Cromaat D - The Village of the Devil (1918).pdf

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C R O M A A T



T H E C H A T E A U D A R A G O N I N M O N T P E L L I E R

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A M O N T H L Y M O N O G R A P H

F O R TH E M E M B E R S O F

A . M . O . R . C .

P R I V A T E L Y P U B L I S H E D A N D C I R C U L A T E X

B Y T H E

A M O R C C O L L E G E L I B R A R Y

M E W Y O R K C I T Y

THI S EDITfO N !S LIMP D A ' .‘5 LLACH CO I >

N U M B E R E D C O N S E C U T I V E L Y F O R

I D E N T I F I C A T I O N

N U M B E R O F T H I S C O P Y ° 1110



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THE VILLAGE OF THE DEVIL sx*

I N T R O D U C T I O N

A t Iai t the s t o r y i s t o l d I S t r a n g e , m y s t i c a l and instructive, this story is one

o f the oldest tradit ions of our Ord er in Fran ce. It is the ttory told nt the fire

sides of the home* of the oldest mystics of France and one which never fails to

reveal the minds and lives of the provincials of F ranee in ihe d ays w hen m ysticism

wa s in its gl or y an d so -c al led mo der n civ ili za tio n wa s in the ma kin g.

T he que stio n ha s oft en bee n as ke d : "D id ihe Im pe rat or ha ve an y fu rth er

experiences in France after his Init iat ion into ihe Order on the night of August

12. 1909?"

T h e ac co un t of m y jou rn ey to Fr an ce , as pu bli sh ed in the M a y, 19 16 , issu e

of the A m er ic a n R o sa e C ru ci s, was replete with incidents and experience* which

have interested many of our members; but that account did not explain in detail

the other personal experiences which constituted my further schooling in the

mysteries of our Order and which are only vaguely hinted at in various writ ings

in our former publication.

I have never felt at l iberty, however, to recount these sacred and more or less

secret experiences in a public magazine and have fell that most of them should be

told in a more personal and heart-to-heart m anner. Th e opportunity is now offered

for such private communication between my Brothers and Sisters and myself, and

I have inaugurated the story-tell ing by offering this tale of the V illag e of ihe D evil

i n th is is sue of CR O M AA T.

I say this is a story; but in truth it is a mixture of fact, fict ion and tradit ion.

Of the tradit ional parts much also may be fact.

It may be of interest to know how ihe story came to me. On my w ay north

from Toulouse to Paris I stopped at various cit ies where there Were Rosaecrucian*

or Rosaecruc ian Tem ples, shrines or relics, t was guided in this journey through

ihe Rosaecrucian land of mysticism by Masters and Brothers of ihe Order who

know where the strangest sight* and mosl weird experiences are to be found.

Fin ally I reached M ontpe llier *gain. a fter passing through Nime* and other

localit ie* described in this »tory. In Montp ellier 1 met some of ihe oldest (and

5



retired) officers of our Ord er in [• ranee and in a very old building where once our

Order held it* convocations, surrounded by many relics and in the midst of intense

vib ra tio ns , 1 sa l an d list en ed to the sto ry wh ich I ha ve aug me nte d for pu bli cat ion

here.

But I was not satisfied with the hearing of ihe story— nor should my reade r be.

1 asked the privilege of visit ing the Village of the Devil, and there, in person,

experiencing ‘the strange influences which possibly no other Am erican has ever

experienced and which even the most detcimined tourists of Franee have no*

succeeded in locating.

In addition to the perscnal experience, which venfied the greater part of the

•lory, I spent several days searching through the rare Rosaecructan archives for

historical r.nd recoided evidence of the (acts and tradit ional statements made in

connection with the existence of the Village.I he story as I now tell it contains a ll the verifica'ion s which we re po ssible to

obtain. I have written the story in the form of a persona lly conducted tour to

the villag e, not in the way in which I personally reached the place, but in the

mannts by whicK our Brothers and Sister? may " ’arh it. In fact, when our party

of Rosacc rucian tourists from Am erica reach Fran ce in 1919 on their wa y to

'I oulouse and even tually E gypt, I hope to personally conduct the party to the Village

of the Devil in just the manner described in this story.

M y readers will note with what detail and exactness I have given the location

of the Villag e and of all the points necessary in reaching it and appreciating its

existence 1he re has been no attempt to veil its location or witho ld a single fact

relating to my journry there. A ll that the student of the story will require to makeplain the precise environment cf the Villag e will be n map of Southern Fran ce;

and on the larger map?, such as those issued by the French government, (and to be

found in all lar^e A merica n librar ies) one will find the cit ies of Montpellier and

Mon tpelheretle and the other villages mentioned. An d, even on the common maps

of France one may sec in the south of the country the mountain range marked

Ov enn cs Moun tains and the Rive r Ta rn. In that section where the T am passes

t ' irough the Cevenncs are the Black Mountains— the canyons to which one must

travel to visit the V illage of the Devil.

Th ere is one oucs tion wh ich w il l pr ob ab ly be asked by many readers unless

1 ant ic ipate i t. W hy have you not shown some pictures of the V i l lage ?" I

v n o t sho w them be ca use I di d not ma ke an y.I was warned not to attem ptto

make any pictures r f the Vi l lage and accordingly 1 did not take my camera with

me on this trip. Pict ures have alwa ys been forbidd en and I trust that none willever be taken of this pla ce ; for those who wou ld see the sights describ ed herein

must journey to the place and personally view the sights. The Villa ge of the Devil

i* more than a place which can bepictured; if is truly condition of mind and soul

as well. which cannot be pictured.

A nd now let me pr id e my rea de rs to F ra nc e on a pe rs on all y con du cte d tour .

Sit comfortably in an easy chair where all is quiet and journey with me across

great spaces to a mystic l.-nd, leaving behind you the modernism of today and the

consciousness of your physical presence while mentally von project your real

self to the land we love so dearly.

W e a r e in d e b te d to th e M us te r o f D el ta L o d ge , No . I, A . M . O . R. C ., in

Ph i l ade lph i a , Pa . , fo r t he bea u t i fu l f ron t i sp i ece c t ch in ,, o f i he Chat eau D’A ragon

m Mo nt pe l l ie r . T hf. A u t h o r .

6

C H A P T E R O N E

f t is ge ne ra lly co nc ed ed th at E ur op e pos ses ses the m os t int ere sting monuments of history. Am ericans especially make Euro pe their ulti-

mate goal when planning a genuine sightseeing trip, and few indeed are there of wealth or even moderate means who do not harbor an innate love for the beauties of France, England, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Germany.

I t ca nn ot be sa id th at thi s love fo r E uro pe is in sp ire d by the fa c t that only in Europe can we find the earmarf(s, so to speak, of the birth of the human race. W hile admitting that abroad n>e see the monumental evidences of the beginning of civilization, we are forced to admit, of at least give credence to the theory, that the earliest material evidence of

human existence upon this earth is to be found in the caves or cliff dwellings of the early moundbuilders whose peculiar constructive work is still to he found along the Ohio River in the United States; and while we acce pt the scientists' claims that these prehistoric edifices anfedate all known records of men, we may or may not accept the theory that the Ohio valley was the original “ Car den o f E den . "

The charm of Europe, however, does not exist altogether in its magnificent ruins and inspiring historical remains; but in the more subtle magnetism of its poetic romance and the mysticism of its traditions.

In thi s re sp ec t Fr an ce is the mo st po pu la r, and , ri gh tl y, the mo st interesting. Its history from the days of the Cauls through the 8th, 9th » / Oth and up to th e 15 th ce nt ur y is one co nt inuo us ta le o f m ys te ry ,

romance , valor , sac rif ice an d ac hi ev em en t. It s lit er atu re o f the se da ys — the son gs o f th e tr ou ba do ur s m thei r ro ma nc e to ng ue , and the m on ki sh latin historical documents— alike revel in the de lightful incidents so dear to the lover of French history and French mysticism.

The Courts of Love, the Flower Fetes, the various royal ceremonies in the chateaux of the Counts, Dukes, Lords and Kings, the imposing crusades, the romantic struggles for the hands of the beautiful heiresses, and the regal wars against religion, the suppression of vice and (he loss of property and title— all these vie in their impressiveness and emotional tellings. These were the days of pleasure, love and war, and France more than any other country, was the stage upon which the truly great sce ne s o f li fe ha ve be en so w onde rf u ll y an d fa ta ll y po rt ra ye d.



Should one wonder, then, that the Frenchman is proud of his country, of its history and of its thousands of historical monuments, of which man y lie in forlorn ruin and equa lly as many have been restored or rebuilt by a commission of scientists, architects and historians%which labor diligently to preserve for future generations of historyloving tourists, the most ancient and historical of the many chateaux, citadels, castles, forts, walls, churches and mystic shrines?

I1 is apparent to even the most casual tourist of Southern France thatthe provincial natives consider these monuments of history as personal assets. Th ey bring to their villas a continuous train of tourists from all

pa rt s o f the wor ld , wh o by their ex tend ed [ visits., patrpnize their hotels, restaurant s, sto res, road hou se s, ga rag es and, loc al me ans of tra ns po rta -

tion. Th e native finds in the tourist an incentive to keep thorou ghly pos te d on the fa ct s re la ting to ex ist ing r p in s th e leg en ds o f tho se no w go ne and the hi stor y o f tho se be ing pr es er ve d. H e is al w ay s ali ve to :

the oppor tunity to act as a guide— at a small fee— and takes spccial >

delight in being able to point out mapy^new and unsuspected Wonders.

