Ordo Templi Orientis
Theodor Reuss

  
AS : Allmighty Sovereign of the Rosy-Cross
HIGM: Highly Illustrious Grand-Marshall
o: Knock
AS: -  o -  Highly Illustrious  Grand-Marshall, summon the comrades of
 our Knighthood to a solemn Chapter of Rosy-Cross!
HIGM: Allmighty  Sovereign, the  comrades of  our High  Knighthood are
 gathered and await your command.
AS: HIGM  assure yourself  that the  Chapter  is  secure  against  all
 profane. [makes sure]
HIGM: The chapter is secured in the East and West, North and South.
AS: So  let us  close the mystic circle. Are all the Knights in order?
 [all give the sign and the word]
HIGM: All Knights are in order, and I bring the great password.
AS: HIGM, what is the hour ?
HIGM: It is the ninth hour of the day.
AS: Then  it is  the time, that the veil in the temple is rended, that
 night covers  the earth,  because the  columns shattered, because the
 cubical stone  sweated blood  and water  and the word was lost to us.
 Consumatum est!
 Grief  overtakes us.  My companions  prepare to  humble and humiliate
 yourselves before him who is, him who was and will always be.
All: AS,  We are  prepared. [All  kneel with the left knee to the east
 with a triple flex]
GS: [Prayer]  Eternal source  of Light,  that calls  all that  is into
 being, that  sustains and  guides. Truth  is your immmortal splendour
 and righteousness  your law,  where by  you proclaim  all  reasonable
 things. Let thy radiance blaze forth and lead righteousness in all of
 our strivings  and works,  so that we will be found united before the
 judgement seat  as worthy  servants of  your power  and majesty.  [He
 takes the  bible, swings  it thrice  over head  and the  altar to the
 east, and then says: Rex Regnantium et Dominus Dominantium!]
All: [Repeat  it, strike  themselves in  the chest, bow 3 times to the
 ground and then stand up.]
AS: [Reads  Math III;13-16]  At the  time Jesus came from Galilee into
 Jordan to  John, that  he might  be baptized  by him. But John denied
 Jesus and  said: "I  myself, require  to be baptized by you - and you
 come to  me!" But Jesus answered and said to him: "Let it now come to
 pass, for  it is  proper for  us,  to  fulfill  all  that  is  Just!"
 Therefore John  gave way to him. But as soon as Jesus was baptized he
 stepped out  of the water and Behold! the heavens opened and John saw
 the spirit of God as a dove swoop down and come over him. And behold,
 a voice spoke from the heavens: "That is my beloved son, in whom I am
 pleased. Our great Emanuel gave us belief, hope and love! - Amen!"
ALL: Hosiannah, - Hosiannah, - Hosiannah!
AS: [Makes  the finger  sign] Greatly  Sublime Comrades,  Knights  and
 Brothers, with  strengthened belief,  new hope,   and greater love we
 want to  begin our  work for today, and therefore I declare this High
 Chapter of  Rose Cross open in the name of the great Emmanuel, by the
 power of my office! [He rings]
ALL: Kneel.
AS: Benedictus  Dominus Deus  Noster qui  dedit nobis Signum! [Makes a
 great cross]  Take your places, High Knighthood! ... What is our task
 for today? HIGM?
HIGM: A  worthy and  deserving Scottish  Supreme Master  and  Andreas-
 Knight, whose  existence is  well known  to the High Chapter, desires
 and asks  for the  priviledge to  become a  comrade and Knight of the
 Rosy-Cross.
AS: Is he properly prepared to receive this high dignity?
HIGM: Yes, AS.
AS: So,  let the  greatly wise  and elected Raphael lead the wandering
 seeker before  the altar.  [Raphael takes the Seeker, he knocks 4 x 4
 HIGM answers  7 times,  thereafter outside  also 7 times, and Raphael
 calls:] Hosiannah, Hosiannah, Hosiannah!
HIGM: [Informs  the AS]  One knocks  as a  Knight  of  the  Rosy-Cross
 [Everything is dark]
AS: Let  enter the comrade with the wandering seeker [Music, Sorrowful
 march by Beethoven or Chopin]
RAPHAEL: Allmighty  Sovereign, of  the High Chapter of the Rosy-Cross,
 here I  place before  you a  worthy Andreas-Knight  who asks the High
 Chapter to bestow upon him the dignity of a Knight of the Rosy-Cross.
