rosicrucian forum, august 1954-june 1957

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The Rosicrucian Forum

August 1954 - June 1957


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August, 1954Yol. XXV No. 1

Rosícrucian ForumA p r í v a t e p u b l i c a t i o n f o r m e m b e r s o f A M O R C

Jan Coops, F. R. C., Gra nd Mast er of The Neth erlands.

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Page 2 THE ROSICRUCIAN FORUM

Greetings!V V V

EVOLUTION VS. REVOLUTION

Dear Fratres and Sor ores:In mystical philosophy, the evolutionary

process is always extolled as the preferredmethod in any necessary adjustment in so-ciety. The evolutionary method presupposesan ultímate ideal or objective which is to beattained progressively. Thus evolution con-stitutes a concatenation or chain of causesand effects by which one thing merges intoanother constructively to finally reach theend conceived or aspired to. It is apparentthat such an evolutionary process is less vio-

f lent and less disturbing to human relations.It requires surroundings and conditions con-ducive to the development desired. It con-stitutes no forceful break within existingcircumstances.

By contrast,revolution is generally conceded to be the willful rupture of a socialorder or 4‘the overthrow of established insti-tutions.” This violence is regarded as de-structive and a display of base human passions. As a consequence, revolutionarymethods are considered by many persons asnot being an intelligent approach to a situa-tion but an evidence of loss of self-control.Historically, however, many practices andideologies now extant, and which are highlycommended, have had their origin in theforceful action of revolution. Several of theleading democracies have attained their waysof life and achieved their cherished freedoms by a violent break with circumstances ofwhich they disapproved. They have subse-quently taken the position that the endaspired to justifíed the means.

In nature all is not evolutionary in thesense of a gradual progressive merging ofone phenomenon into another. Drastic andviolent transitions occur which alter, forexample, climatic and topographical conditions. Volcanic er up tio ns, though mostoften destructive, as judged by man, havenevertheless altered the terrain in a waywhich was later to be found of advantageto man. Glacial descents have gouged pathsfor new rivers and formed bays which be-came excellent harbors. Earthquakes havedisclosed veins of valuable ore. Prehistoric

cataclysmic leveling of forests, combinedwith the factor of time, has produced, eonslater, extensive coal beds. In human affairs,also, revolution is often essential iftime is of the essence. Time is of the essence whérethe continuation of the condition may de-stroy or lose a valuable opportunity to real-ize some desired end. Time is likewise avital factor where it is necessary to abolisha threatened or actual wrong.

Revolution is the application of forcé inorder to achieve an immediate end. A log-ical case can be made in defense of forcéwhen persuasión by reason and educationfails. A drowning person who is terrifiedand whose struggles jeopardize the life of hiswould-be rescuer cannot always be reasonedwith. He must be made unconscious by a blow so that he does not interfere with theefforts of his rescuer. When a fire rages outof control in the city, threatening all of itsstructures, buildings lying in its path must be dynamited to check its spread. This is arevolutionary method of bringing about achange in a serious condition where time isof the essence. Where persons have beenincited to mob violence and will not listento reason and in their temporary emotionalinstability jeopardize the lives of others,forcé must be applied—again such is a revolutionary method justified by the inherentvalúes and their relationship to time.

There is, of course, always an inherentdanger in revolution. The circumstancesmay not justify the sudden and drasticchanges which will result from it. Evolution being slower in human affairs, as for example the effect of education and culturalrefinement, adapts gradually to the transi-tion which follows from it. In fact, most persons do not realize evolutionary changes

in customs except as they make a compara-tive study of them. Revolution, conversely,results in a sudden transformation and brings about a relatively immediate termina-tion of some condition or thing. Unless theindividual can make an immediate adjustment to the new condition that follows, orrealizes the valué that is to come from it, he


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or she experiences harm or loss. But in anevolution of social relations, the conscious-

ness of change is so gradual as to imposelittle hardship upon the individual. Thereis had a familiarity with the contributingcauses of the change o ver a period of time.However, socialrevolution is an immediateopposition to concepts and activities had byat least a portion of the populace. It seemsto disfranchise a number of people fromwhat they may consider their rights beforethey have acquired án understanding of thevalué to be derived from the change.

It may be asserted as a dictum that revolution as a way to an end is not morallywrong, but that it is justified only in anemergency when time is of the essence.Further, the end which revolution seeks toattain or to preserve should be knownthrough experience to actually contributeto the welfare of society. Certainly, revolution as the application of forcé against ex-isting conditions or for the overthrow ofestablished institutions to further sometheory or assumption9is logically unsound.The underlying principie in this regard isthat the new end sought must be knownempirically to be superior before there isan abolition of prevailing conditions. Theapplication of forcé in social and politicalrelations is never just where peaceful meth-ods would accomplish the same end.

Those who are about to launch a revolu

tion in any phase of human affairs mustfirst have the responsibility of determiningthe relative valué between what they pro pose and what the course of a revolutionarychange might produce. Revolution is war-ranted, regardless of extreme measures, ifthe cost in delay of evolution would be great-er than that of revolution itself. Revolutionis not inherently wrong. It must be rational-ly justified from the point of view as to thenecessity of such drastic method of change.

Fraternally,RALPH M. LEWIS,

Imperator

Why am I a Rosicrucian?

Recently I was asked this direct question:“Why are you a Rosicrucian?” I havethought a great deal about my reply, and Ihave not been completely satisfied with it.In retrospect, I feel that my answer wasneither convincing ñor was it well organized.The feeling that my answer was inadequatehas prompted me to make a list of some ofthe more important reasons which may explain why I have been a Rosicrucian ofmany years’ standing. While this list mayalso be applicable to other individuáis, I wishto explain that I present it purely as a personal expression and not as a summary ofRosicrucian principies. The reasons which

I list express a philosophy of life. Basically,these ideas were a part of my conscious ex perience before I ever heard the word Rosi-crucian. During years of membership, theRosicrucian philosophy has reinforced theideas I held before, and Rosicrucianism has become synonymous with my philosophy oflife. For whatever they may be worth toanother Rosicrucian or to an individual notassociated with the organization, the follow-ing to me are the reasons why I am aRosicrucian:1. I have always believed in a philosophy

based upon idealism. This idealism Ihave broadly conceived in recognizing

the actualities of the physical world as being substantially what they seem to bein terms of our perception and throughthe limitations of our physical senses. Ialso maintain that these actualities aresecondary to the true reality which existsin a world that lies, for want of betterexpression, “above and beyond” the levelof the physical world. I believe, as Platoexpressed his philosophy, that there is perfection which exists outside the physical world, that for everything we seemanifested on a physical plañe thereexists a perfect counterpart on a plañe

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that lies beyond our immediate reach. InRosicrucianism there is embodied this practical or objective idealism with whichmy philosophy of life finds a sympatheticrelationship. The Rosicrucian philosophyserves as a channel or as a means for meto better understand and grasp the fullimportance of this concept of idealism.

2. Rosicrucianism as a philosophy directs but does not dictate. I am not the typeof personality that could work and liveunder the heel of any dictator. I would be either resentful in conformance or Iwould revolt. Consequently, in finding a philosophy to augment my own conceptof idealism, I want one that helps, thatdirects, guides, and points the way sothat I may analyze and use those portionsof it that seem to be acceptable to my ownthinking and seem practical in application.

I am humbly grateful for the work andthought of those who have gone beforeme and established the teachings as theynow exist. I am thankful to those whohave given even their lives that theirideáis might be maintained and per- petuated for me and my generation. IfI do not accept verbatim all of their ideas,teachings, and philosophy, I do acceptwith respect their effort and think thatany ideal that was worth the life andeffort of another individual is worthy ofmy consideration whether or not I acceptit completely. I receive guidance andleam tolerance by the teachings that con-stitute the Rosicrucian philosophy.

3. As a Rosicrucian, I feel free to expressmyself even to the extent of contradictingthe statements, opinions, and ideas of another individual or institution. I do nothave to accept Rosicrucian doctrines or principies contrary to my own reason orconvictions. I will not be bound by thelaws that any man or group of men established merely because they conceived anidea to be right. I will not subject mythinking to certain dogma, principies, orcreeds because someone at some othertime has said that these creeds are thoseto which man should adhere. I will ex press myself even though I may ultimate-ly be proved to be in error. Freedom ofexpression I feel as a part of my most

priceless heritage and a part of my ownexperience. In Rosicrucianism I findguidance toward a philosophy of life andfreedom to think for myself and to directmy own thoughts and expressions.

