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Correspondence from Charles Stansfeld Jones to Israel Regardie
[EXTRACT]
[21 September 1929]
I found in the philosophical system of the A∴A∴ many true ideas which have been of great value in my life and one is not inclined to realize the extent of the negations and anti-ideas until or unless one is fortunate enough to meet with a System more all-inclusive and trustworthy and satisfying. So long as I felt that the A∴A∴ held a particle of truth which could not find its place in a larger sphere and there show up to greater advantage I made the promulgation of the A∴A∴ teachings the main issue of my life, but I could not now use the same formulae with equal confidence because I now see more clearly how very deceiving some of the main watchwords and statements may be if used without such qualifications as would tend to almost completely nullify them.
For example take "Thelema" itself. You write: "But it will be evident that regardless of the efforts of either of us the Law of 'Do what thou wilt' will ultimately be established." Then you call upon me to help in its establishment with "force and fire" and whatnot so that neither "heaven or hell can withstand our onslaughts."
All this is very fine talk if "Do what thou wilt" were anything new or needed to be established as the law of man's being. But it is not a new law. Freedom of will along with intelligence was given to the very first spiritual being brought into existence; it made the first man distinguishable from an animal. "Do what thou wilt" was established at the dawn of time. God gave us this gift not 666.
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