Study Notes
for Zelators
What follows is the text of a booklet
produced and written by John Paternoster, the Director General of Studies
for the SRIA. From summer 2002 all newly initiated members of the various
Colleges in East Anglia should receive a copy at their initiation. It follows
that anyone initiated before the booklet was produced did not receive a copy!
The full text is reproduced here, along with the suggested reading list and
the questions for contemplation. You should feel free to send your thoughts
or queries to either your College Coordinator of Studies, or to the Provincial
Coordinator of Studies, but under no obligation to do so. Read on.
Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia
Notes for the Newly Admitted Frater
Introduction
Throughout the history of mankind, the spiritual leaders and sages of the
world have told us that all knowledge comes from within, that truth is something
which we perceive within ourselves and that Wisdom is aquired as the result
of our response to life's experiences; but it cannot be taught.
At your first entry into the College, the Celebrant informed you that our
Society is not the repositary of all Truth, but rather, is composed of bretheren
who seek after Truth and Wisdom, and that our Society has a system of instruction
and a method which which help each Frater along the path to Truth. You were
advised that "Our aim is to be good, our desire to be humble, our study
to be wise". Now the inquirer after Truth will find that his first
steps tread on the confines of the impenetrable; that he is constantly finding
himself out of his depth; that ll his knowledge, no matter from what source
it may proceed, tends to become transcendental; that he is led inexorably
from the intellectual to the moral, from the physical to the spiritual.
In many ways we might use that wonderful phrase from the Craft "The
Light of a Mason is darkness visible." Nevertheless, you were encouraged
to proceed on your Quest, though the way seems long and the soul is at times
weary, and to toil on towards the utmost pinnacles of Wisdom, to the Source
of Wisdom, which is God made manifest.
What you have already been told in the Zelator ceremony makes it clear
that knowledge is not to be confused with wisdom. Knowledge lies mainly
in the observation of facts and phenomena, and in tracing the underlying
principles; but discrimination in the application of knowledge is 'wisdom'.
Perception of Truth by the human intellect can only be partial and approximate,
and our perception (understanding) of it will change during our lifetime.
But we can perceive enough ascertainable truth to stimulate further enquiry
and speculation, which never ends. We are all travellers on the road to
Truth; we are all fellow-pilgrims on our Quest, in our search for the meaning
of our life and being.
The ceremony of your admission as a Frater of the Society is not only a
formal introduction to the S.R.I.A., but it also provides an indication
as to the direction for your studies and the conduct tht you are to pursue.
You begin your membership of the Society as a Student, and when you progress
to the 2nd Order (Grade V) you have the responsibility of being a Teacher,
and then in 3rd Order (from Grade VIII) you are a Ruler. That there are
ceromonies for all the various Grades indicates that there are important
stages in this instruction, a progressive revelation of knowledge. In a
sense, certain keys are put in your hands, but it is up to you to open the
doors of knowledge and understanding, as we journey together in solving
"the great problems of life".
There is no end to this aquisition of knowledge, but sooner or later we
are forced to turn inward and look at the centre, rather than the circumference
of the circle. "Man know thyself" could well be our motto, and
the Society has has much to offer the seeker who desires to achieve this
understanding of himself, life, and the world in which he lives.
As a member of this ancient and honoured Society of Rosicrucians, you have
an exemplar to follow, our revered founder Christian Rosenkreutz, whose
life and teachings are set out in the 17th century publications called the
'Fama Fraternitatis' and the 'Confessio'. He provided a wonderful
example of "The duty and Beauty of Service", not only to his Fratres,
but also to all humanity. As a modern-day version of this Fraternity, we
can but do our best, to do good to all and to seek "The vision splendid".
Finally, as we can read in the Fama, our life and work on this Earth is
that "Finally man might understand his own nobleness and worth and
the reasons why he is called the Microcosm, that perfect reflection of the
Macrocosm of the Divine Creator.".
* * * * * *
The History of the Fraternity (Part
1)
There was, in or about 1610, a curious and anonymous Latin text
that was circulated among the learned of Europe. It puported to be an account
of a secret fraternity of adepts but how far it represented historical truth,
or how far it could be regarded as symbolical truth in its form as a parable,
has never been decided. In any case, internal evidence shows it most certainly
was the work of an illuminated adept and such is the nature of the document
that it is regarded as a fountainhead of the popular tradition concerning Western
occultism.
