The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-19
TIE WHITE CROSS
SOCIETY'S CLAIMS.
Dr.. Augusta Webster Fletcher Says She
Was Its Founder.
Moved by the Spirit of Mary Stuart, Queen Of
Scots, She Enlists as Co-Workers
Number of Eminent Gentlemen

In the New York Herald of june 21st
there appeared a letter signed "Investiga-
tor" in which the late Prentice Milford.
whose mysterious death in his boat on
Sheepshead Bay will be generally remem-
bered, was referred TO as the founder" of
the White Cross Society and the originator
of the ideas promulgated by the White
Cross Library. These assertions are now
pronounced erroneous by members of the
White Cross. They say that Prentice Null
ford was for the last eight years of his life
to the outer world the person most promi-
nently known in connection with the m ove-
ment because he was the writer or editor of
its publications. But he was not the
founder of the order and never claimed to
be. Except in a very limited sense he was
not entitled to claim the authorship of the
White Cross pamphlets.
Thousands of those who have wondered
over Bulwet's "Strauge Story" and va
noni" regard the frequent references to the
mystic order of the Rosicrucians, or the
"Brotherhood of the Ruby Cross" as fan
cies of the novelist But the White Cross
members say that the Rosicrucians have an
actual existence as secret organizatio far
more ancient than the Free Masons, and that
the initiated had mastery over the forces
of nature, spiritual and physical, of which
all the recent discoveries OF modern science,
physical and psychological, are but the
falntest Indications. They say that Bacon's
"Noyum Organum was the result Of his
being Rosicrucan.
The High Priests of the organization say
that the Order of the White Cross is mod
ern rebirth OF the ancient Rosicrucians, in
heriting all their occult knowledge. DR..
Augusta Webster Fletcher claims to be the
founder of the White Cross Society. She is
now resident and practicing physician in
New York. About ten years ago she re-
tired from all active public participation In
the spirltualistic movement, in which from
her galbood she had been prominent as a
lecturer and medium, both in England and
America. Her husband, j. William Fletcher
who has taken a hardly less cons picuOus
part in spiritualism. still continues on the
platform.
Mrs Fletcher recently accorded a reporter
for the Herald an interview, in which she
gave in full an account of the organization
and her connection with it. 1t is too long to
reproduce in full, but a synopsis of it will
be found interesting She says: 1.-THE
White Cross Society was inaugurated in
London. in September, 1879. for purely spir-
itual purposes-that is, persons who be-
lleveG in the souls Immortality; spiritual
lists, theosophists and otheIS-wanted first
to find out II they had a spiritual nature,
and exercised. The only requirements
for membership were this desire, gen.
timely and earnestly felt, fraternal
good feeling and fellowship for every broth
er-member. the ability to give certain
amount Of time each day to the study of
occult subjects and pledge to entire secrecy
as to the proceedings and work Of the order.
There were but three members, to wit: The
wife OF Major General Weston, Lady Archi-
bald c., and Mrs. Fletcher, the latter hav-
ing been instructed by her spirit guide,
Mary Stuart, known in life as Queen of
Scots, that she should form such society
in London to take up and carry out, on a
broader and higher plane. the work Of the
RoSicrucian Brotherhood. A white cross in
red triangle was adopted as a symbol, the
meaning of which is kept secret. 1t has no
reference to or connection with the cruel
fixion of the SAVER, the cross, as it claimed
having been a religious symbol long before
the dawn of Christianity.
In three months time the membership
had increased to ninety and within the
year to $50, notwithstanding the fact that
the society was a secret one. and no one
was persuaded to become member. The
candidates for membership presented them