I haven't been to your site in some time, but I'm glad to see that you're back at it. A few thoughts/questions: 1. On the page titled "It's an Ill Wind that Bloweth" by Michael Staley he in passing metions that the Caliphate makes much of the possesion of a holograph made from the original of the Book of the Law. Is this true? I ask because they got it indirectly from me (I gave it to someone as a wedding present, about 10 years later he sold it to the Caliphate). Just for the record, I only gave away one of my two copies (I still have the other one). 2. On the page titled "The Caliphate Tape" you mention the "turbulent and infamous Kephra Chapter". What about it was turbulent and infamous? I ask because Heidrick and McMurtry considered myself and a few others to be the cause of all the infamous turbulence in the New York lodge (they had no appreciation for playful don't give a damness), and the problems would cease if we could be made to leave. We left, it sounds like the problems didn't. 3. Do you have any more information about what happened to my old drinking and pie throwing buddy A**?
>in other words: which copy is considered to be the original mansucript of >Liber AL: yours or the "caliphate"'s? >please tell me more about the background of how it came into your possession. Are they saying that they have THE original? I thought it was in a museum in England. Mr. Staley seems to say that they make much of a holograph made from the original (which is what mine is). I don't recall exactly but it seems to me that D** once told me that Crowley had them published (as per instructions) in 1908 (I think) and that there were only 900 of them made. I was browsing through a seedy hole-in-the-wall bookstore in the low-rent district town. As it turned out, after having been there for over 50 years, the two brothers that owned it were retiring and going out of business. As a consequence of this they were liquidating all of the inventory accumulated over their many years in business. This inventory included a number of (at the time) unusual books (including Francis Barrets "Magus" and (more interestingly, an uncensored version of Waits "Book of Black Magic and Pacts". While browsing though all of this I casually asked one of the owners about Crowley material.
He then produced (among other things) the two holographs of the Book of the Law. I bought them both and gave one of them to a friend as a wedding present. Several years later, after the marriage fell apart, the person I gave it to sold it to someone in the caliphate sometime in the late 80s. I still retain the other one. >>I ask because Heidrick and McMurtry considered myself and a few others to >>be the cause of all the infamous turbulence in the New York lodge >interesting. tell me more, please:-) You've already heard most of this. The relationship between Mobius Chapter (later Lashtal Lodge) and the "grand" lodge was strained from the beginning due to McMurtrys boorish behavior on his first New York visit (urinating on the baby because he was too drunk to tell the difference between a crib and a commode). We (in New York) had a reputation for not taking the heirarchy of the order (or much of anything else) terribly seriously, and I in particular was considered a problem in this respect. We also made no secret of our displeasure with Mr. Gr** cocain inflated ego. Particuly guilty in this respect were myself, D**, and one other person.
We didn't hold up the performance of a Gnostic Mass long enough for him to satisfy his cocain craving, and as was our general rule, no one was permitted to enter once the Mass had begun (including order bigwigs). This ultimately led to an essentially ongoing argument between D** and Heidrick regarding the nature of the order, as well as some questions about Gr** appropriation of order money to feed his cocain habit. One of the consequences of all of this was that I ended up writing a letter to McMurtry saying (among other things) that I wouldn't trust J** with a burnt match and that I considered a certain brother to be a "mis-placed jesus freak". I also sent copies of this letter to D**, Gr**, Lacedonia, King, Corel, and a few other people (who, since they haven't yet been metioned by name, shall remain annonymous). This is not to say that everyone in Lashtal Lodge agreed with D** and myself. Notable exceptions were James Wasserman, Mi**, and Andrea Lacedonia. This faction ultimately took over, as most of the faction to which I belonged ended up quitting. >> 3. Do you have any more information about what happened to my old >>drinking and pie throwing buddy A** >no. the name sounds familiar but who is he?
A** was one of the people who hung around Mobius chapter and joined Lashtal Lodge. He was one of the first caliphate 11th degrees and had a nasty habit of getting himself beaten to a pulp and of behaving poorly after having a few (the former would often follow the later). The really interesting thing about A** is the way he was able to play all sides against the middle for so long. I think that at least some of his stature in the order was a payoff for being a good soldier and keeping his mouth shut about McMurtrys drinking, Gr** cocain habbit, and Heidricks delusions of omniscience. He was one of the people involved in "The Caliphate Tape" discussion. From what I understand, he became an order bigwig and was recently kicked out. I am curious as to what happened as he is the last of the people I influenced to join the (then) Berkely "OTO".
