THE COMPLETE RULE OF NINE POINTS
Jean-Baptiste Willermoz
PROLOGUE
O you who have just been initiated into the bosom of Wisdom! Child of Virtue and of Peace! Give our words a listening ear, and let your soul open to the lessons of Truth! We will teach you the path to a happy life; we will teach you the ecstasy your Source! We will teach you to cultivate, with vitality and success, all the capacities that providence have entrusted to you, and so make yourself an aid of Mankind and a partaker of the mysteries and blessings of the Divine.
ARTICLE I – DUTY TOWARDS GOD AND RELIGION
1. Your first homage belongs to the Divine. Adore the majestic Being that created the universe by an act of his will, who incessantly works within All, He that fills your heart, but whom your narrow mind can neither conceive nor define. Pity the miserable delusion of him who close his eyes to the Light and walk in the valley of shadows, and let your heart open to the Eternal. Reject with contempt that vain sophistry, which degrades the human Spirit when it strays from its source. Always elevate your soul above the material things that surround you, and direct your desire to the abodes of heaven, for they are your heritage and your true homeland. Dedicate to God your Will and your Desire: make yourself worthy of his invigorating powers, and thus fulfill the laws he wished that you achieve in your profession as a Man on Earth. Your ecstasy is in God, in the rapture of being reunited with Him forever. This is the summit of all your ambition, and the compass of your actions.
2. But how shall you remain standing in the eyes of the Eternal, you of such a fragile constitution? How, I ask, when in every moment you can stray from the path of the Eternal, and defile your own sanctity, even though at all times Infinity is offered unto you? Surrendered to the vagaries of reasons limited faculties, can you see any consolation in your future? Compared to the image of the Eternal, how do you fare? Give thanks, and never forget the infinite possibilities of Rebirth and Regeneration. Humble yourself in the living Logos, the Word in Extension, and bless Providence that you were born in a time and a place where the path of illumination should lie open for you. Profess everywhere the Divine Religion: the Religion of Truth. And bend neither your back nor your knee in shame for belonging in its eternal ranks. The Gospel of our obligations is Truth, and if you are not Truthful, you cease to be an Initiate. Announce through all your actions an enlightened and vigorous devotion. Announce without hypocrisy, without fanaticism, that the Path does not merely speculate truths: for it is the very Practice of Truth that defines you, and all your moral duties. Thus Truth will teach you, guide you and your fellow Men, and grant you joy and happiness. Thus you will never tremble; neither before the eyes of men, nor before the throne of God.
3. Truth is the foundation of all, and the Knights of Truth fight only for Love and Charity. The sanctity of this religion can only be defiled by hate. Therefore, we do not persecute, but leave all behind us: All will stand to the measure and judgment of the Eternal; we seek only contentment through toleration. Mystics! Children of one God, united by a common belief in one Truth! The Bond that unites us is but Love, and this intimate chain of All, unites us as it dispels all hate and any prejudice against Mankind.
ARTICLE II – IMMORTALITY OF THE SPIRIT
1. Man! King of the world! Masterpiece of creation, who the Eternal animated by his breath! Meditate on your sublime election. Everything around you: all that lives, both of the vegetable and animal realm, perish with time and is subject to your empire: your immortal Spirit. Your secret Centre is One, All, and emanating from the bosom of the Divine, and it shall survive all material things and never die. That is the true patent of your nobility, the living seal of your happiness. This you have forgotten. And through the pride of your mind, plunged yourself into the abyss of oblivion. By your own Will, you have degraded yourself! Despite your original and present grandeur, what are you now, compared to the Eternal? Adore the Infinite while in the mire of the finite world. Carefully separate your heavenly indestructible principle, from the foreign alloys you are now composed of. Cultivates your immortal Spirit and perfect your Soul, so that this holy unction will be a temple of Pure Light, when from your being you release the vapors of coarse matter. Thus you will be freed from the chains of slavery, attain happiness in this bosom of misfortune, unwavering in the tempests of life; and you shall die without fear.
2. Initiate! If you ever doubt the immortal nature of your Spirit and the Nobility of your heritage, Initiation would be fruitless for you. You would cease to be the adopted child of Wisdom and you would be lost in the crowd of material beings and profane, groping for Light in the abyss of darkness.
