This short course is meant to provide an Introduction to the Capitular Degrees for those who have decided to take the next step on Freemasonry, following the Three Blue Lodge Degrees. There are many excellent books about the symbolism of the Chapter, but many of them are about the English (or so-called 'Domatic') system, and don't make easy reading for an American reader. There are also number of impressive Monitors, written by great men and Masons. Thomas Smith Webb and Albert Gallatin Mackey are but two of these luminaries. However, again these serve more as reference books to those who are already familiar with the Rituals and their meaning. It is hoped that this book fills the gap for the modern Companion who needs a little help to understand the Capitular environment. For this reason this course, in addition to giving an overview of the Degree, also looks at practical topics, such as the organization of a Chapter, Grand Chapter, the Constitutions, the Charities, and General Grand Chapter.

Introduction to Capitular Masonry

Education & Teaching

Vaughan, Piers

Schools & Teaching

Rose Circle Publications

The Capitular Development Course is designed to educate Royal Arch Masons, in particular those who are members of the American or York Rite practiced in the United States and a number of other countries around the world. While the book may certainly be read on its own, having a copy of the Holy Bible to hand would assist in understanding much of the symbolism. This book is also intended to be used as a part of a course, run by a Facilitator, when a copy of the State Capitular Rituals should be used to accompany this course. Upon completion of the course, the Companion may consider himself both well versed in the messages and symbolism of the Capitular Degrees, and qualified to pursue his own further education. To this end, a number of books and courses recommended for further study are given at the end of this book.

Capitular Development Course

Of Errors & Of Truth, or Man Restored to the Universal Principle of Knowledge was published in Lyon in 1775, when Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin was 33 years old. Born in 1743 in Amboise, France, he studied Law for a short time before entering the army, serving as a commissioned officer at the Regiment stationed at Foix. There he met the enigmatic Martinez de Pasqually, and shortly thereafter he was initiated into his extraordinary theurgical Masonic group, called the Order of Elect Cohens of the Universe. He soon resigned his commission to become the Master's full-time secretary, eventually reaching the highest Grade in Pasqually's Order, that of Réaux Croix.He worked with Pasqually on his great work, Treatise on the Reintegration of Beings, an extraordinary sprawling work setting forth a unique view on the origin of man, his fall, and providing an unorthodox commentary on the first part of the Old Testament. It is through this close collaboration that Saint-Martin came to meet Jean-Baptiste Willermoz, another disciple of Pasqually who was a prominent Lyonnais businessman and Freemason who went on to found many Masonic Orders, in particular the Scottish Rectified Rite and the Knights Beneficent of the Holy City.However, Saint-Martin became increasingly uncomfortable with the elaborate theurgical rituals of the Elus Cohen, and when Pasqually left France in 1772 to take up an inheritance in St. Domingo, the Order began to fall apart, and Saint-Martin found himself becoming increasingly mystical in outlook.During an extended stay in Lyon with his friend Willermoz, Saint-Martin wrote his first book, under the pseudonym Unknown Philosopher. He was 32 when he wrote it. The book, recollecting Pasqually's Treatise, outlines a mystical philosophical outlook which is clearly based on Pasqually's teachings, but with a distinct Christian flavor. It is wide-reaching, attempting to put forward his theories by drawing on examples from many fields, including Politics, Philosophy, Music, Writing and Painting. The book was printed by Willermoz' fellow Lodge members, the Périsse Brothers, although the frontispeice claims the book was printed in 'Edimbourg', a common practice at the time to avoid paying exhorbitant taxes charged on all books printed in France at that time.The Enlightenment had led to a great expansion in the Sciences, and the search to find the solutions to the great questions in Nature and in Man, rather than in God, distressed him greatly. He was particularly concered about the influence of the so-called Materialists, who he felt were leading mankind on a path toward atheism. Therefore he wrote this book to counter their materialism, and to set forth a sweeping vision of the origin of man, his fall, and the path of return, which, following Pasqually's terminology, he also called the Path of Reintegration.The book was an immediate success, particularly among Masons, though its veiled criticism of religion and politics led to it being put on proscribed lists for a time. Naturally, it drew the wrath of the Enlightenment philosophers of the time, and in particular Voltaire. However, it takes its place as one of the great mystical Christian writings of the 18th Century, and as a major early document on the teachings of European Freemasonry in general, and the nascent Scottish Rite in particular.

