Thoughts and Personal Experiences
The Hidden Key of Martinism
Its triple constitution : physical, mental and spiritual.

When a "Man of the stream" becomes a searcher and starts on the long road of the initiatory Royal Path which should make him an Adept, or at least bring him closer to God, several possibilities present themselves to him:
There are first the so-called Service-clubs: Rotary, Kivanis... There he will learn charity, and if he goes forward on that path, he will learn to speak in public, and later, invested with some form of rank, he will certainly feel himself 'bigger' and happy in his everyday life. But he will be far, very far from being an Adept and will not have achieved practically any spiritual progress.

Next, he may enter one of the numerous secret societies, and specifically into the most important of these, Freemasonry. Already at this level, on the continent, there are several choices: the atheistic lay FM of the Grand Orient de France or the deist or theist FM (Grand Loge de France or Grande Loge Nationale Française), or the spiritual FM (Memphis-Misraim) (the GODF and the GLNF being federations of rites, they each encompass several rites). Indeed, what is important is not the Obedience you chose, but the rite you follow, as this is the path along which you will advance.

What will our "searcher" learn here? He certainly will meet people he wouldn't otherwise have known, he will experience some very beautiful and unforgettable ceremonies, he will certainly learn some discipline and also some tolerance (the respect of other's opinions) and fraternity. Possibly he will even gain some notion of symbolism.

He will travel a long, long road that will take him, at the end of his life, to one of the final degrees of his rite (constitution). During his journey he will have been assigned numerous grandiose titles, which certainly will have helped him a lot in his life, showing him his certain 'superiority' over all common mortals. Indeed, isn't it a sublime pleasure to go for a walk in town as "Prince Rose-Cross", "Chief of the Tabernacle" or " Knight Beneficent of the Holy City"?

However, one day, looking at himself in the mirror, he will discover the futility, the emptiness of all these titles and degrees, and he will ask himself: What progress have I made during the last 20, 25 or 30 years in that society with all these high grades? What did I really get from this Masonic life, these degrees and titles? Have I progressed spiritually? Did I approach the divine Light, come closer to God? Is there nothing else to acquire in this life than some nice souvenirs, some tolerance and fraternity and some notion of symbolism? Should I be satisfied with a purely philosophical humanitarianism?

Then, by chance (as though chance existed!), someone tells him about Martinism, of the Martinist Order or the Martinist Orders, where friends, as well as having acquired a lot of esoteric notions, found themselves really transformed after a number of months.

But, here also, several paths present themselves to him, different rites (constitutions), the rite of Philippe ENCAUSSE, the rite or the rites of his father, PAPUS, a so-called "Russian" rite, the "Masonic" rite of the Elect Cohen, etc.

And, to make some sense out of this, it occurred to me to apply the teachings of the American Edgar CAYCE to Martinism. During his life, Edgar CAYCE, helped thousands of people by giving more than 15.000 readings in a self-hypnotic state: He held that the human body's constitution is triple: physical, mental and spiritual ("Body, Mind and Soul"). Thus, if this formula were applied to Martinism (not as an Order, but as a movement), would it also be triple, with a physical, material part, a mental and intellectual part, and a spiritual one? Let's look at this a bit closer.

A. The physical part.
As the physical part, I see our heritage of MARTINEZ DE PASQUALLY and the work carried out within at least the first degrees of the Order he created: The Order of Knight Masons Elect Cohen of the Universe ('Cohen' meaning 'priest'). Historically it is the first draft of Martinism. This Order was intended to be a Masonic Order, but a very special Masonic Order. Here we are taught to perform rituals at home, to consecrate water, salt, candles, etc., to draw circles of protection, to pay attention to the quality of time, calculating the most appropriate moment in which to perform this or that ritual. This means that we learn to use 'matter' correctly. Besides which, this way is called the 'operative way' and we do all this in order that the Invisible will 'materialise' Himself, giving us a sign, a so-called 'passe' on a section of wall, or manifesting Himself through sound, and so the assurance to be linked with superior entities, Saints, Apostles, Angels?

