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CRffiMAATTA h/nONTH LY nd$ S{QGRA FX'{

FOFS THE MEMBERS OF

A. MII. O" R, C,

TOR[VI\T'EIIY PL!EII.ISI.{ giD AN D CIRCII"II [.AT'EiD

BY T'TIE

I\hdIORC CC)LI-EGE, {.,NERARYI{I EiW Y(),RK CXTY

-I'h{liS EIDi{TI(}N lS l-ltulli"l"r:m ,prF,lD gldghtl #$reYNf, II*'S#E}ERED C(]NSIT(]L'TIVE:T.Y F'OR

N r) E.N TI F IC AT I()NT

NlLJIMIBEIF? OFi

._.TF?;r_ il.1il

li

I:,;

CONNXTIOI\{S OF MEMBERSHIP IN THEAMORC COLLEGE LIBRARY

@

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THE VILLAGE OF THE, DE.VIL@

INTRODUCTION

At last the srory is toldl strange, rnysrical ancl instructive, this story is one

of.the oldest traditions of our OrCer in France. It is the story told at the [re-

rides of lhe homes of lhe old.st mystics of Flance aud ole which never fails toleveal the rnincls and lives of the provincials of Franc. in lhe days when mysticism

was in ils glory and so-called modern civilization was in the making"

The question has often been asked: "'Did t[,e Imperator Lave any further

experieices in France after his Iniriation into the order on the night o{ August

[2,1909?'"The aecount of my journey to France, as published in the Nlay" 1916' issue

o* the lrnerican Rosoe Crucis, was replere with incidente and experienees which

have interested many of our members; but that account did not explain in detail

the other persona! experienees whiclr constituted rny further schooling in the

mysteries of our Order and which are only vaguely lrinted at in varioue writinga

in our former publication"

I have never felt at liberty" however, lo recouRt these sacred and more or lcss

secret experiences in a public magazine and have felt that most of them should be

told in a more personal and heart-toJreart manner" The opportunity is now offered

for cu"h private communicalion between rny Brother* and Sisiers an<J myself, and

I have inaugurated ihe slory-lelling by o$ering this tale of $e Village of the Devil

iu rhis issue of CROMAAT"I ray this is a story; but ir trurh it is a mixture of fact,ficlion and tradition,

Of the traditional parts much also may be fact'

It may be of interest to kncw how thc story same [o rne' On my way uorth

from Toulouse io Paris I ttopped at variout cities rphere lhere were Rosaecrucians

or Rosaccrucian Temples, rhrines or relics" I was guided in this journey through

the Rosaeerucian land of mysticism by lvlasiers snd Brothcrs of the Order who

&now where tbe slrangest sights and most weird experiences are to hc found,

Fiaally 1 reached Montpetlier again, allcr pas:ing through lrlirncs and olhcr

loealirie* described in rlris rtory. ln Montpellier I ure! rsme of the oldert (aail

s

(bnstiele". l9f E" hym+ 1*Jntr$t<'AO4IIEGE 4-jBRAFv Nr[:WVORK;. N y

T:-__g@__

retired) ol{cers of o*r order in f:rance ;rnd iin a very ord buirrling where onse ourorder held irs convocarions, surrounr-red by rnany ro:rics and in the midst of inrensirvibralions, I sat arrd listerred tu t.rre story whi,rir I have augrneriierr f,:, pulrrirairirr,her+,

' B*t I was not satisfied rvith rhe rrearing of the storv*- nor sho*rd my reerJer b*.I mklrJ the p.rivilege of visiring *e Village c,f nhe l)evil. aud tLere, in perron,experiencing the s{range influerrces whi.h poxibly no othi:t American huu *nu,experienced and which even the rru*t d*i*.orinud [ourisis of tr]ratice hidve noreu..reded irr locating.

In_ additicn to the personal experience, whicfi verilied the greatcr part o[ thastory, I spent several rJays searching rhrougl: the .rr. Roo...r,r"iun m,.hives forhislorical and rr:corded eviclence of the fa.ts and rtraniitionar slalements nrado inronnec{ion with thc existence of the Villase"

1-he story as Inorv tell it contains ail the vcrihcatr,rn'vhich were 1:ossihre roohtain' I have wrirten the story in tle form of a personaily conducred tour rothc village, not in the way in which I personally ,"a.hed th* place, bur in tLernanner by lvhich oiir Brothers and Sistcrs may reach it. In fu.t, *h.n

"u. Uurr,of Rcsaecrucian tourists $rorn ,A.rnerica ,*u.h l.ru*.* in lg!9 on their wf tu

lttl*:. and eventualiy Es1pr, I hope to personally conduet the parry to the Villaqeonf the l)evil in just the manner described in this story.

. My

.readers will nore wrth what cletail and exactness I hare given ifue io.atrors*f the Village *nd of all the poinrs necessary in reaching ;, *i ,pur*"lJrg'^i*,ex;isltnce' There lias been no arempt to vei! its location or withord a singre facilrelaling io rny journey there, AII that rhe st,rrent c$ [he story wirl require ,, *i*Jrlain the prc..ise crrrir,:nmrnr oI rhc \/illage rvill he a map of Sour!."rn Frrr,.n,and on lhe larger maps, such as those issnetl by the French guvernment, lora t, i*found in all large A.merican lih:aries) .n* *i[ frnd the

"irl"u ,f ntrn,i*Ui.* uor*Montpelliere.e ard tha other villages mentioned. An<l" even

"n ,h* "r**oo

"o*O,

o*f France one nlay see in tle south of the eounlry the mountain ,urg" nrr.lrurlfevennes r4ounta'ins and the River ifarn, rn thar section wlert the d* ;;;,thrc'ugh lhe cevcnnes are the BIac[ Mountarns--.the canyons to which on* rnus[travel tu visit the Viltage of the Devil.

, T1.* is one question r,vhich will probably be askec{ by many rcaders unlersX anticipate ir. "\t1hy h.r:

1:-u not shown sorne pictures of th* V;llug"f"i -i

cannot shcw rhenr hecause I did not niake any, I rvas warnetr not to att'ernpt t*make any pict,res of the vilrage;rnd aecordingry { diti not [aLe my "r*"r"'*i,r,me on thir trip, Pictures have always b"*n furtidd.n and I trusr *tu, norl Ullaver be iaken of this place; for lhose who woulcr iee the sightr der"ribed he.*iromust journey to the plaee *nd perscnalry view the sighrs. The Virtage of the Deviris more than a placc whith can be picturccll iit is tnly a conrjition of mind and soulas well; whieh cannot be pictured.

And now let rne guida rny readers to France orr a personally conducred tour,,sit cornfortably in an easy -chair

wLere alt is quiet and journ"i with me arrowgreat ,paces tu a mysric tand, leaving Le}'ind you the modernisnr of todav and theconsciousness o{ yrur physiral preseuc* while n:enrally y., pr.j""r-';r;;..;;;relf to the {and wc love so dearly.

lVe are indebtcd to rhe Ma*ter cf D"ho il.oclgr. No. l, ,q.. fuI. 0. R. C,. in['hiladelphia, Fa., flor the hc. rtiful frc,tisfri:,:e .:iL:hlrrq ,f nf," Cf.rr."* D:;;;,,,;iin Montpellier, [-rrr: Arlrnon.

(t

CHAPTfl,R ONE

1{ is generallg eoneeiled thal Eurape possesses fie mosf interesting

tnafiumetils of fiistory, Americsns especially rnafte Eurcpe theit ul.ii-

mate-goal when planning a grlnuilte sigftf+eeing trip, and few indeeil srelhere sf wealth ar even moderate medns wha do nol harbt an inttale

love f or the beauties of France. England, Spcin. /traly" Switzcrlandand CermanY.' [t .cannal be said lhol flris love f or Europe is inspired by the f act

lhat anly in Eurape can t,e find the eat-wwrl$" so Io spedlc, of thc birthaf the huntan race" While admitting thal abrasd De see the nnonumenlal

evidences of lhe beginning of civilization, D,e are fa{ceil ta ailmit" or alleasd gzue rledence ta thc tlrcory, lhat the eailiest rnaterial evidence" ofirrrman exislence wpon ihis ecrlfi is lo be f out.d in lhe caves or cliff-dn,ellings af the eailg maunil-builders D,fione peculiar conslrucciue nrorft

is slill lo he found along thr- Ofiio Riuer in the Unitcd S{ates,' ond

while we r.ccept the scienlisls" clsims lhat lhese prehistorie edific*s anlr"'

date Ell ftnown recards af men, De ffiay or maJi not accepl t/re lfieory

lhal the Ahb vulley was the original"'Carden a{ Eden."The charm af Europe. however, daes not exisl alloget&cr in ifs

magnificenl ruins ani, inspiring hisloricai remdin$,' &ut in lfie morc $ubtle

msgnelism of its poetic romance and the m9slicism o! its tradilians./n Jlris respecl France is Iftc mosd popular, and, rightly" tfie mos{

inferesling. fls history from lhe days of lfte Gauls througft the 9th,?th,lAth and up to lhe l5th centurg is one eonlin{rous rdle of rnyslery.

rofiance, valor, sacrifi.ce and qchieiemenl. Its lil.erature of {ficse dcys*1ft" 5orgr of lhe troubadours in lheir romance tangue, and {he nronftish

lalin fiislorical docurnenls*alifte revel in lhe deLightful irrcidents so dedr

lo lhe lover af French &istory anil French mgsft'cism'

The Caurls of Love, lhe Flower Fetes, lhe va{;aus royal ceremonies

in the chsleaux of lhe Counts" Dulaes, Lords and Kings, lhe imposing

crusdde$, the ramantic strruggles f ar the hands af the beautif ul fieiressesu

ani! the rcgal wars against religion, lfie suppre,s$;on of vice cnd ,fre loss

of prapcrty and title_.all lhese vie in their impressil,eness anil emalianal'

seltrings. These were lhe ilays af pleasure" lave and n)sr, anil France

rnore lhan cny other eounltp, was the slage upan which the lrul} greod

rccnes of, life have been so wanderfullp *nd fatallp partraped.

Ohe Htl[ugr $f thr Berril

;&or.

