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Correspondence from Aleister Crowley to Charles Stansfeld Jones
Near Bristol N.[ew] H.[ampshire]
An XII
[15 July 1916]
Care Frater, and V.H. V.I. V.I. Sir Knight
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
It struck me last night that you may lack experience as to the way to view things practically. It is proper, and provided for in the obligations of V°, VI° and especially VII° for the recipient of the grade to bestow property—as apart from mere dues—upon the Order. It struck me that such a property-possessing person may have been among those mixed up in your magical experience. If so, he or she should be approached now (while the iron is hot) and anything reasonably available transferred to the Order. This should be done with the utmost legal care; see to it in particular that the "consideration" is good in law. Any such property should be vested in three trustees; you, me and George MacNie Cowie. The donor would be willing to Holy pact of this to help out the B[lessed] B[rethren] who are really worthy—as proved recently—with their dues. Something of this sort really ought to be done to square you with G.[rand] L.[odge]; we can't possible allow high grades to go about or tick. Notice for example that you as IX° are entitled to a share of the income of the Order under certain circumstances—I mention this as a particularly tangible point—what then am I to say to the other IX°s who have paid in full. It is robbing them. Part of the inducement to them to pay their fees is this participation in the property of the Order; in fact, we are a real estate business and an insurance and security business as well as a holy order of military monks.
Now remember also that as Viceroy you are personally responsible for seeing that all is done in order. (In the A∴A∴ there is of course none of this damned silly nonsense, but we are O.T.O. as well, and must abide by it's laws.) So best is [illegible] Knight. If you have no one in [illegible] at present, keep an eye open. [illegible] beginnings. A cottage from one, a [illegible] share from another—anything to get Property. Remember that just as soon as you [illegible] start you attract new people. "[illegible] Our Profess-House; when you work the VII° you have the right to stay there 3 months in every year" "And the [illegible] 11 guineas? Why it's like finding [illegible]. And in he comes. The [illegible] life—especially in America—is that if you let a man smell a dollar far off—even an imaginary dollar—perhaps one may say especially an imaginary dollar—he'll follow you to hell to get it. I'm not shy in telling this to you, for it is necessary and there is no shame for it cost me £50,000 or the best part of it to get where I am.
There is no news.
Love is the Law, Love under Will.
Yours in the Bonds of the Order
[eleven-fold cross] Baphomet X° O.T.O. Ireland Iona and all the Britains
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