Is it no t st ra ng e, then , th at in So ut he rn Fr an ce , in the m id st of sec tio ns wh er e touri sts tra ve l the mo st, wh er e art ist s wan de r ye ar ly pr e-

pa ring the m an y bo ok s we no w ha ve on the ''C ha te aux o f Fr anc e" an d >the "Monuments of France," and where the natives are ever seeking

new points of alluring interest to the tourist, there should have existed, unknown to the outer world until 1 8 8 3 , one of the most marvelous, weird and mysterious cities in the whole W o r l d ? A n d , st rang er st ill is the fa ct that until the presen t time, in the. story the au thor now presents, this city of mystery has been unchronicled, its true history untold, and its beauty unpictured.

B e fo re at te m pt in g to ta ke m y reader up on a pe rs on al ly co nd uc te d lour to ihis Wonder of wonders, it is well that I describe some of the historic features of the surrounding cities in order that one may the more naturally comprehend the significance of the fmlorv and legend of t he V I L L E D U D I A B L E . A n d t hi s c a n b e a c co m pl is he d m or e interestingly by describing the ordinary route to this city from that of

P ar is. ^ P ar is is the hu b fr om wh ich the. v ari ou s ra ilr oa d lines radiate and

we can make the trip to Southern France by night .by leaving at about 7:3 0 P . A f . and go by way o f D i jon and L yon to A v ignon , wher e we must change cars. W e arrive here early in the morning, and after a breakfast we find that there are several Iwurs in which we can con-

veniently i>ien> the monuments of this city.

A vi g no n is a c it y o f 4 1 , 0 0 0 inhabitants, the capilol of the depart .ment of V aucluse. It is situated on the leSl bank ° f the Rhone a nd in ,the bac kgroun d rises an. immense, rock upon which we see the ancient . P al ac e o f th e P op es, wh er e fr om 1305 to 1377 se ve n su cces siv e P opes ,reigned here prior to ihe establishment of the Vatican al Rom e. W e.

By

examine ihe City W alis built in the 14lh century by the Popes, then visit the Cathedral built in :l I th century (plainly showing where il has

. been rebuilt and rem odele d ) and then, desiring to reach our destination as quickly as possible, w e lake /in omnibus and cross the river lo V dle neuvelesAvigr.on to visit the Fort St. A ndr e. This beautiful monu-

ment of architecture is considered one of the rarest of the kind built in ihe . midd le ages. Its imposing front, ils mighty and warlike

• appearance; showing plainly • i?iamj evidences of s Iru ggU and st ri fe , do not lead one to think that ’within its walls and towers are a peac eful convent and several houses containing veri; po or fam il ies.

.. W e return to the C A R E 'an d depar t for Nimes , ihe next important '. city on our route.

11 is necessary lo spend one w hole d ay in Nim es in order to become 1acquainted with the many antiquities of special interest to the mystic.

W e find this city lo tie a typical, prosperous pr ov incial to wn of about 7 0 , 0 0 0 inhabitants, beautifully located al the Southern extremity

' 'o f hi lls which join the Cevcnhes ( the R ock y M ountains of France)

' B ef ore us is sp re ad a be au ti fu l bo ul ev ar d wh os e tree s am pl y sh ad e us

us we retreat from the hot sun. B e fo re visaing the man$ sig hts u»einquire regarding the history df the city and learn that in B. C. 121

.this city Wa s c alle d N E M A U S U S b y the Romans and that il Was

the capital of the Vo leae Arecom ici. 11 became one of the principal colonies of the Cauls who took particular delight in embellishing it and in erecting ma ny of ihe beautiful buildings and m onuments n»c are a b o u t

to see. Da ring the 1Oth and •1 l / / i centuries this city was the properlx of and ruled by the Counts of Toulouse, from G uillaume in 8 0 0 A . D .

. to the long line of Raym und s ending in 1222 .* ’ Until 1 7 0 4 , during the wars of religion, it suffered nuich because threefourths of its pop-

ulation had embraced Protestantism’and it is today an important town

in this respect.

I t wa s als o the seat o f 'n h it h st rif e du rin g the 12th century when the Raym und s V ! and V IT 'Were being prosecuted and excommunicated

fo r pe rm itt ing he ret ics an d m ys tic s in the ir do m ai ns . and everywhere , w e fin d ev id en ce s o f war , re be ll io n and de fe at .

Pa ss in g up th e ma in .'b ou leva rd ( F eu ch er es ) fr om the C ar e, we

see be fo re us, fa ci ng the E sp la na de, ihe A re na , or A m ph ithea tr e. It was built during the Is / or 2nd centuries and is tvpical of th Rom an architecture: Il is in the form of an ellipse. 1 46 ya rd s long , H I wide

and 7 0 feet high. Ils exterior is in belter condition than those of Rom e i because, of i he Com mission & constant restoration and because here, on

*T he g enealogy and history of these Raym und s was sel forth irt an article in the November, 1 9 1 7 . i ss ue o f ihe A m er ican R O SA E

C R U C I S .



manp Sundays throughout the year , as many as 2 4 , 0 0 0 spec ta to rs see typical Spanish Bu llfights; the city being under Socialist government

the money thus derived from a pleasure which the provincial natives themselves abhor is used for the good of the community.

W e t ur n a n d f o ll o w t he b e au t if u l b o ul ev a rd V I C T O R H U C O ,

w h er e w e f in d an op en sq ua re , a nd fa c in g T H E T H E A T R E w e se e t he a nc ie nt a n d s tr an ge M A I S O N C A R R E E . I t is o ne o f th e

fin es t an d be st pr es er ve d R om a n te mp les in ex ist en ce , 7 6 fe e t long , 4 0 fe e t w id e and 4 0 high, with 3 0 unusually beautiful Corinthian columns. The date of its building is unknown, it being credited to the period of

A ugu st us an d th e A n to in in es ; an d fo un da ti on s di sc ov er ed re ce nt ly sh ow th at it wa s pr oba bl y lo ca te d in the ce nt re o f othe r im po rtan t buildings. It is this building, whose perpendicular and horizontal lines are strangely curved, that was imitated w hen the No tre Da me was built in Paris. Th e Maiso n Carree now contains ancient French coins and tome sculptures .

W e continue a few blocks fur ther and there We e nt er th e J A R D I N D E L A F O N T A I N E , w ith its str an ge ca na ls whi ch fe e d wat er to this city in summer when water is very scarce and have their origin in the Ro ma n baths beyond . This garden and ils canals were originally

of Roman construction but were greatly beautified and enlarged by

ma ny miles by Kin g Lou is in the I Sift century.

A t the sid e o f the ga rd en is the an ci en t T em ple o f D ia na , a beautiful sight and still showing in its ruins the rooms of Diana and the rare carvings. Close by are the old Ro m an baths for men and Women; the former being a stagnant pool now, enclosed by high marble walls; and we are warned not to approach the steps leading lo the water too closely for *'no one has ever learned the depth of the pool, and all who have fallen into it never returned." says the pleasing gu id e. T h e w om en ’s ba th s, so o ft en re fe rr ed to in roma nc es and a t often pictured in paintings and etchings are really magnificent and are below the street level under a private Walk an{l enclosed by row« o f columns.

F urt he r on , ou ts id e o f the ci ty , wc see th e m ys te rio us R om a n rums of some unknown building, never as yet given a name except that o f “L et Trois P iliers

W e now has ten on lo Montpell ier , another ancient city and one which has considerable connection with the history of the Village of the

D e vi l.

B u t be fo re en terin g thi s c it y we m us t be gin the str an ge and romantic story which links these two cities together and which, for the fir st tim e, re ve al s the le ge nda ry se cr et o f ou r str an ge my ste rio us go al .

to

C H A P T E R T W O

The whole Southern pari of France was at one time part of the R o m a n E m pi re , and Cae sa r in his "C om m ent ar ie s" de scrib es the se regions as C A U L . Its history from ihen until its possession by the

F ra nk s, ihe N or m an s an d the E ng li sh is ex ce ed in gl y in teres tin g, bu t

has no place here except to introduce into this slory one of the characters heretofore unknown as associated in any way with the Village of the

D ev il .

D ur in g the fir st fe w ce nturi es a ft e r Ch ri st , Fr an ce wa s go ve rn ed mostly by the various Counts and Lord s of its provinces. A fang at that time was nominal as far as his influence over these southern S E N E C H A U S E E S n>u5 concerned.

Toulouse and ils county of the same name, known to the Romans as Tolosa, was always the centre of external strife and warfare; for i/s po sse ssion m ea nt no t onl y po w erf ul ru ler ship o f va st land s an d wealthy towns and products, but such rulership gave influence to

conquer and rule over other adjoining counties and towns. Thu s, the ze al to be co me C ou nt or L ord o f T ou lo us e wa s sh ow n by ev er y Eu ro pe an na tion , a nd af te r P ep in (he Sh o rt ce as ed lo exer cis e such rulership, Charlemagne, ihe great ruler of France and Cermany, under-

took to sclect the second Count. This, of course, was a new method lo those who had believed lhal warfare and possession of the land gave

go ve rn ing au th or it y.

Th e man chosen by Charlemagne was Guillaum e. In these days there were no fam ily or surnames and this Gu illaume, like m any others. Was gi ve n a se co nd na m e be ca us e o f some pe cu lia ri ty , and thus D>c fi nd

him called Guil laume Corlnez ( fro m A U C O R T N E Z . ) .

H e wa s a son of Count Theodoric and as Count of Toulouse this Guillaume had mediate or immediate rule over the County of Toulouse with its many villas, and also over the important and ancient cities of,

Be zi er s, N im es, A g d e . M ag uel on , L od eve an d U ze s. T h e hi sto ry

of this man, in the many peculiar French manuscripts, is remark-

able for ils numerous legends, chronicles and poems of praise, notablv:

L E C H A R R O Y D E N I S M E S an d L E M O I N A C E D E G U I L L A U M E . H e D>as a sincerely religious man and a lover of

pe ac e an d ju st ice.

