The story on Reuss' O.T.O. and his relationship with Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) is well documented and widely known (see Koenig's site ), therefore I'll only present a brief summary on Reuss' activities and his "heirs" with regard to Reuss' "Gnostisch Katholische Kirche", G.K.K. In reality Reuss' O.T.O. was little more than some re-arranged masonic degrees structured in an organization which was incapable of standing on its own. Like with all "his" orders, he incorporated the G.K.K. within the Ordo Templi Orientis. As stated in the chapter "1908 Eglise Gnostique Universelle", it is asserted that in 1908 "Papus apparently granted Reuss episcopal and primatial authority in the "Église Catholique Gnostique", which Reuss translated into German as "Die Gnostische Katholische Kirche". In 1917 Theodor Reuss translated Crowley's "Gnostic Mass" in German, which Crowley apparently wrote in 1913, and published it under the auspices of the O.T.O. Crowley's "Gnostic Mass", also known as "Liber XV", was intented as "the ritual of the Gnostic Catholic Church, which he prepared for the use of the O.T.O., the central ceremony of its public and private celebration, corresponding to the Mass of the Roman Catholic Church" (T.Apyrion, "History of the Gnostic Catholic Church"). The publication of "die Gnostische Messe" was accompanied with an introduction written by Theodor Reuss (Merlin Peregrinus) called (transl.) "The Gnostic Neo-Christians". At the time of publication, 1917, Reuss lived in Basel, Switzerland. Reuss refers to himself as "Carolus Albertus Theodorus Peregrinus,Sovereign Patriarch & Primate of the Gnostic Catholic Church, Vicarius Solomonis & Caput Ordinis O.T.O." and asserts that he, as a "Sovereign Patriarch" heads the Gnostic Church in several countries, -quote-" The Gnostic Catholic Church in Germany, Holland, Austria, Hungary, Russia, America, Roumania, Switzerland, Turkey & the Slavonic Countries is under the personal leadership of the present head of the gnostic Neo-Christians and Oriental Templars", thus Reuss.

• T.Reuss, "the Gnostic Neo-Christians, http://www.diax.ch/users/prkoenig/html/gnostic.htm -

• "Neither the Grand Orient, nor any of its members have any kind of connection with the "Gnostic Mass" issued by Herr Reuss. The distribution of the printed version was purely Herr Reuss's personal concern, so that nobody in our association can be made answerable for the stupidity of this gentleman [...] we have striven [...] since the 18th of July 1920 to disassociate our Grand Orient from any connection with Reuss's name, his writings."

"Consider the O.T.O. non-existent", Koenig at: http://www.cyberlink.ch/~koenig/consider.htm

It is generally known that Crowley had started to work on his own since he had left for America a couple of years earlier, and was slowly working towards the establishment of his own version of the "O.T.O." (as a matter of fact, Crowley made the OTO flesh and blood. Real initiations in Reuss' O.T.O. were performed using his ritual revisions. Reuss had almost no direct communication with most of his order, and essentially defaulted operations to Crowley). In 1921 Crowley proclaimed himself as O.H.O, "Frater Superior of the Order of Oriental Templars". Koenig's statement on Bricaud's approval to make Crowley's Mass the "official religion for "all members of the 18' Scottish Rite" is quite controversial. Basically, Crowley's Thelematic vieuwpoint is that the Mass is the descendant of other "rituals of mystical union" from the Pagan Mysteries, and therefore does not refer to Jesus Christ (according to M.Evans this is a misleading statement. "The Mass partakes of a continuity of ritual from Babylon through the Gnostic Catholic church to the present. Thelema teaches that there is a precession of Aeons, The Aeon of Osiris has ended, and the Aeon of Horus has dawned. The formula of the slain God, i.e. Christianity, was valid and correct, in the Osirian Aeon").

The critical issue is the subject of Thelema because why would a "devoted Christian" and follower of the ultra Christian "Maitre Philippe", as Joanny Bricaud was, propose to accept Crowley's "Gnostic Mass" as the official religion of the 18^th degree of Scottish Masonry (incorporated in the "Antient & Primitive rite of Memphis-Misraim) ? An address given to members of the 33th degree of unknown date (probably by Reuss) denies the Christian character of the Rose-Croix degree, quote :"In the Rite of Memphis and Misraim the Rose-Croix degree has no Christian character, on the contrary having mystico-gnostic significance" (note :The various rituals I've seen of the 18^th degee, the "Rose-Croix" Degree, were having all a Christian character. I would be very interested to see this "version" of the Rose-Croix degree. Generally the 18^th degree is absolutely Christian in nature.). The enactment of Patriarch Joanny Bricaud's proposal is also mentioned in the first series, "F.U.D.O.S.I. 1934-1951", Chapter 2, "T.A.W.U.C.- Reuss and Lewis", and at the time of publishing the chapter on a Martinist E-Group the supposed enactment provoked many reactions of disbelief. According to Peter R.Koenig the enactment of Jean (Joanny) Bricaud is a fact because, as Peter claims, it is documented. In a personal e-mail correspondence, dated November 15, 2000, Peter R.Koenig states:

• "… i do have the ORIGINAL bricaud*reuss papers. yes it was Joanny Bricaud who wanted Crowley's Gnostic Mass as the 'religion' for the 18° Masons. Don't forget that Bricaud and Reuss worked together. Of course, Bricaud must have known about the spermo-gnostict aspect of Reuss' groups, otherwise they wouldn't have exchanged charters and dignities. I have reports that Aleister Crowley met Bricaud in Paris, but i dont know any details".

