The Lantern is a collaborative and voluntary undertaking that seeks to publish both important historical and contemporary works inspired by the hermetic tradition, and in particular that form of the tradition espoused by the Smaragdum Thallasses Temple in New Zealand.
“Entering into the Silence is the first step towards freedom. Lay aside the tasks and desires of daily life and wait in perfect stillness and tranquillity. Before long, the way will open before you, one step at a time. Fear nothing, go forward steadily in the faith that you are being guarded and guided.”
Finem Respice 9=2 Whare Ra
Volume 1 – A Wayfaring Man Part I
While it has been over 60 years since the serial work The Lantern was last published in New Zealand, the pages within this book flow from the same stream of inspiration, and continue the Tradition, at least for the time-being, a little further on in time.
It is anticipated that this will be the first of several new volumes of The Lantern. For this and the subsequent Volume II, the main essay within the book is a re-publication of A Wayfaring Man. Originally issued over several years in the original The Lantern, it is now very scarce and hard to find, particularly in a complete set. A Wayfaring Man was written by Dr Felkin’s second wife Harriot, and recalls the life of the Doctor, albeit partially through allegorical spectacles.
Part I of A Wayfaring Man is presented as originally published, including the use, for instance, of double spacing after full stops, capitalisation, and irregular spelling of such things as country names etc. Only obvious errors have been corrected. None of these things detract from the telling of the story, and have been retained for antiquarian and romantic purposes.
Dr Felkin is often described as an “astral junkie” by those who know no better, thanks solely to Francis King’s coining of the phrase in his Ritual Magic in England. Amongst other things, King fails to portray Felkin’s much faceted character adequately, and either was unaware of, or chose to ignore, the many excellent other characteristics that he possessed. There is no doubt that Felkin had his feet firmly planted in reality. It was by no coincidence or fluke of circumstance that he attracted many great people to himself, some of whom would not have suffered fools gladly, and influenced many people far outside his sphere of personal acquaintance. It also must be stated that he established and lead the most dedicated and robust of all the old Golden Dawn Temples, a fact often forgotten by proponents of the “astral junkie” theory. Deeds and actions speak louder than words.
The date of this publication in 2012 deliberately marks the centenary of the founding of the Temple, Smaragdum Thallasses, an important event directed by some profoundly inspired people. “Whare Ra”, as the building is called, was designed and purpose built by New Zealand’s leading Arts and Crafts Architect (and senior Order member) James Walter Chapman-Taylor to exacting specifications. This concrete edifice provided a stabilising anchor that other Golden Dawn Temples did not have as they invariably operated in comparatively makeshift and temporary accommodation. At the time the Felkins must have seen the opportunity as extraordinary – a utopian dream come true.
Preceding A Wayfaring Man Part I is an essay depicting that fertile ground which was the village of Havelock North, the players, and the events that unfolded around the establishment of the Order in New Zealand. The Magic of Havelock North is an important work as it offers for the first time many historical facts that are little known, and weaves them together with better known facts to paint the most complete picture to date of the events of the time.
The second essay, Robert Felkin the Astrologer, provides both an insight into the man from an astrological perspective, as well as into his considerable ability as an astrologer. It also reveals some little known facts for the first time.
This volume also contains a dedication to G.H. Frater Fiat Lux, a largely un-documented but important figure in the history of the Order. Fiat Lux was a dyed in the wool “Golden Dawn” man, having been admitted to the Smaragdum Thallasses Temple as a young man in the 1930’s. He eventually held the Office of Hierophant, Cancellarius, Demonstrator and Chief Adept for many years, rising to the Grade of Exempt Adept, as well as being a confidant to the Chiefs and pall bearer at their funerals. To put some perspective on Fiat Lux’s membership, Dr Westcott had been a member and adherent for 37 years when he died, and Dr Felkin for 31 years. Fiat Lux devoted 58 years of his life to the Order – to the very last breath.
