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HISTORY OF THE ROSICRUCIANS.
According to this apologist of the secret order, " Adam
was the first Eosicrucian of the Old Testament and Simeon
the last." The golden chain of the esoteric tradition was not
broken by Christ, who established " a new college of magic."
In 1615, Julianus de Campis published an " open letter or
report," addressed to all who have read anything concern-
ing the new Brotherhood of E. C., or have heard anything
of the position of this matter. It accounts for the Eosi-
crucians not revealing their whereabouts, " and not answer-
ing the letters addressed to them. He was himself," he said,
" a member of the Order ; but in all his travels he had met
but three other members, there being (as he presumed) no
more persons on the earth worthy of being entrusted with
its mysteries." It is needless to say that an initiate of the
Fraternity would be accurately acquainted
with its numeri-
cal strength, and that the writer's statement on this point
contradicts the " Fama Fraternitatis." The pamphlet otherwise
is not of great importance.
"
There are many who
run for, but few who gain, the jewel. Therefore I, Julianus
de Campis, admonish all who are governed by a fortunate
disposition not to be made obstinate by their own diffidence,
nor by the judgments of ignorant people." Many great
secrets are concealed by Nature, and those who study them
are worthy of every praise. The E. C. are defended against
various accusations, and the theologians who attack them
are reminded that the questions raised are without their
province, because they are theologi and not theosophi. The
secret art of the E. C. is declared to be a matter of fact,
and not an abstract or fanciful thing; and the profanum
vulgus are assured that those who are in the possession of
such an imperial secret can dispense with the praise of the
world.