Those who have approached the mystery of Initiations
and those who ignore them will not have,
in their stay in the world of Shadows, a similar fate.

-Iamblichus

Sir I am going to transmit the initiation according to our Master, Louis Claude de Saint Martin, just as I have received it from my initiator, just as he has received it himself, and as it has been transmitted from Louis Claude de Saint Martin in person for more than a hundred and fifty years. But first, I invite you, just as I invite my Brothers here present to join me in sanctifying this room, in order that it will become by the double virtue of Word and Act, the Particular (from the Latin particularis: a small part) Temple for the celebration of this traditional initiation. That is why, under the Form which our Masters formerly adopted, allow us to manifest the "Symbols"

December 1940.

Snow covers Paris. And this evening, at the hour when the pale Sun sets on the reddened horizon, some men are assembled in a room on the top floor of an apartment block in the Latin Quarter. An old building from the 18th century with a large monumental wooden staircase. Outside in the streets, in rooms, in the cafes, everywhere, the victorious German Army. Also everywhere, the agents of the Vichy Government. The dreaded police reign, on the Secret Societies and the Illuminists, searches, closures, arrests rain down on the outlaws. But here, it is another world. On a table, covered with a triple tablecloth, black, white and red, symbolizing the Three Worlds, a sword casts its brilliance across the Gospel of St John. Behind, in the dancing light of three tall candles, lit and arranged in a triangle, partially veiled by the perfumed smoke, the imprecise silhouette of the Initiator, censer in hand. He traces in space, in a large and sure gesture, the mysterious Sign. Away, burning solitarily another Candle. Leaning against the base of the candlestick, a cordelier and a mask.

The Candle of the Past Masters .

In the silence of the assistants, mute and introverted, the grave voice continues the ritual outpouring, and the words of the Sacramentary sound clear and pure, entreating like the Litanies. They establish- through Space and Time the "bridge" which must unite the Living and the Dead. And it seems that suddenly, the Room is peopled by Invisible Presences. "Receive,Lord, According to the Vow of the "Unknown Philosopher", our Master, the homage made in this place by Your Servants here present! May this Mysterious Light enlighten our spirits and our hearts as it previously enlightened the works of our Masters! May these Flambeaux illumine with their living Brilliance, the Brothers reunited to Your call. May their presence show a living testimony of their Union Outlined in the minutest detail the initiatic Ceremony unfolds, full of grandeur. Time itself seems to have stopped. Here one of the assistants places the emblematic Mask, symbol of Silence and Secrecy on the face of the Recipient. Another dresses him with the Cloak, symbol of Prudence. And a third ties the Cordelier recalling the "chain of Fraternity". The slow theurgical ritual continues. And after the consecration of the new Brother, the passing on of the esoteric "nomen", the last words resound and the ceremony touches its end. " Can you, my Brother justify the words of the Zohar : Those who have possessed the Divine Knowledge shine like the sparks of the Heavens, but those who have taught it to Men will shine like the Stars throughout all Eternity ." Towards the solitary Candle, the unmoving Flame where the ancient Past Masters keep vigil, the Initiator and the Initiate turn themselves. "Brothers, I present to you N. " Superieur Inconnu " of our Order and I ask you to accept him as such among us .." An extraordinary anguish chokes the hearts of all the assistants. In the Oratory where the smoke of the incense parches their throats, where it seems that all of Life takes refuge in these little flames, which tall and upright dance, dance, dance it is not the living that appear to be the most real. And beneath them: Great Cloaks, Masks, Collars of white silk behind the blazing of swords one doesnāt believe they see those of the dead. More to the contrary the most Living are the Dead of the Order, the Past Masters , all close by.

At the call of the Word all have come. Despite the centuries they are there, faithful to the magic rendezvous : Henry Khunrath, the author of "The Ampitheatre of Eternal Wisdom".. Seton the prestigious "Cosmopolite", dead on the easels of torture of the Elector of Bavaria . Cornelius Agrippa , doctor and alchemist to Charles the Fifth, dying in hunger and misery .. Christian Rosenkreuz, the pilgrim of Wisdom .. Jacob Boehme, the illumined cobbler Robert Fludd, of marvelous intelligence, dead in the Inquisitionās dungeon Francis Bacon, whom a few believe was the great Shakespeare. Martinez de Pasqually, the "master" who could evoke the Angels. Claude de Saint Martin, the spokesman of the "Unknown Philosopher". ... Willermoz, faithful agent of his master Martinez. And all the others whose names escape, and who , officers, great lords or commoners, under the long black cloak of the pilgrim, or powdered wigs, carried to the four quarters of the old Europe, during the liberating 18th century , living to realize the "Great Design" of the Rose-Croix, the mysterious echo of the "Lost Word"

And dominating all these shadows, another arises, passing into the Oratory like a great breath from the Spiritual plane the real soul of all the Fraternities! Here so mysterious but inspirational, inhuman but divine, unknowable but illuminating, here passes the shadow of Elias Artista Outside, where the night has finally fallen, Paris is enrobed in a silent white cloak. It is always snowing. And the cold again becomes more intense. In the streets, in rooms, everywhere the German Army, victorious. And everywhere also, suspicions and surveillances, questionings and searches, searches and closures, closures and arrests. By the hundreds, in anonymous attempted retaliations the hostages fall, shot. In a few painful months, the first convoys leave the concentration camps for the forced work on the Eastern front, the East from where none return. And like the bloody red times of the Middle Ages terror reigns over the Illuminists.

It firstly attacks the Masonic obediences, whether free thinkers or atheists, who are uniquely occupied with pure politics. Then the spiritual obediences. Finally it arrives at the paramasonic organisations. This is how public opinion has been used. Then it takes the path of secular struggle., constrained by sixty nine years of ideological liberalism. Because behind Freemasonry and its allied organisations there is something else to seek. It is something that one wants to definitely knock down and forever beat to death, Heresy, the eternal enemy. And behind Heresy, its secular animator Occultism! Finally ! Thereās the great fatal word. It isnāt shouted from the rooftops , not at all! But before all there are its archives, manuscripts, historic or doctrinal studies, which will star in the course of research. In a book appearing in the spring of heavy year of 1939, regarding the symbolism of the Gothic cathedrals we have written these unconsciously prophetic lines: " If the hurricane, materialist and negator succeed in blowing up the world; if the new barbarians ravage libraries and museums, realize the terrible prophecies of Henri Heine, if the hammer of Thor totally destroys our old cathedrals and their marvelous message we would still want to believe in the safe guard of the essential Knowledge. The tempest passed, in a world returned to barbarity, some men will be found, sufficiently intuitive, who feel the mystery of infinity, and will go patiently and piously to revive the ancient lamp near the famous purple shroud where the old gods sleep .

And newly through the great Night of spirit, the green flame of occult knowledge will guide Humanity to its marvelous Realm, brilliant and radiant, the "City of the Sun"of the philosophers and sages" "May Peace, Joy, and Charity be in our hearts and on our lips now and forever

December 1940: the last phrase of the ritual of "Initiates of Saint Martin" has answered for us !

Robert Ambelain