, Shoukl one t:,,ntl,:t. lh,:.n".7!1a;.1 ,Jfie frcvrc/?#ran is,,prclrrJ p/ frisor

"?,*l:{r}'; o/ its. fiistory- and 'r,f ;t, r&or,runrJ, ,,f htrtoriort.on"*.r*"

"ilu;,hir,\ n.r.anp lie h {o;.!arn rui* and equally oi ,nrny lrrr. A*.n i*uior;i,ofi,ri'hui/l,,by c comrnission ol' lrienrisrs, archilects cnd &istoricuns, n,jlclr ll

\q,ba1 Llrlt|enlly to p,restr'vc. {.ar f uture gutcralions of ftisiory-lcuing i

tdu'fols, lhe most anaicnl und listoricul of the nany charcaux. i;uaAi, i

crrsltcs, /orfs, D,d//s, r/urc/res orrt rrirtir'.i,rir.rl- /t is apparenr ra evtn rlrc mosr casuol loarist of southern Franee thar

the provincial narir,e"r eonsidsr rhese monuntcnts of fiistory ou pu.rrr*lsssels. T.hey bring ro their villas a conrinuous lrnrn o/ toirisrs

"fram al!.

parls af the world, who by their extendeil ursils, pc/r"oniz e their hstels,fleslcuronls, stores, road-hauses, garages and lacal meuns of rr.,nspofra-Iion. T'he natiye finds in lhe lourist an incentivc ta lpe.p thoriushiypasl.ed on the f octs relating to existing ruins, the /*g"rj, ,f tir* ,r,gone and tfie fiislory af those being preserved" ff* i, ,{n*y, */ir* rolhe..apytartunitg lo acl as a guide-at a smalL f ec_urrS f"ir*lp*rfeliglrt in being ub/e to poinl aul n?ar?], nety ,nrJ ,nrrrp*.I-i *;;;;;;.

. y's id- not slrtnge, lhen, that rn Soatfiern Franr"e, in dfie midst afse,:lions mlrere jourrsrs travel the mosr, where arrisrs wande, y*irly piu-r,orilg- the rruny beofts wa noty have on lhe,"Chalaaux of Fiun"u1,"o*dthe "Monumcnts af France," und wlrcre i&e nadryes orl" ur"r,*.6;ngneu polrrls of a.llurbrg irttcrest to rhe tourist, tltcre showld have *"iri"i"unftnawn-

-la lhe ourer wnrld until 1883, one o! tlrc most marvelou*,u.cird and rnpslcrious cirics ir rhe whote worldr And, stranrtcn sri// i*the far:t that until the p.resent tisre, in #re slory the aulhLor nur'pr..r.rfr,d/iis" city- of myslerg fias trreen wrchraniclei, jrs {rue Aislor3r unlo,l.d.snd its Seauly unpictured,

Bef gre c{Iempling !,o tulp, rny reader upon d personallg conductedtaur la this wonder of uonde's, ir is rucll that tr desc.ribe ,nnr* of rhefristorrc feclures of the su-rroundhrg aities in order rhar. onc ^oi iiuryore-11ju1n/ll cantprehenil tfte signifconce of !.he Ilistorg ano! lc1;nd oflhe VtrLLE DA DIABI-\. And this can be *"iou,ptkh"i ioiuintreresJingly &p descri&ing rlte ordinarg r.wte la r/ri, .fO ;;;;1Lri-"rtPorrs,

Paris is tlre trru& frorn which lfic uarious railroad tinu radiate an,lare.,earr nr,ofie rhe trip to sour/reffl Franee sg nigftt by leaving at abowt73A P. M. and go &y ruay af Eiian and Lgri w AvignoniwJlere n,errusl- elrcnge aars. Wc arrive &ere eorlg in the morniig, ani! afler abrealglast wa find trlrac lftere are several nrou's in whici we e&n (:on-veniently yi*n, d,Ile mpnumenXs of lhis eitg"

Avignon is a eity af 4l ,000 inhabitants,'the cultitol of th" d"parr..menl of Vaueluse. 1l is situaled on the lef l banh of c},e Rlhone and tnthe baeftground rises an immense rocft upon which we sea , df,e aneientPr:,Laee oJ d}le Popes, where fram 1305 lo l37V seycn sueresslue popes

q

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rri,i:l

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cxcrrr'me tke City Walls built in tAe l4lli cr:ntury 6y lfie Popcs, lJrcrpisfl lfie Calhedral buiil in I t t/.r eerlury (plainlg s&ouirrg n,ftsre i{ llasbeen rebuilt and rem.od.eled) ar,"d lftcn, desri'ing ta reaeh our de,c{ina{ion

cs ryuic/i/3, <i.s possibtre, we talie sn ornnibus ond cross tke rwer lo L'illc-neut,e,-!es-,4t'ignon lo uisil tfie Fort St. Andri. This b,:autifut n"tonu-

menl ol srchileclure is considered ane af lhr- rarest af the hind buillin the mlddle ages. lls imposing front, its mighty und war-lihealrpearence) slrooing plainly nwny evidences af slruggle and strif e, dan<tt lcsd ane to thinft tho,t within its rpalls and lowers arc a peaeefulearfi:enl and several houses containirrg ucry paor families"

V/e return to the CARE and dcparl f or Nimesu lhe next imporlant.ciiy on aur raute.

.It is necesscry fo spenr/ one a,l-rale day in lt'irrcs in arder lo bscom*acquaint.ed with tke many ant"iquities of speeicl interes! lo tfie mystic"

[Ve f*d lhis city to be a tyxtical, pro$perous prolinciol lou:n ofabcd 7A,A0A in'lwbitants, beautifully lacatcd at ifte Ssul&ein extrernityaf hills which jain lhe Cerennes (the Itoclry Mountains of Franee).Bef are rrs is sprecd a beautiful baulcvard p&ose lrces a.rnply sh*de us

as bse retreal from lhe ftol sun. Bef are. visiting the many sigfrds are

, inquire rcgarding the histary af the city and' learn thal in B" C. l2ltiis cit-u was called NEMAUSUS 6y l/re /{ornsns und that it wasilrc capif;;rl af the Valcae Arecomici. It became anc of t/re princrpo{

rolonirs of lhe Cauls who laaft parlicular delight in embeltrishing it. andin erecting mtny of the beautif uI building.s a,nd manumenls trle are aborrl

to see. During the l}th and tlth centuries this citS Das lfie propcrl3r

o! and ruled by tfte Counls of Toulouse, from Cuilla:ame in 800 l" .O"

, to the lang line of Raymunds ending in 1222.e Until 1744, durinsllie wars of religion, il suffered much because three-faurtlts o/ ils pop-

ulation l-wd embraeed flrotestanlism and. il r's Jodag sn imqorlanl ,own

in lhis respccl.

It was also lhe seol o/ muefi slrifc during the llth centurg when

the trlayntunds Vl and VII werc being prasecuteil and excammwit:aled

far ptermitting heretics cnd nryslics in lhcir donrafns, dfld claryuhercn,e find eviilences a! war, rebellion antl def eat,

' J)as^rri6 up the msin b.oulevartl (Feucheret) f ram lhe Cure" ps

see be.f are us, lacing the Esplanarle, lhe Arena, ar Amphithealre, Ilwas h*till.'during lhe lsl or Znd eenluriex and is typical sf the Romcn

. archileclwre. /t is in lhe f arm of an eitripse, 145 yards iongi' I I I uide

and 7A f eet high. Its exterior is in &elter conditian lhan lhose of Rorne

. becaus.e of the Commission's consfanf res.loralion anil becausc here, on

*The. geneelagy and ftislory of #rese ft,rynrunds

article in tlre try'overn&er, 1917, issu*: of tlre

CRUC/S,r{

Das sel for& in enAmeriean R$Slfi

rndn} sundcrls r&rcug&our r},e "1cir""

ds ,Iidn.$ cs 24,00CI specrutors seeryticcd sp,:nisir Bull-fr&ts; rfic cir3r heing'inder socialisi golernmentllhe maney thus derived f rom a 1:[easure- w.lrich' thc provin;"f ,riir-,

_ LIfe turn and f allcw t|re beautiful baticvard VICTOR Ht"fGO,w.here we find an o{)en sqttare" anil {acing TIIE, T'tt\Afng ," **tlrc ancien! and strange lvl,AlSON CARIIEE. It k one oi it*finesl and best preserved Roman tcmples in existence, 16 feet lo"g, 4af:et wide and 4a hifi" vv;11, 30 w'rusually bcauriful corinrhian

"nt,rnr"Tke date a{ its huilding is un,'gnoon, ir being ci"dited to ttn i"rtoa ,tluguslus and ths Antoinbres; and founiati.ons discoperrd' rroe*rlyslro:u- lficl il uos probobly localed in the cenlrt: af other impo,lar$buildings. /t is t/ris building, nhase perpettdicurar

"ia nortro,itoi-ti*rare slrangely curved, lficI rucs imitated when lhe Notrc Dame was builrin Ps,s" The Maison carree nsw conrains ancienl French coins andsomc sculplures.

^ _ Wy cantinue a f ea blocfts f urtlrcr and, there we enler th* IARDII,{DE LA FONTAINE, with itrs strange cansls pfiicfi y*"i wol"r Ucfrrs eily in summer when.water is uery scarce and. hatte"their orig:k i*the Roman batlu beyond. rfiis gcr.den anrl its canars n,ere ori{inattpof Roman conslrucrian bur n,ere greatly beautified and enrar{ed b,pmrcny miles by King Lauis in lhe l9th ceniury"

. Al llre side of the garden is tlre ancient Temple of Diana, ab.eauliful sight and sti/i slrrruing rn its ruins the rooms af"Diann andlhe rsre coruings. elose 6y are t!rc old Roman baths for **n ,ndwomen; the lormer being a slagnonl pool now" enclosed by fiigl!msrble walls; and n)e are warned no! to upproacft jrre sreps t"oiing"talhe

-waler tao c'l.osely f ar 'uno one has evet learned the depti of the f,ao!,and all wko havc fallcn into ii nerrer returned",, says lfie ple'asingguidc. IIre nromen's 6cIfis, so olten ref eaeil la in rimanc"r" ori! ouallen piclureil Jn porrrings cnd erclring.l are really magnificenl and arebelow the s,reej level under a privare lsalft and enclise'd &g roa,s ofeadurrns"

Furlher on, oulsidc of the city, Dre see the mysterious Rornanruins-of sonre unfnoon &uildr"ng, neler dr yer given oio^, excepl tfre0af "Les Trois Piliers""

We now jraslen on to hLontpelli,er, another ancient citg and oneurfriclr frus eansiderable connec{ion pitl, tfie fiistory ol rhc vitlage of theDepi{.

.But &efore enlering ttrris er'tp pe rnus{ begin lhe strdngts dndromsnlie sfory ulric& linfts dfiese ,n,o ciri€$ together and whick,-f or thefirsI {ime, repesls lhe Legendary secreE of our strange mgslerious goc{.

