Count of St. Germain

"Count Saint-Germain" redirects here. For other uses of St. Germain see Saint-Germain.
Count of St Germain by unknown artist

The Count of St. Germain (fl. 1710-1784) has been variously described as a courtier, adventurer, charlatan, inventor, alchemist, pianist, violinist and amateur composer, but is best known as a recurring figure in the stories of several strands of occultism – particularly those connected to Theosophy and the White Eagle Lodge, where he is also referred to as the Master Rakoczi or the Master R and as one of the Masters of the Ancient Wisdom, is credited with near god-like powers and longevity. Some sources write that his name is not familial, but was invented by him as a French version of the Latin Sanctus Germanus, meaning "Holy Brother." [1][2][3]

Contents

Life

The scarcity of contemporary biographical detail about St. Germain (alongside his own apparent self-mythologising) has supported the construction of many versions of his origins and ancestry, including that he was:

In a letter of 1745, Horace Walpole mentions a Count St. Germain as being arrested in London on suspicion of espionage (this was during the Jacobite rebellion) but released without charge:

The other day they seized an odd man, who goes by the name of Count St. Germain. He has been here these two years, and will not tell who he is, or whence, but professes [two wonderful things, the first] that he does not go by his right name; [and the second that he never had any dealings with any woman - nay, nor with any succedaneum (this was censored by Walpole's editors until 1954)] He sings, plays on the violin wonderfully, composes, is mad, and not very sensible. He is called an Italian, a Spaniard, a Pole; a somebody that married a great fortune in Mexico, and ran away with her jewels to Constantinople; a priest, a fiddler, a vast nobleman. The Prince of Wales has had unsatiated curiosity about him, but in vain. However, nothing has been made out against him; he is released; and, what convinces me that he is not a gentleman, stays here, and talks of his being taken up for a spy.[5]

One Pierre-Renault de Saint-Germain was Governor of Chengalaput, in India, in 1752,[6] and a Robert-François Quesnay de St-Germain was active in several secret societies. Stories of the Count in India and at Masonic meetings can be traced to them. A mime and English comedian known as Milord Gower also impersonated St-Germain in Paris salons. His stories were wilder than the real Count's — he had advised Jesus, for example. Inevitably, hearsay of his routine got confused with the original.

Giacomo Casanova describes in his memoirs several meetings with the "celebrated and learned impostor". Of his first meeting, in Paris in 1757, he writes:

The most enjoyable dinner I had was with Madame de Gergi, who came with the famous adventurer, known by the name of the Count de St. Germain. This individual, instead of eating, talked from the beginning of the meal to the end, and I followed his example in one respect as I did not eat, but listened to him with the greatest attention. It may safely be said that as a conversationalist he was unequalled.

St. Germain gave himself out for a marvel and always aimed at exciting amazement, which he often succeeded in doing. He was scholar, linguist, musician, and chemist, good-looking, and a perfect ladies' man. For awhile he gave them paints and cosmetics; he flattered them, not that he would make them young again (which he modestly confessed was beyond him) but that their beauty would be preserved by means of a wash which, he said, cost him a lot of money, but which he gave away freely.

He had contrived to gain the favour of Madame de Pompadour, who had spoken about him to the king, for whom he had made a laboratory, in which the monarch — a martyr to boredom — tried to find a little pleasure or distraction, at all events, by making dyes. The king had given him a suite of rooms at Chambord, and a hundred thousand francs for the construction of a laboratory, and according to St. Germain the dyes discovered by the king would have a materially beneficial influence on the quality of French fabrics.

This extraordinary man, intended by nature to be the king of impostors and quacks, would say in an easy, assured manner that he was three hundred years old, that he knew the secret of the Universal Medicine, that he possessed a mastery over nature, that he could melt diamonds, professing himself capable of forming, out of ten or twelve small diamonds, one large one of the finest water without any loss of weight. All this, he said, was a mere trifle to him. Notwithstanding his boastings, his bare-faced lies, and his manifold eccentricities, I cannot say I thought him offensive. In spite of my knowledge of what he was and in spite of my own feelings, I thought him an astonishing man as he was always astonishing me.[7]

Myths, legends and speculations about St. Germain began to be widespread in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and continue today. They include beliefs that he is immortal, the Wandering Jew, an alchemist with the "Elixir of Life", a Rosicrucian, and that he prophesied the French Revolution. He is said to have met the forger Giuseppe Balsamo (alias Cagliostro) in London and the composer Rameau in Venice.

