Talk:Freemasonry/Rosecrucian
Rosicrucianism Influence on Freemasonry[edit]
According to Jean Pierre Bayard, two rites of Rosicrucian inspiration emerged from the end of 18th century.[citation needed] One was the Rectified Scottish Rite, which was widespread in Central Europe where there was a strong presence of the "Golden and Rosy Cross".[citation needed] The other was the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, practiced in France.[citation needed] During the 18th century, there were several rites practiced in Freemasonry based on the Renaissance universe of hermeticism and alchemy, which was created by the Rosicrucians of 17th century or earlier.[citation needed]
Although many serious research attempts were made to learn about the change from the operative Masonry to the speculative Masonry, no concrete answer has yet been found, other than it occurred between the end of 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century. Two of the first speculative Masons were Sir Robert Moray (1600-1675) and Elias Ashmole (1617-1692), of a Masonic lodge meeting in Warrington, Lancashire.
There is no documented evidence for Chistopher McIntosh's speculation that Robert Fludd (1574-1637) may have been a Mason. Neither is there any documented evidence to suport Arthur Edward Waite (1857-1942) speculating that Fludd may have introduced a Rosicrucian influence into Freemasonry. However Robert Vanloo states that earlier 17th century Rosicrucianism had a considerable influence on Anglo-Saxon Masonry. Hans Schick sees in the Rosicrucian works of Comenius (1592-1670) the ideal of the newly born English Masonry before the foundation of the Grand Lodge in 1717.[citation needed] Comenius was in England during 1641.
A point of similarity between the two groups, in continental Europe, is found during the 18th century[citation needed]. The Masonic circle "Gold und Rosenkreuzer" (Golden and Rosy Cross), published the Geheime Figuren or "The Secret Symbols of the 16th and 17th century Rosicrucians" in 1785 and 1788.[citation needed] This circle, oriented by Hermann Fictuld from 1777 along Masonic lines[citation needed], had important branches in Russia, which may have introduced Freemasonry and Martinism into that region.[citation needed]