Words by Max Heindel
(Tune: "Sweet Hour of Prayer")
Each star that in its orbit goes
Law steadfast and eternal shows.
Expressions, are the stars, of God,
Unchangeable as ebb and flood.
The marching orbs in circle dance,
Through time and space each year advance
The harmony of rolling spheres
Resounds in cosmos through the years.
Man's ignorance of Cosmic Law
Caused discord, then came death and woe;
Now trouble, sorrow, grief must reign
Till harmony prevails again.
We've met to study Nature's Law,
We seek eternal truth to know,
And with such truth as we may find
We hope to serve and free mankind.
Let's strive to know that we may do.
What lifts, ennobles, is right and true.
With love to all and hate to none,
Let's shun no duty that should be done.
For knowing how to act aright,
And doing it from morn till night,
From day to day and year to year,
We conquer self and sin and fear.
With reason's torch we search for truth
To restore the harmony, life, and youth;
For reason's torch when thus applied
In wisdom's quest is safest guide.
If we persist' though oft we fail,
In time our efforts shall prevail
To end the discord and dispel
All evil with harmony's rhythmic swell.
The Sunday Evening Service at Headquarters always begins with those in attendance singing what is called the "Rosicrucian Opening Hymn." The music of this hymn is written in the Key of D Major, two sharps. This key sounds the power of the Libran life wave, the Lords of Individuality; consequently it assists the individual in acquiring balance, justice, courtesy, and hopefulness. This life wave is dominated by the vibratory power of the planet Venus, which embodies love, harmony, and unity and carries a binding, cohesive force.
The key of D Major, dominated by Venus love, may be likened to a tuning fork. When its tone is struck all other tuning forks within radius of its vibratory waves (those in the audience) will sing in unison if of identical pitch.
Note that the key power of Venus, which dominates the Libran life wave, is love. Love is correlated to the second aspect of God and man. Man therefore responds to this love power when it is sounded in the keynote of Libra, probably very faint at first; but gradually this continually sounding force will awaken the love power in man, and in time will develop its full expression, which includes harmony and unity. This much to be desired result accounts for the reason why every Sunday evening without fail the Rosicrucian Opening Hymn is sung.
The words of this hymn were written by Max Heindel and contain much illuminating information. Let us examine its stanzas and find just what they do contain:
"Each star that in its orbit goes." Here we are told that each star (the body of a mighty individual) has a separate and distinct path in the heavens all its very own.
"Law steadfast and eternal shows." Here we learn that the path of each star is directed and governed by cosmic law, unvarying and steadfast in nature.
"Expressions are the stars of God." Now we learn that each star expresses not only some particular power of the God by Whom it was created but that there was a definite purpose for its creation.
"Unchangeable as ebb and flood." The path of these stars in the sky does not change, neither does the particular power which it embodies; but on and on, unvaryingly, it expresses the God power within itself, thereby accomplishing the spiritual results for which it was created.
"The marching orbs in circle dance." Although apparently stationary in the sky the stars are continually changing their positions, and their general path takes the form of a circle around a central point which is the center of the consciousness of God, the Creator.
"Through time and space each year advance." These star paths, although circular, are also spiral, for they continually advance through space.
"The harmony of rolling spheres." Their true form is spherical and they revolve each on its own axis. Each star emits a harmonic tone which is in perfect accord with the tones produced by all the other stars.
"Resounds in Cosmos through the years." The music of the spheres goes on and on as long as manifestation lasts, and it permeates the entire solar system. Furthermore, should the harmony fail for one single moment the whole solar system would crumble and disintegrate.
"Man's ignorance of Cosmic Law." Man does not know all of the laws pertaining to the Cosmos, but he has persistently refused to obey those that were made known to him. See the Ten Commandments, for example. Cosmic law has been made known to him as fast as he was able to comprehend it.
"Caused discord, then came death and woe." Man's refusal to obey the Ten Commandments is the principal source of all discord and sorrow, and the cause of death as we know it today.
"Now trouble, sorrow, grief must reign, till harmony prevails again." Harmony cannot prevail until man has incorporated the Ten Commandments into his being and lives them in his daily life. He must also learn of the Law of Cause and Effect, coupled with that of Rebirth.
"We've met to study nature's law." It is only when we begin in real earnest to study Nature's laws, when we learn to understand these laws and why it is necessary that we live in accord with them, that we begin to make real spiritual progress.
"We seek eternal truth to know." Meaning all things which are in exact accordance with actual facts, the unchanging, ever operative laws of Nature all of which are animated by the will of Deity and are ceaselessly working toward bringing about perfection in all that has been created in embryonic form.
"And with such truth as we may find, we hope to serve and free mankind." When we have acquired an understanding knowledge of God, His laws, the various processes of creation, what we are, why we are here, the process of spiritual development, the eternal Life of the spirit, the oneness of all created beings, then and then only are we fairly well equipped to serve mankind. We may then become teachers ready and willing to carry the message to all who are able to receive it and free themselves from the false delusions which hold them ensnared.
"Let's strive to know that we may do what lifts, ennobles, is right and true." This knowledge cannot be gained without effort. We must strive diligently if we would acquire it; and when once it is acquired, it behooves us to live it if we desire to be of real value in spreading the Light.
