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Dr. R.W. Felkin and
the S.R.I.A.
On the 11th of April 1907 Dr. R.W. Felkin M.D. of Mary Chapel lodge No.1
Edinburgh, was admitted into the grade of Zelator in the Metropolitan
College of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia
The officiating Celebrant was M.W. Fra. Dr. W. Wynn Westcott IXº
M.D. and Supreme Magus of the Society
Dr. Felkin was received along with three other brethren and is recorded in the
Golden Book of the Society as being the 740th member
He chose as his Motto 'Finem Respice' meaning 'Look to the End' or
'Have regard to the End' and has been fittingly adopted as the Motto of this
College
Dr. Felkin's admission to the Society must to have been very soon after his
initiation into Freemasonry which is recorded as being in 1907. He was
initiated on January 8th passed to the Fellow Craft degree on the 12th
February and finally raised on 26th February to the Third Degree.
There are indications that his interest in Freemasonry was on the lower
scale of activity. He never became a Master of a Lodge or joined the
Royal Arch. It is questionable whether or not he became a Rose Croix
Mason or a Knight Templar.
Assertions are that he was buried in Knight Templar regalia are erroneous.
He was interred wearing the cloak, mantle and purple cross of a Knight of
the Ordo Tabulae Rotundae.
One of the motives for joining Freemasonry was to gain more creditability
with continental esotericists and occultists to enable him to make contact
with the' real Rosicrucians' , which he believed still to be in existence as
well as to locate C.R.C's tomb supposedly in southern Germany, in a hidden
location. Dr. Felkin made many visits to Eurpoe where he met Dr.
Rudolf Steiner and came to value his contributions to Homepathy, much of
which he incorporated in his own practice.
He and Mrs. Felkin were caught in Germany at the outbreak of hostilities in
1814. Their eventual release he contribuyed to his 'Masonic
connections"
Initially Dr, Felkin's contribution to the Society was slight. Then he
was advanced to the Degree of Theoricus ( Grade II}, Practius (Grade III
)and Philosophus (Grade IV all the same day on the 16th
September 1911.
The first of several papers that were to be given to the Metropolitan
College and its Study Group was in 1912. This was titled "Occult
Experiences in Central Africa", and was followedby" Folklore in central
Africa", and " Psychic Experiences in Egypt" was presented to the Study
Group.
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