4. I find in Rosicrucianism the Ímpetus to-wards growth regardless of physical ormental limitations. In Rosicrucianism Iam able to draw upon the sciences, thearts, and the letters of the present andthe past. I am able to incorpórate thefindings that are revealed into my ownthinking and to come to the realizationthat perfection has not yet been attained, but growth toward perfection is possible by anyone who devotes himself to theeffort. I learned within the Rosicrucian philosophy that there exist real and sat-isfying valúes, and not only do I learnof their existence but I am directed toward the realization of these valúes andleam to incorpórate them into my ownthinking and experience. In these valúesI am able to take new aim and to estab-lish standards to live now and in thefuture and to maintain a process of growththat continúes into immortality.

5. I learn that peace of mind is a state thatis not only to be looked upon in the pas-sive sense but is a dynamic condition thatresults from a positive attitude toward lifeand the ability to direct ourselves in amanner that will be constructive andworth while. Through the exercise of thoseinner attributes of the mind which theRosicrucian teachings reveal to me, thetechniques are learned by which the un-derstanding of my true position of lifeis possible and through this realization anattainment is possible of an all-over perspective that leads to the realizationof peace of mind.

6. I find in Rosicrucianism an aim in liv-ing. To be a Rosicrucian is to devote one’sself in part toward the attainment of truevalúes and to make life purposeful. Thisaim may be attained or at least satisfiedto a degree by applying the principiestaught in the Rosicrucian teachings toour daily living. This causes the actionand function of life to have purpose andto be more than an aimless shifting fromone borrowed idea to another proposed bysomeone else.


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7. In Rosicrucianism I am able to elimínatefrom my consciousness one of the worstenemies of man—that is, fear, There can be no fear of either the seen or the un-seen when we know our way and havean aim or direction. I have experiencedmy share of suffering, of despondency,and of cióse approach to death, but in allthat experience I have had no fear. Ihave, however, done my share of com- plaining at my lot and not always ac-cepted mental or physical pain withequanimity, but above it all I have hadthe conviction that whatever was the out-come of the experiences, that outcomewould be right. So I am assured thatlife has a purpose, has an end directed

by an intelligence greater than mine, andthat no fear need be harbored by me because no harm can come to a man or awoman who looks to the divine nature ofself, either in this life or another.

8. Although personality is a secondary con-sideration in the Rosicrucian philosophy,I am a Rosicrucian partly because I wasinfluenced and had great respect for thelife of an individual who in teaching andin practice exemplified the principies andformulated into a usable form for my owninspiration and needs the Rosicrucian philosophy as it exists in the modem day.This individual, Dr. H. Spencer Lewis,the first Imperator of the present cycleof the organization, is the forcé, or ratherthe personality, that causes Rosicrucianism to be able to be brought into theintímate life and the thinking of anyindividual who is motivated to seek truevalúes in this complex world.

9. To summarize: I am a Rosicrucian be-cause I prize ideáis more than physical possessions, freedom of thought morethan regimentation, knowledge more thansuperstition, and realize that only by direct awareness of the divine forcé residentwithin me may I attain an understand-ing of my destiny.(The above arricie was written by the

Supreme Secretary.)

This Issue’s Personality

The life of Frater Jan Coops is a fascinat-ing and varied chapter in Rosicrucian his-tory. His experiences read like fiction but

have the far-reaching influence of reality.He was born in Utrecht in the Netherlandson April 1, 1880. He is a descendant of anoíd Huguenot family who fled to Hollandin the 17th century to escape the persecutionto which the Protestants were subjected inFrance. The spirit of freedom of thoughtand of conscience was inbred in young JanCoops. He attended public school for fiveyears. Then, as was the custom, he workedas an apprentice at different trades, but fi-nally emerged as a banking clerk. His rest-less spirit caused him to study nights for ateacher’s certifícate in biology. This begin-ning gave him a working knowledge of sev-eral languages.

Born in the Dutch Reformed Church, hefound his interests shifting to metaphysicaland spiritual subjects at an early age. Thereligious freedom and economic opportunitiesof the New World intrigued him and heemigrated to Cañada in 1906. The oíd adage,“Go West, young man,” appealed to Janand he finally settled in Vancouver, BritishColumbia. While associated with a largeautomobile distributing company in thatcity, his attention was attracted to the his-tory of the Rosicrucians. He read the usuallitera ture available on the subject, whichleft him somewhat confused as to thewhereabouts of the authentic Order. Oneday, while riding in a streetcar in Van

couver, he was seated next to an elderlygentleman who was reading a Rosicrucian book. Engaging the gentleman in con-versation, he learned of a public lecture to be given by the Rosicrucian Order the nextday. By means of this contact, he crossedThe Threshold into the A.M.O.R.C.

During the great economic depression ofthe 30’s, Jan Coops was tempted to accept a position in his homeland of Holland. Havingmet Dr. H. Spencer Lewis, several timeswhile a member of the Vancouver Lodge ofthe A.M.O.R.C., he wrote the Imperatoradvising him of his intention. To his sur- prise, Dr. Lewis in replying, requested him

to represent the A.M.O.R.C. in the Netherlands: “Your duty to be that of bringingour work before the attention of prospectiveseekers . . .” After twenty-seven years ofabsence from his homeland, it was difficultfor Frater Coops to get established. Heknew few people. Determined to succeed,however, with his Rosicrucian mission, he


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spent every available evening attendingmeetings where he might meet personssearching for the knowledge, the sources ofwhich he represented.

In 1936, he conducted propaganda meetings in his home. The first RosicrucianTemple Convocation in the modern historyof Holland was held, December, 1936, in anattic—9 x 12 feet. Subsequently, the workunder the dynamic personality of FraterCoops grew. He met with Dr. H. SpencerLewis, then incumbent Imperator, upon sev-eral occasions at F. U. D. O. S. I. conclaves.

Then carne the impact of the war and the“Nazi invasión” of Holland. All Rosicrucianliterature and monograph material had to be destroyed for fear of its being seized.Under penalty not to convene, the fratresand sorores of Holland, courageously directed by Frater Coops,did meet sub rosa, therebykeeping the fíame burning at the risk oftheir lives. In July, 1946, following the war,Frater Coops was given a charter for thewhole of the Netherlands and was duly ap- pointed Grand Master of that Jurisdiction byImperator Ralph M. Lewis. He subsequently attended other affairs of the Order inEuropé at which the Imperator was present.

Against great odds and at a now ad-vanced age, Frater Coops has slowly rebuiltthe Rosicrucian Jurisdiction of the Netherlands. At the moment he is convalescing

from a serious illness, the result of his yearsof arduous labor. By his side, as a mostfaithful worker in the vineyard of theA.M.O.R.C. stands his loving wife, SororCoops, upon whom he has always dependedfor inspiration and competent assistance.—X

Is Fatalism Logícal?

Another frater rises to address our Forum.He asks: “One’s destiny or fate is often saidto be retained in one’s face, one’s hand, andin one’s birth. Are there any logical groundsfor the doctrine of fatalism? How do theRosicrucian teachings explain these things?”

There are an untold number of personswho declare themselves to be fatalists. The belief in fate is the belief in the predeter mination of the events of human life. Fatalism contends that the whole course of eachhuman life has been predetermined. Forexample, it holds that our associations,friends, and enemies have all been previous-

ly established for us by an inexorable law.It further contends that our work, profes-sions, and even our specific interests have been mapped in advanee for each of us.Health, sickness, good fortune, our failures,are all plotted, according to the doctrinesof fatalism, as a mariner would chart thecourse of his vessel. This course of life isdeclared to be not only predetermined butinescapable. There is no exercise of willor application of reason which can causeany deviation from the dictates of fate, according to these theories. Whatever hap- pens, be it good or bad, is said to be theconsequence of what has been previouslyordained.

There are some persons who conceive fateas the arb itrary will of God. They believethat some deity has charted the events of thelife of each human. Man is said to be likea cog in a machine; he must make certainrevolutions, that is, conform to a specific behavior only. And there are still otherswho consider fate strictly a kind of mech-anistic system; the human is thought to be part of such a system. The fatalists say thatman is predestined by his Designer to fílla role, just as an inventor designs and con-struets a part in a complex device to per-form a specific function, and that such a part is not interchangeable with any other part and cannot vary its predetermined

purpose.The first gross error of fatalism is thedenial of the divine powers of man. Manhas had conferred upon him reason and thefaculty of will, the ability to assert himselfas he desires. Man is, of course, philosoph-ically,not completely a free agent. We knowthat the human must, for analogy, moveeast, west, north, or south. He has to chooseone of those directions when he is to move.But the faculty of will allows man, withinits limited scope, to select what (to him) isthe most desirable, or appears to be themost rational means or direction. Man isnot compelled in any direction except bythe exercise of his will or the influence ofexternal factors.

