All, Thought that this may be of interest to those of us that are researching the history and linage of the Op Den Graef / Updegraff families. The thesis' which are referred to are both at: <http://www.siscom.net/~rdrunner/HTML/Updegraff.html > Thanks, Kevin L. Sholder [email protected] <http://www.siscom.net/~rdrunner/index.htm> [email protected] SURNAMES THAT I AM RESEARCHING - Aderhold; Alexander; Bower; Campbell; Carpenter; Cohick; DeRemer; Hafer; Heim; Horn; Kiess; Kinley; Lovell; Mahaffey; Marquardt; Marshall; Metzger; Paulhamus (Polhemius); Pepperman; Rentz; Robinson; Roller; Sholder (Scholderer); Smith; Springman; Stabler; Stoltz; Ulmer; Updegraff (Op den Graeff); Waltz (Walz); Wurster (Wurster Von Igelsberg) and their related family lines. -----Original Message----- From: Stephen [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, June 18, 2000 1:10 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Lord Of The Swan Very intriguing thesis on the windows. Any photographs to share? The Swan Knights are descendents of the 12 tribes of Israel, descendents of Jacob, who were the "Hebrew slaves" lead out of Egypt by Moses. They were the guardians of the Ark Of The Covenant which housed the emerald tablets of Hermes (a/k/a Thoth) which were the exoteric laws (the 10 commandments) and the esoteric laws (the laws of the adepts, the alchemical laws of transformation of spirit and matter). The original temple of the Ark was at Aswan in Egypt. After migration to Canaan, the 12 tribes established Israel and Judeaism and constructed the Temple of Solomon to house the Ark. Once the Babylonians found out about the Ark, they invaded to capture it. Consequently the "Swan Knights" fled with the Ark into Gaul and also the Celtic islands that became known as The Land Of The Covenant ("Britain"). The Swan itself represents activation of the pineal gland in the brain (remember in the old testament Jacob wrestles with an angel in a place called 'pineal'). The two wings of the swan represent the two lobes of the brain integrated via pineal secretion into the pituitary (the lapis elixir) which produces coagulation of the "stone" or philosopher's stone of alchemy which is also represented by the perfect grace and pure white beauty of the swan. The stone is the transfiguration of the body and spirit. Anyway, Baldric of France was a swan knight or original temple knight and chivalric monk on the alchemical path chivalry to a higher state of conciousness. He accompanied William as he conquered Britain in the eleventh century and carried the name Lindsay into England and Scotland. The swan is featured on the Lindsay crest rising from a crown on a blue field. Many Lindsays in the history of Scotland were alchemical adepts studying the path of "thrice great Hermes". Disney's castle of "Sleeping Beauty" was modeled on the Neuschwanstein Castle (new stone of the swan-- referencing the swan as symbol of the philosopher's stone in alchemy). Lohengrin came from the same tradition as Baldric and in the poem did achieve remarkable results in his chivalric path to reaching the Holy Grail (coagulation of the stone or higher state of conciousness). By the time the Rhine Grail castles were being built, it was very much something in vogue to attach yourself to that legendary lineage of the Swan Knights of the Holy Graal and gave any royal house an edge in claiming title and position. The swan knights of the temple had transformed themselves into banking houses, Switzerland and the Rotheschild type families to hide from persecution by then. No doubt the windows have many secrets in them including much information on the messianic knowledge the swan knights protected. -Stephen Lindsey