ECCLESIA GNOSTICA CATHOLICA

Stranded Bishops
Ordo Templi Orientis
by Peter-R. Koenig
While the O.T.O.s initiatory system is a sort of
Kafkaesque bureaucratic club game, it has a religious
association under its obedience: The Gnostic Catholic
Church. One of the O.T.O.groups intends "to restore
Christianity to its real status as a solar-phallic
religion." In addition to tax advantages, religion supplies
a commodity that is always in demand: salvation. And it
would seem that some O.T.O.-variations are simply
making themselves bulletproof in the context of the law
in some countries.
The technical term for the bishopric in the context of the
O.T.O. Phenomenon is Wandering Bishop or Episcopi
Vagantes. This status is not defined by any character
qualities, not by theological education or theological
position. These bishops are not elected by a canonical
church, nor proposed as an ordain by a suffragan and
not bound to a historical episcopal see or consecrated
by an 'official' bishop according to the canonical
procedure.
A 'real' bishop is not a successor of a sole apostle as
only the synod/college of bishops in toto are heir to the
college of the apostles.
Therefore: no Wandering Bishop has a 'real' apostolic
succession. There is no Holy Ghost in WanderingBishop-consecrations.
The instrumentum consecrationis is of no apostolic
value. Nonetheless, Wandering Bishops are collectors
of papers and diplomas.
In all Ordo Templi Orientis versions, the line of
succession is vitally important, as it is believed that the
leader is the repository of the Orders magical power,
and also has a claim on various copyrights and
royalties, especially of Aleister Crowleys work.

Significant E.G.C.
Sequences
"Gnostic Church"

1890 Eglise Gnostique founded by Jules Doinel without apostolic

succession.
1892 Doinel consecrated 'Papus'.
1894 Doinel passed his office on to Fabre des Essarts.
1899 Fugairon published a "Gnostic Catechism".
1902 Bricaud became a member.
1904 Peithmann published the "Gnostic Catechism".
1906 the name 'glise Gnostique' was enlarged to "Gnostic Catholic
Church" (EGC, Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica).
1907 Bricaud became head of the Church, and wrote a "Gnostic
Catechism".
1908 schism.
1911 the Church became allied with Martinism.
1912 Reuss became Gnostic Legate.
1913 Bricaud received an apostolic succession.
1917 Reuss translated Crowley's Gnostic Mass into German.
1919 Reuss became Gnostic Legate for Switzerland, while Bricaud
became a representative of Reuss' O.T.O.
1920 Bricaud wanted to introduce Crowley's "Mass" as the religion for
Freemasons.
1921 Bricaud's letter-headings reminded to Reuss's 'Neo-Christian
O.T.O.'.
1924 E.T. Kurtzahn named himself Ecclesiarch.
1925 Kurtzahn wrote on the 'Gnostics and the Invisible Church'.

1930 Krumm-Heller met Leadbeater.

1934 Chevillon became overall chief of the Church.
1936 Chevillon received an apostolic succession.
1938 Chevillon consecrated Clymer.
1939 Chevillon consecrated Krumm-Heller.
1944 Crowley named Crow as head of the Church.
1972 Crow consecrated Poling.

"Martinism"
1891 re-founded by 'Papus'.
1901 Reuss became 'Inspecteur Spcial'.
1916 Dtr became leader.
1918 Bricaud became leader.

"O.T.O."
1912 Crowley became O.T.O. leader for England and Ireland, and
published his "Statutes".
1914 Crowley's "Statutes" published by Reuss.
1915 Crowley described Reuss as "Most Reverend Father".
1917 Reuss called himself leader of the Gnostic Neo-Christian O.T.O.
and published new "Statutes" with world-wide applicability.
1918 Supposed split of the French O.T.O. (Jean-Maine).
1919 Bricaud became O.T.O. Delegate.
1919 Crowley, in financial straits, again published his old "Statutes"
that were subordinate to Reuss.
1920 Freemasonry broke with the O.T.O.
1920 Kurtzahn participated at Reuss' O.T.O. Chapter-meetings.
1921 Crowley declared himself OHO.
1922 Crowley allegedly met Reuss in Italy.
1933 Peithmann emigrated to the USA.
1948 Crow named himself OHO of the O.T.O.

"Memphis-Misraim"
1908 Reuss gave MM titles to 'Papus', Bricaud and Dtr.
1912 Crowley received MM titles.
1916 Dtr became chief of the MM and Martinism.

1918 Bricaud became chief of the MM and Martinism.

CREEDS OF THE GNOSTIC CHURCHES

ASSOCIATED WITH THE O.T.O.

CATHCHISME GNOSTIQUE
L'USAGE DES FIDLES
DE
L'GLISE CATHOLIQUE
GNOSTIQUE
DONN PAR
S.G. + JOHANNS BRICAUD
EVQUE-PRIMAT.
1907.

Creed of the Eglise Gnostique Universelle

at Lyon, 1908
The sermon of H. H. + Johannes Bricaud (Jean II) on the occasion of
his appointment as Patriarch of the Universal Gnostic Church in Lyon,
1908.
1. We believe in the Divine Archetype [Proarche] and the
eternal Progenitor [Propator], in the unending and almighty
Being, come forth from the Heavenly Powers into perfect
Presence, God in One and Three.
2. In the First Aspect of the Trinity [tridyname], the Father, who
brought forth all things visible and invisible.
3. In the Second Aspect of the Trinity, the Son, the Divine
Logos, in which Christ is revealed, the spiritual and physical
Light, true God as his Father and of one substance with Him.
4. That the same had appeared on earth in the Person of
Jesus, the supernatural Spirit, who came down to us, so that
He might join with a soul and a body, to be like us; in the womb
of Miriam.
5. That the same since the moment He appeared in Jesus,
was consecrated and had suffered.

6. That spoke to us through His mouth and taught us the

Gnosis and the true holy life, so that we shall be free from
slavery of the Demiurges and their earthly Archons, and as he
made our return to the pneumatic World from which we came
possible, where He returned after his death.
7. We believe in the Third Aspect of the Trinity, Life, which
follows from the Father as from the Son, and reveals itself in
the Pneuma-Agion, the Holy Ghost.
8. Who gives us joy in life, and leads us on the Path of Truth
and Holiness, who unites all beings, who is worshipped in the
Father as in the Son.
9. We blieve in a Pneumatic Universe, immeasureable Church
od the Spirit, as old as God Himself, and older than the
Material [hylic]Universe, where our globe finds itself as but a
colony in the Perisphere, whereon we men descend as spirits.
10. We profess the two Baptisms, and the three other Mysteries
of the purification and conversion of mankind.
11. We await the institution of the Heavenly Kingdom on Earth,
and the original state of mankind.
12. And finally the Resurrection of the Dead with Jesus, the
Head of the earthly Church; the ascension and establishment
of this association in Heaven; the dissolution of the Fallen
Spirits, and likewise the dissolution of the
Material [hylic] Universe, the work of the Demiurges.
Amen."
Lyons, 1908.

Creed of the glise Gnostique de France,

Paris 1913
Marie Chauvel de Chauvigny Esclarmonde (Sophia), from: "Bref
xpos de la Doctrine Gnostique", Paris 1913. [Allegedly Aleister
Crowley wrote his Gnostic Mass in the same year]
1. I believe that everything comes from an indescribable, limitless,
and formless Universal Principal. It is One in its Essence,

threefold in its appearance: Father, Son, Spirit.

2. I believe that this Principle is the ultimate Progenitor, that
Thought is indivisibly united with Him, and that the Hierarchy of
Holy ons are His attributes which He has brought forth,
through which He manifests himself, and proceeding fom him,
are one with Him.
3. I believe that the Demiurge is the Principle of division and
egotism, that it begat all restriction, and is the begetter of all
forms and existences; the ultimate Principle, which is in the
Demiurge, and which with it is bound to the Universal Spirit,
comes directly from the Progenitor.
4. [is missing.]
5. I believe that the on Christ (one with the Holy Spirit) appears
to us through the 'Saviour', and that the Saviour in our earthly
age is Jesus, from whom the Eternal Gospels were inspired.
6. I believe in the mission of this 'Saviour', that it prepares us for
the coming of the Helper [Paraclete], which is the Holy Ghost,
and that it appears to us through the Virgin of Light.
7. I believe that all beings are finally united in the Womb of the
Pleroma, where harmony, justice, and grace shall reign in all
Aeons.
Aom!
T. Esclarmonde S., February 26th 1913.
Original: S.-J. Esclarmonde: Bref Expos De La Doctrine Gnostique,
Credo gnostique, 1913

Theodor Reuss: Our Fundamental Tenets,

1913
"God and the world (visible and invisible) are an all all-embracing,
immeasureable kingdom (the universe), consisting of the known
proto-energy (or power of creation), the universe's positive properties,
and the unknown proto-substance (or world-egg), the universe's
negative properties; which through contact with itself (spontaneous
generation, coition) may generate new worlds and creations that are

in principle identical, and continue creating such things. And because

of our observation that the universe is a twofold thing, positive and
negative (also dual), and that 'life' is only maintained by their union,
we describe our observation as dualistic world-view.
The identity of the creations with the creator lies in the fact that the
original power of creation (or power of generation) also dwells in the
creations. The ability of the creations to engender further creations of
the same sort and breed, through the act of generation (by creation or
reproduction) is inherent proof of their (divine) descent from the
original creator (or generator). It is in this sense that the words of the
Bible are to be understood: 'So God created man in his own image, in
the image of God created he him.'"
"Oriflamme" of July 1913.

