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This Epistle is important in that it helps place the workof the O.T.O. as a temporal organization in perspective. Addressed by TheMaster Therion to his magical Son Frater V.I.O. 8ø=3 (Parzival XøO.T.O.), it has a special relevance to modern times. It first appearedin The Equinox I(3) (Detroit: Universal, 1919). Most of the quotationsare from Liber Legis--The Book of the Law.--H.B.
 

AN EPISTLE OF THERION 9ø=2, A MAGUS OF A...A...TO HIS SON, BEING AN INSTRUCTION IN A MATTER OF ALL IMPORTANCE, TO WIT,THE MEANS TO BE TAKEN TO EXTEND THE DOMINION OF THE LAW OF THELEMA THROUGHOUTTHE WHOLE WORLD.

Son,

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
 

FIRSTLY, let thine attention be directed to this planet,how the Aeon of Horus is made manifest by the Universal War. This is thefirst great and direct result of the Equinox of the Gods, and is the preparationof the hearts of men for the reception of the Law.

Let Us remind you that this is a magical formula of cosmicscope, and that it is given in exact detail in the legend of the GoldenFleece.

Jason, who in this story represents the Beast, first fitsout a ship guided by Wisdom or Athena, and this is his aspiration to theGreat Work. Accompanied by many heroes, he comes to the place of the Fleece,but they can do nothing until Medea, the Scarlet Woman, puts into his handsa posset ``drugged with somnolence, Sleepy with poppy and white hellebore''for the dragon. Then Jason is able to subdue the bulls, sacred to Osiris,and symbolical of his Aeon and of the Magical Formula of Self-Sacrifice.With these he plows the field of the world, and sows therein ``the dreadfulteeth of woe, Cadmean Stock of Thebes' old misery,'' which refers to acertain magical formula announced by The Beast that is familiar unto thee,but unsuited to the profane, and therefore not further in this place indicated.From this seed armed men sprung to life; but instead of attacking Him,``mutual madness
strikes The warriors witless, and fierce wrath invadesTheir hearts of fury, and with arms engaged, They fell upon each othersilently, And slew, and slew.'' Now then, the Dragon being asleep, we maystep quietly past him, and ``rending the branches of that wizard Oak, Witha strong grasp tear down the Fleece of Gold.''

Let us only remember not to repeat the error of Jason,and defy Ares, who is Horus in his warrior mood, that guardeth it, lestHe strike us also with madness. Nay! but to the glory of Ra-Hoor-Khuitand the establishment of His perfect kingdom let all be done!

Now, O my son, thou knowest that it is Our will to establishthis Work, accomplishing fully that which We are commanded in The Bookof the Law, ``Help me, O warrior lord of Thebes, in my unveiling beforethe children of men!''--and it is Thy will, manifesting as thou hast donein the Sphere of Malkuth the material world, to do this same thing in aneven more immediate and practical way than would naturally appeal to onewhose manifestation is in the Heaven of Jupiter. So
therefore We now answer Thy filial petition that askethgood counsel of Us as to the means to be taken to extend the Law of Thelemathroughout the whole world.

Direct therefore now most closely thine attention to TheBook of the Law itself. In It we find an absolute rule of life, and clearinstruction in every emergency that may befall. What then are Its own directionsfor the fructification of That Ineffable Seed? Note, pray thee, the confidencewith which we may proceed. ``They shall gather my children into their fold;they shall bring the glory of the stars into the hearts of men.'' They`shall'; there is no doubt. Therefore doubtnot, but strike with all thystrength. Note also, pray thee, this word: ``The Law is for all.'' Do nottherefore `select suitable persons' in thy worldly wisdom; preach openlythe Law to all men. In Our experience We have found that the most unlikelymeans have
produced the best results; and indeed it is almost thedefinition of a true Magical Formula that the means should be unsuited,rationally speaking, to the end proposed. Note, pray thee, that We arebound to teach. ``He must teach; but he may make severe the ordeals.''This refers, however, as is evident from the context, to the techniqueof the new Magick, ``the mantras and spells; the obeah and the wanga; thework of the wand and the work of the sword.''

Note, pray thee, the instruction in CCXX I:41-n-44, 51,61, 63 k.t.l. on which We have enlarged in Our tract The Law of Liberty,and in private letters to thee and to others. The open preaching of thisLaw, and the practice of these precepts, will arouse discussion and animosity,and thus place thee upon a rostrum whence thou mayst speak unto the people.

