Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-10
CHRISTIAN MYSTIC EXPOTIATES
ON "VICARIOUS ATONEMENT'
Dr. F. Homer Curtiss, Founder of Body Once
Known as Order of the Fifteen" Opens ,Conven-
tion With Discussion of the Human Per-
sonality and 'Dvne Self

Forty-two women and one man were
present at today's sitting OF the hrst an
nual convention OF the order of Christian
Mystics in the orders international head
quarters at 1891 Chestnut street.
The sitting opened with prayer for light,
followed by meditation. Dr. +. Homer
Curtiss founder of the order, then spoke
on "Nicarious Atoncment"
Doctor Curtiss said the human personal
ity represents the soul and the Father in
Heaven must stand responsible for IT, The
Divine Self expresses itself through the hu-
man personality" he said. THE higher
spiritual self tries to guide the human ami
NAL. Until humans learn always to heed
the voice Of conscience there will be in
harmony, in which lies only discomfort
1T is not the man Jesus that we look
to- added Doctor Curtiss. but the cosmtc
Christ principle. The spiritual rays are
focused in man. and by mans r""civi"T
them his soul is redeemed and in his body
the Divine Self will he manifest
Doctor Curtiss said no life ever Is aC-
tually killed Mineral life Is sacrificed for
vegetable. vegetable for animal which in
cludes life, and human life for divine.
II would take volumes to tell all that the
order teaches. one of its chief functions
Is to teach the members how 20 come into
personal contact and conscious touch with
the Christ consciousness within
When the order was organized some years
obp II ndu Huolnef name anu u SoUltN lAN
stormy path. 1t was then known under the
magical name OF the order Of the Fifteen.
Whether the thorny developments which at
tackled it in its youth caused the order
to change its name Is a matter OF con-
lecture
At the outset Of its career pr Charlotte
A Abbey a well-known social worker,
| raised the cry that the movement affected
the morals of those Interested.
One Of the charter members. Mrs. Valerie
Mountain, was sued by rer husband, local
| poet, because she was a member Of the
| order
Mrs. Maud Robinson. Of Los Angeles.
sued her husband for divorce. one Of her
| allegations was that he was unduly in
| fuenced by the order OF Christian Mystics,
| but all reference to the order was stricken
| from the records of the divorce.
| Doctor Abbey declared there was an inner
circle, to which ordinary members were not
! admitted. Her objections were so emphatic
| that she asked Provost Edgar Fahs Smith
| of the University Of Pennsylvania, to make
| an investigation Of the new cult Al that
! time its members were chiefly students Of
| Penn.
1t was organized there by Dr. +. Homer
! Curtiss, then a member OF the senior med
! iCal class and an instructor In gymnastics
| Doctor CurtisS is secretary OF the order ant
| its presiding genius. He declared today
! that the movement was wide open and there
! was nothing to conceal
Doctor Abbey's chief objection was baseC
upon n letter which she received from Doc
tor CurtiSs She was also at n loss to &C
count for much Of the mystery in the order
! Every communication she received bore th
slogan OF caution. "Do -- Dare --
| Keep Silent"
SCENTED HINT OF RECKLESSNESS
The particular paragraph which brough
| forth the doctors objection was:
| What we tried to tell you is that W,
| place restrictions except on those afiinitze'
souls who in perfect purity and accord arr
| capable Of realizing Divine possibilities
She Contended that this would be con
| strued as an excuse for recklessness.
In the literature now sent out by tn
order 1t is noticed that this paragraph doe
not appear.
1t is possible that early attacks on tn
order inspired the following paragraph
which appears in one of its latest booklets
ITO rail at organizations and those VIII
work in them, especially one which ha
helped you to reach your present state,
proof that you still need their discipline
Every uplifting movement or teaching ha
its place and has for followers those VIII
need its lessons"
| II is announced that the movement
not an organization, because 1t has no con
stitution or bylaws and no officers excep
the secretary
1t is also set forth in the pamphlet tina
the order gives its students the esoteri
key which enables them to apply the un
derlying laws of every parable. allegor
and miracle to their own spiritual growtf
Training the senses to respond to vibra
tions from all planes" is another function o
the order.
As all movements require financial OF
II is stated at the very emo Of the pamphle
that all contributions, both large and small