"Both French brothers (Bricaud-Chevillon) , as continuers of the Memphis-Mizraim lineage called the connection of Crowley with their EG and MM lineages into question when the takeover of the OTO happened and it took a different direction under Crowley . All of this comes up in the context of HS Lewis advertising his connection with the Belgian Memphis-Mizraim groups which broke away from Bricaud, and also Lewis connections with Reuss (see "F.U.D.O.S.I. 1934-1951") . My intention is to clarify the relationship of the OTO Mass with the earlier Mass utilized by the EG and the Martinist Orders with whom it has been allied. They are related by original ancestry but now quite different in most respects . Careful reading of the above will reveal that these statements are all based on documented facts and as such are objective statements" .

Both Bricaud and Chevillon teamed up in the thirties with RS Clymer to "combat" Lewis and the F.U.D.O.S.I. Clymer classified Crowley as a "black magician" and disapproved of his religion of Thelema, another hint which speaks against acceptance of the Crowleyan Mass by the French "adepts" ? To cut a long story short, I've no documented proof to refute Koenig's claim, but personally i'm intended to believe that the E.G.U. did not practise the Gnostic mass of Crowley because of the devotion to Jesus Christ which is a "central theme" within the framework of practises of the French Neo-Gnostics such as Bricaud, Chevillon and their successors. But then again, am I calling Koenig a Liar ? In other words, it leaves us no wiser then before. The acception of a statement that Bricaud, a former Trappist monk and devote disciple of Maitre Philippe, accepted the "Gnostic Mass" of Crowley and Reuss seems incompatible today. But we have to understand that the possible proposition was made just after the First World War. At the time Bricaud was a representative of Reuss' O.T.O. in France, and I'm tending to believe that Bricaud didn't even know what a "Thelemite" even was. It is known that Bricaud, as a Gnostic Christian, had demonstrated a tolerance of accepting doctrinal variations. M.Evans, a Thelemite, states on this subject:

"The documents were circulated during his lifetime, to a relative small group of people who interacted. They were never refuted by Bricaud", and, "What we have is a few mentions, and that is all the evidence that exists for now".

Bricaud 's motives around the time (1918-1920) are often questioned by many researchers. The whole issue of the schism of the "Ordre Martiniste" for instance, is based on Bricaud's dubious claim that he was the rightful successor of Charles Détre /Téder* (see "Victor Blanchard…" by Elias Ibrahim at : http://www.geocities.com/hiram_abyss/Victor_Blanchard.html).

Bricaud's reasoning and his actions are quite puzzlin' at times, and it's not easy to get an adequate picture of his personality and thoughts. For instance, it turns out that the 66^th degree of Memphis-Misraim, as used by Bricaud, makes no reference to Christ. And it's the 66^th Degree ( Patriarche Grand Consécrateur ?) which makes one a Gnostic Bishop in the system used by Bricaud and his successors. It appears that even Robert Ambelain, a later successor of Bricaud, considered the 66^th degree strange ! (source: E.Ibrahim). A critical note; on the subject of the 66^th degree M.Evans comments ; "Without making any statements to how modern versions of the Memphis/Misraim perform, one didn't receive JUST the *66 degree in the conferral of such honors, usually you received the entire "class" of degrees (Consistory *63-*75). I'm not sure it's relevant whether Christ is mentioned or alluded to in any particular degree; the initiate would be assumed to have already had that necessary knowledge. The conferral would give a more "Universal" and historical understanding of religious beliefs than they would have been likely to have had otherwise" (M.Evans, E-mail - August 26, 2001).

Koenig also states that Bricaud's 'headquarters' at Lyon "bore the legend "Église Chretienne moderne Néognostique", an inscription which resembled Reuss' legend "Neo-Christian O.T.O.", as used in his 1920 publication of a document titled "Construction programme and guiding principles of the Neo-Christian O.T.O.", just a coincidence?, an indication perhaps ?

* "Blanchard arrived with some members of his Supreme Council. Bricaud arrived alone, bringing with him a document, framed in glass, which claimed that Teder had nominated him as his successor. Blanchard became violently angry, and after examination of the document, the unanimous opinion was that it was not authentic" Brother Nicholas Choumitsky, pupil and disciple of Charles Barlet.

Reuss' German publication of Crowley's Gnostic Mass (taken from Koenig's site )

Both Reuss and Crowley never received a consecration "in person" into the Gnostic Church of Bricaud or any other regular Church. No documented evidence of such a consecration of either Reuss nor Crowley is known to exist. Apart from Doinel's consecration in 1892, this is also the case with Papus. Although it is stated that Papus received a consecration into the Vilatte-succession in 1913 by Bricaud, thus Robert Amadou (well known French Martinist etc. and researcher ; Letter to Koenig in 1990), there's also no documented evidence of the alleged consecration.