Creed of Reuss and Crowley's Gnostic

Catholic Church
"I believe in one secret and and ineffable LORD: and in one Star in
the company of Stars of whose fire we are created, and to which we
shall return; and in one Father of Life, Mystery of Mystery, in his name
CHAOS, the sole viceregent of the Sun upon the Earth; and in one Air
the nourisher of all that breathes.
And I believe in one Earth, the Mother of us all, and in one Womb
wherein all men are begotten, and wherein they shall rest, Mystery of
Mystery, in Her name BABALON.
And I believe in the Serpent and the Lion, Mystery of Mystery, in His
name BAPHOMET.
And I believe in one Gnostic and Catholic Church of Light, Life, Love
and Liberty, the Word of whose Law is THELEMA..."
Re-translation of Reuss': "'Die Gnostische Messe', Aus dem OriginalText des Baphomet, bertragen in die deutsche Sprache von Merlin
Peregrinus", 1917. Facsimile in "Der Grosse Theodor Reuss Reader"

Creed of Arnoldo Krumm-Heller's Gnostic

Mass
"I believe in Mary, Maya, Isis, or those of lesser renown, in the
physical force symbolised in Nature, whose conception and
illumination reveals the fertility of Nature.
I believe in the mystery of Baphomet and the Demiurge.
I believe in one acknowledged superior Church, supported by pure

souls; in the White Hierarchy, represented by the White Brotherhood,

and which has its exponents in the Holy Gnostic Church, ruled by
Patriarchs, Apostles, Bishops, and Priests.
Our Law is Love, Life, Liberty, and Victory.
We have taken the motto Thelema."
Arnoldo Krumm-Heller: "Misa Gnostica", no date. Facsimile in
the books by P.R. Koenig

Fraternitas Saturni: Juste Cruci Suffixus

Est
"The Light struggles with the Darkness. The Solar Logos fights with
the pale demiurge, with Saturn, the lost Son, for the rulership of his
realm. Two planets circle our mother-star first in narrow orbits Mercury and Venus. In esoteric terms they free us from the rulership
of Saturn. On the next planet, on our Earth, the battle has been raging
for millions of years; it stands at a highly significant intersection within
the planetary chain, for the spirit of the Earth is still unredeemed. The
outer planets are still servants of Saturn, the Dark Angel. The
outcome of this battle is decided in us, in men's hearts."
(Karl Spiessberger, "Bltter fr angewandte okkulte Lebenskunst", N
45, 1953).
"But the desire to serve the highest principle of Saturn brings the most
profound knowledge. 'Lucifer' as the Morning Star is not only the great
fallen Angel Lucifer, but also the brother of Christ. Saturn in his higher
octaves is the embodiment of the deepest lessons of maturity through
suffering. And within his darkest portal stands the resolution.
Saturnus, the guardian of the threshold, then illuminates with a pale
light distorted the kindness of Jupiter, when his symbol has
turned into a mirror-image."
(Grosche, "Bltter" N 48, 1954).

O.T.O. and E.G.C.: For A Pretence, Make

Long Prayers [1]

It is highly probable that Hermann Joseph Metzger was responsible
for linking the O.T.O. phenomenon to the concept of 'apostolic
succession', [2] or as he called it, the "Antiochite-Jacobinic
Succession, Syro-Malabarite Line of Mar Athanasius since 1877." [3]
Today, some new O.T.O.-groups (e.g. the "Caliphate") try to copy this
scheme.
To understand this claim, the following three (highly simplified) lines of
succession should be borne in mind:
a. the Vilatte line
b. Jules Doinel's Gnostic Church
c. the schism under Joanny Bricaud's leadership.

(a) Paulose Kadavil Kooran "Mar Athanasius", 1833-1907, legate of

Ignatius Peter III of Antiocha, was Syrio-Jacobinic bishop of Kottayam
in Malabar. On July 29th 1889 he consecrated Joseph Ren Vilatte,
who took the name Mar Thimoteus I. He was born in 1854 and was
ordained on June 7th 1885 as a priest of the Swiss 'Christkatholische
Kirche', a branch of the 'Altkatholische Utrechter Union'. Vilatte then
proceeded to consecrate a vast number of bishops, but these
consecrations and the Orders he founded were not recognized by the
Jacobite Church, the Syrian-Antiochan Church or the Roman Catholic
Church.
Omitting dates and full details, the following line of succession leads to
the Reuss-O.T.O.: Alvarez, Vilatte, Gulotte, Hussay, Giraud and
Joanny Bricuad (after July 21st 1913). Villatte died in 1929. It should
be noted that Vilatte was never a member of any 'Gnostic' Church.
(b) On September 21st 1890 (?) a new church appeared overnight in
France: Jules-Stanislas Doinel (8.12.1842-16.3.1902)
founded L'glise Gnostique based on his encounters with 'Mother
Mary"' as a medium; he called himself Patriarch 'Valentin II'. Doinel
had close friends within Theosophy, for example Lady Caithness. [4]
In 1892 Grard Encausse "Papus", who was also a Theosophist,
entered Doinel's church.
In 1894 Doinel surrendered his office to the Martinist Leonce-Etienne
(Eugene) Joseph Fabre des Essarts "Synesius" (1848-1917). In 1901
Bricaud became involved; on June 24th that year Theodor
Reuss became Martinist 'Inspecteur Spcial' for Berlin; Papus had

refounded Martinism in 1891, and was now its chief. In 1906 the
Church's name was changed to 'glise Gnostique de France'. The
Church adopted a form of Mass that was described as being similar to
the "old Catholic tradition".
In 1907 Patriarch des Essarts died and Joanny Bricaud (now 'Jean II')
took his place. But in 1908 a Gnostic schism occurred: the branch at
Lyon under Bricaud took yet another new name; 'glise Gnostique
Catholique' (EGC). Then it changed again becoming the glise
Gnostique Universelle (EGU). Meanwhile the original Paris glise
Gnostique of Paris had been taken over by Leon Champrenaud
"Thophane" though it later disintegrated under Paul Genty "Basilides"
in 1926. It is still not certain if Genty was the 'Basilides' who was said
to have consecrated Arnoldo Krumm-Heller, or if Krumm-Heller meant
E.C.H. Peithmann, who had the same Gnostic motto.
(c) Papus remained faithful to his Patriarch Bricaud. In 1911 glise
Gnostique Universelle became the official church of Papus' Martinist
movement. In 1912 Bricaud made Reuss a "Lgat Gnostique"
although Bricaud did not receive a valid apostolic (Vilatte) succession
until 1913.
After Papus died in 1916, Charles Dtr took over both Memphis
Misraim and Martinism; both were then taken over by Bricaud when
Dtr's death in 1918. With a remarkable repetition of the Gnostic
Church's 1908 split, the French O.T.O. fell asunder in 1918.

O.T.O. Gnostics and Templars

"The 'sacramental' understanding of apostolic succession of
consecration is understood as the laying on of hands (in the milieu of
a religious service or otherwise) conferring a particular rle; the
document that records this act (the 'instrumentum consecrationis')
only had a subordinate rle. This is in distinction to (pseudo-)
Masonry, where the document (the 'Charter' or 'Warrant') has decisive
(or even much greater) value, and the act of consecration itself varies,
and is to that extent subordinate." [5]
On March 15th 1908 [6] Reuss sent 'Papus' a Memphis-Misraim
charter, but it mentioned neither the O.T.O. nor the EGC. On June
24th 1908, Reuss bestowed charters on Papus, Dtr and Bricaud,
which still only mentioned MM titles. [7]
On April 21st 1912 Aleister Crowley received a charter from Reuss

that nonetheless made no mention of the EGC. [This is important

because some alleged Crowley- successors still pretend that Crowley
was head of a traditional Gnostic Church related to the O.T.O. while
he was only Head of his own created church]. As Bricaud got his first
'traditional apostolic' succession from Giraud in 1913, any possible
consecrations in the period before that would only have been of a
spiritual nature. Papus died in 1916.
At some stage in 1917 Reuss translated Crowley's "Gnostic Mass"
into German for "the Gnostic Neo-Christian O.T.O.". In his
introduction, Reuss spoke of "the lofty teachings of the holiness of the
Divine Organ," and "the godliness of the earthly act of generation, as
a parallel of the original divine act of generation." He claimed
that "Therefore an act of love consummated under the control of the
will in God, is a sacramental deed, a 'mystical wedding with God', a
communication, a self-union with God. The holy Mass is a ceremonial,
symbolic manifestation of a mystical union of man with God." [8]
Reuss described himself in the postscript to this translation
as "present Head of the Gnostic Neo-Christians [...] Sovereign
Patriarch and Primate of the Gnostic Church", and at the same time
as only "Gnostic Legate of the Universal Gnostic Church of France for
Switzerland" [9] under Patriarch Joanny Bricaud's leadership. Yet in
the same breath he spoke of the latter as identical with the former;
quite why remains uncertain. Had Reuss planned to found an
independent EGC?
In H.J. Metzger's edition of this "Gnostic Mass" Reuss's references to
Bricaud, Baptiste, Clement and himself are missing.
Reuss made Bricaud (33, 96) "dlegu gnrale" of the O.T.O. for
France on September 9th 1919; Reuss also granted Bricaud the
power to found a Sovereign Sanctuary of the MM 95 in France for the
first time, since the charter he had given to Encausse and Dtr in
1908 had not been adequate for this. [10] In return, Reuss was
made "lgat gnostique pour la Suisse" by Bricaud on September 18th
1919.
Bricaud and Reuss then revealed their idea of introducing Crowley's
Gnostic Mass as a Gnostic religion for the 18 of the Scottish Rite, at
the Zurich Masonic Congress in 1920. This led to the final rupture
between the O.T.O. and Freemasonry.
In 1921 Bricaud's stationary bore the legend "glise Chretienne
moderne Nognostique" which was highly reminiscent of
Reuss's "Construction programme and guiding principles of the Neo-

Christian O.T.O.". [11]

