Order of the Temple of the Rosy Cross

The Order of the Temple of the Rosy Cross was founded in 1912 by Annie Besant, Marie Russak Hotchener, and James Ingall Wedgwood.

Fritz Kunz, then a young worker at Krotona in Hollywood, wrote to his mentor Charles Webster Leadbeater:

Question

Is it true, as has been stated, that the newly founded Temple of the Rosy Cross represents the esoteric side of the Order of the Star in the East? If it is so, it would follow that all current members would wish to see an R. C. Temple founded in each country and become members.

Leadbeater had this to say about the new temple and its rituals:

Answer

The statement is not true. Mrs. Besant, who is herself the founder of this new organization, has expressly disclaimed the idea. The Order of the Star in the East has a Second Degree, called the Service Corps, which consists of those members who are able to devote some proportion of their time to definite service in certain specified ways; but there is nothing esoteric about that. The Temple of the Rosy Cross might appropriately be called, not the esoteric but the ritualistic side of the Order of the Star in the East, for Mrs. Besant founded it especially for the very large class of people who find in gorgeous ceremonial the readiest method of arousing their higher feelings. The Temple gives no new knowledge, but simply offers a new way of expression for the devotion of those to whom ritual appeals. Its only claim to esotericism is that it imitates Freemasonry in keeping its ceremonies a profound secret. The only really esoteric side of the Order of the Star in the East is the Purple Order, to which admission can be obtained only by the personal invitation of the Head [Jiddu Krishnamurti].

Whether it is desirable to found a Temple of the new organization in any particular district must depend entirely upon whether there are i that district a sufficiently large number of members of the ceremonial-loving type. If there are such members, they will find in the ritual of the new body a suitable expression of their feelings. if there are no members of that special type, there would be no object in the formation of a Temple, as the large amount of money necessary for such foundation would be wasted if there were none who appreciated the display.

A day later, Leadbeater continued:

It is really a matter of temperament, and this Temple of the Rosy Cross was founded by Mrs. Besant in order to meet the requirements of the people to whom ceremonial is the easiest method of expression. I have not a word to say against it in any way, but I think we must be careful that it is not put forward as something esoteric in which additional knowledge will be given, and we must see that people do not get the idea that it is necessary for them to join it in order to demonstrate loyalty. That idea was to some extent afloat in England - that not to follow Mrs. Besant when she founded this new organisation was to hang back to some extent, and thereby to lose an opportunity. What I said in my answer to the question on the subject is no more than Mrs. Besant has herself said on several occasions...

Additional resources

• Tillett, Gregory J. Charles Webster Leadbeater 1854-1934: a biographical study. Doctoral dissertation submitted to Department of Religious Studies, University of Sydney, 1986. Sydney: University of Sydney, 2007. In 2008 an online version became available at Leadbeater.org, and another digital version is from the University of Sydney.