In the relatively contemporary Essay III Introducing the Order and IV What is the Golden Dawn, Fiat Lux describes as clearly as he can the true but simple purpose behind the Order’s method of training, a purpose and method which should surprise most deep thinkers who have been schooled by contemporary authors. “Some of these writers have cast a lurid veil upon the Order”, warns Fiat Lux!
Essay V My Order Memories, provides an eye witness account by Fiat Lux of his time in the Smaragdum Thallasses Temple, and an insight into the man behind some very insightful writings.
The Lantern Volume I was first produced as a hardbound publication, limited to 100 copies. Only one printing was made in 2013.
However, as a service to the wider community, we offer a free pdf of Volume I for download and distribution.
The Torch is passed from Generation to Generation The Candle is passed from Chief to Chief, Thus does Light Perpetual shine.
Maim Chiim 9=2 Whare Ra
Volume 2 – A Wayfaring Man Part II
Following in the footsteps of Volume I, this volume presents A Wayfaring Man Part II, completing the story of the life of Dr Felkin as told by his wife Harriot. It gives a glimpse of the excitement that the opportunity to set up a Temple in New Zealand presented, and also the toil that was involved. In the same style as Part I, the reader is taken back in time, or on side journeys, to explore different avenues of Dr Felkin’s life. The tale ends naturally with the death of Dr Robert William Felkin.
The first essay, The Rose and its Symbolism, is by an unknown author, and was a paper circulated amongst members of the New Zealand branch of the Order of the Stella Matutina. It is from an early period, and the original, from which this transcript was made, bore a label with the name of T. Mason Chambers, one of the three Temple Chiefs on the Smaragdum Thallasses Warrant.
The second essay, The Magical Monk, gives an account of Father J. Charles Fitzgerald, one of the unsung Adepts of the Stella Matutina. This essay helps put into perspective the role that Father Fitzgerald played in bringing the Stella Matutina to New Zealand, but also the wider role he played in the Order as a Temple Chief. We gain an insight into the dedicated nature of this devout priest, and the discipline with which he must have undertaken his duties as both a monk and an adept. Father Fitzgerald walked the walk. His undoubtedly ‘Rosicrucian’ instincts are no more clearly displayed than in his support of, and influence in, the healing Guild of St Raphael.
Published herein, in Transcript of the ‘Whare Ra’ Warrant, is the full wording used on the Warrant establishing the Stella Matutina in New Zealand. Unfortunately, the Warrant itself did not survive the closure of the Temple, and only one transcript of it’s contents is known to exist. This transcript was originally in “Private Collection A”, and is the source from which Ellic Howe quotes in his Magicians of the Golden Dawn, p. 269, albeit in a greatly abridged form. By cherry picking pertinent parts of the transcript, Howe missed nearly a third of the original text. The copy presented herein was also sourced, with permission, from Private Collection A, and is presented as an un-abridged version to correct Howe’s omissions.
The original transcript, which can now be viewed at the Library and Museum of Freemasonry in London, is a poorly typed single sheet, containing several typing errors, including over-typed characters and spelling mistakes. There are no illustrations to be seen. In several places editing or correcting has been made in the hand of Dr. Felkin, and his signature as Finem Respice is at the bottom, as if authorising the corrections and changes, suggesting that this transcript is a draft of the Warrant rather than a copy as propounded by Howe.
The last section of Volume II is dedicated to providing an insight into the administration of the New Zealand Temple. A selection of notices and addresses from 1957 to 1960 are provided, the period in which the Order lost the leadership of both G.H. Chiefs M.C. and P.H. Appointment of Wardens, financial reports, number of Ceremonies performed, various addresses, and obituaries fill the pages of the nine documents presented herein.
The Lantern Volume II was first produced as a hardbound publication, limited to 100 copies. Only one printing was made in 2015.
As with the previous volume, we offer a free pdf of Volume II for download and distribution.
What appears to the student as an error is, in fact a key and must be retained. The Rituals alone are sacrosanct.
