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Correspondence from William Steff-Langston to George MacNie Cowie
4 Sep. [1916]
Care Frater.
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.
Your last letter was rather in the nature of a surprise to me and I may have some considerable difficulty in answering suitably. That you have considered me worthy to put forward for advancement gives me much joy and I only hope that I may be able to justify your good opinion, although I at the same time fear that I may not yet prove worthy. My primary difficulty may lie in the poverty of my knowledge of the Rituals and working of the M.M.M., the only ceremony at which I have been present being that of my own initiation to the R[oyal] A[rch] of which my memories are naturally somewhat confused, with the exception of the Lecture of which I have a copy and have studied to a more or less extent. Having affiliated to this III Degree from craft M[asonry] I knew nothing of the rituals 0-III. TH [in Greek] promised me that I should read them, but by the time that a suitable opportunity presented itself 33 [Avenue Studios] was closed so until last week when Sor[or] D [Mary Davies] sent me a sketch of 0 degree I had not met with the Tent of S[aladin] and it was only yesterday when we went through the I Degree for the first time. So that is the full extent of my knowledge of the M.M.M. rituals, consequently my knowledge of the symbolism is correspondingly limited, which I am finding a great disadvantage just now in connection with work which is devolving on me, but at difficult moments I like Brer Rabbit lay down low and saf nuffin' and look as wise as may be under the circumstances.
My astrological studies have led me to the conclusion that all things relating to our material condition are fixed and that we have no free-will in these matters, all fitting in to the plan of the G[reat] A[rchitect] O[f] T[he] U[niverse]. That the only thing 'free' is the Spirit, that spark of God Himself dwelling in us, but that from every circumstance of life that Spirit may of its own free will and accord take an up or downward projection, in other words, either free itself or become more deeply immersed in the material. Therefore as we Masons also call ourselves "Free' we mean that with the chisel and gavel are ever chipping away the stone until Galatea is freed from all that binds her or prevents the manifestation of her glorious beauty. That we are clearing away that which is fixed from that which is free, so that the spirit may again be ready to unite with its primal source.
The A[pron] is a projection of the Pyramid of the Temple and also Mount of Initiation in it are joined the Holy Numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 12. On it stand the Sun, Moon and Mercury. It is word as an A[pron] because it must stand on Yesod. As a pyramid it refers to the Holy City which lying foursquare had its length and breadth and height equal. I am quite prepared to learn that there are other infinitely more profound reasons for the use of these names and symbols and even as I have sketched my ideas here on the subject, much more could be written, but it is the main points of my observations research and conclusion upon them.
The T[ent] of S[aladin] belonging as it seems as far as I know to the 0 degree rite only, and being outside in the desert, refers I should imagine—from the symbol of the grade 0 to the fact that I degree is the birth—to the curtains of the bridal bed, where the wandering soul is caught and joined to the material base in order that it may be able to pass through its initiations, but I have not yet had much opportunity to meditate upon this point yet as the idea was new to me. Still I hope, in fact have a feeling of certainty that I am on the right track.
I consider that ordinary M[asonry] stands for initiation of the Body, the M.M.M. and O.T.O. that of the Soul and the A.A. the Supreme Spiritual.
I quite realize that there are especial dangers attending the initiation of the unsuitable, particularly to the higher degrees. The whole of the Equinox seems to emphasize this. I remember perfectly the incident to which you refer. The one Life object for me has been to aspire with weak and faltering steps I fear, to the Light and ever to more and more Light, that I might be able to help to guide others. For myself it is improbable that I should ever do much, but I would go far to help a B[rother] and should I be entrusted and honoured with such a weighty responsibility as you suggest is possible, it would be my peculiar joy to use such knowledge as I had for the good of mankind in general and the Order in particular. I know that the back and the burden always move to fit.
It becomes more and more evident to me that there must be some weighty authority to carry the new work through with success. At present things are rather chaotic in the most general sense, but we must 'keep on loving and trusting'.
I don't quite understand H's [Benjamin Charles Hammond] attitude. Do you think that he feels that he is VI degree and Soror D[avies] V degree, he didn't turn up yesterday as we had hoped he would, pleaded business. Soror A.W. [Anna Wright] too. Soror D[avies] cannot get any replies from her, but she may (Soror D) mention this. I don't know that I ought to have done so, but it is as with many things you say to me, between ourselves.
Dora, you know whom I mean, is going to redeem the Cross. I met her and like her very much. Best is affiliating. I like him too. Wolf is joining. He's a quaint chap, lot of surface probably and lacks manners, but I think I can manage him.
Sor[or] D[avies] is one of the most lovable of her charming sex, she has sweetness tact power and ability in profusion, but her organization is likely to be much better in theory than practice, but she is just the one to attract the people we need.
It is most kind of you to invite me to see you. I quite hope to be able to avail myself of the invitation as there are so many things for which I need help which you could give me, and then there would be the great pleasure in itself of seeing you. Sunday duty ties me greatly just now as my deputy is unable to help me, but I am hoping to get away between Sundays and that will be better than nothing.
I fear that this epistle may be very unsatisfactory in many ways but there is always a certain amount of consolation in the immortal words 'worse remains behind' but we must hope 'not much worse'. I hope that you are getting the sunshine, here it is glorious today, also I hope you are keeping quite well.
My most affectionate greeting and good wishes to you V[ery] I[llustrious] Bro[ther].
Yours in the Bonds of the Order.
W Steff Langston.
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