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Correspondence from Charles Stansfeld Jones to Aleister Crowley
July 12th 1921E.V.
Beloved,
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law!
I have just received your letter of June 15th. and will endeavour to answer as fully as possible.
In the meanwhile you will have received certain other communications of a more or less interesting nature which may have cleared up the situation somewhat. I am far from despising certain general regulations, which, as you state, are the rules of the game, and I think my method throughout has approximated to that 'firm correctness' of the Antient Brethren. I cannot however escape or deny certain clear indications that have come to my consciousness on various planes with great precision and accuracy, however peculiar and apparently against all the old rules of the game they may appear to be in the meanwhile. It seems to be a question of facing the facts of these Higher Experiences, and discarding, for the time being, what can conveniently be put aside, but I am convinced, in this very wonderful business, that those details, even, will continually become quite clear when the right time arrives. These mysteries have got to be simply and clearly interpreted, without shadow of doubt, and all factors explained before we are through with even the preliminary work. I'm inclined to think that even some of my apparent foolishness of the past, say 5 years ago, will eventually prove to be for the best interest of all concerned, and that in time you will be prepared to admit it. Take Vancouver, it has held together when all other branches are dead, and S. [Wilfred Talbot Smith] tells me there is going to be a new Lodge in Kamloops soon.
I do not a bit mind if you say I am 'out of it' as far as the A∴A∴ is concerned under the Old System. I am really inclined to think that our old Tree was really that of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and that the new Order of things will be Spherical with Thirteen Grades, the outer circle being 12 equals 1, 11 equals 2 and so on. These will be in the nature of proper classifications according to the natures of the Stars, and there will be no particular distinctions as to whether one is higher or lower than another. In other words, does our outer Hierarchy any longer exist?
No one, as far as I am aware has been advanced beyond Neophyte for a long time, we are all somewhere in Kether, Tiphereth, Malkuth or whatever we may call IT. Khaps is perhaps a good name.
I told you in 1916 that I thought the Tree was about done for, and that there would be no more Sea. My opinion remains unchanged and is further strengthened by recent experience. We have through Bro Schneider [Max Schneider], worked out wonderful new Tarot and Astrological arrangements on these lines. Things are clearing up daily, when we can find a moment to spare to go on with that part of the Work.
I think, in the long run you will admit that Achad is the Unity proceeding from O., and the direct representative—at any rate—of R.[a] H.[oor] K.[huit] the Crowned Child. The Beast and Babalon certainly cannot claim this office. You brought the Aeon to Birth, and the Child if you will, but you may not have foreseen that on opening his eyes, He would find Himself One with the Father who had slept so soundly through the Ages. In any case it is too great a Mystery to be cleared up at once, but all my Mottos imply a destiny of uniting Kether and Malkuth in some extraordinary, but practical manner. In other words I came to establish the Kingdom and I intend to quietly get on with my job. You must know that I shouldn't in my human nature have chosen a Mars proposition to put over, though my Horoscope clearly indicates this with Mars the Ruler of Aries etc.
I do think, however, that there are several more interpretations of Liber Legis, and I don't think you have had the comment by the wisdom of R.H.K. given you very fully at present. I am also convinced that it is a necessary part of the book before it is finally published and given to the public, or there will certainly be folly. What you have done so far is by means of Hadit, Who has made secure your pen.
I am getting wonderful new correspondences between chapters and other books, when I have time to devote to the work, but I am living to the fullest in the practical field of 'putting things over on the people' and things are really on the move.
We are meeting with great success, and the amount of opposition and lies that have been fired at me—this time—are proof of the storm we are raising, or we shall raise unless I succeed in harnessing the conflicting elements in my ear.
I have no doubt about you having spoken the Word, that fact does not conflict in any way with what has been going on.
I want to tell you an interesting physical phenomenon which occurred at the time S. took the M.T. [Magister Templi] plunge. I had had a platinum Tree of Life Pin made with Stones for the Various Grades. I was sitting at lunch with S. and he suddenly remarked "Look one of the stones is gone from your new pin" I looked and it was Binah. Almost involuntarily S. put his hands together and said I plunge into the vacant Grade. I had no idea up to that time that since 1916 he had been aspiring to something of the sort, and even then did not take the matter very seriously. I found afterwards that K. had recently written him, without any suggestion on his part and asked whether he had not in some peculiar way become M.T. since he left Van[couver]. The next day I felt as if a great load had been lifted from me, and I cautiously asked S. if he had meant what he said. He burst into tears and told me of much he had silently gone through in the past month. I had the stone replaced and the day after that was completed, another—he knew nothing of the incident, showed signs, quite unexpectedly of being prepared to take the plunge. I was dumbfounded, and said it was quite unnecessary as far as I was aware. Next day, I again lunched with S. and the new stone had disappeared from my pin. Again Binah was an empty circle. I put the pin away, and did not wear it again until to-day, when I got your letter on this matter on arrival at the P.O. All that I can say is that My left hand is empty. This is but one, of many, 'coincidences' of a Material nature. I could go through some phase of initiation at night, and the next day people brought me symbols such as jewels etc exactly corresponding, thereto. Take your mention of V22 Ch III. I had eleven wooded Gods handed to me most strangely. Then a crystal with a hollow space in it forming an eye, the whole shaped like an eye. Then I got the AUM experience, a fine old Scarab of Kephra as a black beetle, that the collector had never seen in that form before. Remember my beetle in 1917 Initiation. These things were too numerous to mention here.
Success is our proof, anyway so what matters it.
In regard to finances, I should like to send some cash if I had it. I hope I shall get a small surplus soon. All depends, however in putting every cent back into the work so as to get the thing going on a large scale. I want to take the Grand Ball Room at the Drake, one of Chicago's finest downtown Hotels, for Sunday evenings in the course of the next week or so, also to get going at the best South Side Hotel immediately afterwards besides keeping on four times a week at the Edgewater Beach and my classes at the Somerset. By September we shall either have the City ablaze, or we shall not be here. People are amazed at the attendance we are getting in this hot weather. This morning I had announced a minimum offering of One Dollar and got Fifty odd people at that besides a five dollar alms for a private interview of a few minutes and sales of some Ten Dollars worth of books, half promises for two sets of equinox, the collection of Forty Dollars from book accounts a request for special instruction every Monday evening etc. And I have only been at it ten days. Even the newspaper man gave me a dollar out of his $35 per week to help our publishing fund, which, by the way, I long to see in shape. But all depends on doing everything in first class style. This message needs the best setting or we shall do nothing in Chicago.
We had, I find, six special representatives from various movements sent especially to spy out the land last Sunday. They have been busy since whispering unthinkable things about poor Achad. But the majority of reports are very favourable, and they know we are giving the real thing at last.
Now I have answered as fully as I can for this time and I need rest badly.
Love is the law, love under will.
As ever,
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