CHAPTER TWO

T'hc whole Soulhern part of France Dds s{ one lime part o{ the

Rorrcn Empire, and Caesar in his "Commentariesl' descri-6es lhese

regicns as CA{JL. lts }ristorg from then until its possession 6y ihe

I;ranfts, the Norntans and the English is exceedingly inleresting" $ut

ftcs no p/ace hare except to introduce inlo this slory one of tlrc characler.s

lreretaf are unlpown as cssociaicd in any way with rhe Village af thrc'

Dcuil.

During lhe first few cenluries sf ter Chtist, France aras gouerned'

mostlg by the variaus Counts sad Lords of ils provinces" A lfing ar',

lhat time was nominal as far as fiis in/luenca aver lJrcse spu{/rern

SENECLIAUSEES was concerned' I

Toulouse and its counly of the same name, ftnown lo tlie Romcnsr

as Talcsa, r:es cluays the centre of external strife and warfare; far',if.s possession meanl not only powerful rulership of vast lanils and'

wealLhll towns and praducts, but such rulership gave influence tai*orrqui., and rule over other adioining counties and irnns. IIrrs, fiejzeal to become Count or Lord of Taulouse Das sfiou,n by everyl,

European natian, and af ter Pepin the S/iorl ceased lo exercise suchi

rrl"rrhip, Chailemagne, lhe great ruler af France and Cermany, und.r-,

tooft tct" select the ,f,"rnd Ciunt. This" of course, *o, * n"* methailtt

to those who had believed that warf ate cneJ pcssession of the land gaveii

governing autlrcrilg.

Tlte man chosen by Charlemagne wss Cuillaume. /n tl,es" do-u'i

lhere uere no family oriurno*r, oid th;, Cuillaume, Iifre mcny otirers,l

n:as given a secotzd name because of some peculiarity, oid thui w, findl,

him called Cuillaume Cortnez (from AU CORI NEZ). i

ly'c n,as a son of Caunt Theodaric and as Coun! of lou/ouse tlrisl

Cuillaume had ,,rediale ar irnmediate rule oyer lhe Cownty af Taulousel

with its many villas, anil also ovef the important anil ancient cifies of i

Beziers, Nimes, Agde, Maguelan, Lodeve snil Uzes. The histarSgi

of ihis msn, in the many peculiar French manuscripls, is rernar-l\i

"tt" irr-;iu nu*."rout lege;ds: chranicles and p-aems of praise, ngtablu;i

ii'iuannav nt ffls1'l,fEs and LE MZINACE DEiiirutAUruf" He was c sincerelS religittus man and a lover af1

peace and iustice" i

In a rare accsunl af his tite we frnd the following incident ofl

inlercst lo lhis siorg: i

"He soughl a place for a manastery where lllose" Ii/ge himsel!,,

cincere in

,lheii religious beliefs and desiring quiel and pecee, nrigfit,

!0

/rinr" Ide n,c*!d si{ f*r &cur"s, and, sur{cundet! fus {lrese no}/e girJss.nd. warnen, wculd camlt*se and ,** ,orJu o! lave and *Cm"rs.tian,o&ife t/rey would showcr upon*him tliw"rs i1 *,ony *nlurr" Hrir-,ioo,n;as lht: ori!{i* of thc f umeus Flcn,"r Fetes, ond ih-. Crurfs ,f i;;;""It was in {/ui n;nnner that , "lbane ond B"rih* irrl _r_i*a"Beautitul" yaung anil

_n_able, they *"r* f onrnd- t;";;;;;, Jii._"""i:i"t,/r*p-11r.;1,s.5 a, slrange old sl*ne.rirtle buiit upun th, pinnaele of a k*gero,:i1 situa!.eil in l&c mounjains lea,Jing to the Village of the De;'il.- freretkey led a.masl enioyallu .li{e, coistantlg

"ouried by Duftes, [;r;r,Ccrnds, Viscaunts and princes anil at iiil ti,n", llrc cenlre of everya$nteivs3le f arm af enterlainnren!.

ln additicn to llreir charms, lhey w,:re wealtlry. Consirlerc&leproT.rr:rtg hatl been given la rhenz by their fathcr, *ri,;"r"'ii'"oori"ac J"rr;e and prcsperaus terrirary, theie were or.,oy, among trteir adnnirers

And thus the twa_ sisters eyenlually became engageil to tuo$rof,lcrs, Ms. Jean and picrre De ALmond. tA* ;, irr"i, J rl*_lxta, cxce,pt tltat they were gallant, romantic in their ,";i, **i'";;;;i1 ,,1r;r seenungly sincere love f or the two gbls. f h;y ;;;; ;;, "{rii,t"sirffi, &uI "curning as a f.ox, and ditigeit in rheir'orpiring t"riLrai","Al*o;'ru '"agerl;er, always irtrcxi_catcd nlth prons for overthiotu;r,i-tti^,g,don:s iriJ/r thcir powcr; and always holding themselvcs

"tr1:t-yfo)"ri..al!rcr gall.ants of the day, it is titite wond"i that they *-r--*"rriiri*acs -.u.tp ieious c har ac lcr s.

. _'."T!: Deyrl's pair" aas a r,omman name for i.hr:m; and ,,Frersd,u q?bb", seemed ta be the most apt der*:iptirn af loin ""a

-priiAc t : l"iond,

Their lrcme was situated in rhe mountains in trre vicinity or Mirlau;$*d l&ese }trcclg mowtlains seemed to craaft the acrttar" rorntirn rt thrirci*irnerJ clwteau. At least no positive lgno"wledge is cviilcllc'eil ,J ,r'ilexcct situatian, bur from circumsronces now ro ie rcrated, ir ,l ,pr"r*rihat their cl.r,teau or caslle musr ficue been in tt-,r i^*rati"ir'iiliiiiiir?"lu: L'illage of the Devil.

certain i/ rs' ,Jror all tfiis land uss awned by trrcsc rwo r4Rclffs,Alh*ne and fierthc, & nilme given lo tlrcm becluse uf thcir ;;;;;t'r;Apr.iri{y euen lhough in conslan! .,ompany t>ith such rrr,pi.irus

"hr;;;;;,as these two brothers. And stiil more certain is th," f ori ih;i JI"r-{rro lrrotlrers desired to marry A'!.bane snd Berrhc o"ty it,oi ,i"i *iino&loin possersian af this land,

. Rurnors hegan ta spread thut lean and pierre helil nightly ean-fcrcn*es ri,ilfi &i's Scfanic- $alesty; for, did nol many ,r", lh ,&*,ruaurrcr'ns near LA ROQ{/E STE" I|IARCUERITE, *ia.rylrJ*r",nf l,rilllanl. red? And, were nol llrese conlcrences ond ,ignutu;;il;;;t;g dire results in war aud pcsti/cnrr:i

t4

rVn tt,rt,,/,, ll^tl llrett rtrttttrtlitirts I:tec:anrc /orso'/den ir {Ire lo':uliti*:ts

frtlrcrc snt'll 1,,))'/n tl'('/r(' silrrtrlcdI IIrc prouincicll Frcn*:h ll'ffrc d

mr,crir Irtr,r/.,/r' rrtr./ l)r('r(r',rlr',ritiug thct prcdi<:ted s*cond coming pf Cill'ist

:fl;;. l:,i;;t"',i',','i,it,i'',,,] 7,. v*r 1000.(rur1cn rrris tuas * *,!',*

;;-;;'} tr,,rs rrtl.rirll.l, approachhq, bringing rvith it eusl! con(:etuohie

lorn, ,,f srr/r, r sliliort. '7'h'u'nni' n'cre fcrsa('in-g thcir Jrorrcs' Jir.cir

fri,.,,f . ,,,rJ llt,'ir ructrlllr lo iourncy- to lerusaler:t' lhct the Lofifig o'{ ttrc

L,ord rriitrlrl frtttl tlu:n't 'iiiii"

ft"ty precincls; and the ihieving cnd

illr,;,,,, 'li,,ols'ttdvantage of these fears of the ignorant lo secure porucr

nird lt,,',rlllt.

/rrst n,fip ll're:se lwo brothers and -two .si-cfers

never married is a

r^oltcr' of <ttrticctute' "-B;;-il'"

t*S*at relat.e lhal it becanuz fairly

-r"il".,.,"f,fitlrrl *ot John ond -P"t"n *""-in somc mgslerious u'ay

ss,;rrr.irrlt,rl t,itlr all lhal u.:ss evil, unf ortunate and rcpuls:iue-and-that'

litcrulh, il nat in f rrt, ti"i 'nt' Flqfn ES |DU DIABLE' When

t/ris irltrn had implantei"ii'i indo lhe -minds and lrearls of Albane

-,,,i )l.rl,-' , ni'rlr"n'"ttt"i a;'*'*"a thel possession of their property

rltr.s !/tc brrtthers' ,rty *'ti'-, ii 'o' 'nlg nalural thal they should Ioofr

r}itlr .sr:orn upon their;;;r"J')na-i"i"ri tt ern with rebufte and disdcin.

Bul this oCd"d o"ly wtath la lircir rnany c'il 4rraliiics anJ soon

Ilrcsc two brotlrcrs *rrlr'iti't.Li"rt "f *uni, "dittu"ion

throughout lhe

;il;;; o'i-iot'tf"'n"Frlo'no";'attd mwch nttentian ol !,le time n.ras

dirccted to the Cornt:s of lhc Tatn t'hctc' rlr lhc Blo'/g mounlains"

;;;;p;-.;'io-i*'"lt lhese {tro in sorne m3'sl*ricus lillcge"

Atbane attd Ecttrrc' disapittinteJ nol onlg in thcil '!ct'a' I;ut in

tt "i, i"";ii"in "*lr;ra"ir's.."t.ill" agrced hcneef orrh ta live .a lif e sf

uelibacy and teligi"aus "r,'"i';]iy'

aud" a f "tv monihl kLter relirui! la a

ronvenl built by o'a"' oi"tt";i frttlwr same linrc pteuious l't his dealh

"""i"'*nii"" *iu tr"otri {n-- thu o,*rrnLcins sor,e distance ftom thal

bearing his nonre' I noa' deserleel' tras giuen

Theit chatcatt, built upan the t-''-frt: .1':tL,, n *-* ,t pncri'"n{i nt'ux

'{ERGES"* Ihis chaieau

,becante f <unous o' tl'* IiJh" 1't"i" 'f a brathr:. of ilrese lr;o uirgins'

;;r;; "S;.

