PRELIMINARY

L E C T I Ο Ν
INCLVDING THE
H I S T Ο R Y
L E C T I Ο Ν

”KITS—‘3...
 PUBLICATION IN CLASS A

IMPRIMATUR. V. V. V. V. V. Pro Coll. Summ.

D. D. S.
[< Pro Coll. Int.
0. M.
V. N.
P. Pro Coll. Ext.
P. A.
 LXI
THE PRELIMINARY LECTION
In the Name of the Initiator, Amen.
I. In the beginning was Initiation. The
flesh profiteth nothing; the mind profiteth no-
thing; that which is unknown to you and above
these, while firmly based upon their equilib-
rium, giveth life.
2. In all systems of religion is to be found a
system of Initiation, which may be defined as
the process by which a man comes to learn
that unknown Crown.
3. Though none can communicate either the
knowledge or the power to achieve this, which
we may call the Great Work, it is yet possible
for initiates to guide others.
4. Every man must overcome his own 0b-
stacles, expose his own illusions. Yet others
may assist him to do both, and they may en-
able him altogether to avoid many of the false
3
paths, leading no whither, which tempt the
weary feet of the uninitiated pilgrim. They can
further insure that he is duly tried and tested,
for there are many who think themselves to be
Masters who have not even begun to tread the
Way of Service that leads thereto.
5. Now the Great Work is one, and the
Initiation is one, and the Reward is one, how-
ever diverse are the symbols wherein the Un-
utterable is clothed.
6. Hear then the history of the system which
᾽

this lection gives you the opportunity of in-

vestigating.
Listen, we pray you, with attention: for once
only does the Great Order knock at any one
door.
Whosoever knows any member of that Order
as such, can never know another, until he too
has attained to mastery.
Here, therefore, we pause, that you may
thoroughly search yourself, and consider if you
are yet fitted to take an irrevocable step.
For the reading of that which follows is
Recorded.
 THE HISTORY LECTION
7. Some years ago a number of cipher
MSS. were discovered and deciphered by
certain students. They attracted much atten-
tion, as they purported to derive from the
Rosicrucians. You will readily understand that
the genuineness of the claim matters no whit,
such literature being judged by itself, not by
its reputed sources.
8. Among the MSS. was one which gave
the address of 'a certain person in Germany,
who is known to us as S. D. A. Those who
discovered the ciphers wrote to S. D. A., and
in accordance with instructions received, an
Order was founded which worked in a semi-
secret manner. ,

9. After some time S. D. A. died: further

requests for help were met with a prompt re-
fusal from the colleagues of S. D. A. It was.
written by one of them that S. D. A. 's scheme
had always been regarded with disapproval.
5
But since the absolute rule of the adepts is never
to interfere with the judgement of any other
person whomsoever—how much more, then,
one of themselves, and that one most highly
revered !—they had refrained from active oppo-
sition. The adept who wrote this added that
the Order had already quite enough knowledge
to enable it or its members to formulate a
magical link with the adepts.
Io. Shortly after this, one called S. R. M. D.
announced that he had formulated such a link,
and that himself with two others was to govern
the Order. New and revised rituals were issued ,
and fresh knowledge poured out in streams.
II. We must pass over the unhappy jug-
gleries which characterized the next period.
It has throughout proved impossible to elucid-
ate the complex facts.
We content ourselves, then, with observing
that the death of one of his two colleagues,
and the weakness of the other, secured to
S. R. M. D. the sole authority. The rituals
were elaborated, though scholarly enough, into
verbose and pretentious nonsense: the know-
ledge proved worthless, even where it was
correct: for it is in vain that pearls, be they
6
never so clear and precious, are given to the
swine.
The ordeals were turned into contempt, it
being impossible for any one to fail therein.
Unsuitable candidates were admitted for no
better reason than that of their worldly pos—
sessions.
In short, the Order failed to initiate.
12. Scandal arose and with it schism.
I 3. In 1900 one P., a brother, instituted a
rigorous test of S. R. M. D. on the one side
and the Order on the other.
I4. He discovered that S. R. M. D., though
a scholar of some ability and a magician of re-
markable powers, had never attained complete
initiation : and further had fallen from his
original place, he having imprudently attracted
to himself forces of evil too great and terrible
for him to Withstand.
The claim of the Order that the true adepts
were in charge of it was definitely disproved.
15. In the Order, with two certain excep-
tions and two doubtful ones, he found no per-
sons prepared for initiation of any sort.
I6. He thereupon by his subtile wisdom de-
stroyed both the Order and its chief.
7
 17. Being himself no perfect adept, he
was driven of the Spirit into the Wilderness,
where he abode for six years, studying by the
light of reason the sacred books and secret
systems of initiation of all countries and ages.
18. Finally, there was given unto him a
certain exalted grade whereby a man becomes
master of knowledge and intelligencie, and no
more their slave. He perceived the inadequacy
of science, philosophy, and religion; and ex-
posed the self-contradictory nature of the think-
ing faculty.
19. Returning to England, he laid his
achievements humbly at the feet of a certain
adept D. D. S., who welcomed him brotherly
and admitted his title to that grade which he
᾽

had so hardly won.