ARTICLE III – DUTY TO THE SOVEREIGN AND YOUR HOMELAND
1. The Eternal deigned Man to be a Sovereign upon earth, and man have thus elected Sovereigns from their own ranks, to build a State for men to dwell in. When the State of Men is thus erected in the name of truth, you shall cherish its legitimate authority on the corner of the earth that you live. Your honor shall therefor first be measured by your reflection of the Divine, and secondly in the eyes of your fellow men. Man, wandering in the forest, uncultivated and secluded from his fellows, is not suited to partake in the community of the Divine, nor partake in the wealth of joy that is reserved for him. His Being grows among his fellows, his Mind is strengthened by the clash of opinions, but once a member of society, he is inclined to constant strife, born from self-interest and disordered passions, and his innocence soon succumbs either to force or to deception. He therefore saw it necessary to create worldly laws to guide him, and leaders to keep them.
2. Sensible Man, Pray for you parents; pray for those whom govern your state, and ask for their conservation, for even they should be representatives of divinity on earth. If they err, they will be measured in the Image of the Judge of Kings. So shall also your Heart be your King, and its laws your Law. Thus beware, for in the end, you can only betray yourself. Self-Rule is your sacred duty, Self-Rule in the kingdom of Men. And if your heart does not quiver in delight when hearing the sweet secret of its hidden name, and its hidden King, our Order would expel you from her womb; and deem you unworthy to stand in our ranks. For if you fail in this first task of your own government, you fail its very purpose; to be the trusted and esteemed abode of your own elevation. Be therefore a patriot in your inner kingdom, the truest spouse to your marriage with Heaven. Raise the children of your soul to understand its own laws, and the duties thereof. Be the most courageous warrior, the most upright judge, the wisest Master, the most faithful servant, the most tender parent, the most steady spouse, so that your child will be raised to be sanctified and strengthened as a free Man, voluntarily partaking in the building of the Temple of Truth, and never join the ranks of the weak; in the kingdom of hypocrisy and perjury.
ARTICLE IV – DUTY TOWARDS HUMANITY
1. Then, if the borders of your kingdom should open, and should your heart choose to cross these borders of your empire, and should your heart be set ablaze and partake with the hearts of other Men, then you will see that all nations stem back to one common source. You will not fail to recognize that Mankind is but one family; and you will cherish all men, for we all have the same organs, the same need to love, the same desire to be useful, and we all have an immortal Spirit like yours. If this should come to pass, then do not hesitate: Come into our Temple and offer your homage to the sacred Humanity, for the universe is the home of the Initiate, and anything that has the appearance of Man is never foreign to him.
2. Come and partake in this majestic building, designed and erected to the restoration of Man; cherish the assembly of virtuous souls, engaged in its exaltation, widespread in all countries, where reason and enlightenment has made its entry, meet under The holy banner of Humanity, ruled by simple and uniform laws. Finally, feel the sublime goal of our Holy Order; devote your whole life and activity to charity; ennoble, purify and strengthen this resolution by tirelessly working on your own perfection, bringing you closer to the Divine.
ARTICLE V – CHARITY
1. Created in the image of God who has deigned to communicate himself to mankind and spread happiness through them; approach this example of the Infinite with a firm Will to unceasingly further it, and let the elated bliss pour unto others to the utmost of your power: for whatever the Spirit can conceive of the Divine is the inheritance of the Initiate.
2. Behold the impotence of childhood; it demands your support. Consider the disastrous inexperience of youth; it solicits your council. Use your joy to preserve them from error and the deceptions that threaten them, Excites in them the sparks of the Sacred Fire of their Genius, help them to develop it for the joy of the world.
3. Any Being that suffers or laments has rights sacred rights towards you; take care not to ignore them! Do not wait until the cries of misery starts to bore you before soliciting them; Intervene and reassures those who are unfortunate, and especially those who suffer in silence. Do not poison, by the ostentation of your gifts, the spring where the unhappy go to be refreshed; do not seek the reward of your benevolence in the vain applause of the multitude; for the Initiate seeks his only reward it in the stillness of his conscience and in the strengthening recognition of the Divine, under the eyes of which he always stand erect.
4. If Providence should grant you any surplus, takes care not to squander it frivolously or carelessly; for Wisdom would rather that your Heart became indifferent to your possessions, and freely and spontaneously give equal distribution of your goods. This is the only way to enjoy what privileges you might have been given. Beware of avarice, most sordid of passions, so that it does not degrade your character, and that your heart should harden with the cold and arid calculations that it brings. If ever you should suddenly shrivel with its sad breath self-absorption, flee our Temple, for it would have become a foreign abode for you, and we would not recognize in you the original image of the Divine any longer.