One O.T.O. Mass no Church doth make

"Even if this ritual [Crowley's "Gnostic Mass" or "Liber XV"] were a lot
more satisfactory from both a catholic and a Gnostic point of view, one
would be forced to say: 'one Mass no church doth make' ... While
there may be honorary degrees of Masonic orders conferred at a
distance or 'on sight', this cannot be done in an ecclesiastical
succession." [12]
Neither Reuss nor Crowley had been ordained in person; ever since it
has proved impossible to verify their assertions that they had
somehow received 'valid' ordinations. However W.B. Crow was
appointed a Patriarch by Crowley in 1944 by post (see below).
Although many O.T.O. groups have claimed that Reuss and Crowley
had been 'Bishops' and 'Patriarchs' of the Gnostic Catholic Church,
and considered the office of 'Patriarch' a prerequisite for the OHO, this
still leaves a pressing question about the authenticity of such an
assertion. Robert Amadou, in his capacity as an expert on French
secret societies, had this to say:
"1. In the matter of the OTO, I am not competent to judge, as
the subject is strange to me. 2. So I do not know if Reuss
and/or Crowley ever received an episcopal consecration in the
apostolic succession. 3. So far as the story of the Gnostic
Church in France is concerned, I can nonetheless confirm that
to the best of my knowledge, there is no proof or even any
record (a) that Papus ever received any consecration, apart
from Jules Doinel's in 1892; or (b) that Jean Bricaud ever
consecrated Crowley as a bishop ." [13]
The Crowley expert Gerald Yorke said: "Members of the OTO under
either Reuss or Crowley were not "ex officio" members of the Gnostic
Church in which neither they nor [Karl] Germer were bishops." [14]
So by 1912 Reuss had not gained a spiritual succession as a bishop
from either 'Papus' or Doinel, whatever he may have claimed.
Whether Reuss's MM and O.T.O. charter for Crowley of 1912 was in
effect a bishopric as well or not it was Bricaud who first got an
apostolic succession from Giraud on July 21st 1913. [15] The question

arises as to whether Reuss' MM/O.T.O.-charter to Crowley in 1912

(where the term "O.T.O." was put in AFTERWARDS!) could be
interpreted as evidencing the conferring of gnostic apostolic
succession or not. Since Bricaud only received valid consecration via
Giraud for EGU after July 1913, his appointing Reuss a gnostic legate
in 1912 was not apostolic.
Did Bricaud consecrate Reuss after 1913? If so, did Reuss consecrate
Crowley between 1913 and 1914 while they were in London? Did they
ever meet afterwards (for example after 1918)? If Reuss did ordain
Crowley as an apostolic bishop, it can only have been after July 21st
1913 that the succession might be passed on. After Crowley went to
America in 1914, Reuss published a translation of Crowley's essay
"Honesty is the best Policy" in May 1915; in the foreword, Crowley is
only mentioned as Grand Master of the O.T.O. for England. [16]
In the same year Crowley dedicated his "The Giant's Thumb" (New
York, 1915) to "the most holy King of the whole Earth, most Reverend
Father in the Lord of the Gnostic Catholic Church, Frater Superior
O.H.O. of the religious and military order of the temple oriental and
occidental" that is, to Reuss. No evidence has since come to light
that Reuss and Crowley ever saw each other face to face after this.
At the beginning of 1919 Reuss was re-appointed as Bricaud's
'Gnostic Legate'; once again, the repeated claims that this involved
being ordained as a bishop beg the question of whether Reuss then
consecrated Crowley in turn for after 1917, whatever the assertions
to the contrary, Reuss employed no further Thelemic O.T.O. rituals, if
ever at all. Crowley's diaries between 1914 and 1920 make no
mention of ordination as a bishop, or any meetings with Reuss. And
when Crowley did describe himself as OHO in his diary on November
27th 1921, he did not mention an ordination, nor is any such claim to
found anywhere else in his diaries.
Reuss' O.T.O.-statutes of 1917 (of which Crowley's 1919-version,
Liber LII, only abbreviates versions already published in 1912 and
1914) do not equate O.T.O. with the Gnostic Church. Crowley's
version only says that the "wisdom and the knowledge" of several
organisations including the Gnostic Church should be
incorporated in the O.T.O., but NOT the organisations themselves.
Crowley wanted to annex Reuss' office of the OHO and started to
quarrel with him. A few days after Reuss forbad him to mix Thelema
with the O.T.O., Crowley noted in his diary on 27 November 1921: "I
have proclaimed myself O.H.O. Frater Superior of the Order of
Oriental Templars."[One month later, Reuss publicly announced
himself and Arnoldo Krumm-Heller the heirs to Carl Kellner, that is
OHO of the O.T.O.]. Reuss also tied in with Spencer Lewis'

A.M.O.R.C. and told him that Crowley was expelled from the O.T.O..
In November 1921, Reuss definitely got rid of Crowley and separated
Thelema from the O.T.O. Every thelemic O.T.O. from now on only is a
breakaway group from the original O.T.O. Most Thelemites are
fervently anti-Christian, so why should they care even if they claim
succession from Papus, Bricaud & Co. who certainly were gnostic
Christians rather than Thelemites? Valentianism and Catharism which
were the foremost inspiratory sources for Doinel & Co. do not involve
any "spermatikhos" speculations or practises.
Karl Germer, Crowley's heir (in this O.T.O. version), reported that
Reuss allegedly met Crowley in 1922 in Palermo, Italy (near Cefalu),
but this has not been substantiated by documents or diaries.
See also Stephan Hoeller: Position Paper Concerning the
Thelemite or Crowleyan Gnostic Churches. About the
importance of magical succession without schisms; about valid
and proper intention of consecrations, and that one Mass no
Church doth make
Crowley visited Bricaud at Lyons in 1924, and described him "as a
kind of Jesus Christ" (according to Henri Birven's account in Metzger's
"Oriflamme", N 120 of April 1972). But apparently no ordination
seems to have taken place, despite the fact that Bricaud had wanted
to introduce Crowley's "Liber XV" as the Masonic religion in 1920), no
doubt in view of Crowley's expressed antipathy to Christianity (e.g. in
"The Gospel According to George Bernard Shaw").

E.C.H. Peithmann and O.T.O.

Pastor Dr. E.C.H. Peithmann "Basilides" (3.5.1865-4.7.1943, died at
Sdhemmern) was a member of the Grail Order (founded in 1893) into
which he introduced sex-magical practises. [17] After his departure
from the Grail Order, he became the founder of an "Old Gnostic
Church of Eleusis" dedicated to the "transformation of sexual
energy" and the "liberation of the seed from servitude."
In 1904 Peithmann produced a "Gnostische Katechismus" which bore
a close resemblance to the 1899 "Catchisme Expliqu de L'glise
Gnostique" of Louis-Sophrone Fugairon "Sophronius", and the 1907
"Catchisme Gnostique" of Bricaud. 'Sophronius', who had already

been consecrated by des Essarts in 1903, was later Bricaud's Bishop

of Prague.
More on Peithmann's Correct Gnosticism
In 1923 Gustav Meyrink began to take an interest in Peithmann. [18]
From his documents Ruben Pilares Villa discovered that Peithmann
had passed the succession on to Krumm-Heller. [19]
"I was ordained Bishop of the Gnostic Church [in 1930] according to
the ordained pattern, and some weeks after a congress held in
London by the high dignities of the Ancient Gnostic Church, I decided
to revive this church from dormancy. I visited Patriach Basilides, and
he confirmed my powers to create congregations and parishes" in
Spain and America." [20]
Peithmann made a point of distancing himself completely from
Crowley in 1929, but according to his article 'Gnosis', published
posthumously in Metzger's "Oriflamme" N 141 for January 1974, he
was well acquainted with consecration ceremonies and grades
bearing a close resemblance to those of the O.T.O. and the Golden
Dawn.
"The most important event in the Gnosis must be
viewed as sex-magic [...] proliferation of the glands
in puberty or the intercellular tissues occurs
because of nourishment of the germ-cells. Since
this results in stimulation of the ductless glands,
the rejuvenation of the body is a visible
consequence [...] In future this will be imparted at
the 'Gnostic Rejuvenation Home' at Sdhemmern
under the direction of Dr. E.C.H. Peithmann."[21]
"I swear before the omniscient and omnipresent
God, that I will keep secret all the books, lectures,
writings and communications received from the
gnostic School in Sdhemmern; and that I will
abstain from fleshly lusts, and seek and lead a
pure sex-life; that my sole aim shall be my own
improvement, my fellows' welfare, and God's
honour." [22]
In March 1933 Peithmann was expelled from
Germany by the authorities, and fetched up in the
USA. From there he never once contacted his
followers by letter.

"Towards the end of last year [1986] the last living

member (85 years old) died. Sadly, Peithmann
never got back in touch with the members of his
School even after the war. [?]" [23]
This last remaining pupil was visited by Dieter Heikaus and Ewald
Dorpheide of the Ordo Saturni, in 1986.
Metzger appealed to his readership through the "Oriflamme" "to
furnish us with your biographical knowledge of Peithmann and
Kurtzahn." [24] (See Howe & Mller op. cit., p. 181).
Ernst Tristan Kurtzahn, (b. 29.11.1879 in Knigsberg) was an
enthusiastic Ariosophist [25] and author of such books as "Die
Rosenkreuzer", and "Der Tarot" (both published in 1920).
After 1920 Kurtzahn used the motto "Daiytanus" [26] and participated
at Reussian O.T.O. chapters. In the national publication "Der
Weltloge" (N 1 of 1924) Kurtzahn was announced as 'Ecclesiarch' of
the Gnostica Ecclesia Catholica, according to Horst E. Miers. [27]
Nonetheless Miers believes that Kurtzahn did not simply become a
member of the Fraternitas Saturni (which seems perfectly possible in
view of the forty Pansophical members of the original FS), but also coauthored Grosche's "Magical Letters", as well as "Saturn-Gnosis", and
even assisted with the draft versions of the FS's rituals. [28]
In 1925 Kutzahn's "Die Gnostiker und die unsichtbare Kirche" ("The
Gnostics and the Invisible Church") [29] appeared; in its table of
contents were such chapters as "The mysteries of sex-magic",
"Mysteries of death", and "The opposite Gnostic poles: Woman and
the Devil".
English translation: The Gnostics. About the Gnostic
Catholic Church, Androgyn + Gynandria, E.C.H. Peithmann,
Peryt Shou, and theimmissio membri virilis in vaginam in
avoidance of the ejaculatio seminis.
Kurtzahn introduced the use of a cross "+" in Order mottos, which was
somehow meant to signify that the person concerned had "disclosed
the presence of the hermaphrodite soul in themselves." [30] Thus
Metzger changed his motto into "+ H. Josephus M.", to resemble
Kurtzahn's version "+ E. Tristan K." In the book Kurtzahn made many

mentions of sex-magic, and described the Gnostica Ecclesia Catholica

as "Eclesia [sic] Mystica et occulta." [31] There was no trace of Reuss
or the O.T.O. in the text itself, but in the publisher's announcements at
the front of the book, the "Gnostic Mass" and the O.T.O. "Construction
Prgramme" were advertised under the rubric "Books about Gnosis."

