Holy Rosikrucian Church

The Holy Rosikrucian Church was a California-based Rosicrucian church, apparently founded in 1914 by Karl H. M. Gardner (a.k.a. Sergius Rosenkruz) as the Sergian Brotherhood. The church spent a fair part of its existence in legal battles with enforcement agents of the Volstead Act (Prohibition) in order to secure communion wine for its membership. Press coverage of the period suggests that the church's ritual included the "Everlasting Remembrance," during which wine glasses are raised, and that the doctrine of the church mandated members not meditate without first taking at least four ounces of wine and membership required the drinking of a minimum of forty gallons of wine (approx. 100 bottles) a year.

The church was rebranded by Gardner as the Holy Liberal Orthodox Ecumenical Church in the mid-1920s, through which he continued his legal fight for wine, finally achieving success in 1929.

Selected Publications

 * &mdash; see Catalogue of Copyright Entries: Pamphlets, leaflets, &c., Part I, Group 2, Vol. 27 (1930), p. 10420: "Gardner (Karl H. M.)* Los Angeles. Ecumenican requirements, by Sergius Rosenkruz, pseud. [Mimeographed] &copy; Mar. 10, 1920; 2 c. and aff. Mar. 26; AA 38390. 10421."
 * &mdash; see Catalogue of Copyright Entries: Pamphlets, leaflets, &c., Part I, Group 2, Vol. 27 (1930), p. 10420: "Gardner (Karl H. M.)* Los Angeles. Ecumenican requirements, by Sergius Rosenkruz, pseud. [Mimeographed] &copy; Mar. 10, 1920; 2 c. and aff. Mar. 26; AA 38390. 10421."
 * &mdash; see Catalogue of Copyright Entries: Pamphlets, leaflets, &c., Part I, Group 2, Vol. 27 (1930), p. 10420: "Gardner (Karl H. M.)* Los Angeles. Ecumenican requirements, by Sergius Rosenkruz, pseud. [Mimeographed] &copy; Mar. 10, 1920; 2 c. and aff. Mar. 26; AA 38390. 10421."
 * &mdash; see Catalogue of Copyright Entries: Pamphlets, leaflets, &c., Part I, Group 2, Vol. 27 (1930), p. 10420: "Gardner (Karl H. M.)* Los Angeles. Ecumenican requirements, by Sergius Rosenkruz, pseud. [Mimeographed] &copy; Mar. 10, 1920; 2 c. and aff. Mar. 26; AA 38390. 10421."
 * &mdash; see Catalogue of Copyright Entries: Pamphlets, leaflets, &c., Part I, Group 2, Vol. 27 (1930), p. 10420: "Gardner (Karl H. M.)* Los Angeles. Ecumenican requirements, by Sergius Rosenkruz, pseud. [Mimeographed] &copy; Mar. 10, 1920; 2 c. and aff. Mar. 26; AA 38390. 10421."

Perspectives of Other Rosicrucian Orders

 * &mdash; in which Max Heindel protests that the Holy Rosikrucians are not affiliated with the Rosicrucian Fellowship.

Legal Documentation

 * GARDNER v. MELLON, Secretary of the Treasury, et al., 5 F.2d 954 (1925), https://www.leagle.com/decision/19259595f2d9541662