From: anachem@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu (mark gilstrap)
Subject: Re: Orthodox
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 17:42:24 GMT

In article <920810.102728.SAT.FACN34B@SAUPM00.BITNET> FACN34B@SAUPM00.BITNET (zane of dhahran) writes:
>    Hey, somewhere in the corner of my memory I seem to remember something
>about some "New Age" order or something, that joined the Orthodox Church in
>mass (no pun) a few years back - maybe in California (where else?!).  Do you
>know anything about this?
>                          Faith, Hope, Love, Zane.

	The defrocked ex-priest Herman (of St Hermanof Alaska Press in
California) did some mass baptisms and reportedly some "ordinations"
(as if he ever had such authority - even before being defrocked) of
members of the Order of Mans. 
	
	The Order of Mans is/was an occult group whose founders
considered themselves to be the reincarnated apostles. Among the
features of their devotions was the existance of chapels to the "Grail".
The accounts of two such chapels (San Francisco and Indianapolis)
related that a grail vessel was central in the room, but that the vessel
itself was not venerated or worshipped. The entity of devotion was a
spirit/demon, the "grail being" which manifested itself as coldness and
a blue light. The presence of this demon was overwhelming to relaters of
this story. Its horrific influence affects these people adversely to
this day - many years after leaving the Order. 

	At some point in the evolution of this group, some split off and
formed even more witch-like organizations. I first heard about this
group after meeting a very strange mid-wife in this area and being told
her story later by friends who had used her services as a mid-wife (I
was at that birth and what I saw could best be described as spiritual
leechery). This woman was part of a splinter group from the Indy group.
She was a priestess in whatever devotional ritual they followed.

	The main group (at least in Indy) went in a differing
direction. They began to call themselves christians (and reincarnated
apostles) and eventually with much reading and study decided that the
Orthodox Church was the true Christian Church (much like the Evangelical
Orthodox who came from the Campus Crusade) but rather than look for the
extant church, the Order of Mans declared themselves to be the
reincarnated true church and to be orthodox. At this point some of the
monastics of their order began to ask why they weren't accepted by the
other orthdox. Some left the Order and came to Orthodoxy by this
questioning. Others who followed in their footsteps to orthodox churches
seemed (in my experience and strong opinion) to be doing so out of
deceit and to become legitimized w/o repenting of their past. 

	ex-Fr Herman in California became the vehicle to legitimacy for
many hundreds of the Order folk. He claimed (and still claims the last I
heard) to still be a part of the Russian Orthodox Church which in fact
defrocked him. Subsequently, Order people began showing up on the
doorsteps of orthodox churches all over the country wishing to join the
parishes. They claimed to be orthodox and claimed to have been baptized
in the Russian Church. I suspect that the spirit which guides these
people has sent them to disrupt the orthodox church whereever they find
it. After entering legitimate jurisdictions thru this subterfuge, the
next step is to work towrads ordination. This confusion seems like it
could destroy the church, but GOD WILL NOT BE MOCKED. The only
jurisdictions that seem to fall prey to these intrusions are those who
have some real problems. This attack could instead act to become a cleansing of
the faith. Sadly many souls can be lost.

	Two additional comments: Blue light (and coldness) are common
manifestations of demonic forces. The images of Krishna are most often
rendered as blue as well. In reading some of the postings on the Mother
of God and the color blue, I saw that people could be confused. The
Theotokos is not herself painted as a blue being (like the demon
Krishna). There is however a distinct use of colors including blue (but
a different "demonic" blue) in the covers of the Orthodox Word magazine
published by ex-Fr Herman after the Order arrived. This abberrant use of
colors in icons by a variety of pseduo-orthodox sources is a good clue
to the evil underlying the fall away from the truth which may otherwise
be too subtle to the casual observer. The beauty of the blues associated
with the Theotokos has no similarity to what I am referring to here wrt
occultic colors.

	There is another case of an "en masse" coming to Orthodoxy. This
is the Evangelical Orthodox Mission (church inside the church?) of the
Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese.  This group has some distinguishing
baggage which they brought with them from protestantism. The sermons I
have heard by their priests are very protestant in tone and there are
some members of this group who still have a real distain for the Mother
of God. 

	The clergy of this Evangelical Orthodox Mission were ordained
en masse (against the canons of the Orthdox Church) and so their entry
into the church has some dubious beginnings. The most shocking aspect of
this ordination (to me) was that the head of the Order of Mans was
invited and was present. There are some connections and crossed paths
between these two groups.

	The Order of Mans (so I hear) no longer exists. In Indianapolis
they have converted their buildings and restaurant (Brother Juniper's)
into "orthodox" church grounds. (This is the same area where Jim Jones
began his ministry in Indy (near the masonic mall) - I have been told that the
very same buildings used by Jim Jones are now theirs). The Order church
is now called the Joy of All Who Sorrow orthodox congregation. They are
now yet another floating organization who can't exactly tell you who
their bishop is (although they say they are "soon going to be with the
Patriarch of Jerusalem") If so then they are soon going to have to
become orthodox. I doubt it.

	My last encounter with members of this group was in Cinncinnati
when the miracle working Kursk-Root Icon was brought to our Russian
Church there. Somehow these people found out about it. What should have
been a remarkable and blessed event was instead marred by the memory of
the obviously possessed person who was a member of their group. I can't
adequately describe the terror, but there was a very pronounced
correlation between the mention of things holy, such as the Trinity or
the Theotokos and the most terrifying laughter and screams, whoops and
howls.  This individual followed me out of the church and had to be
restrained by his companions when he tryed to climb into my car after me.

	Having said all this, I belatedly ask the question. Is this
perhaps what you remember hearing about- "some New Age order" ? If not,
I can only quote Emily Litella from Sat Night Live..... "never mind".

	Anyway, be warned. There are many dangers on the path to the
Truth. Orthodoxy is the truth, and the falsehood of this world and of
the devil are doing their best to destroy it. But the Church will prevail. 
Neither the Great Schism, nor it's child the Reformation, have threatened
the One True faith. Neither will these latest attacks act to weaken the
Church. Instead it is strengthened. Come taste of the Truth at the
Fountain of Incorruption. 

	Father Mark
	(Russian Orthodox Church Abroad)
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