"The ten
offices of the
EGC are
called: 1.
Catholic 2.
Apostle 3.
Hierophant 4.
Patriarch 5.
Epibomo 6.
Primate 7.
Metropolitan
8. Archbishop
9. Bishop 10.
Presbyter." [3
2]

Herbert Fritsche and H.J. Metzger's Ordo

Templi Orientis
After Bricaud's death in 1939, Constant Chevillon became the heir to
the Gnostic Catholic Church in other words to the glise Gnostique
Universelle. Ordained on January 5th 1936, Chevillon came from the
Villatte line of succession. What he and Reuss's likely heir Hans
Rudolf Hilfiker had thought of the O.T.O. may be read in the chapter
about them. In 1938 Chevillon consecrated R.S. Clymer, and KrummHeller in 1939.
"Dr. Krumm-Heller was Bishop of the Gnostic Church, using the
English Ritual, and by the death of Peithmann was designated as the
Patriarch of the Gnostic Church for Germany-Austria." [33]

After Chevillon was murdered by the Gestapo on

March (?) 23rd 1944, his Order's archive was sent by a
Monsieur de St. Vincent to Swinburne Clymer in the
United States. [34] Shortly before his death, KrummHeller is alleged to have ordained Herbert Fritsche,
who then in turn ordained Metzger (who only had
documented proof of his later ordinations) which in this
case went hand in hand (that is hand on shoulders)
with the supposed leadership of the F.R.A. Markus
Kumer, a former Metzger loyalist, had undoubtedly
seen Fritsche's handwritten ordination certificate for
Metzger, but none from Krumm-Heller for Fritsche. [35]

While Reuss's Gnosticism tended towards Manichanism, KrummHeller leant more towards the Barbelo-gnostics. At Metzger's 'Priest's
Seminary' in Stein, the Gnostic scripture "Pistis Sophia" was
considered worthy of study. [36] This institution's "Curriculum"
included every possible religion, besides directing particular students
into a course in "Thelemic theology." The questionnaires included in
this curriculum not only asked about one's favourite colours, but also
about one's "life-goal."

At various times
the media
published
photographs
of Hermann
Joseph Metzger's
altar of the Swiss
Gnostic Catholic
Church. [37]
More photographs
and altars and
temples.

In October 1957 Metzger was ordained as a 'bishop' by Fritsche, with

Anita Borgert as a witness.
Seven weeks before his death on the Spring Equinox of 1960,
Fritsche passed his position as 'Patriarch' of the EGC on to Metzger.
Fritsche died on June 20th 1960 at the Hospital for Nervous Diseases
at Haar in Munich coincidentally, this was the same day as
Metzger's birthday. From now on it was said that the "Patriarchate of
EGC this dignity he [Metzger] derived from Chevillon, murdered by
the Gestapo in 1944, who was himself the successor of Joanny

Bricaud." [38] Now on Metzger's headed stationery, one might find a

green symbol of the Equinox, with underneath it the phrase "Priorat
Helvetia", and next to that "Gnostisch Katholische Kirche", and
underneath that "glise Catholique Gnostique Universelle" as well.
On the question of the succession Friedrich-Wilhelm Haack said of
Metzger: "His forerunner in church offices [Fritsche] ended his life in a
Bavarian psychiatric hospital. This was hardly the time or the place to
ordain a bishop. Although the present-day Master of this Order has
frequently written and spoken of his titles and has himself
performed ordinations however he has never (to the best of my
knowledge) produced any ordination documents." [39]
"The EGC demonstrates the unity of all rituals [...] it is called
Catholic [...] because it is all-inclusive," [40] "it is an Ecclesia Sancta
Catholica," [41] and "it is the original Minerval Church of the Ordo
Illuminatorum," [42] since "the final ranks [of the Psychosophical
Society] correspond to the priesthood of the EGC. They are the
Illuminati." [43]

Metzger wasn't the first person to try and join various Orders
and churches up. The former O.T.O. member under Theodor
Reuss's gis, P. Ch. Martens [44] stated: "The motto is
'Through the Cross to the Crown'. The symbol is the brazen
serpent crucified in the desert." [45] When the first convocation
of EGC priests took place in 1902, the hierarchy looked like
this: "Candidate, Minerval, Magus, Grand Master, Priest,
Sovereign (Reuss), Custodian (Engel), Areopagus." [46]
Obviously Martens mistook the Order of
Illuminati with everything else under Reuss.

"To regain the stolen and misused reproductive power, and to restore
it to its proper place, is the work of the Great Mother of the WorldSoul." [47]
"Do not embrace a naked Marianne or Melusine; she is Nuit
herself." [48]
"The solution exists in removing one's seed from its terrestrial destiny,
and returning it to its original source." [49]
"The ends of all the nerves are in the reproductive organs, provided
by nature for greater sensitivity, generated by the completion of the
sanctified process of union the orgasm." [50]

Metzger left Eugen Grosche in the dark about his conception of

the "greatest secret" of the O.T.O., in a letter of October 23rd 1950: "I
will neither confirm nor deny anything." Karl Germer himself knew no
details about Metzger's position on the O.T.O. degrees involving sexmagic: "What I would like to know is to what extent he possesses the
secret literature of the VII, VIII & IX, and knowledge. So far he has
been cautious and careful not to say too much." [51]
Adolf Hemberger made the following revelation after the appearance
of Horst Knaut's scandalmongering reports: "Fr. Paragranus
emphatically seperates himself and his OTO from any exoterically
practised sex-magic." [52] The "Gnostic Mass" of Walter Englert's
apostate" O.T.O.-IO "was orientated towards the Cult of Isis." [53]

OUTSIDE
On Krumm-Heller's further lines of Gnostic succession, the Chapter on
the Fraternitas Rosicruciana Antiqua should be consulted. However
Roberto de la Caridad Toca y Medina should be mentioned at this
point, with reference to his succession via one Johannes Mller Rider.
Gabriel Sanchez Gavria spoke additionally of a certain Seor Carlos
V. Gonzales from Argentina in this connection, besides somebody
named "Isidoro". [54]
On July 2nd 1977 an Italian from Florence called Loris Carlesi "Tau
Johannes" of the Chiesa Gnostica Italiana was entered "in the list of
Brothers"for Metzger's Ordo Illuminatorum; Carlesi's line of succession
was enumerated thus Bricaud, Blanchard, Mnard, Ambelain,
Brunelli. [55] Metzger never returned the Italian rituals that "Caro
Fratello Johannes" had lent him, even though a "collaboration" would
have been "auspicious". [56] Meanwhile, a member of Metzger's
assemblage of orders called Ian Semmel, originally from Germany,
lived in Madrid.

Lucien-Franois Jean-Maine
Since no documentary evidence is available, I only can outline the
alleged history as given in several sources (e.g. listed at the end of
this article.

Born in Haiti on January 11th 1869, Jean-Maine was ordained in Paris

on August 15th 1899 by Paul-Pierre de Marraga (of the 'Ecclesia
Cabalistica-Gnostica de Memphis-Misraim') and Manuel Lopez de
Brion. [57] He was then ordained by Joanny Bricaud (or possibly
'Papus'?) in 1907 or 1908, and re-ordained by either Bricaud or
'Papus' on November 1st 1918 (or 1919). [58]
However, in none of the old French EGC/EGU- or O.T.O.-magazines
is his name mentioned. [Facsimile of those magazines in "Ecclesia
Gnostica Catholica"]
The successions preceding Marraga and Brion cannot be elaborated
further here on grounds of space, although their line was supposed to
descend from a certain "Tau These I" of the 'glise Hieroglyphique
des Imagiers' of 1710. [59]

Hector-Franois Jean-Maine
Hector-Franois was born in Haiti on November 18th 1924, and was
ordained on January 27th 1949 by Robert Ambelain; he was ordained
again on January 25th 1953, this time by his father Lucien-Franois,
Henri Dupont, and Ambelain. Ambelain ordained him yet again on
November 11th 1959; as if this wasn't enough, he was ordained into
the glise Gnostique Universelle as well, by Miguel Sanchez-Marraga,
Jos Marraga y Adhemar and Carlos Adhemar, on November 2nd
1963 on the same day that Jose Ortier Sanchez y Marr aga
ordained him into the Neo-Pythagorean Gnostic Church. HectorFranois Jean-Maine received ordinations from Michael Paul Bertiaux
on November 2nd 1968, and from Marc-Antoine Lully (though this time
he ordained Lully in return).

Michael Paul Bertiaux

Bertiaux was born on January 18th 1931 (at
three minutes to nine in the evening) in
Seattle into a family of Theosophists. While
his father (described as being of AngloNorman and French stock) was interested in
Zen Buddhism, his mother (Canadian by
birth) was a Spiritualist. Bertiaux studied
philosophy and history at the Jesuit
University in Seattle, received instruction in
philosophy at Tulane University in New
Orleans, and learnt about theology at the
Anglican Theological Centre in Vancouver.
[60]
Bertiaux was christened and confirmed as a Roman Catholic, but was
ordained into the priesthood of the protestant Episcopalian Church on
June 24th 1963. On August 15th that year Hector-Franois JeanMaine appointed him as a bishop at the 'Arc-en-ciel' Lodge, at
Petionville in Haiti. [61] At this time Bertiaux was working at Port-auPrince as a philosophy teacher for the Church of England. [62] In
Seattle he became an Anglican Church Commissioner, even though
he was maintaining contacts with Voodoo priests in Haiti. Not
surprisingly, he departed the Anglican fold in 1964, and moved to
Wheaton, Illinois, to work for the Theosophical Society. The TS's
president in America at this time was Dr. Henry Smith; both he and his
wife Joanna were interested in magic and Spiritualism Joanna was
a medium. [63] Haitian immigrants began to gather round Bertiaux,
and he soon devoted most of his attention to them. During the 1980's
was staying in Japan, and devoted himself to the Shinto religion.
Below are enumerated the various lines of succession that Bertiaux
received:
Basilides Line: 25.1.1966 from H. F. Jean-Maine und Jose Marraga y
Adhemar. 10.8.1967 from Roland Merritt Shreves. 25.12.1967 from
Marc-Antoine Lully. 31.8.1968 from Pierre Antoine Saint-Charles.
Valentinus Line: 29.6.1973 from Jean-Maine, Adhemar and Jose
Sanchez y Marraga. 16.6.1979 from Forest Ernest Barber (Liberal
Catholic Church and Mariavite Order). 14.11.1985 from Jorge
Rodriguez (besides Bricaud, Blanchard, Menard, Ambelain, Mauer,
Pommery, Vital-Herne, Roger Victor-Herard (according to the obituary

of 16.8.89 for the "Primate of the Gnostic Catholic Church"), as well as

the succession descending via Krumm-Heller, Rider, and Toca).
Together with these, Bertiaux mentioned also a "Russian Orthodox
from the Patriarchate of Moscow (Patriarch Tikhon to Bishop Ofiosh in
1917)". [65]
Gnostic Churches that are offshoots of Bertiaux's activities appear in
Spain: Lamparter's Ecclesia Gnostica Latina with a succession from
the line of S.A. Hller, Barber, and Rosa Miller. Lamparter's version of
the "Gnostic Mass" was held on each "third day of the feminine
menstruation", it was a performance, wherein wine (blood) and bread
(semen) became magically transubstantiated. [66]
In Italy activities were expanded under the guidance of Nevio Viola (in
co-operation with Roberto Negrini in the Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica
Latina), or else under Paolo Fogagnolo, who had split away from his
Order brethren in an attempt to build up his own international
organisation; it was intended as a collaboration between all French
Gnostics and O.T.O. enthusiasts. (Details on the Italian scene can be
found here).
In Yugoslavia the 'Ecclesia Gnostica Alba' was led by Zivorad
Mihajlovic Slavinski "Tau Orfeo Aivaz I"; he had been ordained by
Bertiaux in 1977, and was appointed as X for Yugoslavia on June
22nd 1990, by the 'Typhonian' O.T.O.'s Kenneth Grant and Michael
Staley.

