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THE DAILY MIRROR London, England 27 April 1911 (page 5)
MYSTERIES OF THE ROSICRUCIANS.
REMARKABLE EVIDENCE.
SECRET CHIEFS AND STRANGE RITES.
Secret Chiefs of Rosicrucians Discussed in Law Court.
“WONDERLAND” TRIAL.
REMARKABLE ROSICRUCIAN ORDER LIBEL ACTION
Mr. Aleister Crowley. The Count McGregor.
The External Head of the Rosicrucians, who in some mystic quarters is strongly suspected of being a reincarnation of King James IV of Scotland, gave evidence yesterday in a case dealing with Rosicrucian matters before Mr. Justice Scrutton.
The Count McGregor [MacGregor Mathers], as the External Head calls himself in preference to his birth register style, Samuel Mathers, is a tall, aristocratic-looking man of mystery, who wears pince-nez.
When he was questioned about the secret chiefs of the Rosicrucians, shadowy powers that remain in a weird background, and said, “I am sworn not to discuss them,” a creepy feeling came over the audience.
Belonging to the Rosicrucian fraternity some time ago was one Aleister Crowley, who was subsequently expelled from the order. He was said to have been variously known as Count Skellatt, Count Svaroff, Edward Aleister, Lord Boleskine and Baron Rosenkreutz.
The Looking Glass newspaper published in a series of articles attacking him, and in one of these headed “By their friends ye shall know them,” Mr. George Cecil Jones, a consulting chemist, plaintiff in yesterday’s action, was said to have been associated with him. For this Mr. Jones sought libel damages.
CONNECTION WITH KING JAMES IV.
It was with regard to Mr. Crowley’s connection with, and expulsion from the Rosicrucians that the External Head was called to testify.
Mr. Simmons, who cross-examined, was more interested in the External Head’s own personal affairs. Why did he call himself McGregor?
The explanation was the McGregors were forced in times past to take other names. His ancestor I 1603 took the name Mathers, because to call oneself McGregor at the stirring period meant death.
“Have you ever called yourself the Chevalier McGregor?” asked counsel, and the External Head replied indignantly: “Never! You are thinking of Crowley’s aliases.”
“Have you ever suggested that you were connected with King James IV of Scotland?” pursued Mr. Simmons, and the External Head answered that all Scotsmen of lineage would have royal connections.
MYSTERY OF KING’S DEATH.
“Have you ever asserted that King James IV never died?” was the next question.
“There is a tradition to that effect,” was the guarded reply.
“Do you believe in the tradition?”—I refuse to answer.
Counsel then asked point-blank if the witness did not claim to be King James.
“Certainly not,” said the External Head.
The Count St. Germaine and Cagliostro were mentioned as having, according to tradition, enjoyed a continued mystic experience on this earth, and the Judge added “The Flying Dutchman” to the list.
After the External Head had declared impressively that he had given the best years of his life to the restoration of the Rosicrucian Order, and that his work had been stolen from him, counsel began to ask him about the Secret Chiefs.
SWORN TO SILENCE.
He admitted that he was in communication with them, but with great dignity declined to assist Mr. Simmons when the latter diffidently asked them for their names. “I am sworn not to divulge them,” he said.
Will you tell us whether they are living or dead?
“I am sworn not to discuss them,” was the retort with an air of finality.
The Judge, who did not seem to stand in such awe of the Secret Chiefs as some of the Rosicrucians present, remarked about this point that the trial seemed to be getting very like that in Alice in Wonderland, in which, it will be remembered, the most ridiculous things happened.
Mr. W. Migge, a City merchant, told in the witness-box how he paid five guineas for a course of seven mystic performances conducted by Mr. Crowley in connection with the seven planets.
INVOCATION OF SATURN.
At the first Saturn was invoked. He did not consider that he got his money’s worth for he had expected clairvoyant manifestations. It was a lady clairvoyant who had induced him to take the course.
The performances took place in darkness, and there were characters entitled the “Mother of Heaven” and the “Master.” Incense burning prevented him from seeing a good deal.
A Rosicrucian doctor [Edward Berridge] who went into the witness-box to speak about Mr. Crowley’s reputation gave the court an illustration of how majestically members of the order take the oath. He had embellished the ordinary form of declaration by some muttered words of mystery before the Judge realized what he was doing.
“Don’t invent oaths of your own,” said his Lordship sternly. “Parliament has given us the form to be used.”
The jury returned a verdict for The Looking Glass. |
