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Correspondence from Karl Germer to Jane Wolfe
[27 November 1942]
Yours of Nov. 24th, with the enclosures, is, as so often with important messages from you, extremely vague and leaves one confused. However, the main issue seems clear.
666 had written me some time ago about this plan of putting you in charge of the Lodge for a time. He said you should have the Cefalu experience, when Alostrael [Leah Hirsig] did a similar job so well, for your guidance. I wrote him my reaction , which was, that in my opinion you would not have the strength to stand up to Smith [Wilfred Talbot Smith], and possibly Jack [Jack Parsons]. You all, out there, have permitted yourselves too much to submit to the authority of Smith, almost to the point of losing your own selves. I have noticed this very strongly in Jack, not only when he was visiting here, but also in his letters. When he was here, he acted and spoke all the time—that is, after he had seen that I was a human being just as any other; he had possibly expected to meet an old man with a long white beard with grandiloquent manners, and awe inspiring all round—as if he was listening over his shoulders as to what Smith would say, or if he would approve. This is just terrible, and utterly against Thelema. It reminds me of the system of the Black Lodge (which, of course, calls itself the White Lodge) as painted in "Moonchild".
I say this with complete responsibility. Smith is on the wrong track. And as he is a Brother and sworn to serve the O.T.O., we can but try to help him while there is time. During all the time now that I have had dealings with him, the sense of criticism against him has never left me. His horoscope is good and it is bad. Unless he succeeds in transmuting very much in his nature——goodbye!
I am writing this so that you sit up, become aloof from the habitual surrounding atmosphere to which you all are so used, and be yourself. Be Jane Wolfe, become Soror Estai, forget about any Scarlet Woman stuff and such things which only tend to obsess! 666 suggested a 24 hours' Retirement. I believe you should have taken one of 24 days, and that out on Roy's [Roy Leffingwell] ranch, so that you might have gotten completely out of the unfree atmosphere in which you all seem to live—and rot.
Now to details: The instructions of 666 are clear. We can dismiss the question of the Pass Word, as S. [Wilfred Talbot Smith] had received it from me when the letter to you came. Thus the instructions in the second part of A.C.'s letter to you apply. You should never have shown Smith these instructions until you had clearly made up your mind and submitted your decision to my approval. Instead the mischief is done and it has got to be turned to the best of the situation.
The enclosures you sent me are 1) 666's letter to you; 2) Copy of his letter to 132 [Wilfred Talbot Smith]; 3) Your Report to me containing magical notes dated Nov. 18 and 19; 4) A short note to me which mentioned that you were going; or had taken a 24 hours' Retirement beginning Nov. 21st.
But the vital thing is lacking: that is, what decision you arrived at at the end of your Retirement . And for this I am waiting.
I still think that you should get away for a short while from Pasadena. Roy Leffingwell will certainly put you up and there you would breathe the fresh and invigorating air of the Mojave uplands which undoubtedly will tend to blow away the fog from your brain, soul, and mind and leave you free to take a clear decision. I will write Roy by same mail in this sense and while he is overworked at this period of turkey marketing, I'm sure this will leave you more to yourself. You may need a rest anyway. May-be even that talking to him freely will prepare you better for a final complete Retirement which you could take somewhere on his ranch.
But for God's sake get out of the habit of showing everything to 132 , as you all seem to be doing. Don't tell anybody that you would be going to Roy. Can't you see that you can never have an independent thought if you all furnish yourselves the spy information about and against yourselves to Gestapo-Smith? It is what Goebbels and Himmler are trying to by hundreds of thousands of secret agents and informers, to obtain control of the way of thinking of Europe, which 132, much more masterfully, does by making everybody his own denouncer, informer or confessor!
I was going to say: you might advantageously show this letter to Jack. But it is vital not to do so now. If you follow my advice to go to Roy, nobody should know it. Should you then return with a positive decision—as I hope you will—you might give this letter to Jack to read and help him to become free himself from the obsession to which he is surely subjected.
Also, please tell me details, if possible in clear language, about the "Regina [Regina Kahl] ordeal". I have not the slightest idea of what it is all about. I do hope she will not give up her pledge to 93.
Let me know what you do.
Fraternally,
Saturnus
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