Item #67349 Ancient Masonry [ Ancient Masonry Introduction ]; Serial Nos. 6 - 18. C. C. ZAIN, aka Elbert Benjamine.

Ancient Masonry [ Ancient Masonry Introduction ]; Serial Nos. 6 - 18

Los Angeles, CA: The Church of Light, ND [ Copyright dates 1938 - 1962 ]. Mixed Editions. Hardcover. Small octavo. 416pp. Series black textured cloth gilt-lettered on spine & front board. One b/w diagram. A study of different aspects of esoteric Freemasony by C. C. Zain, (AKA Elbert Benjamine - 1882 -1951) a well-known occultist, author, astrologer, and teacher of esoteric sciences. At a young age he joined Thomas Burgoyne's Hermetic Brotherhood of Light, a group closely associated with - or possibly even the same as the better known Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor, of which Burgoyne was also the Secretary. The group was probably the only one of its type teaching practical occultism and Western magic before the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. It claimed a line of descent back to the eighteenth century German Rosicrucians, although it first seems to have been active from 1870 onwards. The Order's teachings are said to have taken much from the sex magic practices espoused by Paschal Beverly Randolph, who some say was a member - although like so many things about the group there is uncertainty about this. Zain rose to prominence in the Brotherhood of Light and wrote many of its practical lessons. In 1915 he moved to Los Angeles, where he founded the Church of Light, and lectured and wrote on occultism. This volume collects together a group of teachings which were also printed separately in pamphlet form as a series. Series titles included in this volume are Nos. 6 - 18, and include: "Ancient Masonry Introduction"; "Entered Apprentice and the Planets"; "Entered Apprentice and the Signs'; "Numbers and Opening the Lodge"; "Initiating a Member"; "Fellowcraft;"; "Lodge Emblems"; "Master Mason"; Mark Master Mason"; "Royal Arch" ; "Degrees of the Cross"; "Ineffable Degrees"; "Historical Degrees". The volume appears to have been bound up from booklets printed on differing paper types, some of which are almost a newsprint type brown. The first / title essay: "Ancient Masonry" has the copyright date 1938 (only), most of the other essays are marked as reprint, mostly from 1961 & 1962. Light overall shelf wear, a bit of scattered light underlining and a few pages page corners have been folded over, presumably to act as place-markers. Two pages have some small black marks from printer's ink (evidently a printing flaw) but the text is still perfectly legible. Overall a tight, solid near VG copy. (No dust jacket as issued). Scarce. Item #67349

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