From the Publisher
The Philosophical Research Society is a nonprofit organization founded in 1934 for the purpose of assisting thoughtful persons to live more graciously and constructively in a confused and troubled world. The Society is entirely free from educational, political, or ecclesiastical control. Dedicated to an idealistic approach to the solution of human problems, the Society's program stresses the need for the integration of religion, philosophy, and the science of psychology into one system of instruction. The goal of this instruction is to enable the individual to develop a mature philosophy of life, to recognize his proper responsibilities and opportunities, and to understand and appreciate his place in the unfolding universal pattern.
From the Inside Flap
Count Michael Maier (1568-1622) holds a prominent place among the apologists of the Rosicrucians, and has the reputation of being the most learned among the alchemists of his time. A. E. Waite refers to Maier as "the greatest adept of his age." He is believed to have been in England and to have contacted Dr. Robert Fludd, also prominent in the early circle of those deeply involved in Rosicrucian lore.
The first English edition of Themis Aurea, Laws of the Rosie Crosse, appeared in London in 1656. It is extremely rare and we can find no trace of a later English printing. The book amplifies the rules of the Rosicrucian Fraternity as set forth in the Fama issued by the order in 16145. The Fama contains an outline of a universal reformation and affirms the existence of a secret body of enlightened mystics, dedicated to the general improvement of mankind and the advancements of the practical purposes of alchemy. Maier's little volume sets forth the deportment advocated by these unknown philosophers, with special emphasis upon the obligations of physicians and the higher ethics of medicine. The Brothers of the Rosie Crosse traveled about the world dressed according to the customs of the countries they visited, concealing their identities from the uninitiated. They are supposed to have drawn together all of like mind and high resolve to the service of God, Truth, and the needs of their fellowmen.