Of Errors & Truth: Man Restored to the Universal Principle of Knowledge

Politics & Social Sciences

Saint-Martin, Louis-Claude De

Philosophy

Of Errors & Of Truth, or Man Restored to the Universal Principle of Knowledge was published in Lyon in 1775, when Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin was 33 years old. Born in 1743 in Amboise, France, he studied Law for a short time before entering the army, serving as a commissioned officer at the Regiment stationed at Foix. There he met the enigmatic Martinez de Pasqually, and shortly thereafter he was initiated into his extraordinary theurgical Masonic group, called the Order of Elect Cohens of the Universe. He soon resigned his commission to become the Master's full-time secretary, eventually reaching the highest Grade in Pasqually's Order, that of Reaux Croix.He worked with Pasqually on his great work, Treatise on the Reintegration of Beings, an extraordinary sprawling work setting forth a unique view on the origin of man, his fall, and providing an unorthodox commentary on the first part of the Old Testament. It is through this close collaboration that Saint-Martin came to meet Jean-Baptiste Willermoz, another disciple of Pasqually who was a prominent Lyonnais businessman and Freemason who went on to found many Masonic Orders, in particular the Scottish Rectified Rite and the Knights Beneficent of the Holy City.However, Saint-Martin became increasingly uncomfortable with the elaborate theurgical rituals of the Elus Cohen, and when Pasqually left France in 1772 to take up an inheritance in St. Domingo, the Order began to fall apart, and Saint-Martin found himself becoming increasingly mystical in outlook.During an extended stay in Lyon with his friend Willermoz, Saint-Martin wrote his first book, under the pseudonym Unknown Philosopher. He was 32 when he wrote it. The book, recollecting Pasqually's Treatise, outlines a mystical philosophical outlook which is clearly based on Pasqually's teachings, but with a distinct Christian flavor. It is wide-reaching, attempting to put forward his theories by drawing on examples from many fields, including Politics, Philosophy, Music, Writing and Painting. The book was printed by Willermoz' fellow Lodge members, the Perisse Brothers, although the frontispeice claims the book was printed in 'Edimbourg', a common practice at the time to avoid paying exhorbitant taxes charged on all books printed in France at that time.The Enlightenment had led to a great expansion in the Sciences, and the search to find the solutions to the great questions in Nature and in Man, rather than in God, distressed him greatly. He was particularly concered about the influence of the so-called Materialists, who he felt were leading mankind on a path toward atheism. Therefore he wrote this book to counter their materialism, and to set forth a sweeping vision of the origin of man, his fall, and the path of return, which, following Pasqually's terminology, he also called the Path of Reintegration.The book was an immediate success, particularly among Masons, though its veiled criticism of religion and politics led to it being put on proscribed lists for a time. Naturally, it drew the wrath of the Enlightenment philosophers of the time, and in particular Voltaire. However, it takes its place as one of the great mystical Christian writings of the 18th Century, and as a major early document on the teachings of European Freemasonry in general, and the nascent Scottish Rite in particular.

The Capitular Development Course for General Grand Chapter is now available. It is designed to educate Royal Arch Masons, in particular those who are members of the American or York Rite practiced in the United States and a number of other countries around the world. While the book may certainly be read on its own, having a copy of the Holy Bible to hand would assist in understanding much of the symbolism. This book is also intended to be used as a part of a course, run by a Facilitator, when a copy of the State Capitular Rituals should be used to accompany this course. Upon completion of the course, the Companion may consider himself both well versed in the message and symbolism of the Capitular Degrees, and qualified to pursue his own further education. To this end, a number of books and courses recommended for further study are given at the end of this book.

