Of Historical Interest
Origin of Oahspe - Original Newspaper Clipping, January 21, 1883
Shalam "Call" - March 18, 1884
About 1891 Oahspe - April 7, 1890
Oahspe reviews (1942) and Oahspe prospectus (1891)Manuscripts Omitted From Oahspe
The Book of Knowledge (1881):
Historical Introduction Letters from Howland about Omissions and Revisions
Explanation of the Nine Entities
Explanation of the Cycles Used in Oahspe
The Book of Knowledge, text begins
The Book of Ouranothen, Light from Heaven
Pages from Saphah! (1881):
The Actual John Lant Proof Sheet of Saphah! Title Page
Pan, The First Words
Se'moin and Biene Tablets, Index to Verses
Emp'agatu Plate Introduction
Ethe, Ji'ay, A'ji and Nebula (corrections)
Writings by Newbrough at Shalam, New Mexico
Government and Laws of Faithist Fraternities (1884)
Book of Gratiyus, Founding of Levitica (1886)
Wing Anderson Oahspe edition omissions and errata information
Kosmon Pioneer Bulletin souvenir (1956)
What is an Essene, with photo of Wing Anderson (1947)
Letter from Wing Anderson about Oahspe changes (1963)
Helpful Hints for Studying Oahspe (from 1954-56 Bulletins)
The Faithist Calendar
Intro to Kosmon calendars, with photo of Sam Bartolet
Newbrough's Kosmon Calendar for 37 A. K. (1885)
Bartole's Kosmon Calendar (1950)
Review of Oahspe calendar verse revisions
For the benefit of readers who haven't heard about the missing parts of Oahspe, it should be explained that the 1882 first printing of Oahspe was not the first version of the book. The very first plates were made during the year of 1881 from the original manuscript of Oahspe as it was being received. These plates were made by Dr. Newbrough's printer friend, John A. Lant, whose printshop was located at 207-209 West 41st Street, New York City.
John Lant died in January, 1913 at Florisant, Missouri, but not without leaving ample evidence that he was indeed the first to make plates for what was to have been the first edition of Oahspe, during 1881. But his plates were never used. He took proof prints of each plate as they were made, and saved them away.
The 1882 "first edition" of Oahspe was actually the second version, printed from totally different electrotypes.
The 1891 "second edition" was revised from the 1882 version, printed from still newer plates, which was really the third version.
Wing Anderson purchased the 1891 "second edition" (third version) plates from Dr. Newbrough's daughterabout 1930, and it was from these that he published the "blue cover" editions of Oahspe (no longer in print). The 1891 Oahspe is still available in the English edition, in a smaller, handy size.
After a fifteen year search to find a copy of it, in 1960 Ray Palmer reprinted the 1882 Oahspe, which made this oldest edition available for the first time since the 1880's. Marjorie Palmer's Amherst Press continues to publish this Oahspe, which is the current American "green cover" edition.
Possibly among the materials Wing Anderson received with the 1891 Oahspe plates from Dr. Newbrough's daughter, he received a large "24" by "24" scrapbook with proof plates pasted in it, of material not included in Oahspe. These were John Lant proof sheets. The Essenes of Kosmon copied The Book of Knowledge from the contents of the Lant pages. This was done serially, in eight parts (separate booklets, long out of print). Later, Sam Bartolet published The Book of Knowledge in one booklet. It omitted some verses, but again made the manuscript available. Other proof sheet contents appeared in the Essenes of Kosmon magazine (the Kosmon Pioneer Bulletin, in issues dated from 1954 to 1958).
In the 1960's, Wing Anderson helped me contact Dr. Newbrough's family, from whom I obtained information for "The Oahspe Story" and "Dr. Newbrough and Oahspe". (These books are no longer in print, but are now being redone and expanded to include pictures and historical documents, in one volume like this one.) Wing furnished some historical records and a tape recording of an interview with Dr. Newbrough's daughter. After Ray Palmer's 1882 Oahspe came out, Wing published a special Kosmon Newsletter which included the letters from Dr. Newbrough and Andrew Howland, and the Saphah! title proof sheet. This was the only Lant proof sheet ever made public (only the contents were copied and published by from the others).
The Kosmon calendar used at Shalam in 1885 came from Sam Bartolet, by photostatic copy (the old liquid method). At the time I received it some 20 years ago, it was fairly good. Now it is old and yellowed, but using an electronic copier, the image was recovered to be included here. The revisions to calendar verses in Oahspe (The Book of Sethantes XIII:13 and The Book of Inspiration XIV:2-3) are given.
The omissions from and changes to Oahspe from the original manuscript Dr. Newbrough received in 1881 is an assurance that Oahspe itself shall not become an object of adoration or worship. Oahspe is maculate (blemished), as are all books. While Oahspe was written "in the words of Jehovih, The Creator" it is not Jehovih's Word! The Creator has never, ever, written any book or bible, nor does He speak or write in human words (see The Book of Aph I:4-9). "In the words of Jehovih" means that someone inspired by Jehovih formed the inspiration into words. All words are formed either by spirits or mortals. In the case of Oahspe, the words were written by ethereans and transmitted to Dr. John Ballou Newbrough via automatic typewriting (The Patience Worth books were written in a similar manner years later).
Words must stand on their own merit, irrespective of origin. Nor is the value of Oahspe greatly diminished by the omissions and revisions, since its purpose is to free mankind from dependence on indirect inspiration (any words, including Oahspe). The aim is for its reader to learn to "hear" Jehovih directly, while fully conscious. His Voice is not audible sounds, like human speech, but in trees and rocks and all things without tongues. Spiritual things must be spiritually received with new senses (suis and ethe). A prophet may translate what is received into words, but all inspiration in words is second-hand to the listener or reader. It is one thing to listen to a witness, but better to be the witness.
When the suis and ethe senses are developed in the Kosmon brotherhoods, they will re-establish the College of Prophecy (as Samuel did in the previous cycle). The original text of Oahspe will be recovered, and they will write new revelations superior to all others. for in olden time, Faithists were only instruments of revelation; in Kosmon they are to become actual prophets themselves.
A preface isn't complete without thanking those who helped bring a book about, and there were many who helped assemble the materials and history of Oahspe, many of them now in spirit. This book is dedicated to the couple who started me on this path when I was 17 years old.
My thanks to Quentin Borg, whose letter in Search magazine's Oahspe Circle encouraged me to go ahead with this book (and for correcting some of the manuscript before publication), and to my family who tolerated long hours listening to the computer and electronic typewriter on which it was edited and typeset.
Jim Dennon
Seaside, Oregon
July, 1983