According to Koenig, there are indications that Crowley visited Bricaud around 1924, whom Crowley apparently described "as a kind of Jesus Christ" ( Henri Birven in Metzger's "Oriflamme", April 1972 ), but it is almost out of the question that an ordination took place. Crowley was already known at the time for his antipathy towards so-called "Christianity".("Stranded Bishops", Koenig), an antipathy which certainly was not shared by Bricaud ! (1)

Nevertheless, several of the modern day offshoots of the O.T.O. claimed that Reuss and Crowley were bishops and "Patriarchs" of the Église Gnostique. Many Thelemic Gnostic Churches existing today, especially in the U.S.A., derive their authority from Crowley's "Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica", a name which was coined by Crowley in his 1913 writing "Liber XV" ("The Gnostic Mass"). The whole issue of legitimation of the various O.T.O. groups existing today all over the planet is a pretty complicating matter, which makes any claim of one of these groups to be the representatives of the original Gnostic Catholic Lineage as held by Crowley and-or Reuss rather dubious, if not invalid.

Some of these groups re-established a 'rightful succession' through a consecration into a 'valid' lineage recently received by one of its leaders. This is the case for instance with the "Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica" of the so-called California-based 'Caliphate' O.T.O.

(1) Crowley's description of Bricaud that he acted "as a kind of Jesus Christ" resembles Téder's

remark that Bricaud i.a. was "play acting the priest". A picture emerges of a man, being Bricaud, with a feel for melodrama, to put it mildly.
 
 

Dr.Krumm-Heller and the "Iglesia Gnostica Catholica"

Nowadays, when we speak of the "O.T.O." we automatically think of Crowley and the "Caliphate-O.T.O.". But Reuss' O.T.O. knew other "successors". The whole issue of the rightful heir(s) of Reuss is a complex story, and for anyone who's interested in the history of the O.T.O. I once more would like to recommend P.R.Koenig's site "The Ordo Templi Orientis Phenomenon". We must not forget that Crowley's philosophy of "Thelema" was also 'accepted" up to a certain degree by such O.T.O. Grandmasters as, for instance, Arnold Krumm-Heller. According to one of his followers Krumm-Heller " believed that Thelema was nothing more than a new form of Gnosis that allows us to go back to the roots of Christianity, to seek out the Logos inside ourselves". Krumm-Heller, as mentioned before, was a disciple of Bishop Clement (bishop under Bricaud's E.G.U.). At the end of the first decade of the 20^th century, Papus authorized Krumm-Heller to establish a number of Temples in South-America under the jurisdiction of Papus with the help of i.a. Davidson (HB of L). Krumm-Heller would later receive the Gnostic succession of E.C.H. Peithmann and was consecrated in 1939 by Constant Chevillon. After the death of Reuss in 1923 Krumm-Heller considered himself the heir of Reuss' organization, as did others (such as Heinrich Traenker and Aleister Crowley, according to Koenig in reality the rightful heir was H.R.Hilfiker).

In 1927 Krumm-Heller founded the "Fraternitas Rosicruciana Antiqua", a rosicrucian organization which would flourish mainly in South-America. In 1931 Krumm-Heller published his "La Iglesia Gnostica" or "Die Gnostische Kirche" ("the Gnostic Church"), "a historical essay on the Gnostics of early Christianity" (translated from German).

When Krumm-Heller died in 1949 his organization continued under various Grand Masters without a world-wide leader or any other kind of general leadership. Many members of Krumm-Heller's orders were left unsure of a number of things, such as the 'status' of their organization. As stated before, "Krumm" considered himself successor to Reuss' O.T.O., there was the F.R.A. of which Krumm-Heller apparently never mentioned anything about its degrees, and there was the G.K.K. and the E.G.U. of which 'Krumm' received a consecration by Constant Chevillon (receiving the 'Vilatte-filiation', no further information on Krumm-Heller's consecration is known to exist).

Many "National Grand Masters" in South-America and in some European countries continued their branches of the 'original' F.R.A. /O.T.O. as independent bodies. But history tells us that it is most likely that Krumm-Heller somehow dissociated from the O.T.O. after the F.R.A. became successful.

Until this day many F.R.A. Lodges in i.a.Brasil celebrate the "Gnostische Messe" (Gnostic Mass) of Arnold Krumm-Heller, Krumm-Heller's "Gnostic Mass" is apparently derived from Peithmann's Mass. According to Tau C.Harmonius II of the E.G.A. in the U.S.A. "In the last few decades there has circulated a text constructed from Cathar sources bearing the name "the Krumm-Heller liturgy".

Several sources claim that Krumm-Heller never appointed a Patriarch of his Gnostic Church and that he accepted at the end of his life Robert Ambelain as head of the Gnostic Church. According to information derived from P.R.Koenig, most of these organizations considered Krumm-Heller's legacy as a kind of spiritual triad consisting of the F.R.A., the O.T.O., and the G.K.K./G.C.C., the Gnostic Catholic Church (Iglesia Gnostica Catholica). According to some sources (i.a. Mario Alvarez from Mexico) the only person who received both the F.R.A. succession as well as the Gnostic Church succession from Krumm-Heller was Dr.Albert Wolf, who was appointed by Krumm-Heller's son Parsival five days after Krumm-Heller's death. It appears that Dr.Wolf was appointed as Krumm-Heller's successor for Brasil. Dr.Wolf died within' a year after Krumm-Heller's death in 1950. Again, the picture which emerges is rather complex, with several Gnostic Churches/ organizations existing today, mainly in South-America, all claiming to be the successors of Dr.Krumm-Heller.

