Harvey Spencer Lewis facts for kids
Harvey Spencer Lewis (born November 25, 1883 – died August 2, 1939) was an important author and thinker interested in mysticism. He is best known for starting the Ancient and Mystical Order Rosae Crucis (AMORC) in the United States in 1915. He was the first leader, called an Imperator, of AMORC until his death in 1939.
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Life and Career
Lewis was born in Frenchtown, New Jersey. His father was Aaron Rittenhouse Lewis, and his mother was Katharina Hoffmann, a teacher from Germany. Harvey Spencer Lewis worked as an illustrator in advertising. This means he drew pictures for ads and magazines. He used these skills to help promote AMORC.
He first learned about the Rosicrucians because he was interested in strange or unexplained events. He was part of a group that looked into and showed how some people pretending to have special powers were actually tricking others. This led him to help start the New York Institute for Psychical Research. He became its president when he was only 20 years old.
Lewis later said that he became a member of a Rosicrucian group during a trip to France. He was given a special job: to bring Rosicrucian ideas back to America and share them in a new, modern way. This is why he started AMORC and became its first Imperator. He translated many important mystical lessons from French and German. He spent the rest of his life working hard for AMORC.
Lewis also planned and oversaw the creation of Rosicrucian Park in San Jose, California. He designed its unique buildings. These included a temple built in the style of ancient Egypt, one of the first planetariums in the United States, a science lab, a lecture hall, a library, and offices. Today, the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum at the park is a popular place for tourists to visit.
Lewis had many talents, including a love for audio and visual technology. He had a strong voice that was good for public speaking and radio. He even started a popular children's radio club in Tampa, Florida. In San Jose, he had a radio show called "The Pristine Church." It was broadcast from Rosicrucian Park on Sundays. He gave easy-to-understand talks about different faiths and general topics. His recordings of talks and chants are still used by AMORC groups around the world.
Lewis was also one of the three leaders of a group called FUDOSI. This group brought together real secret societies from around the world. Their goal was to stop others from copying their old symbols and rituals. Lewis received many awards and titles for his good work. His son, Ralph Maxwell Lewis, became the second Imperator of AMORC in 1939. Ralph wrote a book about his father called Cosmic Mission Fulfilled.
Inventions
Harvey Spencer Lewis was also known for building several scientific devices. Here are some of them:
Luxatone
The Luxatone was a special device that turned sounds into colors. These colors were shown on a triangular screen. Lewis used it to explain mystical and philosophical ideas. You could speak into a microphone, and the device would change your voice into a colorful light show. A small book was printed about the Luxatone and sent to AMORC members and newspapers.
Cosmic Ray Coincidence Counter
This device was an early version of a Geiger counter. It was built in the 1930s. A Geiger counter is used to detect radiation.
Sympathetic Vibration Harp
Lewis built the Sympathetic Vibration Harp to show how AMORC's idea of "sympathetic vibration" worked. This idea suggests that things can affect each other from a distance.
Alchemy
On June 22, 1916, Lewis held a special event in New York City. It was announced as a "transmutation" of zinc into gold. This was a demonstration of old alchemical principles. A group of AMORC leaders, members, a scientist, and a journalist were there. A few chosen people brought special ingredients. These were mixed in a short process. The scientist said the results had the "properties of gold." A report about this event appeared in a magazine called American Rosae Crucis. The exact ingredients for the "gold" were not shared. It was explained that while the materials were not hard to find, turning them into gold was not cheaper than just buying gold.
Lemurians
In 1931, Lewis wrote a book using the pen name Wishar S. Cerve. This book was about the hidden Lemurians of Mount Shasta. The book was published by the Rosicrucians. It became very popular and helped spread the legend of the Lemurians living inside Mount Shasta.
See also
Other AMORC Imperators
- Ralph Maxwell Lewis
- Gary L. Stewart
- Christian Bernard
- Claudio Mazzucco
Images for kids
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Front of Lewis's burial marker
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Back of burial marker