If man, as the fatalists would have us believe, is a complete puppet, then his reasonand will are futile endowments. They arefaculties without any efficacy. What awaste, then, is the individual direction ofour powers and the effort to accomplish


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something in conformance with our ownreason! If man is obliged to follow a pre-conceived course, then why is he permitted,through the function of reason and will, todebate, to oppose certain courses, to setsome aside andtochooseothersinpreference?Why is man, shall we say, tormented by being allowed to make numerous beginnings before following the one which fate hasdecreed he must follow?

Furthermore, a fatalist deniesnatural law and causality. Now each day we experiencewhat we calicauses which motívate us oneway or another. There are things whichwe study, things which we experience—allof which influence and mold our lives. Theyshape our actions. They incline us towardthis or toward that. As such, these arecauses as man thinks of them. The fatalist,however, would have you believe that allthese causes are inconsequential, that noth-ing at all is contributing to your inclinationsor to your behavior. The fatalist wants youto think that your end in life has been estab-lished for you.

The fact of the matter is that the fatalisthimself is not consistent in what he pro-fesses to be his belief. For example, theaverage fatalist deposits his money in the bank, saves his money when he can, just asothers do. He does these things for the purpose of being prepared for some eventuality —to bulwark himself against some economicemergency that might arise. Now, if thefuture for him has already been predetermined,why save? If it has been ordainedthat he is to confront economic distress, thenall the money that he could put in the bankcould not alter such a destiny. So why doeshe save?

Further, you will find that the fatalist,like almost every other person, consults a physician when he is ill, asking for advice,and he hopes that the physician may prescribe some treatment by which he willimpro ve in health. Why does the fatalistdo this? If he is going to die from the ill-

ness which he has contracted, and if that ishis fate, then it will avail him nothing to goto the physician—yet he does so» Furthermore, we find that the fatalist like anyrational person, avoids walking over a cliffor stepping out in front of a passing car.In other words, he gives indication of want-ing to preserve his life. If he were con

sistent as a fatalist, then, like Pyrrho, theskeptic, he would show no caution in theface of danger. He would take the positionthat since fate had ordained that he was notto die until a certain time, he could disre-gard all dangers with immunity. Again, Irepeat, the inconsistency of the fatalist isshown in that he doesnot disregard dangerany more than would any other person.

Fatalism inhibits all of the Creative quali-ties and inclinations of the individual. Wefind that the fatalist subordinates his ownwill and Creative powers. He is inclinedto allow himself to drift with circumstances.His attitu’de is one of accepting what befallshim. Often the fatalis t refuses to believethat through his own efforts, his ownthoughts, he may alter the course of his life.He disregards the imaginative and construc-tive powers which have been given him.Because of these factors, then, the fatalistcan never be a true mystic. His conceptmay be summarized as follows: why seekillumination and guidance? He thinks thathe cannot be other than what destiny has prescribed. Therefore, no matter how hestudies, what knowledge is conveyed to him,it cannot in any way alter the course laiddown for him by fate. As a consequence,we see that the true fatalist foregoes all ofhis divine potentialities. He becomes like a blade of grass with its simple consciousness,

merely responding to the influence of itsenvironment and asserting no forcé of itsown. Or, again he is but like a straw inthe wind.—X

Your Bequests Help

There is no educational, fraternal, or cultural order or movement that can functionentirely on the dues of its members. Suchorganizations must have periodic donationsfrom the members over and above the membership dues, if its activities are not to becurtailed. Every truly cultural or humani-tarian organization is obliged, by its prin

cipies and policies, to conduct ventures intothe sciences, the arts, and the literary realmfrom which no direct revenue is received.Since most are not publicly endowed or sup-

ported through taxes, their economic situa-tion would be desperate without addedassistance from thoughtful persons who arehumanitarians at heart. Half or more of the


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institutions of higher leaming throughoutthe world would cióse their doors tomorrowif this charitable spirit did not exist on the part of a portion of the populace.

The A.M.O.R.C. is a fraternal and culturalOrder. Its dues are hardly adequate to meetthe basic needs of the members, such asmonographs, personal correspondence, charts,diagrams, examinations, literature, monthly periodicals, clerical assistance and postage.In twenty-eight years the dues have been in-creased only 13% percent! General livingcosts, costs of commodities and services, haveexceeded that percentage many times in thesame number of years. The Supreme GrandLodge has intentionally kept the dues nominal and kept any increases far below thetrend of the costs of the times.The growth of the organization has obligedit, for its integrity and well-being, to includemany functions from which there is no in-come to defray costs. Our Rosicrucian Research Library is of service not just to localmembers but to the staff who serve membersthroughout the world. It is, therefore, a necessary burden. As an organization, we arenot just a school but a cultural movement.We, therefore, have a duty to society, tomankind, and we must give enlightenment by pointing out the achievements of theancients—the lessons they learned and par-ticularly the mistakes they have made. Wemust do our part to teach and instil anappreciation of the beautiful through ex-quisite works of art and handicraft. OurEgyptian Museum thus has grown to be aninstitution having a splendid reputationamong cultured persons. Furthermore, itfulfills a traditional obligation of the Rosicrucian Order to further the finer and noblerthings of human endeavor. The same may be said of our Science Museum and Plane-tarium. Both museums are admission free,as are the traveling art exhibitions, from allover the world, on display in our ArtGallery.

The only way these activities can be

maintained is through the médium of kinddonations for the work of the Order fromour members. The Council of Solace chargesno fees for the thousands of letters it sendsout and all of its reportorial work. It, too,depends upon contributions. Public librariesthroughout the world and penal institutionsare given free copies of Rosicrucian books

for those who cannot purchase them. This isanother activity which dues alone cannotmeet. Then there are free public lecturesand periodic visits of officers to lodge andchapter convocations and rallies, and themaintaining of the grounds and buildings.Further, there is an item of which most ofour members are not aware and that is that,though the A.M.O.R.C. is a nonprofit Cor poration and does not have to pay incometax, itdoes pay taxes on its real property.We are not a religious organization andhave no exemption, so our property tax isconsiderable—amounting to many thousandsof dollars annually.

Are the donations which our fratres andsorores make over and above their dues suf-

ficient to meet these burdens? The answeris “no.” When members allow their duesto become in arrears two or three months,the burden becomes still greater. The individual lapse is trifling perhaps to the member. However, multiply it by many timesand it becomes a staggering obligation forthe A.M.O.R.C. to assume. One thing thatdoes help,in addition to donations, isthe bequests which kind and thoughtful mem bers include in their last wills and testa-ments. When you prepare your will, thinkof the A.M.O.R.C. Whatever little you maygive will result in remembrance of yourgenerosity. There is no finer or more hu-manitarian thing you can do, after theCrossing of the Threshold, than to help inthe support of the Rosicrucian Order. Itsideáis and activities are needed in thesetimes of chaos and moral decline.

If you would be so kind as to leave a be-quest, just address a letter to the SupremeSecretary and ask for instructions in regardto the legal ñame of the Rosicrucian Orderfor the purpose of making a will. You canthus include the A.M.O.R.C. as one of your beneficiaries. Your attorney or any bankwill prepare the will for you in proper format your request. Leave something of yourcharitable inclinations, something material-ly representative of your inner self, to

further a humanitarian cause such as theOrder of which you are a part.—X

Ethics or Expediency, Which?

A soror, addressing our Forum, says: “TheUnited States of America, for example, be-came a free country because of its coura-


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geous forebears. They had the courage oftheir convictions and were able to accomplish great things because they were notafraid to speak and act. In other words,they were not ‘yes men.’ However, todaythere are those (and to whom I have beencióse enough to observe) who are successfuleither because they are ‘yes men’ or tyrants.The person who is conscientious and triesto live by his conscience, doing unto othersas he would have them do unto him anddoing a good job in his particular walk oflife, finds it difficult to succeed. It is difficultfor a person who is willing to eam his bread by the concentrated use of his brain or brawn to see others succeed by submitting tothe dictates of persons, regardless of the cost.It is often very demoralizing to the sense ofright. Could the Forum consider this problem?”

The problem of receiving merit for moraland ethical conduct is not a current one. Itis as oíd as human relationships. It is moreconspicuous in our time because of the pres-sure of competition in our great cities andmetropolises, where there is a congestión of people. Man is far less independent thanhe was centuries ago when a free man, witha small plot of land, might depend solelyon his own labors for subsistence and simple pleasures. Today man is obliged to currythe favor of many individuáis and groupsin order to retain employment or preservehis business or profession. The average manis reluctant to admit this, for it is a blowto his ego. It is, however, an observable factthat individuáis in business or professionallife will, consciously or unconsciously, ofteningratiate themselves in a very patronizingmanner to one they consider influential totheir welfare. They will, under such circumstances, suppress any opinions they havewhich might not be acceptable to thosewhose influence they seek. They will out-wardly even agree with those ideas withwhich actually they are not in accord. Thisis, of course, indicative ofcowardice. It isthe fear of incurring circumstances thatmight be costly in time, money or prestige by the assertion of one’s own convictions.Consequently, the individual sacrifices hissense of right and beliefs for material advan tage.

