Tom's Challenge #4

Tom’s Challenge #4

All right. This is something really interesting that I came across recently in doing some research for a text book that I am working on. There was a group formed under some interesting circumstances in which a group of scholars discovered the tomb of a much older scholar that was filled with ancient wisdom and objects of science and magic that the earlier scholar had learned and acquired though his travels in the middle east. In the tomb of the older scholar was an inscription stating accurately how many years it would be until he was found. Taking this as a sign, the scholars who made the discovery formed a group that exalted science, opposed the power of the church, advocated reform of the church, was opposed to national loyalty and the members considered themselves citizens of the world. Their group would advocate a unity of science and humanity without any national or ethnic boundaries.

Formed during a time of religious persecution for scientific thought that countered that mandated by the church, they were a clandestine group, published scientific and philosophical texts anonymously. Among their rules were:

1. They must heal and distribute free medicines to all people who need them.
2. They must dress in accordance with the customs of the country in which they live.
3. They must meet once a year.
4. Each must choose a successor, so that all of them will be replaced once they die.
5. Each must carry a hidden seal with the letters ___
6. They will keep their group concealed for at least one hundred years.

So,
1. Who were these people?
2. Who was the older scholar that they discovered?
3. When was the group formed, as determined by the publishing of their first manifesto?