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The Order of Heptasophs was a fraternal organization established in New Orleans, Louisiana in April 1852. The name is derived from Greek roots meaning ''seven'' and ''wise'' and means the seven wise men. The Order was founded at New Orleans, April 6, 1852, by Alexander Leonard Saunders, and early members included ex-governors, ex-mayors, etc.〔Stevens, Albert C. ''Cyclopedia of Fraternities: A Compilation of Existing Authentic Information and the Results of Original Investigation as to the Origin, Derivation, Founders, Development, Aims, Emblems, Character, and Personnel of More Than Six Hundred Secret Societies in the United States'' E. B. Treat and Company, New York p.178〕 ==History== The organization was originally called the "Seven Wise Men", and it may have been formed by graduates of the earlier Mystical Seven or Rainbow Society that were popular college fraternities in the South during this period. Albert Stevens noted at least a strong similarity in their rituals and nomenclature.〔Stevens pp.178-9〕 The Heptasophs themselves elaborated an ornate pseudohistory dating back to 1104 BC and "the first Zoroaster". Allegedly the ancient King of Persia would select six Magi who were skilled in both statecraft and occult arts and they would meet in a subterranean cavern beneath the royal palace at Ispahan. This was also how princes were trained but they were only admitted "by merit". The philosophy of these "Seven Wise Men" directed the affairs of the Persian Empire until their overthrow by Muhammad in 638 AD.〔Stevens p.177〕 What is known is that after being "introduced" in New Orleans in April 1852, a Grand Conclave of Louisiana was set in June of that year and incorporated in 1854. A "Supreme Conclave", or organization embracing several states was organized in 1857 and had its first "communication" (convention).〔Stevens p.176〕 The early growth of the organization was principally in the Southern states and it lost many members much of its influence during the Civil War. The group was always conservative with little effort being made to extend it into other areas.〔Stevens pp.179-80〕 After the Civil War the group began to grow again and during the early 1870s experienced a rapid growth in membership, reaching a high point of 4,000. The depression of the mid-1870s checked its growth and led to a movement for a general death benefit (local conclaves were allowed to create benefit options, but there were not overall benefits). When the Supreme Conclave rejected this idea the zeta Conclave of Baltimore forced a schism leading to the creation of the Improved Order of Heptasophs. There was an intense rivalry between the two groups for a few years, but this died down after the older order adopted its own benefit plan in 1880〔Stevens p.180〕 During the 1870s, the Order became popular among some German Americans and was said to have spread to Germany by 1877.〔Harrison W.Burton ''The history of Norfolk, Virginia'' Norfolk, Va., Norfolk Virginian job print p.242〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Order of Heptasophs」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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