Correspondence from George MacNie Cowie to Aleister Crowley

14 Glenisla Gardens, Edinburgh.

21 Dec 1916.

Care Frater.

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

Coming on top of what I had just written about, your letter of 24 Nov fairly gave me THE PIP! I'm awfully sorry you are having such a hard time, especially as I thought you were comfortably settled for the winter. My financial situation is the worst yet and my calculations again upset by a demand for income tax by Jan 2, my personal one. I'll have to borrow I'm afraid and that's a bad thing. But leave a painful subject.

Yes I had been writing to Texas for weeks as you said to do so, but I had assumed that it would not matter as letters would merely reach you in a roundabout way. One of them contained a Nairne [£5 note] note as mentioned. I'll try to enclose another today as you are so desperate, only it means borrowing. I'm in a pretty bad fix till the Boleskine cheque comes along, already anticipated twice over. You should note that the net profit from B[oleskine] is now only £35 per ann.

I had a letter from S.L. [William Steff-Langston] some days ago, to which I have not fully replied as yet, stating that he'd send in his quarterly statement this week. I'll have no scruples about demanding my moiety. I'll, if it's sufficient, pay the printer's bill and that will leave me free to help you off my own, which he cannot interfere with. The main point in his letter is that he is asking about our legal and financial position in regard to meeting the claims and obligations mentioned in Manifesto, as, e.g. what if a VIII degree's heirs (he needn't worry) claimed return of fees and so on. I shall simply say that I, on receipt of his report, shall instruct the Lodge Master to instruct him to remit the sum I claim (this is because I find he sent that £5 for printing without consulting the L[odge] M[aster] or the Lodge generally, merely informing M. [Mary Davies] that he had done so) and that that is all he need trouble about. I shall point out that all that lies in my power is to return sufficient, if necessary, to keep the Lodge safe, financially, but beyond that, the G.T.G. [Grand Treasurer General] does not control expenditure—the funds being by our constitution at the sovereign control of the G.M. [Grand Master]. There is no need to tell him that I understand that this is inherent in the very nature of things, and that one day it will be a double edged rule—and that I should not dream of challenging it.

The rest of his letter is in a new and chastened tone. I guess he is feeling that he is having his share of trouble and as not even an initiated V degree (he is merely an affiliated F.M.) it's awkward for him to pose as an authority. He offended M. I know by calling her to order in Lodge on a point she naturally understood much better than he did, and it's unlucky he has been sending out summonses always in his own name, ignoring the W.M. and other officers altogether, I found. I wish I had said nothing to him about removing from 93 [Regent Street] on the score of Mary's profession [as a clairvoyant] partially mentioning your own remarks, I instructed him not to allow it to be thought that M.M. was G[rand] L[odge] and so on, but I am afraid that he has, as usual, exceeded his instructions by almost ignoring her.

Mary has been extremely loyal to me and understanding, and I have made matters right with her by frankly explaining to her that all sorts of Lodges were in view for people of different classes, that there are people who, as she knows, would look askance at professional clairvoyance etc. I took this all on myself, and as being prompted by me, without the least personal disparagement to herself. She was inclined to be hurt at first, but she knows the fact that our ability to make a start at all was practically all due to her, so we are better friends than ever. She has shown herself aware all along that the recent muddle was caused by S.L. having informed us that he was sending the letter of congrat: which he submitted, and then added to, on his own account without saying anything to us, and it was awkward for him to admit it after. The whole thing was made difficult by your not having known this and given him an office as a reward, and really I did not know exactly what you meant by it, whether he has been receiving separate instructions from you, or what he has been writing about, he informs me of nothing. Naturally this means chaos, and I wondered why you had set up a double control so to speak. He has evidently taken it to mean that he is a G[rand] L[odge] officer and confidential sec: and rather seemed to think you had turned me down, and he could pass me over.

However the document received today (Dec 21) makes my position clear and unchallengeable, and he is bound now to keep me informed of everything and above all not to go beyond instructions, which is the danger with him.

I am uneasy about that personal letter to you from the O.H.O. [Outer Head of the Order]. He seems to think it is from Reelfs. I have twice asked for it back, and I am under the impression that he has been typing a lot of copies, and perhaps taking on himself to send it to the Colonial Viceroys without so much as asking leave. Really, it was out of proper deference to your appointment, partly to make him useful, that I put him on communication with Parzival [Charles Stansfeld Jones] and told him to send the P[astoral] Epistle (the typed copies) to S[outh] A[frica] and Sydney. He takes on himself so much more than he is told that I get alarmed. He may 'pump' on his own account and I can now say that he must submit all letters to me. It is quite clear that without a central channel all will go to sixes and sevens and the document you send is just what I require. Thanks.

I wouldn't send him to Spalding or let him interfere with Hammond [Benjamin Charles Hammond] just for fear he'd go to excess in the one case and meddle with the MS in the other. That reminds me that I found the Temple copy of the VI, VII, VIII, IX degrees (in sealed envelope) in his hands in Sep—also the A.A. official list. The latter I sealed up, the former, I had to open, as you know, resealed it and left it in Mary's [Mary Davies] charge. You might say what had better be done. e.g. send to Parzival for a duplicate safe keeping, or keep it with the other copies in my little iron box? A[lthea] brought the above documents from Mawers. How the Temple copy got loose I do not know. I left it in the big altar which contains everything of a delicate nature, bar your private papers. They move things about so often at the warehouse that I get nervous, but A[lthea] would notice if anything wrong.

She could not get at your Grimoire, I forgot to say, last letter. When I was in London she said she knows where it is, but that it would probably cost pounds to get at it, so I said not to mind for the present—wait next occasion.

I'm in a nervous state any way, not quite myself and almost unable to do anything in my short evenings. Then the Knowledge has got on my nerves. When one knows it, it seems to shout at one from everything, notably from St John's Gospel and from every church spire so that one is afraid people must see it in one's own eyes.

I shouldn't think from his accounts that S.L. has got any forrader. As a red herring I said something nonsensical in last letter about the "Seven sided" Stone of the Wise not producing us much wealth, so he may think it has something to do with the planets.

Well, as there are no dollars rolling in, and Stainless Silence from S[outh] A[frica] I am not yet worried by the nightmare of having to keep books. Even the Lord couldn't help me there, natural incapacity too great.

I note that E.M. [Eustace Miles] has a very nice notice of the tracts in his monthly, but haven't heard from him and I think it's wise policy to let him alone, but I'll have to write and say I'm not coming up at the January holiday. Railway restrictions and 50 per cent increased fares and absence of l.s.d. make it impossible. That flying visit was wise whilst it was still easily possible. It's better too to let S.L. wrestle a bit longer with the position he has created by taking possession of everything.

Your letter of Dec 1 (received Dec 21) has taken a weight off my mind, and you know if it were possible I'd take a weight off yours by sending you a few millions! but————. Everything is pretty dismal here, but anyway it's not we who are beaten, Cheer up. Must stop, but I've managed to touch all essentially I think. But when the letter is posted, it's then I remember.

Love is the law, love under will, do be of good cheer.

Fraternally.

Geo M Cowie.

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