Constant Martin Chevillon

Constant Chevillon (born October 26, 1880 in Annoire (Jura); died March 23, 1944 in Lyon) was Grand Master of the Freemasonry Rite of Memphis-Misraïm and head of FUDOFSI and other occult societies.
As a member of the Rosicrucian Fraternity, he was opposed to Harvey Spencer Lewis' AMORC and FUDOSI.
He was enthroned as Patriarch of the Eglise Gnostique Universelle after Jean Bricaud, and succeeded by one of his students, René Chambellant, who maintained the compendium of esoteric societies in cooperation with the Gnostic church.
At an early age, his prodigious memory and learning genius made their debut and the priest decided to teach him Latin. At the age of twelve, he entered the College of Montciel, near Lone-le Saulnier (Jura). He studied Literature, Ancient History, the Classics and Philosophy.
He moved on to higher branches of learning, receiving a Bachelor's degree at the Faculty of Letters at Lyon where he also received his Licentiate's Degree and a Fellowship.
He studied philosophy under the celebrated Professor Arthur Hennequin. He knew Socrates' Precepts of Self-knowledge, but the one that guided his life was: "Renounce thyself while serving others". His philosophy professor was such an ideal for him that after Hennequin's death, he left the University.

He went to work at the General Society, a bank in Lyon and worked there until 1913. Later he went to work for the Banque Nationale de Credit in Lyon and continued his work there until his death.
With the outbreak of World War II and the invasion of France and Belgium, came Nazi persecution for the Martinist Orders. In 1940, in all the territories occupied by German forces, secret societies were prohibited, by the Nazis. Although in as yet unoccupied France, the Vichy government issued a decree dissolving all Masonic and secret socities. With the occupation of the remainder of France, the persecutions increased. On Apr. 23, 1944, Constant Chevillon was assassinated as he answered the door to his home by the so-called “French Militia”, which was an organization of French Nazis organized under the German Gestapo.