In Europe the various German Gnostic Churches were continued through E.C.H. Peithmann, who represented a continuation of the "Ancient Gnostic Church of Eleusis" (which succession Krumm-Heller inherited) and Ernst Tristan Kurtzahn, who was announced as 'Ecclesiarch' of the "Gnostica Ecclesia Catholica" in the national publication of "Der Weltloge" ("Worldlodge") of 1924. Kurtzahn apparently participated in Reuss' O.T.O. in the 1920's. Kurtzahn also participated (through writings) in the establishment of Eugen Grosche's "Fraternitas Saturni" , a most intrigueing magical order founded after the demise of "loge Pansophia" , a lodge belonging to the Pansophia-organization, a German offshoot of Reuss' O.T.O. led by Heinrich Traenker in the 1920's-1930's (the FS grew out of this organization somewhere between 1926 and 1928).

Another of Krumm-Heller's 'Gnostic heirs' in Europe was (allegedly) Herbert Fritsche (a claim disputed by many followers of F.R.A. in South-America), a supposed former 'student' of Gustav Meyrink. Fritsche's inheritor of his F.R.A. and Gnostic Catholic Church was Hermann Joseph Metzger from Switzerland (Fritsche died in 1960). Metzger led a Swiss organization which consisted of several orders such as the O.T.O., F.R.A., I.O. (Illuminati Order), and G.K.K, the Gnostic Church. His "Swiss O.T.O." still exists up to this day and is led by Annemarie Aeschbach (her successor will be a Josef Olaf R., who's also a freemason and member of the Masonic research-lodge "Quatuor Coronati").

For further investigation on the Gnostic affiliations of the various O.T.O. bodies - see P.R.Koenig's "the Ordo Templi Orientis Phenomenon" at : http://www.cyberlink.ch/~koenig/hallo.htm
 
 

L-F Jean-Main and the "Ecclesia Gnostica Spiritualis"

Another 'active' Gnostic branch is the Gnostic Church which forms part of the "Ordo Templi Orientis Antiqua". The O.T.O.A. derives its authority from Lucien-François Jean-Maine. As already stated in the series "Manifestations of the Martinist Order" there's no documental evidence existing of its history before 1966, "and its maze of related organisations seems to be developed by Marc Lully, Michael P.Bertiaux, and Manuel C.Lamparter, and maybe Kenneth Grant, in the late 1960s", thus P.R.Koenig (O.T.O.A.- a Gnostic Inflation http://home.sunrise.ch/~prkoenig/otoa.htm). I can add to Koenig's information that Hector-Francois Jean Main received regular and valid consecrations from Ambelain and Dupont (E.G.U./E.G.A.) in the 40's and 50's. In other words, H-F Jean Main was a Martinist and had received various ordinations from the Gnostic Church of France, his "lines of Succession" were given to Bertiaux who succeeded H-F Jean Main…

Whatever the truth is, according to the history of the O.T.O.A., L-F Jean-Maine was allegedly consecrated by Doinel's successor Synésius in 1899 and was made a bishop of the Église Ophite des Naaseniens (Ecclesia Cabalistico-gnostico de Memphis-Misraïm) by Paul-Pierre de Marraga (Orfeo VI) from Spain. P.P. de Marraga "was allegedly initiated into Memphis Misraim by Manuel Lopez de Brion on 2.2.1860" (Koenig). De Brion was a Bishop of the "Église Gnostique d'Albigois", no documented evidence exists of this branch and all information presented on this matter is derived from P.R.Koenig's research-site and the information given by Bertiaux's branches and Bishop T.Allen Greenfield.According to information given by one of the present-day organizations of this current, "The Monastery of the 7 Rays", the line of succession of Brion and Marraga "was supposed to descent from a certain ' Tau Thesée I ' of the ' Église Hieroglyphique des Imagiers' of 1710" ( Koenig "Stranded Bishops"). It is stated that Jean-Maine met Papus in- or around 1900. The sources claim that Jean-Maine had a background coming from the Haitian Elus Cohen, as established in the 18^th century by Martinez de Pasqually. Jean-Maine allegedly also collaborated with the disciples of P.B.Randolph's "Fraternitas Lucis Hermetica" and received in 1910 Papus' X* of Reuss' O.T.O. It is stated that, in return, Jean-Maine consecrated Papus "into some high degrees of P.-P. de Marraga's Ecclesia Gnostica" (Koenig). The story goes that when Papus died in 1916 the French O.T.O. did split into two sections ; one led by Bricaud and the other by Jean-Maine, following "the original constitution of Encausse and Synésius" (??)

In 1919 Jean-Maine moved from France to Spain where he allegedly consecrated his European successor of the "ECCLESIA GNOSTICA SPIRITUALIS", the Spanish Gnostic Church or "Église gnostique d'Albigeois et des Naaseniens", a Martin Ortier de Sanchez y Marraga , who was also heading their Memphis-Misraim branch. Out of this M.M. rite developed several magical circles which were influenced by O.T.O., Randolph's F.L.H., the Martinist Order, Gnosticism and Voodoo.

