Rosicrucians' George Knox Dies, Sought Philosopher's Stone

December 1898

The Rosicrucians

Londoner Who Spent His Life Seeking the Philosopher's Stone and the Elixir of Life

The pre-Faraday school of chemistry, the chemistry of the elixir of life and the philosopher's stone, in whose strange nomenclature metals were known by such uncouth names us the "Red Lion," the "Green Serpent," the "Blue Dragon," and invested with mysterious, inexplicable properties, has recently lost one of its last, if not its very last genuine disciple.

His name was George Knox, and he died the other day in London at the age of somewhere about 90 years. For the last 30 years he had lived in the quarter of the city known as St. John's Wood, the last place where one would expect to find a philosopher. The old gentleman, however, knew nothing of the ways of his neighbors and they knew as little of his. Though a cheerful old man and exceedingly active for his years, he lived the life of a hermit, his whole energies being bent on the task of resolving the chemical problems of the middle ages. Mr. Knox used to call himself the "last of the Rosicrucians," and the chief objects of his pursuit were the elixir of life and the philosopher's stone. Three small fortunes he had had left to him at different periods of his life and the whole of two of them and the greater part of the third went into the crucible and the mortar. When a young man he had traveled all over the east, camping with Bedouins and hobnobbing with Brahmins and Tartars, seeking information concerning the recondite and occult.

The latter half of his life was spent in endeavoring to apply the information thus gained. One fortune went in the making of a few small rubies and a commercially valueless diamond. The elixir of life swallowed up the second. Among other processes this latter chimera involved the boiling of a liquid in a crucible for three yours. Up till the day of his death he believed that he had discovered if not the veritable elixir at least something approximating to it, and to the close he attributed his health and longevity to his concoction. The results of some of the experiments he made with the elixir before he perfected it were curious. It killed his favorite cat and took all the lubrication out of his own joints, so that for several days he went about creaking like a gate with rusty hinges. — N. Y. Sun.

Pastor Defends Dancing Class for Poor

Dec. 1898

Jersey City Pastor Who Provides Means of Pleasure for the Poorer Members of His Church

JERSEY CITY, New Jersey — Rev. John L. Scudder, pastor of the Tabernacle and First Congregational church, in Jersey City, N. J., who has started a dancing class in connection with his church work, has done so not only as a means of keeping the young people away from other worldly amusements, but because he believes dancing, under certain conditions, is perfectly proper. Mr. Scudder when seen regarding the dancing class, said:

"We have Biblical authority for dancing. Dancing is all right within certain limitations. In the crowded section of the city, where the young people are cooped up in tenements, the desire to dance is as great as among the wealthy, who can entertain their friends and hold receptions in their own homes.

"There is no place for the poor to go to dance but to the public halls. What harm can there be in their dancing beneath the eyes of their pastor and the deacons of the church? While I believe that dancing is perfectly proper in its place, there are limitations I would place upon it."

Leaves the Ministry, Seeking University of Iowa Presidency

Dubuque, IA, 1898

ABANDONS THE MINISTRY

Rev. Nacy McGee Waters Wants the Presidency of State University

Some months ago it was reported that Rev. Nacy McGee Waters, formerly pastor of St. Luke's Methodist church in this city, but now of Evanston, Ill., was about to leave the Methodist denomination and accept a call to the Plymouth Congregational church at Rockford, Illinois.

At the time the report caused quite a good deal of comment, as it was supposed that he was devoted to the work of his chosen denomination. It has since then been learned, however, that he now desires to abandon the ministry and take up another vocation, and he is at present an active candidate for the presidency of the Iowa State University at Iowa City.

It was for the purpose of furthering his interests in this matter that Rev. Waters visited Dubuque about ten days ago, as he came here to get the endorsement of Senator Allison and Col. Henderson before they left for Washington. He called on both these gentlemen, and with the aid of some of his friends here pressed his case with them.

Rev. Waters is a young man of much ability, and would no doubt fill such a place creditably should he receive the appointment, which is made by the trustees of the institution.

—Dubuque Daily Herald, Dubuque, IA, Dec. 10, 1898, p. 5.