Literature about St. Germain

Biographies

There are several "authoritative" biographers who usually do not agree with one another. Probably the two best-known biographies are Isabel Cooper-Oakley's The Count of St. Germain (1912) and Jean Overton-Fuller's The Comte de Saint-Germain: Last Scion of the House of Rakoczy (1988). The former is a compilation of letters, diaries and private records written about the Count by members of the French aristocracy who knew him in the 18th century. Dr. Raymond Bernard's book The Great Secret – St. Germain is biographical and covers many aspects of the Counts' life including his conflation with Sir Francis Bacon and the author of the Shakespearean opus. Manly Palmer Hall in his The Secret Teachings of All Ages, describes some of the same attributes as Dr. Bernard, including the attribution of the writings of Shakespeare to a great adept like Francis Bacon, who could be amalgamated with the Count of St. Germain.

There have also been numerous French and German biographies, among them Der Wiedergänger: Das zeitlose Leben des Grafen von Saint-Germain by Peter Krassa, Le Comte de Saint-Germain by Marie-Raymonde Delorme and L'énigmatique Comte De Saint-Germain by Pierre Ceria and François Ethuin.

Occult biography

A book titled The Great Secret, Count St. Germain, by Dr. Raymond Bernard purports that St. Germain was actually Francis Bacon by birth, and later authored the complete Plays attributed to Shakespeare. He also contends, as does the Saint Germain Foundation in Chicago, IL., that Francis Bacon was the child of Queen Elizabeth and Lord Dudley but that it was kept quiet. According to the theory, Francis was raised by the Bacon family. Yet, throughout the Shakespearean canon, there are numerous hints that the author knows of his true birth, as revealed in the explicit clues in the text of the plays themselves, in pictures, as well as the cipher code that he employed.

Book attributed to St. Germain

One book attributed to Saint Germain himself is "The Most Holy Trinosophia of the Comte de St. Germain." There are also two triangular books in the Manly Palmer Hall Collection of Alchemical Manuscripts at the Getty Research Library which are attributed to Saint Germain.[1] There is an additional book at the Getty Research Library entitled "America Hereldica" attributed to the author "Saint-Germain, C. de.", although it was published in New York in 1886. [2] Michael Scott and his books have noted facts in The Magician, and other related books later in the series.

Books dictated by Saint Germain to Guy Ballard

Saint Germain is the central figure in the Saint Germain Series of Books published by the Saint Germain Press. The first two volumes, Unveiled Mysteries and The Magic Presence, written by Godfre Ray King, describe Saint Germain as an Ascended Master, like Jesus, who is assisting humanity. Godfre Ray King is the pen-name for Guy Warren Ballard. In these first two books, he discusses his personal experiences with Saint Germain and reveals many teachings that are in harmony with Theosophy and some other works referenced above. The third volume, The 'I AM' Discourses, contains material that is foundational to the sacred scriptures of the I AM Activity.

There are 20 Volumes in the Saint Germain Series of Books, which are also referred to as the "Green Books." Another work of great importance, the Comte de Gabalis, is said to be from the hand of Sir Francis Bacon before he Ascended and returned as Sanctus Germanus, the "Holy Brother Herman," or Saint Germain. First printed in 1670, the book includes a picture of the Polish Rider, a famous painting at the Frick Collection in New York City, which is said to be of Sir Francis Bacon, a.k.a the Comte de Gabalis, or the Count of the Cabala. Lotus Ray King (Edna Ballard's pen name), wife of Guy Ballard, talked about this book having been authored by the Ascended Master Saint Germain in the Round Table Talks of the I AM Activity.