Although Koenig states that there exists no documented evidence of the O.T.O.A. and it's maze of organizations, the remark does not imply that the 'story" is all nonsense (Koenig is a former European representative of Bertiaux' O.T.O.A., in 1995 Koenig was removed from his authority by Bertiaux himself ).

For intance, L.F. Jean-Maine's son, Hector-Francois Jean Maine was ordained by Robert Ambelain on November 18, 1949 and once more in 1953, this time by Ambelain, Henri Dupont and his father, L.F.Jean Maine. According to Koenig Ambelain ordained him once "again" (reason not given) in 1959. I do not know of these ordinations are "documented" … 'Successor' of H-F. Jean-Maine was Michael Paul Bertiaux, Bertiaux received various ecclesiastical lines of successions, i.a. the Basilides Line, the Valentinus Line, the Line of the "Liberal Catholic Church" and the "Mariavite Order", the Line of the "Église Gnostique Universelle" of Bricaud, as well as Krumm-Heller's "Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica". Bertiaux also mentioned a Russian Orthodox Line.

( more information on the O.T.O.A. and it's Gnostic connections :

http://home.sunrise.ch/~prkoenig/otoa.htm and http://www.cyberlink.ch/~koenig/bishops.htm)
 
 
 
 

l'Église Gnostique Universelle - Constant Chevillon, 1934

When Jean Bricaud (Tau Jean II) died on February 21, 1934 , Bricaud was succeeded by Constant Chevillon (1880-1944). Chevillon became the successor of Bricaud's organization which, as we've seen before, consisted of various Initiatic orders, i.a. :

1 S.O.I. , the "International Occult Society" (Collège d’Occultisme)

2 L'EGLISE GNOSTIQUE UNIVERSELLE

3 ORDER OF KNIGHT MASONS ELUS COHEN OF THE UNIVERSE

4 THE ANTIENT AND PRIMITIVE RITE OF MEMPHIS MIZRAIM

5 ORDRE DE SAINT GRAAL

6 ORDRE KABBALISTIQUE DE LA ROSE CROIX GNOSTIQUE

7 ORDO TEMPLI ORIENTIS for France

All these orders were incorporated in a "workable system" which was centred around the Martinist Order and the Ancient and Primitive Rite of Memphis-Misraim (see i.a."Manifestations of the Martinist Order"). The Martinist Order, the so-called " L'ORDRE MARTINISTE-MARTINEZISTE de LYON" which Chevillon had inherited was divided into two organizations, the S.O.I. and the ELUS COHEN. Various sources state that the "International Occult Society" (S.O.I.) corresponded somehow with Papus' Martinist Order with its focus on the teachings of Louis Claude de Saint-Martin, reserving the Elus Cohen to Masons of High Grades, in other words to members of Memphis-Misraim. De Guaita's "Kabbalistic Order of the Rose-Cross" and other orders were somehow incorporated in the teachings of the organization. How this system precisely reflected within the Martinist Degrees etc. is unknown to me, especially because of the contradictory information given by the sources. In my notes there's a text which is more explicit with regard to the structure of the "Martinist order of Lyon", unfortunately the text does not mention its source :

• The Ordre Martiniste de Lyons had an outer circle in the "Collège d’Occultisme" in Paris, and an anti-chamber to the Order, the 2 lodges of Memphis-Mizraim, "La Jerusalem Egyptienne" and "L’Age Nouveau", provided the Masonic qualifications required for Martinist membership who had to progressively take degrees in Memphis-Mizraim as successive prerequisites to admitance to the Martinist degrees of Initiate and then Superior Unknown. Between 1936 and 1939, L’Ordre Martiniste de Lyon kept its lodge "Papus" open in Paris". (taken from "Manifestations of the M.O").

Chevillion's "revisions" were mainly a reaction to the altered relationships between the various leading fraternal- and initiatic organizations of the Western World at the time of his leadership. In 1934 the F.U.D.O.S.I. had been established in Brussels, an international federation of initiatic orders and societies. Several of the affiliated bodies of this federation were once under the jurisdiction of Bricaud's/Chevillon's organization. This applied to the two affiliated rites of Memphis-Misraim, which were under the jurisdiction of the French rite until 1933. The whole story can be found in chapters 6 and 7 of the F.U.D.O.S.I. series. Furthermore, the F.U.D.O.S.I. also listed Lucien Chamuel's "Eglise Gnostique Universelle" as one of its affiliated organizations, represented by Victor Blanchard who was originally a Bishop under Bricaud's "Eglise Gnostique Universelle".

Under Chevillon the relationship between the orders participating within the F.U.D.O.S.I. and the "Martinists of Lyon" (supplemented with some other European representatives of the original French M.O. and with Lewis' arch-opponent Reuben Swynburne Clymer) became reminiscent of the days at the time of the "War of the Roses" ( Péladan contra De Guaita, Papus etc). Another interesting aspect is the presence of a strong Royalist-movement within the F.U.D.O.S.I (the "Naundorf-movement" which also played its role in the various 19^th century sects such as Vintras' Carmelite-Church), as opposed to the "Spiritual Socialism" propagated by Chevillon as described in his 1936 publication "Reflexion sur le Temple social".

