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| ISBN-13: | 9781609259242 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Red Wheel/Weiser |
| Publication date: | 10/01/1991 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 172 |
| File size: | 2 MB |
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THE CHEMICAL WEDDING OF CHRISTIAN ROSENKREUTZ
By Joscelyn Godwin
Phanes Press
Copyright © 1991 Joscelyn Godwin and Adam McLeanAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-60925-924-2
CHAPTER 1
The First Day
One evening before Easter I was sitting at table, having, as was my habit, finished my humble prayer to my Creator, and meditated on the many great mysteries which the Father of Light, in his majesty, had allowed me to glimpse. As I was trying to prepare inwardly a pure unleavened loaf to accompany my blessed Paschal Lamb, there suddenly arose such a terrific wind that I thought the mountain on which my cottage was built was going to split apart. However, I was accustomed to this kind of thing and to other tricks of the Devil, who had done me many an injury; so I took courage and remained in my meditation until, quite against expectation, someone tapped me on the back. I was so alarmed by this that I scarcely dared to turn around; yet I showed as much composure as human frailty can in such a plight. But when something pulled at my coat several times, I looked round.
There stood a wonderfully beautiful female figure, dressed all in blue, spangled like the heavens with golden stars. In her right hand she held a large trumpet all of gold, on which a name was engraved which I could plainly read, but am forbidden to reveal as yet. In her left hand she held a great bundle of letters in all languages, which, as I later learnt, she was to take to every land. She also had huge and lovely wings, studded all over with eyes, so that she could take off and fly swifter than any eagle. I might well have noticed more about her if her visit had not been so brief, and if I had not been so filled with terror and astonishment—so there I must leave it. For as soon as I turned around, she leafed here and there through her letters and at last pulled out a small note, laying it on the table with a deep curtsey and leaving me without a single word. As she flew up, she blew so loudly on her golden trumpet that the whole mountain echoed with it, and for nearly a quarter of an hour I could scarcely hear my own voice.
Poor fellow as I was, I did not know what to think or do in the face of such an unexpected encounter; so I fell on my knees and prayed my Creator not to let anything happen to imperil my eternal salvation. Then with fear and trembling I turned to the letter, which could scarcely have weighed more if it had been made from solid gold. As I examined it carefully, I found it closed with a small seal on which was engraved a delicate cross and the motto: In hoc signo + vinces [In this sign + you will conquer].
I was much relieved when I saw this sign, for I knew that the Devil could not stand such a seal, much less use it. So I carefully opened the letter, and found written there, with golden letters on a blue ground, the following verse:
Today—today—today
Is the wedding of the King.
If you are bom for this,
Chosen by God for joy,
You may ascend the mount
Whereon three temples stand
And see the thing yourself.
Take heed,
Observe yourself!
If you're not clean enough,
The wedding can work ill.
Perjure here at your peril;
He who is light, beware!
And at the bottom it said: Sponsus et Sponsa [Bridegroom and Bride].
As I read this letter, I nearly fainted away, my hair stood on end, and cold sweat ran down over my whole body. Although I recognized that this was the promised wedding about which I had been told in a bodily vision seven years before, the one I had awaited so long and with such yearning, and carefully planned and calculated from my planetary tables, I would never have expected it to take place under such difficult and dangerous conditions. Originally I had thought that I would merely have to appear at the wedding to be a welcome guest; but now I was referred to divine Providence, of which up to now I was never certain.
Looking at myself, the more I pondered, I could see that there was nothing in my head but a great want of sense and a blindness in esoteric matters. And if I could not even grasp the things that lay beneath my feet, which I dealt with every day, how much less was I bom for the investigation and discovery of nature's secrets! In my opinion, nature could surely have found a cleverer pupil to entrust with her precious treasure, however temporal and transient it may be.
I also found that my physical life, outward conduct, and brotherly love towards my neighbor were far from being purged and pure enough. I was aware of fleshly desires, which aim only for reputation and worldly show, not for the well-being of others; I was always thinking how I could use my skills for my own immediate benefit, for building splendid things, for making an everlasting name in the world, and other such materialistic thoughts. But what troubled me most were the dark words about the three temples, which I could not understand for all my cogitation, and would not understand even today if they had not been miraculously revealed to me.
As I trembled now in fear and hope, my thoughts straying hither and thither but especially over my weakness and incompetence, knowing no way to help myself and thoroughly unsettled by this summons, I resorted at last to my tried and trusty practice: I lay down in my bed after praying long and earnestly that my good angel might appear to me through God's grace and help me in this perplexity, as had sometimes happened before. And so it turned out, to God's glory, for my good, and for the sake of my neighbor, as a true and sincere warning and betterment.
Scarcely had I fallen asleep, when it seemed to me that I was lying in a great dark tower with countless other people, bound in heavy chains. There was no light, and we were crawling over one another like bees, thus increasing each other's suffering. Although neither I nor anyone else could see a single thing, I could hear when one person heaved himself over another, when his chains or fetters became the slightest bit lighter, although none had much to gain by this, since we were all captive wretches.