Today this duplicity and perfidy is oftenmade in itself to appear right by having

conferred upon it the appellation ofdiplo macy. It is considered by many as adroitand a kind of special sophistication to bedeceptive in one’s actions, to say and doone thing to gain advantage—and actually believe another. In business today there isa great decline of ethics. What is more de plorable is that there is no contriteness asso-ciated with the acts. Rather, there is theattempt to justify the measures on thegrounds of “business acumen” orexpediency. A transaction that is accomplished by representaron which if not positively false isnegatively so, by omission of facts, is considered clever. The individual who in goodfaith accepts statements or proposals in sucha transaction, on their prima facie valué, isconsiderednaive. He is considered a lambthat should be shom. Thus there is amongsuch business people not criticism of themethods of exploitation used but rather ofthe simplicity of faith of the one who has been deceived.

Of course, almost all transactions of thischaracter are within the bounds of law—law being thought of as a kind of necessaryannoyance or tradition imposed by society.The Better Business Bureau is likewise adeterrent factor in preventing an even bolderdisregard of ethical policy.

Ethics is not a divine importation. It isthe imposition of society. Its strength orweakness depends upon the increasing ordecreasing moral sense of the individual.The right and wrong of human conduct isusually based on what is thought necessaryfor the welfare of society. Consequently, dif-ferent nations and groups of people havevarying standards of behavior and regulationthereof. Man, as we have often said, doeshave a sense of righteousness that is innate.In other words, he has an inclination toconform to the proper or to what he con-ceives as good—the variation is in the in-terpretation of that good, the result of socialinfluence and guidance.

When material ends are considered themost important factor in human existence,when wealth, position, and power are em- phasized, we then find ethical standardsdiminishing. When physical satisfactions,the result of material gain, are conceived asthe end in life, then only that conductnecessary for their realization is considered.How you got what you have and enjoy, is


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of no consequence. In other words, the end justifies the means. When, however, thereis a consideration of the spiritual life of manand moral satisfactions are sought as well,then the ethical standards ascend. At sucha time man does not enjoy material gain ifit is at the sacrifice of his peace of mind orhis conscience.

Today, because of the precarious balanceof power throughout the world between thenations of the East and West, materialism ismade to appear to be the salvation of humanlife. There is a subordination of moral andethical valúes which reaches down intoevery day business relations. Religión is onthe increase today, numerically speaking, but not because of its essential mystical basis.

Most of those now turning to religión arefrustrated. It is but a desperate move ontheir part to find security against a risingtide of materialism that confounds the individual.—X

About the Masters

The invisible, as a kind of unknown, always fascinates. That which is without material substance or objective qualities has acertain infinite character about it. Themind, in considering such subjects, delightsin its freedom and enjoys the play of fancyand imagination. Each individual has acertain assurance that, no matter how fan-tastic his conceptions, he is not likely to bechallenged—who can prove him wrong, ishis attitude. He continually embellishes theobject of his fancy whenever its pleasure begins to diminish. His only rule of guidanceis the satisfaction which he derives from histhought. It is in this way that legends con-cerning matters, which are in the main intangible, become grossly distorted with the passing of time.

One of the topics that greatly intriguesthe imagination of many students of the oc-cult and mystical is that concerning Cosmicmasters or the greatillumined personalities who have passed from this earth plañe ormay still reside here. The contact with theminds or consciousness of these personalitiesis a personal experience. Very rarely is it possible of group substantiation. Therefore,the individual is likely to allow his imagination free play when giving thought to Cosmic masters. The unfortunate part of thissubject is that many students assume what

should be the relationship between theseCosmic intelligences and themselves. Theylike to think of these masters in a particularlight, whether or not such is in accordancewith tradition or Cosmic law. When it be-comes necessary, as it often does, that they be disillusioned about some of their miscon-ceptions, they are likely to be either offendedor presume that their informer is ill advised.

What is a Cosmic master? First, he wasa human being or still is such and, as anyother mortal, was born of woman. He wassubject to all human foibles, temptations,and requirements of mortal existence. Themastership he now has was not a divine en-dowment conferred upon him. The masterwas not originally Cosmically ordained to bea messiah for mankind. The mastershipwhich such beings come to display was attained through conscientious study and ap plication and long preparation. Many ofthe Cosmic masters had, at the beginning oftheir personal evolution, less opportunity forunfoldment and mystical awakening thandoes the Rosicrucian today. Their mastership, in the sense of knowledge acquired ofCosmic and natural law and the ability todirect the same, carne about as a result ofmany personal sacrifices. As said, they wereobliged to make a conscientious study of theirown lives and experiences and of Cosmic phenomena, as well as of that knowledge

which man had acquired before them. Plañe by plañe of consciousness, they rose to agreater perspective of Cosmic and humanrelationship. Incarnation by incamation,they made their advancement. Some even-tually achieved that perfection—which theBuddhists cali Nirvana —when the embodi-ment of the soul-personality in materialform is no longer necessary.

The greater the moral awakening, thespiritual enlightenment, the more extensive becomes the self’s interests. Man comes toinclude as an intímate part of himself thelove of mankind and love of life generally.He considers it incumbent upon him, therefore, to help in every way he can his fellowmortals or other soul-personalities. However, this desire to assist is andmust be, themaster knows, always within the bounds ofCosmic law. Activities, with the best of in-tentions, which would be contrary to Cosmiclaw, even though motivated by compassion,would be not only morally wrong but in-


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capable of fulfillment. Thus no Cosmic master will become a personal guide or a kind

of handmaiden or genie for a mortal. Nomaster is Cosmically assigned, as some students wistfully think, as their personal at-tendant through life.

The Cosmic master does not resort to thesolution of those problems for anyone whichthe personal experience, effort or initiativeof the individual, would accomplish for him.Man has been given an intellect, reason andwill, together with various receptor and other faculties, for the purpose of creating andmastering his life. Man needs knowledge ofhow this must be done. The Cosmic masterwill help provide such wisdom by inspiration —the application and performing of thenecessary deeds must be done by the individual himself. It is this latter point whichindividuáis want to disregard for varióusreasons, often because of personal indolence.

Let us remember that we learn throughtrial and test. We would never grow byhaving every situation mastered for us. Noone improves his physical and muscular de-velopment by having someone else gothrough gymnastic exercises for him. If itwere possible that, by a simple ritual orceremony, the master could be invoked todo a man’s bidding, like Aladdin rubbinghis lamp and summoning the genie, thenthe individual’s personal development would be arrested. Only when we have sincerely

endeavored to accomplish something our-selves of a necessary and worthy nature andwithout success will an appeal to theseCosmic masters be heeded, the method ofappeal being clearly set forth in our mono-graphs. However, the response of the masterwill be noetic in its nature; it will not bethe actual performance of deeds. One will personally experience the personality of themaster or feel the presence of an intelli-gence and will simultanously havean il luminating idea which will suggest what onemay do, through his own efforts, to realizethe desired end. If one seeks or expects tha twhich is contrary to Cosmic law and whichis selfish in the sense of serving his ownimmediate self only, no response will behad from a Cosmic master. Further , if oneis disinclined to do what has been revealedas necessary for him to achieve the end, hewill find future appeals or contacts less pro-ductive, if productive at all.

In the main, the masters whom students

do succeed in contacting, will more thanlikely direct them to those phases of their

studies where the power and understandingthat the student needs will be found. Thosenot students of these subjects but who,through prayer and meditation have unin-tentionally made contact with a master, willmost often be led by symbology, allegory,or direct message to the portal of an orderof the Great White Brotherhood such as, forexample, the A.M.O.R.C. After all, thesemasters were all members of the esotericorders of which the Great White Brotherhood consists. What they learned was eitherfrom such orders, as we shall see, or it wastaught to the orders by them. Thus, thesemasters incline the supplicant to the chan-nels of light and do not become personalteachers and guides of persons as is so oftenwrongly thought.

