Ancient and Mystical Order of the Rosae Crucis (AMORC)

The largest of the several Rosicrucian organizations operating in North America and Europe, the Ancient and Mystical Order of the Rosae Crucis (AMORC) was founded in 1915 in New York City by H. Spencer Lewis (1883-1939). Lewis dates efforts to found the order to 1909 when he met with French Rosicrucians at Toulouse for his original initiation. Upon his return to America, he began holding meetings. AMORC headquarters moved to Florida and then in the early 1920s to San Jose, California, where it is now located. Here Lewis and the order, which were becoming well known due to a publicity campaign, were sued by the Rosicrucian Fraternity under the leadership of R. Swinburne Clymer. The courts, as an outcome of the case, acknowledged the AMORC as the legitimate Rosicrucian Order and since then the phrase has been trademarked by the group.

The AMORC teaches that God created the universe according to a set of immutable laws. Human beings succeed in this life through attaining mastership, the ability to bring into material expression the things which one mentally images. The techniques taught to students are presented through a correspondence course, leading to mastery. As each level is successfully completed, the student is admitted to a higher degree and given a more advanced set of lessons. Members may, but are by no means required to, attend local gatherings of students variously designated as lodges, chapters, or pronaoi, depending upon their strength.

The AMORC sees itself as the continuation of the ancient mystery schools of the Middle East, once headed by Solomon and Amenhotep. According to its own history, the group works in 180-year cycles in which public activity is followed by a period of secrecy and silence. Thus is explained the broken history of the order. A new public cycle began in 1909. Among the famous people claimed as Rosicrucians are Isaac Newton, Rene Descartes, Benjamin Franklin, and Francis Bacon.

H. Spencer Lewis was succeeded by his son, Ralph M. Lewis (1904-1987), who headed the order for almost half a century. He was followed by Gary L. Stewart, which proved to be a disastrous choice, as it was discovered that Stewart was quietly moving the order's money into a bank account in the tiny kingdom of Andorra. He was removed from office, and Christian Bernard was selected as the new Grand Imperator.

The AMORC has attained a relatively high profile due to its continuing mass publicity campaign, making it a large international organization with members in 85 countries around the world. In 1990 there were over 250,000 members, 163 chartered groups in the United States, and 44 in Canada. Its Egyptian Museum and headquarters complex located in San Jose are popular tourist attractions. The order publishes two magazines, Rosicrucian Digest and Rosicrucian Forum, the latter for members only. Website: http://www.amorc.org/.

Sources:

Lewis, H. Spencer. Rosicrucian Manual. San Jose, Calif.: Rosicrucian Press, 1941.

——. Rosicrucian Questions and Answers. San Jose, Calif.: Supreme Grand Lodge of the AMORC, 1969.

Lewis, Ralph M. Yesterday Has Much to Tell. San Jose, Calif.: Supreme Grand Lodge of the AMORC, 1973.

"Special Ralph M. Lewis Memorial Issue." Rosicrucian Digest (1987).