B. The mental or intellectual part.
Historically, this came after-MARTINEZ time, in the person of Louis-Claude de SAINT-MARTIN. Do we not call him "the Unknown Philosopher"? It is on this base that PAPUS founded his Martinist Order around 1880. Still to-day, this is the normal work of our Martinist Chapters, where we learn some esoteric or occult notions, the Table of Correspondences, the writings of Louis-Claude de SAINT-MARTIN, part of the Hebraic Kabbalah, etc. All this is mental, intellectual work.

C. The spiritual part.
It is tempting to put here the high grades of the Elu Kohen Order, because by its theosophico-moral aim, really pure and elevated, this Order had also a spiritual part. Indeed, were the obtained "passes" not considered as the proof that the operator was reconciled with God? Was the last and most sublime goal at which the whole Order aspired not the evocation of Christ's image and to obtain his visible presence?

But it seems that for one reason or another the Order was not meant to survive, at least on a large scale. Was it because of the extreme difficulty to follow its discipline in full and the appalling infrequency of the obtained results? Was it due to the ultra-limited number of Reaux-Cross? Was it because "the time of vision is not a time of faith"?
Therefore my decision to place here, in the spiritual part, only everything that happened around Master PHILIPPE of Lyons and his companions, PAPUS, Marc HAVEN, SÉDIR, PHANEG, etc. Could it be that PAPUS was specially 'chosen' to create the Martinist Order? And to what end? What was the real reason behind the founding of the Martinist Order?

Let's recall a very important text of PAPUS ("The Incarnation of the Elect") that has already been published in issue No. 6 of this Bulletin, but which we shall republish on the following pages. Here is the passage which is most important here:
" And I was not allowed to write the mystery of this incarnation when eleven elect passed by the sun to accompany him who came deliberately back on Earth, and the eleven arrived at the sun five years after half the century."

ELEVEN elect arrived at the sun, and incarnated themselves in 1855! Who were they? Eleven out of the twelve Apostles? Then, is it too much to ask oneself why They reincarnated themselves, and to imagine that the aim of Their coming was to form, some years later, the group of companions around Master PHILIPPE of Lyons?

If this is so, we must weigh up the importance of all that occurred around Master PHILIPPE of Lyons through until His departure on Wednesday, August 2nd, 1905. This idea gives a totally different perspective on the life and the words of Master PHILIPPE...

I am perfectly aware that many Martinists will not share this point of view and will try to bring this down to the realm of illuminism or legend, putting it down to my "personal cult" for Master PHILIPPE. However, please note that I do not reveal anything here, I only say that I was allowed to discover the importance of this text of PAPUS and to draw my conclusions from it.

Nevertheless, it is true that meeting our Martinist "Ancients" we are allowed, from time to time, rarely it is true, but all the more validly, to apprehend and understand some ideas, some sentences, barely whispered, which have never been stamped "TOP SECRET", but to which people only allude. It is true that by their transcendence and superiority they are clearly not intended for the general public. As the marvels of the Universe exposed to all eyes do retain only the attention of a very small number, if I mention them, it is in the firm belief that those chosen to understand will understand; may the others continue to hope, but, at least, stay silent, because the subject is beyond them!

Let us continue in order, perhaps, to discover some other elements that could corroborate my thesis. Thus, do we not have in our Martinist rituals, in the East and on the left side of the Initiator, the chair of Master PHILIPPE? Does this not mean that in reality it's He who presides over our meetings?

Conclusions

What conclusions can we draw from this thesis?

First, that the sole true doctrine of Martinism is contained in Master PHILIPPE's sayings, the most important ideas of which may be found in the two books published about Him. The first of these books is by Alfred HAEHL (and has been translated into English). The second, is by Philippe ENCAUSSE. They are also well presented in the book "Revelations" by 'Michel de Saint-Martin' (Marcel ROCHE). (Thus I was right to have its 12 chapters studied by all those who have practised Martinism with me...).

Well, if it is easy to 'study' (mentally) the texts of PAPUS, SÉDIR, PHANEG, MARC HAVEN, etc., I think that the true spiritual profit can only be drawn through personal efforts. One must try to assimilate the teachings, to direct our lives according to these precepts, the instructor showing the way, the 'pupil' trying to follow him... This shows us the difficulty there is to progress spiritually, even in Martinism, but, what good fortune, at least, to have such Masters!

