Age, which will therefore have a new cosmogony.
Yes, St. Augustine was a member, but he never
entered the esoteric school. In Manicheanism there was
a very complete inner teaching, and this Augustine did
not get. He was one of the “auditors,” in the outer
school, similar to our category of “students.” He quar-
reled with a Manichean lecturer on a matter of astrono-
my, and then joined the Roman Catholic Church, into
which, in fact, he had been born. His mother, Monica,
was a devout Catholic and prayed continually for his
restoration to her Church.
Due to bitter persecution from all sides, the exoteric
Order of Mani was driven undercover, but the
Manicheans simply disguised themselves in any way
possible and worked from within the ranks of their ene-
mies. Mani was crucified by the Persian priesthood,
bigots and persecutors who did not like Mani’s
Christianity. Mani’s Order existed in Europe and Asia
for more than a thousand years, and it may be restored
in some form with the next few centuries.
Question: What is the meditation on the black cross
and the seven red roses?
Answer: The cross in the early versions of the
Rosicrucian emblem was shown as black, including the
original cross planted on Mt. Ecclesia to commemorate
the founding of the Rosicrucian Fellowship’s
Headquarters. In referring to the Foundation Day cere-
monies in his November 1911 Letter to Students, Max
Heindel writes: “We made a large cross of the same
style as our emblem, and on the three upper ends we
had painted, in gilt letters, the initials: C. R. C. These,
you know, represent the symbolical name of our great
Head, and designate our emblem as the Christian Rose
Cross, which conveys an idea of beauty and a higher
life so different from the gloom of death usually associ-
ated with the black cross.”
In fact, the Rosicrucian Order, for which the
Fellowship is the authorized Preparatory School, is
named after its Founder, Christian Rose Cross
(Rosenkreutz in German), a name which, as stated in
The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception, embodies “the
manner and the means by which the present day man is
transformed into the Divine Superman. This symbol,
‘Christian Rosen Kreutz,’ [The] Christian Rose Cross,
shows the end and aim of human evolution, the road to
be traveled, and the means whereby that end is gained.
The black cross, the twining green stem of the plant, the
thorns, the blood red roses—in these is hidden the solu-
tion of the World Mystery—Man’s past evolution, pre-
sent constitution, and particularly the secret of his
future development” (p. 519). The emblem has under-
gone some evolution, including the conversion of the
cross from black to white. In anticipation of the first
Probationer’s meeting on June 3, 1913, a Mt. Ecclesia
carpenter had cut out two crosses. Mrs. Heindel had
painted one of them black with a white border on one
side and the reverse side white with a black border. But
Max Heindel said what was needed was a pure white
cross, together with seven red roses. The second cross
was, accordingly, painted all white. For this meeting
Mrs. Heindel affixed the white cross to a golden star
which she had painted upon a blue curtain and fastened
three white roses within a garland of red artificial roses.
However, after the emblem was unveiled, the two white
side roses slowly slipped down “as if invisible fingers
were moving” them, until they were held by a bottom
leaf of the most beautiful central rose about two inches
below the lower limb of the cross. “The vibrations in
the room became so high that some were spellbound.
Max Heindel attempted to rise in order to speak but
was so overcome that his voice failed him while tears
streamed down his cheeks. All those present were
assured that the thirteenth Brother, Christian
Rosenkreutz, was present in his vital body. After a few
words from Max Heindel, all disbanded in silence.”
Thus the single white rose positioned at the crux of
the four arms of the cross was confirmed. It signifies:
(1) the indwelling Spirit (Ego) radiating its four instru-
ments (physical, vital, and desire bodies and mind); (2)
the etheric larynx that will be able to speak the creative
word; (3) for healing services it represents the heart of
the invisible helper; (4) and, generally, it symbolizes
the aspirant’s ideal of purity of life, “the path of chasti-
ty.” The five-pointed star symbolizes “that inestimable
influence for health, helpfulness and spiritual uplift
which radiates from every servant of humanity,” which
is the soul body, St. Paul’s soma psuchicon. The seven
red roses signify: (1) human blood cleansed from pas-
sion, making possible the occult development of seven
etheric centers of the vital body, correlated with the
seven ductless glands and; (2) the purification of the
desire nature, which promotes development of the
seven centers of the desire body (see illustration in the
Cosmo pp. 68-69), latent in most persons, but capable
(as with the etheric centers) of becoming extrasensory
organs, making possible various superphysical abili-
ties—thus, in both above instances, occasioning the
Rosicrucian salutation: “May the roses bloom upon
your cross.” Since this composite emblem is nothing
less than a symbol of God in manifestation, continued
meditation upon it will richly inform the student. Ë
