4 triangular pedestals
4 Silver candlesticks and 4 new white candles + 1 or a taper on the Altar for the Candidate
Small Bible & White Rose for the Altar
Officers to be robed in white albs and Cordelier and white skull cap
Adept of Christian Rosencreutz Jewel - equal armed cross of silver suspended from a white collaret
Candidate to be robed in own SRIA regalia but bringing with him a white alb and cordelier
4 Chairs and 4 White table cloth – also matches
Music source and CD or Tape
NOTE: This copy of the Ceremony for the Admission to the Grade of Adept of Christian Rosencreutz, or any part thereof is the property of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia and is copyright. It is loaned to you for your personal use only.
Ceremony for the Adept of Christian Rosencreutz
(Prior to the Opening, Magus to enter and Consecrate the Temple – if not already done.)
Adept or Conductor enters and starts the music - Victoria “Requiem”.
The Candidate is led into the Temple and conducted to his place (Pos. 1) by the Adept or Conductor and stays standing.
Adept 1: Meditate my Frater on the pathway that now lies before you.
The Adept or Conductor now retires.
The Officers enter in order during the music - Victoria “Kyrie” The Magus; Magister & Adept make the circumambulations such that:-
After the 1st circuit the Adept remains in his place;
After the 2nd circuit the Magister remains at his place;
The Magus alone makes the 3rd circuit.
The Officers sit.
Magus (one knock.): Fratres to order whilst I seal and protect this holy place from the influences of the mundane world.
(Turns to East.)
Almighty and Eternal God Most High, cleanse Thou our hearts and make them unto ourselves a Temple, a Holy Place, even a Holies of Holies and look down upon us with favour and through Thy infinite wisdom grant unto us this day the presence of the spirit of our Illustrious Founder, Christian Rosencreutz, here amongst us in this Temple so that we may be worthy to continue the work begun in his name, for the honour and glory of I.N.R.I. Lux Mundi. Amen.
Magus seals the Temple by drawing a Cross in white fire and then continuing the centre of the first cross with a line of fire to the next quarter and then repeating this procedure to the next quarter with the following words. As the invocation is given to the 4 quarters, so those present turn and face that quarter.
East - In the Name of INRI; Yeheshua and Christian Rosencreutz I open the East.
South - In the Name of INRI; Yeheshua and Christian Rosencreutz I open the South.
West - In the Name of INRI; Yeheshua and Christian Rosencreutz I open the West.
North - In the Name of INRI; Yeheshua and Christian Rosencreutz I open the North.
Magus returns to and faces East.
All make the Qabalistic Cross.
Ateh Malkuth, ve Geburah, ve Gedulah le olam Amen.
Magus goes to the Altar and lights the central light with due sanctity. (uses a match and no other source of flame.)
Magus:
From Thee comes all Grace.
Magus returns to the East.
Magus: The Lord is the Light in our Temple: let us enter into the Light of Lights.
Magister: The heart of the temple is ready: the heart is still.
Adept: Silence in the mouth of the Almighty One.
Magus: O Thou who has called Thy servants in all generations, Who has set apart Thine Elect to Thy service, Who hast filled our hearts with aspiration towards Thy Union, and all Thy channels of influence with the means of its attainment: give us this day and for ever our daily desire for Thee; and grant, we beseech Thee, that at the close of this Solemn Office, the fullness of Thy Grace may go with us in the world without, even as it is present in this Holy Temple, here and now.
Magister: Let all the Earth adore Adonai.
Let that part of the Earth of His servants and the holy body of Man adore Adonai.
Let all the Soul of Mankind and of the Earth and of all created Life adore Adonai.
Adept: May the Grace of the Lord be with us.
May the Light of the Lord be upon us.
May the Holy Spirit of the Most High God be with us now, and henceforth for evermore.
Magus: May the Light of the Word encompass us.
May the Word abide within us for only is it attained.
May His Grace assist us from fullness even unto greater fullness to manifest the Word in life.
Pause.
Magus: In fine, may we become this very Temple that in due time might be subsumed into that not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
I now declare this Temple to be duly opened in the name of The Most High God; the Glorious Word incarnate, Yeheshua and the power of Christian Rosencreutz.
Magus gives knocks. ***** *****.
All sit.
Magus: Carissime Frater when you entered upon the Path searching for that fundamental truth you found a door and you knocked thereon and that door was opened unto you. You entered and cast around still searching for that something but you knew not what. Finally, you asked and an invitation to the Way of Truth was extended to you and you began that long ascent that leads all mankind back to the Heavenly Heights.