The individual often likes to think he canhave an exclusive master to teach him orrather to perform miracles for him. Thisattitude is born out of egoism. It is theinclination to attach to oneself a circum-stance or power by which he will attain atranscendent state over his fellows and thusappear superior. This very desire in itselfis sufficient not to bring about actually atrue contact with a Cosmic master. Thereare those, too, who imagine that every im pulse or idea from the depths of their ownsubconscious mind is the message of a mas

ter. Thus random ideas or disarrangedthought which would not be even a creditto mortal intelligence is often referred to bysuch individuáis as “the dictates of my master.” This is both a ludicrous and a patheticsituation.

There are, too, those who read semioccultfiction books where the life of a master isdelineated, the master often being a whollyfictitious character. The element of the un-known and invisible, as we have said,stimulates the imagination of the reader. Im-mediately he may presume that such a personality is his personal master. He nolonger seeks to direct his life according tothe master within, that is, his own divineintelligence. Rather he thinks of what hewants and believes that the master, whomhe is to contact, will grant his every fancy.Small gullible groups of persons, sometimesunder the direction of thoughtless or dis-illusioned persons—or ones with a merce-nary intent—are led to remóte regions for


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the purpose of “contacting the master.” Ofcourse, a fee is charged or arrangements are

made to which these persons are supposedto subscribe and the costs are usually considerable. Mount Shasta is the favorite placeat which these unfortunate disillusioned persons assemble. There they sit in tents at the

base of the mountain, expecting some master,about whom their leader reads to them fromone of the semifictional books, to make hisappearance momentarily and personally re-veal great truths to them. Some actuallyclimb a little way up the foothills, the leaderusually remaining behind for some reasonor other. The whole circumstance is patheticand lacking in mystical insight.

Still other students are always deeply con

cerned as to whether or not this or thatmaster now resides on earth. Of what impor-tance is such knowledge except to intriguethe imagination? The higher consciousnessof the inner self transcends such barriers astime and space. Therefore, where ver themaster is, the contact, if one is made, isinstantaneous. One of the common questionswe are asked today is, Where is MasterK.H.? K. H. or K.H.M. is an abbreviationfor Kut-Hu-Mi or the equivalent of theTibetan Bod-Yul. According to records inthe archives of the Rosicrucian Order andthe esoteric orders of the Great WhiteBrotherhood, the Master K.H. was at onetime the Deputy Grand Master of the GreatWhite Lodge. Tradition relates that he was,in a past incarnation, Pharaoh Thutmose IIIof Egypt who instituted what eventually be-came the Rosicrucian Order centuries later.It is said that he resided at Lake Moeris(Morías) in what is now the Fayum. He isreferred to in the Zend-Avesta, the sacredworks of the Zoroastrians, as the Illuminator ,and he was also known in Egypt as Kroo-mata. He passed through a number of in-carnations, living in each approximately onehundred forty years. Until some years agoit was generally conceded that he residedon the earth plañe in a secret monastery andtemple near Kichingargha, called variously

Kichinjirgha, Kichi-Jirg-Jargha, or Parcha-Jarg-Hatba by the Tibetans and inhabitantsof Sikkim. Not long before the transitionof our late Imperator, Dr. H. Spencer Lewis,he related that, td his knowledge, the MasterK.H. no longer resided in Tibet. The Im- perator, Ralph M. Lewis, when in India andvisiting lamaseries on the Tibetan frontier

in 1949, gained the impression also that thegreat Master-Mystic K.H. was no longer inthe physical in that región.Another of these great masters is Moría.According to the data available in our teachings, he was born near the present city ofCairo, undoubtedly in the vicinity of thegreat ancient center of philosophy, Memphis,about 1385 B.C. According to the samerecords, he was reincarnated at that timefrom another continent, a submerged con-tinent, probably Lemuria or Lha-Marya. Hewas said to have attainedCosmic conscious-ness at the age of thirty-four years. Then,he received knowledge from the Cosmic thatwas to be transmitted to the active brother-hoods on earth. Note that he was not be-coming the personal guideof any individuáis.His knowledge, Cosmically received, wasgiven to authentic esoteric schools wherestudents had access to itafter preparingthemselves for such illumination.

In each incarnation Moría, it is related,lived varying ages from one hundred thirtyto one hundred thirty-five years. He, too,was known by various ñames as El-Kai-Ma,El-Kai-Marya, Kai-Maria-El, and Melchior.He became Grand Master of the Order knownas Hu-Sa-Maryans or the Good Samaritansof which Jesús was a member (seeThe Mys-tical Life of Jesús). The sacred traditionrelates that he was the initiator of Jesúsand Zachariah into the brotherhood. Hefounded and named a temple at MountMoriah where he was in charge of a branchof the brotherhood. It is further reportedthat, in one incarnation, he contríbutedmuch “to the highest ethical form of Greekcivilization.” In a later incarnation, he wasassociated in forming the inner circle orsupreme council of the Great White Brotherhood.

It will perhaps be interesting to relate thedescription of Moría as given in our teachings and which is traditional. It is said that“he is nearly se ven feet in height, slender,with a fairly long face and a dark beardthat is quite curly, coming down past the

ears on to the chin, the beard narrowingas it reaches the chest. His mustache is small but curly. The cheeks that show throughthe beard are rosy in color. The lips arerosy and delicately formed with signs oftenderness and sensitiveness. The eyes aredeep set and brown. They are extremelykind and smiling. Strangely enough, the


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brow is not high, or possibly the full brow^cannot be seen because of the way his hair

is dressed. The hair on the back of theneck is in curls or waves, hanging down tothe shoulders.” Generally, he wore a puréwhite robe open at the neck or shaped to av-point. He also wore a girdle which wasgenerally bright yellow or orange-yellowand a silk sash tied in a simple knot withthe ends hanging. The sleeves of the robewere large and full the entire length. Therobe hung in soft folds from the shoulders,gathered in at the waist by the girdle. Hewore, as well, white sandals and is generally seen carrying a scroll in his hands whichhe opens and refers to.

Those who have made contact with Moria

say that he usually manifests to the studentas a soft violet light forming in the darknessof one’s sanctum. This then tums into anaura which surrounds the formation of thehead which gradually develops in the darkness. Sometimes the face only is seen. Be-cause of the great height of this master, theface may seem to be suspended in space but,of course, that is just an illusion. Whenthe head and face are seen, no words arespoken, as related in our teachings. At othertimes the arms and most of the body areseen. There is rarely any spoken message,according to those who have made contacts,except with the very highly initiated. Whenthere is a spoken message, it appears in thelanguage of the one listening. Actually thereis no language but merely a communicationof ideas which the recipient interprets in theterms of his own tongue. There are otherreports that State that, if the contact withMoria has been successful for a truly de-veloped student, a flower is left in the room,usually something like a violet with a por-tion of the stalk seemingly fresh cut andmoist as though there were dew on the petáis and on the stalk itself.

It is particularly interesting to know, andthis further confirms the matter here dis-cussed, that the message that a masterimparts, or which one who makes the contact will gain in his consciousness fromMoria, is always of a practical nature. Ittells the studentwhat he must do. It placeshim in contact with formulas and suchknowledge that he must employ himself togain his end. It never directs the studentto a place where his problem will be solved

for him or where the things he needs will be found in their entirety.—X

The Soul Selects Its Body

A frater of Washington, D. C. states: “Inthe Forum session of February 1949, thefollowing statement was made: ‘Another interesting point upon which many membersseek light and knowledge is in regard to theselection of a body on the part of the soul- personality as a place for its residence. Ifeach physical body is a mansión for a soultemporarily here on earth, by what law andwhat system are these mansions selected?’This is a subject which I will take up withthe members of our class in analytical dis-cussion at another time.”

The frater then relates that to the best ofhis knowledge this topic was not pursuedfurther and he would like more light uponit. Though in the mystical explanation ofthis principie the phrase, “selection of the body” is used, it is really an improper one.The soul-personality does not select the mansions, that is, the physical organisms, inwhich it shall again reside. It is more of animpersonal function, a conformity to law,rather than the exercise of volition or will.The unity of the body with the soul-personality is as impersonal as iron filings re-sponding to the impelling attraction of amagnet. Let us also look at the matter inthis way. If the soul-personality had evolvedsufficiently to be able to determine that body,that behavior or life which would best contribute to its development, it would not havemade the mistakes of its former life! Consequently, the status of the soul-personality,what it is in its Cosmic development, is theonly factor which determines just in which body it shall be clothed during the nextincarnation.

We may use another homely and, shallwe say, mechanical analogy to comprehendthis Cosmic law. In many industries process-ing food—as for example, the canning offruit—the first requirement is that the fruit be graded as to size. The fruit is removedfrom the containers in which it is broughtfrom the orchards. It is then placed on alarge, moving conveyer belt. From there itmoves to large, vibrating metal plates whichcontain apertures of different sizes. The fruitis slowly shaken by the apparatus so as to


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move across these plates. The different sizesthen fall through those openings l^rgeenough to accommodate them; thus, thesmaller and undesirable fruit is culled andnot processed in the same manner as themore choice ones. The soul-personality, too,we may say, gravitates to that embryo whereit will have an organism, parents, and a potential environment best suited to the particular experiences which it needs.

