Secret Ftramtion ^Freemasonry
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Secret ftraMtion in ^freemasonry WORKS ON THE SECRET TRADITION BY ARTHUR EDWARD WAITE THE HIDDEN CHURCH OF THE HOLY GRAAL : Its Legends and Symbolism, considered in their affinity with certain Mysteries of Initiation and other Traces of a Secret Tradition in Christian Times. Demy 8vo, pp. xix, 714. I2s. 6d. net. STUDIES IN MYSTICISM AND CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE SECRET TRADITION IN CHRISTIAN TIMES. Demy 8vo, pp. xii, 348. IDS. 6d. THE DOCTRINE AND LITERATURE OF THE KABALAH. Demy 8vo, pp. xx, 508. ys. 6d. THE SECRET TRADITION IN GOETIA : The Book of Ceremonial Magic, Sorcery, and Infernal Necro- mancy. Quarto, pp. xx, 320. 155. THE REAL HISTORY OF THE ROSICRUCIANS : Founded on their own Manifestoes and on Facts and Docu- ments collected from the Writings of Initiated Brethren. Crown 8vo, pp. viii, 446. 75. 6d. THB SPIRIT OF FREEMASONRY ZTbe Secret ICraMtion in Jfreemasonn? Hn& an analysis of tbe 3ntei>1Relation Between tbe Craft ant> tbe Ibigb (Brafcea IN RESPECT OF THEIR TERM OF RESEARCH, EXPRESSED BY THE WAY OF SYMBOLISM BY ARTHUR EDWARD WAITE IN TWO VOLUMES WITH 28 FULL-PAGE PLATES, AND MANY OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS VOLUME II LONDON REBMAN LIMITED 129 SHAFTESBURY AVENUE, W.C. 191 1 All rights reserved TABLE OF CONTENTS VOLUME II BOOK V <>f HlcbemE in /IDasonn? SECTION PAGE I. THE ROOT-MATTER OF THE ALLEGED HERMETIC CONNECTION . -9 II. THE SCHOOL OF. ALCHEMY: AN EXCURSUS . .21 III. MASONIC SYSTEMS OF ALCHEMICAL DEGREES AND, FIRSTLY, THE HERMETIC RITE OF ABB PERNETY 39 IV. MASONIC SYSTEMS OF ALCHEMICAL DEGREES AND, SECONDLY, THE HERMETIC RITE OF BARON TSCHOUDY . -53 V. MASONIC SYSTEMS OF ALCHEMICAL DEGREES AND, THIRDLY, THE RITE OF MIZRAIM . .81 VI. MASONIC SYSTEMS OF ALCHEMICAL DEGREES AND, FOURTHLY, THE HERMETIC ELEMENTS IN THE ORIENTAL ORDER OF MEMPHIS . 91 VII. LES ARCHIVES MITHO-HERMETIQUES . 98 v Contents BOOK VI Of flDagical anfc ikabalistical Degrees PAGE I. THE HORIZON OF CEREMONIAL MAGIC . 115 II. OF CERTAIN ISOLATED SYSTEMS CLAIMING DERIVATION FROM MAGICAL AND KABALISTICAL SOURCES, OR WORKING THEIR PARTICULAR MYSTERIES, AND OF THE RlTE OF SCHRCEDER . .121 III. THE MASONIC RITE OF SCHRCEPPFER . .127 IV. THE EGYPTIAN MASONRY OF CAGLIOSTRO . 132 V. THE RITE OF MARTINES DE PASQUALLY . .148 VI. THE SCHOOL OF MARTINISM .... 183 VII. THE GRADES OF . KABALISM . .191 BOOK VII $f tbe flDssteries on tbeir /Optical Site, anb of tbis Subject in its delation to I. OF ROSICRUCIANISM IN ITS CONNECTION WITH MASONRY . 207 II. OF MASONIC ROSICRUCIAN DEVELOPMENTS . 225 III. CONCERNING GRADES OF NEW RELIGION AND OF SWEDENBORGIAN MASONRY . 229 IV. A HIDDEN RITE OF INTERPRETATION . 238 V. REFLECTIONS FROM HIGH GRADE MASONRY TO MODERN OCCULT RESEARCH . 268 VI. A PRELIMINARY EXCURSUS CONCERNING THE DIVINE . QUEST . .282 VII. INTIMATIONS OF THE TERM . OF RESEARCH . 304 VIII. OF A RITE WITHIN MASONRY . .331 IX. LAST WORDS ON THE MYSTERY OF BUILDING . 339 vi Contents appendices SECTION PACK I. A SUPPLEMENTARY LIST OF GRADES, INCORPORATED AND DETACHED, INCLUDING BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS . 361 II. NOTES ON THE RECURRENCE OF GRADES IN THE VARIOUS RITES . .372 III. CRITICAL ANNOTATIONS ON THE TEXT . -379 IV. THE LATIN CHURCH AND FREEMASONRY . 392 V. SOME BIBLIOGRAPHICAL MATTERS . 