booknetsaWebster-secretSocietiesAndSubversiveMovements

Athanasius Kircher and Knorr, Baron von Rosenroth, author of the Kabbala Denudata, in the course of the
seventeenth century " endeavoured to spread the Cabala among the Christians by translating Cabalistic
works which they regarded as most ancient wisdom." " Most of them," the Jewish Encyclopædia goes on to
observe derisively, " held the absurd idea that the Cabala contained proofs of the truth of Christianity....
Much that appears Christian [in the Cabala] is, in fact, nothing but the logical development of certain ancient
esoteric doctrines."(31)
The Rosicrucians appear to have been the outcome both of this Cabalistic movement and of the teachings
of Paracelsus. The earliest intimation of their existence was given in a series of pamphlets which appeared
at the beginning of the seventeenth century. The first of these, entitled the Fama Fraternitatis; or a
Discovery of the Fraternity of the most Laudable Order of the Rosy Cross, was published at Cassel in 1614
and the Confessio Fraternitatis early in the following year. These contain what may be described as the "
Grand Legend" of Rosicrucianism, which has been repeated with slight variation up to the present day.
Briefly, this story is as follows (32): " The most godly and highly-illuminated Father, our brother C.R.," that
is to say, Christian Rosenkreutz, " a German, the chief and original of our Fraternity," was born in 1378, and
some sixteen years later travelled to the East with a Brother P.A.L., who had determined to go to the Holy
Land. On reaching Cyprus, Brother P.A.L. died and " so never came to Jerusalem." Brother C.R., however,
having become acquainted with certain Wise Men of " Damasco in Arabia," and beheld what great wonders
they wrought, went on alone to Damasco. Here the Wise Men received him, and he then set himself to study
Physick and Mathematics and to translate the Book M into Latin. After three years he went to Egypt,
whence he Journeyed on to Fez, where " he did get acquaintance with those who are called the Elementary
inhabitants, who revealed to him many of their secrets.... Of those of Fez he often did confess that their Magia
was not altogether pure and also that their Cabala was defiled with their religion, but notwithstanding he
knew how to make good use of the same." After two years Brother C.R. departed the city Fez and sailed
away with many costly things into Spain, where he conferred with the learned men and being " ready bountifully
to impart all his arts and secrets" showed them amongst other things how there might be a society in
Europe which might have gold, silver, and precious stones sufficient for them to bestow on kings for their
necessary uses and lawful purposes...."
Christian Rosenkreutz then returned to Germany, where " there is nowadays no want of learned men,
Magicians, Cabalists, Physicians, and Philosophers." Here he " builded himself a fitting and neat habitation
in the which he ruminated his voyage and philosophy and reduced them together in a true memorial." At the
end of five years' meditation there " came again into his mind the wished-for Reformation " accordingly, he
chose " some few adjoyned with him," the Brethren G.V., I.A., and I.O.-the last of whom " was very expert
and well learned in Cabala as his book H witnesseth "-to form a circle of initiates. " After this manner began
the Fraternity of the Rosy Cross." Five other Brethren were afterwards added, all Germans except I.A., and
these eight constituted his new building called Sancti Spiritus. The following agreement was then drawn up:
* First, that none of them should profess any other thing than to cure the sick, and that gratis. * Second,
none of the posterity should be constrained to wear one certain kind of habit, but therein to follow the custom
of the country. * Third, that every year, upon the day C., they should meet together at the house Sancti
Spiritus, or write the cause of his absence. * Fourth, every Brother should look about for a worthy person
who after his decease, might succeed him. * Fifth, the word C.R. should be their seal, mark, and character. *
Sixth, the Fraternity should remain secret one hundred years.
Finally Brother C.R. died, but where and when, or in what country he was buried, remained a secret.
The date, however, is generally given as 1484. In 1604 the Brethren who then constituted the inner circle of
the Order discovered a door on which was written in large letters 'Post 120 Annos Patebo.'
On opening the door a vault was disclosed to view, where beneath a brass tablet the body of Christian
Rosenkreutz was found, " whole and unconsumed," with all his " ornaments and attires," and holding in his
hand the parchment " I " which " next unto the Bible is our greatest treasure," whilst beside him lay a number
of books, amongst others the Vocabulario of Paracelsus, who, however, the Fama observes, earlier " was
one of our Fraternity."(33)
The Brethren now knew that after a time there would be " a general reformation both of divine and human
things." While declaring their belief in the Christian faith, the Fama goes on to explain that: Our Philosophy
is not a new invention, but as Adam after his fall hath received it and as Moses and Solomon used
it,... wherein Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, and others did hit the mark and wherein Enoch, Abraham, Moses,
Solomon, did excel, but especially wherewith that wonderful Book the Bible agreeth.
Nesta H. Webster — Secret Societies and Subversive Movements — Part I
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