This Cosmic principie is not inconsistentwith biological processes. Diseased parents,it is true, often transmit their illnesses totheir offspring, and consequently, this resultsin mental and physical deformity. Of course, perfectly healthy parents may have de-formed children through no neglect or im-

proper act upon the ir part. Such a body,such a handicap, is often an essential requi-site to the soul-personality of either the childor the parents. If the child lives, eventuallyit has an awareness of its infirmities. Then,in all probability, the important lessons to be gained from such a handicap were in-tended for it. If the child passes throughtransition as an infant, or is incapable of being conscious of its condition, it is plausi ble to presume that the Cosmic principie in-tended the experience for the parents.

There is no way during this incarnation by which we can be assured of the body oursoul-personality may reside in, in a futurelife. It is possible, however, for us to prepareourselves for the next life. Through awakening our inner self, becoming more consciousof the Cosmic intelligence within us, ourwhole soul-personality is advanced. The soulis the Cosmic intelligence that is residentwithin us. To the extent that we objectivelyrespond to its dictates, conform to its im pulses, referred to as moral inclinations and profound understanding of our life’s rela-tionships, to that extent have we evolved.Since we never retrogress, we know thatsuch mystical development will cause us to be drawn to that body, to those associationsand opportunities which are in accord withour attainment.

To the Cosmic, family descent, race, economic or social status, and religious affiliationare of no especial consequence. It is the stateof consciousness, personal awareness and ex pression of self of the individual, tha tmatters. Some individuáis would believe, perhaps, that they had retrogressed if they

were to be reborn of a color other than theyare now. Others would feel inferior if theyknew that they were to> be born of poor parents or without social distinction. Such persons entirely disregard or are ignorant ofwhat such a life and its vicissitudes mightactually contribute to their understanding ofCosmic relations and valúes.

I am certain that most of you realize thatit would be very unfortunate if the individualcould choose the body and the life he preferred. In the majority of such instancesthe choice would be discriminatory. Theadvantages would be evaluated in terms ofselfish, immediate, material interests. Veryfew persons would make choices solely onthe basis of lessons to be learned or of reme

dies in character and personality whichmight be needed. Still other persons woulddesire a life in which they could enhancetheir present material gains or prestige, evenat the very sacrifíce of their soul-personalityevolvement. It is indeed beneficent that itdoes not lie within the province of man toarbitrarily select his next life.

Can we not escape the consequence of our past lives? Must we endure the hardships,the burdens, the often grievous experiencesto be had in the body which Cosmic lawordains for us? Suppose, after reaching theage of reason or maturity, we become conscious of faults in our personality and wesincerely strive to rectify them. Must wenevertheless endure what has been ordained?Were we compelled to make sacrifices evenwhen we were ready to make recompenseand sincerely adjust our lives to Cosmic

principies, then we tru ly would be slaves offate. However, this is not done. The Cosmiclaw may cause us to be drawn to a bodywhere, if we do not voluntarily change ourthinking and behavior, compensation may beforcefully exacted from us. However, if wedo realize changes to be made and sincerelymake the effort to bring them about in ourlives, then the process of Creative unfold-ment begins. We find, then, that we are notsubject to an inexorable fate. If we beginto alter our environment, we establishnew causes from which beneficial effects follow.What would ordinarily have befallen us be-cause of our previous life and environmentin which we had been placed does not thencome to pass.

Have you not wondered how certain


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staunch noble characters, obviously illu-mined individuáis, found it possible to

emerge from deplorable family backgroundsand associations? You know of such personsin your own experience. Perhaps you were perplexed and wondered what elements insuch negative and destructive environmentcould influence such amazing changes in theindividual. The factors for these changesaróse within the individual. Consequently,he was able to emerge from them and to riseabove the “mansión,” that is, the body, towhich he had been Cosmically drawn. Afterall, human will has been assigned to manso that he may direct Cosmic forces con-structively and to his spiritual advantage, ifhe aspires to do so.—X

The Weight of Pride

Pride is a human trait that can very easily become a burden. It is particularly true tha tfalse or assumed pride becomes a burden because we are always conscious that weare carrying it. A burden adds weight, inter-feres with our ease of progress whether wewalk or have our burden carried by anotherform of conveyance. If we need to carry it,if it is one of our possessions, or a groupof our possessions, we never forget that the burden exists. In the same manner, prideis a burden. It requires constant attention;we are always aware of it; we cannot forget

it for a moment or we fear that it mightslip a way from us.The fact that pride is illusive should prove

to us tha t it is a superficial thing. If weforget it, our behavior is not the same aswhen we remember it. We must be awareof it constantly. We must treat it as a burden and always adjust our words andour behavior to match this characteristic ofour behavior which we have chosen to adopt.Being ever aware that pride is somethingwhich we must keep in consciousness, itcauses us to be afraid that we may be caughtwith our defenses down and that othersmight see us as we really are instead of aswe prefer to be seen. In other words, pridecan be a veneer that is on the surface ofour objective consciousness. Pride functionsonly to the extent that we direct our attention, consciousness, and our energy to it.As soon as we release ourselves from theconsciousness of its presence, we becomeaware that our behavior is regulated by im

pulses other than the ones which we haveincorporated into pride. We know tha t those

to whom we have tried to present a certainfront, a certain pattern of characteristicforms of behavior, will discern other feelingsand impressions that will come to the fore orfront of consciousness when we are notthinking of the behavior pattern we wish to be observed. These other characteristicsrather than the false pride which we haveassumed will be the means of modifying andforming our behavior pattern as a whole.

To summarize this point of view, pride produces self-consciousness. We must always be aware of the front or behaviorwhich we are trying to present. If we forget

pride for a moment, we are afraid we will

lose prestige so we are constantly attendingto our own conscious state. We become soself-conscious that we are unable to forgetourselves in any respect. Relaxation becomesimpossible. To be one’s natural self ceasesto be a known fact within our experience.We are living entirely with a form of behavior that is prepared in our own thinking before it is put into action and appearance.

Self-consciousness is attention constantlyand forcibly directed towards our objectiveself. We so exaggerate the importance of ourobjective personality that our real self doesnot have an opportunity to express itselffreely through the process of our effort to

present our objective thoughts to the worldat large. We shut off the ability to developthe inner self, to raise thinking to a levelof consciousness where we will be able to benefit by the impressions that might betransferred to our conscious mind from ourinner self. Such a condition as this detractsfrom all spiritual and psychic development.We are unable to devote ourselves to any-thing other than the objective. We find thatconstant attention toward self and the constant growth of self-consciousness so absorbsour thinking and so Controls our behaviorthat those valúes which He in the realm ofthe spiritual and have their seat in thesoul cannot be brought to the surface suffi-ciently to make us become conscious of themor are we able to develop them in any de-gree. Intuitive urges are pushed back intothe subjective consciousness before we canrealize their existence or learn to dependupon their valué. The individual absorbedin self-consciousness never develops the


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ability to listen to the voice of the inner selfor to depend with reliability upon thehunches which are no more or less than thegrowth or assurance of the infallibility ofthe intuitive urges that come from the soulor subjective self into objective consciousness.

Pride is therefore the enemy of spiritualand psychic growth. It is man’s worst enemyof his own development. The individual whodevotes his entire life to maintaining astandard which he has set up by false prideis devoting his life to a useless monopoly oftime. He goes through an entire existencegaining absolutely nothing because all thetime he is in a sense giving attention to thosethings that have no real or enduring valué.Such a person is attempting to create a pointof view or an impression among his associ-ates and acquaintances that will cause themto have the impression of him that he is try-ing to convince himself actually exists.

To counteract these tendencies, it is important for us human beings to be ourselves.We all have certain good traits and we havecertain traits that we are not proud of; noindividual is perfect. Each consists of adegree of good and evil, of perfection andimperfection. These traits manifest them-selves in our thinking and behavior. Theyexist simultaneously as a pattern of our entire personality and behavior insofar as itis judged by ourselves and by the world

about us. We must remember that no individual is an exception. All have some per-fections and imperfections. It, therefore, isman’s lot to honestly appraise his strong andhis weak characteristics, to see them in thelight of clear reason, to honestly admit theexistence of both the strong and the weak,and to take those steps to the best of hisability to strengthen the strong characteristics and minimize the consequences of theweak ones.