Fiat Lux 7=4 Whare Ra
They are of the timeless Soul and need no modernisation.
Volume 3 – Berashith
Gentle Reader,
Here we are, four years later, presenting to you our Volume III of The Lantern. We do sincerely hope that our Volumes I and II have born some fruit, and that you are now ready for some more ‘food for higher thought’.
We begin Volume III with our main essay Berashith, the work of Frank Salt, a long time member of Dr. R. W. Felkin’s Smaragdum Thallasses, where he was known by his sacramental name or Motto Fiat Lux. Within Berashith are instructions on applying a mystical approach to interpreting the Hebrew letters, treating them as evocative symbols capable of revealing their own divine meaning or force. When rightly understood and applied to various divine names etc, the forces of the individual letters are combined to represent unique composite forces. An example of this approach might condense, for instance, the meaning of the ending Aleph Lamed (AL, often terminating the names of Angels and Arch-Angels), as Power (Aleph) in Extension (Lamed). The advanced Adept should immediately see the application of this approach to many of the Order’s methods of teaching, not least of which is the Vibratory Formular of Pronouncing Divine Names, production of Talismanic Images, and for assisting in obtaining the inner meaning of the Tarot.
During his life Fiat Lux submitted this manuscript to various occult publishers but without so much as a nibble, its contents considered too “dense” for the consuming public Golden Dawn community. With this Volume III we fulfill his wish that this system or method of approach be available to those with ears to listen.
Following this important work we produce copies of the 22 Tarot Trumps as issued in the Temples of the Stella Matutina, including the Smaragdum Thallasses Temple in New Zealand. While these images have been available on the internet for some time, they are produced here in hard copy for posterity. The cards were issued to members of the 5=6, and usually painted after the 6=5, upon receiving full instruction of the Four Colour Scales, and appropriately consecrated by the Adeptus Major. Rumours amongst the Whare Ra Adepti indicated that Westcott worked with Felkin to produce this deck, hinting at a post G.D. collaboration born out further in Westcott’s personal diary which states that he received the S.M. 7=4 from Felkin [1].
Next we have a collection of papers on The Elementals. Members of the Outer Order were gradually introduced to each of the Elemental Powers as they progressed through the Grades, and were encouraged to perceive this quaternary both within their own natures, as well as in the external world and the subtle forces which animate it. Presented here are the relevant papers on the earthy Gnomes, the airy Sylphs, the watery Undines and the fiery Salamanders.
A modern interpretation of the modus operandi of the Order is that it was more akin to a school or perhaps a magical university, where syllabus and papers are provided for the eager student to learn and to pass the necessary examinations – not too dissimilar to the popular fiction of Harry Potter and “Hogwarts”. This view has largely developed in the absence of direct knowledge about how the Order actually operated, gleaned from reading books purporting to be about the Order, and extrapolated based on a natural tendancy to want to be told, and habit gained through early and prolonged exposure to the education system, where being taught and regurgitating “facts” is the predominant approach. This is a far cry from the reality of the situation. Each member was expected to follow a structured daily discipline of ritual, meditation, prayer, exercise and study, not too dissimilar (although obviously less extreme) to the routine of a devout monk or nun in a religious order. We publish here the Outer Order Daily Rhythms for the Grades of Neophyte to Philosophus as a part of each member’s daily routine. Similar Daily Rhythms were provided for the higher Grades also. We trust that some will introduce this practice of discipline into their own routine.
Presented here for the first time is an interesting little Ritual used in the early days of the Stella Matutina and “Whare Ra”, although likely performed on only a few occasions. The dynamic movement of The Dance of the Zodiac, not too dissimilar to the hypnotic patterns of a kaleidoscope, weaving in and amongst familiar symbology in what must be seen as a work of a kinaesthetic meditation of a single group mind. D.P. provides an excellent introduction to help set the scene.