'Ful"'onl in' was et ana time a bisfiop af Ladeve'

' In tlrc -"|-lFE O{" Sf' FULCRAN' BISHOP OF'

l.oiiif il:t *r nF,n,-" f"Jr 4forth' and in a rare anil precious

'manuscripl whi,cl' wos di'r'*"*l"d at Campaus' ufiere mcn3 nronfts retired

";';';;";;;i;--eri-1," ri'*"'i"".ui"v 't i5t'-cuillenr'du'Desert'in l790;

'and u,hich is noru ;;;;'th* **n"*-"ipls.possessed by M' Augug ile

ir,|I*'; 'C;;

no., Fr*n'l, we find the follouing inleresling focls:

r"?'he J?ocfr af the Twa Virgins'

fX ,r,g ,on* n*onu"'''ipf of unusrrcl intel"esf lo mgsficr'

l5

FHC}I DilSD.:.rJ)4 Y16id('a",

ii,

Jr

,l

L

'"'l'lu.,r',: is r; ii(irtr.l in * rrcnu'sc{ip{ -rt:1elr'fi'r;' '!l {"*ui'l1""' '1e' i''i'

titl.,,t 'i !. cAl.l"t'l cilnisliii'va'n";t"t I i r: '11 I l'!"' ""\'

n,hi,ir srrrrr:s thrrt th,: frrll"i'rtor-''ifi:-;' i/iorg"') \v{xe: of tire *rut;''1L3

farni.l',t tt{ Il;.<tt"ttyt':ytaux'

-fint';.* stilX se'" *rt {fic rri:fcr otr o ntvun{rr;u'

sii,,. '' I otr orrc sit!e a{ fic;;;;;"t;;;;'.u Lt'n'ir*t'- irr rrrrrti 4';l st''tr

nr. 'i:. . i t,/ I/ri.s c/radca" 'i't'- ""-'&;r'rr S;ir'l I'r'l' r'rn u/rr tu<ts il' I *t'i'

d; :: .r, .:sll('/ tt * ct'lii u'lij ril's' l){.|"i } tr'if: l{(l'5 irr''-r'ust' of

[:, , sislcrs of l/re sarnr i";"''i'"ittl.'''"r'' f'..,1'1 i'r 'efr&c''y ,4Nn OrVfl

#tt ,Vlarvtis 'J'o iH;s ffiv'f,o;ofrrru ds d S'4JiV?-"'

ISut betare{hcs': {r:o u{rgins re{ir# {o {fle sonvon{" dfiey expres'sed

tltei.r utter disgu'ri f-' -Iuf ip'*'lrtru L'v ren'iun.ing cll c/oinr '* 1l':*

;I;;;:', ;ri: yrt *:{ ;:;l* ;:;l:.,T:Y:..f',lli,::f ilifi:lll:af lhcir PrdP(r{Y tl''ilt( li

Bul irr doirrg r/ris {ficp recliee'C {ftcl t}u rnanp iit{le uilla"t silunted

tll:rcin ut'ukl suffat ,,;';"il,,;";),,lta l'''"'l"p'i"*i oi /fieir ftornu's c*J

Icr,'ds, Conseqr'ren{ly ifi'"--";"'"'l'rJ' A*tla*a lo founcl * {rrrg* ci{;u

u,Jrc,c <rll ru&o trften i*ti"l'' 'll-

lli''tclt il{.or.,'frrJns nriglf ftolt'frc"' f;r.d:'ctr

eind lfie ,rl,*r n*c*.ri;r;' ;f- -{i{i,r" "

Aftr,'" earel'ul rn,sidcreiion ificy

scl,''1..{ as d/i.: sifc f*'r'ti' i"*'"t;ry fivr d"'rti"'s 'tf lh':it. lattd silrt't.tnd'

on rh+ 6nn4:s of tlrn t-*ir"oii,,'''t' *ii:.ili' tfui frleditarrancnn 5':'t'

Tftcsc Jrro seclion'r ';il''*J [fo'vfrgr'/fi{t 'rrud

MoI/"f,'l:,f::/-"

Itlittti"t'7-tt (t** '']lio";;;;';;;; ha!'J,n'"ou'rn'rr' M()N7-/']i't 'F''

DIli.lr Iv1-(1 si{t'taled "'

'i'l't "*';tn af 'lhe

lll't':{r" nodot'n"rirt'r}

?"iiese fccts are uerifred btrr stalenrenfs to 1:r: fr'urrr* irl f/flR'

Pl/-E's"l?i"j[bnns i" il'* follni'ins u'ords i

"Frorn cll iinru Jftere ftos &ean r: nr$ll-fomfld*{' trc*litir'n sup'perr"k:r{

6u Ific putr'lic orci'iu;5lt'ltt' slates ltrrnt (rllo sislrrr foirrrJrd il" cilrr

ai htantpcllier' ,,,,--;;til*d n'fl'i'"lf;-' ond ti*r o1l1'1r'ltllrd{s*lJrcrr"it*

cdjc,ining, fn*y '-l*.'iii^tit"' -'ri!ity' {'r i{ is pr'"'r.'r' th'r! {/ieu

pere sislcrs ny g'u;'ly T#;"f';-;.n' Jo*'' tittze belntted ffiisfrcfr of

l.,odette,'"

In ilr* tcstatncn' af lftis 51 {111'o1'' uli':l' m'-r'r; !:a {t'und i'' llrc

on,:icnl archiucs n{'!"ui/.!t"u'i'*o"a 'nitn is d<'tci; "1"''1" arr tfr* 4lJr of

b'cl,ruarv und"r thiiiil;ii-';s C"Irisr ''r'i" Ionuu"' fnr * Kils"'

Ir,: rn,:ttli<rrts tt'u** ti''o-'ij't'I"'*'j-'-lr' il"'lt"ij'ir'ir::t nl: fif/JIJr'

t,l;.1 .l.lti.R,"b-.,;;,';';;;-'"1["' t'n'n't'rror' "rli*]' rr":r(i rcsPotlsil:rlc ful

if-, ,r;Ei" of tftis uillage'"

T'he twrt sislers r{cnranded rftci a eoneffii's'gi'rft I'e nppi;fn{ed {o. s.rr,,,rr ;r,i,, ::,fl_i:ii-,i,_ t**tr::*1,*,;r,:,"f_,ry1 ,l:ifij,ffilx;ft Il J./,r,li r:.s.{lvC {lfles

f trorp rv' ll rt't"' pt"f'o ;*:;J;'/ 'nop h' s'rrn blr vi:itir:q dfte Li(u {,(Ju!'

unrl nilirt'J,o' ''" uii[TJ m - yt" #nuttg' tlic riranp lrrstorir:ui sighis'

\i]

,

t.

ril'

,'r{ Ffi ,:f si4 tri?4fr r.re : rlffigqqtilrrtilprdrlf.id{&4ffi i|i rfffiA?i4htfi h

, c.r*trlualLy eue\) hame in -t"rre

Blacft Mountains ucs deser{e*/; ond"n'lrcn tlrc gear I000 camc and Cnd dii nnt rir;t th, *o,ti"o',;;;;rleslrucfl<rn, lhousands returned to Frou.* irrrr- *" t.lrtr"i_*A,; fr";i;lilc aretu." Il[antltelLier, pit/r ils slrange t,)urra"ry uolti, b"r,o*,r {l;fiI,papula_t3d and by tlx: middlc of the i I th ccntttiy ull ljro,w{rdg;r";- ;i:_old villages in the Btafi ![.9u1tr;trn, o,rd

",rp*i;o,g iX, u;tiri* *ir"_tiliucd the ARC?J/E/tS Ol" fHE Dfi:l,li., tars forgatten c*rd onepart of Ftance, oncr- lamaus and. htfcmous, 1,,* trrr in ablhrion"

CHAPTER T[{R,EE' I"et {r.s noD, cot'ttinue our journey by leavi*g Jhe sfnrii,n at filant-

pilIicr and walfting up tlte rnain srreel,__.iiU€ nteCUntOXA. W*ttoticc Llral mcdcrn Alonttrtclliu is a r:irg of abau! 57,0c0 inltrtt:irurltrs,,:!can and checrful and strangely white. ff,is is due to the nhil.e linte_stone of the ground which tie{ pulverized. u.pon the rcads a,d sd'eersand_which the high rurnds /gecp conslantly blowirtg over the'bui!.dingsnrude of w_hite rocft, T'hc appearance is lilge a ciry in o snoar slorrn,for even the ttees are always ca"scrcd n,irfi rfiis wrrite poa,d,:r etnd ttl!.the buildinlls are claselg blinded nriIft sJruilcrs thus wiitened. fu{hilcthe,"efrec-t is pl"eusing, oid rooling in the shade, it requires otw tu h:;epruell veiled n,hen travelling, especia//g in automrbiler; ,rr.J rn ,&e sun'i-t is anyLhing but plecsing to stare rnto the reflectei gtrr* ,y wiit*lieht.

fl,{e slreels are sharl and craalpd, nilnaw and. roughly paved.T_he buildmgs a.re generally ,*cry old and if we tttrn into sori* of rhealleys we"finrl many. historical buildhqs lteing occupied bg indusl.ries ofnudern times; f or Montltetlier ls siiJl progressivc and ,ni"r nrught yorits antiquities.'on

one side srreetr or alley, unnarrctl, we co.n see trte ord chateaud.e Aragon, D,irere Donc lb{arie, Ladg of hf ontpellier, lir"d o,rd irr*n'/riclr fio;'ne she emerged in stately rabes to

'become the eueen of

Aragan irr 1200. lt is interesting, as d iypical experience, to irriri" tlrluold stone chatecu. Its broad entrance, seefi eyefi in madern Frenchbulldings, designed ta allaw pcss.rge for horses cnd. caniages, i, prv*dinside-lfre building with cabble-stones, and to ont: side,, o:r.iy norro*daor leading ia cilcular srone srairs, about threc feet wida. *iid, g;r,enlrance b lhc variaus src,ne roams and halls. H/hile rhe ntain builiiniv'loolis

small from llrc oulsiile, o,, nri tlr"r"i"rA"'rii-riir;G';;i;;;are all connctled piift secrel pdsidges and in ,ronig oi thr*rrrr"t orirloddly closed rooms one.may still see beautif ully ,iv"rl n,orllrr, doo^and arclres. Th's buitding, ;n lgOg, while' wirrley rf pr"r"i.t';r"-ir',pisilors, was accupied by a wholesale grccer o, o ,iur"hiur;,

"oa i" ,n"

of {}c prison roofi$ a coffca-rousring planl Dns irr consranr "p"roti.rn,rnuch to the disgust of the antique nnd history-lovirg pisiicr, ryliiie on

lwo ultper f loors theve were old Rcsaecrucifln Lodge rconts which hadbeen uscd trom 1843 ro lB59 by a Crcnd l.odg" if Ur"ttr"fi;ri.

