Francis Bacon Research Trust

The Master

Francis Bacon was acknowledged by the poet laureate Ben Jonson and others as one of the greatest of Masters to appear in our world for many ages—a Socrates, Plato and Orpheus all rolled into one—an Apollo, leader of the Choir of Muses, and a Solomon, wisest of the wise. His birth was foretold by Paracelsus who described him as ‘a Great Light—Elias the Artist’, who would renovate the arts and sciences and reveal many things.

He was the Supreme Grand Master or President of the ‘invisible’ fraternity of Rosicrucians in the late 16th/early 17th century—the time of the English Renaissance when, in a matter of half a century (1575-1625), the English language was properly formed, classical and foreign works were translated into the ‘new’ enhanced language, dictionaries were begun, histories were compiled on all manner of things, and great poetry, literature and drama appeared. Through his work a major revolution in thought took place, and the seeds of modern (and future) science and society were sown.

Bacon’s Science is based on love and the practice of love, as charity or good works. It is an Ethical Science whose purpose is to produce things both useful and good, to raise mankind out of its misery, and in particular to encourage and develop a philanthropic goodness of nature in people.

Bacon’s Art is his method for the discovery of all truth—an Art of Discovery by means of which all things might be known. He teaches this Art by means of a treasure trail or game of hide and seek. By discovering what he has hidden we train ourselves in the Art of Discovery, which we can then use to discover whatever we wish to know.

Part of Bacon’s life and work is ‘in the light’ and able to be easily seen, and part of it is ‘in the shadow’, veiled from immediate sight. This dual openness and secrecy forms the basis of his treasure trail, which is Cabalistic in nature and follows the practice of the schools of the Ancient Wisdom.

The ‘open’ aspect is represented by his work known under his personal name of ‘Bacon’. His ‘veiled’ aspect is signified by his work under the pseudonym of ‘Shakespeare’. These constitute the Twin Pillars which stand at the entrance to the Temple of Light—a worldwide Temple of enlightened humanity—which he envisioned as possible of construction.

Like Elias or John the Baptist, Bacon referred to himself as the herald or harbinger of a new age—an age of universal enlightenment. Like Orpheus he was a renovator or reviver of the ancient and original wisdom teachings taught via the Mysteries and based on love—a ‘music’ by means of which all things can be brought to a harmonious perfection.

(In rabbinical tradition John the Baptist is equated with the great prophet Elijah and also with Enoch—the Idris of Sufi tradition. He is referred to as the Great Teacher, who, as Enoch, was the first human being to complete all the initiations and ascend bodily into the highest heaven, where he is said to have become the great archangel Metatron, chief of all the Archangels, the Great Angel of the Presence and Guardian of the seven-pillared Temple of Wisdom. There, out of love for humanity, he chose to remain with and teach those below rather than rise and reunite totally with En Sof, the Godhead. His role is to announce and prepare people for the coming of the Messiah, whilst not being the Messiah himself. He prepares souls for their resurrection—for the dawning of the great Light.)

Bacon is not a dead master, but a ‘Living Master’. His work was designed for the benefit of ages to come, his spirit imbues it all, and his soul overlights and guides all those who draw close and take part.