AS: Worthy Knight, who are you ?
CANDIDATE: I am of a noble descent, out of the root of Juda [...J...]
AS: What is your homeland?
C: Babylon. [...B...]
AS: What kind of art do you know ?
C: The masonic art! [...M...]
AS: What is your rank ?
C: Andreas-Knight, Prince of Jerusalem of the High Scottish Chapter.
AS: Give me the sign! .. (gives the sign!)
AS: How old are you as a Scot?
C: 81 years and more!
AS: Worthy  Knight, You  inspire me with the most perfect high-esteem,
 but you see we are filled with sorrow. Everything is skewed, the veil
 of the  Temple is torn, the columns have burst asunder and the "Word"
 is lost.  We have  only the  hope that  you will  help us  to find it
 again. Will you promise to help us?
C: Yes, Allmighty Sovereign.
AS: So  approach the  altar, lay  your right hand on the sword and the
 rose and say the following after me: "In the presence of all of these
 very honourable  and highly  illustrious  Knights  I  promise  as  an
 honourable man  to help  search for  the lost  word and  to guard the
 discovered  word  together  with  all  the  other  conditions  of  my
 elevation as a sacred secret, under the penalty of expulsion from all
 Lodges and  Chapters. God  help me  --- (Take the hand!) Follow again
 now your  guide Raphael  on your first journey of thirtythree, eleven
 to the North, eleven to the South, eleven to the West.
RAPH: Leads  the Candidate  slowly thru the room to the pillar B.H.L.,
 and draws  the attention  of the  Candidate  to  these  letters.  The
 Candidate is  clothed with  a cap  that will  be raised  everytime he
 approaches a  pillar. With  that, soft  music plays, and the AS reads
 Isaiah c,  L. III:  "In truth he bore our sickness, and to on himself
 our pain,  but we  held him  for a  plague and  he would be slain and
 martyred by  God, tho'  he was  willingly wounded  for our  crime and
 willingly slain  for our sins. The punishent was his so that we could
 have peace and thru' his wounds we are healed!"
RAPH: Here  I present  to you again the worthy Andreas-Knight, who has
 completed the 33 journey, Allmighty Sovereign!
AS: What have you discovered, worthy Knight ?
RAPH for  CAND: We  have searched,  but have  only found  the  letters
 B.H.L. on the columns.
AS: I  congratulate you on your success, for the letters symbolize the
 three virtues  through which  you will  rediscover the lost word. You
 journeyed also  in seven  circles. These  7 circles  represented  the
 first 6  of the  6 periods  of Worldly  existence, which now with the
 second coming  of the  Great Emanuel will close. then time will go up
 into eternity,  which is  depicted in  the seven  circles. Of  the  3
 virtues is "Belief" the substance of all things, which we hope is the
 proof of  all things,  which we  do not see.- "Hope" is the anchor of
 life. "Love"  is the true denial of self, it is the completion of the
 goal of life. The most difficult before you. Follow your guide.
RAPH: I  lead you  through the  valley of the deepest night, of death,
 and the  greatest sorrows,  but armed  with Belief, Hope, and Love we
 conquer all  periods of  doubt and  arrive at the light on high where
 our Lord and Creator since eternity rules. ---
AS: The  worthy Knight  has wandered  with me  through the  valley  of
 death. Strengthened  through the  virtues B.H.L.  he has not stumbled
 but has  reached his goal and asks for his dues. (walks in the second
 room, red with many candles) (Completely Illuminated!)
AS: My worthy Knight, where do you come from?
C: From night and horror.
AS: What was your support?
C: The example of our Lord.
AS: What did you seek to discover?
C: The lost word.
AS: Since you have walked and found the right way so far, you are well
 prepared to  climb the  secret ladder  which leads  to the  Temple of
 perfection.
1.  Step:  What  is  the  virtue  called  that  leads  from  earth  to
 heaven?...B.
2. Step: Which virtue supports you in sorrow and shame?...H.
3. Step: Which is the highest humanly virtue?...L
(The letters  I.N.R.I. lie  on the floor. Candidate raises them up and
 gives them over to the AS later.)