'--

At tlre end rg Rue Maguelone is the prucc de ra camedie, adorned,i,ft fAc srr:ce/ur! FANTAINE DES IRO^/S-CRICES, A*fl ir,I9

iiE

l?76 and which laces the. Tlwctte. At nnctker ltatl af Ifte foa,-n D,'c

se.c lhe P.[YRA{J" a fine pra*rc*ade attrl patLl" and *rt #re sides.of

the gre*t r,zilings o/ ifie P6YJId){J a,t see fttro sr?ne group-s,-sfrangcly,

yet claquentl"g, Icliiirg lfre tole <;f i/1e {n,o sis{ers l,ho lounded ihe ci{3r;-on"

errup,"Jpr.u*nt, LOVE OVfr,IilAAM/NG SIRENCT[], ndrhe nrh.r, SfJlfiNGf Il VANqUl,Sf/fD BY LO{/E. At the

end af the parlg is the lartaus CH,A'|EA{J D' EAU, consfrucled

in l7 53.Let ws nolu conlinue an aur lourney to Millau, situated cbou! 60

miles di.stant fram L[ontpelliet on tlee left banh- af the tiver Tarn. f'riseitg a,as cutled AEIv{ILIANUM CASTRLIIz{ by tke Romcns ond

is lodoy a city o! about 16,500 irrhobilsnls.I-{ere we enter lhe CANCN DU T'AI?.N antl the BIacft Moun'

Icins" As the name indicates, {irc Canon of the Tarn is campatable

with the eelebrr;ted Canyon af Calarul.a and is as n'onderf ul in beauly,

if nol msre wonderful in consltucticn, lhan the fatmet'. /! is tlle'mosd

curious of lhe gorges produceil in ihe CAUSSES bg the erosion afllrc streams during llrc glacial epach in the CEVENNES.

As we enter the Canon we nolice lhe sheer roclls n'fiich rise to a

hetp,ht pf from S00 Io I 100 f eet and that the distance between their

,rrioil, varies frorn one-half to three-qttatters of a mile. Here in this

socJion is the,riginal Blaclg Mounlains, formcfiy menliancil" and il is

difficult to imagine anything rnare weird and impressiue. Cigantic

{amparl$ anil pcrpendicwlar cliffs at arrc time averhang the Riuct Tarn

and in olher places thcy retire in ietraces f'orm*d of several strata ofthe limestone anil as usried in outline as lhey are in those peculiar

s.,il dclicate colars which s"..em lo vie tvith ecch olhet in assuming

strange marhings; I&e rocfts Jfiermselves are shivered into a thausand

diffeienl shapes and thcre appears yellow litnestor,e, blacft schislous rncrl

and brawn and pinft dolrite"fn passing through lhe Canon, and especially llu'ough the Blactg

Iulauntain seclion" De ntusl lalSe ;irange tvinding courses in arder to

follow any semblance of a Fath. ,At times De are upotn some high'ontl mighiy ridge overlaofting c vdst and Sollonrlcss tatrlcy; at alher

limes we seem !o be descending inta thc,er'g bo11'€ls of the earth snd cs

the wag groos d.lrfter End lhe rnany srncll and uninttiling caverns efe

braugli li our natice" we do not remember lhal this place aras clairneil as

the domain o/ fiis Salcnic It[aiesty. And, were il nat f or lhe accusianal

spring" lhe lew beautifully colared flowers and some vegelation and

uirrr] nre 1rlould f eel lhaf pc a'ere possing thraugh tules Verne's uolcanie

entrance to lhe c*nler af t!rc earlh end irnn&diately retrace our steps.

But we hasten on to the village of Peyreleau, situated an the banlls

of the lante, reaching there by way of modern ltaths anil easing aut

walft upon the baclp of mules. tlete n,e PYePare far aur inlercsling

iautneg lo lhe strange, nrg"llerious city of The Devil,20

CHAPTEIT I"OUR

In ard.cr propr:rly lo enjay and cppreciate aur visit to the Villageof Thc Dcvil, we shoul-d spcnd ol lcasl. lruo do3s l!*rt:" bwt sincc lhevillage is uninhabitcil, it is necesscry lo spend. the nights $l MuubrEt, a]runicl several nriles disJant, which boasts of only a f ew beds andaceon"rnadalions f or bul two or llrcc lourisfs at ona lime,

Neverlheless we prepare f or one a*de day by talgtng llrc neccs-sary prorisions, food being unallainabla at roule, /l is neeessary {od.ress comf orlably, but suitably f or mcuntuin cl)mbing and with as liuletuggage os possiblc,

Ther" are seyeral ntclhads of transpartarion, ea<:tn lrcuing r'lsildyantta.gcs and disadvanlages, &uI at Le Rozicr, the vilLage adiiinirryPeyreleau, rue .may hire a carriagc sealing thrcc f or 15 /rants (g-1)and proceed to Maubcrt, a ritle of !,wo hsurs. Hcre we secure a guitlesnd lhe queslion af lransportation ta the Village of The fie,ail isdecided accartling la the guide wc selecl. lll. Layinne, the most paltularaf tlrc lrao rival" guides poisesses a typical French mule-cart sealiitgfrom lla to tour pcrsrfts, and his en{fiusiasft'c atgumenls relati:oe te theadvanlages af his gwtdance and means af lransp,ttlation arc cotwincinglyexplained by as many geslurcs os Dords, and it is amusing to see himiwld up /ris Jrands bt howor and derisian when menlion is mnde of,NI" Robert tyJro posscsses a few mules einil o/ro lilgeurise, ffiougJr lessslrenurinsly, claiars lris guidance and mule-ride lfte so/esl meanx ofb av crsing l/rc noun/ains"

lf we are aLane we accept the mule ride, but'if tkere sre threeer four of us we are lernltted lc ride in tha carl" Abaut onc-hrtlfmile dislant we enler tfie &orders of the lt"illsge of the Devil" anilbcforc aclually possing llrawgh i/s slonc CI?"ES wt ascentl lhemowilaitrs on tha righl, nhere lhere is silunted lhe ancienl CIT, DEL,f orn"red o/ roclgs, and wlrcre, iI is said, lhe Dcvil snd /ris brcthers whasoughl to marry Beilhe and Al.bane, sent farth thcir midnighl signafuof firc and a*herc lhe gfrcsll_u antl villainous consrilrafions wcre held"*'rom ilris posilion Dre qdn overlooh lhe city in general and slap. a fewtnoments lo eonsider I}e slory of dre discouerg af lhis dty.

ls /ormerf3p sfelcd, lfiis village wus unlpown ta worldly &isfory orrescsrcrr until the ye-ar 1883, Ifiis n fll nol npperrr strange, Co diosewho huvc taften the-journey. tlnril alter its discouery r/rerc ruere nrrn

fr,q&lic guides Io shonr IIle uinding uay" cnd die ciljr af Maubert, ili{ moy be ea!!"e"i! a ril3i" ruas lhen wnbarn and there pd,' n{7 iniuccnnert

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loi any lou;'ist, no mc!!.er hors lieen fiis ofe/igftl in mountain climb&q, tapass llvaugh these blaclg rnoilnlo;n$ trilhaut f aad or place tr: res{,

l}u{ in 1883, &f,:ns" 1"" de h{slufosse, o Jtosaecrucian, tuiroseclrau(ecu is ne*r !,i{enCe, .J5 rniic.s /islonl, ntade lhe unnderful e:cplatil-tian ai its lac$tion anel called. ih* attaniirtn of scicnlisls lo il, Themeiter greetlp inlcrestetl [Vlons.8.. A. ilIartel of the Frerich Alp;nuCIuo" pfio in'lntediatelg lisil{r{i ih€ villctge and drew a plcn of its

-STREETS AN D BOU LEV AR"DS,T'heilllage is situeted upan a plateau ane and one-half nri/es sgurure

rntd it **auld seem lhat lhis plateau itself oas especiallg created bgnu!:;rt: i;r f/ie sulc prrl;lr.r(r of si;ppurt;Ig a villcgc; lor, in such a rnoun-taiaous ragiiln a l*vel plateau af such exleni i.s remarha.ble and, lhereis no pa"ralleL ta it in the whale af Etrope, €xcepl poss;6ly the muehsnrcfler BO/S l)E PAIOLIVE.

l,/ow, wh:,le Mans. de h{alfasse made an explanaticn of its{"octttion and called the allenf.ian of scienCisls to il.s exislerr ce, I havenntple yoaf that the Yillage of the Devil and its surraunding Valley*f tl,.e Devi{" was lgnawn lo a f ew nryslics and learned ftrcn ilnang yearsbefare lSS3; for I ha,*e iil rr19 prsse.ision a rare recaril of lhe legendscf Aut,ergne rrr ri,&ieir mention is ntede af the suStposed council af theDevi! and his twa brathers as lwrefof ore descril:ed cnd giving afl origindl.s.Igcfc& a/ {hese rJeyils holding ane of their midnight councik; and whilethis rare recsrd, which was first brought to light" in 1838, gives a f ewminar details as to what uas helieyed lo exisl h the L/alley of l,heDevil" it does nal ottempl la give the carnplete story of lhe existeneeaf the tiLlo.ge and af llrc romance connecled. with it.

T heref ue., M ons. rte M alf osse tlid not discaver an hitherto unlinon nvillage, hut, ralher. rediscat,ered. what was publicty and ge.nerallyunltnawr, T* quate d* h{alf osse in his arigincl report: '"We c*nnul,without having seen it, farm an idea af this callectian of apparentruins, where, bg the side of racfts rcpresenting gigantic monsters {trefacsirniles of impasing ntanuntents. The wh*Ie entangled mass ofslreels" arches, Fossdgles and praiecting carnices, santetimes rnlerseciingone anather at right cngl€s, as in c lawn laid oul by line, s6ms1jffisgforming a crescent ar square, is a veritable labyrinth of about 500 ccres.lsolated rocl6, in llrc shape of lowers ar plsramids, are n.,ore ,&cn 300f.eet high and sarne of the SII{EEIS pass between ron:s *!EDIFICES 100 ro ZAA feet high" The a&alc o/ lAis hug" rpore irabandoned la complete solitude.:'

This descriptian presents rhe picture i,,€ sdd from rhe srd cirailelan its borders. lt'oup trer us riescerrd the recll aad enrer Ifie eiry ifse//by way of the main street, ca.lled the BOULEVARD nUn1rci-

lve are a! once imptesscd with the f act that na lwnd of rttan ever{aid oul l/ris citg,' f or we csnnat believe rhat rhere cver exisrcd et brsin