Chevillon also reconsidered the status of the French O.T.O. of the 1908-1920 era, which derived it's authority from Reuss. After Reuss' death in 1923 it became indistinct who was leading Reuss' collection of pseudo-Masonic degrees. In several correspondences between Chevillon (who never worked or used "O.T.O. for France") and Hans Rudolf Hilfiker (according to Koenig Reuss' rightful heir, so to speak) which took place between April and July 1936 Hilfiker came to the conclusion that the O.T.O. could be considered as non-existent.

The strained relationship between Chevillon and the Belgian based federation culminated in the foundation of the F.U.D.O.F.S.I. , a federation in which Chevillon's E.G.U. also was incorporated. The F.U.D.O.F.S.I. (Federation Universelle de Ordres,Fraternites et Societies Initiatique) mainly existed on paper and never really developed into an 'active' federation i.a. due to the outbreak of the Second Worl War.

It appears that the "Ordre Martiniste-Martineziste de Lyon" flourished under the leadership of Constant Chevillon during the years 1936-1939. On January 5^th , 1936, L.M. Francois Giraud (1876-1950) consecrated Constant Chevillon as a Bishop into the "St Pierre Antioche-Église Syrienne". Giraud was, as stated earlier, the "Patriarch of the Gallican Church" and through Giraud Chevillon also received the so-called "Vilatte-succession". When the Second World War broke out in 1940, France became occupied by the Nazi's. the Nazi's prohibited all Order-activities, especially Masonry and other Initiatic Orders, Societies and Brotherhoods. The South of France was governed by marshal Pétain, who was elected by the "Parliament" on July 10, 1940 which gave him total authority and control. On August 13, 1940 a Law was proclaimed which prohibited the so-called "Secret Societies". On August 19, Pétain signed the decree of dissolution of the Grand Orient of France and of the Grand Lodge of France. On February 27, 1941 another decree would dissolve all the rest of the societies and brotherhoods. Chevillon was forced to continue his order-activities to go "underground" (see "F.U.D.O.S.I. 1934-1951, Chapter 9, "the assassination of Constant Chevillon"). Chevillon was murdered in cold blood by the Vichy-Militia on March 23, 1944. As mentioned before, the whole story can be found in Chapter 9 of the series "F.U.D.O.S.I. 1934-1951". All I can add here to this story is that, according to Elias Ibrahim, there are certain sources which state that not only Chevillon was murdered in cold blood, " he was assassinated by a young German officer in the nave of the Cathedral of Lyons ! ".

The death of Chevillon forced his followers to re-structure the "Lyon-organization". According to Swinburne Clymer (Book 1, Quakerstown 1946), associate of Chevillon at the time, the complete archive of Chevillon's organization was brought to America by a certain M. de St.Vincent after Chevillon's death. Clymer claimed that the archive was in his possession. Whatever the truth is, Chevillon was succeeded by Charles-Henry Dupont as Grand Master of the Martinist Order of Lyons, although Chevillon (obviously) never appointed a successor. Charles-Henry Dupont was a close associate of Chevillon during his lifetime and a high dignitary of the "O.M. de Lyons" and the F.U.D.O.F.S.I. The Memphis-Misraim Rite Chevillon headed was continued by his diciples with the help of Georges Lagrèze, Camille Savoir and René Wibaux.

Through the writings of Robert Ambelain we know that these three high dignitaries helped in the "continuation" of the Rite of Memphis-Misraim in France during the war. Ambelain refers to Georges Lagrèze as the "(Adjoint substitute) Grand Master Worldwide" (Ambelain, "Les Arcanes noirs de l'hitlerisme.").

Lagrèze's role and position within the world of Initiatic Orders in the 1930's has always been somewhat of an enigma to me. After the death of Chevillon Lagrèze is 'hailed" by Ambelain as the 'saviour' of the M.'.M.'. Rite, a Rite which was headed until that time by Chevillon. And we know that the relationship between Chevillon and Lagrèze during the 1930's was a relationship of being each other opponents. In a document dated March 1, 1936 (this document was sent to all M.'.M.'. lodges all over 'the world' informing these lodges on the activities of the Belgian apostates and the decisions made by them- see "Chapter 6 F.U.D.O.S.I. 1934-1951") Chevillon calls Lagrèze a "plagiarist" of the rite's rituals with regard to Lagrèze's activities within the M.'.M.'. incorporated within the F.U.D.O.S.I. Chevillon also states in the document concerned that Lagrèze considered himself to be the substitute Grand Master of the Rite. The purpose of this document was to declare the M.'.M.'. Rite of Rombauts and Lagrèze as being "irregular", a Rite of which Chevillon was the International Grand Master at the time. This document was co-signed by Charles-Henri Dupont.

Lagrèze had been a member of Papus' original Martinist Order and had received his initiation from Téder in 1906. He also received a M.'.M.'. charter from John Yarker in 1909 (which made him a 33* 95*). Ambelain probably referred to this charter when he stated that Lagrèze was the "Substitute Grand Master Worldwide". It is generally asserted (i.a. Galtier) that Yarker nominated Lagrèze because Yarker was not happy with the activities of Reuss and Papus in France at the time (around 1908). Lagrèze apparently never made use of this charter until 1944, when he appointed Ambelain as a Delegate of the rite (95*).