Capitular Development Course (GGC Edition)

Elementary Treatise on Practical Magic

In 1893, Dr. Gérard Encausse,also known by his nomen mysticum, Papus, wrote a book entitled Traité Élémentaire de Magie Pratique: Adaptation, Réalisation, Théorie de la Magie, or "Elementary Treatise on Practical Magic: Adaptation, Practice, Theory of Magic." This was the moment the general public came to meet 'Papus' for the first time. Perhaps the most important word in the long title is Adaptation, for Papus makes the very important point that it isn't necessary to follow the instructions of the Grimoires slavishly, with no understanding or engagement of the intellect. He argued that modern man had neither the time to undertake the extensive and exclusive practices of old, and that many of the materials and implements required could either be purchased ready-made, or replaced with more modern substitutes. In this, he was perhaps the first public exponent of the Art to allow the ancient rituals to be adapted to modern use. The book was a brave attempt to 'normalize' the esoteric world by placing it firmly in the realm of science, and Papus brought his medical knowledge to the challenge, in an attempt to show that everything which magic claimed to do was either firmly within the scientific domain, or would be in the near future. By applying his scientific methods to the study of esoteric phenomena, he hoped to make the magical arts a more respectable field of study. To support this, he included extensive lessons on physiology, neuropathology and hypnotherapy. These were interwoven with discussions of magic, which were primarily based on the Grimoires, and in particular the Clavicles of King Solomon, to show that in some areas of study they were moving along similar paths. Yet for the high road he tries to take, Papus is not above adding phrases like 'Country' or 'Folk Magic' and 'Love Potions' to his subtitle! That said, the book is important in the history of esoteric education for a number of reasons. It was one of the first books which brought knowledge of the Grimoires and Ceremonial Magic to the general public, rather than to a rarified group of disciples. He was also the first to try to marry esoteric studies to science, in order to make them more palatable; and indeed, his work in this field does not appear to have negatively affected his professional life. Perhaps most importantly, it provides a fascinating insight in fin de siècle Paris, with its aspirations, energy, fears, and pride. We see a people galvanized with excitement, anticipating the World Fair in 1889, which would see the Eiffel Tower as a monument to man's scientific advances, the appearance of mass transportation by railroad, electric lighting, photography (all of which Papus mentions in this book), together with a burgeoning knowledge of the structure and functioning of the Microcosm - Man. The text has been supplied with extensive footnotes: Papus had a habit of writing for his times, and therefore makes many assumptions of his readers regarding current politics and history, newspapers, books and magazines, and famous characters and Orders existing in his times. Since it is unlikely any modern reader would be very familiar with these references, the footnotes are intended to provide a quick background, without forcing the reader to have to keep turning to endnotes in order to look up references.

Religion & Spirituality

Papus, (gérard Encausse)

