-Caveat Lector- http://www.orderofthegrail.org/introduction_om&s.htm
An Introduction to the Order Martiniste et Synarchy This short introduction to the O.M. & S. was prepared from selected volumes of, ‘The Martinist Tradition’ which can be ordered from the International College of Esoteric Studies in Barbados, West Indies. The I.C.E.S. also offers correspondence studies, which contain much information on the history, philosophy and practices of the Martinist Order, in addition to a wealth of information on other esoteric subjects. For those of you who know little or nothing about the Martinist Order, the Martinist Order as we know it today, comes down to us from Two Streams; One Descending from Louis Claude de Saint Martin, the French Mystic, also called “The Unknown Philosopher”, and Martinez de Pasqually, the founder of the Elus Cohen, or elect Priests. Louis Claude de Saint Martin, was born at Amboise, in the Provence of Touraine, France, on January 18th, 1743. Saint-Martin met Martinez Pasquales, in Bordeaux, while stationed there on Military assignment, and eventually was initiated in to the Rite of the Elus Cohen in 1768 when he was twenty-five years old. The Order of Knights Mason, Elect Priests of The Universe or The Elu Cohen, as it came to be known, was not strictly speaking Masonic, but composed exclusively of Master Masons. Pasqually inherited a Masonic patent from his father dated 20th May, 1738. This patent and the powers it conferred, allowing him as Deputy Grand Master, “to erect temples to the glory of God and the Grand Architect” was delivered to him by Charles Stuart, the King of Scotland, Ireland and England. To those of you familiar with the Jacobite-Masonic connection and the political situation in France at the time, might find this action by the exiled Jacobite pretender to the English throne and its connection with Masonry is interesting. Unfortunately, time does not allow us to delve more deeply into the Masonic movement itself or the schisms in the movement occurring at that time in history. Any of you who may be Masons, might be interested to learn, however, that The Order of Knights Mason (Elu Cohen) was recognized in 1754 by the Montpellier lodge, the First Chapter of the Masonic Order in France. Louis Claude de Saint Martin was involved with the Elus Cohen for many years and progressed through the degrees of the order. He also served as the person secretary of Martinez de Pasqually. By 1790, five years after the death of Pasqually, Saint Martin resigned from Masonry and left the order of the Elect Priests. He had, in the last several years, become connected with a different order; the Order of Unknown Philosophers, whose aims and methods were different from the order of Elu Cohen. Saint Martin’s method was to explain things through man, and not man through things. The Order of The Unknown Philosophers was said to be descended from an ‘Les Freres d’Orient’ an iniatic order created in 1090 in Constantinople under the patronage of The Emperor Alexis Comenis. This Order was reputed to have included such luminaries as; Heinrich Khunrath, Alexander Sethon, Sedivogious the Polish Alchemist, Jacob Boheme, and Rudolph Salzmann. This Society of Initiates, to which Saint Martin now belonged had a free initiation which was conferred from master to disciple, but had no formal organizational structure to speak of. The order of the Elu Cohen was continued by the other initiates of Pasqually, the most well known being Jean Bautiste Willermoz, who was one of the officers of the Elus Cohen, or Elect Priests. As previously stated, Louis Claude de Saint Martin did not create an organization called the Martinist Order, the order he belonged to was called “The Society of Initiates”, perpetuated through “The Order of The Unknown Philosophers” which was formed in 1643, but whose origins could be traced back to the 11th century. After the Death of Saint Martin in 1803, the initiation called S.I. (which stood for Society of Initiates, Superior Inconnu or unknown Superior, and Silences Inconnu or unknown silent one) continued to be transmitted from person to person, as each initiate had to chose at least one successor to receive the “free initiation“. This initiation was given to Dr. Gerard Encausse (better know to us as Papus) in the year 1880. Papus accidentally discovered shortly after that a friend of his, an Augustine Chaboseau, had also received such an initiation. This co-incidence Papus took as a sign from heaven, and began creating an organization that would gather into its fold all who had received this “mysterious legacy.” The Constitution of this order was drafted in 1884, which was given the name ‘Ordre Martiniste” or Martinist Order. In 1890 it was decided to place this order under a “Supreme Council” with 12 members and with Papus as president, or Grand Master. The Martinst order had a period of flourishing activity in France and other countries. The order was even introduced into the Russian Court where the Tzar Nicholas II, it is said, was Master of a lodge held within the Royal Palace. In 1908 Papus and Charles Detre (known as Teder) organized in Paris a congress of Spiritual Masonic Rites with a view to