In so far as we are able to trace in the authentic pages of history, Egypt was the birthplace, not of the Rosicrucian Fraternity, but of the Ancient Mysteries and the Secret Doctrines, which gradually, slowly and almost imperceptibly, throughout the centuries of time, developed a system which became officially the Fraternity Rosae Crucis in the year 1614. It was Herodotus who claimed that the Egyptians were the first who distinctly taught the Immortality of the human Soul, not as a Conscious entity, but with the capability of becoming, or attainting to, such Consciousness.

The Egyptian mysteries of Isis and Osiris were transplanted into Greece by Cadmus and Inachus; Zoroaster brought them into Persia; Orpheus into Thrace; Melapus into Argo; Trophonious nto Boeotia; Minos into Crete; Cinyras into Cyprus, and Erechtheus into Athens. By the time of the Nazarene, the Essenian Community was the only Mystery School actively functioning. The Gnostics, or early Christian Initiates, kept the Mysteries alive after the death of the Nazarene.

While it is true that these Secret Mystery Schools of Initiation existed in Egypt, India, Greece, and other countries and while it is equally certain that these schools had in view the identical ends of the Rosicrucian Fraternity, nevertheless, the Rosicrusians were unknown before 1614.

Thus, the Rosicrucian Fraternity was not the result of a sudden impulse on the part of any one individual, whether Paracelsus or Andrea, but was the outgrowth of these Ancient Mysteries, of the work and teachings of the pre-Rosicrucian Orders such as the early Pythagoreans, Plantonists, Essenes, Cabalists, Gnostics, Magi, and the mediaeval Alchemists, Hermetists, Occultists and Paracelsians. All who were members of these ancient Mystery Schools, had some part in the gestation of the Fraternity Rosae Crucis. As such, each of many master initiates either added to or subtracted from, the philosophy and Arcanum which finally birthed the Rosicrucian Fraternity.

John Trithemius (1462-1516), Henry Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim (1486-1535) and Paracelsus (1493-1541) were the trio of men that became the reformers of Science, Religion and Medicine of their time. Trithemius laid the structural foundation of the future Fraternity, Agrippa continued the work where Trithemius left off, and Paracelsus forged the final product of what in the future was to be the Fraternity Rosae Crucis.

Paracelsus, aka Father Christian Rosenkreutz, is known as the “Father of the Fraternity Rosae Crucis” as he harmonized all of the many Secret Schools active during the previous centuries together into the pre-Rosicrusian “Confederation of Initiates.” Furthermore, it was he who authored the original draft of the Fama Fraternitas which was not published until 1614. This Confederation finally crystallized into the Fraternity Rosae Crucis in 1614, 73 years after the death of Paracelsus.

Philosophical Initiates who were interested in the consolidation of the Initiates of all the Arcane Schools into one supreme unit became members of the “World Council” of the Confederation of Initiates. Initiates of all schools in all countries belonged to this loosely joined Confederation and included such names as Aegidius Gutmann, Valentine Weigel, Simon Studion, Jean Braccesco, Dennis Zachaire, Thomac Charnock, John Fountaine, Alexander von Suchten, Nicholas Bernaud, Julius Sperber, and Henry Khunrath.

Seven individuals composed the original “co-founders” of the newly formed Fraternity Rosae Crucis: Berigard of Pisa (France, 1567-1664) John Baptista van Helmont (Belguim, 1557-1644), Jean D’Aspagnet (France, 1566-1630), Michael Maier (Germany,1568-1622), Robert Fludd (England, 1574-1637), Henricus Madathanas (Germany, 1575-1639) and John Valentine Andrae (Germany, 1586-1654). Michael Maier became the first Supreme Grand Master of the newly formed Fraternity Rosae Crucis and maintained this position until his death. John Valentine Andrae, was chosen the “spokesman” for the newly formed Fraternity Rosae Crucis and thus edited and published the Fama Fraternitas et Confessio Fratrum Rosae Crucis in Germany, December, 1614. The Fama was subsequently republished in English in 1652 by Eugenius Philalethes titled “Discovery of the Fraternity of the Most Laudable Order of the Rosy Cross.” The Fraternity grew and flourished throughout Europe and other countries such as Russia.

