Temple Artisan, The.
Mysticism, Occultism, and Ethics / Theosophy, Mysticism and Social Science / Theosophy, Mysticism, Occultism, Science, Ethics.
Behold I Give Unto Thee A Key
Other titles: Artisan
1900 Monthly (irregular), bimonthly (irregular), and then quarterly
Syracuse, NY, and then from 1903 Halcyon, CA. Language: English.
Publisher: Temple of the People.
Corporate author: Temple of the People
1/1, June 1900-ongoing. 10-48 pp., 6 x 8 1/2. $1.00-$2.00 a year.

This is the organ of the Temple of the People founded in Syracuse, New York, in 1898 by Francia La Due ("Blue Star," 1849-1922/3) and William Dower ("Red Star," 1866-1937). Both had been and continued to be Theosophists, but the group, now centered in a utopian community in Oceano, CA, had decided spiritualist elements because of the psychic role played by Blue Star -- who initially received the communications (from the Master Hilarion) that the Theosophical Society then headed by Katherine Tingley was to be shunned and the members were to return to the original teachings of H.P.Blavatsky (as filtered through W.Q. Judge), who acted as the connection between the Temple lodge and the Elder Brothers of the Great White Lodge. S.C. Gould, Notes and Queries, 1905 cryptically states that the Temple "was formulated by two and organized by nine, seven being initiated then at that first meeting. . . . The occult, psychic, and other phenomena receive due attention." The organization was labyrinthian, with an "Outer Court or Order of the 49," and "Order of The 36, or Esoteric section of the Society" and "various Inner-Orders of the Society, information regarding [which] Orders is not given out publicly." J.D. Buck, a prominent American Theosophist, was a member of this before he was ensnared by the Great Work of T.K. The contents of the journal were almost exclusively contributed by members of the group. The purpose of the organization was set out on the inside front cover of the journal: "Primarily, The Temple is a cosmic organic center, the constituent parts of which are the units of collective humanity. Coincident with the original impulse, the first emanation from the Central Spiritual Sun,--the Universal Heart,--came into manifestation, the Father-Mother-Son, the triangular corner alone of The Temple, upon which is rising, age by age, a geometrically perfect edifice. The cap stone to the pillars of the porch, and the outer walls are now being aid, preliminary to the work of the roof-builders--the humanity of the sixth great root-race." The journal set out the essential teachings of the Temple of the People as: "The Law of Evolution, Cycles, the saviors of the World, Resurrection, Reincarnation, The Trinity of Life, Karma, masters, the important principles of all the sacred writings." After accepting these principles and joining the Temple, members, after a year, could apply to join the "Order of the 36,--the first Esoteric Order of the Temple." The contents of the journal were largely concerned with issues of culture and art but also carried doctrinal material like Dower's "Occultism for Beginners" and "Theogenesis" (the Master Hilarion's commentaries on the "Stanzas of Dzjn") that were later re-published with the comments of A.S. Raleigh ("Hach-mactzin," Master Elder Brother, H.B. of L.). The journal advertised its own Ragoczy College and Halcyon Book Concern and its Halcyon Hotel and Sanitorium (where Dower was a physician), and in the early issues carried advertisements for Moses Harman's Lucifer and Peter Davidson's The Morning Star.