In a rare ac co un t o f his li fe find the fo ll ow in g in ci de nt o f

interest lo this slory:"H e sought a place for a monastery where those, like himself ,

sincere in thei r rel igi ous be li ef s and de si ring qu ie t and pe ac e, m ig ht II



worship undisturbed by the wars constantly being Waged about them. H e fo u n d , in ihe mountains of Lodevc ( in ihe. very distric t w here we shal l vi si t th e V il la ge o f ihe D ev il ) one gorge clos ed and pr of ou nd , fa vo ra bl e by ils I S G L M E N T , fo r m ed itat io n an d pr ay er . In ef fe ct , in the middle of the savage sight, surrounded by enormous masses of gr an ite Wa s this beautiful plateau, whereon Guillaume decided to build cne of the mosl famous monasteries of Europe."

The monastery n>cs built elaborately and magnificently of lhal rare while granite which is so plentiful in this section of France; and it

rose majestically amid the other rocks of dark °nd tinted colors. Guillaum e's intention v>as to call lh:s monastery the A bb ey de Gellon, a name which is often used for it in ancient manuscripts; but after Guillaume's death, when il was consecrated by the Pope, il was named the a bb ey o f S A I N T G U I L L E M D U D E S E R T , in honor of its fo und er an d in souv en ir o f ils de se rte d loc ati on .

Guillaume died in 6 1 2 or 8 1 3 . fn tw o an cien t ch ar ts , dated in ihe 34th year of the reign of Charlemagne ( 8 0 4 A . D .) the re ap pe ars the fa d that he left, besides several sons, two daughters , A lbane and Be rt he. I l is w ith the se tw o siste rs th at we mu sl be gin the fo un da tion

of the known history of the Village of the Devil.

I f we are to be lie ve the tro ub ad ou rs an d the mo nk s o f the se da ys , who were so careful to chronicle the smallest detail, we must believe that these two sisters were extremely beautiful. Bea uty in those days was not of the standard of today . These girls were French, not of the

Pa ri sia n, bu t o f the R om an ty pe . It is feat ur es such as th ey po sse sse d, the beautifully modeled chins, lips, nose and forehead, that ti>e see in the rare paints of the old masters; it Da s the highest type of that Latin

charm now almost extinct.

A n d th ey we re yo un g at th e tim e thi s stor y begin s. In the se days knighthood was in flower. Th e ambition of every young man was lo become a Lord . Th e strong, the brave and fearless became the Counts, the Duke s and Princes. Professions there were none, and the

trades with other manual wor k , rvere left lo the masses. W arfa re, ga llan tr y an d love we re the oc cu pa tio ns o f ihe yo un g me n, an d, con-

se qu en tly , the be au ti fu l an d w ea lthy D A M E S we re fe rv en tl y an d

st ea di ly co ur te d by the se as pi rin g Pr in ce s.

It n>as in these days that the art o f serena di ng be ca me so po pu la r.

To be a successful troubadour, n>as to be the admiration of all ih e noble

and gentle ladies, and the envy of every man in the kingdom. He re we. fi nd th e origin of t h e b e a u t i f u l ro m a n c e l a n g u a g e a n d i h e w e i r d a n d

captivating poems of love. Th e troubadour, young or old, wilh some

musical instrument strung over his shoulder and clad in the k ne e

breeches and cloaks so po pu la r the n, W a s a l w a y s w e l c o m e a t t h e royal

ceremonies, and the Qu een s chamber or court u?as always open to

13



him. H e "would sit for hours, and, surrounded by these noble girls

and rxwmen, wo uld compose an d sing words of love and admiration, while they would shower upon him flowers of many colors. Here , too, U»as the origin of the fam ous Flow er Fetes, and the Courts of Love.

f t wa s in thi s ma nn er th at A lb a n e and B er th e we re co ur te d. B e a u ti fu l, yo ung and no bl e, th ey we re fa m ed fo r the ir vi rtue . T he ir home was a strange old stone castle built upon the pinnacle of a large rock situated in the mountains leading to the Village of the Devil. He re they led a most enjoyable life, constantly courted by Dufies, Lords,

Counts, Viscounts and Princes and at all times the centre of every conceivable form of entertainment.

In add it io n to the ir ch ar m s, th ey we re w ea lthy . Co ns id er ab le pr op erly h ad be en gi ve n to th em by the ir fa th er, an d sin ce it co ve re d a large and prosperous territory, there were always among their admirers those who sought to obtain possession of it through marriage.

A n d thus th e tw o sist ers ev en tu al ly be ca me en ga ge d to tw o brothers, Ms. Jean and Pierre De Almo nd. Lit t le is known of these two, except that they were gallant, romantic in their songs and ardent in their seemingly sincere love for the two girls. Th ey were not of noble birth, but cunning as a fox , and diligent in their aspiring fortitude

A lw a y s toge ther , a lw ays in to xi ca te d wi th pl an s fo r ov er th ro win g km g“

doms w ith their power, an d always holding themselves aloft from the other gallants of the day, it is little wonder that they were considered as suspicious characters.

" The D evil 's pair" was a common name for them; and “Frers du Diable" seemed to be the most apt descr ipt ion of John and Peter d e A l m o n d .

The ir home was situated in ihe mountains in the vicinity of M illau ; and these black mountains seemed to cloak the actual location of their claimed chateau. A t least no positive know ledge is evidenced as to its exact situation, but from circumstances now lo be related, it is apparent that their chateau or castle must have been in the immediate vicinity of

The Vil lage of the Devil .

Cer tain it is. that all this land was owned by these two V IR G IN S ,

A lb ane and B ert he , a na m e gi ve n to th em be caus e o f the ir un dou bt ed pu ri ty ev en th ou gh in co ns ta nt co m pa ny w ith such sus pic iou s ch ara cte rs as these two brothers. A n d still more certain is the fact that these two brothers desired to marry Albane and Berthe only that they might obtain possession of this land.

R um ors be ga n to sp re ad th at Je an and P ie rr e he ld ni gh tl y co n-

fe re nc es w ith his Sat ani c M a je st y ; fo r, d id no t m any see , in the m o un ta in s n ea r L A R O Q U E S T E . M A R G U E R I T E , m id ni gh t fires of brilliant red? A nd , were not these conferences and signals follow ed

by dire results in war and pestilence ?14

N o won de r th at these m ou nt ai ns be ca me fo rs ak en in the loc ali tie s where small towns were situated! Th e provincial French were a mystic people and were awaiting the predicted second coming of Christ or the end of the world; and the year 1000 (when this was to take

pl ace ) wa s ra pi d ly ap pr oa ch in g, bri ng ing w ith il ev er y co nc ei va ble fo rm o f supe rst iti on . T hous and s we re fo rs ak in g the ir ho me s, the ir fr ie nd s and the ir wea lt h to jo ur ne y to Je ru sa le m , th at the co mi ng o f the L ord m ig ht find th em w ith in H o ly pr ec in ct s; an d ihe thi ev ing an d cunning took advantage of these fears of ihe ignorant to secure power

and wealth.

Ju st w hy thes e tw o bro the rs and tw o siste rs ne ve r m ar ried is a matter of conjecture. B ut the legends relate that it became fairly Well established lhat John and Peter were in some mysterious way associated with all that was evil, unfortunate and repulsive and that,

l it er al ly , i f n ot in f a c t, th e y w er e F R E R F S D U D I A B L E . W h e n this idea had implanted itself into the minds and hearts of Albane and Berthe, and when they discovered that possession of their property n>as the brothers' only motive, il was only natural that they should look with scorn upon their proposals and reject them with rebuke and disdain.

B u t this add ed on ly wra th lo their m an y ev il qu al iti es an d soo n these two brothers were the subject of much discussion throughout the

kingdoms of Southern France; and much attention at the time was directed to the Canons of the Tarn where, in the Black mountains, was supposed to dwell these two in some mysterious village.

A lb a n e an d B er th e, di sa pp oi nt ed no t on ly in their love, but in their faith in mankind in general . agreed henceforth to live a life of celibacy and religious activity , and a few months later retired to a convent built by order of their father some time previous lo his death and which was located in the mountains some distance from that

bearing his name.

Their chateau, built upon the rocl(s, and now deserted, was given

th e n am e o f P E C H D E S D E U X V I E R C E S * T h is c ha te au

became famous as the birth place of a brother of these two virgins, known as St . Fulcran, who was at one t ime a bishop of Lcdeve.

In the " L I F E O F S T . F U L C R A N . B I S H O P O F L O D E V E ” t n>e fi nd thes e fa d s se t fo rt h, an d in a rar e an d pr ec ious

manuscript which was discovered at Campous, where many monies retired

after their expulsion from the abbey of St.GuillemduDeseri in 1 7 9 0 .and which is now among ihe manuscr ipts possessed by M . A ug uy de

Viiry, of Cignac, France. we f ind the fol lowing interes t ing fads:

*T he R o ck ° f the T wo V irg ins .

"|’A very rare manuscript o f unusua l interest lo mystics.

15



t

>

<

"There is a legend in a manuscript regarding St. Guillaume, en-

titled 'L E G A L L I A C H R I S T I A N A N O V A L E P L A C E L E 3 4 ’which states that the Two Virgins (D eux Vierges) rverc of the antique fa m il y o f M on tp ey ro ux . O ne can sti ll sec , on the cratc r o f a mo un ta in, si tu at ed on one sid e o f M on te pe yr ou x a he rm ita ge in ruin s an d so me vestiges of this chateau where was horn Saint Fulcran who ivas its Lord. I t wa s ca lle d the C H A T E A U D E S D E U X V I E R G E S becau se o f two sisters of the same Saint Fulcran who lived in celibacv A N D O N E O F W H O M IS T O T H I S D A Y K N O W N A S A S A I N T . "

B u t be fo re the se two virgin s re tir ed to the co nv en t, th ey ex pres sed their utter disgust for earthly matters by renouncing all claim to their

pr op er ty . T h ei r pa rt icu lar mo tiv e wa s lo m ak e ba rre n all tha t secti on of their property which w as within the precincts of ihe blac k mountains.

