New Orleans: Crescent of Darkness- A Threads of Damocles "A" Universe


	THE MARTINIST DOCTRINE Like all other esoteric doctrine, that of Martinism, as it was defined by Martinez Pasquales in his Treatise on the Reintegration of Beings uses exoteric means in order to make understandable the more subtle and refined esoteric points which are incomprehensible to the uninitiated when explained in themselves. The legend or myth upon which the Martinist doctrine is based is the reason why it is so intrinsically attached to the Western tradition and more particularly the Christian current. Concerning the First Cause or God, Martinism is in agreement with the conclusions arrived at by the Christian theologians as well as the Hebrew Kabalists such as the Divine Ternary, or persons; emanations etc...but as far as the rest of the doctrine is concerned, it is more Gnostic since it affirms the equal necessity of faith and knowledge and postulates that divine grace, in order to be effective, must be followed by action, free and intelligent in Man. His is why Martinez Pasquales presented the Doctrine of his school under the Judeo-Christian aspect. The Path of Martinism The Traditional Martinist Order is an Initiatory Order and a school of moral knighthood, the basis of which mainly rests on Jewish/Christian mysticism. It is a Fraternity that is open to both men and women. Its name is derived from Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin. Through him the Order is associated with a tradition the roots of which go back to the earliest Tradition, to a time in which man had the privilege to communicate - without a mediator - with the Divine. The purpose of the Martinists is to study the inner nature of man. They apply themselves to the discovering of the relations that exist between God, man and the universe. From this point of view they have a special interest in deepening the knowledge of their own nature, as they are convinced that this quest will give them the key to understanding the whole of Creation. It is their aim to study nature through man and not man through nature. The Martinists' view is, that man has lost the place that was his at the onset of Creation. In his work 'Le Tableau Naturel' Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin says: "Man was emanated to occupy the center that lies between the Godhead and the universe. Through his fall he has found himself end up in a much lower environment." Consequently the fall has made him lose his glorious state and given him a physical body. Nonetheless man can retrieve his place in the scheme of Creation. The initiation and the Martinist teachings offer the Man of Desire the necessary equipment for this work. Within the frame of very inspired ceremonies of a lofty purport the Martinists use this equipment that has been given to them by a centuries-old tradition. The second phase of the work of the Martinists consists of the tuition of man, not only about the manner in which one leads a life in conformity with the highest principles of ethics and the beauty of knighthood, but also about how to benefit from the virtues and mercies that accompany such a life. This phase of tuition, relating to the way how to lead a just life, can be characterized as 'practical mysticism' connected with a Western tradition that has been established for a long time already. It is the striving of Martinism that human society organizes itself in such a manner that every man and every woman becomes the envoy of God. The accomplished Martinist therefore becomes a Servant of the Invisible and thus fulfills the task of the 'Homme-Esprit' (the Spiritual Human Being).

THE MARTINIST DOCTRINE

Like all other esoteric doctrine, that of Martinism, as it was defined by Martinez Pasquales in his Treatise on the Reintegration of Beings uses exoteric means in order to make understandable the more subtle and refined esoteric points which are incomprehensible to the uninitiated when explained in themselves. The legend or myth upon which the Martinist doctrine is based is the reason why it is so intrinsically attached to the Western tradition and more particularly the Christian current.

Concerning the First Cause or God, Martinism is in agreement with the conclusions arrived at by the Christian theologians as well as the Hebrew Kabalists such as the Divine Ternary, or persons; emanations etc...but as far as the rest of the doctrine is concerned, it is more Gnostic since it affirms the equal necessity of faith and knowledge and postulates that divine grace, in order to be effective, must be followed by action, free and intelligent in Man. His is why Martinez Pasquales presented the Doctrine of his school under the Judeo-Christian aspect.

The Path of Martinism

The Traditional Martinist Order is an Initiatory Order and a school of moral knighthood, the basis of which mainly rests on Jewish/Christian mysticism. It is a Fraternity that is open to both men and women. Its name is derived from Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin. Through him the Order is associated with a tradition the roots of which go back to the earliest Tradition, to a time in which man had the privilege to communicate - without a mediator - with the Divine.

The purpose of the Martinists is to study the inner nature of man. They apply themselves to the discovering of the relations that exist between God, man and the universe. From this point of view they have a special interest in deepening the knowledge of their own nature, as they are convinced that this quest will give them the key to understanding the whole of Creation. It is their aim to study nature through man and not man through nature.

The Martinists' view is, that man has lost the place that was his at the onset of Creation. In his work 'Le Tableau Naturel' Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin says: "Man was emanated to occupy the center that lies between the Godhead and the universe. Through his fall he has found himself end up in a much lower environment." Consequently the fall has made him lose his glorious state and given him a physical body. Nonetheless man can retrieve his place in the scheme of Creation. The initiation and the Martinist teachings offer the Man of Desire the necessary equipment for this work. Within the frame of very inspired ceremonies of a lofty purport the Martinists use this equipment that has been given to them by a centuries-old tradition.

The second phase of the work of the Martinists consists of the tuition of man, not only about the manner in which one leads a life in conformity with the highest principles of ethics and the beauty of knighthood, but also about how to benefit from the virtues and mercies that accompany such a life. This phase of tuition, relating to the way how to lead a just life, can be characterized as 'practical mysticism' connected with a Western tradition that has been established for a long time already.

It is the striving of Martinism that human society organizes itself in such a manner that every man and every woman becomes the envoy of God. The accomplished Martinist therefore becomes a Servant of the Invisible and thus fulfills the task of the 'Homme-Esprit' (the Spiritual Human Being).