Editing Rosicrucian Fellowship (section)

==Origins and foundation==
[[File:Rosicruciancosmo03.jpg|230px|thumb|''The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception'', [https://archive.org/details/rosicruciancosmo00heiniala third edition, 1911]]]
In 1908 Max Heindel started, in [[New York City]], the work of rewriting a previous draft in [[German language|German]] of teachings ostensibly written under the instruction of Elder Brothers in their temple near the border of [[Kingdom of Bohemia|Bohemia]] and Germany.<ref>Ger Westenberg. ''Max Heindel en The Rosicrucian Fellowship''. {{cite web |url= http://www.rffriends.org/wpx/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Microsoft-Word-Chapter-4-Heindel-in-Germany.pdf |title= Chapter 4 Heindel in Germany |access-date= 2010-06-20 |archive-date= 2016-11-18 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161118224126/http://www.rffriends.org/wpx/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Microsoft-Word-Chapter-4-Heindel-in-Germany.pdf |url-status= dead }} (Translation by Elizabeth C. Ray). 2009 STICHTING ZEVEN, The Hague, The Netherlands. {{ISBN|978-90-73736-33-7}}</ref> Heindel moved to [[Buffalo, New York]], where he finished the typescript about September 1908. The work, called ''[[The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception]]'', was revised and printed in November 1909.

The first edition of 2500 copies, printed in [[Chicago]], was exhausted in six months but it was learned that 2000 of these had been given by the publisher as payment of the debts of the publishing house to other publishers. Immediately, a large second edition was ordered: a first payment was made to the [[Printer (publishing)|printer]] with the help of Augusta Foss,<ref>Ger Westenberg. ''Max Heindel en The Rosicrucian Fellowship''. {{cite web|url= http://www.rffriends.org/wpx/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Microsoft-Word-Chapter-5-Messenger-of-the-Rosicrucians.pdf |title=Chapter 5 Messenger of the Rosicrucians }} (Translation by Elizabeth C. Ray). 2009 STICHTING ZEVEN, The Hague, The Netherlands. {{ISBN|978-90-73736-33-7}}</ref> who would become Max Heindel's [[wife]]. This time two booksellers bought one-third of the imprint before it was off the press.<ref>«[http://www.rosicrucianfellowship.com/1914/1914_06_Jun%20Echoes%20from%20Mt.%20Ecclesia.pdf Origin of The Rosicrucian Fellowship]», in ''[[Rays from the Rose Cross|Echoes from Mount Ecclesia]]'', No. 13, June 10, 1914</ref>

The Rosicrucian Fellowship's formal constitution occurred on August 8, 1909, in [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], at 3:00 [[Post meridiem|p.m]]. The first Rosicrucian study center had been already previously formed in [[Columbus, Ohio]], on November 14, 1908, where Heindel lectured and taught for a number of months. After each lecture he distributed free [[mimeograph]]ed copies to the audience; those twenty lectures were printed in 1909, along with the first edition of ''Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception'', under the title ''[http://www.rosicrucian.com/rcl/rcleng01.htm The Rosicrucian Christianity Lectures]''. The Columbus Center was followed by centers in North [[Yakima, Washington]] (November 1909), [[Portland, Oregon]], and [[Los Angeles, California]] (February 27, 1910), the city where Heindel reencountered his [[theosophist]] friend Augusta Foss. In Los Angeles, Max Heindel gave conferences three times a week to audiences of nearly one thousand people from November 29, 1909, till March 17, 1910.

On October 28, 1911, the organisation's international headquarters, still used today, were opened  at Mount Ecclesia in [[Oceanside, California]]. The ceremony of ground-breaking consisted in planting a large Cross with the initials C.R.C. (for [[Christian Rosenkreuz]], the legendary head of the original order) painted in gilt letters on the three upper ends and with a climbing rose.  The [[Rosicrucian Fellowship Temple]], called The Ecclesia, was erected for the purpose of affording more powerful means for the healing of disease, and dedicated on December 25, 1920. Spiritual [[Healing]] meetings are held there each day.

According to Max Heindel, the invisible Order of the Rose Cross exists in the [[Plane (cosmology)|inner worlds]], was founded in 1313 and is composed of twelve great [[adept]]s presented as belonging to human evolution but already advanced far beyond the cycle of [[reincarnation|rebirth]].<ref>Article: [http://www.rosicrucian.com/zineen/magen103.htm The Brothers of the Rose Cross]</ref> Their mission is explained as aiming to prepare the ''whole wide world'' for a new phase in [[religion]] that includes awareness of the [[plane (cosmology)|inner worlds]] and the [[subtle bodies]] and safe guidance in the gradual awakening of man's latent [[spirituality|spiritual]] faculties: "to prepare a new phase of the Christian religion to be used during the [[Age of Aquarius|coming age]] now at hand."<ref>Article: [http://www.rosicrucian.com/zineen/pamen010.htm The Rosicrucian Interpretation of Christianity]</ref>

Admission into the Rosicrucian Fellowship is free of fees and is funded by [[donation]]. The Fellowship recognizes seven [[Educational stages|grade]]s, but its study is primarily based upon a system of three grades: regular student, probationer and disciple.<ref>Beryl Hamilton, ''[http://members.fortunecity.com/rosanista/library03/r019608.htm The Rosicrucian Way: the Voice of the Rose] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006223348/http://members.fortunecity.com/rosanista/library03/r019608.htm |date=2008-10-06 }}'', in [[Rays from the Rose Cross]] Magazine, January/February, 1996</ref> After a two-year term of being a Regular Student of the Fellowship, a person who abstains from all [[meat|flesh food]], [[tobacco]], mind-altering [[Psychoactive drug|drugs]], and [[Alcoholic drink|alcohol]] may apply for [[Academic probation|probationership]]. When  the  Probationer has complied with the necessary  requirements  and completed the term of probation he may send request for individual instruction. Access to the Disciple grade is granted upon [[:wikt:merit|merit]];<ref>Heindel, Max, [http://rosicrucianzine.tripod.com/christian_rosenkreuz.htm Christian Rosenkreuz and the Order of Rosicrucians] (Initiation), 1909</ref> once admitted into [[discipleship]] subsequent [[Spirituality|Spiritual]] unfoldment of the ''advanced soul'' within the Order of the [[Rose Cross]] is conducted through the process of the nine Lesser [[Initiation#Religious and other spiritual initiations|Initiation]]s.<ref>Heindel, Max, ''[http://www.rosicrucian.com/frc/frceng01.htm Freemasonry and Catholicism]'' (Chapter VIII: The Path of Initiation), {{ISBN|978-0-911274-04-2}}</ref>