Well, as an active Beta hailing from a chapter that originated as one of the Mystic Seven temples, I can't get into the specifics regarding the lore
(as I have made such a pledge not to reveal it), but I can clear up some of the origins and it's history.
The Mystic Seven were formed as a literary society, in part to break away from other (open) literary societies that the original seven men fell out of
favor with and disagreed with, and in part influenced by the rise of masonry. The Mystic Seven, I should point out, is in no way shape or form
directly related to masonry in its origin. Many Mystics familiar with the founders motives would tend to describe its founding as more of their own
vision of what masonry offered, in their own image. It was founded not so much as an "anti-masonry" society so much as an alternative. Their own
secret society with its own meaning. They are very different in their overall views.
The confusion between Mystics connection to both Beta and DKE comes from the civil war. The Mystic temples were damaged greatly leading up to and
during the way, as members left to fight and meetings were put on indefinite hold. After the war, the first Temple (Temple of the Wand) began to
re-examine their standing as a society, and began looking for alternative ways to exist as a brotherhood. They originally turned to DKE, and were
rejected for admission three times. Some time went by, and eventually circumstances cause the Temple of the Wand to split into two groups. There
were those who we consider the traitors, those who split, and they petitioned separately for admission to DKE, and were eventually accepted and formed
a new chapter. The true Mystics of Temple of the Wand still remained, however. Despite this, the Temple of the Scroll and Pen followed the
traitors' lead, and also chose to petition separately for admission to DKE, and formed a new chapter at Syracuse, breaking away and forfeiting their
right as Mystics.
Fast forward a bit, Beta eventually approached the Temple of the Wand for admission, in their mission for expansion. Beta specifically was looking
for a way to expand further into the south. The Temple of the Wand offered their current strongest temple, the Temple of the Star in Mississippi (Ole
Miss), as the first to lead the assimilation charge. Soon the few remaining temples in the south followed their lead, and eventually Temple of the
Wand finished the deal when the merger was officially made around 1879. Mystic OFFICIALLY belongs to Beta Theta Pi. The two DKE chapters founded by
old ex-mystics are generally regarded as traitors, and ignored by the true Mystic chapters still active within Beta (if you ever visit a strong Mystic
Beta chapter, you might notice they hold a strange animosity toward DKE in general, in many cases). Much of the original Mystic ritual has been
rewritten and made part of what is now the Beta ritual.
Anything else you specifically wish to know regarding the Mystic Seven, I can try to answer to the best of my ability.
[edit on 25-12-2006 by M74]
[edit on 25-12-2006 by M74]
