--- ga: 265 title: "A. W. Sellin to Rudolf Steiner" date: 1904-12-14 words: 1037 --- # The History of the Esoteric School 1904–1914, Volume Two ## GA 265 — 14 December 1904 ### A. W. Sellin to Rudolf Steiner Hamburg, December 14, 1904 Dear Dr. Steiner, First of all, I have found out the following about the grand lodge in question: It was established in Berlin about two years ago under the name “Grand Orient of the Scottish and Accepted 33rd Rite and Sovereign Sanctuary of the Eagle and Pelican Rite 95th of Memphis and Misraim” and has duly notified the existing grand lodges of other schools of their constitution, to which they have not responded. The following emerges from their official announcement to the masonic bodies of Germany: The new Grand Orient has been established at the instigation of German freemasons who have been admitted to foreign lodges of this teaching method. The Sovereign Grand-Master Br. John Yarker, 33°, 90°, 96° has initiated Dr. Franz Hartmann, 33°, 95° (admitted to the Order in the Washington Lodge No. 12, Orient Georgetown, America), Heinrich Klein 33°, 95° (admitted to the association in the Pilgrim's Lodge No. 238 in the Orient of London) and Theodor Reuß 33°, 96° (admitted to the association in the Pilgrim's Lodge No. 238 in London) and the brothers associated with them a charter to constitute a Grand Orient and Sovereign Sanctuary of the Rite for the German Reich. The supreme spiritual leader and honorary grand master of the same is Br. Dr. Carl Kellner, 33°, 90°, 96° (admitted to the federation in the Humanitas Lodge in Vienna), director of the Kellner-Partington Paper Pulb factories in Hallein, Liverpool, Manchester, etc. and member of the K.K. Industry Council in Vienna. Reuß can be contacted at the Columbia Bureau, Equitable Palace, Leipzigerstrasse 101/102, Berlin W. The majority of the 33 or 95 degrees respectively are to be regarded as “stages of knowledge”, which are worked on in writing and require a study of the various religious and philosophical systems. Promotion fees are not taken. According to a manifesto of the Grand Orient, the high degrees of this type of teaching include[^1] secrets, “which have been handed down to the order by oral tradition from the fathers of all true Freemasonry, the wise men of the East, and are only passed on orally." Of course - the manifesto says - the success of this practical instruction in obtaining this secret depends entirely on the candidate himself. Those brothers who had found the secret kept it as a precious, self-acquired property, and in order to avoid being misunderstood or even ridiculed by everyday people, they hid it under symbols, just as we still do today. With the help of these symbols, our high degrees give the brother the opportunity to obtain certain proof of the immortality of man. He needs to be convinced of his survival after death in order to be truly happy in this life. Therefore, the mysteries of all religions and schools of wisdom have also dealt with this question as their highest and most noble task. The Church also does this, but it refers the seeker to the way of grace. However, our order makes it possible for every seeker to unite with the world consciousness, the primal creative power, consciously and deliberately in this life by practical means. The new Grand Orient publishes a magazine entitled “Oriflamme”, which is published by Max Perl in Berlin. Dr. Franz Hartmann is to supply most of the contributions for it. I only know the “Historical Edition of the Oriflamme” from 1904. This begins with the greeting “Peace, Tolerance, Truth!” and then reproaches the Freemasons for their ignorance regarding the development and true essence of Freemasonry. In particular, Findel is said to be completely unreliable as a Masonic historian; however, the examples given in support of this assertion are few or not at all convincing. The author rejects the idea that Freemasonry emerged from the old masons' guild and traces its origins back to the Knights Templar. However, there is no protocol evidence for this, since it was strictly forbidden to make any written records of the meetings or of membership of the masonic and rosicrucian bodies that cultivated the tradition of the Knights Templar. The evidence available for this connection with the Templars is only communicated to initiates. The accuracy of this claim is, of course, uncontrollable, and the maintenance of such historical secrecy in our public-seeking time is at least incomprehensible. Fortunately, the origin of the Scottish 33° Rite, as far as it is traced back to Frederick the Great's documents (Charlestown system), is described as a grand order lie, and it is stated that the system associated with the order of Memphis and Misraim is the legitimate system of Br.[^2] But since the new order, in its innermost essence, is thoroughly theosophical in character, I shall pay very special attention to it and even seek direct contact with its leaders. Should I become convinced that it can serve the Theosophical movement, then the question of how this can best be done can be discussed between us on occasion.[^3] Enclosed, I am sending you my lodge lecture “Princely Brothers,” but please return it as soon as possible, as it is one of a series of lectures and I will probably need to refer to it again. With warm regards, Your most humble, A.W. Sellin. --- [^1]: This manifesto is printed and discussed by Rudolf Steiner in the lecture Berlin, December 9, 1904. [^2]: Sellin, whose own lodge at that time worked according to the Cerneau rite, points here to the contrast between the two Scottish 33% systems (Cerneau and Charleston). The system created in Charleston, USA, around 1801/02 is said to have changed the original rituals, which go back to Cerneau (1763-1829), by means of forged documents. In the “Historical Edition of the Oriflamme” cited by Sellin, which was co-authored by Yarker, it is stated that the earlier, legitimate Cerneau system is used for the Scottish Rite. [^3]: Rudolf Steiner must have informed Sellin orally that he had already made contact with the Order himself in the meantime. This also explains why he makes no reference to Sellin's efforts of 1904 in his letter of August 15, 1906. Cf. page 50.