B u t in do in g this th ey re al ize d tha t th e m an y lit tle vil las si tu at ed therein would suffer and many would be deprived of their homes and lands. Cons equently these two sisters decid ed to fou nd a large city where all who then lived if> the Black Mo untains might have free ground and the other necessities of life. A fte r careful consideration they se lecte d as the site fo r this ne w ci ty (wo div isi on s of ihe ir la nd si tu at ed on the banks of the Lez, about ten miles from the Mediterranean Sea.

T h es e tw o sec tio ns t he y ca lle d M O N T P E L I E R a nd M O N T P E L I E R E T T E (f ro m m em or y o f the grea t ba ld mo un ta in , M O N T P E L E , which Wa s si tu at ed in the mi st o f ihe B la ck M o un ta in s) .

These facts are verified by statements to be foun d in V E R D A L E 'S R E C O R D S in the fo llo w in g w or d s :

"From all t ime there has been a wellfounded tradition supported by the public archives, which slates that two sisters founded the city of Montpellier. One possessed Montpellier and the other MontpelUerette adjoining. Th ey w ere of ancient nobility, for il is proven that they were sisters of goodly Saint Fulcran, one lime beloved Bishop of

L o d eve ."

In ihe tes ta m en t o f this S t. Ful cr an , wh ich m a y be fo u n d in the ancient archives of Lodeve, and which is dated : "m ade on ihe 4 th of

Feb ru ar y un de r the rei gn o f Je su s Chr ist wh ile ho pin g fo r a K in g ." h e men ti on s th ese two s is te rs , a nd cal ls t hem D A M E S D E M O N T -

P E L L I E R , "b ec a us e ," sa ys the co mm en lo r, " th ey were res po nsi ble fo r the origin of this village."

The two sisters demanded that a commission be appointed to go vern this ci ty an d tha t it sh ou ld be bu ilt , ma na ge d an d m ai nta in ed on progressive lines for the general education and uplift of its inhabitants.

H o w we ll the se pla ns su cc ee de d m ay be seen b y vis itin g the ci ty to da y,

and noting, as we shall do in a few minutes , the many historical sights.

17



Gradually every home in the B lack Mountains was deser ted; and, when the year 1000 camc an d G od d id not visit the earth or cause its destruction, thousands returned to France from the. H oly La nd to begin life anew. Mo ntpellier, with its strange boundary walls, became thickly

popu la te d and by the m id dl e o f the 1 I th century all knowledge of the old villages in the Black Mountains, and especially the village where l iv ed th e B R O T H E R S O F T H E D E V I L , w as f or go tt en a n d o ne

pa rt o f Fr an ce , once fa m ou s an d in fa m ou s, Wa s lost in oblivion.

II

i

I

10

C H A P T E R T H R E E

L e t us no w co nt inue our jo urn ey by leav ing the sta tio n a t M o n t-

pe lli er an d wal ki ng up the ma in st re et ,— R U E M A G U E L O N E . IV enotice that modern Montpellier is a city of about 5 7 , 0 0 0 inhabitants,

clean and cheerful and strangely white. This is due to the while lime- sto ne o f ihe gr ou nd wh ich lies pul ver iz ed up on the ro ad s and str ee ts and which the high winds keep constantly blowing over the buildings made of wh ite rod(. Th e appearance is like a city in a snow storm, fo r ev en the trees are al way s co ve red w ith this wh ile po w de r an d all the buildings are closely blinded with shutters thus whitened. W hile the effect is pleasing, and cooling in the shade, il requires one to kccP well veiled when travelling, especially in automobiles; and in the sun il is anything but pleasing to stare into ihe reflected glaze of white

light.

The streets arc short and crooked, narrow and roughly paved. The buildings arc generally very old and if wc turn into some of the

alleys n?e fi nd m an y hi sto ric al bu ild ings be ing oc cu pi ed by ind ust rie s of modern limes; for Monlpcllier is still progressive ajtd cares naught for its antiquities.

On one side street or alley, unnamed, n>e can see ihe old C haleau de Aragon, where Dona Marie, Lady of Montpell ier , l ived and from which home she emerged in stately robes to become ihe Queen of

A ra gon in 1200 . It is in teres tin g, as a ty pi ca l ex pe rie nc e, to en ter this old stone chateau. Its broad entrance, seen even in mode rn French buildings, designed lo allow passage for horses and carriages, is paved

inside the building with cobblestones, and to one side is a very narrow doo r leading to circular stone stairs, about three feet wide, which give entrance to the various stone rooms and halls. W hile ihe main building looks small from ihe outside, we find that inside the adjoining buildings are all connected with secret passages and in many of ihe secret and oddly closed rooms one may slill see beautifully carved mantles, doors and arches. This building, in 1 9 0 9 , while worthy of preservation for visitors, was occupied by a wholesale grocer as a storehouse, and in one of ihe prison rooms a coffceroasling plant was in constant operation, much lo the disgust of the antique and historyloving visitor, while on two upper floors there were old Rosaecrucian L odge rooms which had been used from 1843 to 1 8 5 9 by a Grand Lodge of Montpell ier .

A t the en d o f R u e M ag ucl on e is the P la ce de la Com ed ie , ad or ne d w ith th e g ra ce fu l F O N T A I N E D E S T R O I S G R A C E S , b uil t in

19



! 7 7 6 and which faces the Thealrc. A t another par t of the town we se e ih e P E Y R O U , a fin e pr om en ad e an d pa rk , and at the sid es o f the great radings of the P E Y R O U we sec two stone groups , s trangely,

y e t el oque n tl y, te lli ng the ta le o f ihe tw o sist ers who fo u n d ed th e c it y ; one group represents L O V E O V E R C O M I N G S T R E N G T H , a nd the other, S T R E N C T H V A N Q U I S H E D B Y L O V E . A t the e n d o f i he p a r k is th e f a m o us C H A T E A U D ' E A U , co n st ru c te d i n 1753 .

L e i us no w co nt inue on ou r jo urn ey to M il la u , si tu at ed ab out 6 0

miles distant from M ontpe llier on the left bank of the river Tarn. This c ity wa s c alle d A E M I L I A N U M C A S T R U M b y the R o m an s a nd is today a city of about 1 6 , 5 0 0 inhabitants.

H ere n>e e nte r the C A N O N D U T A R N a nd ihe Bl ac k M o un -

tains. A s the name indicates, the Canon of ihe Tarn is comparablewith the celebrated Canyon of Colorado and is as wonderful in beauty, if not more wond erful in construction, than the former. It i s the most

cur ious of the gorges produced in ihe C A U S S E S by the erosion of

the st reams during the g lac ia l epoch in the C E V E N N E S .

A s We en ter ih e C an on we no tic e ihe sheer ro ck s whi ch rise to a height of from 8 0 0 to 1 1 0 0 fe e t and th at the di stan ce be tw ee n ih ci f

su m m it s va rie s fr om on e ha lf io th reequ ar ters o f a mi le . H ere in thi s se ct io n is ihe or ig inal B la c k M oun ta in s , fo rm erl y m en tion ed , and it is difficult to imagine anything more weird and impressive. Gigantic ramparts and perpendicular cliffs al one time overhang the River Tarn and in other places they retire in terraces formed of several strata of the limestone and as varied in outline as they arc in those pe cu lia r and delicate colors which seem lo vie with each other in assuming

st ra ng e m ark in gs ; the ro ck s th em se lv es are sh iv er ed into a th ou sa nd

different shapes and there appears yellow limestone, black schistous marl and brown and pinl( dolmite.

I n pa ssi ng th ro ug h th e Canon, and especially through th e B la ck M oun ta in sect io n. We must lake strange winding courses in order to

fo ll ow an y se m bl a nc e o f a pa th . A l tim es we are up on so me hi gh and mighty r idge overlooking a vast and bottomless valley; a l o ther

limes we seem to be descending into th e very bowels of ihe ear th and as

th e D'ap gr ow s da rk er a n d the many small and uninviting caverns ar e

brought to o ur nolice, we do not remember that this place Was claimed as the domain o f his Satanic Majes ty. A n d, were i t not for ihe occasional

sp rin g, th e f e w beautifully colored flowers and some vegetation and vines, we Would f ee l t ha t we were passing through Jules Verne’s volcanic

entrance to the center of the earlh and immediately retrace our steps.

B u t we ha sten on to ihe vi lla ge o f P ey re le au , si tu at ed on the ba nk s of ihe Jonte, reaching there by way of modern paths and easing our wa lk upon the backs of mules. He re we prepare for our interesting

jo ur ney to th e st ra ng e, myster ious ci ty of The D evil .20

C H A P T E R F O U R

In or de r pr op er ly to en jo y an d ap pr ec ia te ou r vis it to the V il la ge of Th e De vil, w e should spend al least two d ays there, but since the village is uninhabited, il is necessary to spend the nights al M aub rel. a

hamlet several miles distant, which boasls of only a few beds and accommodations for but two or three tourists al one time.

N ev er th el es s me pr ep ar e fo r one who le d ay by ta ki ng ihe ne ce s-

sa ry pr ov isi on s, fo o d be ing un at ta in ab le en ro ute. 11 is ne ce ssa ry to dress comforlably, but suitably for mountain climbing and with as little

luggage as possible.