Note, pray thee, this mentor: ``Remember ye that existenceis pure joy; that all the sorrows are but shadows; they pass and are done;but there is that which remains.'' For this doctrine shall comfort many.Also there is this word: ``They shall rejoice, our chosen; who sorrowethis not of us. Beauty and strength, leaping laughter and
delicious languor, force and fire, are of us.'' Indeedin all ways thou mayest expound the joy of our Law; nay, for thou shaltoverflow with the joy thereof, and have no need of words. It would moreoverbe impertinent and tedious to call again thine attention to all those passagesthat thou knowest so well. Note, pray thee, that in the matter of directinstruction there is enough. Consider the passage ``Choose ye an island!Fortify it! Dung it about with enginery of war! I will give you a war-engine.With it ye shall smite the peoples; and none shall stand before you. Lurk!Withdraw! Upon them! This is the Law of the Battle of Conquest: thus shallmy worship be about my secret house.'' The last phrase suggests that theisland may be Great Britain, with its Mines and Tanks; and it is notablethat a certain
brother obligated to A...A... is in the most secret ofEngland's War Councils at this hour. But it is possible that all this instructionrefers to some later time when our Law, administered by some such Orderas the O.T.O. which concerns itself with temporal affairs, is of weightin the councils of the world, and is challenged by the heathen, and bythe followers of the fallen gods and demigods.

Note, pray thee, the practical method of overcoming oppositiongiven in CCXX III:23-n-26. But this is not to Our immediate purpose inthis epistle. Note, pray thee, the instruction in the 38th and 39th versesof the Third Chapter of The Book of the Law. It must be quoted in full.

``So that thy light is in me; and its red flame is asa sword in my hand to push thy order.''

That is, the God himself is aflame with the Light of TheBeast, and will himself push the order, through the fire (perhaps meaningthe genius) of The Beast.

``There is a secret door that I shall make to establishthy way in all the quarters (these are the adorations, as thou hast written)as it is said:

The Light is mine; its rays consume
Me: I have made a secret door
Into the House of Ra and Tum,
Of Khephra, and of Ahathoor.
I am thy Theban, O Mentu,
The prophet Ankh-f-na-khonsu!

By Bes-na-Maut my breast I beat;
By wise Ta-Nech I weave my spell.
Show thy star-splendour, O Nuit!
Bid me within thine House to dwell,
O winged snake of light, Hadit!
Abide with me, Ra-Hoor-Khuit!''

In the comment in Equinox I(7) this passage is virtuallyignored. It is possible that this ``secret door'' refers to the four menand four women spoken of later in The Paris Working, or it may mean thechild elsewhere predicted, or some secret preparation of the hearts ofmen. It is difficult to decide on such a point, but we may be sure thatthe Event will show that the exact wording was so shaded as to prove tous absolute foreknowledge on the part of That Most Holy Angel who utteredthe Book.

Note, pray thee, further, in verse 39, how the matterproceeds:

``All this''--i.e. The Book of the Law itself.

``and a book to say how didst come hither'' i.e. somerecord such as that in The Temple of Solomon the King.

``And a reproduction of this ink and paper for ever''i.e. by some mechanical process, with possibly a sample of paper similarto that employed.

``--for in it is the word secret and not only in the English--''Compare CCXX III:47, 73. The secret is still a secret to Us.

``And thy comment upon this the Book of the Law shallbe printed beautifully in red ink and black upon beautiful paper made byhand;'' i.e. explain the text ``lest there be folly'' as it says above,CCXX I:36.

``And to each man and woman that thou meetest, were itbut to dine or to drink at them, it is the Law to give. Then they shallchance to abide in this bliss or no; it is no odds. Do this quickly!''

From this it is evident that a volume must be preparedas signified-- Part IV of Book 4 was intended to fulfil this purpose--andthat this book must be distributed widely, in fact to every one with whomone comes into social relations.

We are not to add to this gift by preaching and the like.They can take it or leave it.

Note, pray thee, verse 41 of this chapter:

``Establish at thy Kaaba a clerk-house; all must be donewell and with business way.''

This is very clear instruction indeed. There is to bea modern centralized business organization at the Kaaba--which, We think,does not mean Boleskine, but any convenient headquarters.

Note, pray thee, in verse 42 of this chapter the injunction:``Success is thy proof: argue not; convert not; talk not overmuch.'' Thisis not any bar to an explanation of the Law. We may aid men to strike offtheir own fetters; but those who prefer slavery must be allowed to do so.``The slaves shall serve.'' The excellence of the Law must be showed byits results upon those who accept it. When men see us as the hermits ofHadit described in CCXX II:24, they will determine to emulate our joy.

Note, pray thee, the whole implication of the chapterthat sooner or later we are to break the power of the slaves of the slave-godsby actual fighting. Ultimately, Freedom must rely upon the sword. It isimpossible to treat in this epistle of the vast problems involved in thisquestion; and they must be decided in accordance with the Law by thosein authority in the Order when the time comes. Thou wilt note that We havewritten unto thee more as a member of the O.T.O., than in
thy capacity as of the A...A..., for the former organizationis coordinate and practical, and concerns itself with material things.But remember this clearly, that the Law cometh from the A...A..., not fromthe O.T.O. This Order is but the first of the great religious bodies toaccept this Law officially, and its whole Ritual has been revised and reconstitutedin accordance with this decision. Now then, leaving
The Book of the Law, note, pray thee, the following additionalsuggestions for extending the Dominion of the Law of Thelema throughoutthe whole world.