409 VI. SUMMARY OF HEAD AND TAIL PIECES . .417 VII. THE FULL PAGE PORTRAITS . 431 INDEX 439 VI 1 BOOK V Of Hlcbemij) in fll>a0onn> VOL. II. A THE ARGUMENT I. THE ROOT-MATTER OF THE ALLEGED HERMETIC CONNECTION The Masonic aspects of Alchemy Further concerning the gifts of spiritual building The question of Hermetic interference That such interference must have been tinctured with Kabalism That it was not of practical Alchemy State of the question in the mind of Masonic writers Slightness of their acquaintance with Hermetic literature The initiation of Ashmole Meaning of the term Hermetic in the seventeenth century High Grades developed in the alchemical sense The French Rite of Philalethes Its origin and growth Nature of its interests The Grade content Masonic and philosophical aims Conventions held at Paris Dis- solution of the Rite Disappointments in Hermetic Masonry The term in mystical Alchemy and in Kabalism Alchemy and the Secret Tradition. II. THE SCHOOL OF ALCHEMY in History of Alchemy Europe The Byzantine alchemists Some questions for future research Rise of Latin Alchemy Of Alchemy in living languages The Roman de la Rose The Flamel Legend Stages in 3 The Secret Tradition in Freemasonry Literature The two schools in the growth of the de Alchemy The early records in both Jean Rupe- cissa and Thomas Vaughan Alchemical terminology and Saint in the writings of Jacob Bohme Bohme almost unknown Martin The mystic side of Alchemy in France A few French adepts Jean d'Espagnet The Rosicrucian Fraternity Cagliostro and St. Ger- main Coincidence and comparison of their history Baron Tschoudy and Pernety Phases of interpreta- tion in the mind of filiphas Levi. III. MASONIC SYSTEMS OF ALCHEMICAL DEGREES AND, FIRSTLY, THE HERMETIC RITE OF PERNETY Of mystic Alchemy in the High Grades of Masonry Published writings of Pernety His definition of the Great Work The terms Soul and Spirit according to his meanings The Academie des Illumines d' Avignon Confused position of the Rite on the historical side Its admixture of Swedenborgian theories The Academie des Vrais Masons Titles of some its of Degrees Les Illumines du Zodiaque as a Pernety disciple of Swedenborg Swedenborgian sources of knowledge The Staroste Grabbianka - A Mago Kabalistical Society at Avignon Its in events dealings coming by means of an oracle- Its dissolution for a period Its reintegration at the same Its place Masonic aspect Visit of two The Englishmen harmony of conflicting Masonic dates Summary concerning the Brotherhood Its Eucharistic Ceremony Its prophecies Its moral s teachings Pernety' translation of Swedenborg. The Argument IV. MASONIC SYSTEMS OF ALCHEMIC DEGREES AND, SECONDLY, THE HERMETIC RITE OF BARON TSCHOUDY Publication of U&toile Flamboyants Theory concerning the origin of Masonry Its connection with chivalry^ Hermetic side of the treatise The Knights of the Morning and Palestine Their perpetuation from the past The dream of another Temple in Jerusalem The first Crusade Johannite Christians and Essenes Sons of the Valley The imputed Masonic connection Intercourse between the secret chivalry and Crusaders Rise of the Masonic institution Relation of this hypothesis to that of Ramsay Alchemical researches of the Brotherhood Value of the hypothesis The hermit Morienus The Hermetic Tract referred to him Hermetic Catechism of Baron Tschoudy The physical work