connecting the Martinist or der with the high degrees of Masonry. In 1914 Papus and Teder came to an agreement with Dr. de Ribeaucourt, Grand Master of the Scottish Rectified Rite, to create a Martinist Grand Chapter which would act as a bridge between the Martinist order and Scottish Freemasonry. Unfortunately for this project, the First World War, the death of Papus in 1916, and a change in the grand-Mastership of the Scottish rectified rite brought an end to this project. Papus was succeeded by Charles Detre (Teder). Victor Blanchard, who acted as his deputy, assisted Teder. Teder died in 1918 and was succeeded by Jean Bricaud. Bricaud then decided that the Martinist order would gain by being established on the firm basis of craft masonry. He decreed that the Martinist Order would only admit Masons of the 3rd Degree, or Master Masons. Many of those in the order did not approve of this ‘Masonizing’ of the Martinist order, and many refused to recognized the new regime who was imposing restrictions on certain classes of members, and particularly on the Sisters of the order, who were excluded from masonry. They decided to uphold the principle of free initiations, inherent in the degree, and so pursued their activities independently of Bricaud’s order, which transferred its headquarters to Lyon, and became known as, “Order Martiniste de Lyon.” Among the brothers who desired to preserve the original character of the order was Victor Blanchard, who had been former deputy Grand Master to Tedre. At that time there was only one Martinist order, but not all Martinists recognized the legality of its restrictions. When Jean Bricaud died on February 21, 1934, he left his succession to Victor Blanchard. Blanchard felt he could not accept the grand Mastership of the Order Martinist de Lyon, because he disapproved of its structure and its Masonic prerequisite. After refusing the Bricaud succession, he gathered the free brothers and formed a branch of the Martinist Order, which adhered to the original constitution of the order, and disapproved of the Masonic requirements of the Order Martiniste de Lyon. In 1934, in Brussels, Belgium, in connection with a congress of non-Masonic spiritual orders, there was held an International Convention of Martinists. On the 9th of August, 1934, Victor Blanchard was unanimously elected Sovereign Universal Grand-Master of the Order by representatives from; France, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, North and South America, and Denmark, among other countries. The supreme council of the order was reconstituted, and it was decided to add the adjective ‘Synarchique” to the name of the order, to distinguish it from the Order Martinste whose headquarters were at Lyons. With the Second World War came the invasion of France. The dignitaries of Freemasonic Societies were persecuted, arrested and deported. On April 23, 1944, Constant Chevillion, Grand Master of the Ordre Martinist de Lyon was assassinated by the French Militia, an organization of French Nazis. In the Ordre Martinist De Lyon, Henri Dupont succeeded Chevillion. The Ordre Martinise ET Synarchie did not resume organized activity in France, but it never ceased operations in Switzerland, nor in any of the countries outside of the war zone. On March 14, 1953, Victor Blanchard Died. The Senior Grand Master in the Ordre Martinise Et Synarchie, Dr. Edward Bertholet, was recognized as sovereign Grand-Master in the Order Martiniste et Synarchie, after his death the Grand Mastership passed to The Grand Master of the Britannic Grand Lodge, Sar Gulion. At that time Sar Gulion decided to decentralize the order by not taking the title of “Sovereign International”. Today, all sovereign and independent countries are being established with their own Grand Lodges. There is a Grand Lodge of Quebec and Nigeria, The Province of the West Indies, and a district of France. Other areas are in Formation. The Order Martinist and Synarchie in Barbados, West Indies, is from where we presently derive our affiliation, however we are in correspondence with other branches of the order abroad. Authorized free-initiators initiated into the O.M.&. S. (Headquarters in Barbados) are selectively granted charters to form Martinist Circles and Heptads, presently in several areas of the United States and Canada. Some branches are also associated with the Ancient Martinist Order. For more information on the O.M.& S. you may write to them c/o The International College of Esoteric Studies, P.O. Box 1201, Bridgetown, Barbados, West Indies. They will be able to forward your information to the O.M. & S. Circle or Heptad nearest you. In Los Angeles, CA, you can contact the Paracelsus Circle & Heptad at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more information about the Ancient Martinist Order visit their website at: http://www.ancientmartinistorder.org/ Some information may also be available through The Order of the Grail, its local Commanderies and officers, however, since the Orders are not directly connected, circumstances will vary by location. ----- Aloha, He'Ping, Om, Shalom, Salaam. Em Hotep, Peace Be, All My Relations. 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