Rosh hash-Slianah. See Taljiud.
Rosicrucians, a pretended fraternity in Germany which existed simply in a book entitled Fama Frater- nitas des lOblichen Ordens des Rosenkretizes, and publish- ed in 1G14. That book recited that Christian Rosen- kreuz, a German of noble family, born in 1388, and edu- cated in a convent, had in early youth visited the holy sepulchre, and had spent three years in Damascus with the Arabians, engaged in the study of physics and mathematics, after which he went to Fez by way of Egypt, and there pursued the study of magic. He learned among other things that every man is a micro- cosm. An attempt to dispense his new-found wisdom in Spain met with no-encouragement, for which reason he determined to bestow his treasures on his fatherlaml. He built a sort of convent, which he named Sanctus Spi- ritus, and associated with himself three friends from the monastery to which he originally belonged. This was the institution of the Rosicrucian order, which was af- terwards enlarged by the addition of four other persons. The members travelled everywhere to promote the ref- ormation of the world, but met at their central house once a year. They claimed the possession of the high- est knowledge and freedom from sickness and pain, though not from death. Each member chose his suc- cessor, but concealed his own death and place of burial. Even the tomb of Rosenkreuz himself wasmnknown un-
til after 120 years from the founding of the order, when a vault was discovered in his house which was brilliant- ly illumined from above by an artificial light, and which contained a round altar placed over the yet undecom- posed body of the founder. The inscription " Post CXX annos patebo" over the door of the vault showed that the time had come for making known the order to the world. The learned were accordingly invited to care- fully examine the arts described in the Fama (which was printed in five languages), and to publish their opinions through the press, as the hope was expressed that many would connect themselves with the order. Other writers appeared in confirmation or illustration of the Fama, e. g. a Confession (1615), and the Chy- mische Hochzeit Christian Rosenkreuz (1616). An im- mense excitement in Germany and adjoining lands was produced by these works, and called forth a flood of ap- preciative or condemnatory reviews. The interest felt at the time in secret arts, particularly that of making gold, led many to seek association with the fraternity, while others suspected a most dangerous heresy in the- ology and medicine; but it was remarkable that no ac- tual member of the original Rosicrucian order was ever discovered. Every theological text-book contended at length against this heresy, and medical writers discov- ered its intention to destroy the reputation of Galen and supersede him by Paracelsus. Robert Fludd, in Eng- land, defended the order with zeal, and the court physi- cian of the emperor Rudolph II, Michael Maier, asserted the truth of the statements contained in the Fama, The title of Rosicrucians was finally adopted by a so- ciety of alchemists, which originated at the Hague in 1622, and afterwards by other fraternities. Investiga- tions made by such societies into the origin of the Fama Fraternitas led to the conclusion that the book was in- tended as a satire on the condition of the times. The authorship of the book was finally ascribed to Joh. Val. Andrese, the Wiirtemberg theologian, and this opinion is still generally received.
A list of the older Rosicrucian literature may be found in Missiv an d. hocherl. Briiderschaft d. Ordens d. gol- denen u. Rosenkreuzes, etc. (Leips. 1783) ; Chr. v. Murr, Wahrer Urspi'ung d. Rnsenkrettzer, etc. ( Sulzbach, 1803). See also Gottfr. Arnold, Unparthei. Kirchen- u. Ketzer- Historic (Frankft. 1729; Schaflfhausen, 1742), pt. ii, ch. xviii and suppl., p. 947 ; Herder, Hist. Zweifel iiber Fr. Nicolai's Buch, etc., in the Deutscher Merkur of 1782 (Sdmmtl. IVerke z. Phil. v. Gesch. vo\. xv) ; Zur Lit. V. Kunst, vol. XX ; Buhle, Ursprung u. voiniehmste Schicksale der Orden d. Freimaurer u. Rosenkreuzer (Gott. 1804); Nicolai, Veber Ursprung und Gesch. d, Freimau7-er {Berl. and Stettin, 1806); Hossbach, Jo//. Val. Andrew u. sein Zeitalter ( Berl. 1819); Guhrauer, Verfasser ii. urspriingl. Zweck d. Fama Fraternitas, etc., in Niedner's Zeitsch.f. hist. Theologie, 1852, p. 298- 315. — Herzog, Real- Encijklop. s. v. ; Wetzer u. Welte, Kirchen-Lex. s. v.
Rosin, properly " naphtha" {va<p^a ; Vulg. naphtha, so the Peshito-Syriac). In the Song of the Three Chil- dren (ver. 23), the servants of the king of Babylon are said to have "ceased not to make the oven hot with 1-osin, pitch, tow, and small wood." Pliny ( ii, 101) mentions naphtha as a product of Babylonia, similar in appearance to liquid bitumen, and having a remarkable aftinity to fire. To this natural product (known also as Persian naphtha, petroleum, rock oil, Rangoon tar, Bur- mese naphtha, etc.) reference is made in the passage in question. Sir R. K. Porter thus describes the naphtha springs at Kirknk, in Lower Kurdistan, mentioned by Strabo (xvii, 738) : "They are ten in number. For a considerable distance from them we felt the air sulphur- ous, but in drawing near it became worse, and we were all instantly struck with excruciating headaches. The springs consist of several pits or wells, seven or eight feet in diameter, and ten or twelve deep. The whole number are within the compass of five hundred yards. A flight of steps has been cut into each pit for the pur-