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Correspondence from Wilfred Talbot Smith to Aleister Crowley
21 Oct 34
Care Frater
93
Glad to get your letter and the Word [of the Equinox] but sorry you are not well. I quite appreciate your views re the drafts, and assure you my attentions are in accordance, but I have difficulties at this end to contend with. The last time I started to make the contributions regular, Homer left the house and I have been frightfully short since. I badly need, for instance, shoes and shirts for myself.
We have had a housecleaning. Just before the Equinox John (Bamber) blew up, or rather whined, and left us on the 20th, selling his books and forswearing himself all along the line. Leota [Leota Schneider] left a few days later, not being able to endure without him. Notwithstanding her usefulness, after she had left we all found it a relief, for her continual disgruntled state more than balanced her good points.
The new inmates are Andre de Forest a young energetic boy of about 25, not an occultist but very useful; one who works instead of sleeps like Max [Max Schneider] and John [Bamber] did. Having no job at the moment he pays me nothing, but he is very helpful and I am sure he will pay up when he can.
Ruby and Stewart, mother and son, boy about 25. Also not occultists. They pay, and on the strength of their joining us I sent another Five Pounds. If they stay, and I feel they will, the draft will be regular. I will do my best, if I have it you shall get it.
Jacobi [Oliver Jacobi] is finding the 120 mile drive [from San Bernadino] to take the deacon's part at the Mass [Gnostic Mass] a bit of a strain. However, I am prepared. I have Andre and Tony learning the part in the event of his begging off. We are just going to carry it on.
The Word [of the Equinox] proved very interesting, fitting in with our reformulated plan of campaign. I was quite strange the way it fitted in with my expressed intentions right after John left.
To form a corporation sole, and not be dependent upon a vote to select its head, we had to draw the papers up in that manner in this State. It is practically the same as that drawn up for the Catholics who hold property etc for the church. It is not intended to be incorporation of the O.T.O. but the Church of Thelema, to give us some protection and enable us to collect moneys etc.
You really are the limit. You say I should have submitted the plan to you first. Damn it, I wrote you three separate times about it before going ahead. You answered none of my letters, though each held a draft. After about a year, just as the notion was fading out, I pushed the thing through in desperation.
I could not then, or now, do much with the O.T.O. a secret society, and you had advised keeping on with the Mass and leaving the O.T.O. out of it for the time. When we start that, the Church can fade out of the picture, if advisable.
The Equinox has started out well for us; an emptying and filling up of the house. I am optimistic, we all are. Other plans are being formulated to try and put ourselves on the may financially. It all rather lacks like results from a 9° on "Allegiance and financial support for the O.T.O., which operation was done on September 20th.
93 93/93
Fraternally.
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