Claimed encounters with Saint Germain

Several Theosophists and practitioners of alternate esoteric traditions have claimed to have met Saint Germain in the late 19th or early 20th centuries:

Esoteric activities

Many groups honor Saint Germain as an Ascended Master. He is referred to in Theosophy as the Master Rakoczy or the Master R.. In the Ascended Master Teachings he is referred to simply as Saint Germain, or as the Ascended Master Saint Germain. [3] As an Ascended Master, Saint Germain is believed to have many magical powers such as the ability to teleport, levitate, walk through walls, and to inspire people telepathically, among others.

Theosophists consider him to be a Mahatma, Master or Adept. Helena Blavatsky said that he was one of her Masters of Wisdom and hinted that he had given her secret documents. Some esoteric groups credit him with inspiring the Founding Fathers to draft the United States Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, as well as providing the design of the Great Seal of the United States. (See Manly Palmer Hall's Secret Teachings of All Ages.)[11] In New Age beliefs, Saint Germain is always associated with the color violet, the jewel amethyst, and the Maltese cross rendered in violet (usually the iron cross style cross patee version). He is also regarded as the "Chohan of the Seventh Ray"[12] According to Theosophy, the Seven Rays are seven metaphysical principles that govern both individual souls and the unfolding of each 2,158 year long Astrological Age. Since according to Theosophy the next Astrological Age, the Age of Aquarius, will be governed by the Seventh (Violet) Ray (the Ray of Ceremonial Order), Saint Germain is sometimes called "The Hierarch of the Age of Aquarius." According to the Ascended Master Teachings, Saint Germain is "The God of Freedom for this system of worlds."

In Theosophist Alice A. Bailey's books, Saint Germain is referred to as the Master Rakoczi or the Master R.[13] Alice A. Bailey's book The Externalisation of the Hierarchy (a compilation of earlier revelations published posthumously in 1957) gives the most information about his reputed role as a spiritual Master. His title is said to be the Lord of Civilization and his task is the establishment of the new civilization of the Age of Aquarius.[14] He is said to telepathically influence people who are seen by him as being instrumental in bringing about the new civilization of the Age of Aquarius. Alice A. Bailey stated that "sometime after AD 2025," the Master Jesus, the Master Rakoczi (Saint Germain), Kuthumi, and others in the Spiritual Hierarchy would "externalise", i.e., descend from the spiritual worlds, and interact in visible tangible bodies on the Earth in ashrams, surrounded by their disciples.[15] Alice A. Bailey said that St. Germain is the "manager of the executive council of the Christ" [16](Theosophists regard "the Master Jesus" and "Christ" as two separate and distinct beings. They believe in the Nestorian/Gnostic Christology that Christ incarnated in Jesus during the three years of the Ministry of Jesus. "Christ" is identified as being a highly developed spiritual entity known as the Maitreya. "Jesus" is identified as being the Master Jesus. Those adherent to the Ascended Master Teachings believe in the existence of the Maitreya but adhere to the traditional identification of Christ as being the same being as Jesus.). This executive council is a specific group of Masters of the Ancient Wisdom charged with preparing the way for the Second Coming of Christ and the consequent inauguration of the Age of Aquarius.

Previous incarnations

According to Theosophy and the Ascended Master Teachings, Saint Germain was incarnated as: (see notes 1, 2, and 3 for sources): (Note: Not all Theosophical and Ascended Master Teaching groups accept all of these incarnations as valid. St. Germain's incarnations as St. Alban, Proclus, Roger Bacon and Sir Francis Bacon are universally accepted.)

