In the Pronaos of the Temple of Truth - Containing the History of the True and False Rosicrucians

by Franz Hartmann

Quite a number of books dealing with the "History of the Rosicrucians" have appeared of late for the purpose of amusing and gratifying the curiosity of the mystery-loving reader; but it does not appear that they have proved to be very instructive, or that they have succeeded in throwing much light upon this perplexing subject.

Kindle Edition

First published March 12, 2005

About the author

Franz Hartmann was a German medical doctor, theosophist, occultist, geomancer, astrologer, and author.

Reviews

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

 
Another great exploration which leaves us with the understanding that at some point, names and terms, symbols and secret societies fall away to reveal the core multi-universal, unifying principles. Physical reality is meta-physical reality, physics and spirituality are one, alchemy is the natural science – the powerful, transmutational Way inherent, accessible, and usable to all seekers.

It is difficult to leave these spaces. It wouldn’t be so if daily life was a consistent reflection of these truths. In my own experience, the Perception comes and goes. Is the Knowing really all that is necessary? It seems to me that to Be, in that devotional state of higher awareness in all times and all spaces is the ideal. Is it possible, without living apart and away? If one does live within society, does it not become even more necessary? The Teachers continue to speak of this – being in the world but not of the world with effortless ease and grace.

Hartmann: “The place or state wherein the true Rosicrucian lives is far too exalted and glorious to be described in words. When we enter the vestibule of the temple of the true Rosy Cross, we enter into a region of unalloyed bliss and happiness. There is an effulgence of super-terrestrial light, where all laborious thinking and exercise of the imagination for the purpose of drawing logical inferences about the unknown, ceases, for in that light is the realm of pure knowledge; to live there is to perceive, and to perceive is to know. …

The Rosicrucians say, ‘A person who knows Divine truth has attained the highest and desires nothing more; for there can be nothing higher than the attainment of the truth. In comparison with this treasure, worldly possessions sink into insignificance: for he who possesses the highest has no desire for that which is low; he who knows the reality does not care for illusions. Scientific and philosophical speculations in regard to what may possibly be true are useless to him who feels and perceives the truth; he does not need to speculate about that which he already sees and knows. He does not require great riches, for the wants of his physical form are few and simple, and moreover, by the action of the spirit within, radiating in an outward direction, the material principles composing his physical form become more and more sublimated and etherealized, and independent of the necessities of the material plane; until at last, having stripped off the last sheath of the gross and visible form, and having made that principle conscious which gives life within the visible inner body, he may live entirely in the latter, invisible to mortal eyes, independent of material conditions, an ethereal spirit surrounded by indescribable beauties, in possession of powers of whose existence mortal man does not dream—an ethereal spirit, but nevertheless a real and living man.’”
 

[Adem Efe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gets better as you read.

[Marco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libro di spessore che apre ad ulteriori approfondimenti

[Andrew Maggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good book if you are at all interested in finding out more about the origins, history and philosophy of the Rosicrucians, it also has a nice, if rather brief, discussion of alchemy.