After I and the others had continued a good while in this misery, continually rebuking one another for our blindness and captivity, at last we heard the sound of many trumpets. Kettledrums rolled, too, so majestically that even in our torment we felt aroused and quickened. As the music played, the ceiling of the tower opened and a little light was let in to us. Then we could all be seen tumbling over each other in confusion, though if one person heaved himself up too high, he would fall under the others' feet. Everyone wanted to be on top, and I was no exception. Despite my heavy fetters I pressed forward with the rest and clambered up onto a stone which I had spied. Though others often grabbed at me, I defended myself with hands and feet as well as I could. We had no other thought than that we should all be set free.
But this was by no means the case. For after the authorities, who looked down on us through the gap above, had enjoyed for a while our sprawlings and moanings, a gray-haired old man ordered us to be silent, and as the noise died away began to speak, as I still remember it:
If it would not struggle so,
The wretched human race,
Many a good would come to it
From my mother's store.
But no: since it will not obey,
It still remains in misery
And must be locked up.
Yet would my mother dear
Not behold its sin;
She leaves her precious gifts
That many may see the light.
Truly this seldom happens,
Which makes them worth the more,
But this is not a fable.
To celebrate the feast
Which we hold today,
To make her mercy known,
A good work she will do.
The rope will now come down:
Whoever can hang on,
The same shall be set free.
Scarcely had he spoken these words than the old woman ordered her servants to let down the rope into the tower seven times, and to haul out those who hung onto it. Goodness! if I could only describe the excitement that seized us: everyone tried to snatch the rope, thereby hindering everyone else. But after seven minutes a sign was given by a bell, at which the servants pulled out four of us. I could not possibly reach the rope, since, as I have said, I was perched to my great distress on a stone in the wall of the tower, and hence could not touch the rope which hung down in the middle.
A second time the rope was let down. Many people's chains were too heavy, their hands too weak, so that they could not hold onto it; but as they fell they knocked down many others who might have been able to hang on. Many were actually pulled off by ones who could not reach it themselves, so that in our great distress they grew furious with one another. But those I pitied most were the ones who were so heavy that they could not rise, though their hands were torn from their bodies.
Thus it went, so that after five attempts only a few had been pulled out; for as soon as the sign was given, the servants were so quick at hauling that most people tumbled off again, and the fifth time the rope was pulled up quite empty. Hence almost everyone despaired of rescue, myself included, and cried to God to have pity on us and release us from this darkness. He must have heard some of us, for as the rope came down for the sixth time, a few hung strongly onto it. As it rose, it swung from side to side and happened, perhaps through God's will, to swing towards me. I quickly grabbed it, sat on top of all the others, and thus beyond all expectation I finally came out. Such was my joy that I took no heed of a wound in my head, caused by a sharp stone as I was pulled up, until I and the other freed prisoners had helped (as all had done before) with the seventh and last pull. Then I first realized that the effort had made my blood flow all over my clothes, having completely overlooked it in my joy.
Now after the last pull, which brought up the most people, the woman had the rope laid aside and told her exceedingly aged son (which astonished me) to tell the other prisoners their sentence. After brief consideration, he spoke up thus:
Beloved children,
Who are here,
It is fulfilled
That long was known,
Which my mother's great pity
Has bestowed on you.
You should not take it in bad part;
A blessed time will soon be yours,
When all men shall be equals,
And no one will be rich or poor.
Those to whom much was commanded
Must bring much with them.
Those entrusted with much
Will lose their skin.
So cease your great bewailing,
Which will last but a few days.
As soon as these words were spoken, the roof was replaced and locked, and the trumpets and kettledrums started up again. But loud though the music was, one could still hear the bitter laments of the prisoners coming from the tower; it soon brought the tears to my own eyes.
Thereupon the old woman sat down with her son on the seats prepared for them, and ordered for the released prisoners to be counted. When the count was done and written on a golden-yellow tablet, she asked each one's name, which was likewise written down by a pageboy. As she looked at each of us, she sighed and spoke to her son, so that I could hear: "Ah, how I sorrow for the poor people in the tower! Would God that I could free them all!" Whereupon her son answered: "Mother, it is ordered thus by God, and we must not strive against it. What if we were all lords, and possessed all the goods of earth, and were sitting at table—who would bring us our food?"
At this, the mother was silent a while, then she said: "Well, let these ones be freed from their fetters," and it was quickly done. I was almost the last, yet I could not restrain myself, though I was still watching the others, from bowing down before the old woman and thanking God, my loving father, who through her had brought me out of such darkness and into the light. Others did likewise, and the woman bowed in reply.