There are several methods o f transportation, each having ils advantages and disadvantages, but at Le Rozicr, the village adjoining P ey re le au, we m ay hir e a ca rri ag e se at ing th ree fo r 15 fr ank s ( $ 3 )and proceed to M aub ert, a ride of two hours. He re we secure a guide and the question of transportation to the Village of The Devil is decid ed according lo ihe guide we select. M . Lavinne, the most popular of the two rival guides possesses a typical French mulecurt sealing

fr om tw o lo fo ur pe rs on s, an d his en th us ia sti c ar gu m en ts re la ti ve lo ihe advantages of his guidance and means of transportation arc convincingly explained by as many gestures as words, and it is amusing to see him hold up his hands in horror and derision when mention is made of M . R o b e rt who posse sse s a fe w mu le s and wh o lik ew is e, th ou gh less st re nu ou sly, claims his guidance and muleride the safest means of

traversing the mountains.

I f n>e are alone we accept the mule ride, but if there are three or four of us We arc tempte d to ride in ihe carl. Ab ou t onehalf mile distant we enter the borders of the Village of ihe Devil, and

before actually pass ing through i ts s tone G A T E S we ascend the mountains on the r ight , where there is s i tuated the ancient C IT A D E L ,

fo rm ed o f rock s, an d w he re , il is sa id , the D ev il and his bro the rs w ho so ug ht lo m ar ry B er th e and A lb a n e , se nt fo rt h thei r m id ni gh l sig na ls of fire and where the ghastly and villainous consultations were held.

F ro m th is po si tio n We can overlook the cily in general and stop a few moments to consider the slory of the discovery of this city.

A s fo rm er ly sl at ed, thi s vi ll ag e wa s un kno w n lo w or ld ly hi stor y or research until ihe year 1883 . 7 his will not appear strange to those

who have taken ihe journey. Un lit after its discovery there were no, pub li c gu id es to sh ow ih e w in di ng w ay , an d the ci ty o f M aubert , if it m a y be called a c i t y , Was then unborn and there was no inducement

21



fo r an y to ur ist , no matter how keen his delight in mountain climbing, to pa ss th ro ug h the se bl ack m ou nt ai ns w ith ou t fo o d or pl ac e to rest .

B u i in 1 8 8 3 , M o ns. L . de M a la fo ss e , a Rosaecrucian. whose chauteau is near Men de, 35 miles distant, made the wonderful explora-

tion of its location and calle d the attentio n of scientists to it. Th e matter greatly interes ted Mons . E . A . M artel of the French Alpine Club, who immediately visited the village and drew a plan of its S T R E E T S A N D B O U L E V A R D S .

The village is situated upon a plateau one and onehalf miles square and it Would seem that this pl at ea u its el f was es pe ci al ly cr ea te d by nature for the sole purpose of supporting a village; for, in such a moun-

tainous region a level plateau of such extent is remarkable and there is no parallel to it in the whole of Europe , except possibly the much

sm al le r B O I S D E P A I O L I V E .

N o w , whi le M on s. de M alf os se m ad e an ex pl an at io n o f its location and called the attention of scientists to its existence, I have ample proof that the V il lage of the Devil and i ts surrounding Valley of the Devil wa s known to a fetv mystics and learned men many years before 1 8 8 3 ; fo r I hair e in my po sse ssi on a rar e re co rd o f the lege nd s of Auvergne in which mention is made of the supposed council of the

D ev il and his tw o br othe rs as he re to fo re de sc ribe d and gi ving an or ig inal

sk et ch o f thes e de vi ls ho ld in g one o f the ir m id ni gh t co un ci ls ; and whi le this rare record, which was first brought to light in 1 8 3 8 , giv es a fe w minor details as to what was believed to exist in the Valley of the

D ev il , it do es no t a tt em p t to give the complete story of the existence of the village and of the romance connected with it.

Therefore, M ons . dc M alfosse did not discover an hitherto u n k n o w n

village, but, rather, rediscovered what was publicly and generally unknown . To quote de Malfosse in his or iginal report: " W e cannot, without having seen it, form an idea of this collection o f apparent ruins, where, by the side of rocks representing gigantic monsters are fa cs im ile s o f im po sin g m on um en ts . T h e wh ol e en ta ng le d mass o f

st re et s, ar ch es , pa ss ag es and pr oj ec ting co rni ce s, so me tim es in terse ct ing one another at right angles, as in a town laid out by line, sometimes fo rm in g a cr es ce nt or sq ua re , is a ve ri ta bl e la by rint h o f ab ou t 5 0 0 acres. Is o la te d ro ck s, in the sh ap e o f towers or pyram ids, are more than 3 0 0 fe e t hi gh and so m e o f th e S 7 R E E T S pa ss be tw ee n r o w s o f

E D I F I C E S 1 0 0 to 2 0 0 fe e t high . T h e who le o f thi s hu ge sp ac e is abandoned to complete sol i tude."

This description presents the picture we see from the old citadel on its borders. N ow let us descend the rock ond enter the city itself b y o f th e m a in s tr ee t, c al le d th e B O U L E V A R D D I A B O L O .

W e are at once impressed with the fact that no hand of ma n ever laid out this city; for n>e cannot believe that there ever existed a brain

22

so fe rt il e in fa nt ast ic cr ea tio n an d so wei rd in co ns tr uc tiv e de ta il , as

the intelligence which must have guided the building or planning of this strange city. A n d ye t! W ho can say that nature alone, even in her wildest dreams and most deluding schemes, ever produced the my stifying sights we now see? W e try to be logical, reasonable and

sane in ou r co nc lusion s, bu t we are ha un te d w ith the po ss ib ili ty , ye s even probability, that some diabolic power was manifesting itself when this city was built. Th e very atmosphere, heavy with the silence of death and laden with the pallor of solitude, mystery and forgotten life,

makes us whisper in reverence,— reverence for what W A S and what M I G H T H A V E B E E N . N o re ve lr y or m irt h he re an d no he ar t that can help but feel that in this forsaken place Cod and Devil, happi-

ness and sorrow, love and hatredt power and Weakness and life and death meet upon the borderline.

The ground before us is level, smooth, and in some places actually pr es en tin g a sto ne su rf ac e, lik e a paved str ee t. O n ei ther sid e rise high B U I L D I N G S ca rv ed by the my ste rio us ha nd int o the se mb la nc e o f chateaus, forts, and cottages. W indo ws , broad and imposing, door-

ways , pass ages and even B A L C O N IE S are in ev idence and we cannot help wondering at the strange sight of an occasional sloop or arch at

so m e en tra nc es and at the fine ly pr oj ec ting co rni ces o f th e high er buildings.

W alkin g through this main street we come to what might be called a corner, for here we notice a cross street, at exactly right angles, and fa ced on ei th er side by sim ila r str uc tu res. F ur th er on we co m e to an imposing structure with an enormous entrance and we rightly name t hi s H O T E L D U V I L L A , o r C it y H a l l ; a n d w it h li tt le st re tc h o f the imagination we can picture the silent mysterious figures of the

fo rm er in ha bi tant s of thi s ci ty wal ki ng sl ow ly an d de je c te d ly int o its court to plan the diabolical work accredited to them in the years 8 0 0to 1 0 0 0 .

I' u rl her on we en ter a C I R Q U E or cir cle, such as are so ar ti st ic al ly built in mode m cities. W e are told that this circle, one of the smallest i n t he c it y, is c a ll ed th e C I R Q U E D E S R O Q U E T T E S a n d th at Us longer diameter is 1 6 5 2 fe e t, the sh or ter di am et er 6 5 0 fe e l an d the walls 3 8 0 fe e t hig h. A s we ga ze up on this sig ht we al lo w ou r m inds to wander and think of the legend of the Brothers of the Devil who lived here and try to picture the use they may have made of this cirque. W ere the man y men and wom en who strangely disappeared in their time brought here and put to an ignominious death ? W ere the fires of

pe st il en ce , pl ag ue an d su ff er in g km dle d here , or we re the se br oth ers pa rt ly hu m an af te r al l and he re wor sh ip pe d a m as te r o f so m e k m d? The human mind is fickle, its paths of reasoning arc oddly branched with byways of enticing illogical pictures and when awakened and alive with

21



t h e s u b t le p o w e r o f s u g g e s t i o n W e i m a g i n e m a n y t h i n g s; t h i s m a y a c c o u n t

fo r ou r s u d d e n a ve rs io n to th is ci rq u e , f o r , d o D>e not see in the interior

g lo o m o f th is ar e na th e tr an sp ar en t a n d lu m in o u s fig ur es o f m e n a n d

w o m e n o n b e n d e d k n e e s b e g g in g fo r m e r c y a n d h e l p ? a n d c a n n o t w e

he ar the agoniz ing c r ie s o f c h i ldre n and the s i le nc ing groan o f a l i f e

d e p a r t i n g i n a g o n y w h i l e e v e r y w h e r e w e s e e t he d a r k c r im s o n s ta i n o f

i n n o c e n t b l o o d ?

H or ro r fil ls our so ul s; we try to rise ab ov e the po wer th at gr ap ples with our reason, but we are held fast, captive in the hands of the

sam e un see n an d un kn ow n mi gh t th at w ie ld ed the in str um en t wh ich carved the fantastic sights surrounding u s.

W e turn to the East and pass through another street unnamed but magnificent in its structures and passages covered with arches which darkened the unknown interiors of the courts; for while one may boast of having entered the various caverns of the Ccvennes, especially those at Roquefort, where the famous chcese is made, and at other places where the environment may be as gloomy, still one would never attempt an entrance to the interior of these unknown courts and we arc held, it seems, in iron bonds, and our feet refuse the m ental volition to trespass.

