Theos-Talk Archives (May 2005 Message tt00698)

Having received a number of e-mails requesting further information on the 
Egyptian Rite after my reference to it in a previous posting, it seems more 
efficient to post the following summary of part of a paper I am writing on the 
history of this group:

The Egyptian Rite was developed between 1929 and 1930. Leadbeater planned that 
the Egyptian Rite would draw together the angels associated with Church 
ceremonial, and those of Co-Masonic working, and in this he claimed the 
encouragement and inspiration of the Master The Count, who is claimed to have 
assisted in the drafting of the rituals. The rituals were originally compiled 
by Wedgwood, since he was said to have a special relationship with The Count. 
However, Leadbeater did not like the results, and submitted them to Arundale 
for revision. The final work was said to constitute “the most powerful 
occult ritual in the world”.
The published ER Ritual was formally issued on Christmas Day, 1931, bearing 
the imprimatur of Mrs Besant as Grand Master.
The ritual of the Egyptian Rite begins with the three stages of the Temple of 
the Quest – Fire, Form and Life. By the conclusion of these it was originally 
taught that the candidate would be on Probation (in Leadbeater’s scheme of 
occult development). Various “mystic words” were communicated to candidates in 
the different degrees: for example, in the First Stage the word was Vir (= 
vita igne renovator), in the Second Stage Fas (= forma animae serva) and Via 
(= vehimur in atum), and in the Third Stage Vita (= voluntas intus 
transformatur amore). Likewise, various mystic signs were communicated to the 
candidate: for example, the Sign of Order (the right hand on the heart). 
After completing the Temple of the Quest, the candidate is then ready to 
advance to the fourth stage, the Temple of the Rose and the Cross. Once 
accepted as the chela of a Master he can go on to the fifth stage, the Outer 
Temple or Temple of the Dawn, followed by the sixth stage, the Inner Temple or 
Temple of the Star. The sixth stage is “The entry into the Inner Temple 
itself, the Temple of the Star, the service of which is restricted to members 
of the Great Brotherhood of Light – from the youngest Initiate to the Masters, 
Lords, Princes, Rulers of Light; nay, to the very King Himself. These are the 
Brothers of Light.”
These are the degrees to be worked by the members, and above them is the 
seventh stage, the Sovereign Sanctuary of the Masters of the Light, the 
governing body of the ER (originally Besant, Arundale and Leadbeater). Beyond 
that is the Great Hierarchy. 
Sri Ram sent a circular to all members of the 4th, 5th and 6th stages in 
April, 1954, declaring that in future those admitted above the 3rd 
stage “should not be presumed to be necessarily in the Occult stages to which 
these stages of the Egyptian Rite may be said to correspond.” Sri Ram made 
certain modifications to the ritual to reflect this change.
It is said that the current head of the ER, Radha Burnier, has closed down all 
but the Temple of the Quest.

Dr Gregory Tillett