New Age & Spirituality

In 1893, Dr. Gérard Encausse, also known by his nomen mysticum, Papus, wrote a book entitled Traité Élémentaire de Magie Pratique: Adaptation, Réalisation, Théorie de la Magie, or "Elementary Treatise on Practical Magic: Adaptation, Practice, Theory of Magic." This was the moment the general public came to meet 'Papus' for thefirst time. Perhaps the most important word in the long title is Adaptation, for Papus makes the very important point that it isn't necessary to follow the instructions of the Grimoires slavishly, with no understanding or engagement of the intellect. He argued that modern man had neither the time to undertake the extensive and exclusive practices of old, and that many of the materials and implements required could either be purchased ready-made, or replaced with more modern substitutes. In this, he was perhaps the first public exponent of the Art to allow the ancient rituals to be adapted to modern use. The book was a brave attempt to 'normalize' the esoteric world by placing it firmly in the realm of science, and Papus brought his medical knowledge to the challenge, in an attempt to show that everything which magic claimed to do was either firmly within the scientific domain, or would be in the near future. By applying his scientific methods to the study of esoteric phenomena, he hoped to make the magical arts a more respectable field of study. To support this, he included extensive lessons on physiology, neuropathology and hypnotherapy. These were interwoven with discussions of magic, which were primarily based on the Grimoires, and in particular the Clavicles of King Solomon, to show that in some areas of study they were moving along similar paths. Yet for the high road he tries to take, Papus is not above adding phrases like 'Country' or 'Folk Magic' and 'Love Potions' to his subtitle! That said, the book is important in the history of esoteric education for a number of reasons. It was one of the first books which brought knowledge of the Grimoires and Ceremonial Magic to the general public, rather than to a rarified group of disciples. He was also the first to try to marry esoteric studies to science, in order to make them more palatable; and indeed, his work in this field does not appear to have negatively affected his professional life. Perhaps most importantly, it provides a fascinating insight into fin de siècle Paris,with its aspirations, energy, fears, and pride. We see a people galvanized with excitement, anticipating the World Fair in 1889, which would see the Eiffel Tower as a monument to man's scientific advances, the appearance of mass transportation by railroad, electric lighting, photography (all of which Papus mentions in this book), together with a burgeoning knowledge of the structure and functioning of the Microcosm - Man. The text has been supplied with extensive footnotes: Papus had a habit of writing for his times, and therefore makes many assumptions of his readers regarding current politics and history, newspapers, books and magazines, and famous characters and Orders existing in his times. Since it is unlikely any modern reader would be very familiar with these references, the footnotes are intended to provide a quick background, without forcing the reader to have to keep turning to endnotes in order to look up references.

Natural Table: Natural Table of Correspondences Which Exist Between God, Man and the Universe

Following the success of 'Of Errors &amp; Truth', published in 1775, this second book by the Unknown Philosopher (Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin), published in 1782, continues his theories of the relationships between God, Man and Nature, and goes on to provide an exegesis on the origin of religion, tracing it through the early civilizations to the Prophets of the Old Testament, and introduces the Book of Man, the actions of the Repairer, and finally the End of Times.

The Numerical Theosophy of Saint-Martin & Papus

The study of numbers from a philosophical, mystical or theosophical viewpoint has been pursued since the dawn of man. Many are familiar with the mapping of the Hebrew alphabet onto numbers to identify words which have an affinity with one another, for interpeting the Scriptures, and most particularly in gaining an understanding of the Kabbalah. Similarly, the importance of numbers has been emphasized by alchemists, astrologers, theurgists and numerologists through the centuries, and it forms a key part of the syllabus of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, among other Orders.
One such school is Martinism, which takes much of its teachings from the extraordinary system of Martines de Pasqually, the founder of the Masonic-Theurgic Order of Elect Cohens of the Universe. His book, 'Treatise on the Reintrgration of Beings', presented a theosophy based on numbers, drawing heavily from the Book of Wisdom: "Thou hast ordered all things in measure, and number, and weight." Saint-Martin continued to emphasize the importance of numbers in his several books, and devoted an entire tract to the subject, 'On Numbers', which was published posthumously. One hundred years later Papus (Dr. Gérard Encausse) assembled a book entitled 'The Science of Numbers', which was also published posthumously following his untimely death.
These two seminal books on the subject are now offered in English for the first time, with over 300 footnotes explaning the sources of the ideas, and assisting the reader to understand the extraordinary world of Martinist numerology and the concept of theological mathematics.

Encausse, Gérard

Louis-Claude, de Saint-Martin

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Books by Rose Circle Publications

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the Rose Circle Publications publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Introduction to Capitular Masonry

Capitular Development Course

Of Errors & Truth: Man Restored to the Universal Principle of Knowledge

Of Errors & Truth: Man Restored to the Universal Principle of Knowledge

Capitular Development Course (GGC Edition)

Elementary Treatise on Practical Magic

Elementary Treatise on Practical Magic

Natural Table: Natural Table of Correspondences Which Exist Between God, Man and the Universe

Natural Table: Natural Table of Correspondences Which Exist Between God, Man and the Universe

The Numerical Theosophy of Saint-Martin & Papus