B e fo re us we see the C I R Q U E D U L A C , wh ich is sim ila r in

construction to the Cirque just visited, but which at one time c on ta ine d

water. N ow , however, as if to add to the forsaken, forlorn and cheer-

less aspect of the scene, the cirque is dry and we cannot help fe e li n g that pe rh ap s na tu re ha s re fu se d to fu rn is h to thi s ung od ly pl ac e one of its

most bountiful, sustaining gifts.

N ea r her e are seve ra l A M A T S or pu bl ic S Q U A R E S an d again n>e slo p to qu es tio n w he th er na ture alon e co ns tru ct ed this vi llag e wh er e there are so logically arranged and attractively located these circles and

sq ua re s; an d if fu rt he r ci rc um stan tia l ev iden ce of this po ssi bi lit y we need only walk a short distance and view a perfectly proportioned

F O R U M , in ou tli ne an d co nt ou r sim ila r to those of te n see n on the

continent.

B u i pe rh ap s the m os t wei rd and sugges tiv e view o f al l is th at o f the B O U L E V A R D M O N U M E N T , wh er e are lo ca te d seve nteen ob el isk s or monuments , ranging in height from 10 0 to 3 0 0 fe e t. T h ey sta nd cl v ar ious open spaces between the numerous castles and each is different in shape and, apparently, designed to express symbolically the incident in mem ory of which they were erected. O f course, these are likewise mere freaks of nature, like the trembling rock in the near locality, which trembles every midnight so violently that one fears it may fall and injure the bystander. Ye t, like the trembling rock, legend says that these obelisks were erected by the Devil and his two brothers in memory of the terrible plagues. Wars , dcalhs and crimes planned and consummated

by litem.

24

A s we st an d here and view the se str ange mo nu me nts in the lif el ess city and note jusl outside of its boundary line the beautiful vines, the arbutes and holly flourishing al the base of the majestic pines, and , rais-

ing our eyes see the same blue s ky • the same sun, and the same spotless gr ou ps o f clou ds as pass ov er mo re ch ee rf ul an d divi ne dw el lin gs , Wc

marvel at what these strange streets may have once been, what the buildings may have co ntained and w lml the inhabitants of this I illage of the Dev il may have done that Co d and nature in evident chagrin, so rr o w

and repulsion, should have brought death, barre nne ss , in famy and dis-

consolate gloom upon only one section of the world and this in the midst of fertile regions, surrounded by wondrous beauty. Codfearing people and progressive, active and religious nations .

Pa ss in g to the South n>c leave the Village by one of its main entrances consisting o f an arch t yp ica l o f the R om an P O R I and

fl a n k e d on ci th er sid e by wha t m ay be ca lle d the V il la ge W a ll . W e st an d fo r a fe w minutes on a slight elevation which affords another ge ne ra l v i e w o f t h e str ee ts and bu ild ings and it is on ly a t thi s tim e th at We fu ll y real ize th at al l wc ha ve see n, the re ma rk ab le str uc tures, the C I R Q U E S , are nas , forums , amphitheatres, castles, obelisks, e tc . . were the re su l t o f some str an ge fr e a k °f nature and that no human hand

w a s concerned in th e sm al lest de ta il o f th e construction of the village; tha t e v e n the imposing courts, the doorways and windows Were m ade by th e action of Wate r , wind and other elements in ages gone by and w h e n a l l this p a r t o f the world was unknown to man.

Thus I leave you, my reader, on your way back to Montpellier a n d t h e land o f the living. Yo ur journey has been safe and interesting a n d W e will rest a while in M on tp el li er wh ile yo u re vi ew th e wonders o f the sights y o u h av e see n an d I ha ste n on to m y m an y othe r du tie s.

I w il l me et y o u again in Montpellier shortly, and from that old c i ty lve sh a ll ta ke a se co nd jo ur ne y to an othe r str an ge ci ty near by and there attend a fe w o f the R os ae cr uc ia n my sti c co nv oc at ions such as are unknown to this country and equalled perhaps only in Egypt

in the Temples of our Order.

2*



i55?5SbdS5b[i5£5B55bti555E5H5g555555555S5E5Bbd3ti5j

THE SUPREME MATRE EMERITUS

RAISED TO THE HIGHER REALMS

On January 21 , 1918 , there passed from th is materia l p lane to

the Higher Realms, the soul of our dearly beloved Supreme MatreEmeri tus , May BanksStacey , widow of the la te Col , M. H. Stacey .

Mrs. Stacey was a direct descendant of Oliver Cromwell and anind irec t descendant o f M ary S tuart and N apoleon .

She was a native of Baltimore, her father having been an eminent ju ris t. She wa s se ve nty si x ye ar s of ag e at th e tim e of he r pa ssi ng tothe beyond, and leaves a daughter and two sons, both of whom holdhigh military positions.

M other Stacey was a deep student of mysticism. She was agrad uate physician and a gradua te lawyer. She had travelled t:> nearlyevery foreign land and has been entertained by mere potentates than po ssi bly an y ot he r A m er ic an wom an .

W hile journeying through India her attention was given to the

mystic teachings of the Hindus and these started her long career of research in that field. A fter having l ived a while and studied with manycults, she finally visited Egypt and there came in contact with the Rosae-crucian M asters. Th is was a few years prior to the coming of theOrder to America .

M rs. Stacey desired the privilege of bringing the O rde r’s teachingsto America and so expressed her desire, pointing to the fact that her American parents and relatives had been among those who establishedthe first Masonic Lodge in Baltimore and Philadelphia and that shewas not only a member of the Eastern Star but a Daughter of theAm erican Revolution, Colonial Dames, etc. It was pointed out to her,however, that the Order could not come to America unti l the year (9 15 . It was further explained that when the O rde r did come it wouldcome through the sponsorship of France.

Mrs. Stacey was given by the Masters in Egypt a certain mysticalJewel of the Order and several sealed papers which she was requestedto hold unti l such t ime as another came to her with a duplicate of oneof the seals and requested her assistance in establishing the Order inAm erica. Mrs. Stacey then returned to India and after showing therecognition she had received at the hands of the Masters in Egypt shewas duly init iated into our Order there and was given other paperssigned by the Supreme Council of the W orld .

In writ ing of her part in the establishment of the Order in America,Mrs. Stacey has put upon official record in the Archives of the SupremeGrand Lodge in New York the fo l lowing s ta tement :

“ I fu r t h er s t at e t h at t he sa id J ewe l s a n d IN C O M P L E T E26

instructions were delivered into my hands by the R. C. Master* of India, representing the Suprem e Council of the W orld , and that I wasthere made an init iate of the Order and a Legate of the Order for Am erica. I also state that the said Jewels and papers were representedto me as coming direct from Egypt and France, and that they weregiven to me to be formally handed to that man who should presentcertain papers, documents, jewels and key in Am erica. Such a pe rson ha vi ng m a t u r e d and being Brother H. S. Lewis, I did the dutyexpected of me, fulfilled my commission and with pleasure express the jo y at see ing th e w or k so well un de r w ay in ac co rd an ce with th e pr op h ec y m ad e in In d ia to me in pe rso n.

“The history of the Jewels and papers are, to my knowledge,exactly as stated herein and as described by Mr. Lewis, our Imperator,in the History of the Order as published in the Official Magazine.'

Mrs . Stacey re t i red as ac t ive Mat re o f the Supreme Grand Lodgeafter i ts first year and has since devoted her t ime to deep study andresearch.

She was greatly loved by all who knew her. H er kind smileand ever cheerful disposit ion as well as her deep knowledge of humannature and the trials of l ife cn this earth, made her truly a Mother to all her “children” of the Lodge. A s one of the cofounders of theOrder in America her name ever shall be cherished and we know that

in another incarnation she will take up the work which she was unable tocomplete at this time.

11

(



•^HJa£SHbc^ci.j5L52S2±>cL3HSSSH5H.3Hi5HSSS2SHSrSSH5H5HSi^(^

" MARIE COR ELLI SPEAKS OF

ROSICRUCIANSHer Lat&tf Novel “The Young Diana”.Mentions Their Knowledge

of Light and.,Life.

• $5 ZSZSESHSSSSSHSHSES^BESaSSSHSHSaSESiE

M arie C orelli, the great writer of mystic arid occult stories, and

hitherto a member of the Rosaecruciari Order in Italy, has written anothetintensely interesting hovel in her usual weird style, and again she refer?to the Rosaecrucians and their knowledge of Lfght, typifying thewo nde rful divine vibratio ns of the cosmic forces. < >: \

c T he .new novel en t i t led T he You ng Diana, : is described as a st ory , r el at in g b n , E X P E R I M E N T O F . T H E F U T U R E , L ik e he>other novels , Ardath , the Soul of Lil i th , Barabas , The Life Ever las t ing,etc., I he. Yo ung Dia na is replete with occult laws, and explanations.

•Th}s..new novel .is now run ning serially, in the m agaz ine ca flqd“H e ar ts , " published by the International Magaz ine Company of 119

W est 40th Stre et. Ne w Yo rk City. I he first installment was pub-lished in the early 1.918 issues and undoubtedly the story will be pul>

Jished in book form.latter.

In the installment in the Febru ary 191 8 issue of. the magazineappears the following extracts regarding Light. Th is will give our readers some idea of the knowledge which M arie Corelli possesses andcan utilize in a very interesting story for popular reading:

Diana looked back for a second; the great metal door had closed be hi nd h e r; th e ne gr o at te nd an t had d is appea re d ; she w as sh ut wi th inthis great weird cham ber with Dimitrius and that whirling W hee l! Asudden giddiness came over her— she stretched out her hands blindlyfor support— they were instantly caught in a firm, kind grasp.