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so lcrlila in funlastic creatittn cnd so rr.'eird in eonsfruelive delsil, als

llrc intcllitcrtce u'lii,:ii rrus{ ltci'c guided lhe builtling or plarnting af

llris slrongc cil3r. And yetl Who can sca t}ral nulure alone, euen ia

hcr wildcsl rlrcams and most deludirrg scheme.s, eaet ptoduced llrc

arysli/-yirg sigfils lri: nciz,see? We try to be loglcal, reasenable and

sanc irr our can,:luiions, &uc we are haunted with the possibility, ges

even praba!:iiit-U, tirst sorie diobolie poucr rrss manif esting itself nthen

tlis city ivcs &uill. The rcry almtslshere, h''ary with the silence afdeath and lsden a,ii"h iha pa.llor af solilud*, nrSslery and f orgotten lif e,

mo/gcs us a,Irispcr i* reiserence,-reverefice f or whet WAS and whctMICIIT HA\.E BEEN. No revelry ar mith hete and no heartlhal can halp but f.ee.l that in dhis forso/e en place Cotl and Devil, happLness and iorron), l*r'e and hatreil, pawet and weaftness antl lite and

death meet upon the border-line"

Tlrc 5rcurd b,:f cre us is Jer,ctr, srnoolh, and in somc places actuallgpreseni;r,g c si,:re srrfc,:e. Ii[e a paucd slreet. On eitlrcr side rise higfi

BlJlLDli\i{:5 ccrlcd }y tfie mysderious hand inta lhe sernblance afchaleaus, farls, nrtd coiJeges' Windows, broad and imltasing, door-

ways, pass{tges iuir) (,ett fiALCONIES are ;Ir ettidence and we cannat

help wonderinE *! tl* sit"dns'e sight ol an accasional sioop or Erch at$omc enlranccs cnd al the linelp Proiecting cotnices of lhe highcr

Eui/c'ings.

l4/aliiing ii:rcu{;Jr l/ris maln stree! we come ta what mighl be eallcd

a ccrner, for her* we netice c cross slreet, at exactly right angles, and

f aced an eittter sitlc &g similrr slruciures. Further an we come lo an

imltosing si;'urJr.re piift cn cnofirtrus enltance anil we righ|ly namc

rhis HCT{.I- Dt} YI[-LA" ar Citp Hall; snd with littLe stretch afthe imegbrution ]rr€ con i.riclure tlrc silent myslerious figures of the

lormer inirabi{on{s af this city walfting slooly and deiectedly into its

caur! lc plan ltie riiaboliccl worls accrediled to them fn Ifte years 800,o 1000"

l;urlher on ft,,; r:rtfer rr CIRQUE or circle, such os ore so arlisticcl/3rbuilt fu msdcm r,ities. We are lold that tIris circle, one of the smollesf

in the city, is celleJ tlrc CIRQUE DES ROQUEI fES and that itslonger dianelcr is I 652 f eet, the shorler diameler 654 f er.t and th,e

uralls 380 f *et liiEh. As we geze upon t}lis sigfil we allow our rnfnds

lo atander ancl tliurlt ai the legend ol lhe Brothets af the Devil whalived here and tig io piclare the use they may haue maile of this airque"

Were llie nta.tg inell and wamen who slrangely disoppeared m their

time br*uiitt lii:re ard pul la an ignorninicus death? Were the fires afpesliicnce, p.lagu* *;d suffering hindled here, or were these bratherspartlg l',unlan aft*r all snd &ere :r'orshipped c mosler of somr: [imd]The human rnircJ is ficlilc., its paths of recsoning are oddly branthed uiih[,pnrags of etiticing illogical piclures and a,hen antalpned ond aJive uritfi

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llrc subtle power of saggesrion rre irncgi*e rncng t,,rings,' Iftis nrcy a<:c,u,rfor our sudden il1,ersian ta this cirque" far, do ive nal see in tlte inleriorgloom of tlis erena the lrsnsl:arent anil luminous ftEures of me,n artdD)oinen_on bendcd /grrees l,egging for nzercy and help) *nd cannnl tveh.ear the aganizirq cries of children ond ih" silencing groan of u lif*departing-i* a_gony o/rile eueryul-tere we sec rl,c d*rlq iri,nrorr':itain ofinnocent blood )

tlorrar fills our souls,.ae {rg lo rise above the powcr"lhat grap;rlesq,ith our recsor' but we sre he!.d fast, ca.pr.ive irt rlie hanci. ui'th*s&n1e unscen and un!;nt,wn ntigli that wieic"d lhe instruirrcnt whickcarved lhe f antastic sigJrts surrounding us,

we lurn to the East and pass thraugh o.rLother streer unnamed burma{nifi.cent in irs sirucdures. and pdssdges caverad wi;h arches whickderftened the unl6ow, inleriors of the ci'ourts; for.whire one may btaastof having enlered the variaus cavetns af rhe cevertnes, espec;aliy tltaseat-Raquefar|, where the famous clreese is *odor" oni -i ,ti* plrl*wlrcre the envircnment may be as gloomg, sti.ll one waurd nev..r *itr*1rtcrt entra.nr:e t,o ihe ilierior af these unlp"tawfi ccurls arrd w" or" h"id,id seems; in iron bonds and aur feer refuse the rnental volitian r.? ii?,rpd.r$.

Befare us ,,e see the CIRQ{JE D{l LAC, which is similar ineons'oruclion ta the Cirque iust visitecl, but which a!. one tirne canlaine.dR)cter. Naw, hoa,r:ver, as if to add to the farsalicn, farlorn and cheer.,Iess cspecl af tlrc scene, rhe_cirque is dry and we cannathel"p feeling ikmtper&ops nalure lrcs refused ta furnish to rhis ungadtg ptace anc-af it-tmasl bounti{ul, sustcriting grfls.

Neal here arc several AMATS or publir: SeUIRES and againwe stolt to questian wh<*her nature alone cansrructed tltis village whcrethere are so logicallg arrongpd anil ailractively located these ciiilr* s*dsquc,'es,' and if furrher circumsr.arilial evidence of tltis possilility nreyfd_yfly watft a short distance anil yiew a per{ectlg proporiionulFaRUM" in autline snd conrour similcr ta tl'rose ,frJn'seen on rhlreconlinenl,

- - - pul nlrhaps the mo$t Dekd anil suggestive view of alr is th*tt of tht

BAULEt/ARD MONUMENT, nlrcre are locsted seventeen r$*lirf*or monunte'nts, ranging h height fram lA0 tu 3A0 feet. They sttandst various orreil sp€ces between the numeraus casrles and. eadt is iiffercntin shape and, appartntlg, dcsigned lo cxpress symbolicallg tt * iiria"nlin memorg af which they were erected. of course, theslc are liftenisemere frealgs of narure, Lifte the_trernbling rocft fu the near racality,"whichtrembles et,ery midnight .so vioLenrly rhat one f ears it trrcg f all oid ;niu*the bgstander. Yet, lilse the lrembling rocl7, legend ,oyo rlrrr ii.r*obclisl6' nscrc erected bg the Devil and &rs tnro brotheis in *"nrroruof the terrible plcgues, Dars, desrfts and crimes planned ond ,rnori*ot""rl69 lfiern,

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As tae stand kere and vlew {fuese slrcnge tnonuments in Lhc tri/cle'ts

trlly and nate lusl ouiside of its bawedarg line the beauiif ul pincs, lllettrlrulc,s and holly flourishin'J at the basc af tl'ic maiestir: pines, and, rais"

ing or:r clcs see the same blue si7y, lhe same sun" qnd llle same spotrless

graults af clouds rri ,tdss avct n'torc cheerlul qnd divine du,ellings. uue

nwrr,el at what lkese sirange slrecls may hatre ance becn, what the

buiklings may hcve containcd and what lhe inhabitanls o/ Iiris Village oflhe Devil nruy have dcne th,:t Cod snd naiure in evident clngrin,.sorron,

untl r<:ltulsion, sh,ruld hcve brought dealh" batcrine.ss, inicmg and dis-

corisolalc gloafii upan only ane seclioa of the warh!. ond this in lfte nridsl

of f ertile rcgicns" surrounded by wondrous beauty, Cad'f eating peaple

anil prcgresive, aclive and religious nalicns.

Passing to lhe South we lecve lhe Village bg one of its main

entranccs consisling af cn arch tyltircl of the Romcn PORT and

{lanhed on eithu side 6y what rnay be callcd the Village Wall. Westand for a few minules an c slight elevation which afrotds anothergeneral vicw of the streets and buildings cnd i, is onLy al. this timre thatwie fully realize t'hat cll we have seen, lhe remar!1ablc struclures, lhe

CIRQUES, arenss, f uums, amphitheatres, casilcs, obelis,tis, e!,:", were

the result af some suange freak of nalure snd that na hurnan handDtas ioncerned in the smallest detail af the aonstruclion of the villcge;thal even llrc irrrposing courls, lhe doorurays and aindaws were mad.e

bg the action af waler" a,bil rlnd olher elemenls in ogcs gone &3 cndnhen all this part ol the world ntas unlgnown ta man"

Thus I leave you, my reader, on ycur any bacls to htantpellterand lhe land of the living. Your iaurney has been safe and infereslingand we pill rest a while in Montpellier whilc you review the wanders

of llre siglrts you havt- seen and I hastcn on to mg tnany olhu dulies"

I will rrcet you ugain in l\[ontpellier shortly" and from lhal oldcilg n e shull talq a seconil journey to anather slrange cily near bg

and there altend a few a! l&c Roscer:rucian rn3rslic convocations su,:lt

as are unlgnown to this eountry and equalled trterhaps only in Egyyttin lhe Temples of our Order.

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THE SUFREME MATR.E, EIVIHRITUSRAISED TO TI-IE HICHER R.EALMS

^, ,9n, January 2l , .l9lB,_ there passed from this rnater;al plane tolile Hrgher Kealms. the scul of our dearly belo'ed Supre."r:e [,tratreEmeritus" Mav Bankvstu""v, uao* "l-,ii r",- c.,r nai"ii.-si"*y"Mrs. stacey was_ a direct deecendant of oriver cromweil and anindirec t descendan t "f M";r S;;;";; JNi;'o;i".r.She was a native of .Ealtimore, t "i f"tir". I*rine been au eminenrjurist. She was seienty-six y.u* oi ;"-;il";;;""f "il;;;.""t,"i.

the.bevond, and ]eaves-u d*ght*. u*i;; *nr" b.tii"l--*i"*'fr"rahigh military positions.

_ , , Yo,\.r .Stacey rvas a deeo _student of myst.cism. She was agracluate physrcran and,a,graciuate Ial*yer." She had travelled t: nearlyevery.foreign land and his been "rt.rtuin.J br ;;;;;;;il;;,

possibly any other American ou"*un. ----""-*

. While.journeying $19ugh India her attention was given to themystic.teachings. of the Hindus and these rtrrt"i r,..-irr*'""r..r'"rresearch in that field' After having.trive.l a while

"ra rrri,"a'ru,r, *"""cult:, she-finally visited Ec.rpt *aiu"...u*"'in contart rvith tl-re R.osae-c'ucian Mariers. This was a few years frior to tfr.