You journeyed and came to understand the elemental aspects of your body and personality. But you sought more and were led to a vault in the dead of night where you came to consider that time whence the door of life would be opened. Patiently you waited for the dawning of that new day into a higher realm and at last the meridian splendour of the inner life streamed around and within you as the tomb of your being was opened to the risen light of the true Word.
In this light of life were you bidden to turn your eyes and look back from whence you came that you might be as a beacon to those who as yet have not lifted up their eyes to the bright Morning Star; who as yet have not wrenched forth the key stone of their earthly vault and who still live their lives under the shadow of the fear of the finality of death.
And now my Frater the goal of your attainment is before you. For I bear witness to that new birth and life that awaits you in this final prelude of darkness and I testify that thou art called and chosen from the bonds of this material world of unconsecrated desires and the yoke of carnal mind. But this dedication and dwelling is from thyself and no other. Know ye that the power of the Holy Grace shall never fail you as you await your rebirth into a new life with the realisation of the love of the Indwelling Presence of the Holy Word and Glorious Rose that was incarnate here for you.
Magister: Deep stillness, living Centre, end of all
From all beginning: where is it sought and found?
It is not between the cosmic East and West
Nor Zenith and Nadir,
But in the soul itself and the soul only.
I bear true witness, for I hear and see:
It opens there, and then the soul relieved
Of bars and bonds, is free to dwell therein.
Its paths are travelled; all its quest is done;
The words are broken and the symbols melt;
Another day, another order dawns,
And in the light thereof I say and seal:
The centre dwells within,
For which high reason God is All in all.
Adept: And Enoch walked with God in the hiddenmost of holy ways in the blessed peace and eternal love of the Presence. They are the ways of Truth and Life. But they are inward paths and give entrance to a world within, where Truth and Life are one. Fold up your wings of flight my Frater and live in the Light of God even as Enoch who was taken up by the Almighty hand into that state of bliss of union. For thus I pray that in the cool of the evening and in the morning-tide that He might grant unto you to meet and to walk with Him until He shall call you back to your home which is His House for all eternity.
Magus: I have followed that certain Star through the days and the years, a Star that is faithful and true, a Star with the Voice of Hope. I know thereby that all which lives and breathes shall come at length unto its own. Be welcome into this sacred space and may that Grace descend upon you.
The Peace of God be with you for it is the final Union: and this final Union is God with us.
There is no life but life, and that is in God.
Thine is the vital essence and the growth there from.
The mercy of Thy Covenant is poured upon all those who love Thee.
In Thee and with Thine Union we become ourselves the Covenant.
Make of us Thine until what is Thine becometh Thyself.
Unity of all Unity and the Oneness found within.
Ever remember that the world is not asleep but rather in a waking dream:
We carry a Word and this is our Word of Power and this will awaken it into Reality.
Magus: Carissime Frater pick up the Sanctuary Light on the Altar and bring its illumination to enlighten the East.
Adept silently guides the single Candidate - or - 1st Candidate through the first section.
1st Candidate Lights candle in the East and sets it in place.
Magus: Return the Sanctuary Light to the Altar.
I have passed through the ways without
Amidst star-flowers and roses of the bright morning star;
Amidst the herbs of silence and the herbs of speech.
Magister: Voices of hills were round me, voices deep in vales;
Words which went out to the cornfields; paths which found a voice.
Rain of the waters of music; liquor of perfection of sound and music.
Adept: The glory of all the glory; the joy of life therein;
Splendour of solar days and the glory of starry nights;
All filled with rumours of Thee.
Pause.
Magister: Carissime Frater pick up the Sanctuary Light on the Altar and bring its illumination to enlighten the South.
Adept silently guides the single Candidate - or - 2nd Candidate through the second section.
2nd Candidate Lights candle in the South from the Sanctuar Light and sets it in place.
Magister: Return the Sanctuary Light to the Altar.
The dew is thy wealth flowing over and a wine of fragrance;
The rain is a choir full of anthems, and these are anthems of Thee.
The leaves from their stalls make response in due order and these responses are Thine
Adept: In language of fountains, light laughter of fountains I hear of Thee:
It is Thou and Thou only in golden showers of sunshine;
In secrets of moonlight Thou and only Thou.
Magus: Wind-harps and echoes, echoes about the Temple:
The words of power move about shrines and temples
The shrines vibrate, the gold of Tabernacles breathe forth Thy presence.
Pause.
Adept: Carissime Frater pick up the Sanctuary Light on the Altar and bring its illumination to enlighten the North.
Adept silently guides the single Candidate - or - 3rd Candidate through the third section.
3rd Candidate Lights candle in the South from the Sanctuary Light and sets it in place.
