The following text is a portion of the talk Rudolf Steiner gave on the late evening of April 5, 1909 on the occasion of the laying of the foundation stone of the “Malsch model” during the founding of a new theosophical branch in the town of Malsch, Germany.
That small building was meant as the model for a “temple” to be built later on. It was built by the student E. A. Karl Stockmeyer, who had asked Rudolf Steiner for the necessary guidelines. The basis for the model is formed by twice seven columns that support an oval-shaped cupola. The capitals of the columns form a row of carved images depicting the planetary metamorphosis of the earth's evolution. These capital drafts were used in the First Goetheanum [in Dornach].
The building in Malsch was restored later and can be visited today.
The words Rudolf Steiner spoke have a prayer-like character. The approximately 24 people who were present made notes immediately afterwards. [These are the basis for the following text.] This fragment is reproduced here at Bernard Lievegoed's request, for Rudolf Steiner spoke especially about the Rosicrucian stream's task concerning the earth's transformation.
Rudolf Steiner: We wish to sink the foundation stone of this temple into the lap of our Mother Earth, beneath the full moon's rays which shine on us within the sprouting green plant-world that surrounds the building. And just as the moon reflects the bright sunlight, we wish to reflect the light of divine-spiritual beings. We want to trustfully turn to our majestic Mother Earth, who lovingly supports and protects us, and confide to her the building's charter … [the charter follows].
Together with the charter, we wish to sink our blessing, all of us assembled here, who will often remember this moment which made our souls and hearts glow. Then our sentiments will continue supporting and protecting this temple and the existence of the Malsch lodge. We also wish to entreat for this stone and the Malsch Lodge the benediction of the Masters of Wisdom and the Harmony of Sentiments, and the benediction of all the Higher Beings, all the spiritual hierarchies who are connected to the earth's evolution. We also entreat that they stream their forces into this Foundation Stone, which continue to act in order that everything thought, felt, willed and done is consistent with them and is penetrated with their spirit.
May the light of the East
Radiate over this building;
May the spirits of the West reflect it back.
May the spirits of the North condense it
And the spirits of the South make it warm,
So that the spirits of the East, West,
North and South stream through the building.
Our Mother Earth was condensed in pain. Our mission is to re-spiritualize her, release her, in that we by the strength of our hands transform her into a spiritual work of art. May this Stone at the same time be a first foundation stone for the freeing and transformation of our planet Earth, and may the force of this Stone increase thousands of times over.
When we were still resting in the lap of the Godhood, lovingly cared for by divine forces, the all-embracing, penetrating Father-Spirit weaved in us. But we were still unknowing, not yet possessing independence. So we descended into matter in order to learn here how to develop self-consciousness. Then came evil, then came death. But Christ was also active in matter and helped us to triumph over death. Therefore when we die in Christ, we live. We will overcome death and spiritualize matter, make it divine through our great force. In us will awaken the force of the Holy Spirit.
Thus resonate here the words:
Ex Deo Nascimur,
In Christo morimur,
Per Spiritum sanctum reviviscimus.
From God we are born,
In Christ we die,
Through the Holy Spirit we are resurrected.
An extract from the book Über die Rettung der Seele by Bernard Lievegoed
Translated from the German by Frank Thomas Smith
