George Cardinal LeGros

George Cardinal LeGros was Theosophist and astrologer who was widely known in Theosophical circles for his writings, magazines, and correspondence courses.

Personal life

LeGros was born December 24, 1905 in Vincennes, Indiana, and died on February 15, 1988 in Weaubleau, Missouri. He was married to Elaine Manzi LeGros.

Theosophical involvement

LeGros was originally involved with the Point Loma Theosophists, but on June 30, 1950 was admitted to membership of the Theosophical Society in America, in the Adyar tradition. During 1950-1951, while he lived in Detroit, he was a "National" member of the TSA, and from 1961-1964, he was active in lodges in Chicago. Some of the lectures he delivered to Theosophical lodges were "Our Life in the World Beyond Death," "Flying Saucers," "The Stranger We Live With," and "When Were You Born?" He was a very influential teacher, and Vonda Urban was among his students.

Writings

Le Gros was the editor of the periodical Messiah, published from 1974-1985. It was a newsletter issued monthly or seasonally in the form of three sheets of paper, featuring his poetry plus quotations from Theosophical writers such as Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Gottfried de Purucker, W. Emmett Small, and Dr. Lydia Ross. He also served as the Astrology editor of FATE magazine for some years. He never lived at Point Loma, but was a frequent contributor to periodicals published there, as well as The Canadian Theosophist and Theosophia. The Union Index of Theosophical Periodicals lists 34 articles by or about LeGros.

• The Mystic Testament. Chicago: Collins Publishing Company, 1961. Poetry. Illustrated by Elaine Manzi LeGros.
• Together in Splendor. La Habre, California: Ande Herald Press, 1974. Poetry. Written with Elaine Manzi LeGros.

An example of his poetry is called "The Hungry Men":

O hungry men, who love the taste of life,

How will you gormandize when life has ceased?

At what ethereal banquet will you feast?

What bloodless spectres will you take to wife?

(Self-martyred in a world of woe and strife,

Self-doomed to be of lesser men the least;

Beholden to the glamour of the Beast

In jungle lairs with pride and passion rife.)

O hungry men, who grovel in the dust,

Look up into the everlasting skies;

And from the burning ashes of your lust

Evoke the will to pardon and forgive.

Surrender love of self if you would rise;

Kill out desire of life

If you would live.

Obituaries

An obituary about G. C. LeGros appeared in The Canadian Theosophist:

The April-May issue of Messiah records the death of its founder Editor-Publisher, George Cardinal LeGros on February 15, 1988. He was in his 83rd year. Cardinal worked unstintingly for Theosophy for over half a century. His name appears in The Canadian Theosophist as early as the 1930s, when he participated in the various international/inter-organizational conferences held in that period. In 1959 he started his own independent journal, The Theosophical Reminder. This ran for 60 issues until publication ceased in June, 1964.The first number of Messiah appeared in March, 1974. As well as these publishing activities, Theosophical correspondence courses were also offered. This activity, and Messiah, are being carried on by his associate Marcheta Henry, to whom we send best wishes for the continued success of Cardinal's work. Messiah is published from Box 5, Weaubleau, Missouri, 65774 U.S.A.

Additional resources

• "Theosophical Articles and Verse - George Cardinal LeGros," on Scribd.com.
• Natal horoscope is available at Astrotheme and Astro-Databank.
• Walter A. Carrithers, Jr. Papers, Records Series 25.26, Theosophical Society in America Archives. This archival collection includes eighteen issues of Messiah.