Adept: Return the Sanctuary light to the Altar.
It came about thus that while the whole world sang of Thee and Thy Presence
I heard an inward voice
Below as it were; a voice, a music within the light.
Magus: A spirit of truth from unplumbed deeps within,
It joined with the throne of that endless cosmic anthem
The news of Thee in another world of being.
Magister: I have heard Thee and seen Thee in mine own shrine and temple,
Where the one true voice is Thine, the presence is only Thou,
And all that belongs to self has died in the sacred precincts.
Pause.
Magus: Carissime you will each in turn take the illumination of the Altar to the darkness in the West. Hold forth the Light as you face that darkness.
Each Candidate, in turn carries the Light to the West standing facing the West – Pos. 2)
Magus: And He came into the world but the world knew Him not and received Him not though He was the Light of the world
Put out thy taper for you now bear the Light in the presence of your being and be unto others that beacon of the Light.
Now, bow your head.
Magus collects the Rose and the candidate’s alb, Cordelier, collaret and places the Rose and Cordelier on the Altar in passing and goes to stand behind the candidate. Magus gives alb and collaret to Adept or Conductor and takes the Candle from Candidate and passes it to the Magister who returns it to the Altar.
Magus: As the duly consecrated Head of our Society and thereby the earthly representative of our founder Christian Rosencreutz, I hereby bestow and confer upon you the powers and privileges of an Adept of Christian Rosencreutz and I clothe you in a pure white vestment. For as was recorded by St. Luke:
And as He prayed, the fashion of his Countenance was altered, and His raiment was white and glistening.
Magus and Adept assist the Candidate to remove his SRIA regalia and to put on the White Alb.
Magus: I now bid you turn to face the light of the East. I now welcome you as a true and faithful follower of the Rose and Cross which, henceforth you will illustrate to others through the emanation of that highest aspect of your being, that aspect that is the power of love. Enshrine within your heart the words - Amor vincit omnia - Love conquers all things.
Adept guides the Candidate back to his seat and continues with the next Candidate.
All Candidates stand.
Magus presents the Collaret and Jewel of the A.C.R.
Magus: The Grip is given by both Fratres raising the right hand; fingers together; to the level of the head and placing them together palm to palm and keeping the forearms as close and as vertical as possible. This not only crudely forms a lighted taper but also links the manifest body in Malkuth upward along the Middle Pillar to Kether; here signified by the fingers of the hands representing the ten lights of the Holy Crown, set between the Pillars of Boaz and Jachin of ourselves. In this position the words are exchanged alternately; they are -
Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh. I AM - THAT - I AM
Magus returns to the East.
This describes how GOD beholds GOD through His manifest universe as it evolves to perfection. It further informs you that it is through your life and the work therein that you also are mirrored unto yourself and thus and in like manner is your state of being amply illustrated to you on your journey homeward to Eden. Thus, my Frater, it is your life that radiates your true self about you and may you by your actions; your words and indeed your very thoughts so clad yourself in His garment of the true light of love that finally you may see yourself in a state of perfection as when you once sojourned in Eden and then be pleased to say –
“This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.”
Magus: Approach the Altar.
Take up your Cordelier and place it about your waist and so bind your self to the Great Work.
I now invite you to gaze upon the Sacred Rose and I shall now tell you of a mystery.
Magus: Many through the ages have sought the stone of the wise. Many have travelled far and wide even to the ends of the Earth, yet all their efforts have been but in vain. Many have spent a lifetime searching for the Holy Grail of spiritual life, but they also have found naught. Yet, my Frater, had they but known it, the object of their desire that they had sought in such earnest, was yet so close; but they saw it not. Closer was it than their very being. Closer even than the fire within the flame.
The truth my Frater lies in that vital and immortal principal that radiated through out all of Eden and it is that which draws us back to those realms from whence we chose to leave. Many have sought this eye of a needle that ends the desert Path; many have looked and searched for that portal that opens on to the porchway of the Temple in the Heavenly Jerusalem and yet the little door of Daleth is the width of the sky of the rising Sun and the height of the starry vault of the Universe.
I testify concerning the Way that you seek for the way of the soul is love and the term attained therein. The reign of law is love, which rules over all. There is one law alone, one rule and reign, and love is love for ever. Love is the key and the keeper of keys, the treasure within and the only way that the lock will open. The key of love is also the key of tongues, the living word within and the word expressed. The kingdom sought and found within; the throne erected there; the sceptre and the crown; all are Thine and Thou, O Love, art and King in all.
Magister: Ponder in your heart that the Love which dies for love is love that lives and the Love which lives through death is love immortal. Let that Love live through you.
