4.—That you desire not to employ this honour to worldly pride and high authority.
5.—That you shall not be willing to live longer than God will have you.
Now being to vow to them all by the King’s sceptre, we were afterwards with the usual ceremonies installed knights, and amongst other privileges set our ignorance, poverty and sickness; to handle them at our pleasure. And this was afterwards ratified in a little chapel, and thanks returned to God for it. And because every one was there to write his name, I writ thus,
Summa Scientia nihil Scire,
Fr. Christianus Rosencreutz,
Eques aurei Lapidis,
Anno 1549.”
CHAPTER VIII.
Conclusion—Modern Rosicrucianism.
In Notes and Queries for Nov. 15th, 1886, we find the following:—“In the Student’s Encyclopædia, published by Hodder and Stoughton in 1883, I find the following twofold statement: ‘Even to-day a Rosicrucian lodge is said to exist in London, whose members claim by asceticism to live beyond the allotted age of man, and to which the late Lord Lytton vainly sought admission.’ May I ask whether anything authentic can be learnt (1) as to the existence of these modern Rosicrucians, and (2) as to Lord Lytton’s failure to gain admission among them?”
In the number of Dec. 13 of the same year, the above query was thus answered: “The Soc. Rosic. in Anglia still holds several meetings a year in London. The Fratres investigate the occult sciences; but I am not aware that any of them now practice asceticism, or expect to prolong life on earth indefinitely. It is not customary to divulge the names of candidates who have been refused admission to the first grade, that of Zelator, so must ask to be excused from answering the question as to Lord Lytton.