On the Philadephian Gold

The Philadelphian Society was a dissenting and mystical movement - but also, in fact, an initiatory society - founded in England in the 17th century by John Pordage (1607-1681), an Anglican priest from Bradfield, Berkshire. The members of the Philadelphian Society held views that were somewhat similar to Pantheism, regarding the belief in the presence of God in all things, and with a nondualist component, in that they also believed the presence of the Holy Spirit exists in each and everyone’s soul, and that one can become enlightened and illuminated by living a virtuous life and seeking truth through the wisdom of God.The Theosophical Transactions was the official journal of the Philadelphian Society. This short lived magazine (four issues appeared during 1697) was edited by Francis Lee, the son-in-law of Jane Lead. Most of the articles in this magazine were published without credit or else given pseudonymous authors, though the bulk of these were probably written by Francis Lee or his colleague Richard Roach. Among these is this interesting philosophical dialogue On the Philadelphian Gold (A Conference betwixt Philochrysus and Philadelphus on the Philadelphian Gold).