The establishment story of the branch of the Order of the
Golden Dawn in New Zealand, in 1912, and the events that
followed are significant in the biography: The Life and
Times of James Walter Chapman-Taylor.
This is told over many chapters as it weaves its way through
the life of James; specifically, four of the 51 Chapters
contain Golden Dawn and Felkin information, with
illustrations and personal quotations. Likewise Theosophical
Society involvement, with two chapters containing specific
detail.
James Chapman-Taylor became a committed member, and graduate
of the Order.
He had first met Dr Robert Felkin founder of the Order of
the Stella Matutina Temples in England, in 1909 in London.
The introduction was made through the Mirfield Mission
connection. The two men discussed the possibility of the
Golden Dawn being introduced into New Zealand. Dr Felkin
agreed to an initial journey but it would take three more
years before that eventuated.
The preparation for Dr Felkin and his wife, Harriot Felkin’s
arrival and the prospect of the establishment of the Golden
Dawn was a major event in the small town of Havelock North,
population 800. A small band of residents, mostly members of
the Church of England, came together ready for the arrival
of their prospective leader. The Golden Dawn was about to
establish a far flung branch in the southern hemisphere.
Chapter Nineteen: Seek and ye shall find opens with the quote
from one of the students who welcomed the Felkins:
“When they arrived in 1912 a small house was ready … 12
members were given the grades up to 5 = 6 …
“Knock and it shall be opened unto you, seek and ye shall
find”.
“And so the long Quest was over and the door opened to that
straight and narrow path which leads upwards and onward to
the Glory that beckons.”
The Golden Dawn had arrived in New Zealand, and became the
South Pacific branch of the Order of the Stella Matutina -
the morning star, with a membership of more than 300 at its
zenith.
Chapter Nineteen continues:
“The success of the Felkin’s visit was over-whelming and
beyond everyone’s expectations. Realising the student’s
earnest commitments and the potential for the establishment
of the Golden Dawn in New Zealand, Dr Felkin applied for a
warrant from the Order to set up a new temple that he called
Smaragdum Thalasses
(Emerald Seas) of the Lodge of the Stella Matutina. A site
was chosen on land gifted by Mason Chambers and his wife,
and the foundation stone was laid.
“Architectural plans for the temple were drawn and
Chapman-Taylor pledged to lead and commit his time and
dedication to this plan. He was formally appointed the
Order’s architect and builder and, with the building
committee, would work on the construction over the next few
years.”
Dr Robert Felkin and Harriot returned to London in 1913. But
the connection with New Zealand was strong and in 1916 the
Felkins sailed south again.
Chapter Twenty-three, Pioneers in a new world opens with a
quote from
Dr Felkin:
“It would be a terrible pity to let such an opportunity as
this to slip. We would be pioneers in a new world with
virgin soil to work with.”
The Felkins intended to make the small township of Havelock
North their permanent place of residence, and the new
temple, Smaragdum Thalasses, was ready on their arrival, as
was their new home: Whare Ra. Both were designed and built
by James Chapman-Taylor, one of the early graduate students.
Whare Ra would become one of Chapman-Taylor’s best known,
although most mysterious buildings; described as “a
magical-mystical house”. Here Dr Felkin and Harriot lead the
Stella Matutina of the Golden Dawn to its greatest
international success.
Devotees, friends and residents of Havelock North and a
constant stream of visitors brought both the committed and
the curious to Whare Ra and the Lodge of Stella Matutina.
And this continued long after Dr Felkin’s death in 1926 and
Harriot’s in 1958.
One visitor of note was Israel Regardie, world renowned and
prolific writer about the Golden Dawn who visited in 1983,
long after the Felkins had died.
Chapter twenty three continues:
“He (Israel Regardie) travelled with his student Chris
Monnastre, and she recorded that it was a journey of both
magical as well as personal experiences for him: “His
magical career had turned full circle with his reconnection
with the Felkin legacy in New Zealand, and powerful feelings
and memories stirred within him and a disquieting poignancy.
He had once remarked that the “giants” of magic had all
died, and while in New Zealand reflected upon who would
continue with the work he has so carefully helped to
preserve over the past fifty years.”
“Historian Tony Eden has asked the same question, believing
that the century of history of the Golden Dawn as the
“Mother lode of Western Esotericism” was too significant to
have lost connection. Inheritors of the Felkin era may well
still enjoy the richness of their study and enlightenment in
quiet peacefulness and fulfillment.”