""*i"e ;;i;_Order to America"

.^ ^Y.1;: Stacey dcired the,privilege_of bringing the Order,s teachingsro Amerrca and so expressed rrer desire. pointing to tLe fact that hlrAmerrcan parents and reratives had been among those wlro e;tablishedthe first Masonic Lodee in Baltimor" anJ-Ftil"d"l;hl;;;"ffiX;

Xi: -T1 otJ, 1 mernber _of the Eastern St.. Uri "'Olr;ft;; ;t_Arnerrcan Revolution. coloniar Dames, etc. Itr-as pointei .ri t" L-r,horvever, that the Order_could ,;i ;;;; tr- a*..I*""u"i*i ,h;;;,l9l 5. It was furrher explained tLut *lr.n tt i Ori., a;a ;_ ;;;ilidcome _through the sponsoiship of France.

Mrs. Stacev rvas giver by- the .Masters in Egypt a certain rnysticalJewel -of the orier .ni ru"uiit;;;il-;;; which she rvas requestedtc, hold until such time as.another ;J i; h;, ;i;il';ffit;;:T:::of the seals^ and tequested her assistance- in"estabjtr,;re "tir"-'o"d.."i;Amerrc.a. Mrs- stacey then returned to India und uft-.r-.ho**"',rr_rec:gnrtron she had received at the hands of the Master_ i" E;;; ;i;;was duly initiated into

^our Order there uni-'ruu, ;t;; ;l#';;;;

signed by the Supreme Council of the Worid.

a, In writing of her part in the-estabrishment of the orcrer in Arnerica-tvtrs. Stacev has put upon official record in the Archives;i,-[;'S;;;;;Grand l-oclse in'NerlrYorlc the f.ll;;;; r'rir"*.n,,

"tr furrher state that the said Jewels and INeoMpLETE?6

instruetions were delivered into my hands by tLe R. e" lVlasters offndia" representing the Supreme Council of ti;e \ff rld, and that I was[here made an initiate of t]re OrCer and a Legate of the Order f,rn

Ameriea. I also state that the sairl .lewels and papers were representedto rne as coming direct frnm [gypl and lirance" and tl-rat they weregiven to me to be formally handed to that man who should presenB

certain papers, documents" jelvels and "'key" in America' Such aperson having rnatured and being Brother H. S" Lcwis, tr did the dirtyexpected of me, fulfiiled nny co,nnrissic,n and with pleasure expre:s thejoy at seeing the work so well under lvay in accordance with the

xrrophec.y made in India tc me in person"

'-The history of the Jewels and papers are" to my knowledge"exactly as stated herein and as deecribed by Mr" Len'is. our Imperator,in the History of the Order as published in the 0fficial Magazine."

Mrs. Stacey retired as active lVlatre of the Suprene Grand Lodgeafter its first year and has since devoted her time to deep study andresearch"

She was greatly loved by all who knew her, Her kind smileaRd ever cheerful disposition as well as her deep knowled:e of humannature. and the trials of life r n this earth, rrade liet truly a Mothento all her "children'" of the Lodge. As one of the co-founders of theOrder in America her name erer shall be cl:eri:,hed and we know thatin another incarnation she will take up the work which she was unable toeornplete at this time.

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THE SEAL OF THE UNITE,D STATESThe Creat Seal of the United States is one of peculiar int*l'est"

and theref re we feel warranted in giving more details of its design andhistory than can be allotted to the Seals of the several States. Soonafter the declaration of independence, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams,and Thomas Je#erson were appointed a committee tc prepare a greatseal for the infant republic; and they employed a French trilest Indian,narnecl Du Sirnitiere, not only to furnish designs, but also to sketch suclrelevices as were suggested by ihemselves. In , ne of his designs, the artistdisplayed on a shielcl the armor:al ensigns of the severa! nations frornwhence Ameriea had been pe pled-embracing those of England, Scot-land, trreland, France" Gern:any, and Holland" On one side wasplaced Liberty with her cap, and on the other was a rifieman in uniform"with his rifle in one hand and a tomahawk in the other--the dress and!'veapons pectrliar to ,Annerica,

Franklin proposed. f r the device, IVIoses lifting his wancl, enddividing the Red Sea" and Pharoalr and his hosts overwhekned with thewaters. For I nrotto, the words of Cromwell, "'Rebellion to tyrants isobedienee to God."

Adars prcposed the Choice of F{ercules; the hero resting cil aelub* Mrtue pointing to her, rugged rnountain on one hand, and per-suading him tr: &scend; and Sloth, glancing at her flowery paths o$

Fleasure, wantonly reelining on the ground" displaying the charms, bothof her eloquence and person, tr seduce him into vice.

Jefferson proposed the Children of Israei in the Wilderne"s" led bva eloud try day and a p:llar o$ fire hy night; and, on the reverse. t-leneiitand Horsa, the Saxon chiefs, from whom we claim the honor of beingdescended and whose political principles and forrn of government wLhave assumed.

FranLlin and Adams then requested Jefferson te eomhine theinideas in a c{impact description r f the proposed great seal, which he did"and tliat papcr" in his lrandwriting" is now in the offi*e of the Seeretary

30

ut State at Washingron. 'J'his cle;igrr consi:red of a shield with sixquarterings, pcrti r:ne" coupl twc, in ierclilic p,lrrase" flr* nrcr loid,and an enarleled nose, red arrd white, for England; the second r.r,hite,with a thistle" in its proper colors, for Sc"ctlao.rd; the thi:.ci" green, r,r,ith

* hqp of gald, for trrelandl the fourrh biue, with a golden-iily-flo*.r,for. -rance; the lifth gold, with the imperiai blesl: eaile f.r i.rl,rany;anr:l the sixth goid" with the l3elglc cro?,,ned red lion, for Holianr!.These denoted the countries lronr rvhich America hed been pe::pled. F{eprop,sed to place the shield witliin a. red borr:ler, o' .whicli there shc.uldbe thirteen white escutcheons, linked together by a gcld chain" eachbearing appropriate initials, in black, o$ the r:onfeder:aie:l States. Sup-porters, the Coddess cf LiL'erty on the right side, in a corslet of ur*or"in allusion to the then_state of rvar, and holiing the spear and capin her right hand, whiie her left suppurted the ihieid.

^ On the left

the -Csddess o{ Justice, leaning on a iruord in her right hand, and inher let't a balance. "[he

crest, t]re eye of Frovidence i' i radiant iriangle" ,yho_sg glory shor:ld extend over the shield and l!e_rond the figures. h4.it*E Plw'ibws fJnrrm**"lVlany in one." Arot nj tF,e u,hole, "Saal orrI-IE UNn'ED Sr,ETEs oF Ar4EilrcA. fuIDCCLXXVL" For thereverser he proposed the device of Pharcah sitting in an open chariot,a crorvn on his head and a sword in his hand, pas:ing ihrough thedivic{ed waters of the Red sea in pursuit of the israelitesl nays fro*a pillar o[ fire i' a cloud, expressive of the l]ivine p'esence ond

"o*,rur,nl,hearni,g on Nl.ses, who stands on the ulrore, "nd exiending h;, lr*nd

over the sea, causer it to over,iyhelrn Pharoah and his f;lloweis, I\,Iotto:'"lJ.ebellion to tyrants is r:bedience to Gc,d."Jeffersrrn's device was highly appror,e.J by his ccadjutors" ancl the

cornnrittee reported on the lOth of Augr-rsl., li7b; but, for some una{_countable rea$on, their^repcrt rvas neglected, nr.t harirg been ;;enplaced on record; and the a$air was ali"wed to slumber ,rt;L ih. jai!,of- March, 1779, when lVlessrs. Loveil, of fulassachusetts, Scoti ofV!1sinia, and Houston, of Georgla, were appointed * .;*rntt;; ;"make anotlrer devicu.

On the XOth oI iV1ay foilorving rhey reporred irr favor of a sealfour inches in diaroeter, one side of which ,iould be ""*p"r"a-# ushield with"thirteen diag+nal siripes, aliernate red and o,lr;t*.: Srpprot-ers"a warrior, holding a- sword on orle sic.le, and on the other the

"figure

of Peace, bearing an olive branch. -fhe crest, a radiaut oo"ut"ti**.,of thirteen ;tars. tr\llotto: Bello v,el Fsce-"'For Wu, ., p*u"*,;;-u"athe legend, "Seai of the tr-Inired Srates"" On the ,"r*.r." it.-ngrr- "i[-.iberty, seated in a chair, holding-th_e stafi and cap. ft,I"ir,-S;;;;-*"Forever"-and underneattr, h,IDCCLXXVI. "

This report -i;;;'r*

committed" and again submitted with some siight modificutinn, [rr]r-stituting the figure of an trndian with bow

^nd orr"*r iri his right Land

lfor.that of a warrior)-just a year afteru,ard: b,t it *-r;;i;;;;i;;and the marter re.led t ntil _April, I 782. 'vhen Flenry Middleton,Elias Bourline a.d Erlwaia n"rt"ic."*.*.* uipoiut.,i u'tUre .o*,,,;i-t€e to prelrare a sea[. They reported c:: the 9Lh of Mav followinr.;ubstantially ,l.e .a'ne as the cnmmittee o[ 1779 and X78"0 I U.t" iLl.

.xl,

l

not being satisfactory to Congness" on the l3th of june the rvhole matterwas referred to Charles 'Ihomson, its secretary.

He in turn procured several devices" among whieh was one by\Yilliana Barton, af Philadelphia, consisting of an escutche;,n, with a blueborder, spansled with thirteen siars, and divided in thc centre, perpen'dicularly, by a gold bar. On each side of this division" within theblue border, thirteen bars or stnpes, alternate red and white, like thcArnerican flag adopted on the l4th of June, 1777" Over the gold baran ey€ surrounded with a glory, and in the gold bar a Doric cslumnresting on the baee of the escutche:n, having a displayed eagle on itssumrnit. The crest, a helmet of burnished gold" damasked" grated witlrsix bars, and surmounted by a red cap of dignity, such as dukes wear"with a black linine" and a coclc armed with gaffs. Supporters, on oRe

side the Genius of Arnerica, with loose Auburn tresses, having on herhead a radiant crown of gold, encircled with a sky-blue fillet, spangledwith silver stars, and clothed in a long, loose, white garrnent, bcrderedwith green. From the right shoulder to the left side" a blue scarf withstars, the cinctures being the same as in the border. Around her waista purple girdle, fringed with gold" and the word VmruE embroideredin white" Her interior hand rested on the escutcheon, and the otherheid the American standard,. on the top of which a white dove wasperched. The supporier cn the other side was a ma!! in complete armor;his sword-belt blue, fringed with eold; his helmet encircled with awreath of laurel" and crested with one white and two blue plumes; hisleft hand supporting the escutcheon" and his right holdine a lance with abloody point. Upon an unfurled green banner was a golden harp withsilver strings, a brilliant star, and two lily-flowers" with two crossedswords below. The two figures stcod upon a seroll, on which was theinotto, Deo f'svsnls-"1X/ith God's pav61"*i11 allusion to the eyeof Providence in the arms. On the crest, in a scroll, was the motto,Virtus sola lnvi"ls-"'\,/irtue alone is Invincible."