Stranded O.T.O. Bishops

In the 'Caliphate's' church newsletter "Gnostic Gnews" Vol. 1 N 3,
(California 1989, 4) readers would have seen in 1989 the two
suppositious lines of apostolic succession claimed by the 'Caliphate':
[67]
a. 'Papus', Reuss, Crowley, McMurtry, Breeze.
b. Vilatte, Lines, Boyle, Wadle [plus the Mathew succession],
William W. Webb [!], Lully, Bertiaux, Hogg Jr., Breeze.
(Facsimile of a pertinent letter signed by Breeze can be found
in "Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica")
In conformity with its newly-favoured Christian image, the 'Caliphate'
inaugurated new offices of Bishop, Priest, and Deacon.

As to point (a), although McMurtry's consecration is supposed to

have arrived through the post with the 'Caliphate Letters' from
Crowley, there is no mention of this in any of these letters. Martin Starr
said: "I consider this 'apostolic succession' argument to be utterly
absurd, and have nothing whatsoever to do with the O.T.O. of
Crowley, which is founded on Thelema, not the Roman Catholic
Church [...] Crowley was not a Bishop of the Gnostic Catholic
Church [...] Crowley never "consecrated" McMurtry ANYTHING!" [68]
And: "All pre-existing Masonic orders were considered to be
subsumed in the OTO, and so he had no need for them [...] For
Crowley, Gnostic = Thelemic." [69]
There is as little mention of anything about churches or ordination in
Reuss's 1912 Charter for Crowley, as in the so-called 'Caliphate
Letters'. There is still no proof that 'Papus' ordained Crowley, beyond a
solitary reference to the O.T.O. in Berlin and London in 'Papus's'
magazine "Mysteria" during 1913; although Reuss was living in
London at this time. Moreover, Jean-Maine's name does not appear in
any of the French Gnostic or O.T.O. publications.
As to point (b), William Wallace Webb "Damon" consecrated Lully by
letter in 1967; Lully then introduced Bertiaux into this succession. The
highly complex links between Ronald Powell (who also called himself
'Richard Duc de Palatine'), Herman Adrian Spruit, Paul Wadle,
Stephan A. Hller and Forest Ernest Barber have had to be omitted on
grounds of space.
Jack B. Hogg Jr. was ordained on June 2nd 1968 by Bertiaux,
assisted by Lully. He was consecrated again on July 24th 1970 by
Bertiaux, Frank Lopez O'Brien and Antonio Paez. On August 15th
1973 Bertiaux' OTOA officially accepted the Law of Thelema. On
August 12th 1974 Hogg ordained William Breeze - today the 'Caliph'.
Again, on July 27th 1980, Hogg was ordained by Bertiaux and JeanMaine. Breeze himself makes no appearance in the OTOA journals
produced at this time ("The Mirror of Misraim", after 1974
"Labyrinthos", and then "Instrumentum").
W.W. Webb stated: "I did give Bertiaux and Lully confirmation to
Bishop, by letter, so they would be Legal in the state of Illinois, to
satisfy them at that time [...] 1966 or 67." [70] "Wadle never made me
a Bishop", [71] merely into a Deacon of the "American Catholic
Church." [72]
The Gnostic Catholic Church Boast or How William Breeze lost his
Apostolic Succession
Breeze's response when charged being 'pre-ordained' through the

post was "I don't particularly care", [73] though he subsequently

revised all his church publications and the ceremony for ordaining
bishops to cover his further progress. In the meantime people were
reassured with the following claim: "Elevation to the Sovereign
Sanctuary of the Gnosis [IX O.T.O.] "ipso facto" makes one a Bishop,
and leadership of such a body "ipso facto" makes one a
Patriarch." [74]

Armchair O.T.O. Bishops and Kitchen-Sink

E.G.C. Priests
"The Gnostic Catholic Mass (Liber XV) is the central ritual, public and
private, of the OTO (9.05.A)." [75] "The GCC is [...] the Religious
aspect of OTO." [76]
Regarding Crowley's antidemocratic, racist and misanthropic writings,
followers point out: "The reason [...] aspects of Thelema are
omitted [in public discussion] indicates the actual problem with
presenting Thelema as a religion and attempting to get Thelema
sanctioned by the government or approved by the public: Thelema is
ultimately in contrast to and transgressive of normative society.
Thelema rejects the morals and values of normative society and acts
to transgress and violate these norms. From the inclusion of
intoxicants in ritual, to the positive view of sexuality, which frequently
is seen as promoting promiscuity, to the proauthoritarian and
Nietzschian aspects of Thelema, normative society has much to reject
in Thelema and conversely, Thelema encourages its adherents to
reject most aspects of normative society.". See The Templar's Reich.
The 'Caliphate's' view of the relationship between the O.T.O. and the
GCC (EGC) was as follows: "While the OHO is certainly also the
Patriarch of the EGC, one does not have to be a member of the
O.T.O. to become a priest or bishop in the EGC. On the other hand, a
member of the III is simultaneously a fully ordained priest in the
EGC". [77]
Breeze: "Note that the other groups that appear in the Oriflamme FRA
and EGC, are also component groups of O.T.O." [78]
"So far as the GCC is concerned, each national Church is
independent; if he wishes, the Chief can call himself a Patriarch, but
the OHO is the 'Pope'." [79]
"The Constitution of the E.G.C. makes the Caliph Patriarch of the
E.G.C., which is technically illegal in the United States." [80] Although
the basis for this statement was the legal incorporation of the EGC on

October 12th 1979 at Berkeley in California, why hadn't Breeze

registered the 'Caliphate' H.Q. in New York as the O.T.O. (at the time
when he was living there)?
"The Father (or Mother) of the Church has the authority to modify the
Gnostic Catholic Mass to suit special functions and occasions, to set
recommended guidelines for its proper performance, and to issue
recommendations for the preparation of the sacraments
(9.05.B)." [81]
Although the 'Caliphate' accepted Metzger as X (as in the "OTO
Newsletter" N 3 of December 1977), and although no member of the
'Caliphate' had seen a performance of Metzger's interpretation of the
"Gnostic Mass": "The Swiss lodge adaptation of the Gnostic Mass is
generally held to be too Christian and too tame by the most OTO
members." [82]
It was around this time that the 'Caliphate' issued instructions to its
members to do with preparing 'Cakes of Light' (the Crowleyan name
for the Hosts used in the "Gnostic Mass"). If the ingredients included
semen, vaginal secretions, and/or blood, they were to be baked at a
temperature of at least 160 Fahrenheit, to remove all traces of HIV.
[83] (Perhaps this was an error for 160 Centigrade, since 160
Fahrenheit would not bake anything; that would make the correct
temperature 325F, or Gas Mark 3).
"Bishops from affiliated or distant branches of the Gnostic Catholic
Church with or without an historical connection with the OTO may
affiliate with the OTO upon mutual recognition (9.04.B)." [84] This
happened, for example with Lamparter, former OHO of the
OTOA: "We [...] will register your ordination [...] This confers
ecclesiastical membership in O.T.O." [85]
After that the 'Caliphate' swarmed with 'Priests' and 'Bishops'. Norbert
Straet recalled, for instance: "I was ordained by Bill Breeze and Lon
Milo de Quette ('Archbishop' of the E.G.C.) as a bishop". [86] 'His
Grace' de Quette was supposedly shot at during the course of a
performance of a Crowleyan Mass on November 15th 1987, [87]
which however was a 'Caliphate' joke, since in 1991 de Quette
undertook bishop-consecrations in Europe.
Reference is made to the EGC on page 16 of the Laws of the
incorporated 'Caliphate' in Aachen. The Church's Patriarch was placed
on an equal footing with the OHO, and even talked of "valid and
documented apostolic and episcopal succession." [88]

