Correspondence from Karl Germer to Agape Lodge

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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