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Correspondence from Aleister Crowley to George MacNie Cowie
27 Aug 14.
Care Frater.
I am sorry to have been so long in answering your letter, but I have had no secretary, and I am too lazy to work without one. I suppose you have got Manifestos [Manifesto of the M∴M∴M\] by now. You ought to be able to do a good deal now in all classes of Society by emphasizing Section 5 and 16. You are at liberty to say that in view of the was the Grand Master General would be prepared to confer degrees up to the 5th on well and worthily recommended persons. If people had any sense they would be only too glad to jump at any form of insurance, at this moment it is exactly what is wanted. In case of the Sack of Edinburgh, it would be very useful to have someone to retire on and we could put up thirty people [at Boleskine House] at a pinch. I enclose the cutting from the New York World. Please return as it is a unique and priceless specimen. Of course any Theosophists are afraid to mention us as I have exposed their ignorance so often and in such a way that no one can afford to ignore it. You know that Mrs Besant [Annie Besant] had to give up Krishnamurti, and I am told that it was the Equinox article which produced the result.
I want you not to make any mistake about the war. If you can get rid of any securities you hold at a reasonable price, you should do so and buy agricultural land with the proceeds. All those securities which depend upon general prosperity are waste paper, and their loss will of course react upon other securities. When the Government are borrowing money at 10 per cent as they will have to within 6 months, how much will Consols be worth? Please take this very seriously, I am talking about what I know. There is, however, a great chance for us, a great deal of the stock is valueless as far as England is concerned, but the O.T.O. and Book 4 [Part I & Part II] line are likely to come off very well if we can get enthusiastic workers. If you like to send down a small cheque weekly no one will refuse. The Grand Secretary General has a trial week on Monday, but there is no money in it and there is a good deal of expense, the only object of accepting is to make it possible to book the thing in Australia and America and such places.
Looking up my Ceylon record you will see that before getting anything meditation was practically continuous throughout waking hours though its form varied to avoid fatigue. It is a pity your retirement has been spoiled, but are pretty lucky it was not a compulsory retirement for ever. I don't agree altogether with what you say about the alleged spiritual forces in the newspapers. The other man's point of view is quite different to yours, and he holds it just as strongly; I am not at all sure that he is not right from the higher point of view. The campaign of hypocrisy and humbug could not be worse there than it is here. Read through Liber Legis, that is the naked truth of the situation, co called civilisation is at an end, I hope for a couple thousand years at least.
Yours fraternally.
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