The Great Gnostic Catholic Church Scandal

Then displeasure became audible within the 'Caliphate': "Ideally there
should be no need in this on for a Priestcraft that ministers to some
superstitious people and locks them down with some dogmatic
tradition of authority [...] stuff coming out concerning the role of
Bishops and the EGC all these rules and regulations for what a
Bishop does and doesn't do [...] I wonder if all the officers in the Mass
are really capable of handling the Mass." [89]
The embarrassing question as to whether "some are holier than
others by virtue of being touched by the right hands," engendered "no
interest in the sort of Vatican politics [...] the pompous, pious and
repressive power-over-you attitudes I encounter from officers of the
EGC." [90] Elaine Pagels' "The Gnostic Gospels" [91] which was
published at this time, cast a good deal of new light on the original
functions of a Gnostic bishop for the 'Caliphate'.
The use of purely Christian terms like "Bishop", "Catholic", "Holy
Father", and the apparent obsession with traditional apostolic
succession apparently left many 'Caliphate' members nonplussed.
Some began to ask questions; what would Crowley have thought
about such carryings-on? The 'Caliphate's' new "By-Laws" adhered
neither to Reuss's spirit nor Crowley's, and offered but a pale imitation
of Reuss's presentation of the O.T.O. as a "neo-Christian society."
As a result of all these discontented rumblings, Breeze abruptly
realised that there was "no evidence in Crowley's or Reuss'
papers" to "support the usage 'Bishop' in OTO." [92] This Gnostic
"volte-face" stayed on the back-burner for at least a year, until on
October 1st 1991 it was announced that the "Holy Ghost" played a
part in the ordination of bishops, and that therefore it now regulated
the 'Caliphate', and was introduced as part of the VII. Whether this
new perception resolved the urgent question of 'authentic ordination'
within the 'Caliphate' remains unanswered; Phyllis Seckler still
equated the 'Caliphate's' Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica with the
'Universal Gnostic Church', [93] which only served to provoke further
interminable arguments. Put on the alert as a result, Mrs. Seckler tried
to prevent her name appearing in this study with threats of legal
action. [94]
The whole story of why the 'apostolic succession', by laying on the
hands, was banned in 'Caliphate' has not been told. David Scriven in

an article in 'Red Flame, A Thelemic Research Journal No.2' was

jabbing at what the Order 'now' calls Auxiliary Bishops. It's referring to
the antics at Thelema Lodge which used to be very, very anti-William
Breeze in the mid-to-late-eighties. Many of the members hated their
Patriarch. It was no secret they resented someone from the East
Coast (New York) taking over the Order after McMurtry's death. They
thought William Heidrick (or someone else from California) should
have assumed the position and this attitude was fueled by Heidrick's
behind the scene activities to that effect. Thelema Lodge, although it
has a figure-head type of Lodge Master, has always been Heidrick's
Lodge and in many ways, still is. In the "old days" a Bishop was made
by 'the laying on of hands.' Each Bishop, although in the Gnostic
Church, was autonomous or self-ruling believing strongly in the Creed
of the Wandering Bishops. This came back to haunt Breeze who made
a lower degree member named David Jones, then Lodge Master of
Thelema Lodge, a Bishop. Jones later turned on him. He started
making 'everyone' a Bishop by the laying on his hands - for a price.
Sadly, many 'bought' their Bishophood for $3.33 and it's no secret Mr
Jones and others were simply trying to defy the then newly appointed
Frater Hymenaeus Beta (= Breeze), which should say it all. The
'Caliphate' had to put a stop on making Bishops in this fashion and
said officially it was no longer recognizing such Bishops. They feared,
if a hostile Thelema Lodge was making Bishops like water, it would
only be a matter of time before they would be the controlling number
of Bishops within the Gnostic Church and not Breeze. The question
then arose, "What to do with all these renegade Bishops?" Thus the
Order created the term Auxiliary Bishop. This is a term hated by those
individuals in the Bay Area who hold the title because it implies that
they are not FULL O.T.O. Bishops, a fact they constantly try to hide. To
be a FULL Bishop within the 'Caliphate' (now) you must be a VIIth.
The majority of the Auxiliary Bishops were below Fourth Degree and
few of them have ever risen up to become full Bishops.
As the Vilatte-'apostolic succession'line that Breeze claimed until 1990
had turned out to be bogus, in 1993, David Scriven was seeking
consecration as a Bishop under Bishop Robert Cokinis and Bishop
John Cole (both EGA).
The EGA USA is in concordat with Bishop Stephan Hoeller of
California, even though his lineage is through Duc de Palatine.
Scriven's request was turned over to Hoeller, and nothing ever
came of this. Before they would ever consecrate anyone, the
issue of Intent would have to be clearly established to be in
conjunction with their purpose. Dioceses are in the midwestern
bible belt, and great care must be taken to ensure that the EGA
is not mislabeled as a thelemic church.

Scriven nevertheless seeked consecration into the EGA and in

1996 found so through Jorge Rodriguez.
Rodriguez was consecrated an EGA bishop by Roger St.-Victor
Herard. Rodriguez later left the EGA to found his own church,
Eglise Catholica Apostolica Orthodoxa. He caused quite a lot of
problems for the EGA and the fact that he left was welcomed.
The consecration by Rodriguez is not considered valid by any
EGA bishops. Rodriguez has been working outside the guise of
the E.G.A., so the E.G.A feels that he doesn't have the right to
be making Gnostic Bishops even though he shares the same
succession that they share. To quote a passage from Bishop
Hoeller "We ordain clergy for our own jurisdiction and not for
"independent" activities on their own. The Ecclesia has no
interest in expansion for its own sake, rather it prefers to have
a few parishes led by properly trained priests of true Gnostic
commitment." The EGA has very stringent regulations for
consecration (e.g. above mentioned issue of Intent). Also, the
bull of election is most important. For a valid consecration,
there must be a bull of election signed by at least three of EGA
Bishops. Rodriguez did not even initiate a bull of election for
Scriven at all. No wonder that only Jack B. Hogg Jr. and
Jorge Rodriguez are named as "Bishops in Amity" in the official
list of the active 'Caliphate'-Gnostic Church members.
Study a version of Stephan Hoeller's Mass that was modified
by the EGA's late Primate, Roger St. Victor Herard (Tau
Charles). Up to that point, The E.G.A had used a French mass
only, and the English mass was basically the Roman mass with
a few slight alterations.
AND
Motta's EGC was led in Canada by a certain "Dominus Harlechinus",
of whom however nothing further is knowm. [95]

W.B. Crow OHO of the O.T.O.

William Bernard Crow (b. 11.9.1895) was a biology teacher, and
had been a bishop in the Theosophically-inspired Liberal
Catholic Church until 1935, when in August 1944 he was
appointed as "Sovereign Patriarch of the Gnostic Catholic
Church and Vicar of Salomon with full right, power" etc. etc., in
a letter from Aleister Crowley. This settled the question of who
headed the church, and would thus celebrate the Crowleyan
version of the "Gnostic Mass". In an exchange of letters
between Crow and Crowley, it was agreed that in this particular
case, an apostolic succession was not required. Crow himself
ran something called 'The Temple of Holy Wisdom'. "The
psychopath [Crow] having already named himself Bishop of St.
Sophia and Grand Master of the Order of Holy Wisdom,
demanded that all bishops on the thrones of Antioch submit to
him within six months." [96]
In fact Crow did only ordaine twice after August 1944: on September
3rd that year, Henry George Brook who exchanged on May 20th 1945
consecrations with H.C. Bartlett, F.E. Langhelt, H.G. de Wilmott
Newmann and John Syer all together. On August 16th 1948 Crow
graciously permitted his followers to appoint him as Grand Heirophant
of Memphis-Misraim. His 'Ancient and Universal Rite of Cosmic
Architecture' now consisted of the 33, 90, 97, and the XII O.T.O.;
Crow publicly referred to the 12-degree OTO system as expanded by
Crowley, which has already been mentioned several times in the
present work. The XII was identical with the office of OHO... exactly
as William Breeze copied it today.
On April 4th 1972 Crow ordained one Kermit William Poling "Mar
Titus", who was already Patriarch of the 'Orthodox Catholic Church of
America'. It is remarkable that there is not one O.T.O. in the entire
world which seems to possess the 'Gnostic' Crowleyan line of
succession by itself.
Crow departed this life on June 26th 1976. Gregory Tillett stated
that "I became Deputy Grand Master of the Order [of the Holy
Wisdom] in 1979."[97]

The E.G.C. and the Fraternitas Saturni

Bricaud and Chevillon had early given their gnostic churches a
Christian basis, however heretical it might seem. To Reuss and
Metzger's way of thinking, the O.T.O. was an association of "gnostic
neo-Christians". But Grosche thought that "The real Gnosis had
nothing to do with Christian teachings [...] a Christian-oriented Gnosis
is today just as objectionable as a religious Spiritualism." [98] "You
can't be a Templar Christian or a Catholic Gnostic! They are both the
worst sort of mysticism." [99] Thus Grosche separated himself from
'Amenophis's' statement (a high degree FS member) that the Gnostica
Ecclesia Catholica was an "ecclesiola in ecclesia", a little church
within the Church. [100] This was a pious thought already expressed
by E.T. Kurtzahn in 1925 [101], and then by Metzger in 1963. [102]
"There is no doubt that Grosche/Gregor A. Gregorius had no proper
theological training; he followed an already outdated form of extreme
theological rationalism derived from Rnan. The 20th century liturgical
movement that sought to blend the knowledge of the Mystery
Religions with ecclesiastical forms as in Theosophy and the Liberal
Catholic Church, Anthroposophy and the 'Christengemeinschaft', or in
Roman Catholicism with the Benedictine Odo Casel and his 'Theology
of the Mysteries' all this passed straight over Grosche's
head." [103]
Dieter Heikaus, the Mariavite Bishop of the Gnostic Catholic Church in
Germany (which apparently only had an existence in the OS circulars)
and Grand Master of the Ordo Saturni, used these circulars to found a
'Secular Saturn Monastery', at the Spring Lodge meeting in 1990.
[104] Grosche had already talked about this Monastery,
built "according to Saturnian" laws, in his "Bltter fr angewandte
okkulte Lebenskunst" (N 44 of September 1953); before the Second
World War certain FS brothers from Brx in Austria, and the
Obersalzberg (where Hitler had his retreat), had placed building-site at
his disposal.

