Correspondence from Gerald Yorke to Charles Stansfeld Jones

8 June 1948

Dear Jones,

Yours 2nd June. Thanks for putting me right about 'the name Jesus'. It makes a nice point on the difference between Greek and Hebrew Qabala.

You make a good point about the change from figures to letters, this had escaped me. I still do not think that this one reference to the first is enough to prove your thesis. To my way of thinking you are only justified in saying "there is a possibility that April 1 was the date". My first impression of intellectual dishonesty, like so many of my first impressions, was hasty.

I quoted A.C.'s letter to Germer [Karl Germer] to show you that the latter had a reason other than personal dislike for his attitude towards you. I do not think the reasons you give are valid because they are contrary to my impressions received from meeting him and reading some of his diaries. He is inclined to accept A.C.'s opinions of other people blindly—a thing I have never done. I can quote you extracts from A.C.'s to the extent he appeared to believe in the extract which I sent you. Whether A.C. was correct in this is a question which I am not competent to judge as I am not a M.T. [Magister Templi]. Where I have known the facts and the individual concerned I have often disagreed with the old boy, and told him so. Here I know some of the facts, but have never met the individual and so am not competent to judge. We could clear all this up so easily in conversation.

Symonds [John Symonds] has just begun to deal with Mudd [Norman Mudd]. Mudd committed suicide, and the last letter which we have, written by him to A.C., shows clear signs of mental unbalance. In my opinion he was one of those people whose lives were broken by contact with A.C. and Liber Legis. Any contribution from you as to the true facts about Mudd would be much appreciated. It is the attempt to find as much original material as possible so as to get at facts which makes me so keen to see the diaries, which you have, made available (a) to John Symons for his Life, and (b) to serious enquirers about A.C. and his system. For both these purposes, access to what you have in diary is essential. Also for the historical point of view to complete the series for the British Museum. I already have 18 magical diaries written by the old boy, only 4 of which were among his papers and of which I am having a copy made. In addition I have 4 diaries by Leah [Leah Hirsig] and one by Mudd. Of course it is understood that if you send your material, the originals will be returned to you as soon as they have been copied. They would be copied by a Probationer who is also IX° O.T.O. [Kenneth Grant], but who types better than myself. You would however be dependent on my discretion as to whom I showed this material, unless you forbid me to show it.

Your P.S. Your assertion that you vibrated the Word pf a new aeon brings you automatically, to my way of thinking into the Messiah class, whether you admit it or not. Time alone proves whether you are a false or true Messiah. I agree that potentially we are all Messiah in that we are each a part of the Infinite Being, but the question of degree comes in, in that some have identified themselves more than others with the Infinite Being within them. To vibrate a word of cosmic importance puts you into the Messiah or Magus class automatically. At least that is my interpretation. I note with interest that you do not agree.

Personally I have always associated "draining every drop into the Cup of Babalon" with the M.T. oath as A.C. interpreted that oath both in writing and verbally. I note with interest that you confine your interpretation to treating everything as a direct dealing of God with the soul.

Are you interested in any of the following typescripts?

Although it has not a number, are you interested in the typescript of a translation with comment of part of The Golden Verses of Pythagoras?

Your 2nd June. Your refusal to allow Tränker [Heinrich Tränker] to publish clearly anticipated A.C. and Germer's quarrel with Tränker. They came round to your point of view in the matter. I cannot conceive how your reaction to Tränker could have led Germer to dislike you, when he and A.C. ultimately quarrelled with Tränker partly on the points which you raised.

Your 4 June. Can you clear my stupidity over the following. ALLALA becomes the word of the Aeon in place of MANIFESTATION. Does Manifestation or MANIO, which is concealed in the former, become the key of the rituals. Won't you have to change your letter heading again now that you have changed the word? This changing of the word increases, I am afraid, my distrust of Qabala, in which initiated experts can be mistaken for years, as when by your new discovery.

I wish we could meet. Misunderstandings abound when one is dependent upon letters in such complicated matters as those with which we are dealing. Neither of us have time to write at length. As a result my letters to you mainly mention points about which I am doubtful, or where I disagree. When I disagree I say so, but it is only an opinion and often of doubtful validity. But I must be honest, even though the result may be that you do not consider me worthy of confidence, and withhold the property personally handed to you by A.C. (i.e. do not let me see the diaries.)

Gerald Yorke.

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