20. Thereupon these two adepts conferred
together, saying: May it not be written that
the tribulations shall be shortened? Where-
fore they resolved to establish a new Order
which should be free from the errors and
deceits of the former one.
21. Without Authority they could not do
this, exalted as their rank was among adepts.
They resolved to prepare all things, great and
8
small, against that day when such Authority
should be received by them, since they knew
not where to seek for higher adepts than them-
selves, but knew that the true way to attract
the notice of such was to equilibrate the sym-
bols. The temple must be builded before the
God can indwell it.
22. Therefore by order of D. D. S. did P.
prepare all things by his arcane science and wis-
dom, choosing only those symbols which were
common to all systems, and rigorously reject-
ing all names and words which might be sup-
posed to imply any religious or metaphysical
theory. Το do this utterly was found impos-
sible, since all language has a history, and the
use (for example) of the word “ spirit” implies
the Scholastic Philosophy and the Hindu and
Taoist theories concerning the breath of man.
So was it difficult to avoid implication of some
undesirable bias by using the words “ order,”
“ circle,” “ chapter, ” “society,” “brother-
hood,” or any other to designate the body of
initiates.
23. Deliberately, therefore, did he take
refuge in vagueness. Not to veil the truth to
the Neophyte, but to warn him against valu-
9
ing non-essentials. Should therefore the can-
didate hear the name of any God, let him not;
rashly assume that it refers to any known God,
save only the God known to himself. Or
should the ritual speak in terms (however
vague) which seem to imply Egyptian, Taoist,
Buddhist, Indian, Persian, Greek, Judaic,
Christian, or Moslem philosophy, let him re-
flect that this is a defect of language; the
literary limitation and not the spiritual pre-
judice of the man P.
24. Especially let him guard against the
finding of definite sectarian symbols in the
teaching of his master, and the reasoning from
the known to the unknown which assuredly
will tempt him. .

We labour earnestly, dear brother, that you

may never be led away to perish upon this
point; for thereon have many holy and just
men been wrecked. By this have all the visible
systems lost the essence of wisdom.
We have sought to reveal the Arcanum; we
have only profaned it.
25. Now when P. had thus with bitter toil
prepared all things under the guidance of.
D. D. S. (even as the hand writes, while the
10
conscious brain, though ignorant of the de-
tailed movements, applauds or disapproves the
finished work) there was a certain time of
repose, as the earth lieth fallow.
26. Meanwhile these adepts busied them-
selves intently with the Great Work.
27. In the fullness of time, even as a blos-
soming tree that beareth fruit in its season, all
these pains were ended, and these adepts and
their companions obtained the reward which
they had sought—~they were to be admitted to
the Eternal and Invisible Order that hath no
name among men.
28. They therefore who had with smiling
faces abandoned their homes, their possessions,
their wives, their children, in order to perform
the Great Work, could with steady calm and
firm correctness abandon the Great Work it-
self : for this is the last and greatest projection
of the alchemist.
29. Also one V. V. V. V. V. arose, an ex-
alted adept of the rank of Master of the
Temple (or this much He disclosed to the
Exempt Adepts) and His utterance is enshrined
in the Sacred Writings.
30. Such are Liber Legis, Liber Cordis
II
Cincti Serpente, Liber Liberi ’vel Lapidis
Lazuli and such others whose existence may
one day be divulged unto you. Beware lest
you interpret them either in the Light or in
the darkness, for only in L. V. X. may they be
understood.
31. Also he conferred upon D. D. S., 0. M.,
and another, the Authority of the Triad, who
in turn have delegated it unto others, and they
yet again, so that the Body of Initiates may
be perfect, even from the Crown unto the
Kingdom and beyond.
32. For Perfection abideth not in the Pin-
nacles, or in the Foundations, but in the
ordered Harmony of one with all.
 SCANS FROM ALEISTER CROWLEY’S

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