The first American Great Council of the August Fraternity was held in Philadelphia in 1772. Many of the founding fathers of the American Revolution were members of the Fraternity Rosae Crucis as the ideal of freedom from tyranny in order to pursue one’s spiritual vocation was and is a paramount fundamental tenet of the Fraternity. In 1774, the great Council of Three (the Fraternity's ultimate governing body) was composed of Benjamin Franklin, George Clymer and Thomas Paine. Thomas Paine was later succeeded by Lafayette, who, like Benjamin Franklin, was a member of the Paris Rosicrucian lodge “Humanidad.” In 1842, the Great Council of Three was revitalized by the novelist, George Lippard.

During the period between 1854 and 1856, it was decided by Count Guinotti and the World Council of the Fraternity, then sitting in Paris, that the time had come for a division of authority; the establishment of a Supreme Grand Master for Europe (England not included) and one for the Western World. Thus in 1858 the Supreme Grand Dome of the Fraternity met in Paris where Dr. Paschel Beverly Randolph was inducted into his office as the first Supreme Grand Master of the Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis for the Western World (North, Central and South America) and the Isles of the Sea. During the Civil War the Council of Three was composed of Dr. Randolph, General Ethan Allen Hitchcock and Abraham Lincoln. The need for a visible organization was due to what they saw as the rise of fraudulent Rosicrucian organizations in the country.

In 1871 Dr. Randolph selected Freeman B. Dowd to be his successor and after Randolph’s death in 1875, Mr. Dowd assumed his position as the second Supreme Grand Master of the Fraternity Rosae Crucis for the Western World. Under Mr. Dowd, James R. Phelps, M.D. (member of the Council of Three and Grand Master, Illuminatae Americanae) and the initiate Sorona performed the majority of the instruction and training of the neophytes. Edward Brown was one of these acolytes and was instructed under the wise guidance of Sorona. Mr. Dowd quickly recognized Edward Brown’s innate abilities and spiritual qualities and selected him to succeed him. Due to age and infirmary, on April 12, 1907 Dowd resigned his position and on April 15, 1907 Edward Brown became the third Supreme Grand Master of the Fraternity Rosae Crucis for the Western World with the title Supreme Grand Master, Temple of the Rosy Cross and Hierarch of Imperial Eulis. Mr. Brown held this position until his death in 1922.

During this same time period, Reuben Swinburne Clymer, M.D. was accepted as a neophyte under the authority of Freeman B. Dowd in 1897. He was instructed and guided by James R. Phelps and was then accepted as of the first degree in November, 1899. Still under the Fraternal authority of Dowd, he was inducted into the office of Grand Master of the Fraternity Rosae Crucis in 1905. He was then chosen as the Supreme Grand Master of the Aeth Priesthood in 1907.

During the time of Dowd, the Fraternity Rosae Crucis was composed of several different “sub” Orders and Societies all functioning in harmony with the ultimate authority of the Supreme Grand Master of the Fraternity Rosae Crucis for the Western World. These included the Order of the Illuminati (Dr. Phelps was the Grand Master), Order of Melchizadek, Priesthood of Aeth, Ancient Order of the Magi, Sons of Isis and Osiris, Rosicrucian Brotherhood, Rosicrusian Order, Secret Scools, Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor, Elphantes, and Atlantis. During this same time period, “copy-cat” organizations began to arise without any connection to the Fraternity Rosae Crucis but plagiarizing the names of these individual Orders and Societies. It was decided by the Brethren in both Europe, Central and South America and North America that an outer association was required to protect these already established legitimate bodies.

Consequently, under the Fraternal authority of Mr. Down and then Mr. Brown, Dr. Clymer began the process of bringing together all of “sub” Allied Orders and Societies of the Fraternity Rosae Crucis. This process began in 1902 and in 1908-1909 these varied Orders and Societies of the Fraternity Rosae Crucis consolidated together under the umbrella appellate The Royal Fraternity Association. Furthermore, in 1908 he obtained land in Quakertown, PA which was to become both the Shrine and future headquarters of the Fraternity. In 1910 the building known as “Beverly Hall” was built and the Chapel followed in 1911-1912. The first Convocation was held in June, 1911 on Beverly Hall premises. After Edward Brown made his transition from this earth on May 11, 1922, he named Dr. Clymer as his successor and he held the position of Supreme Grand Master of the Fraternity Rosae Crucis until his death in 1966.

