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Correspondence from Wilfred Talbot Smith to Aleister Crowley
[circa June 1935]
C∴F∴
93.
Are you getting any money from the sale of books from D Olsen [Dorothy Olsen], Russell [C. F. Russell] or Wiggs. How does Russell stand in regard to the Work and you? Do you know anything of his Choronzon Club and his G.B.D.—Gnostic Body of God. Who is Attanzio? Here is the story. All of a sudden 2 or 3 people came to the Mass [Gnostic Mass], as I told you in my last letter. They increased to 5 or 6 and I got a letter from still another, all keenly interested in your works.
Yesterday, Sunday, I got a line on the whole business. Russell is running a chain and group system a sort of combination of the A∴A∴ and U.B. [Universal Brotherhood] and give out an Equinox Word.
The members take an oath to tell the truth on all occasions and pay 1 dollar fee. A few days later they put in writing what they consider Attainment consists in, and on payment of 6 dollars become a Neophyte. Half of these fees go to Headquarters, Russell, Chicago.
I have not gotten all details of the matter but it appears that in a few short weeks one may become a 7 = 4 or more. The members seem to be led to understand that the A∴A∴ proper consists of Adepts who are unapproachable and that this the G.B.D. is a short cut system.
It also appears that an announcement has been sent out from HQ that a period of 3 years silence has just begun and that no more information is to be forthcoming, also that all typed lessons of the open period are to be returned or destroyed.
This announcement has proven disconcerting to the members and seems to be the prime cause of their flocking here after the first member found us. Last night I gave them a straight talk on the preliminaries of the A∴A∴ and the O.T.O., which met with great enthusiasm with the result that they are clamoring for me to take hold of them.
They give to understand that there are several groups here about constituting several hundred members, and did make the statement that in Denver there were 500. These figures may be exaggerated.
I am having the 5 women I have met come here Thursday night to see what I can do about getting hold of a much larger number of them. The person who wrote me is a leader of yet another groupe [sic].
It all seems to me as if it were an opportunity of getting the O.T.O. going. Very few I think would tackle the A∴A∴. In any case I do not think that is what we need at this time.
It rather look as if Russell must have got quite a little money out of the scheme. I have an idea that Wiggs, an old man, seller and publisher of books is Attanzio. That balance of the books Jones [Charles Stansfeld Jones] left is being dispersed of by him and Russell by this means, for each groupe [sic] has a set of the Equinox, Book of Lies, Magick [Magick in Theory and Practice]. Those books that were scarce in the consignment you sent to Detroit they have not seen.
Whatever may be Russell's faults there is this to the good he has undisguisedly used our publications as text books, with the result that a number of people are very enthusiastic about your writings.
I wish you would write me at once for there are several matters I shall have to ask about as soon as I have had time to look over the revised rituals again. We might have to cut the fees lower than published in The Equinox. . . .
I suggest your making a separate statement from any letter you write as to your views of Russell and his movement, so that if necessary it may be shown the enquirer.
93 93/93
Fraternally.
132.
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