Pride in real valué, in contrast to falseor assumed pride, is a true attribute of char-acter. If an individual can develop theability to honestly appraise the characteristics of his thinking and behavior that enablehim to make an honest inventory of histraits, then he has reason to be proud. Pridewithout artificiality is not self-induced and,

being genuine, needs no conscious effort to be maintained. For a man to become justly proud is to recognize his abilities and lackof them and furthermore to use his abilities

to benefit himself and humanity, and to at-tempt to overcome the weak characteristicsthat might detract from the level of char-acter that he should exemplify. To be proudof using our abilities in this way is not thesame type of behavior as our carrying asense of pride always within the consciousness and attempting to paint a picture ofourselves different from our actual nativeinnate individuality.

The individual who honestly appraises histotal behavior pattern, who tries to developa degree of moral and spiritual character, isthe one who exemplifies simplicity as theopposite of pride. We must not confuse theword simplicity with the term simple assometimes used in referring to individuáisincompletely developed mentally. Simplicityis the opposite of pride. It is the recogni-tion of ourselves as we are, and not as weobjectively propose that we want people tothink we are. Simplicity, therefore, is theuprightness of the soul and as such it prevenís self-consciousness because it is a sim ple analysis of the whole of consciousness,to the extent that it is possible within human behavior to become aware of all those characteristics that go to make up our expression as individual entities. It is true thatat the core we may all be perfect souls, but the fact that we are incarnated into a physical body with its own nervous system,

with its own ability to reason, and its ownreactions in the face of both our nervousand mental attributes, indicates that we haveto develop a well-rounded personality.

To be absorbed in the world and its affairs—that is, to devote our entire consciousness and our mental and physical effortstoward the understanding, realization, andhope of possessions of the material world,and never to tum thought inward, is an extreme as opposed to simplicity. This extremedirecting of consciousness and effort towardthe realization and attainment of the glam-ours of the physical world is to devote ourselves exclusively to the objective mind andits pleasures and to those of the physical body, and in turn direct ourselves againtoward being completely absorbed in self-consciousness rather than in simplicity. Toaccomplish anything in this physical worldis to exaggerate our position and to createthe tendencies that bring about pride. Therefore, if we are to develop ourselves within


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and to relieve ourselves of the weight of pride, we must occasionally tum our consciousness within and thereby learn of theattributes and valúes of the inner self whichwill contribute to our well-being.

On the other hand, to be self-absorbed inall matters, whether those be duty to Godor to man is the other extreme. In otherwords, it is not intended that man be anextreme introvert or an extreme extrovert.To constantly direct our attention to objective phenomena creates self-consciousness.To constantly direct all attention withinoneself is to make one an ascetic or a recluse.While there are advantages in introspection,meditation, concentration, and direction ofour attention toward the inner self, it should

not be done to the point that we are completely self-absorbed and do not realize that, both physically and mentally, we have tocope with and learn to live in the world inwhich we have a part.

To attain well-rounded development, toattain harmony and balance, is the key toesoteric philosophy. This is the principie ofRosicrucian philosophy. It is the ideal toward which we strive—to be neither extremeintroverts ñor extreme extroverts, but ratherto seek balance in life, and thus attain the proper aim of man. The realization of ourresponsibilities in the physical world andour responsibilities to develop the objectivemind, and in addition the knowledge thattrue valúes can be gained from the application of the experiences that are ours, mustcome from an understanding of the soulwithin. The soul-personality that growswith each experience without looking backall the time, without appraising the stepsthat have occurred in the past or the activities to which we have devoted ourselves, possesses true simplicity. The soul-personality is evolving and in order to do so the soulmust express itself through the human body,a body that is as perfect as we can make itand a mind which we direct toward a trueand practical simplicity.

To obtain this simplicity so that it will put aside the tendencies toward false pride,toward overexaggeration of physical valúesand physical accomplishments, we must learnto put a way outward things and desires.While we must cope with the physicalworld, we must attempt to learn that weare here to particípate in a number of

experiences rather than to simply attemptto accumulate the possessions made up ofmaterial things. To look within properly—that is, with the proper amount of time devoted to our inner self in contrast to the out-side world—is to develop a sense of valúesthat will balance the whole function ofhuman behavior. We will be able to realizethat as we particípate in the physical world,we can learn the lessons that are for us tolearn and yet not evalúate things so highlythat we will forget that our true purpose isto prepare for a life where physical thingsno longer exist, and that real valué lies inthe world of mind and soul rather than inmaterial.

To develop simplicity in contrast to self-consciousness, we must add the contempla-tion of God to that of self. To direct ourselves in the contemplation of ourselves isto exaggerate the position and importance ofobjectivity. But when, as a part of our behavior pattern, we set aside a certain por-tion of our time and energy to devote to thecontemplation of God, we are relating ourselves to the divine and are directing ourattention and consciousness, our effort andour being toward being more intimately a part of the forcé tha t created us and main-tains us. So it is that contemplation of thedivine takes our mind away from self-consciousness. Contemplation makes us moreaware of the fact that we are a part ofdivine consciousness, and therefore we gain perspective in realizing that self-consciousness, pride, greed, envy, and those thingsthat tend to exaggerate the objective' self aresecondary to the true purpose of life and theaccomplishments we hope to attain.

By ceasing the restless contemplation upon its objective self and consciousness, thesoul-personality in its own consciousness be-gins to dwell upon the divine. By this process, it forgets itself in the divine and we be-come aware of the presence of God. In thatway, we are throughout life directing oureffort and consciousness toward the attainment of divine realization which is the firststep to actually reach the state where wewill no longer be physical but only soul ,existing exclusively in the presence of God.Such a self is not blinded by its faults, ñoris it indifferent to its own errors. It strivesto live in balance. This self recognizes its position, not only in the scheme of things in


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its immediate environment, but also in aCosmic scheme in which it knows that itmay have to express in many lives, in many places, and in many periods of time.

The increased light may show up ourerrors or faults more plainly. We may be-come aware of our shortcomings in the lightthat is thrown upon our whole behavior bythe realization of the excellency and perfection of God, but the restlessness and un-easiness that accompany self-consciousnessvanish in the consuming desire that we mayhave to attain full realization of a divineconsciousness which will replace the self-consciousness within ourselves.

As we make progress in our psychicgrowth, as we put off physical valúes, as weshed those tendencies that direct our effortand mind exclusively toward the physicalworld, we are constantly aware that we arecoming home; that is, we seem to be Corning into a new environment which causes usto recognize that it is the real environmentor the perfect situation for which we havealways hoped.

We realize that in becoming aware ofthe divine consciousness, in contrast to ourawareness of self-consciousness, that we areattaining a world which is at once new andat the same time oíd and familiar. This is because the true valúes of life lie not in thematerial world but in the psychic or spiritualworld, or better, let us say, the divine. Weare of a nature that will eventually reacha state of perfection and the physical worldwill no longer be needed for our expression.As we become aware of this, and to the extent that we recognize the presence of Godor the divine forcé about us, our realizationseems a familiar one. We find satisfactionand peace in knowing that we have attained a place or state of consciousnesswhich is more nearly perfect than anythingwe could have known in terms of the physical world.

To attain Cosmic Consciousness, which isno more or less than the realization ofDivine Consciousness, is to find that the

answers to the questions of life are thosewhich can be made known to the man orwoman who seáis from his consciousness theconstant pressure of pride and self-consciousness exaggerated by concern for physical possession. Enduring valúes reside in thehome of the soul. Awareness of the soulleads us to that home and to those valúes.—A

Distinctions We Shouid Make

A frater from Calgary, Cañada, address-ing our Forum, says: “What is the difference between Information, knowledge, and wis dom? Which of these is concerned withcause and which with effect?”

The meaning of words, not necessarilytheir origin, is of the utmost importance toour understanding of life’s relationships.Words are the images of our thoughts; theyare the médium in which we frame them.The wrong choice of words may convey amisconception of our thoughts and actuallydo us an injustice. Furthermore, if we donot analyze words which we read or hearspoken, we are likely to have entirely falsenotions arising from them. It is an errorto accept words which are commonly usedas being the correct expression of the idea behind them. The habitual use of a wordis not assurance that it is the proper one.That is why today we have what is knownas the Science of semantics.

The following two examples are proof ofthe wrong use of words. Today there is is-sued a series of booklets for children—andfor adults—which are profusely illustratedin color and are calledcomic books. Thedaily newspapers likewise carry what arecalledcomic pages. Even a casual examina-tion of these will reveal that most of themare not humorous, droll, or that which istruly comical in the proper definition of theword. In fact, most of them are devoted totragedy as murder, kidnapping, robbery, andmayhem! The general application of thewordcomic to them is absurd.