Metzger's O.T.O. and Christendom

"The Roman Church is just one Order among many." [105] "The

greatest treasure that mankind has ever gained is Christ's

teaching." [106]"Christmas Eve brings Light [...] through Night to
light!" [107]
One of Metzger's innumerable titles read thus: "+ H. Josephus M.,
Patriarch of the Holy Gnostic-Catholic Church 'Ecclesiola in
Ecclesia'." In his "Oriflamme" N 28 of June 1963, after the death of
Pope John the 23rd Metzger tearfully recorded: "we are
touched." When Pope Paul the 6th was enthroned, Metzger sent a
congratulatory telegram to the Vatican; the Swiss Ambassador to the
Vatican was informed. [108]
"Metzger wished his EGC to be known as an ecumenical
movement." [109] However, he did not express this wish to the
established churches, and the Evangelical-Lutheran Bishop of Bavaria
wrote to him in dismissive terms: "The centuries-old tradition that you
claim for your group bears no relationship to fact. Hence your group
has nothing to do even with other groups of similar names. Your
activities are not supra-confessional. Nothing is known of your claims
about your 'ecumenical collaboration' with other churches, and there
is no church in the Ecumen that maintains any sort of contact with
you." [110] The office of the See of St. Gallen added: "that on our part
we have never expressed any opinion to do with the Psychosophical
Society." [111]
In reality, what Metzger meant by 'ecumenical' was almost entirely
predicated on his association with one Erich-Viktor Beyer "Father
'Adalbert Maria'", who had been born on September 4th 1911 in
Danzig. Authorities recorded that he lived in Germany, at Bhringen
near Radolfzell, and that he had spent many years as a "wandering
Russian Orthodox monk", gaining admission to Catholic monasteries,
convents, and other institutions, where he celabrated High Masses in
Latin and had got hold of the fees for these Masses. [112]
"Metzger called him a 'one-man monastery'." [113] Beyer died as a
result of a heart-attack, and was buried at the Ostfriedhof in St. Gallen
on December 19th 1967; a large delegation from the Stein Abbey of
Thelema participated at the event, resplenently clad in their Order
robes, led by 'Episcopus' Metzger. [114]
In Beyer, Metzger saw an "uncompromising ecumenical [...] this
wandering charismatic bore his burden with stoical equanimity from
the North Sea to the Mediterranean, and from east to west." [115]
"One time that he was with us [Paul R. Audehm and Walter Englert] in
Frankfurt, he said in deadly earnest about M[etzger] who was

sitting at the same table 'He is a devil'. They were both on the way
to Wiesbaden, and both of them had a sword in their
baggage [...] There must have been a secret Templar convent in
Wiesbaden, but not the OMT, where we'd heard of the former General
of the Order [Heuser] [...] In 1968 at Englert's house, many Catholic
Sisters from Frankfurt came to see Beyer [...] This 'Father
Strangelove' was buried according to the 'Gnostic Catholic Rite' in the
presence of everyone from Stein, so I heard." [116]
Because Metzger's telegram to the Pope "had been noticed, in 1963 I
began a colllaboration with Prof. Dr. P. Gebhard Frei [117] (d.
27.10.76) for research and to collect information." It was detected how
many Hosts Metzger used in his Masses: "1963-1967 = a total of
3,000 Hosts," [118] "obtained by the Thelemites from a genuine
Catholic convent. The incense-grains had already been opportunely
supplied by the Chief Sacristan of St. Gallen Cathedral. And the wine
for the Mass, says Hermann Josef Metzger, came directly from the
Bishop." [119]

"GNOSTIC-CATHOLIC CHURCH, Zurich, N

64610. Church Wedding: The church wedding of
the bride and groom [Walter and Uta Englert]
[...]was performed on the 31st of May 1964 in
the Rosy+Cross Church of Zurich by His
Eminence Bishop Josephus." [120]
The Chief of Police for Zurich Canton believes
that this marriage was worthless in civil terms;
however Metzger didn't actually break any laws.
[121]

When Fritz Blanke's book "Kirchen und Sekten" ("Churches and

Sects") appeared in 1963, with its statement that "the Psychosophical
Society has allowed the ritual of a blaspheming Mass to be printed" (p.
91) they raged in Stein against this "Ukase from a professorial
priest." [122] Blanke died in 1966, and in 1976 the Psychosophical

Society opined that "Professor Blanke had [...] given us friendly advice
up until his death."[123]
The Professor's son could not supply any further details: "I know of no
other statements of my father's" book (Letter of 18.11.86). Oswald
Eggenberger was then requested not to mention the O.T.O. and EGC
in the next edition of his guide "Kirchen, Sondergruppen und religise
Vereinigungen" ("Churches, Independent Groups, and Religious
Societies)" because "it is only a question of a tiny membership." [124]
After announcements about the EGC appeared in the "Kirchenbote
der Stadt Zrich" ("Zurich City Church Courier"), one reader wrote in
enquiring about it. The paper's reply describing the O.T.O., saw it as
being "a remarkable muddle" and a "supermarket of religions", while
its references to primitive Christianity were "pure folly". ("Kirchenbote
der Stadt Zrich", December 1964).
On Horst Knaut's appointment by F.-W. Haack, the "Oriflamme" (N
132 of 1973) complained to the Bishop of the established Evangelical
church". Haack had this to say: "The established Church generally did
not respond to this matter, because that kind of initiative was not
taken too seriously." (Letter of 15.9.86).
On dealing with those who resigned from a church, from the Christian
perspective: "Resigning from a church is never required,
notwithstanding someone's devoting themself to particular groups by
themself (here the Psychosophial Society is meant, which considers
itself as the successor to the Rosicrucians)." [125]
"Provided the people from the Abbey of Thelema [...] made no claims
being a proto Christian Society with a religious tradition, then one
could afford to ignore them." [126]

Notes to Chapter Fifteen of "Das O.T.O.

Phnomen" (1994)
1. The Gospel according to Mark, Chapter 12, verse 40.
2. Metzger: "Erleuchtete?", Zurich 1964, p. 190.
3. Metzger, introduction to "Ecclesiae Gnosticae Catholicae
Canon Misse", Zurich 1955, p. 4.

4. Forestier, op. cit., p. 63; Joscelyn Godwin: "Theosophy in

France", London 1986.
5. Reinhard Schubert, author of "Quis et unde?", Bremen 1983;
letter of 22.2.93.
6. Caillet, op. cit., p. 46; 33 see Clymer, op. cit., Vol. II, p. 254.
7. Renewed verbally on 9.6.1908, confirmed in writing; Encausse
was 33, 90, 96, while Dtr was 33, 90, 95. Caillet, op. cit.
p. xx.
8. Reuss's translation of Crowley's "Gnostic Mass", "Die
Gnostische Messe", Schmiedeberg 1918, p. 8. The preface
was reprinted in Metzger's "EOL-Mitteilungsblatt" N 40, Stein
1957, p. 2.
9. ibid., p. 43.
10. Bricaud to unknown correspondent, 19.5.1921; Caillet, op. cit.,
p. xxxiii.
11. Schmiedeberg 1920 and in "AHA", February 1992.
12. Stephan A. Hller: "Position Paper concerning the Thelemite or
Crowleyan Gnostic Churches", no place or date, pp. 5 & 7; also
im "Arohn" Vol. 4 N 3.
13. Amadou, letter of 31.3.90.
14. Yorke to Englert, letter of 31.5.69.
15. Forestier, op. cit., p. 167.
16. "Das Gesicht Englands beleuchtet von einem Englnder. Die
Hand Russlands. Ins Deutsche bertragen und herausgegeben
von Th. R." ("The face of England examined by an Englishman.
The hand of Russia. Translated into German and edited by Th.
R.") Schmiedeberg 1915, p. 4.
17. Miers: "Lexikon des Geheimwissens", Munich 1986, p. 174.
18. Frans Smit: "Gustav Meyrink" Munich 1988, p. 155.

19. Letter of 12.3.90.

20. A. Krumm-Heller in "Revista Rosa-Cruz" Vol. IV N 3, Berlin
1930, pp. 229 & 232. Here Krumm-Heller called Leadbeater's
Theosophical church a "fraudulent invention", which aped the
Roman Catholic church. On Leadbeater see Gregory Tillett's
"The Elder Brother", London 1982.
21. E.C.H. Peithmann (under the alias 'Gnosticos') in "Zentralblatt
fr Okkultismus", Leipzig 1929, pp. 326 "ff". He also wrote
under this alias about "Tibetanische und gnostische Magie",
Leipzig 1931/32, p. 566.
22. Hermann Rehwaldt: "Das Schleichende Gift", Munich 1935, p.
53.
23. Ewald Dorpheide, alias 'Heliodor', the Ordo Saturni's secretary,
letter of 16.2.87.
24. Metzger's "Oriflamme" N 142, Zurich 1974, p. 1624.
25. "Die Runen als Heilszeichen und Schicksalslose", Bad
Oldesloe 1924 (Ammerland, no date).
26. Thus in "Der Tarot", Hamburg 1920, p. 5 (reprinted Berlin
1985). H.C. Birven maintained that this book was "appeared to
be a translation of extracts from Papus's 'Tarot' done by Dr.
Hummel"; Birven in his "Der Tarot", Gelnhausen 1960, 14.
Kurtzahn himself referred to Hummel, op. cit., p. 3.
27. Miers, letter of 1.5.89.
28. Miers, "Lexikon", p. 243.
29. "Dedicated to Brother Basilides", references to Peithmann on
pp. 81 & 110.
30. "Die Gnostiker und die unsichtbare Kirche", pp. 72 & 113.
31. op. cit., p. 107.
32. Ernst Tristan K.: "Die Gnostiker", Schmiedeberg 1925, p. 113.
Reappeared via Frater 'Amenophis' in "Bltter fr angewandte
okkulte Lebenskunst" N 57, Berlin 1954, p. 12.

33. Reuben Swinburne Clymer: "Book of Rosicrucians",

Pennsylvania 1949, p. 268. "Merlin" N 3, 1949, p. 56.
34. Clymer, Book I, Quakertown 1946, no page-number.
35. Conversation on 8.9.91.
36. Conversation with Markus Kumer (of Metzger's OTO) on
16.9.91. The 'Pistis Sophia' is in Carl Schmidt: "KoptischGnostische Schriften", Volume 1, Leipzig 1905 (4th edition
Berlin 1981).
37. "Quick" N 29, Hamburg 1929, p. 30; there was no Stele of
Revealing, instead a sort of trinitarian icon. But in Haack's "Von
Gott und der Welt verlassen", Dsseldorf 1974, it appears with
a Stele.
38. Francis King: "Sexuality, Magic and Perversion", London 1971,
p. 194. This resembles Metzger in "Erleuchtete?", Zurich 1964,
p. 193.
39. Haack: "Gottes 5. Kolonne," Augsburg 1976, 214. "Von Gott
und der Welt verlassen," Dsseldorf 1974, 124
40. Metzger's "Oriflamme" N 52, Zurich 1965, p. 524
41. ibid., N 28, Zurich 1963, p. 326.
42. ibid., N 98, Zurich 1970, p. 1096.
43. ibid., N 26, Zurich 1963, p. 302 and "Erleuchtete?", Zurich
1964, p. 46.
44. Martens funded a Fleur-de-Lys Order in 1906.
45. Martens: "Geheime Gesellschaften", 1924, p. 61 (Fleur-de-Lys
Order, p. 214). Also quoted in Glowka's "Deutsche
Okkultgruppen", p. 54.
46. Martens, "Geheime Gesellschaften", 1918, p. 169. This addition
was missing in the 1924 edition.
47. Metzger's "Oriflamme" N 103, Zurich 1970, p. 1156.

48. "EOL-Mitteilungsblatt" N 47, Stein 1958, p. 7.

