2nd Ill. G.P. R+C of the O.K.R.C.

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F.-Ch. Barlet was one of the first members of the French branch of the Theosophical Society, which he left at the same time as Papus in 1888. In 1887, along with Papus, Josephin Peladan, Paul Sedir, Lucien Chamuel, Stanislas de Guaita, Augustin Chaboseau and many others, he belonged to a group called: “the Independent Group of Esoteric Studies” (GIDEE). When GIDEE took the name of “Hermetic School,” F.-Ch. Barlet was one of seven counsellors. He continued to be with Papus as member of the “Faculty of Hermetic Sciences” which was created from the “Hermetic School.” He became a member of the Kabbalistic Order of the Rose-Cross in 1888 and its Grand Master in December 1897 upon the death of Guaita. He also became a member of the First Supreme Council of the “Martinist Order” in March, 1891.

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It is possible that F.-Ch. Barlet knew Max Théon as early as 1871. It seems established that, around 1885, he was a member of the “Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor” (HB of L.) which Théon founded in London. When the HB of L. became the “Cosmic Movement,” F.-Ch. Barlet was nominated representative in Paris. He was director of “La Revue Cosmique” from 1901 to 1903 and took part in the publication of the first two volumes of La Tradition Cosmique in 1903. On two occasions, in 1900 and 1901, he visited Théon on his estate in Tlemcen in Algeria.

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F.-Ch. Barlet was also bishop of the “Gnostic Church” founded by Jules Doinel in 1890, and representative in France of the “Eastern Esoteric Center,” which he left in 1908 when its founder, Albert de Saràk, was unmasked as a crook.