“ Ke ep steady ! T h at ’s righ t!” This, as she rallied her force*and tried to look up. “ It’s not easy to watch any sort of spherical

motion without wanting to go with it among ‘the dancing stars.’ T here 'Be t t e r ?”“ Indeed, yes! I ’m so sorry and asham ed!” she said . "Such »

stupid weakn ess! But I have never seen anything like it ”

“ No , I ’m sure you have no t!” An d Dimitr ius released her hands an d stood beside her. " I o give you greater relief I would stopthe W hee l i f I cou ld— but I canno t ! "

“ Y o u c a n n o t ! ”

“ N o. No t till the dayligh t goes. 1 hen it will gradua lly ceascrevolving of itself. It is only a very inadequa te manm ade exposition of one of the Divine mysteries of creation— the force of Light whichgenerates Mo tion, and from Motion, Life. Moses touched the central pivo t of tr ut h in hi s Boo k o f G en es is w he n he w ro te ‘T h e ea rth wa r

26

without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. An d God said , Let there be Light . An d there was

L igh t!’' From that ‘Lig ht,’ the effulgence of G od ’s own Ac tualPresence and Intelligence, came the Movement which dispelled ‘dark-ness .’ M ovemen t, once begun , s haped a l l tha t w h ich be fore w as‘without form* and filled all that had been ‘void .’ Lig ht is the positiveexhalation and pulsat ion of the Divine Exis tence— the Active Personal i tyof an Eter nal G od ; Ligh t, which enters the soul and builds the bodyof every living organism; therefore Light is Life.”

Diana listened to the quiet, emphatic»tones of his voice in fascinatedattention.

"Light is Life ," he repeated, s lowly. "Ligh t— and the twin po rt io n of L ig ht — Fi re . Th e R osi c ru ci ans ha ve co me ne ar er th an an yother religious sect in the world to the comprehension of things divine.Darkness is Chaos— not death , for there is no death— but confusion,

be w ilde rm en t and bl indn es s w hi ch grop es fo r a gl or y in st inct iv ely fel t bu t un see n. Ip th es e la tt e r idays sc ien ce ha s di sc ov er ed th e be gi nn ingof the wonders of Light; they have always existed, but we have notfound them, ‘loving darkness rather than light.’ I say the ‘beginningof wonders,’ for with all our advancement we have only become dimlyConscious of the first vibration of the Creator’s living presence, Light! — w hi ch is ’G o ^ w al k in g in H is ga rd en ’— w hich is co lo r, so un d, he at ,movement— all the Divine Power in eternal radiat ion and luminance!

— th is is L if e ; , an d in thi s we live—rin this we m ay live and renewour lives— ay, and in this we may retain youth beyond age! If weonly have courage!— courage and the wil l to learn!”



THE SEAL OF THE UNITED STATES

The Great Seal of the United States is one of peculiar in teres t ,and theref re we feel warranted in giving more details of its design andhistory than can be allotted to the Seals of the several States. Soonaf ter the declarat ion of independence, Benjamin Franklin , John Adams,and Thomas Jefferson were appointed a committee to prepare a great

seal for the infant republic; and they employed a French W est Indian,named Du Simitiere, not only to furnish designs, but also to sketch suchdevices as were suggested by themselves. In ( ne of his designs, the artistdisplayed on a shield the armorial ensigns of the several nations fromwhence America; had been pe pled— embracing those of F .ngland, Scot-land, I reland, France, Germ any, and Holland. On one s ide was p la ced L ib er ty w ith he r cap , an d on th e ot he r w as a rif lema n in un ifor m ,with his rifle in one hand an d a tomah awk in the other— the dress andweapons peculiar to America.

Franklin proposed, f r the device, Moses lifting his wand, anddividing the Red Sea, and Pharoah and his hos ts overwhelmed with thewaters . For a motto, the words of Cromwell, "Rebellion to tyrants isobedience to God.”

Adars proposed the Choice of Hercules ; the hero res t ing on aclub, Vir tue point ing to her rugged mountain on one hand, and per-suading him to ascend; and Sloth , glan cing a t her flowery paths o f

pl ea su re , w an to nl y recl in ing on th e gr ou nd , di sp la yi ng th e ch ar m s, bo thof her eloquence and person, to seduce him into vice.

Jefferson proposed the Children of Israel in the Wilderness, led bya cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night; and. on the reverse, Hengistand Horsa, the Saxon chiefs , f rom whom we claim the honor of beingdescended and whose political principles and form of government wehave assumed.

Franklin and Adams then reques ted Jefferson to combine their ideas in a compact description cf the proposed great seal, which he did,and that paper, in his handwriting, is now in the office of the Secretary

30

of State at W ashington, Il ii s design conistcd of a hield with sixquartering*, pa rt i one, coupi tw , in hero ldic phrar.c. I he fir t gold,and an enameled rose, red and white, for England; the second white,with a thistle, in its proper colors, for Scotland: t ' ;e th ird , rr t a h a rp of g ol d, fo r I re l an d ; t he f ou rt h b lu e, w ith a g ol de n ! r,for France; the fifth gold, with toe imperial black ca^le for C r mpv;and the sixth gold , with the B elgic cro wn ed red lion for i i Han I.These denoted the countries from winch Am erica had been pe pled, t ie

pr op os ed to pl ac e th e sh ie ld wi th in a re d bo rd er , on w h i' h thor*' sh ou ld be th irt ee n w hi te es cu tc he on s, lin ke d to ge th er iiy a gc !d cf •>:n, c , h

be ar in g ap pr opr ia te in iti al s, in bl ac k, o f the confe<! ra tr :l S ta ■ .'"im- po rte rs , th e G odd es s c f li b e rt y on th e risrht k!c , in a c •: let <> art or.in allusion to the then state of war, an d holding the =pear nd r. nin her right hand , while her left supported the shield. On the ! rtthe Godd ess of Justice, leaning on a sword in her right han d, and nher left a balance, I he cres t, th e eye of P ro . >. ’ence in a .> liant trJ whose glory should extend over the ;h’eld and beyond the Turev M n ; E P lu ri hu s U n um — “ M an y in one. ” A ro und th e \v: e. “ S a l o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s o f A m e r ic a . M D C C L X X ' I . ” Fo r 1 ereverse, he proposed the device of Pharoah nttng in an rp^n ch a crown on his head and a sword in his hand, paving thr u;divided waters of the Re d Sea in pursuit of the Israelite . Rava pillar of fire in a clou d, expressive of the Divine ;?resen' and com

be am in g on M os es , w ho st an ds on the :h er e, jn d vM j ng hi? * iover the sea. cause; it to overwhelm Pha roah V f ! vrr "Rebell ion to tyrants is obedience to G od . ' ’

Jefferson’s device was highly appro cr) by his n f rscommittee reported on the IOth oi Aug ust. 17 76 ; but. >countable reason, their report w as ne glected, n t ha . ng been pl ac ed on re co rd : an d th e af fa ir w as al lo w ed to lumb er un til theof M arch, 17 79, when M essrs. Lovell, of IV a~ ichu >tts, Sc/:t . .Virginia, and H ous ton, of Georgia, w ere appointee! ! com i :i •make another device.

On the 10th of M ay follow mg they reported in favor oi a Ifour inches in diameter, one side of which should be composed of ishield with thirteen diagonal stripes, alternate red and white. Supp rt

ers, a warrior, holding a sword on one side, and on the other the h;of Peac e, bearing an olive branch. Th e crest, a radiant constellationof thirteen stars. M otto : B el lo ve l P a c e — “ F o r W a r or P e a c e .” an rlthe legend, “Seal of the Un ited States. On the reverse, the figure of Liberty, seated in a chair, holding the staff and cap. M otto: “ F o r e v er ” — a n d u n d er n ea t h, M D C C L X X V I . T h i s r ep o rt w ascommitted, and again submitted with some slight m oii ca tio r.stituting the figure of an Indian w.lh bow and arrows in his rightfor that of a warrior) just a yeai afterward; but it was not a<and the matter res ted unti l Apri l , 1782, when Henry Middleton,Elias Boudine and Edward Rutledge were appointed a th irdtec to prepare a seal. Th ey repor ted cn ih • 9lh cf ? r .substantially the same as the comm ittee of 17 70 an d ’ 7'<|1 ’ ;i, »



not being satisfactory to Congress, on the I 3th of June the whole matter was referred to Charles Thomson, its secretary.

H e i n turn procured several devices, among which was on e byW illiam Ba rton, of Philad elph ia, consisting of an escutche n, with a blue bo rd e r, sp an g le d wi th th irt ee n st ar s, an d di vi ded in th e ce nt re , per pe n-dicu larly, by a gold bar. On ea ch side of this division, within the bl ue bor der , th ir teen ba rs or st rip es , al te rn at e red an d w hi te , lik e th eAm erican f lag adopted on the 14th of June, I 777 . Over the gold bar an eye surrounded with a glory, and in the gold bar a Doric columnresting on the base of the escutche n, having a displayed eagle on its

summit. T he crest, a helmet of burnished gold, dam asked, grated withsix bars, and surmounted by a red cap of dignity, such as dukes wear,with a black lining, and a cock armed with gaffs. Suppo rters, on oneside the Genius of America, with loose Auburn tresses, having on her head a radiant crown of gold, encircled with a skyblue fillet, spangledwith silver stars, and clothed in a long, loose, white garment, b rderedwith green. From the right shoulder to the left side, a blue scarf withstars, the cinctures being the same as in the border. Aro und he r waista purple girdle, fringed with gold, and the word V i r t u e embroideredin white. H er interior hand rested on the escutcheon, and the other held the American s tandard, on the top of which a white dove was per ch ed . T h e su pp or te r cn th e ot he r side w as a m an in co mpl et e ar m or:his swordbelt blue, fringed with gold; his helmet encircled with a

wreath of laurel, and crested with one white and two blue plumes; hisleft hand supporting the escutcheon, and his right holding a lance with a b lo ody po in t. U p on an un fu rl ed gr ee n ban ne r w as a go lden har p wi thsilver strings, a brilliant star, and two lilyflowers, with two crossedswords below. T he tw o figures st od upon a scroll, on which was themotto , D eo F ave n le — “ W it h G o d ’s F a v o r” — in all usi on to th e ey eof Pro viden ce in the arms. On the crest, in a scroll, was the motto,Virlus sola fnvicta — “ V ir tu e al one is In vi nc ib le .”

