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Correspondence from Aleister Crowley to Charles Stansfeld Jones
63 [Washington Square]
Anno XV.
[21 March 1919]
My beloved son,
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
Yours of 19th. Re Frank Lodge. I by no means wish to move in this matter, I wish to prove your skill and subtlety in this extremely difficult matter. All I do is to give you hints. My point about our 33rd is this, that we cannot admit that any one soever is higher in Masonry than ourselves. They can write out diplomas if they want to; money doesn't count in matters of this kind. I would find your fees necessary. Think only of things which matter. My idea is to heal the breach with Memphis and Mizraim; these rites though messy, keep going. Now I am Patriarch Grand Administrator General, and can be S[overign] G[rand] M[aster] G[eneral] at the election, which by the way is overdue. Now I propose that the Scottish Rite absorb M[emphis] and M[izraim], conferring all its degrees formally upon their 32nds. Our prize for this is seats on the S[upreme] C[ouncil] of the Scottish [Rite] in America. Otherwise, we use our energy to run every rite, Scottish and the rest, on our own. People who can get out a book like the Equinox, fitter to throw at people than Jung's Psychology, even, can command attention, as F.L. [Frank T. Lodge] himself seems to grasp. Remember, we don't admit that their rite is any good until it has our O.K. Theirs is a forged charter. The chief contributor to the Tank can make Masonry look pretty sick if he has a tummy-ache. We, for the sake of your friend Humanity, condescended to admit their ordination as valid, provided etc.
I should talk this out pretty frankly with F.L. in very diplomatic language. M[emphis] and M[izraim] is really a thorn in their side though they probably won't admit it, even in private. But that is our weapon. Also, of course, such militant and active propagandists as we are would be p[retty] d[amn] useful to them. One great point is: is Masonry prepared to start a real anti-clerical fight, as the G[rand] O[rient] did in France? (I want you to understand that our backing, even for A∴A∴ work, depends largely upon our taking some line in practical politics of this sort.)
Meanwhile, affiliate him to 7th on his paying the fees and signing the 5th pledge-form. Tell him that he must wait for the knowledge of 6th and 7th until we three get together. (Of course it would be a good thing if he came to N.Y.) I shall arrange a form of these degrees that can be conferred without so many officers. The preliminary form does not matter so much; but I will send a form in a few days. Only, get the really important thing, the League of Nations, in shape for him to go to the S[upreme] C[ouncil] of his rite. Then I can sign the treaty in due form, assigning the rights of M[emphis] and M[izraim] to his show. This is what they wanted Yarker [John Yarker] to do, by the way. He refused, because he was only a dummy in authority, and preferred his shadow-power. He feared to be lost in the welter of 33rds. I don't.
You will know how to use all these points.
Re Gnostic Church. You misunderstood my letter. I don't think you silly, and at your initiation you were taught to be cautious: so accept once more my p[aternal] benediction. Go right ahead with the State. Only, submit the draft of your petition or affidavit or whatever is necessary to me, so that I may see that the grounds of the application are correctly phrased. It is not enough to refer to me; we must go back to Merlin [Theodor Reuss].
I hear that Rudolph Steiner is dead, but not on quite perfect authority. You should be able to find out. If so, many of his crowd will go to Merlin; good.
Phoenix Robe; for God's sake do nothing to frighten people. We may be able to get away with Eq[uino]x; but that is about the limit for the present. Cutting breast is awfully Freudian for most of your Detroit Mahatmas, as I deem.
Don't quite understand about WORD [of the Equinox]. I did the ceremony as usual, and the Word is SAC. This is, I think, the root of Sachiel, and the whole thing is of Juppiter—thank The Lord! If you got a word, different, better regard it as limited and local. I did some med[itation]. on this. The point is that you have not the Karma necessary to 'die for the whole people'; and you will be very foolish if you complain of that, my son!
Don't complain of the money-grabbing, either; we come in for a bit of it, and the Work needs it. I get no cheque, which puts me in a very bad hole, and I had to call up on long distance to make sure all would be well by Monday. I had various debts to settle, for which I promised cash by 22nd.
I'll think up another name for Ouija; meanwhile, go ahead on the contract stuff. I need the money very badly; Jacobite balance was far more that I had thought, and 2,000 instead of 1,000 copies of Eq[uino]x is another blow, as regards immediate resources.
Who is Dr. B[owman]? Do try to find time to make out that secret service stuff about your dramatis personae.
I'm very glad that you are doing so well with your lectures. I never thought you wanted leisure; but I did want to see you working at stuff which, however indirectly, helped the G[reat] W[ork]. You are doing that. Even your drudgery at the business does that. If I can lay hold of a few thousand dollars, I shall put it into the business, with the proviso that it undertakes Eqx. throughout, and that you have a partnership, or some similar decent show. If that were done, and I felt sure that you could stand absolutely alone, as you should be able to do in a very few months from now, I could retire to Tizi-Ousou, or at least to the far end of Cuba, with a clear conscience. The only other thing is that the B[lessed] b[rethren] in S.[outh] A.[frica], Scotland, and Switzerland must be got into regular line. But I am looking to you to fix this by mail. Also, Australia, etc.
What you say about R. [Albert W. Ryerson] rather surprises me. Take him down now and again by getting him to do some elementary thing, as we did with Kennedy.
Glad you are chasing those T[heosophical] S[ociety] asses; we will drink asses' milk. The picture is all right for reproduction; specially made for the purpose. The block is all right; only explain to the printer about the angle. I asked Camp about the negatives, and the stamps. You shall have them in due course; also your first cheque. About my coming, as you say, leave it to events; I merely wished to direct your mind to the possibility.
Love is the law, love under will.
Thy Sire,
666.
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