Still another generally misapplied wordis “funny.” It is erroneously substituted inconversation for the words strange or odd. A situation may be weird, uncanny or mys-terious, but the individual will often referto it as “funny,” when certainly the circumstances are anything but facetious orfarcical.

Information is a point of knowledge extended by one person or group to another

person or group that, it is presumed, is notin possession of the same. Such information,in a sense, is a kind of instruction. It isintended to acquaint another person withsome knowledge which, it is thought, hedoes not have. A distinction between teach-ing and information is that in the formerone person acknowledges the other as his


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manner does it become wisdom. The manof much knowledge is not always the wiseman. The wise man is the one who has ap plied his knowledge, who has subjected whathe knows to a critical analysis, and hasdiscarded that which he finds brings himlittle satisfaction.

The test of knowledge as to its valué inour lives is its application to some problem.If it stands that test, it emerges into thecategory of wisdom. When we study the“Wisdom of the Sages,” we are not by thatfact wise. We have merely acquired con-cepts and precepts or a recounting of theexperiences and ideas of others. To become personal wisdom, the elements of such knowledge must be intimately experienced by ourselves through application to the affairs ofour lives. One never develops, for example,a moral sense by a conscientious perusal ofsome moral code, even though he may learnits every word. He must experience theresults of the provisions of the code in rela-tion to his own self-discipline and behavior before he personally comes to conform to themoral code. In other words, it must be-come an intímate part of his life, his actions,as well as his thought—so it is with theknowledge of wisdom.

There is no relation of cause and effect between information and knowledge. Onedoes not follow from the other. As we have

said, information is a kind of knowledge,either perceptual or conceptual. However,if knowledge is organized, analyzed and ap plied, such application is the truecause ofwisdom, wisdom being theeffect of such useof knowledge.—X

Is Sterilization Proper?

A soror rises to address our Forum: “Formany years I have been a member of ourCounty Public Health Advisory Council andactive in field work with our Public Healthnurse in special education and clinic groups.Because of the increasingly high divorce rateand the desertion of children of these mar-riages by one or both parents, and theincrease in mental incompetency, field work-ers are desperately seeking a solution to thesegrowing problems. Most field representa-tives and field workers feel that legislation permitting the sterilization of these classified

mentally incompetent persons would be onesolution or a step forward in that direction.

“My question is this: Do we, as Rosicru-cians, having accepted without doubt thetheory of evolution and Karma, have themoral right to decide that this or that personshould be sterilized in the interests of publichealth and welfare?”

This resolves down to the further questionof whether we are “our brother’s keeper.”Let us approach the whole subject from the point of view of what group-living or societyis trying to accomplish. Society is an extensión of the family and tribe. Its primi-tive motivation, as ethnologists, archaeolo-gists, and historians disclose, was mutual

help. Men banded themselves together for protective reasons. Several men, acting inunisón, can accomplish more against thecommon enemy than can one man singly.It must, as well, have been an early discemi- ble fact that men are not equal in their prowess and achievement. One could accomplish what another could not. The ex-change of service and facilities was essentialfor any degree of equality in the enjoymentof life. Still further unified or concertedaction would produce results that the individual could not. The basis of society, then,is its utilitarian valué, the extensión of the powers and satisfactions of the individual.

With the development of the moral senseor conscience more noble ends were con-ceived for society beyond protection andmere subsistence. Men sought to refine theirown natures as well as their environment.They envisioned certain ideáis or missionsfor the life of man. There were obviousobstacles to the attainment of these ends.Some men were antisocial; they would notconform to the social objectives and wouldnot sacrifice any of their personal powersfor the welfare of the majority. In otherwords, they placed no restraint upon theirdesires so that others, not so strong or fa-vored, might also experience some of thesame joys of living. Such individuáis wereextremely elementary and primitive in theirthought. They were wholly individualistic.Complete individualism is contrary to societyand prevenís men from learning from oneanother and thus going forth collectively.Society found it necessary to make laws torestrict such individuáis. Whether or not


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such restraints are wise and just is not thequestion here to be considered.

Another menace to society is the ill-healthof its members—mental and physical. Thosewho are ill cannot function as part of thesocial team. They cannot perform theirobligations because of their incapacity. Further, certain illnesses have the added dangerof being communicated or hereditarily trans-mitted, undermining the whole social struc-ture. Society or the state is also an entity.It delegates to itself certain rights and priv-ileges as do the individuáis of which it iscomposed. Society thus strives for self

preservation of its entity and its purposesas does the single human being. As the individual will destroy or take life in defenseof his own, so society, as a last resort, willdo likewise. It was to be expected that reg-ulation of the socially unfit would eventually be legislated.

The Science and art of eugenics grew outof the appreciation of two fundamental needsfor the welfare of the human race: (1) the preventing of the reproduction of persons ofdefinitely defective types; (2) the encour-agement of reproduction by persons of socialstock. The very wordeugenics is of Greekorigin and means “well born.” Eugenics is“the study of agencies under social controlwhich may improve or impair the racialqualities of future generations, either physi-cally or mentally.” The science of geneticsor heredity had shown, in animal breeding,the valué of the selection of healthy stockfor mating. It also disclosed the necessity ofavoiding reproduction by deficient animals.Having overcome religious and some exag-gerated moral scruples to a limited degree,society has applied these lessons to its human problems.

The first step was the segregation of thementally deficient or incompetent. In Rus-sia, at least before World War I, the mar-riage of mentally defective persons was prohibited. In several states of the UnitedStates, marriage is prohibited on account ofone or more of the following conditions:insanity, feeble-mindedness, epilepsy, crim-inality, and alcoholism. Throughout theBritish Commonwealth such laws in generalalso apply. The segregation of those typeswhich society considers incompetent tomarry is a costly procedure. Further, thereis no certainty that reproduction will not

occur outside of wedlock. Several states inAmerica have laws which require the sub-mitting of a health certifícate showing themental competence and physical health ofthe individual. Furthermore, the applicantsfor a marriage license are obliged to answera questionnaire with respect to their familyhistory. Nothwithstanding these Controls,those who, for the welfare of society, shouldnot reproduce, have continued to do so. Themost effective method, it became apparent,was the sterilization of the mentally defective, the feeble-minded, and the insane.Though this is compulsory in some statesof the United States, the general principiehas met with considerable opposition. Re-ligionists and moralists have opposed it as

“contrary to God’s law.” Others contendthat, notwithstanding intelligent direction,such a practice could be abused and resultin personal hardship and injustice.

Procreation is a Cosmic right in the sensethat it is a biological function natural toman. Sex appetite is designed by nature toserve the end of reproduction of kind. However, shall we then say that a man or awoman should be executed when they areno longer able to reproduce? We have, aswell, the appetite or hunger for food. Never-theless the intelligent and educated personregula tes his diet, Controls his appetite. Ishe, by doing so, violating Cosmic law? We

think not. Our limbs are given tó us forlocomotion and the serving of our physicalneeds. The intelligent and well-informed person will, however, permit his leg to beamputated if, for some reason, it becomesgangrenous and surgery is necessary to savehis life. No one considers these actions “contrary to God’s laws,” except the fanatic.

The principie behind most religious doctrine is that man’s life is not entirely hisown. He has the endowment of life for the

purpose of accomplishing some spiritual endin accordance with the teachings of his specific faith. He is thus, morally and biologi-cally, under compulsión to preserve this life

at all costs. As we have said previously,society is also an entity. It, too, is aliving thing, for it is composed of human beings.Its primary motivation is to preserve itselfalso and to use those methods which are inaccordance with public conscience. Sterilization is the removal of a function of man for


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the security, the well-being, of future mankind.

Mystically, there is nothing inconsistentwith the practice of sterilization. The soul- personality is destined to incamate in the body best suited for its expression. There is,however, no label of future identity attachedto a soul-personality indicating who its fatherand mother must be. In other words, thereare no predetermined parents for the soul- personality. Therefore, the sterilization ofa man or a woman is not denying the mani-festation and expression of a soul. The im- provement of the human race, so that soul- personalities may have adequate vehicles, isa spiritual or Cosmic motivation and thusincurs no Karma. Though the orthodox re-

ligionist, who must abide by a literal andlimited interpretation of his hagiography,may not agree with us, it will not in theleast disturb the mystic whose thinking isnot so inhibited.

There is, of course, potential danger inthe law of sterilization. Individuáis andgroups, for selfish or malicious reasons, mightwrongly apply such a law. Such dangers,however, are only in the administration,not in the principie. This responsibility isman’s. There is always, for analogy, the possibility that an innocent man may beincarcerated for a crime which he did notcommi

rosicrucian forum, august 1954-june 1957

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