Next are three papers[2] on Early Stella Matutina Administration Instructions, containing the names and duties of various senior Adepti appointed to Offices of the Order for Ceremonial, or for members to contact to receive practical instruction and examination in specific subjects of study. Readers more familiar with Order history will see many familiar names within these instructions.
Our first two volumes have revealed in a few places previously unknown historical information relating to the Order. This volume is no different. Following the Dance of the Zodiac is the paper titled: Address by M.C. in Big Room on Recent History of the Order, in which G.H. Chief Sor. Maim Chioth mentions the fragility of the early Stella Matutina. The “Big Room” refers to one of the rooms at Whare Ra where the Chiefs and some of the senior members sometimes gave addresses to the assembled members, and on this occasion the address was delivered in 1953. M.C. mentions that the Order went into abeyance for a number of years before Dr. Felkin pulled together two of the old Adepti to help revive it and assist to admit Ms & Mrs Felkin plus one other, thus beginning a new cycle of activity culminating in the establishment of the H.O. 49 in 1912. Interestingly, this cycle was repeated with the closure of that Temple some 66 years later, and the subsequent work undertaken by various Adepti to re-establish the Order.
As would seem appropriate to this aspect of M.C.’s address, we finish this, our 3rdvolume of The Lantern, with transcribed copies of three letters from 1978. In The Order in Abeyance we present the letter that the three G.H. Chiefs of the Order sent to the membership informing them of the closure of the Temple, the letter the last Senior Chief of “Whare Ra” John von Dadelszen (G.H. Chief Fra. A Beau Sion 9=2) wrote[3]personally to Frank Salt informing him of the closure, and Frank Salt’s subsequent response requesting various papers be sent so that he might re-establish the Order if the opportunity arose[4]. John von Dadelszen and Frank Salt had known each other for a very long time, with familiarity and respect underpinning the tone of the letters. Both were trustees of Mrs Felkin’s Tauhara Trust, so the reference by John von Dadelszen to Tauhara should be read in that light.
We do hope that you have opened these covers with a sense of excitement, and close them again with some insight and motivation to continue your own Work, and that this and our previous volumes have brought you a little closer to that Order which has been so dear to many of us in New Zealand.
Greatful thanks to L.V.L. for editing and preparing F.L.’s manuscript, to A.P. for her assistance with this volume, and to S. for diligently packaging The Lantern and sending them to our patrons. D.P. has also been a solid contributor to all of our volumes and a supportive collaborator, and in my humble view deserves special acknowledgment and thanks.
[1] Dated January 17th 1916 – “I received from Felkin his German Grade 7=4. The [this?] agreed to my notes on the Continental Rosics in my Data.”
[2] The first instruction is undated, but contains the Motto of Neville Meakin (Ex Oriente Lux), placing its writing sometime before Meakin’s premature death in 1912, and most likely pre 1910. The second instruction is for the absence of the Felkins while in New Zealand, and is dated 1912. The last instruction is dated 1915, and was left for the three V.H. Sorores charged with administration of the UK Temples in the absence of the Felkins, who were then immigrating to New Zealand permanently after a brief return to the U.K. following their 1912 visit to the Antipodes.
[3] The letter was written on a Saturday and dated 23rd September 1978, a significant date in the G.D. calendar, the date of the Vernal Equinox.
[4] He was later joined in this task by former Order Chief Archie Shaw (G.H Chief Fra. Archernar) who assisted in the ceremonial transmission of the higher Grades, 6=5 member Percy Wlkinson (V.H. Fra. Laudate Dominum) and Chief of the Sun Order Beryl Renn (Fratrix Metatron) who provided papers filling in many of the gaps in the curriculum.
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The Lantern Volume III was first produced as a hardbound publication, limited to 100 copies. Only one printing was made in 2019.
As with the previous volumes, we offer a free pdf of Volume III for download and distribution.
The Soul is eternal, so only needs awakening, not ‘teaching’. It is only by habit that we think we can progress on information.
Fiat Lux 7=4 Whare Ra
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