Another conclusion: Reaffirming my ideas on the doctrine of Reincarnation professed by Master PHILIPPE. PAPUS wrote a book on this subject, which has even been translated into English. Edgar CAYCE, a very religious person (who read the Bible once each year) was very sceptical about this theory, but had to accept it when in the last years of his life several answers from the Akashic records revealed to him that the origin of some of our illnesses was to be found in prior lives. It is true that this theory is beyond some people's level. May all those of our members who have difficulty in dealing with it, think about what I have advanced above. I hope that one day Heaven will allow them to have a different view on these things.

Another very important conclusion is that by our own Martinist activity, by the activity chosen in our Chapters, even chosen by the Martinist Orders and their Presidents, we show the level we are at. Most of the activity of the Order of the Elect Cohen inevitably takes place on the physical plane, the first level of Martinism. All study of a texts of Louis-Claude de SAINT-MARTIN, all our little kabbalistic workings, etc. pertain without doubt to the mental or the second level. Only the study of the texts and the teachings of PAPUS, SÉDIR, PHANEG, MARC HAVEN, etc., because of their origin, belong to the spiritual part, the third and last level of Martinism.

In this light can be judged my lack of understanding for those who carry the activities of a Martinist Chapter back to the level of a Masonic Lodge. In their blindness, and because this is the only way they know how to lead a group, they go backwards and without knowing, they tarnish a noble system...

My lack of understanding also extends to those who, instead of working the intended Cohen rituals, run off after grandiose Elu Kohen titles, 'Grand Master Cohen' and 'Reau-Cross'... Do they really think that when provided so quickly and without personal effort, one of these titles would give them more power over their BB and SS and that after their departure from Earth they would occupy a more privileged place in Heaven? Do they not know the difference between a real 'Reau-Cross' and a puppet, an empty shell?
Being moved by too much haste, there is no doubt that certain consecrations have been premature and thus let me have lots of regrets. Even though they were men of desire, they had only at a weak, even at a very weak, degree the ability to be successful in magic ceremonies. As SAINT-MARTIN said, they had "little astral". That's why they take so long to obtain an appreciable result in the magic operations of the Elu Kohen Order.

My lack of understanding also includes those Martinists who follow the so-called 'Russian' ritual lacking any reference to Master PHILIPPE, and, thus, the huge error of Robert AMBELAIN in his whole Martinist activity: without doubt, he was off the point...

My lack of understanding for those so-called Martinists from Brussels who in their concern "to keep only the essential part" of the Martinist rituals, have truncated them.

Not surprisingly they then no longer find in them that help which we, however, find there. A Holy Mass is more than the single element of Holy Communion...

But I do very well understand those who stay outside all Martinist activities and Orders, while being devoted only to SÉDIR's texts (the French 'Amitiés Spirituelles').

Let us also mention that by placing all the structures of our Grand Priory under the aegis of Martinism, including the RÉR of Martinist origin, we made the right choice. Did Robert AMADOU not state in his definition of Martinism, he "is also a Martinist who belongs to the RÉR", basing himself on the theoretical martinezist teachings which WILLERMOZ grafted onto the rite of the German "Strict Templar Observance"? So our nice CBCSs are budding, virtual, Martinists, because apart from what all Masons learn or should learn in Freemasonry, did they learn anything different in the RÉR branch? Did they progress spiritually on the day they were consecrated CBCS? This RÉR, apart from its Martinist origin, is different, what does it have in addition to what all other Masonic Orders have? It is true that one may acquire the title of CBCS! That does advance you enormously...

Compared to other ways, Martinism is a difficult one, not very suited to the present time where every body looks for happenings, because in Martinism things happen 'like that' if one is worthy, and if not do not happen at all.

Let us conclude with the wish that from now on, in all our Martinist work, the spiritual part of Martinism be emphasised, at least for those who come to us with previously acquired initiatory notions. All summonses should therefore include on the agenda the study of a text pertaining to the third spiritual part of Martinism. Because if our aim is first to give all our members a strong grasp of occultism (mental part), the final goal remains the "spiritualization of all beings" (Jean BRICAUD), where humility and service to others count more than all signs of egotism, of whatever sort.