In 1929 the Royal Fraternity Association became the Universal Confederation of Initiates and was duly registered in Pennsylvania on July 24, 1929 as the Confederation of Initiates. From 1929 to 1938 the Supreme officers of all the legitimate organizations based on the Arcane were busily engaged in the formation of plans, the writing of a FAMA and agreeing upon the methods of procedure to unite all of the World’s Orders that were legitimately associated with Fraternity Rosae Crucis. Finally, on March 20th, 1939, in Paris, France, this work was completed and a Constitution was ratified as La Federation Universelle des Ordes, Societes et Fraternites des Inities or The Universal Confederation of Orders, Societies and Fraternities of Initiates and so registered in every country in which legitimate member organizations were active. It was at this time that Dr. Clymer was presented with many ancient books, manuscripts and records of the Fraternity prior to the Nazi invasion in which the libraries were decimated and the Fraternity leaders executed.

The Fraternity Rosae Crucis continues is this form to the present day. It has no association with any other "Rosicrucian" Order or organization who use this name.

The following texts provide further details on the history and authenticity of the Fraternity Rosae Crucis currently headquartered in Quakertown, PA.

The Book of Rosicruciae(In three volumes)
Compiled by Dr. R. S. Clymer
The history, philosophy, and symbolism of the Rosicrucian movement through the centuries are given in this series, together with biographies of great Alchemists and Hermeticists. The benevolence of the Fraternal ideals and the individuals who loved and exemplified them are inspiring.
853 pages, three volumes

The Fraternitatis Rosae Crucis
By Dr. R. S. Clymer
When and where did the Fraternity of the Rose Cross have its beginning? By whom was it originated? Was it always the Rosicrucian Fraternity? Or does it owe its existence to older organizations? These are among the questions answered in detail as the Fraternity's Hermetic and Alchemic traditions are highlighted.
221 pages

The Rose Cross Order
By Dr. R. S. Clymer
Differences between the works of Aleister Crowley, a well known black magician of the early twentieth century, and the Rose Cross are compared. The book also covers the court litigation between the Fraternity and H. Spencer Lewis, founder of A.M.O.R.C. in California.
208 pages                                                                                     

Some Vital Information
for Your Spiritual Future

 As one looking for information on the revered and venerated ancient Order of the Rosicrucians, we felt certain that you would find the following short history of this Order and its modern representation of value.

The original name of this Order was and is The Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis. It was first instituted in Germany in 1614 and brought together into one organization the various associations of individuals known as the Gnostics, Paracelsians, Pythagoreans, Platonists, Hermetists, Alchemists and Magi. Since its inception it has been devoted to one objective and one objective only–The Process of the Spiritualization of the Individual.

The Order was from its beginning a Sub Rosa organization. It remained as such until the early part of the twentieth century when it was forced to come out from "under the rose" to defend itself from spurious organizations that attempted to usurp the name Rosicrucian for less than spiritual or humanitarian purposes. Litigation was brought against the pretenders and they were forced to admit to all that they were "not a religious organization." The Beverly Hall Corporation, the legal entity that manages the affairs of The Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis (under its four-hundred-year-old landmarks, The Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis must remain purely Spiritual in nature and therefore is not allowed to register as a legal entity), is a religious organization and by the rigid standards of the Internal Revenue Service is determined to be a tax-exempt church.

In order to prevent such counterfeits in the future it was determined by the Great Councils of the Order that a physical home for The Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis and its allied orders should be established in the Northeastern part of the United States of America. This was done some eighty-five years ago and this center, Beverly Hall, now consists of thirty-seven buildings and nearly three hundred acres of land in picturesque upper Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Many of these structures can be seen on this website and consist of various Temples for the Orders that now comprise The Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis, a Grand Hall for the Knights of Chivalry Order, a new Magi Memorial Temple, the Philosophical Publishing Company building, a modern audio-video production studio and editing center, two medical Healing Research Centers, pyramids geographically related to those at Giza in Egypt, several facilities for student members to stay while attending the various instructional sessions held at Beverly Hall, similar live-in facilities for patients who come from all over the world to be treated at the healing centers, and finally, residences for our many co-workers.

