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Correspondence from MacGregor Mathers to Curtis Bennett
28, Rue Saint Vincent Buttes Montmartre.
Oct. 13. 1901.
To Curtis Bennett Esq. Magistrate, Marylebone Police Court, W.C.
Sir,
Re: case of Horos and Order of the G.D. [Golden Dawn].
I am and have been for years the Head of the above Order, and I write to protest against the shameful and unauthorized abuse of its name by Mr. and Mrs. Horos for their own immoral purposes.
It is an association for the study of the Archaeology of Mysticism and the origin and application of Religious and Occult Symbolism. Its teachings are strictly moral and inculcate a profound respect for the truths of all Religions. It has members all over the world, many of them of the highest social and intellectual rank, and of moral standing. The real name of the Order has been from ancient time kept secret to prevent, as far as possible, imposters and adventures from making use of its name to shield their malpractices; as has been frequently done by unscrupulous persons with respect to other associations, the Jesuit Order for example.
Thus then the words "the Order of the Golden Dawn" is only a way of translating the letters G.D.
I being the Head of this Order no meeting of its Members is official without my consent and authority, and to such persons as the prisoners my consent and authorization never has been, and never would be given.
These individuals, accompanied by Mrs. Rose Adams, calling herself Doctor of Medicine, came to me in Paris in the beginning of last year, professing to be interested in Egyptological research and to be Members of my Order in America, and also of the Theosophical Society. On the strength of this Mrs. Horos managed to obtain possession of several manuscripts of the Order of the G.D.; from which they have evidently concocted some garbled form of initiation to impose upon their unfortunate victims. I have vainly tried since to make them return these manuscripts and other articles they had borrowed from me. It did not take me long to find out what kind of persons the prisoners are; and I refuse to receive them. Among other peculiar statements which Mrs. Horos made, and which first aroused my suspicions as these persons had come to me with a good introduction, were:—
"That Mrs. Annie Besant had gone mad, and that they had come to Europe to supplant her as Head of the Theosophical Society. "
"That Mrs. Horos was the illegitimate daughter of Pope Pius the Ninth and Lola Montes."
"That she had been admitted as a 'courte-robe' of the Jesuit fraternity, and had the support of the influence of that Order which she could bring to bear to break up any association she pleased, and she menaced the Order of the G.D. herewith, against which she said 'that they had already directed some of their force'. "
"That Mrs. Horos was identical with Diana Vaughan of Leon Taxil notoriety."
It was these and other statements and threats, coupled with their evidently immoral ideas which made me refuse to receive them. I most emphatically deny that their "Theocratic Unity" has anything whatsoever to do with the G.D. and in justice to this Order, I should be grateful to you to make known the fact.
Yours faithfully,
MacGregor
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