Paschal Beverly Randolph's Biography (Books) (Photos)

Paschal Beverly Randolph (October 8, 1825 - July 29, 1875) was an American medical doctor, occultist and writer. Randolph is notable as perhaps the first person to introduce the principles of sex magic to North America, and, according to A. E. Waite, establishing the earliest known Rosicrucian order in the United States.

Dr. Randolph had no desire to become a French subject despite the many friends he possessed in that great country and the power with which he had been vested, and his mind therefore turned toward the establishment of the Fraternity in America. For some years the greater part of his time and thought was directed toward this end, while at the same time he was keenly interested in the "new freedom party" which was silently at work.

In about the year 1858, his first efforts proved successful, and the first Temple of Rosicrucia was established in America with Headquarters in Boston. Meanwhile, he continued to function as Supreme Grand Master of the Fraternity with Headquarters in France, which position he held until 1863 when he appointed a successor for France but still under his guidance.

In 1861 Dr. Randolph visited California, conducted a series of lectures there on occultism, mysticism and the objects of Rosicrucianism and established the Grand Lodge for California. His task completed, his mind once again turned to the thought of completing the text book dealing with Soul Sight through the medium of the Magic Mirror. Ten weeks after his arrival in California he left for the Orient there to seek at first hand material on which to base the instructions which were from the basis of his book which when published bore the title, Seership, of which the present volume is the first reprint under the present regime.

During 1861-62, Dr Randolph successfully visited England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Malta, Egypt, Arabia, Syria, Palestine, Turkey, Greece and other nations, as well as many sects heretofore almost unknown and certainly never before visited by a white man. He was received in the inner circles of the Mystic Orders of all of these countries, as his office gave him free entry at all times as well as the privilege of scanning the pages of the most secret manuscripts, as well as the right to initiation into all the rites of the various Orders.