It is common knowledge within the Martinist genre that Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin never created an organization known as the Martinist Order. Saint-Martin’s dislike for societies based on a Masonic model and for complicated ceremonies, clearly illustrates that he never founded an esoteric Order.

We do see, in various private correspondences, references to a Société des Initiés or Society of Initiates. Also appearing in other correspondences was the name Société des Intimes or Society of Friends. One should note that in either case this society and its members are represented by the initials S.I. This indicates that the society in question was constituted by people bearing the title of “Supérieur Inconnu” but what of its construct?

The Society of Initiates, as conceived by Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin, was based upon instruction and ultimately initiation. This was an intimate, personal, and certainly private transmission of knowledge which culminated in the conferring of the title of Unknown Superior or Supérieur Inconnu. The title Supérieur Inconnu is commonly initialed in correspondences as “S:I:”.

Saint-Martin’s Society of Initiates lasted for some time. The Initiation was passed down from teacher to student for many years. Eventually several initiates formulated a more Masonic based organization and formed the Martinist Order. They created multiple degrees for the aspirant to traverse. Since that time there have been multiple schisms too many to discuss in this short treatise. Suffice it to say that Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin did not intend for any of this to occur.

Several S:I: found that many Orders, by their very nature, actually create their own problems by shifting the aspirant’s mind away from the goal. The Société des Initiés or Society of Initiates is a loosely organized assembly of S:I: (Free Initiators) who gather together for fellowship and the promotion of the ideals of Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin, our Venerated Master. Each S:I: is answerable to their own conscience of whom to associate with, teach, and initiate. There is an induction ceremony to create a bond between the teacher and the student and to prepare the student for the coming exerices and teachings. When the student has learned all that the teacher has to offer, the student is conferred with the honorable title of Supérieur Inconnu thereby becoming a teacher/free initiator.