4. Step: Where do you come from?--RAPH: from Judea, ...J.
5. Step: Thru what city did you come? --- Nazareth .... N.
6. Step: Who led you ? --- Raphael .. R.
7. Step: From what root are you? --- Juda ...J.
Put the initials of the last four words together!
CAND: I.N.R.I. (lays the letters on the altar)
AS: Hail  unto you, worthy Knight, You have in your work, through holy
 enthusiasm rediscovered the true lost word. Thrice thank the grace of
 whom helped  you and  us with  grace. These  4 letters symbolise that
 which St.  John said: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
 with God,  and God  was the Word! — It is the "Logos", and this true
 Schiboleth, the  Password "Logos"  will now  lead you  to the altar -
 approach the  altar, - listen:- "I am the Alpha and the Omega, - I am
 the beginning  and the end," said the Lord our God! - Kneel down - By
 the power  my authority  I receive  you as  a legitimate  and perfect
 comrade in the Highly Illustrious Knighthood of the Rosy-Cross of the
 high esteemed  Grand Orient  for Switzerland.  I clothe  you with the
 sign of  this new  dignity of our Grand-orient. (hands over Juvel and
 apron) Wear  these in  all Chapters  of the  Rosy-Cross. You  are now
 called: Sublime Knight of the Eagle and Pelican and of the Rosy-Cross
 of Heredom and you bear the designation "18. degree".
 Now  I will  give you  the signs  and words  of your new dignity. The
 first sign  is usually  called "The  Sign of  petition and reverence"
 Raise your  eyes to the heavens, throw your hands outwards, raise the
 same to  your forehead  and then  let them fall to the hips or sword.
 The second sign: Raise your right hand (toward the heavens) with bent
 fingers, only the index finger pointing above: There is only ONE God.
 The third  sign is  that of the "good sheperd": cross your arms under
 your left  breast, lie  your ear  on the  mouth of another, then say:
 I.N. —  and the  other answers  back: R.I.  Then say:  Immanuel; the
 other answers: Pax vobiscum. Then make the second sign to the heavens
 -  the   other  downwards.  -  The  great  and  last  secret  of  all
 philosophical Masonry is contained in the key-word: I.N.R.I. This now
 discovered word INRI has three meanings:
Jesus Nazarenus  Rex Judaorum,  J. of Nazareth, King of the Jews. This
 is the Christian meaning.
Justitia Nune  Regit Imperi,  Justice rules  the Kingdom.  This is the
 philosophical meaning.
Igne Natura Renovatur Integra - Fire renews nature completely. That is
 the true meaning, the Climax of all occult wisdom after the manner of
 "Hermes".
By entrance  and by  leaving of  the Chapter  assembly, and  when  the
Knights stand  in order, do the sign of the good sheperd and give the
entrance word "Golgatha".
The great password is "Logos".
The holy word is INRI.
Take your  place in  the West  under the  comrades  of  the  High  and
Illustrious Knighthood of the Rosy-Cross! (Speech!)
                      Closing of the Chapter
AS: Highly Illustrious Grand Marshall, what is the hour?
HIGM: It  is the  hour that  the holy word was found, that the cubical
 stone was changed to the mystical rose, that the night of selfishness
 was won  by the  new  command:  "Love  one  another,  and  love  your
 neighbour as yourself!"
AS: Brothers  and comrades  of the  High and Illustrious Knighthood of
 the Rosy-Cross,  let us then bear the new command in our hearts, that
 it will take on life in our deeds to the welfare of humanity. Amen!
All: So mote it be! - Hosiannah, - Hosiannah,- Hosiannah!
AS: Pax vobiscum! - o oo oooo! (Ring)
All: kneel with left knee.
HIGM: (repeats) o oo oooo!
AS: I  close this  High Chapter  of the  Rose Cross in the name of the
 great Emmanuel! The Lord be with you!
© P.R. Koenig, 1993/2000

What's New ?    Introduction    The early O.T.O.    Carl Kellner    Memphis Misraim    O.T.O. Rituale    Fraternitas Saturni    Typhonian O.T.O.    Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica    The "Caliphate"    Fraternitas Rosicruciana Antiqua   Spermo-Gnostics   Illuminati   Deutsche Seiten    David Bowie    Charles Manson    Anal Intercourse and the O.T.O.    Pictures + Documents    Voices of the O.T.O.    Books on the O.T.O.