5. As your charity is lit by religion, your prudence should be lit by Wisdom. As your heart would embrace all of humanity, so must your Spirit choose most wisely where to apply itself. Cultivate it therefore; whether by instruction, advice, protection or reliefs. But never believe that you have done enough, and let yourself lean back to enjoy the fruits of your labors. Exceed! Always return to your work, for only thus will your energy be replenished! Thus you will be flooded by continual bursts of sublime passion, an inexhaustible source of pleasures will be prepares for you: you will attain on this earth the first impression of celestial happiness, your soul will grow, and all moments of your life will be penetrated with the ecstasy of Spirit.
6. When at last you have exceeded yourself even to the very limits of your finite nature, and exhaust yourself so that you should believe that you cannot endure for your Work, never let your soul be distraught!
Then, come to our Temple. Come, and see the brilliance of the Sacred Chain that unites us, and it shall invigorate all your faculties, for our campaign against misery of the world, such as the Initiates have undertaken it, will bring forth the a new world; ripe with the sweet fruits of our combined forces , when they are set on the same goal. Then your wealth will multiply, for you will help make a thousand men happy instead of one, and all your desires will be crowned.
ARTICLE VI – OTHER MORAL DUTIES TOWARDS MANKIND
1. Love thy neighbor as thyself, and never do unto him what you do not want to be done to you. Serve yourself by the sublime force of Silence, and serve mankind by the Sublime gift of the Word. Be a sign of Mankind’s dominion over nature; go and silently meet the needs of others, and go loudly to excite in all hearts the Sacred Fire of the Spirit. Be gracious but informal; erect yourself to be a divine example. Share the happiness of others, be not jealous of it. Do not allow the urge of jealousy to rise, even for a moment in your chest, for in its root, and by its force, it disturbs the tranquility of your happiness, and your soul will be subject to the tempest of the most miserable furies.
2. Forgive your enemy; for you cannot revenge what he has done to himself. For by this princely sacrifice, is to be found the sublime secret of religion: Recognizing your fellow man as yourself, you return him to the image of the Eternal. This is the sole purpose of forgiveness of sins, and the most heavenly act of outward man. Thus grace is hidden in indifference. Always remember, that this is the triumph of Beauty; the Wills only dominion over instinct. For: The Initiate forgets all insults; but never any recompenses.
ARTICLE VII – MORAL PERFECTION OF YOURSELF
1. In devoting yourself to the well of others, do not forget your own perfection and do not neglect the needs of your immortal soul. Descend often into your heart to probe its most secret folds. Knowing oneself is the pivot of the Initiates desire. Your soul is a broken mirror that disperses the Light; restore it by the trials of your Desire so that it will reflect its true Image.
2. Purity and Severity shall be your inseparable companions and make you respectable in the eyes of the profane, and keep your soul is pure, straight, true and humble. Pride is Mans most dangerous enemy, for it maintains an illusory confidence in his strength. Do not contemplate the worldly birthplace from which you came, it only slows down your journey. Set your eyes on where you need arrive. Your time for travels is short; use it well, and use it now! Never judge yourself thorough the eyes of others; this is mere self-poisoning of your soul. Measure yourself by your own Standard, and feel the sting of your own sword!
3. If you talk, then speak the Truth, and not the secrets of your heart, and let your lips be a true and faithful weapon for you. The Initiate who divests himself of truth and dons the mask of hypocrisy and artifice, would be unworthy to live with us and sow distrust and discord in our peaceful temples, he would soon become a horror and a plague to himself.
4. Sublimate yourself in the presence of the Eternal; and you will be strengthened. Every morning, renews your vow to improve yourself; watch and pray, and when the night comes, your heart shall be its refuge. Likewise, always renew your life Divine, and you shall rest quietly in the heart of the Eternal while you are awake.
5. Finally, study the meaning of the hieroglyphs and emblems that our Order presents to you. Nature veils her secrets, but longs for them to be unraveled. Meditate on this, and cherish what you will discover. For these mysteries are one and the same, and they are fashioned for Man to understand the relationship between God, the universe and you. Thus your desires will be fulfilled, and your Divine Spirit will teach you how to forge your destiny.
