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Correspondence from Charles Stansfeld Jones to Aleister Crowley
February 14th 1922 E.V.
Beloved Therion,
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law!
It may have come to your notice, although I have not mentioned the matter before, that the failure and bankruptcy of the Universal Book Stores of Detroit has resulted in a great deal of slander being printed in the Newspapers of the City in regard to the O.T.O.
Apparently, the minority stock-holders, wishing to make a case against Ryerson [Albert W. Ryerson] personally tried to attribute the failure of the Bookstores to the publication of the Equinox as the Official Organ of the O.T.O. and to bring all kinds of charges against the Order and those connected with it. Since it was never established in Detroit they no doubt found themselves up against a snag. In the meanwhile the Equinox had been brought into Courts and the Assistant Attorney General is said to have pronounced it indecent etc—a Federal investigation was supposed to follow for the purpose of charging those responsible for its publication with sending it through the mails. It was proclaimed a 'love cult' and what-not. A.W.R[yerson]. got to a point when he threatened to disclose the names of certain prominent men in Detroit who had been interested in the founding of the Order, although stating that it had not been established or worked Degrees. This resulted in the discussion being ruled out of Court as Ryersons Religious beliefs had nothing to do with the business. Then came a couple of silly reports in the papers about the revival of Black Magic and some crazy people who claimed that I had tried to hypnotize the whole crowd, and that 'spirits' had warned them about the wickedness of the whole thing. Then they shut up for a day or so. Next I heard that a reporter was seeking me in Chicago to get a story, and I stopped that giving a clear true account of the matter to the Universal News Service man as a special for Detroit. This, being true, they did not trouble to print. They have now tried to connect the matter with the Taylor slaying in Hollywood because one copy of the Eq[uino]x was sent there and they suppose that the other 1000 copies left at the Devinne Press in N.[ew] Y.[ork] must have gone there also and the O.T.O. be flourishing in the Movie World, responsible for all its orgies etc.
It is really very silly, but they are getting on the verge of libel, if they have not over stepped the mark long ago.
They do not seem to have mentioned or attacked the A∴A∴ and they are really tying themselves in a knot if they did but know it, one day I feel the Code will pull the string and they will wonder what has happened. All that the original instigators seem to have done is to get their assets in the Equinox more or less tied up, which is not what they wanted at all, and it has no doubt cost certain of them quite a bit of money to try to keep out of the mess they started themselves.
In the meanwhile I have adopted the Way of the Tao and the formula of Harpocrates (except for the one instance of the article referred to, which the Code evidently did not wish to appear) and I am convinced that this attitude has been the right one. I watch the game with interest & let them do their damnedest to hurt themselves since there is no one else to hurt that I can see.
This morning I did a Tarot for the present situation since the publication of the last vicious article, and obtained the following, as far as Detroit was concerned.
Hanged man. Sun. Ace Swords. Five Pentacles. Five Swords. The latter two cards dropped on the floor beforehand, but were replaced along the Wheel of F. and shuffled.
Then I did a single cut for our attitude in the matter taking card each side for past and future.
Star. Strength. Judgment.
This seems to indicate Justice through Invoked force of Lion and Serpent, but the middle card being Leo I had a mind to drop you a line.
Honestly I think it would be unwise to interfere with the Plan of the Gods in the matter and there is nothing to be gained by your active participation or mine except silently leaving the thing to work itself out. 1 big libel action against the offending paper might have a good effect, but from my point of view at this time I do not think it feasible. The trouble is local, and not affecting my work here. You know my attitude in regard to the O.T.O. I have never since Canada taken such interest in the project and really look upon this matter as a slap at the O.H.O. for his silly attitude of recent date and an indication that the Order is of no further use in the present scheme of things.
You may look at it differently, if you will to take up the position of O.H.O., but as far as America is concerned there is no one in Authority that I know of who has any interest in putting up a fight on behalf of the Order, however good that Order is in itself, since no one is thinking of running it here.
I tell you all this in order that you may be more or less informed of the situation. I think you will do well to leave matters alone for the present and not fly to the conclusion that herein is a wonderful chance of advertisement. The Work needs to be built upon the Rock of Truth and Proof of True Living, rather than on this slimy mess the papers have made. Anyway please let me have your views before you take any active measures.
I interviewed a man to-day re the article on the Jewish question [Crowley's essay, The Jewish Problem Re-stated]. He is interested and it may lead to something.
Love is the law, love under will,
Yours as ever,
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