Once Beverly Hall was fully implemented, there were no further challenges to The Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis until late in the last century when it became necessary to expel four Fraternity members, two in the USA and two in Chile, for treasonous activities. This was the first time in the long unblemished history of the Order that such serious actions were necessary. Unfortunately, these banished individuals–without shame or regard for their sacred vows to the Order or their Soul–refused to return to The Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis the private lessons, books and other materials that belonged to the Order, but which had been lent to them to use only while they were members of the Order in good standing.

We now find that these individuals are attempting to sell these contraband lessons over the Internet and by various other means of dissemination. The nature of these lessons and instruction is such that they are not only useless to those who are not under the careful guidance of a legitimate arcane teacher of The Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis, but can actually be harmful without this guidance. These would-be spiritual merchants are like the legendary Sorcerer's Apprentice in that they have just enough knowledge of the Great Work to get themselves, and all who might fall into their web, into situations that can create severe jeopardy to both body and soul.

In this day and age it is easy to produce a seductive, professional looking web site that has all the outer appearance of authenticity, but that has no connection to the legitimate Order described above. However, the thoughtful and insightful seeker after spiritual truth is readily able to discern the diamond from the paste by comparing these attempts to confuse and defraud to the following facts:

1. The world center for the authentic Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis is now centered in Quakertown, PA, USA. All the precious documents of the various Orders in other countries were brought to the United States by Dr. R. Swinburne Clymer just prior to the hostilities of World War II. They now reside in secret vaults on the grounds of Beverly Hall in Quakertown.

2. Following World War II and the demise of the European Orders, all authority for the activities of the legitimate Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis was likewise transferred to The See at Beverly Hall in Quakertown, PA. Since America is to be the center of the New Order of the Ages it is obvious that this land will also be the center from whence all Spiritual wisdom and knowledge will come from as well.

3. This worldwide Order is overseen by various Grand Councils with an individual traditionally known as the Supreme Grand Master as the head over all. The Supreme Court of the United States in case number 97-211 (10/14/97) upheld the decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit attesting to the fact that the present Supreme Grand Master, and no other, is the only legitimate individual who may lay claim to this office as the official head of the Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis and all its many allied Orders. The various spurious groups on the web who claim similar authority are only vaporware with no valid or legal substantiation except the sound of their own voice.

4. For the last hundred-plus years all the advanced spiritual training given to students of the Great Work is mandated to be given by the authentic Supreme Grand Master. He, and only he, has been carefully and personally trained by his predecessor for this imposing task.

5. The Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis and Beverly Hall are physical entities–not virtual, web-only entities. They comprise nearly three hundred acres and thirty-seven buildings and are constantly expanding. We are told that some pretenders have photos on the web of buildings and meeting rooms that do not exist. Any sincere seeker after truth is always welcome to visit us and see for himself. You need only to call 1-215-536-7048 in advance for an appointment. None of the want-to-be's dare make this offer. Come and see the truth for yourself.

6. The authentic Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis has never requested dues or ongoing payment from its students. The student pays a modest scholarship fee (which barely covers a lifetime of postage) when applying and that is all. Even this fee may be paid in small monthly installments without carrying charges.

7. The authentic Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis never attempts to establish a "cult of the individual." The student is never encouraged or forced to vow allegiance to any individual or personality. Just the opposite. The student is taught to show allegiance only to God, his Immortal Soul and his vow to protect the property lent to him by the Grand Fraternity.

8. In the authentic Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis the student is encouraged to develop all his talents and spiritual abilities to the fullest. In the counterfeit organizations the student is frequently thwarted by the organizer for fear that he, the student, may advance further than this leader, and thus become a rival–both temporal and spiritual. To accomplish this end the bogus leader frequently uses fear, in its multitude of subtle aspects, to control and stymie the growth of his more accomplished students.

9. By its ancient landmarks the authentic Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis is never allowed to actively proselytize or advertise for students. It may legitimately make the principles and tenets of the Order known through its books and dignified statements, such as this website, but no more. The ancient Law is, “Those who know do not talk, those who talk do not know.”

10. The authentic Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis has published hundreds of outer public texts for the edification of the general public. As you can see from our website's book list these are still available to those who may be interested. In America alone this publishing of guides and textbooks by our Order has been continued for over one hundred and fifty years. No counterfeit organization can even come close to making this statement.