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Correspondence from Karl Germer to Jane Wolfe
K. J. GERMER 133 West 71st Street New York, N. Y. ENDICOTT 2-6799
April 24, 1943
Dear Jane,
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
I enclose several copies of the Word [Word of the Equinox]. One of them is for yourself, one for Jack [Jack Parsons]. I want each one to keep his copy for himself. Wilfred [Wilfred Talbot Smith] must not receive the Word (see instructions by 666 to you in regard to this matter of last year.) Pledges have been received from
G.E. Northrup Jane Wolfe Wilfred T. Smith John W. Parsons
There are three people who have raised objections:
E.S. Forman makes the reservation at the end of the ordinary pledge: "Provided the officers of the Grand Lodge are as they are represented to be".
Richard B. Canright says: "The pledge sent me will not be signed because of the insistence upon the "personal pledge of loyalty to the Officers of the Grand Lodge, whom I do not even know by name as such, with the exception of yourself. Since I know none of you personally, I do not feel free to give you my personal pledge of loyalty. I think you will agree with me that no intelligent individual will pledge loyalty to another unless that other is very well known to him.—However, I herewith renew my allegiance to the principals and constitution of the O.T.O."
Barbara W. Canright: "I am writing to explain to why I do not choose to sign the enclosed document at this time. I am perfectly willing to sign the part alluding to the principles and constitution of the O.T.O., but I do not feel that I care to give a personal pledge of loyalty to the officers of the Grand Lodge when I do not know them, or, for the most part, who they are. In a time of war, when our organisation is international in scope, there may be some among the officers who are at this time considered enemies of our country, and I do not wish to pledge loyalty to any such there may be. I have no national or racial hatred or prejudice of any kind, but in time of war, I believe that it is best to be cautious. I hope that you will understand my viewpoint, and if you can give me further enlightenment on the subject, I would welcome it."
I have been wishing for some time that the day had 48 hours: I just have to steal the few minutes that I can spare for the business of the Order.
I will have to answer those three letters some time, but to-day I just cannot force it. I must attend to the pressing matters. But please tell those three that I will answer them shortly.
All those who have signed the pledge unconditionally—really only with the exception of Wilfred; and I hate to withhold it from him—are entitled to receive a copy of the Word. But I want to leave it at your discretion, or to handle the issuance of the Word according to your habitual ways. The best, in opinion is to wait with this (except Jack, who should have the Word at once) until Wilfred has left 1003 [1003 S. Orange Grove Avenue].
This bring me to Wilfred. On Monday I received a letter for Smith written by 666, to send on with my comments. I have done this April 21, asking S.[mith] to let me know positively when he is going to leave 1003.
This morning I received a letter from Wilfred, of April 21, which shows a completely changed spiritual attitude. I have answered him to-day congratulating him, as well as to the happy event. I think he will not make any trouble, and suppose I will hear from him this week that he has left.
This demands a decision about the further running of the Lodge. Formally, according to 666's instructions, you are to run the Lodge for the time being. Please read your instructions again carefully. 666 has not changed these, so I wish to keep them in force. (By the way, Jack wrote me that according to his knowledge Smith still was the head of the Lodge. I want to remind you that you wrote me on January 16 that you had formally given 132 [Wilfred T. Smith] 666's instructions, and, of course, I had not any doubt that at least Jack had been aware of this. And it was this fact that there were no signs that 132 was obeying them, which put him in such a bad light.)
I have written 666 about the matter, and I do not think that your present general condition makes you very enthusiastic about handling the job. I have, of course, discussed the matter with Jack, and despite his youth, I think he is really the best man and the only one who can temporarily succeed 132. I cannot, and I do not wish to supersede 666';s authority he has conferred upon you. I have asked 666 to agree to nominate Jack and notify you accordingly. But on the strength of the charter I hold from 666 I am entitled to nominate Jack temporarily as your assistant or adjutant, who can run matters (until 666's authorisation arrives) on the strength of your instructions to him. This would, in fact as far as I know your opinions on Jack and Jack's personality, mean that Jack already now would have the run of the Lodge. I hope you will agree to this general plan. [handwritten notes to the side of this paragraph say : on re-reading and reconsidering everything I've make Jack's appointment more definite; but I can't re-write all of these letters.]
I am writing Jack—if possible by this same mail—in that sense.
As to Helen? I will write Jack about this too.—Write me soon whether you agree with what I have written. I am quite prepared to listen to advice.
Love,
Yours,
Karl
P.S. There is one more letter with a pledge and a reservation:
Phyllis J. Forman writes:—"I herewith renew my allegiance to the principles and the Constitution of the O.T.O. as I understand them at this time. I do not care to sign the pledge of loyalty to the Officers of Grand Lodge for I do not wish to pledge any allegiance to people, only what they stand for. I have not had the pleasure of making your acquaintance and aside from you I do not even know what people, or what kind of people make up the Grand Lodge to which I am asked to pledge (in my mind) blind allegiance. This answer is late but I have considered the issue for some time and believe this is my stand. I shall give my wholehearted cooperation and assistance to the O.T.O. until such time as I do not feel it lives up to its principles and Constitution."