The object of that Fraternity was to attain knowledge of Jesus Christ, and
of Nature hitherto unknown; to induce great wisdom, which would renew and
reduce all arts to perfection, so that man might understand his own nature
and worth, and why he is called the microcosm.
Although theology, physics and mathematics do manifest the truth, it must
also be said that the pride, the covetousness and the blinkered views of the
learned do not permit them to agree together. It was to this end that "Our
most godly and illuminated Brother C.R.C., a German, chief and originator
of our Fraternity, hath much and long time laboured."
He was born in 1378 and descended from noble parents but by reason of poverty
was placed in a cloister at five years of age; where he learned Latin and
Greek indifferently, and became associated with a brother P.A.L., with whom
he planned to go to the Holy Land.
Brother P.A.L. died at Cyprus on his way, and Brother C.R.C. went on to Damascus,
intending to go on to Jerusalem. Because of ill-health, however, he remained
in Damascus, where he greatly impressed the Turks. It was here that he became
acquainted with the wise men of Damascus and Arabia, who taught and showed
him about the wonders of Nature that they had discovered. Although only 16
years of age, the Arabians received him, not as a stranger, but as one they
had long expected, and they called him by his name and showed him many secrets.
Here learned there the Arabian tongue; physics; mathematics and transalated
the book "M" into Latin. Afterthree years he went on into Egypt
where he sojourned for a short while before sailing to Fez. Here the Arabians
instructed him, and he became aquainted with those beings, which we call the
Elementals, who revealed to him many of their secrets.
As regards the work in Fez, he confesses that their magic was not altogether
pure, and that their Qabalah was defiled by their religion; but he was still
able to make good use of their knowledge, which served not only to increase
his own faith but further confirmed to him the perfect harmony of the whole
world and in that tune and melody of God with Heaven and Earth.
He stayed for two years but then left Fez and sailed to Spain, hoping to
exchange his knowledge with the learned men of Europe, however they made a
mockery of his learning. All that is except one man whose name was Paracelsus
who studied and complimented his work.
After many painful travels, our loving father C.R.C. at last returned to
Germany where he built his house and there spent a great deal of time in meditation
on philosophy, alchemy and mathematics. Five years later there came about
a change in his life and he was joined by three others in his work, who we
know as Bros. G.V., J.A., and J.O. With these three he entered ibto an obligation
that they would all be faithful, diligent and secret, and that they would
commit carefully to writing all that he should direct and instruct.
Thus did Christian Rosenkreuz form the Fraternity and thereby the root stock
from which we are sprung.
* * * * * * *
Recommended Reading
There are a number of books available on the Rosicrucians and Rosicrucianism
in general. Two that are recommended are:
The Rosicucian Enlightenment - Frances Yates
The Rosicrucians - Christopher McIntosh
On the subject of the Kabbalah the inroductory books of note are:
The Tree of Life - Halevi
Qabalah - John Bonner
For more in depth reading on the Kabbalah:
Mystical Qabalah - Dion Fortune
Garden of Pomegranates - Israel Regardie
A useful book on the subject of number is:
The Key to the Universe - Curtis
* * * * * *
The Questions set out below are designed to assist the Frater in his understanding
of the Grade of Zelator as well as his preparation for the Grade of Theoricus.
You are invited to write a short paragraph or a series of ‘notes’
on each subject and to send them to your College Co-ordinator of Studies who
will pleased to receive them and discuss them with you.Subjects for Contemplation.
1. What did you seek and what brought you to this Society?
2. What are the Aims of the Society?
3. What do the Four Ancients represent to you?
4. What do the letters IHVH and INRI signify, how are they
related and how is the latter represented in the college?
5. What do you understand by the maxim “As above, so it Is
Below, but after another fashion.”?
6. Numbers have meanings other than their arithmetical value, how explained?
7. How many rounds are there on Jacob’s Ladder. and what do they signify?
8. What do you understand by the words “The Tree of Life”?
9. What is inscribed on the jewel of our Society?
10. What do understand by the name “The Rose of Sharon”?
