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Correspondence from Karl Germer to Gerald Yorke
15 June 1948
Dear Yorke,
Yours of May 27, which I have not answered. The Constitution [Constitution of the Order of Thelemites], as well as the Ritual for Self-Initiation, arrived also. Thank you very much! I have no record of Liber DCLXXI or Liber Pramidos; have not, in fact, found it mentioned anywhere. Would you mind giving me more facts? Nor have I a copy of Liber Collegii Sancti sub figura CLXXXV (you write DCLXXV). I would appreciate a copy of this also.
How wonderful that you took that oath in 1929 to preserve A.C.'s literary material. You will be setting yourself your own monument, I feel sure.
Jones [Charles Stansfeld Jones], I hope, will now stop sending me his stuff. He has been trying frantically to make me open my mouth—in vain, of course. He has no idea what happened in matters of Liber Legis in the last more than 20 years, and is eager to get it from me. He sent me his Communication of May 30th, with his preposterous threats, which have already recoiled on him, and his of June 4, with the word Allala. It is all so abjectly silly. I do hope you will succeed in making him hand over to you A.C.'s material.
Wilkinson [Louis Wilkinson] sent me a brief note that the Official Receiver has relinquished his first claim on the cash found among A.C.'s possessions. I will ask W.[ilkinson] to pay your shipping bill from this as soon as possible.
You ask me a tough question when you want to know how to handle possible probationers to either the A∴A∴ or O.T.O. I am not clear in my mind yet how things will have to be handled. A.C. confirmed me finally as a M.T. [Magister Templi] in 1938. (Please do not mention this to others; I have not told anybody.) This does not mean much to me, or rather I do not derive any claim from that. What I am trying to do is simply carry out A.C.'s Will to the best of my insight and ability; and do the things that are being laid on my shoulders. I shall not exceed the narrow limits of the Work for which I see myself fitted.
I must make one exception, that is that I see myself able to grasp certain spiritual qualities in others who claim higher grades, to see whether they are frauds, or whether they are (spiritually) honest. I do not know at the moment whether I'll be able to develop this further, not do I care at the present. I certainly find myself unable to act as a Neophyte, or anything in that line. I would not be able to accept students or probationers, at least not now.
With the death of Max Schneider, the only one who had the stature and knowledge and qualifications to act as a neophyte of A∴A∴ and O.T.O. is gone out here. There are two people who do their best, who have training in the A∴A∴ and accept probationers. There are two very serious men in Germany, but that wouldn't do for England.
I think you are fully entitled to put at the disposal of interested students any Thelemic or O.T.O. material that you deem fit, and give them such information as you judge best. I certainly agree with you that at this juncture Gardner [Gerald Gardner] could not handle A∴A∴ people. And as far as the O.T.O., I don't know what he can make out of it.
Could you not keep in touch with any serious seekers, give them as much as possible, and hold them until such time when some more definite system, organisation of Orders can be worked out?
I am in touch with the two Johnsons of Leicester, whom I think you met. They were brought in by a man of high calibre in Germany, whom A.C. gave the 5º=6o, a scholar, mason, magician, author and poet.
There is a man by the name of Vernon Simmons, a very promising young man contacted through Dr. Mellinger [Frederic Mellinger]. I had only his military address in Berlin, but my letter does not seem to have reached him, as he was transferred back to London. Do you know him perhaps?
Have you met Curwen [David Curwen] personally? I know nothing of him, except that A.C. sent me a document from him years ago.
It is never wrong to spread knowledge of Thelema, so I think you can do no harm if you stick to this. What will ultimately grow out of this is a thing you can leave to the future. With your vast and deep knowledge of A.C.'s work I have more confidence in you than in any other.
Have you ever heard of MacGregor Reid? He is either at the head or in a group of Druids. You must have, I'm sure.
Please tell me in any case who the man is who wants to put over the Gnostic Mass. A.C. always considered this as of prime importance. I myself have never seen it performed. If you care to give me any names of people who want to contact the A∴A∴ or O.T.O. I would appreciate your telling me. I would like to keep a list of them for possible future reference or contact.
I am at sea as to the future form the Work is to take. I have a feeling as though we were in a sort of period of Silence, or preparation. All I am concerned with is to get a H.Q. where I can get everything together for proper work. The place I have been working on has developed a legal tangle, because the former owner, an English musician, left no Will, so that I don't know yet whether we will be able to get the place which we love, at all. It may take a few months.
The huge case of books, sheets, etc. ('Van', the Customs Officer called it) has come, but it is not yet through the Customs. Should you send the next case, please avoid such big and heavy cases. The trucking charges here are incredible; it will cost me more than the whole freight packing and shipping charges from England. to simply send that 'Van' 100 miles from here. The American Unions have created impossible conditions.
I do not know at all how to handle that paragraph 14 as to summoning a Council of Thelemites on December 1st. I'll probably postpone it.
All the best,
Yours,
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