The words of this song as written by Max Heindel, when analyzed, reveal as many deep spiritual truths as are to be found in the opening hymn.
Nearer My God to Thee, when played in the key of F Major, one flat, strikes the keynote of Sagittarius, the Lords of Mind, who radiated from their own beings into mankind the germ of mind. Any music played in this key will help to develop the mind of man. When this song is played in G Major, one sharp, which is the keynote of Capricorn, the archangelic life wave of which Christ was the highest Initiate, the vibration set into action has a direct effect on the further development of the desire body, as the Archangels are experts at building form out of desire stuff, and are now working with man from the invisible plane, influencing him subconsciously in the way to build his desire body and how best to use it. Twice a day those at Headquarters have an opportunity in united effort to take advantage of the impetus given to mind development when Nearer My God to Thee is being sung in the Chapel, as the key used in there is F Major, which has one flat.
The Doxology sung in the chapel at the close of the daily morning service is tuned to the key of G Major, which has one sharp, F, the keynote of the Capricornians, who are Archangels. The morning service thus closes with praise to God the Creator of our solar system from all creatures here below and the heavenly hosts above, not forgetting to remember the Father, highest Initiate of the Sagittarians, Lords of Mind, the Son, Christ, highest Initiate of the Capricornian lifewave, the Archangels, and the Holy Ghost, Jehovah, the highest Initiate of the angelic life wave, all of which are working faithfully to assist man in furthering his evolutionary development.
It is a custom in churches or at lectures to go up to the speaker at the close of the lecture and compliment him. To follow this custom, many people feel forced to make hypocrites of themselves, and if the compliments are not forthcoming, the speaker feels he has not been appreciated. This is entirely wrong. There is some good in the feeblest effort, and that good we should take. The one who speaks usually gets the most benefit from the lecture, which should be sufficient for him or her without expressions from others.... Many a good and worthy man (or woman) has been lost because his (or her) appetite for adulation grew as it was fed to them. Applause, when it is spontaneous, shows that we have spoken to the emotions but when our innermost soul has been touched we are speechless, for there are no words adequate to express what we then feel. Therefore, a speaker should discourage expressions concerning his effort, and auditors should refrain from giving them.... Here on Mt. Ecclesia no word is spoken, either of praise or blame, no matter who the speaker. We are learning not to discuss lectures, but to take that which has been given regardless of the source, for what we think it is worth to us.
--Echoes, March, 1914
"For knowing how to act aright, and doing it from morn till night, from day to day, and year to year we conquer self and sin and fear." It is not only necessary that we know how to act right, but we must practice right action -- not just off and on, when we feel like it, but each and every day, year after year. When we have proved diligent in service, lovingly rendered, the just reward is most surely ours, for by conquering self, and sin, and fear, we have at last gained freedom from our physical body and have become indeed and in truth free -- the Initiate who is free to travel at will wherever he desires, untrammeled by the weight of a cumbersome physical body. Even the Initiate, however, is not free from giving loving service in the Physical World; he is only better equipped to render it, for: "With reason's torch we search for truth to restore the harmony, life, and youth." Equipped with the light of true reason (will power attribute) the Initiate sets about to use his increased powers to restore harmony, life, and youth to the world, by teaching that a knowledge of God and the cosmic laws governing our solar system assists each individual to live in harmony with his fellow man, prolongs his life, and restores his buoyant youthful perspective on his future attainments.
"For reason's (will's) torch (light) when thus applied, in wisdom's (love's) quest (search) is safest guide." Loving self- forgetting service to others is the shortest, the safest, and the most joyful road to God.
"If we persist, though oft we fail, in time our efforts shall prevail to end the discord and dispel all evil with harmony's rhythmic swell," Blessed assurance! If we persist, even though we may fail in our tests (learning our lessons) from time to time, our efforts shall prevail, and all discord and evil in ourselves and all the world will be overcome by the orderly application of the power of love (harmony's rhythmic swell.)
The words of this song when carefully analyzed are found to contain the entire formula of Initiation.
Our closing hymn, God Be With You Till We Meet Again, is tuned to the keynote of D flat Major, which sounds the tone of the Aryan life wave, which is the most advanced of the twelve, including our own, and this tone leaves the audience at the very throne of God. Is there any wonder that Max Heindel, who knew an this, requested that the friends leave the Chapel without disturbing the vibration by talking?
God be with you till we meet again;
In His love each day abide you;
That His wisdom's Light may guide you;
God be with you till we meet again.
REFRAIN:
Till we meet, till we meet,
Till we meet' the Rosy Cross to greet,
Till we meet, till we meet,
God be with you till we meet again.
God be with you in your hour of joy;
With life's choicest gifts to bless you,
With no sorrow to oppress you,
Then may Service give you added joy.
God be with you in your hour of pain,
When temptations surge around you,
With helpful thoughts we will surround you,
Till your darkness turns to light again.
God be with you till we meet again
At the Cross with Roses garnished;
May our lives be pure, untarnished,
Till the Rosy Cross we greet again.
Rosicrucian
Fellowship - International Headquarters
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