This is Part II of a series exploring Liber CI (Book 101), "An Open Letter to Those Who May Wish to Join the Order".

As we've already seen, Liber CI tells us that Crowley expected the Order to be quite large, with more than 1000 members in every district (which is roughly comparable to a US state). We have also seen that Crowley expected members to actively promulgate the Law of Thelema. CI tells us that this general effort is to be extended to recruitment as well.


This first clause sets up the rules: initiates can talk to non-members about the Order, fully explaining the general principles embodied within the degrees Minerval through Fifth, the only exception being the contents of the initiation ceremonies. It is immediately explained that doing so is not only allowed, but is required, referring to it as a duty to be performed punctually. Further, the spreading of the general principles of the Order (through Fifth) will eventually play an important role in future advancement.

An important question must be asked: what constitutes a "general principle"? CI does not define this term. Common sense says that it refers to the basic lessons of the degrees, especially in terms of ethics and metaphysical conceptions. Clearly, one should not say, "In my second degree, I learned...". Rather, it seems that it is the principles themselves that are important; that it is both good and expected that members will promulgate them amongst non-members. After all, there is much wisdom in our Rites, and it would be beneficial to mankind to spread it about.

The second clause gives one method for performing this task---the passing out of writings. There are two given purposes for such writings: for instruction (perhaps in our principles, the Order itself, or more general ideas about society) and for "emancipation". This second is important. It suggests that such writings would be designed to influence people to accept the Law and to join the Order (two actions tied together throughout CI). While we can debate the relative merits of passing out tracts to strangers, the underlying theme is clear: the Order should develop written materials designed to instruct and influence non-members to join OTO, and that those writings should be distributed by initiates.

The general lesson of these two clauses can be reformulated as: it is both good and expected for initiates to talk about OTO and our basic ideas to non-members. Moreover, we should be active in spreading information designed to instruct and influence.


Whereas the first two clauses were general in scope, these two are quite specific---initiates are expected both to recruit new members and to influence people to accept the Law. In fact, the member is expected to go to quite extraordinary lengths, using all available influence to induce both friends and people in high places to join. The member should even make new friends with this purpose in mind! (Interesting that neither clause mentions family).

US Grand Lodge has issued a statement saying that members are not currently expected to go to these lengths, saying "While we do encourage members to do their part in recruiting new members, we do not expect or encourage them to aggressively proselytize among their friends, employers, and any wealthy or powerful acquaintances they may have." For what it's worth, I agree with the wisdom of this statement. However, it is important that we not overlook two underlying lessons of these clauses.

First, CI essentially gives permission to recruit---members may (and should) labor to grow membership in OTO, to "widen its scope." Second, Crowley wanted people in positions of civil authority to join, so that the principles of the Order might spread into the secular arena.

Embedded within these two clauses is OTOW: "Operation Take Over the World". The language makes it plain that Crowley wanted OTO to be highly influential, to the point of being a vehicle for bringing the civil State into the Law. Is this vision overly ambitious? Perhaps, perhaps not. Either way, there is yet another implicit lesson here: Crowley wanted there to be an interconnection between OTO, the community, and the State. Said another way, CI does not envision an OTO disconnected from society, but should rather become deeply integrated with it so that OTO may better promulgate the Law.

There is a grand vision here. One the one hand, there is an Order of great height filled with influential people, laboring to induce civil government to adopt the Law and the principles of OTO. On the other is an Order that has great width, with members reaching out to friends to join, thereby spreading the Law horizontally through society.


I saved this little nugget for last. A "troglodyte" is literally a "cave-dweller", although Crowley was using it in its more modern sense of one who is a member of a past race, albeit one that is comparable with "any other animal." USGL has also issued a statement on this clause, saying "OTO does not now encourage its members to treat those outside the Order as inferiors who possess no rights." Grand Master General Sabazius Xº also gave an address at the first NOTOCON, saying that this clause conflicts with Liber OZ and AL I:3, and called on all members to show " friendship towards all men and women who value Liberty." Again, I couldn't agree more.

However, let's go ahead and take this clause at face value for the moment. First, a definition: "without its pale" is a way of saying "beyond its borders". But what is the border of OTO? A straightforward meaning would be simply those who are not initiated members. However, a close examination reveals it: it is defined by the acceptance of the Law of Thelema, not simple membership. Think about it: would Crowley believe that members of A.'.A.'. are trogs if they are not members of OTO? Surely not.

Okay, let's go from there---anyone who hasn't accepted the Law is a trog, as it were, with no rights of any kind, and OTO members are to "treat them accordingly." But what treatment are they accorded? Crowley tells us: kindness ("as towards any other animal") combined with an effort to bring them into the Law. So, even if we accept the idea that all people who have not accepted the Law (including our Moms, spouses, children, and good friends) are equitable with animals, we are nevertheless to treat them kindly.

Etymologically, "kind" comes from O.E. gecynde "natural, native, innate," originally "with the feeling of relatives for each other," which developed into "with natural feelings," to "well-disposed, benign, compassionate". As Crowley was a fan of etymology, we may use his example and take his injunction to mean treating trogs as if they were related kin, with actions that are at least benign (i.e. gentle, not harmful) and at most well-disposed (i.e. having a positive, sympathetic, friendly attitude). When possible, members should also labor to inspire them to accept the Law generally and join the Order specifically (again, two things that CI lumps together).

So, although USGL has dismissed this clause, the general lesson is positive: folks who have not accepted the Law, despite their so-called lack of rights, should nevertheless be well-treated as if brothers and sisters, with the aim of leading them to accept the Law and perhaps to join the Order.

Liber CI: An Examination
Intro	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VIIa	VIIb	Summary
You can read the entire series in one essay on my website, Eidolons of Ash.