Ascension into masterhood

According to the Ascended Master Teachings, Francis Bacon made it appear that he died on Easter Sunday, April 9, 1626, and he even attended his own "funeral" in disguise. It is believed by the adherents of the Ascended Master Teachings that he then traveled secretly to Transylvania (then part of Hungary, now part of Romania) to the Rakoczy Mansion of the royal family of Hungary. Finally on May 1, 1684 he is believed to have attained (by his knowledge of alchemy) his physical Ascension (attaining immortality and eternal youth [ the sixth level of Initiation ]) at which time Francis Bacon adopted the name "Saint Germain."[18]

St. Germain in popular culture

Anime

Comic Books

Film

Literature

Manga

Music

Role-Playing Games

Television

Video Games

Skeptical view

The scholar K. Paul Johnson maintains that the "Masters" that Madame Blavatsky wrote about and produced letters from were actually idealizations of people who were her mentors.[21]

Also see the article “Talking to the Dead and Other Amusements” by Paul Zweig New York Times October 5, 1980, which maintains that Madame Blavatsky's revelations were fraudulent.

Notes

  1. Schroeder, Werner Ascended Masters and Their Retreats Ascended Master Teaching Foundation 2004, pages 250 - 255
  2. Luk, A.D.K.. Law of Life — Book II. Pueblo, Colorado: A.D.K. Luk Publications 1989, pages 254 - 267
  3. Booth, Annice The Masters and Their Retreats Summit Lighthouse Library June 2003, pages 312 - 322
  4. The Comte de St. Germain by Isabel Cooper-Oakley. Milan, Italy: Ars Regia, 1912
  5. Letter to Sir Horace Mann, December 9, 1745, available on Project Gutenberg at http://www.gutenberg.org/files/12073/12073.txt
  6. Butler, E. M.: The Myth of the Magus; Cambridge University Press, 1948; p. 189
  7. The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Memoires of Casanova, Complete, by Jacques Casanova de Seingalt: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2981/2981.txt
  8. Leadbeater, C.W. The Masters and the Path. Adyar, India: Theosophical Publishing House, 1927 (Revised from 1925 edition) (Reprint: Kessinger Publishing, 1997) Page 32
  9. Leadbeater, C.W. The Masters and the Path. Adyar, India: Theosophical Publishing House, 1927 (Revised from 1925 edition) (Reprint: Kessinger Publishing, 1997) Page 240
  10. King, Godfre Ray. Unveiled Mysteries. Chicago, Illinois: Saint Germain Press 1934
  11. Hall, Manly P. The Secret Teachings of All Ages "An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy Being an Interpretation of the Secret Teachings Concealed within the Rituals, Allegories and Mysteries of all Ages" H.S. Crocker Company, Inc. 1928
  12. "Saint Germain" (claimed to have been dictated to Mark Prophet) Studies in Alchemy Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA: 1974 Summit Lighthouse. See biolographical sketch of Saint Germain, pages 80-90,
  13. Bailey, Alice A, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire (Section Three - Division A - Certain Basic Statements), 1932, Lucis Trust. 1925, p 1237
  14. Bailey, Alice A. The Externalisation of the Hierarchy New York:1957—Lucis Press (Compilation of earlier revelations by Alice A. Bailey) Page 667
  15. Bailey, Alice A. The Externalisation of the Hierarchy New York:1957—Lucis Press (Compilation of earlier revelations by Alice A. Bailey) Page 530
  16. Bailey, Alice A. The Externalisation of the Hierarchy New York:1957—Lucis Press (Compilation of earlier revelations by Alice A. Bailey) Page 508
  17. Although C.W. Leadbeater claims that Roger Bacon was a past incarnation of Saint Germain and the Church Universal and Triumphant (the main Ascended Master Teachings religion) also accepts this, some sources and some Ascended Master Activities believe that Roger Bacon was a past incarnation of the Ascended Master El Morya
  18. "Saint Germain" (claimed by the Church Universal and Triumphant to have been dictated by St. Germain to Mark Prophet) Studies in Alchemy Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA: 1974 Summit Lighthouse. See occult biologographical sketch of history of Saint Germain, pages 80-90
  19. I'm So Free song lyrics | Lou Reed | Transformer | GoldLyrics.com
  20. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrSo_2BGBD0 In Search Of - "The Man Who Wouldn't Die"
  21. Johnson, Paul K. Initiates of Theosophical Masters Albany, New York:1995 State University of New York Press

Further reading

Adherents' literature

Encyclopedic reference

Scholarly studies

See also

External links