According to Gerard Galtier it seems that Lagrèze had accepted the direction of Joanny Bricaud in the 1920's but had aligned himself to Blanchard's "Ordre Martiniste et Synarchique" around 1933, of which he apparently became Substitute Grand Master at the time. At the same time he aligned himself with Rombauts and the Belgian dissidents, and became involved into the activities of the F.U.D.O.S.I., which made him automatically an opponent of Chevillon's organization. Lagrèze became later involved with Chaboseau's O:::M:::T::: of which he became, briefly, Grand Master in 1946. He also was in close contact with first Harvey Spencer Lewis, and later with his son, Ralph Maxwell Lewis of A.M.O.R.C. Lagrèze died in 1946.

As stated before, although this information is not directly related to the Gnostic Churches concerned, it does relate to various characters which would play an important role in the continuation of the Gnostic Church after the Second World War.

The circle of disciples which participated in the activities of Lagrèze, Ambelain etc. during the war consisted of such men as André Chabro, Cyrille Novosselhof, Camille Zanolim, André Ouvrard, Charles Muller, Jules Boucher, Robert Amadou, Roger Ménard, René Chambellant etc. Several of these men were involved with the continuation of the Gnostic Church after the war ( Ambelain, Ménard and Chambellant would all play an important role in the post-war development of the Gnostic Church as Bishops of this church).
 
 

The Succession of Chevillon's l'EGLISE GNOSTIQUE UNIVERSELLE

Charles-Henri Dupont

It is often asserted (especially by the E.G.A. ) that Charles-Henry Dupont (1877-1961) was the successor of Chevillon as Patriarch of the "Église Gnostique Universelle". The usual "line of succession" used in many historical papers on the French Gnostic Church is the line "Bricaud- Chevillon- Chambellant (who, according to these sources, was evidently elected in 1945 when the E.G.U. was revived, as the successor of Chevillon) - Charles-Henri Dupont (who succeeded "Renatus"/Chambellant in 1948).

The succession of Chevillon by Dupont is affirmed by Robert Ambelain in a publication of the journal "L'Initiation" of 1964. According to Ambelain Dupont was consecrated on April 15, 1948 by Antoine Fayolle, a member of Chevillon's "Ordre Martiniste-Martinéziste de Lyon" and a high dignitary of the F.U.D.O.F.S.I.

According to Ambelain Fayolle was ordained by Chevillon "a few years before his assassination", a claim (the ordination of Fayolle by Chevillon) which has been questioned by other sources, especially on the nature of the supposed ordination. It appears to be certain that Fayolle ordained Dupont into the Universal Gnostic Church.

According to Mgr Charles Artagnan, a well known researcher in Gnostic circles in which he was a member "Mme Bricaud had Mgr Dupont consecrated by Mgr Chevillon" (letter to T Jacques Oct 1^st , 1976), and what actually happened was that Dupont declared himself "Eveque gnostique et patriarche de L'Eglise Gnostique Universelle (Catholique Gnostique)" in a document signed by Dupont (Tau Charles-Henry) in 1960. Dupont also states in this document that he was the legitimate and regular successor of the "Nos Seigneurs regrettés" Tau Constant (Constant Chevillon) and Tau Jean II (Jean Bricaud). The document concerned the transmission of succession from Dupont to Robert Ambelain (Tau Robert or Jean III) as Patriarch of the "L'Eglise Gnostique Apostolique"; the document charged Ambelain "to unify the two Churches". After the death of Victor Blanchard in 1953 Ambelain had founded his own "L'Eglise Gnostique Apostolique", Ambelain's church merged with Dupont's "L'Eglise Gnostique Universelle" in 1960 (source: M.Roggemans).

The line of succession which included Dupont as a Patriarch of the Gnostic Church was later generally accepted by the Orders which were connected to the Federation of Martinist Orders (1958, O.M. de Papus of Dr.Philippe Encausse, O.M. de Lyon of Dupont, O.M. des Elus Cohen of Ambelain). After 1960 these Orders were merged into the "O.M. de Paris", led by Encausse Jr. In 1962 the "protocol of the Union of the Martinist Orders" was signed by Encausse Jr. and Ambelain, a protocol which i.a. mentions the traditional ties of the Martinist Order with the "Église Gnostique Apostolique Universelle". In 1968 Philippe Encausse signed a protocol which confirmed the alliance between the Universal Gnostic Church and the Martinist Order, the protocol was a confirmation of the "1911 alliance" in which Bricaud's "Église Gnostique Universelle" was recognized as being the "official church of the Martinists" ( as a matter of fact, André Mauer already had proclaimed this official alliance in 1967 ).

Line of Succession E.G.U./ E.G.A. according to Ambelain's E.G.A. (up to 1960) :

• 1907-1916, Jean Bricaud (Tau Jean II)
• 1934-1944, Constant Chevillon ( 1870-1944, Tau Harmonius)

• 1944? 1948?-1960, Charles-Henri Dupont (1877-1961, Tau Charles-Henri)

• 1960, Robert Ambelain (1907-1997, Tau Jean III) ; Ambelain alters the name from the "Église Gnostique Universelle" to the " Église Gnostique Apostolique".