At last each was given a gold medal as a commemoration and as provision. One side was stamped with the rising sun; the other, as far as I remember, with these three letters: D.L.S. (Deus Lux Solis;, Deo Laus Semper) [God, the light of the sun; Praise always to God], Then each was given leave to go about his business, with the charge to serve God's glory and help our neighbor, and to guard in silence what was confided to us. This we promised, and parted from one another. But I, because of the wounds made by the fetters, found it hard going and limped with both feet. As soon as the old woman saw this, she laughed at it and called me back, saying: "My son, do not let this flaw distress you, but remember your faults and thank God that he has allowed you to attain so high a light while still in this world and in all your imperfection; and bear these wounds for my sake."
Thereupon the trumpets started up again, startling me so that I awoke. Then for the first time I realized that it had only been a dream. But it remained so strongly in my mind that I was continually troubled; it even seemed to me that I still bore the wounds on my feet. From all this I concluded that I was invited by God to attend this secret and occult wedding. Wherefore I thanked the divine Majesty with childlike trust, and prayed that he might keep me in his fear, fill my heart daily with wisdom and understanding, and at last bring me through his mercy to the desired goal, undeserving though I was.
Then I set out on my way, put on my white linen coat, and girded myself with a blood-red belt bound crosswise over my shoulders. In my hat I stuck four red roses, so that I could be more easily recognized in the crowd by this sign. For provisions I took bread, salt, and water, following the advice of one who knew, which in the event proved very fortunate. But before I stepped out of my cottage, I fell on my knees in this outfit and wedding-garment and prayed God that whatever might happen, he would bring it to a good end. Then I vowed in the sight of God that I would use everything that might be revealed to me through his grace, not for honor or prestige in the world, but only for the glory of his name and the service of my fellow men. With this vow and with high hopes I departed from my hermitage with joy.
CHAPTER 2The Second Day
As soon as I had I left my hermitage and reached the forest, it seemed to me as if the whole heavens and all the elements were already decked out for this wedding. For even the birds, I thought, sang more sweetly than usual, and the young fawns gambolled around so happily that my old heart was warmed, and, moved to song, I began to sing loudly:
Dear little bird, rejoice,
And loudly praise your maker,
Let your voice ring bright and clear;
Your God is high above.
He has prepared for you your food
And gives it in due season,
So therefore be contented.
Why should you be sorrowful,
Why should you rail at God?
Because he's made you just a bird
Don't let it turn your head.
If he has not made you a man,
Be still: he has done well thereby,
So therefore be contented.
How should I do, poor earthworm,
To argue with my God,
As if I had the power to fight
The very storm of heaven?
God will not be resisted thus;
Let him who thinks not so, be gone!
Man, therefore be contented.
That he has not made you the King,
Should be no pain to you.
Perhaps you took his name in vain;
He is aware of this.
The eyes of God are sharp and keen,
He sees into your heart,
Thus God is not deceived.
I sang this song with all my heart, so that it resounded through the forest and the last words echoed back to me from the mountain, until at length I caught sight of a pleasant green meadow and stepped out of the forest. On this meadow stood three tall and splendid cedar-trees, which were so broad as to cast a lovely, welcome shadow. I was delighted by this, for although I had not come far, my great yearning was making me exhausted. So I hurried up to the trees, to rest a little beneath them.
As I approached, I perceived a tablet fastened to one of the trees. After a while I read on it the following words, written in elegant script:
Hail, guest! If you should have heard the news of the King's wedding, then hearken to these words. The Bridegroom bids us offer you the choice of four paths, by all of which you may reach the royal castle, if you do not fall by the wayside.
The first is short but perilous, and will lead you through rocky places from which you may scarcely escape.
The second is longer, and will lead you not downwards but round and round; it is flat and easy, so long as you have the aid of a magnet and do not let yourself be diverted to right or left.
The third is truly the Royal Way, which will make your journey delightful with various pleasures and spectacles. But hitherto scarcely one in a thousand has achieved it.
By the fourth way, no man may come to the kingdom, for it is a consuming path and suited only to incorruptible bodies.
Choose now which of the three you wish, and be constant thereon. But know that whichever you have taken, it is destined to you by immutable Fate, and you may go back on it only at the greatest peril of your life.
This is what we would have you know. But hearken to this warning: you do not know how much danger you incur on this way. If you are guilty of the slightest offence against the laws of our King, I beseech you to turn back while you still may, and return swiftly home by the way you came.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from THE CHEMICAL WEDDING OF CHRISTIAN ROSENKREUTZ by Joscelyn Godwin. Copyright © 1991 Joscelyn Godwin and Adam McLean. Excerpted by permission of Phanes Press.
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Table of Contents
Contents
Introduction,
The Chemical Wedding,
The First Day,
The Second Day,
The Third Day,
The Fourth Day,
The Fifth Day,
The Sixth Day,
The Seventh Day,
Commentary,
Appendix: The Parabola of Hinricus Madathanus Theosophus,
Bibliography,