A fte r vainly striving to perfect a seal which should meet the ap- pr ov al of C ng ress, Tho m so n fin al ly rece ived fro m Jo hn A dam s, then inLondon, an exceedingly simple and appropriate device, suggested by Sir John Pres twich, a baronet of the W est of England , who was a warmfriend of Am erica, and an accomplished antiquarian. It consisted of

an escutcheon bearing thirteen perpendicular stripes, white and red.with the chief blue, and spangled with thirteen stars; and, to give if greater consequence, he propo sed to place it on the breast c f an A m eri-can eagle, displayed, without supporters, as emblematic of selfreliance.It met with general approbation, in and out of Congress, and wasadopted in June. 1782: so it is manifest, although the fact is not exten-sively known, that we are indebted for our national arms to a titledaristocrat of the country with which we were then at war. Eschewingall heraldic technicalities, it may be thus described in plain English:Thirteen perpendicular pieces, white and red; a blue field; the escutcheonon the breast of the Am erican eagle displayed, pr . pe r, ho ld in g in his righttalon an olivebranch, and in his left a bundle of thirteen arrows, all pr ope r, an d in hi s beak a sc ro ll, in sc rib ed w ith th e mot to , E P lu ri bus

12

U n u m . For the crest, over the head of the eagle, which appears abovethe escutcheon, a golden glory breaking through a cloud, proper, andsurrounding thirteen stars, forming a constellation o f white stars on a

bl ue fiel d. R ev er se — A py ra m id un fin ish ed . In th e ze ni th , an ey e in a tr i-

angle, surrounded with a glory, pr oper . Over ihe ^ye, the words, A n nu il Coe pi is — “ G o d ha s fa vo re d th e un der ta k in g .” O n the ba seof the pyramid, are the numeral R~>man letters , M D C C L X X V I. ; andunderneath the motto, /Vovus Or do Seclorum — A ne w Se rie s of A ge s

— de no tin g th at a ne w or de r of thi ng s had co m men ce d in th e W es te rn

hemisphere. Th us, after m any fruitless efforts, for nearly six years, avery simple seal was adopted, and yet remains the arms of theUnited States .

W hy did John P res twich of Eng land, suggest the Pyram id for Am erica’s seal? T ha t is another story— and therein is the occultismand mysticism.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS such a soul passes from the bodies ot the higher domesticaieo find intelligent an-mai*



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q He w is the selection of a new vehicle or material body made by the Kiul)

A . A cc or di ng (o the so ul s st air of evo lutio n. If w e gra nt the do ctr ine of the^ e' olulion o t the soul to be (roe, w f must at once ad mit c ertain Ir-.ws associated

w ith the pro ces s of evo lut ion . 1 hes e law s ar e : the so ul s evo luti on oc cur s thro ughexperience* in the maleriai bory and out cf it, during its cycle of incarnation*;(hr undeve lope d soul appe ar* first in the lowest form of mate rial body the purely nn>ma! bo dy; develo pmen t or evolution o f the soul take* the soul into higherforms of material bodies, culminating in incarnations in human bodies; each

m aterial b ody into which He soul passes, i n t h e process o f e v o l u t io n , must necessarilv be a body or vehicle wh ich wil l serve we ll the requirements of the soul in its

needed experiences. V ith the abo ve ou tlin e it must be ap pa ren t that the m ate ria l bo dy req uir ed

for the soul s incarn ation at a ny lime must con font* to the requirements of thesoul a< that time. If the soul in one incarn ation has learned w ell its lessons anda ’oned fnr its errors of expressio n, accord ing to the law of compensation that soul Will en te r a bo dy in its nex t inc arn ati on wh ich w ill pe rmit that soul to liv e •better expression and evolve higher in its upward un foldmcnt. Such a body wouldhave to be more perfect (physically) thiin the previous body of the soul, and it

wo uld ha ve to be a bo dy bo m in a fa m ily ar.d in an en viro nm ent wh ere notonly r f jter opportunities would be given to the soul for expression, but whererr i.s n teris and t risls w ould come to the soul which it had not experience d beforeor which it required in that particular incarnation.

fhus a soul which had been expressing through a healthy, normal body ina fam ;ly and environment where disease, poverty, temptation and sin were unknown,indy h>ive Us next incarnatio n in a bodv born diseased in a fam ily or environment surrounded with poverty, sin, disease and every form of evil. This would be the

►jrm a of that soul; it would test that soul as it may never ha ve been testedbefore Th e soul may feci that it is being tested -thoug h this consciousness of te«l and trial maj not come to it until after sorely tried; then it will cry "Oh God!

w hy tn i I test ed th u s? '’ Th e soul m ay not und ers tan d, or it ma y co mp reh end wu h a di vin e intu itio n and . with br av e effo rt an d ad m ira bl e fo rtit ud e s a y : “T hi sis lo tcach me a lesson by wh ich 1 w ill profit.” and thus the soul, patiently suffering, ever learning a n d never c o n d e m n i n g , will evolve in that incarnation as itcould evolve in no other way.

Tha t Divine Min d, that Great Consciousness, which sees all, knows all and i*ju*t. Kind, W ise and M ighty, selects the proper body for a soul about to incarnate.

here is no other answer unless we deny the very fundamentals of the law of the evolution of the soul. In the Eighth and Ninth Deg ree of our work you willlearn more of this.

Q. W Lal is the diffennc e between the animal soul and H* consciousness and•V hi;m<in soul ar.d its consciou sness f

V T h e evo luti on of the sou l, as sug ges ted in the abo ve an sw er. Th e pu re ly ar mal soul is the soiil which is little evolved and is lea ni ng the first principle sof refinemen t. Just as the child m ind must learn the alphab et before it can readand must learn l<> uiscrim .nale in the crude and gross things of life b efore it candiscrim inate in l’ . more rcfrned and cultured , so must the soul learn the crudelessons of life.

Th e first lesso n for the sou l lo lea rn is lo con trol the pas sio ns of lif e. Th esein their fundamental order are: craving for food, craving for possession regardless■{ b v , craving fcr revenge, craving for domination at any cost, craving forratification of lustful desire*, etc. I hese are base and low craving* not taund

r. even the lowest ;rade o f develop ed humans, hut common to the lower anim als wh o liv e w il d ly . The do me stic ate d an im al wh ich has lea rn ed not io ste al its foo dbut wait until it ran eat with law and order, and has also learned to show appre-*ia*ion for kin dne f' rfu wn. has a soul which ha* evolved higher m its cycle than „-oul residing in e wild animal alw ays f—king blocd, revenge ond prey Grad ual!*

34

such a soul passes from the bodies ot the higher domesticaieo find intelligent an-maito the least intelligent human bodie*— those of peoples living w ildly in tin-■•■•izedcountries. From this phase cf evolution the soul even tually pas ;• m the '-odiesof humens living in more civilized If.nds. W he re ihf process will end we do notknow, and any one who claims to know speaks without know ledge. Vv e can learnfrom evolved souls of their past—but they have not. and car.nol, speak of the future

Q. Do human souls ever revert to expression in the botiie ot lower antn •?

A . So me ph ilo sop hie s hav e taugh t that the soul of a hum an m ■v inc arn atein the body of a dog or other lower anim al in its next incarnation .he re isno Ip w for this as a rul e of the pro ces s of evo luti on , cx op' in the »s<-< wh erea soul in a human body has permitted that bodv to commit *ome terrible rnm*

wh ich can be ex pi ate d or com pen sat ed in no othe ; w ay than ' v bein ’ n .m a.e din a lower animal’s body and re-learning the finrjament.il lessons o' I f'v hefacts bearin g upon this are so mea re. howe ver, that Iti'le can be . unar.souls have te en contracted which remember in tins in .n nation t .s- ing the body of a dog or other animal for a period a? a punishm-nt to Ir-am n -ssonand seem to remember the lesson. It is only from the testimony of 1 honestBnd frank souls as will speak of such incidents than we rsn learn of this law and the honest and frank who will speak thusly arc l ew tnfortun atc!

Q. I have read so much of late about the Great Seal oi the i tuien .n.ile* wit h Its Py ra m id . It seem s that ne arl y ev ery scho ol of o ir u l^ m I' > tom elh mg lo say regarding the cause of the Pyramid l>":nv there hi .1 . umious to

knew the truth. Is there any occult exp lana tion ?

A . W e tho rou gh ly ap pr ec iat e yo ur des ire lo know the trutri reu ard ine theGreat Se al. Th ere has been much ado nboul nothing. Irulv; yet the truth ot thematter is interesting and contains enough of occultism lo warrant n complete

explanation here.

See Ar t i c l e . "T he Sea l of the Uni t ed S t a t es ’ in th is is sue o l CR OM AA 1

& &

THE NEXT ISSUEwill contain a com plete System of ! ranscenclental

Geom ancy, as prac t ised by the V ei led Prop hets of our

ancient O rder, and never publ ished before, except in

secret M anusc ripts. By it our M em bers w i ll be ableto make Mysterious Divinat ions and Predict ions regard-

ing the fu ture, and to answ er all quest ions propo unded

of a personal and private nature.

O ther in teres t ing features wil l m ake the t \t l.sue

of great value to our Mem bers of all Dc es

55

Cromaat D - The Village of the Devil (1918).pdf

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