These assertions are apparently based on a document written and signed by Charles-Henry Dupont, dated March 1, 1946. This (handwritten) document consisted, if I'm not mistaken, of "testimonies" of Fayolle and others, including Dupont. According to this document Chevillon had ordained four members of the "Église Gnostique Universelle" as priests; Lucien Raclet, Charles-Henri Dupont, Antoine Fayolle, and René Chambellant. Because Chevillon never documented the supposed ordinations, these "testimonies" were published. According to Fayolle's 'testimony'

• the "undersigned witnesses" affirm, "before God and all of mankind", that Mgr. Chevillon, patriarch of the "Église Gnostique Universelle", conferred, at the chapel of Lyon, upon Brother Fayolle on September 3^rd, 1938 the initiation into the Priesthood "sous-diacre, le diaconate" according to the rites of the "Église romaine".

The succession of Constant Chevillon is the subject of a French article (an interview with T Jacques made by Alain Pédron) called "Quest-ce que L'Eglise Gnostique" which appeared in a publication of the magazine "L'Originel" (no.2 -1995). The article concerned is a kind of "update" of a 1978 article under the same title in "L'Initiation". The 1995 article includes supplemented material and corrections made by T Jaques complemented with a contribution of a certain Père Antoine, a priest of the Maronite Church (Eastern-rite of the Roman Catholic Church, prominent especially in modern Lebanon), on the nature of an exoteric Gnostic Church.

The original article states that Constant Chevillon consecrated the four sub-deacons (Raclet, Dupont, Fayolle and Chambellant) into the Diaconate. T Jacques asserts that he's almost certain that Constant Chevillon never actually ordained anyone as a Priest of his Gnostic episcopate. If Chevillon ever intented to ordain priests this was prevented by the War which was at hand in those days, thus T Jacques. Whatever the truth is, none of the four "diacres" (deacons) were ordained by Chevillon as priests in 1938. Chevillon did not appoint a successor and apparently never intented to choose one either, because Chevillon had signed a treaty with three other 'Church-leaders" (from outside of the Gnostic Church) which stated that if one of the four church-leaders which signed the treaty would die, the others remaining would appoint a successor.

After the assassination of Constant Chevillon a document of this treaty was apparently found in Paris. It seems that the treaty was signed around 1940-1941. One of the signatories was a Mgr Marie-Marcel Laemmer which was contacted by one of Chevillon's former disciples. It turns out that René Chambellant had the support of some members of the Gnostic Church of Lyon to become Chevillon's successor. Mgr Laemmer apparently had consented to ordain and consecrate Chambellant as "Eveque gnostique et patriarche de L'Eglise Gnostique Universelle", but it is stated that the other two signatories of the treaty were opposed to this appointment because these bishops were opposed to the consecration of a "Gnostic".

Lucien Raclet and Antoine Fayolle also approached Mgr Laemmer with regard to a possible consecration. The story did not have a continuation, although it is claimed that Raclet received his ordination a little later from a different Church. As for Antoine Fayolle, it seems that Fayolle received his "succession" from a Marcel Cotte who'd received the filiation from Jules Doinel's "Église Gnostique Universelle Catholique" at one time. Somehow Mme Bricaud, the widow of Jean "Joanny" Bricaud, is involved with the "authenticity" of Cotte's affiliation. The article states that Mme Bricaud did not attach much importance to "Apostolic succession", without which the Gnostic Church of her husband after all had functioned until 1913, and therefore believed that the Gnostic Church still could continue with Marcel Cotte having the Doinel-filiation. When Fayolle received his "succession" from Cotte, he immediately proclaimed himself as "Eveque gnostique" in the line of succession which descended from Bricaud and Chevillon, in other words Fayolle proclaimed himself as successor of Constant Chevillon. Fayolle then consecrates Charles-Henry Dupont on April 15, 1948. The consecration is, as stated before, affirmed by Robert Ambelain ( "Fayolle was the putative successor of Chevillon as Patriarch of the "Église Gnostique Universelle" ).

Line of Succession E.G.U. according to T Jacques :

• 1907-1916, Jean Bricaud (Tau Jean II)
• 1934-1944, Constant Chevillon ( 1870-1944, Tau Harmonius) - Mgr Marie-Marcel Laemmer, one of the co-signatories of the "Ecclesiastical treaty of 1940-1941" , a "pact" of four Church-leaders one of them being C.Chevillon. Mgr Laemmer is the possible connection between Chevillon and Chambellant.

• 1944, René Chambellant ?, Chambellant (Tau Renatus) supported by some members of the Église Gnostique of Lyon (E.G.U.), Mgr Marie-Marcel Laemmer was willing to ordain and consecrate Chambellant (1), this was prevented by the 2 other bishops who were opposed to the consecration of a Gnostic.
• 1948, Charles-Henri Dupont ?, Dupont consecrated by Fayolle in 1948 ; Fayolle, a sub-deacon, was consecrated by Chevillon into the Diaconate. Mgr.Ch.Artagnan, a well-known researcher, states (in a dossier of evidence);"Mme Bricaud had Mgr Dupont consecrated by Mgr Chevillon"