch, and love of truth from feeling. Where there is not only vain curiosity, but genuine love of truth, there is genuine religious feeling, and truth is ready to reveal itself.
The “pagans” are not necessarily those who do not belong to any particular denomination or external church, but those who have no religious feeling and love of truth. They dwell outside on the desolate “heath” and not within the walls of the temple, i.e., not in the realm of truth, and if they were themselves popes or bishops and kept all the rites of the church, yet do so without a love of truth, they could not find the entrance to the temple.
The great temple of mankind, over which the lodge of the holy Masters watches invisibly, thus includes all people in whom the urge for good reigns, and the more the love for truth and its knowledge awakens in them, the higher are the grades which they naturally assume in this society and which cannot be bestowed by any outward ceremonies or diplomas. The Light of Truth Itself is the great Initiator that initiates the disciple by manifesting itself in him and awakening him to a higher level of existence.
What are these grades?
The whole of human evolution in our Manvantara represents a development in seven stages, each of which again distinguishes seven steps, so that there are naturally forty-nine such stages, corresponding to the establishment of the spiritual temple and the Lodge of the Masters.
At the first stage are all those in whose hearts there is a sincere love of truth, even though their minds are poorly formed and intellectually ignorant. Their sense of truth is proof that they have come close to the Lodge of Masters.
At the second level are all those people who not only have a love of what is good, but also have intuition and understanding and strive to work for the good of humanity. Among these are many persons of distinguished position in life, statesmen, teachers, and the like, and who, even if they have never heard of occult things, are nevertheless more or less inspired and guided by the Masters, as circumstances will permit.
The third degree is reached by those in whom the inner life has awakened, who are therefore aware of a higher invisible guidance and are able to distinguish between lower and higher spiritual influences and to control themselves through the power of the higher consciousness.
Of the fourth degree are those whose inward senses are open, and who are therefore able, in full consciousness, to come into spiritual contact with, and receive instruction from, the communion of the saints and enlightened ones, the Masters of Wisdom.
The three highest grades belong to the sanctuary of the temple, the “Lodge of the Masters,” and it does not behoove us to speak of them.
In various parts of the world there are outer organisations, churches, associations and schools which are under the special care of one or more of these enlightened ones, although this supervision and guidance is an invisible one, the members of such an association not realizing the intrinsic worth of their leaders know and the outside world knows nothing about it.
It is precisely due to this ignorance that such unions are protected against the intrusion of immature and decomposing elements. What flourishes best is what blossoms in secret. What is hung on the big bell attracts the public, and when the great gate opens, the herd of the domineering, the greedy, and the vain talkers rush in. Then the quarrel of opinions and intolerance begin, the spirit disappears, and the empty form finally crumbles into itself.
Now the man waiting for rapid support stands there helplessly and asks again: “Which company should I join? — Kindly tell me in confidence which of the many is the right one.”
It is a law of the spirit in nature that everyone, even if they go astray for a while, gravitates to the right place at the right time. If he is a gossip, the company of gossips attracts him; if he is wise, the star of wisdom will show him the right path. The Masters welcome everyone who enters the Temple; they don’t have to look far for him, and he doesn’t need any letters of introduction to them. Every man in whom the light of truth shines is a lamp to it and shines like a shining star in the darkness of ignorance which surrounds the courtyard of the temple. There, the eye of the Master finds him, and he guides him if he allows himself to be guided.
But what should those who are still outside in the dark do to get into the temple? Angelus Silesius gave us the right advice long ago when he said:
“The next way is through love’s door; the way of science takes you slowly for.”
However, this is ignored by many. Many believe that entrance into the Temple of Wisdom depends on outward appearances, diplomas and ceremonies; others want to be regarded as great theosophists when they speak learnedly of things they know nothing about except what they have heard from others, but Theosophy is not a matter of memory, it is not a matter of business competition, and it is not intellectual speculation, but the revelation of the spiritual-divine life within ourselves, which is elevated above all human concepts and ideas. Wisdom is only attained by those who love it and sacrifice themselves to it. The kingdom of wisdom is the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of God, as the Bible says, is within ourselves.
Note
[1] The Temple of Man and the Lodge of the Master. [Der Tempel der Menschheit und die Loge der Meister. Franz Hartmann, M.D. Theosophischer Wegweiser 4, no. 10 (July 1902), 293-298] Translation from the German by Robert Hutwohl, ©2025