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THE PRACTICE OF THE ANCIENT TURKISH FREEMASONS: THE KEY TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF ALCHEMY |
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Introduction Libelli habeant sua fata (1) -- the manuscript belongs to the book. The manuscript of this book had already been completed in another version at the beginning of the War, (2) but all sorts of opposing events prevented its appearance. Now a not completely voluntary stay in Switzerland is giving me the opportunity to revise the manuscript and prepare it for the press. And it was good that the book did not appear earlier. Souls have become more receptive. There is one discovery after another now, and each is a death-blow to the materialistic philosophy and bogus monism. Just yesterday I read that they were successful in splitting the nitrogen atom, dividing it into hydrogen and helium. Whoever has been paying attention to events in the Orient over the last few years must continually ask himself in amazement: "How is it possible that a people such as the Turks, who aren't even a homogenous people, have been able to develop such perseverance, turn it against a world of enemies, and eventually carry it to victory? Whoever knew how exhausted the people already were by the on-going burdens of war, which only a Muslim can bear, when they entered the world war must also be amazed at their patience and endurance under the most difficult conditions. What is then the difference between Germany, which has almost had to succumb under the yoke of a horrendous peace, and Turkey, which rejected a similar peace and fought on to obtain different conditions? (3) The modern intellectual, schooled in materialism, will thanklessly strive to find the underlying reason for this because he is always focusing on externalities. He can in no way understand that it is the spiritual guidance and training alone, which every Muslim strives after from his youth forward, which have born him through these hard times. We are experiencing the shameful spectacle of a great part of the German people throwing themselves into the arms of the Bolsheviks expecting every sort of benefit from those who have declared materialism to be God, and we see that Turkey, this small weakened land, certainly made use of the aid the Bolsheviks afforded them, but that they were far from throwing themselves into the arms of Bolshevism, on the contrary, it finds no place among them. We see that one folk, which had been counted as one of the most intellectually advanced, wanted to make just such a step backward, while another folk -- previously scorned as being inferior -- clearly recognized this step as ruinous and declined to participate, and not only rejected the step in its particulars, but in its entirety as well. "Just tether your ass and commend it to God," goes a Turkish proverb. The West has always been of the belief that Islam is stagnant as a religion. Nothing is further from the truth; Islam is more viable than the Christian religion. It has proven its viability. The following exploration clearly shows us the well-spring of the power of Islam, it is up to us to make the well-spring useful to the Christian religion as well. It was living water from this well-spring that brought everything to fruition in the early period of the Church, and which produced the most glorious flowering of the Middle Ages; only rationalism and materialism blocked this well-spring. I will not be committing any sacrilege or profanation if I uncover this well-spring. Whoever reads through this book attentively, and resolves to do the exercises shown here, can in no way misuse the powers acquired, for only the one who is upstanding, courageous and determined will be able to persevere to the end and profit from the exercises. By profit I do not mean, of course, external success, that only enters into it when a person has become good in his core. The exercises of the oriental Freemasons are nothing other than work on one's self, for ennobling, and for the acquisition of higher knowledge. From the later explanations it will become clear that they contain the secret of the Rosicrucians and alchemists, and demonstrate the preparation of the stone which is what the seeker is longing for. I said: Nothing more -- but that is the highest, the most unique thing which the seeker for knowledge can strive after. I will not require faith in my words from the reader, but rather I will prove my explanations; I will prove that oriental Freemasonry authentically preserves to this day the ancient doctrines of wisdom, which modern Freemasonry has forgotten, for it must be said here at the beginning that the Freemasonic constitution of 1717 was a detour from the right way. Laws made from the outside cannot provide for the salvation of humanity. These laws are always being obliterated by other laws and are always having to be replaced by other laws -- but rather it is the work from the inside out alone which can bring us salvation. Whoever can consciously live according to the divine laws will perceive this as a duty and not as something coerced and he will act for the highest benefit of mankind, which will actually be the highest benefit to the individual as well. The divine laws are, however, absolutely unambiguous. The only requirement I make of readers is that they be aware of their unity within God. Without this awareness the exercises are useless. Whoever still believes in the old monism, such as propagated by Buckner and Hackel, is just requested, if he is indeed seeking true knowledge, to read without prejudice an opponent of this view, e.g. Surya: Wahrer und Falscher Monismus. (4) And now go forth, you little book, the hour is auspicious. I began this introduction on the third of February 1924 at 12:30 mid-day on 46° north latitude and 9° east longitude. Righteously bring salvation to the multitude through true knowledge.
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