Ralph Maxwell Lewis

Ralph Maxwell Lewis born (February 14, 1904) the son of Harvey Spencer Lewis, was the Imperator of Rosicrucian organisation; Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis (AMORC) from 1939 to 1987.[1][2][3] He is the author of a number of books regarding mysticism, most of them are available from the AMORC. Ralph Maxwell Lewis was born in New York City. His father, Harvey Spencer Lewis, whom was the first Imperator of AMORC for North and South America was born in New Jersey and was of Gallic origin, being descended from Sir Robert Lewis, former American colonizers.

Early life and education

Ralph M. Lewis received his early education in the schools of New York and New Jersey Military Academy. In 1918 his family took up residence in San Francisco, California. In 1919, in this city, he began his studies of law and accounting

Rise to Imperator

The use of the word 'imperator' is a norm for AMORC students and can be likened to the word 'Commander' however it is used to denote the current head or leader of the AMORC mystical organization.

Ralph Lewis crossed the threshold of the order on February 6, 1921, by special permission eight days before completing 17 years spent by the various degrees of order in the San Francisco store and began then to study, conscientious and systematically, the philosophical thought of all times and in March 1924 he was elected Supreme Secretary of AMORC.

In Fédération Universelle des Ordres et Sociétés Initiatiques, FUDOSI, he was known with the nomen mysticum (mystical name) "Sar Validivar" and received his initiation in Martinism during the second convention of FUDOSI in September 1936 and same year also, was initiated as a Rose-Croix Order Kabalistique and in the Traditional Martinist Order in Europe. On August 2, 1939, he was elected by the Board of Directors of the Supreme Grand Lodge of AMORC Imperator of the order, a position he held until honorably his Great Initiation, on January 12, 1987. In March 1940, Lewis was elected President of the International Supreme Council of the order Rosæ Crucis, amongst the awards he received in his lifetime was the honorary degree of doctor of Literature by University of Andhra Research of India and the star and the cross of science, International Academic Council.

He founded the Grand Lodge of Brazil, in the summer of 1956. He built new buildings for the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in 1966.

Personal life

On March 28, 1923 he married Gladys Natishna Hammer, which would be known to all Rosicrucians as Soror Gladys Lewis.

References

  1. ↑ "The Function of a Rosicrucian — Ralph M. Lewis, F.R.C. | Podcasts". www.rosicrucian.org. Retrieved 2017-05-09.
  2. ↑ "The Legend of the Lost Word — Ralph M. Lewis, F.R.C. | Podcasts". www.rosicrucian.org. Retrieved 2017-05-09.
  3. ↑ "Rosicrucian Writings Online". rosicrucian.50webs.com. Retrieved 2017-05-09.


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