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

• Rosenkruz, Sergius (pseud.) (1915), Rosikrucianism, Los Angeles 
• Gardner, K. H. M. (1921), Defence of Our Use of Wine 
• Gardner, K. H. M. (1921), Illuminism, Doctrine of the Holy Rosikrucian Church 
• Gardner, K. H. M. (1921), Sergian Brotherhood 
• Rosenkruz, Sergius (pseud.) (1930), Ecumenican Requirements, Los Angeles  — 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] © Mar. 10, 1920; 2 c. and aff. Mar. 26; AA 38390. 10421."[1]

Press Coverage

vs. Enforcers of the Volstead Act

• LAEPR (11 Mar. 1922), "WET CHURCH DEFIES GOVERNMENT: WHAT, VARLET! BAR OUR WINE? Rosikrucian Worshippers Dare Volstead Agents.", Los Angeles Evening Post-Record (Los Angeles, CA): 3, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120020649/wet-church-defies-government-what/ 
• SFE (16 Mar. 1922), "CULT FOLKS THIRSTY -- FOR KNOWLEDGE: Pontifex of Rosikrucians, Denied Wine by Official Ban, Calls Meeting of His Followers", San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, CA): 7, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120018225/cult-folks-thirsty-for-knowledge/ 
• Gardner, K. H. M. (25 May 1922), "AGAINST PROHIBITION", Enterprise (Riverside, CA): 4, https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MPE19220525.2.45&srpos=1&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%22Holy+Rosikrucian+Church%22------- 
• AP (3 Jun. 1922), "ROSICRUCIAN CHURCH HEAD CHARGED WITH LIQUOR SALE: Assistant Attorney General Charges Potentate of The Holy Rosicrucians Church in Federal Court; OTHERS ARE NAMED; Charge Declares Defendants Offer and Keep for Sale Wine, in Violation of Volstead Act", Humboldt Times (Eureka, CA): 1, https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=HTS19220603.2.15&srpos=1&e=-------en--20--1 
• LAEPR (4 Mar. 1925), "HOPES OF CHURCH HEAD HANG ON OUTCOME OF WINE SUIT", Los Angeles Evening Post-Record (Los Angeles, CA): 1, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120022461/hopes-of-church-head-hang-on-outcome-of/ 
• SAR (19 May 1925), "Restrain Church From Use of Wine", Santa Ana Register (Santa Ana, CA): 1, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120022343/restrain-church-from-use-of-wine/ 
• LAEE (1 Mar. 1926), "Rosikrucians Open Fight For Sacramental Wines", Los Angeles Evening Express (Los Angeles, CA): 11, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120019505/rosikrucians-open-fight-for-sacramental/ 
• Schwarz, Robert, ed. (1 Sep. 1929), "CHURCH WINS SIX-YEAR BATTLE TO USE SACRAMENTAL WINE", American Brewer (New York: A. Schwarz Sons.) LXII (9): 235, https://digital.hagley.org/islandora/object/islandora:2463389/datastream/PDF/download 

Perspectives of Other Rosicrucian Orders

• BT (24 Apr. 1924), "WINE REQUEST NOT FROM ROSICRUCIAN FELLOWSHIP", Blade Tribune (Oceanside, CA): 1, https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=BT19240424&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%22Holy+Rosicrucian%22+%22Gardner%22-------  — 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