ARTICLE VIII – DUTY TOWARDS YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
1. Amongst the great multitude of Beings that populate the immensity of our universe, you have chosen, by an act of free will, the Initiates as your Brothers and Sisters. By this act, you forfeit your spiritual and moral seclusion and awake to become part of the Initiates Brotherhood of Mankind. For from the moment you pass through this threshold, all beings have a sacred right to your support and your amity. Especially those you call your own. For truly; Mankind is but one Family, and nowhere is a stranger to be found. Therefore, let your right hand be open to all Beings in the sign of fraternal sincerity. But, let the revelation of your true Being be reserved for those you find worthy. Nature follows the laws of equality; no true distinctions are to be found. Thus, the Initiate never succumbs to sacrifice another, neither out of gain nor out of fear, of neither man nor of state. The profane world measures the value of Man by profane means, and segregate equals by their worldly achievements, by their wealth, or by other random assets that providence have given them. All these things are as naught to us. Leave your pride, treasures and decorations at the door of our Temple, and come as you are: for amongst us rank will always be outshined by Virtue. Faithful to this law, the Initiate is devoted to the work of restoring the Temple of Mankind.
2. Never blush in the presence of an Unknown. Never make a stranger blush before you.
For all Men are of Noble birth, and as an Initiate, it is your sacred duty to always act accordingly.
Should you fail to do this, we would send you back into the world with your pride, where you can freely profane yourself on the theatre of the world. Be a shelter and an asylum for others, and the Eternal shall be your abode forever. If your brother is in danger, fly to his aid, and do not hesitate to give your life for him. But expect nothing from your brethren, not even in the utmost need. If in need, grant your brother your treasures, and rejoice that you have been able to do so. If your brothers stray, come to him with and be a mirror for the Light he carries in the dark. Give support to him that staggers, and raise those who have fallen.
3. If your heart should ulcerate by insults, real or imaginary, or harbor secret enmity against one of your brothers, dissipates immediately the cloud that rises. Call to your aid the Unknown paraclete; and ask for its fraternal mediation; but never pass the threshold of the Temple before having banished any feeling of hatred and revenge. For if your Temple be not purified by the virtues of the brothers and are sanctified by their harmony, you would call upon the name of the Eternal in vain, and he would not condescended to make you his abode.
ARTICLE IX – DUTY TO THE ORDER.
1. When finally you were admitted to freely partake in the Association of Initiates, you also forsook a part of your natural liberty, by the obligation you took of your own free will to incessantly seek the light, and to keep it inviolate. For by this act, you are no longer only a mere inquirer into the Mystery, but you have also become its Guardian. Your commitment to the Order is subject to its rules and its Superiors, but never should you have to doubt not that our hierarchy is one of benevolence: You do not owe anything to those who have gone before you; but everything to those that come after you. Such is the legacy of our spiritual heritage.
2. The law you have sworn in the presence of what you deem most Holy, is a single honorable observance of trust: to keep secret our rituals, ceremonies, symbols and the Form of our Association. Beware of believing that this commitment is less sacred than any other oath, word, deed or thought that you profess; for all your actions are a reflection of the honor and uprightness of your being. You were, are and will forever remain a Free Man, but should you break the oath that you have taken; you have failed yourself and your Word to Eternal, whom you invoked as a witness of your sacred pledge. Fear not any penalties or perjury from us, but know that you can never escape the punishment of your heart nor or the loss of respect and confidence of your brothers, who would be entitled to declare you without faith and without honor.
CONCLUSION
If the teachings that the Order present to you, to aid the way of the Truth and happiness, are engraved deeply in your heart, and should they open it to the Eternal from where it stems, if the valuable maxims, which will mark each step on your Initiate journey, should be transformed by you into your own principles, and you yourself dictate the unwavering laws of your words and actions; Then, O my brother, this would be our purest joy, for then you will have become truly Free! You will achieve your sublime destiny:You will recover the divine resemblance which was the right of Man in his original state.
For this is the goal of all Religion, and the sole object of all Initiation: You will again become Heavens most cherished Being, and the bountiful blessings of Infinity will come to you. And when you have attained the glorioustitle of Sacred, Free, Happy and Constant, you will walk on this earth the equal of Kings, the benefactor of men and as an example to your brothers and sisters in the fellowship of humanity.