(Is Phyllis J. Forman E.S. Forman's wife?)
Please show Jack this letter to you, and discuss it with him. He ought to be fully informed.
On reading over once again 666's instructions to you of September 1942 I find that there is some possibility of doubt as to the real appointment of you as Head of the Lodge. But this doubt seems merely implied, unless you have some other letter by 666 which makes the appointment more formal and definite. Please enlighten me on this.
In any case 666 had expressed clearly to me that he wanted you to take over the running of the Lodge temporarily during 132's absence. Understand clearly, that Wilfred is not expected to be finally discharged; there is far too much recognition of his work. But he has to eliminate certain defects; and we all wish that he should come through his ordeal with flying colours. And it may take some time.
A FEW GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE QUESTION OF ALLEGIANCE.
The question has been raised by some members of the AGAPE Lodge of the justification of giving a personal pledge of loyalty and allegiance to the Officers of Grand Lodge. Some point out the fact that they do not know them personally; it has been said that only "allegiance to the principles themselves" can be given. Somebody states that he (or she) will give this "until such time as I do not feel it lives up to its principles and Constitution". The reservation has been made "Provided that the Officers of Grand Lodge are as they are represented to be". Even the problem of nationality has been raised.
I wish to reply in toto, as the general line of objections is the same.
"THE METHOD OF SCIENCE, THE AIM OF RELIGION" is valid for the O.T.O. This aim constitutes a long and arduous path, in which grade and falsehood have to be rediscovered from grade to grade. What is Truth to Neophyte is Falsehood to the Zelator, and so on. How is any one in a lower grade to judge a superior? His truth is different, of a different order, and his truth again is falsehood to the one above him.
So then the principles and Constitution may mean something quite different to Baphomet [Aleister Crowley] than to the Minerval or to the Sovereign Prince of Rose Croix. How is any one in the lower grades to know whether Grand Lodge is "living up to them"? It is in itself an absurdity. Is a catholic priest to judge whether the Pope in Rome and the Rota live up to the dogma of the Catholic Church? None of the priests—as a rule—knows the Pope personally—yet he accepts him. (Even on a lower plane, in the political field very few of the citizens of the United States know the President personally, and even if they do, not intimately. Is he for that matter not accepted as the Head of the Government? This applies in a way to the Judges of the Supreme Court who interpret the Constitution: they are hardly known personally, yet their judgment is accepted.)
The aim being religious, the question of race or nationality does not enter. Religion has nothing to do with nationality, it is above it, of a different plane altogether. The O.T.O. is worldwide, petty national, local and temporary quarrels do not reach up to it. If any Officer of the O.T.O. would permit himself—in that quality—to become prejudiced by them, he would betray the very foundation of the principles of the O.T.O., that has accepted the law Do what thou wilt!
Again the system of the Catholic Church may serve as an example. The Pope and many Cardinals and Bishops are enemy aliens, Italian, German, Austrian, Hungarian, or what not. Yet, in spiritual matters their authority remains independent of the country involved. We would stoop down to the level of Hitler and the Gestapo if we would mix politics with affairs of the O.T.O. They dissolved the O.T.O. in their countries, suppressed the teachings of Thelema, because for our Orders (O.T.O. and A∴A∴) the Head is God Himself, who is not confined to any single country or race, while they do not permit the allegiance to any one outside of Hitler.
There is a subtle fallacy of thinking involved, and I warn against its pitfalls. There is also a great wave of totalitarianism abroad, whether in Europe, Russia, or even the U.S.A., despite all democratic institutions. It is the totalitarian way of thinking. We, who have accepted the Law of Thelma, should beware of contamination.
Now, as to the personal acquaintance with the Officers. It is well known that Aleister Crowley is Rex Summus Sanctissimus, the Baphomet XI° of the O.T.O. He should be sufficiently known to all members of the O.T.O. by his writings, his rituals, which form the very backbone of the Order. His personality should be familiar to any one who seeks by the published volumes of the "Confessions", the "Temple of Solomon the King", etc. But what is much more important: his Soul, his Spirit, his Genius should be recognised by his works.
Furthermore, whoever accepts The Book of the Law, should see that he has been appointed by Those who uttered it. This appointment has been won by Attainment, it is not merely honorary. Either one accepts him after studying his works, or one rejects him—it is no odds. But those who accept him should logically also accept those he has appointed under him.
It had been considered necessary to remove Frater V.O.V.N. [Wilfred T. Smith] temporarily from his Office as Head of Agape Lodge. There is no-one in the Lodge who can judge the reasons or implications for this step. It was in order to see whether members of Agape Lodge in a critical phase considered themselves bound to the Order itself or by allegiance to a local Head, that the signing of the pledge was asked.
New York, May 15, 1943
KARL GERMER X° O.T.O.
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