After vainly striving to perfect a seal which should meet the approval of C"ngress, Thomson finally received from John.Adams, then inLondon, an exeeedingly simple and appropriate device, suggested by SirJohn Prestwich, a baronet of the'West of England, who was a warmfriend of America. and an accomplished antiquarian. It consisted ofan escutchcon bearing thirteen perpendicular stripes, white and red"with the chief blue, and spangled with thirteen stars; and, to give itgreater consequence, he proposed to plaee it on the breast c f an Ameri*can eagle, dispXayed, without supporters, as ernblematic of self-relianee,trt met with generai approbation, in and out of Congress, and was,adopted in June, I 782: so it is rnanifest, although the fact is not exten*sivelv known. that we are indebted for our national arms to a titledaristocrat of the country with which we were then at war. Eschovingall heraldic technicalities, it may be thus described in plain English:Thirteen perpendicular pieees, white and red; a blue field; the escutcheonon the breast of the American eagle displayed, pr.per, holding in his righttalon an olive-branch, and in his left a bundle of thirteen amorvs, allproper, and in his beak a seroll, inscribed vvith the motto, E Piuri&{rs

)Z

Unum. F*rir the crest, over the head of the eagle" which appears above

the e:cutcheon. a golden glory breaking through a clor':I. proper, and

surrounding thirtei stars, forming a constellation of white stars on &

blue field.Rererse-A pyramid unfrnished. In the zenith, an eye in a tri-

unsl*, ,.,rrornd"d iu,th a glory, propgr. Over-the -eye,^the. wordsu

,Airnuit Cocplis._"'G"d has favored the undert-a!i18'"- On-the base

lf th" pyru*id, are the numeral R:man letters, MDCCLXXVI'; and

,"a"rr"Jttt the motto, Novus Ordo Seclorum--:n'A new Series of Ages"jsnsdr* that a new order of things had- eommenced in the Westerm

hemisphere-. Thus, after many- fruitless efforts, for nearly six years". a

u*.y 'ti".rpl" seal was adopted' and yet remains the arnrs of the

United States"

Whv did John Prestwich of England, -suggest the Pyramid. -for

America's seal ) That is another story-and therein is the oceultisnm

lnd rnysticism,

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?9

QUESTTOhIS Ahrr) AN5\ryH,RS

Q, Hor^r i* the sele(li.in of a new vehicle or material tody made hy rhc st,u{?

" A., Accordir:g to ri:e scul's s(ate of evolil,on. If we grant thr doclrrne oithe elolulion of the roul ro Le rrue,'re musr a( cnce a<.lmit

"Jrtuir, [ow* asscciated

with the process- qf evoluiion. These lalvs are: lhe sorl's evolulion o.*ri throrg!,expericnces, in the material body and out of it, during rts cycie of incarnarions;lhe rndeveloped.soul appears firit in the lowesl form oi mareiiui bodv--the ourelyanimal bo,J1'; derelopment or evoluiicn of tire sr.ul t,tlres the .oui into 1,;o1,".forms of malerial bodies. culmina{ing in inr arnariors in human b.dies: eactr-rnaterial Lody intu rvhich the.s.r,l.'pusresl in r/re proccss oy ctrolution, -uri;..;..;;i)be a body or vehicle rvhich will serve well ihe requirements of the soul in itsneeded experiences.

, with the above ourline it must te apparent that the materia[ body requrredfor the soul's incarnalion at _any lime *u.t .orfoor* to th.: requirm"io'"'rt'i[.soul at that time. lf the soul in one incarnarion has learned *"it;i. r".r""* *aatcned for its errors of expression, according to the law of c-cmpensation it.i --lwill enter a .body in its- next incarnarion which will permir irirt .."I ,"

-lir"- o

better exprcssion and erolve higher in its upward unfoldment, such a bodv woulcha!e.to. be more perfect (physicully) than rhe previous body of rhe soui, and rrtould have to be a body- born in'a far,i11, an,j in an environment *h.." noronly.greater op-port'nities vould be givcn to the soul for expression. bur wherecertain tests and rrials would come to the soul which it had noi ""p"ri.n,.J b.?oo"or which it required in that particular incarne.tion,

Thus a soul q'hich had beer expresring through a heakhy, nrrmal hocly rna family and environmenr where disease. poverty, teriptarrcn and sin werc unLnl*rmay have ils-nc::( ircarnatior ia a hody.boin di;ease,l in a familv or.nn;;;n;;;nt *;.rcrcdcd with po.;crty, sin, disea:e und ev"ry {orm o{ .r;i. 'fir;, *"riJ'il..;

-rh,

farma of_that so"ul ; it worrld test that sotj as it may n"u". hru"' b.;, ";;r;;;

b.fo.e.. The soul may fee I that it- is, beine tested-though rti* .onr.i",run*ur"'.itcsl and trial may n-ot come to it unril after soiely triedt th; i( will ..u ,Oh-doj:why am- I testecl thus)" 'rhe- soul may not understand, or it may comprehentJwitlr a divine intuition and, wirh brave efforr and admirable fortirudJ."u,''"i.ir,i.is to tcach me a lesson by which I w:ll profrr"" and thus rh. ,,,ui"'pur;"nilysu(cring, -ever learnin_g and ncvcr conrlemuing', will evolve in thut iu.iir.ari*"^r";,could evolve in no other way,

- T]rut Divine Mind, that Creat Consciousness, which sees all, .kno*s all and inJu:r, Kind, Wile and Mighi1,,^sclects the proper body for , ""ul ubout ,. lr..r""^,.There is no other answer

-unle_ss ye dgny lh. u.ry fundamentars "i itr-. ir*'"r

the evolution of the soul. In rhe Erghth ind Ninth Degree of ou, ior.k-you'*lHlearn more of this,

" .4. What is rhe difrerence bel,ween.the animal snul snd rrs (.orrscrousnesr trsdthe human soul and ils ccnsciousness?

n, The evolution of the soul, as suggested in rhe ahove ansq er. .l^he purel,.

animal soutr is the soul which is little evolved and is learning the hr,,t ,1i,"1".,of ,re6ncment. Just..as .the child mincl must learn rhe arphabei u*r.* ',t

I.r -,:"".;

and must learn ro discriminare in the crude and gross things r:f t;r. -n"t"r*";r"".-

discriminale in the more reiiaed and criltured, si must th"* *oui t"r.r- ,r.. '"r"i"

lessons of Iife.'I'he {irst lesson for rhe soul to learn is to control the passrons of lilre. Thes".in iheir f*ndamrr'al order are: craving for fnod,"".uving i* pr.;-r;r;';;g";ji;;

rf ia*, cravirg- for. revenge, crav,ng- for dor-inalion at any t.ost" cravrnq forgratifrcation of lusllul desires,. erc. T'hese are hase an<tr lo*".roiri,lr-'n-o; ?";;in" gven the."lorvest,-gra,Je of deve,loped humans, but common r" tH. tl*"r'"i;r*i,who lire wildly. 'I'he domesricared anirnal which has rearned n"a i" ;i";i ;i-'i;"*but writ until it car eat with law and o,rde-r, and has also learned to.h.; ;;r;latio"n for,.kindnese *hcwn, has a soul which has evolved higtrer i" ;-r-"ylt- IfI""' ,roul resi<ling in a wilC animal alrvays seehing blcod, revengc and B*y.' C.J_rlfr,

74

a, Do human souls ever revert io expression in the bodies of lourer animals?

A. Some philosophies have taught thal lhe soul of a human rnay incarnalein the bodv o{'a doe' or other lowJ, animal in its next tncarnalion

- There ss

no luw for' rhis as a -rule of the process of evolution, except in lhe eases where

a roul in a human lrody has permitted lhat body to commit sume lerrihle crimewhich can be expialed ir compensated in no other way ihan by heing -incalnatedin a lower animal's body and- re-learning lhe fundamenlal lessons of life. TheIactr'bearing upcn this ur* .o *"agt*" however, that little can be said" Humanroulc have Leen contracted which iemernher in this incarnation having been inthc body of a dog or other anirnal for a period as a punishmenl to learn a lesaon

rnd ,..m lo reme-mber the lesson. It is only from the lesl)mony of such hones{

and frank souls as wi!tr speak of such incidents lhan we can learn of ehrs law;lnd the honest and frank who rrill speak thusly are ferr, uafortunateiy,

a. I have read so much of late about the Great Seal of the United Statee'

with iis Pyramid. Ii seems that nearly every school - of oceultisrn has something

to ray regarding the cause of- the Pyramid heing there and I am anxious 'lo

Lnow-the irulh" Is lhere any octult explanationl

A. We thoroughly appreciaie ynur desire lo knoff ihe truiht Seal. Thur" fia* been much ado aboui nothing, truly; yei tl

n ihe truih regarcling lheru!y; yei the truth of ,the

malter is interesting and eontains earough ofcxplanation here.

much ado aboui noihing, truly; yei the truth of thetains earough of occultisrn lo i/r'arrant a eompleie

Creat Seal. There

See Article, "Tb,e Seal of the United States"" in this iaeue of eROI'dAA't,

w

THE NEXT ISSUEwill eontain a €omplete System of Transeendentai

Geomaney, as pradtised hy the Veiled Prophets of our

ancient Order" and never published before" exeept in

secret Manuscripts. By it our fidernbers will be able

to make Mysterious Divinations and Predidtions regard-

ing the future, and to aRswer all" quedtions propounded

of a personal and private nature.

Other interedting features "vill

make the next lesue

of great vaiue to our lVlemhers of all Degrees.

tuch a soul passes ftom the bodies of lhe highen dor&esticaled and-intelligent anrmals

lo thc lcast intelligent human hodies-ihose'of peoples living wilCly in uacivilizedtoun(ries. Fro* thit phase o{ evolulicn the soul evenlually passes rnlo lhe bodies

ol humans living in mire civilized lands. Where lhe proiess will en-d, we do moi

3'*)

' .. -.., -.., -.',. -:".1*.edb

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