THE ROSICRUCIAN FELLOWSHIP

HISTORICAL NOTES ON THE ROSICRUCIAN FELLOWSHIP IN GHANA

The Rosicrucian Fellowship Teaching came to Ghana (the then Gold Coast), through certain individuals; when and where the Teaching was introduced is unknown. However, around the year 1930, Mr. E.O. Torkornoo, an employee of the Customs and Excise Department, who was then stationed at Koforidua, picked up some material of the Rosicrucian Fellowship Oceanside, California, USA, while on his way to his office. Mr. Torkornoo, who had been a student of one of the Eastern Occult Schools studying metaphysics, became interested in the material of the Rosicrucian Fellowship and immediately applied to Oceanside for studentship.

No sooner had Mr. E.O. Torkornoo become a student of the Rosicrucian Fellowship Teaching than he was transferred from Koforidua to Takoradi. While at Takoradi he introduced the Teaching to some friends and opened the first Study Group of the Rosicrucian Fellowship at Takoradi. Unknown to Torkornoo's Study Group in Takoradi, some individuals were also studying the Rosicrucian Fellowship Teaching privately. Notable among them were Messrs. Omega, W.P. Rhule, Odoom, R.K. Kye, D.W Donkor, and Rev. Rabbi-Williams.

In 1939, Koforidua Study Group came into being with Mr. Omega as the first Center President. However, for fear of arrest by the then Colonial Government because of a ban on "Secret Societies" during the Second World War of 1939, Mr. Omega resigned. He was replaced by Mr. I.B Agyekumhene. With the able leadership of I.B Agyekumhene, Koforidua Study Group put up a permanent meeting place in 1943. When Mr. Agyekumhene was transferred to Accra in 1945, Mr. E.W. Donkoh was elected President. While Mr. Agyekumhene was in Accra, he met some Students of the Rosicrucian Fellowship namely Messrs. W.P. Rhule, Odoom and R.K. Kye (who was then a storekeeper at Nsawam) and Rev. Rabbi Williams. With his return to Koforidua, Mr. Agyekumhene reported of his meeting with other students of the Fellowship in Accra and Nsawam.

Between 24th and 25th December 1948, led by Koforidua Center, students from other Study Groups namely Accra, Nsawam, Obuasi, Kadjebi and Kumasi organized the first Christmas Conference at Nsawam. It was at this meeting that it was decided to hold annual Christmas Conferences at selected places. Accra was therefore selected to host the subsequent Christmas Conference in 1949.

At the second Annual Christmas Conference held on 24th/25th December, 1949 in Accra, three major decisions were taken namely:

Koforidua was selected to be the Administrative National Headquarters of Centers and Study Groups in Ghana

Mr. E.O. Torkornoo was elected the first National President

Efforts should be made to spread the Fellowship Teaching.

Although the Rosicrucian Fellowship has its own unique principles and practices, and is no extension of any society or organization, certain practices and principles were introduced into the organization of the Rosicrucian Fellowship in Ghana by the founding members who came from the Lodges and the Orthodox Churches. Some of such practices were:

Identification of Members
In the Lodges members identify themselves as "Sisters and Brothers" of the same Lodge by the way they shake hands. Consequently, to identify Fellowship Students these Lodge Members in the Fellowship adopted the Fellowship Greeting "May the roses bloom upon your cross" as a form of identification to identify themselves.

Breaking of Concentration
The Lodges use the hammer to strike three times on the table to break any concentration. This practice was also introduced into the Rosicrucian Fellowship to signify the end of concentration.

Benevolent Society
Here again the Lodges operate basically as Benevolent Societies, because they pay periodic dues for their financial obligations to members. Therefore, on the death of a member, the Lodges bear the cost of the coffin and donate fixed amount to the bereaved family, the surviving spouse and children. This practice was adopted by the Rosicrucian Fellowship.

Secret Rituals for deceased laid-in-state
When a deceased member of the Lodges is laid-in-state, the Lodges observe some mid-night secret rituals. There are four guards appointed to guard the deceased, with each guard holding a candle light at each of the four corners of the room. This practice was also adopted by the Rosicrucian Fellowship.

Thanks to an experience by the late S.K. Newlove Mensah, then General Secretary of the Rosicrucian Fellowship Centers Ghana, who visited Oceanside, California, around 1975/76 and narrated what the practices are over there, all but the fixed amount of donation to bereaved families of the deceased member of the Fellowship have been abolished in the Rosicrucian Fellowship. Also, wake-keeping with its Mid-night rituals, and the Temple Service, have been discontinued.

Although Centers and Study Groups have been operating and organizing Annual Christmas Conferences since 1948, there was no Central Administrative Authority until 1975, when a Constitution was adopted to bring the Centers and Study Groups under a loose central authority, designated as Board of Directors, functioning basically as a link between the Centers and Study Groups on one hand and the Rosicrucian Fellowship International Headquarters in Oceanside, California. This organizational structure was later adopted to meet the requirements of Government directives in Religious Bodies (Registration) Law, 1989, PNDCL 221, which recognizes religious bodies in Ghana.

Prior to the 1975 Constitution, an attempt was made in 1969 to draw up a constitution for the Rosicrucian Fellowship Centers Ghana. A working Committee (now Board of Trustees) was appointed as follows:
President - Mr. E.O. Torkornoo
Vice President -
General Secretary - Mr. J.K. Sarpong
Assistant General Secretary - Mr. S.K. Newlove Mensah

The 1975 Constitution has since been amended twice, in 1984 and 1987. The main features of the three Constitutions are: 1975: Seventeen (17) Board Members elected at an Annual Conference for a term not less than twelve (12) months and not more than two years. Elected members were eligible for re-election. No officer may serve more than two (2) successive terms. 1984:

Although the 17 Board of Directors and the tenure of office were retained, a new clause was added as follows: "Centers and Study Groups of the Centers-Ghana shall maintain membership records of their registered students. Such registered students shall be deemed to have ceased to be students with the Centers-Ghana if they have not participated in any Centers-Ghana activities for twelve months or more.

After such cessation, a new application will have to be made to his or her former Center or Study Group for reinstatement by the Executives Committee of the relevant Center or Study Group with or without the approval of the Board of Directors of Centers Ghana"

The Board of Directors was authorized to appoint "fulltime paid officers for the Centers-Ghana"

1987:
Membership of the Board of Directors was reduced to Twelve (12). The Constitution introduced Initial Directors and Directors. "The term of office of Directors shall be for a period of Four (4) years, while the officers are elected annually to succeed themselves for four successive years, provided no officer shall be elected upon completion of his fourth successive term excepting after a lapse of one year".

To date
Other minor amendments have been made to the Constitution since 1987 to date including changing the name of the Board from "Board of Directors" to "Board of Trustees".

Details of the Board of Directors for the period 1975 to 1988 are as follows:

Go to ADMINISTRATION for details of the Board of Directors for the period 1989 to DATE

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