The Society Of The Rose Croix.*

would have given too much p leasure to those so desirous of remaining unfindable . We may say that in the eyes of many persons the two placards appeared rather to be the work of some wag , who had wished to excite the idle and the gossips , than the prosperities of a real deputation of the Rose Croix . . Naturally positive and inclined to criticism , the French mind does not allow itself to be tempted by the bait of a mystery , like the good souls of

the country on the other side of the Rhine . We must add besides that everywhere , ancl even in Germany , the Rose Croix at this period had begun to lose their prestige . In Germany many had been condemned to the gallows ; some of them had even been huna- for misdeeds which the writers do not

specify , but which consisted doubtless m au indiscreet exercise of the facult y of attracting to themselves pearls and precious stones . In short , all the honour which the fraternity could obtain in France was to be represented the following year in the theatre of the " Hotel de Bourgogne , " in a piece which had not talent enough to be applauded . It would be impossible to fall more completely in any respect . So maltreated by public indifference , the Rose Croix nevertheless found a compensation in France not to be despised .

There Jesuits wrote concerning them or against them—Father Walter , Father Robert , and Father Garasse . The two first suspected that it was rather a crowd of anabaptists than a troup of magicians . Garasse , zealous theologian , discovered that he was bound to place the Rose Croix in the band of libertines , a word which , in his language and that of the epoch , means atheist or thereabouts . Whatever the opinions of these fathers might be . it was reall

y relig ious and moral doctrines which were particularly to characterize the Rose Croix ; all the rest of their programme , without exception , even the transmutation of metals , was very secondary . Their ideas , in a religious and moral aspect , may be summed up in a few words . The Rose Croix announced in their confession of faith that the end of the world approached , and that soon the universe would undergo a general

reformation , of which they considered themselves the predestined agents . But , as a prelude to this grand restoration , they had to begin by effecting one of the same kind in religion and morality without pre-occupying themselves , notwithstanding their title with the Cross of Christ or with the Bible , from

which , nevertheless , they discovered all the sciences , an oratorical precaution good to take at that time , out of the countries of the inquisition . The truth is , that in religion the Rose Croix were free thinkers , who believed themselves superior to all revelation , since they pretended to communicate with God , whether directly or indirectly , by the medium of nature . That which stopped , and which would naturally stop , the progress of this theosophic sect ,

was the relig ious reformation which was already accomplished at the beginning of the seventeenth century . The institution of Protestantism having appeared to be sufficient for the state of men ' s minds , the Rose Croix were compelled to renounce or to put on one side the reforms which they had meditated , that universal medicine which was to heal ancl console the world . There the subject matter was wanting in the work of the societyand there iswe believe

, , , the reason which explains its sudden disappearance . After this epoch there remained , as there will be in all time , minds given up individuall y to theosophic speculations , but from this date there was no longer , to speak correctl y , the sect or fraternity of the Rose Croix . Fifteen years after the publication of their manifesto , they were no longer talked about , and peo ] Dle were even ashamed of having believed in their existence . Whenin 1670 Peter

, , Mormius tried to reintroduce them on the scenes , the States General of Holland , to whom he addressed himself , would not even deign to listen to him . It was found that Europe was disembarassed from the Rose Croix , and without any other persecution not ridicule : On the other hand , at the same time the Alombrados were in all the " eclat" of their existence in Spain , though the inquisitors did not cease to track them out and burn thorn in honour of