The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-26
THE ROSICRUCIANS.
DIR. Franz Hartmann's Lecture Before
the TheOsOphicaI Society.

In response to a request from the MEM
bers of the Indianapolis Philosophical So
ciety DR.. Franz Hartmann, of Austria,
gave another free lecture last evening at
the Proyplaeum assembly room. He spoke
on the subject "Theosophy and the Rosi-
crucians," and among the audience were
many prominent Masons who were in the
the city to attend the meeting of the Grand
Lodge
Mr.. c. F. Willard, of Chicago, presided
and introduced Dr. Hartmann, who said in
part:
Everybody who studies history or fol-
lows the daily course of events and tries
TO look into their causes VIII easily arrive
the conclusion that there have always
been and that there still are mysterious,
but intellectual powers at work, influencing
the minds of leaders and causing important
actions. Modern science begins TO recognize
the action of mind upon mind at dis
tance and there is no great difficulty in
believing that a person whose mind is re-
ceptive TO high thoughts may be influenced
by the mind of another superior person.
even If that person is thousands OF miles
away.
History also speaks of certain mysterious
persons, such as the Count de St4int Ger
main, Caglostes, II. =. Blavatsky, etc.
who appeared to possess powers, by no
means supernatural but nevertheless not
developed in the average mortal and
abundant proof has been furnished to show
that such mystical powers exist.
Veloped alike; but that there are some who
are wiser and more powerful than others,
and such persons as have attained very
high degree of spiritual development and
mystical powers are called by various
names, such Adopts or Roslcruclans,
etc.
The word adept merely means a person
who has adapted his mortal terrestrial ma
ture to serve as a perfect instrument for
the manifestation OF the Divine and i'm
mortal part of himself that works and acts
in him, and who has thus brought his lower
nature into harmony with his higher ma
ture. 1t is state at which every one OF us
may arrive by the process OF evolution ana
experience.
rose and the cross. The rose is the symbol
of beauty and embodiment; it symbolizeS the
growth and evolution of the human soul
under the influence of divine-that is TO say
unselfish and universal-love. The cross is
the symbol of the descent of spirit into
matter for the purpose of gaining expert
ence. The object OF life is TO render the
spirit powerful so as to become con-
Queror over matter. 1t is, matter that gives
strength to the spirit and the spirit en-
dows matter with intelligence; for this rea-
son humanity a whole as we'll as each
individual being has to become incarnated
fin matter so as to overcome it and rise SUI
perior to it, as it is symbolically repre-
scented in the New Testament, in the
Ihagavad Gita and other sacred books
1T is the principle OF wisdom that const1-
tutes the true Rosicrucian or the real
Iheosophist, and rot the N. mere belonging
'theorosphical.' just as the belonging to
sect calling itself Christian does not con-
stitute a real Christian; the true Christian
is he in whom the qualities of the Christ
spirit are manifest and revealed by his or
her acts.
IF you ask whether there are still any
real Roscrucians in existence. | may ask
you in return. Are there still any really
wise men in the world such as have be-
come saints and sages by realizing the di-
vine nature manifested in them? If we
look at the present state of the world and
its follies, we feel inclined to answer in
the negative: but those who have looked
behind the curtain of the stage know that
it is not So hut that the real Rosicruclans
are still our advisers and guides. The true
Rosicrucians or Theosophists worship no
personal idols. they regard persons as wise
only in so far as they are representatives
of the principles of wisdom manifested in
them. The truth is the highest and not the
teacher The teachers Office is to lead us
TO the recognition of truth. OF course we
cannot be benefited by a teacher unless we
are I'm harmony with him or her; we can
not obtain a thing if we refuse TO take it
when it is offered to us and therefore we
love the person in whom the truth is mani
fest and accept his or her teachings not
with a blind belief in the teachers Veracity.
hut as a means for self thought and for
the purpose of arriving at the true under
standing