therein The sense of its Hermetic terminology Nature of the work delineated The hypothesis on which it rests Analogies in Freemasonry The art of development The art of emblematic building Term of research in Alchemy Term of research in Masonry Limits of the analogy Masonry as the spiritual side of the magnum opus Intimations of the Hermetic Cate- chism Something reserved by the writer The closing formula Baron Tschoudy on Masonic High Grades His hand in certain Rituals The Grade of Sublime and Unknown Philosopher The Statutes of the Unknown Philosophers Their secret and the mode of its communication How Postulants are said to have been received A scheme in embryo The title of Unknown Philosopher Testimony of Ragon concerning an Order of the Unknown Judge- Philosophers The legend of Dionysian Architects 5 ' The Secret Tradition in Freemasonry Their alleged connection with Freemasons The pass- ing of Baron Tschoudy. V. MASONIC SYSTEMS OF ALCHEMICAL DEGREES AND, THIRDLY, THE RITE OF MIZRAIM The common tolerance of the High Grades Their system of incorporation Their borrowings and tendings Of things set aside Feeling concerning Grades of the Old Alliance and Grades of Chivalry Later and encyclopedic Rites Their derivations and inven- tions Of occult science in the Orders of Mizraim and Memphis The Grades of Chaos The Grade of Knight of the Sun Sovereign Com- mander of the Stars Curious alchemical symbolism therein Confusions Experience of the Candidate Grades of Hermetic Mineralogy The True Mason Adept Reflections from alchemical literature Vanity of this Grade The Perfect Alchemical Master Conclusion on the Hermetic Masonry of Mizraim. VI. MASONIC SYSTEMS OF ALCHEMICAL DEGREES AND, FOURTHLY, THE HERMETIC ELEMENTS IN THE ORIENTAL ORDER OF MEMPHIS The order on its historical side Varied classification of its Degrees Reduction into an Antient and Primitive Rite Hermetic Element in the Order The Senate Hermetic of Philosophers The Grade of Hermetic Knight Philosopher Heads of the in- struction on mysteries of nature and science Pre- sumable grand principles Follies of the Rite in The Argument Summary Gleanings from the Hermetic Catechism Its views on spiritual Alchemy Conclusion on the Rite at large. VII. LES ARCHIVES MITHO-HERME'TIQUES Of certain forgotten debts to the enemies of Masonry Professor Robison on a work of Saint-Martin The Loge de Bienfaisance Statements in respect of the work here under notice Its extreme rarity A quest after it Inference concerning its Masonic connections Its thesis on the Universal Medicine Study of the divine Pymander Spiritual history of Man Man and the Quintessence Symbolism of this subject Whether the Universal Medicine should be understood mystically or materially Doubts as to the intention of the writer Further analysis of the text Generation and destiny of the Spirit The Triad above and below Purpose of this notice. BOOK V f Hlcbemp in I THE ROOT-MATTER OF THE ALLEGED HERMETIC CONNECTION I must not say that one follows devious and hopeless paths more especially in Masonic Rites and literatures than in some other divisions of formulated secret thought, and yet several keen disappointments may await the zealous seeker on side issues of my subject, even if he has brought to it a certain canon of criticism on his own part, to act as a touchstone for possibilities which at a distance may seem alluring.