1. All those who have accepted the Law should announcethe same in daily intercourse. ``Do what thou wilt shall be the whole ofthe Law'' shall be the invariable form of greeting. These words, especiallyin the case of strangers, should be pronounced in a clear, firm, and articulatevoice, with the eyes frankly fixed upon the bearer. If the other be ofus, let him reply ``Love is the law, love under will.'' The latter sentenceshall also be used as the greeting of farewell. In writing, wherever greetingis usual, it should be as above, opening ``Do what thou wilt shall be thewhole of the Law.'', and closing ``Love is the law, love under will.''

2. Social gatherings should be held as often as is convenient,and there the Law should be read and explained.

3. The special tracts written by Us, or authorized byUs, should be distributed to all persons with whom those who have acceptedthe Law may be in contact.

4. Pending the establishment of other Universities andSchools of Thelema, scholarships and readerships and such should be providedin existing Schools and Universities, so as to secure the general studyof Our writings, and those authorized by Us as pertaining to the New Aeon.

5. All children and young people, although they may notbe able to understand the more exalted heavens of our horoscope, may alwaysbe taught to rule their lives in accordance with the Law. No efforts shouldbe spared to bring them to this emancipation. The misery caused to childrenby the operation of the law of the slave-gods was, one may say, the primummobile of Our first aspiration to overthrow the Old Law.

6. By all manner of means shall all strive constantlyto increase the power and freedom of the Headquarters of the O.T.O.; forthereby will come efficiency in the promulgation of the Law. Specific instructionsfor the extension of the O.T.O. are given in another epistle.

Constant practice of these recommendations will developskill in him or her that practiseth, so that new ideas and plans will beevolved continually.

Furthermore, it is right that each and every one bindhimself with an Oath Magical that he may thus make Freedom perfect, evenby a bond, as in Liber III it is duly written. Amen.

Now, son, note, pray thee, in what house We write thesewords. For it is a little cottage of red and green, by the western sideof a great lake, and it is hidden in the woods. Man, therefore, is at oddswith Wood and Water; and being a magician bethinketh Himself to take oneof these enemies, Wood, which is both the effect and the cause of thatexcess of Water, and compel it to fight for Him against the other. Whatthen maketh He? Why, He taketh unto himself Iron of Mars, an Axe
and a Saw and a Wedge and a Knife, and He divideth Woodtherewith against himself, hewing him into many small pieces, so that hehath no longer any strength against His will. Good; then taketh He theFire of our Father the Sun, and setteth it directly in battle array againstthat Water by His army of Wood that he hath conquered and drilled, buildingit up into a phalanx like unto a Cone, that is the noblest of all solidfigures, being the Image of the Holy Phallus Itself, and combined in himselfthe Right Line and the Circle. Thus, son, dealeth He; and the Fire kindleththe Wood, and the heat thereof driveth the Water afar off. Yet this Wateris a cunning adversary, and He strengthened Wood against Fire by impregnatinghim with much of his own substance, as it were by spies in the citadelof any ally that is not wholly trusted. Now then therefore what must theMagician do? He must first expel utterly Water from Wood by an invocationof the Fire of the Sun our Father. That is to say, without the inspirationof the Most High and Holy One even We ourselves could do nothing at all.Then, son, beginneth the Magician to set His Fire to the little dry Wood,and that enkindleth the Wood of middle size, and when that blazeth brightly,at the last the great logs, through they be utterly green, are neverthelessenkindled.

Now, son, hearken unto this Our reproof, and lend theear of thine understanding unto the parable of this Magick.

We have for the whole Beginning of Our Work, praise beeternally unto His Holy Name, the Fire of our Father the Sun. The inspirationis ours, and ours is the Law of Thelema that shall set the world ablaze.And We have many small dry sticks, that kindle quickly and burn throughquickly, leaving the larger Wood unlit. And the great logs, the massesof humanity, are always with us. But our edged need is of
those middle fagots that on the one hand are readilykindled by the small Wood, and on the other endure until the great logsblaze.

(Behold how sad a thing it is, quoth the Ape of Thoth,for one to be so holy that he cannot chop a tree and cook his food withoutpreparing upon it a long and tedious Morality!)

Let this epistle be copied and circulated among all thosethat have accepted the Law of Thelema.

Receive now Our paternal benediction: the Benedictionof the All-Begetter be upon thee.

Love is the law, love under will.
 

VHRION 9ø=2 A...A...
 

Given under Our hand and seal this day of An XII, theSun our Father being in 12ø 42{'} 2" of the sign Leo, and the Moonin 25ø 39{'} 11" of the sign Libra, from the House of the Juggler,that is by Lake Pasquaney in the State of New Hampshire.