HARVEY SPENCER LEWIS (1883-1939) was a noted Rosicrucian author, occultist, and mystic. He was the U.S. founder and first Imperator of the Ancient and Mystical Order Rosae Crucis (AMORC) from 1915-...view moreHARVEY SPENCER LEWIS (1883-1939) was a noted Rosicrucian author, occultist, and mystic. He was the U.S. founder and first Imperator of the Ancient and Mystical Order Rosae Crucis (AMORC) from 1915-1939.
Born on November 25, 1883 in Frenchtown, New Jersey, to Aaron Rittenhouse Lewis and Catherine Hoffman, first learned of the Rosicrucians through his interest in paranormal phenomena when he was instrumental in the formation of the New York Institute for Psychical Research, of which he became president at the age of 20. He was initiated into a Rosicrucian order in Toulouse, France, where he officially received the mission of reactivating the Order in America. In order to demonstrate the traditional and authentic foundations of the Order, he made it known under the name “The Ancient and Mystical Order of the Rose Cross” (AMORC), becoming its first Imperator (international leader) in 1915. Lewis held a number of earned and honorary ordinations, titles and degrees, many granted in recognition of his goodwill work.view less