Adept: The Holy of Holies within this Holy Temple is also the Holy Rose. Be ever mindful of this jewel in the centre and contemplate the Presence in the Sanctuary, in the Blessed Place of His Presence.
Magus: My Victory is in the Rose Cross, Immortal Life removes the sting of death: Thou art our Life, O Lord.
Magister: I testify that Love is the one and only Principle, in virtue of which we go back whence we came. We all come forth from the centre and - because of this Principle – the centre draws us back. I say unto you that Love is the Power whereby the Will of God – which works towards union – is done on earth, even as it is done in heaven.
Adept: I say unto you: Believe and find. In a wind of the Spirit you shall go up the Hidden Mountain. All that is of rough stone in your nature shall be rent like rocks; all that is perishable shall be consumed like earthly dross: then shall follow a great calm. Then shall the dawn and the day-star rise on the Mount of God and the place of the Treasure of Truth shall be unveiled. Here within the Spiritual Citadel lies the True Stone of the Philosophers, a gift which remains to all eternity. It is called the Glory of the World and the Way of Truth, the Hidden Sacrament of the Rosy Cross and the only Path to Life. But however we multiply the images, it remains but one thing – A state of inward being attained in Love.
Magus: I bid you to remember that the practice of the Presence of God is a work in the heart of man and the work of love therein. It is attained by desire in the heart rather than by thinking in the mind. His Presence is ever with us and the great secret is always to dwell in the Divine Presence until we on our part become that Presence. Remember always that Love is the Path and Love is the goal. It is reached when the white heat of desire is held in the stillness of the inward Divine centre. In that stillness the image of God shines in the soul. Let that which is given us to do, be done with all the strength of being and we shall grow in the likeness of God, till the Spirit and the Bride are One.
Pause: For you my Frater the night of separation has ended and the day of union has dawned. Know therefore and forever keep it in your heart that we now dwell in the mercy of God which abideth within us. Be as the Rose and bring forth love in your life that openeth as the petals in purest perfection. Be as the perfume of the Rose, that the sublimation of your thoughts may ascend as spiritual incense to the throne of God; and be as the lustrous gold of its central heart and let this purity be the guide to all your acts and words. The Word is opened within us. The Word unfolds from within. O sacred speech and silence: life itself is the Word. And now my Frater by the power to me committed by the Grace of The Most High God, I command thee to go forth; preach and exemplify this Gospel not by some meagre light of earthly wax but by the radiant beacon of your whole being.
Shine forth as the diamond of the night; not as the apparent light that they emit but in the sure knowledge that all the stars that shine around us are but the celestial portals through which the unmanifest crystallises into manifestation into the darkness of our Cosmos.
And may the Most High God bless thee and keep thee.
May He make His Face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee.
May He lift up the light of His Countenance upon thee and give thee peace now and for evermore.
All sit.
Magus Guided Meditation to the Holy Presence.
Magus: Most Gracious God: Thou art Jahveh Elohim, the Holy One. Thou who art the Living Almighty; Thou who art the Lord be with us and remain with us now and for evermore.
Magus closes the Temple by drawing a Cross in white fire and then continuing the centre of the first Cross with a line of fire to the next quarter and then repeating this procedure to the next quarter with the following words. The Officers do not rotate to face the quarters in the closing.
East - In the Name of INRI; Yeheshua and Christian Rosencreutz I close the East.
South - In the Name of INRI; Yeheshua and Christian Rosencreutz I close the South.
West - In the Name of INRI; Yeheshua and Christian Rosencreutz I close the West.
North - In the Name of INRI; Yeheshua and Christian Rosencreutz I close the North.
Magus returns to and faces East
Magus: Ateh Malkuth, ve Geburah, ve Gedulah le olam Amen.
Magus gives knocks ***** *****.
Pause
Magus: We will now withdraw for a period so that you might contemplate this Union in your own silence.
Magus starts the music – Laurenson “O Magnum Mysterium”.
The Officers leave and make the reverse circumambulations such that-
The Magus extinguishes his candle and then makes the 1st circuit alone.
On the 2nd circuit the Magister extinguishes his candle and follows the Magus.
On the 3rd circuit the Adept extinguishes his candle and follows the Magister.
The Sanctuary light remains lit - The Officers leave the Temple.
Officers wait outside until the music stops. Then re-enter the Temple and go straight to their places. Magus start music – Laurenson “O Nata Lux”.
Magus goes to stand in front of the Candidate.
Magus: Take the rose and keep it close to your heart for this Holy Covenant of Love will abide with you for ever.
All now leave the Temple – Magus takes Candidate Magister and Adept follow.