49. Metzger's "Oriflamme" N 143, Zurich 1974, p. 1638.
50. "EOL-Mitteilungsblatt" N 50, Stein 1958, p. 4.
51. Germer to Friedrich Mellinger, letter of 8.7.1951.
52. Hemberger: "Pansophie und Rosenkreuz", Vol. II N 1, Giessen
1974, pp. 44 & 54.
53. ibid., p. 96.
54. Letter of 7.9.92.
55. Massimo Introvigne, November 1989.
56. Metzger to Loris Carlesi, letter of 22.1.78.
57. Bertiaux, Letter of 1.7.91.
58. To date no such document has appeared.
59. Monastery of the Seven Rays "4th Year Course", no place or
date, but probably mid-1970's.
60. "Abrasax" N 21, Texas September 1993, p. 5.
61. "Instrumentum" II:1, Magazine of the OTOA, 1978, 22
62. Bertiaux, letter of 22.4.91.
63. Bertiaux to Steve ?, letter of 5.1.1975.
64. Grant, "Outside the Circles of Time", p. 16.
65. Bertiaux to Rafal T. Prinke, letter of 28.2.84.
66. Lamparter, letter of 4.2.91.
67. California, p. 4.
68. Starr, letter of 9.12.87.

69. Starr, letter of 7.1.88.

70. William W. Webb, letter of 17.10.89.
71. Webb, letter of 6.3.1990.
72. Corroborated by Stephan A. Hller, who was ordained a priest
by Wadle in 1959: "I consider it prima facie impossible that
Bishop L.P. Wadle consecrated W.W. Webb." letter of 22.1.90.
73. Breeze: "Magical Link" Vol. III N 4, dated "Winter 1990", p. 27.
74. "Bystander" Vol. I N 4, December 1986; and Allen H.
Greenfield (OTOA and 'Caliphate'), letter of 15.8.1990.
75. "By-Laws", March 22nd 1987, p. 36.
76. "OTO Newsletter" Vol. III N 9, Berkeley 1979, p. 64.
77. Norbert Straet, letter of 10.11.86.
78. Breeze via Straet, letter of 11.3.87.
79. Straet, letter of 30.12.86. A similar attitude was taken in
Metzger's domain, according to a conversation with Markus
Kumer on 8.9.91.
80. "Aurora Borealis" Vol. 1 N 9, Edmonton 1986, p. 8.
81. "By-Laws", p. 36.
82. "OTO Newsletter" II, 1=5, 1978, p. 43.
83. "Magical Link" Vol. I N 6, 1987, p. 42; and "Thelema Lodge
NL", January 1991 p. 1420. "By-Laws", p. 35.
84. By-Laws, 35
85. William Breeze to Lamparter, letter of 15.8.87.
86. Straet, letter of 11.9.89.
87. "Magical Link" Vol. II N 1, 1988, p. 112.

88. Addition of 27.7.92.

89. "Bahlasti Papers" Vol. IV N iii, New Orleans, November 1989.
90. ibid., January 1990.
91. New York, 1979.
92. "Magical Link" Vol. 5 N 3, which appreared in February 1992,
pp. 1
93. Seckler: "In the Continuum" Vol. V N 1, Oroville 1992, p. 23;
the originator of this claim was James A. Eshelman.
94. Letter of 21.9.92.
95. 'Harlechinus' to Walter Jantschik, letter of 9.8.80.
96. Plazinksi, "Krummschwert", p. 35.
97. Gregory Tillett, letter of 14.8.92.
98. "Bltter" N 57, Berlin 1954, p. 15.
99. "Bltter" N 96/58, p. 17.
100.
"Bltter" N 57, Berlin 1954, p. 11. More on this in Trutz
Rendtorff: "Ethik, Grundelemente, Methodologie und
Konkretionen einer ethischen Theologie" Vol. II, Stuttgart 1991,
p. 62.
101.

"Die Gnostiker", Schmiedeberg, p. 110.

102.

Metzgers' "Oriflamme" N 28, Zurich 1963, p. 335.

103.

Heikaus, letter of 22.9.91.

104.

This may refer to Heikaus's new house.

105.

Metzger's "Oriflamme" N 20, Zurich 1962, p. 230.

106.

"Ketzerbrevier" N 5, Zurich 1958, p. 8.

107.
Christmas card for 1965, signed Metzger and Frulein
Aeschbach. Similarly in "Ketzerbrevier" N 5, Zurich 1958, p. 8.

A hand-written Christmas card dated 25.12.61, to Karl and

Sascha Germer was signed by Metzger and Frau Borgert.
108.
Haack got an expert opinion (costing 373 Deutschmarks
and 60 pfennigs) from one Klaus Bhring (a private
detective?). Oscar Schlagsnubbed Haack on 19.10.72.
109.

Metzger's "Oriflamme" N 92, Zurich 1968, p. 967.

110.
Bishop Hermann Dietzfelbinger to Metzger, letter of
21.5.73. Quoted by Knaut, "Testament des Bsens". p. 164.
The judgement was based on comments made by Haack on
14.5.73.
111.

Bishop's office of St. Gallen, letter of 9.10.86.

112.
Heinrich Metzler: "Vertrauliche Mitteilungen", flyer, no
place or date, but "circa" 1968.
113.

Audehm, letter dated 8 July 1988

114.

Haack: "Gottes 5. Kolonne", Augsburg 1976, p. 241.

115.

Metzger's "Oriflamme" N 128, Zurich 1972, p. 1455.

116.

Audehm, letter of 8.7.88.

117.
Gebhard Frei: "Das Wirken der Finsternis heute",
Rschlikon 1957, p. 5.
118.

H. Metzler: "Vertrauliche Mitteilungen".

119.

Knaut in Quick N 29, Munich 12.7.72, p. 30.

120.

Haack: "Gottes 5. Kolonne", Augsburg 1976, p. 214.

121.

Letter to Haack on 22.1.74.

122.

"Erleuchtete?", Zurich 1964, p. 135.

123.

Metzger's "Oriflamme" N 132, Zurich 1973, p. 1506.

124.
Haack demanded that both Metzger and Aeschbach
should apologise to Eggenberger &c., on 4.11.72. Haack
himself felt that he'd been treated less than well by Frulein

Aeschbach; letter to Metzger of 27.5.74.

125.
"Handbuch der religisen Gemeinschaften", Gtersloh
1979, p. 547. Similarly from a Christian perspective: "Lexikon
der Sekten, Sondergruppen und Weltanschauungen",
Freibourg 1990.
126.

Haack, "Gottes 5. Kolonne", Augsburg 1976, p. 216.

Due to the most complicated interconnections of dates and events I

must refer the reader to the following sources. When not footnoted in
the text I refer to these books.
Data without references are from:
Alan Bain: "Bishops Irregular", Bristol, 1985.
G Ward, Bertil Persson, Alan Bain: "Independent Bishops", Michigan
1990.
Gordon J. Melton: Encyclopedia of American Religions, Detroit 1987.
Henry R.T. Brandreth: "Episcopi Vagantes", London 1947.
P. Anson: "Bishops at Large", London 1964.
R.S. Clymer: "The Book of Rosicruci", Vol. I Quakertown 1946; Vol.
II 1947; Vol. III 1949. (As opposed to Clymer's "Rosicrucian
Fraternities in America").
Serge Caillet: "Franc-Maonnerie", Paris 1986.
Gerard Galtier: "Maonnerie Egyptienne", 1989.
Ren Le Forestier: "L'Occultisme en France... L'Eglise Gnostique",
Milan 1990.
Robert Amadou's foreword in Jean Kostka: "Lucifer Dmasqu",
Geneva 1983 (originally 1895).
Ivan de la Thibauderie: "Eglises et Evques Catholiques non
Romains", Paris.
Jan Steperov (Prvost): "La Succession Apostolique", Paris 1992.
Edmund Platzinski: "Mit Krummschwert und Mitra", Augustin-Buisdorf
1970.
F.-W. Haack: "Gottes 5. Kolonne", Augsburg 1977.
Haack: "Freibischfliche Kirchen", Munich 1980.
Haack: "Religion und Dekoration", Munich 1990.
Karl Frick: "Licht und Finsternis II", Graz 1978.
Ellic Howe & Helmut Mller: "Merlin Peregrinus", Wrzburg 1986.
Lines of succession in as published in "AHA" magazine, November
1991, p. 6ff.; facsimile in Koenig: "Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica", 1998

Translated and adapted from a chapter on the O.T.O. Protagonists

in "Das O.T.O.-Phnomen" (1994) by Mark ParryMaddocks German original online. A very tiny outline can also be
found in the English "O.T.O. Rituals and Sexmagick" (1999)
More reading at the gnostique.net

More about all this in Andreas Huettl and Peter-R. Koenig: Satan
Jnger, Jger und Justiz

The Threepenny Gnostic Opera with

charters of e.g. Manuel Cabrera Lamparter,
William W. Webb et. al.
History of the Gnostic Churches related to
the O.T.O. and O.T.O.A.
Ken Ward
The Italian O.T.O. never hade more than 12
members
Technicians of the Sacred
Der O.T.O.A.-Reader contains a lot of
further picture material
The Gnostic Lineages of the O.T.O.A. and
related organisations and Churches
"Ljuben je zakon" or "ljubav pod
voljom"? O.T.O. and O.T.O.A. in former
"Yugoslavia"
Anti 'Caliphate' hunt in Serbian Papers
O.T.O. groups and O.T.O.A. in Italy
The History of the XI and the Choronzon
Club
A letter of Michael P. Bertiaux to Gary M.
Kelly / Martin
My O.T.O.A. 1987-1991
How William Breeze lost an Apostolic
Succession
The Typhonian O.T.O., with material from
Maggie Ingalls on the Ma'at-Continuum

Spermophag
y
Spermo-Gnostics
The Secrets
Correct
Gnosticism
Smoke gets in
your Aiwass, I and II
Nosferatu's Baby

Regarding Aleister
Crowley's
antidemocratic,
racist and
misanthropic
writings, followers
point out: "The
reason [...] aspects
of Thelema are
omitted [in public
discussion]indicat
es the actual
problem with
presenting
Thelema as a
religion and
attempting to get
Thelema
sanctioned by the
government or
approved by the
public: Thelema is
ultimately in
contrast to and
transgressive of
normative society.
Thelema rejects
the morals and
values of
normative society
and acts to
transgress and
violate these
norms. From the
inclusion of
intoxicants in
ritual, to the
positive view of
sexuality, which
frequently is seen
as promoting
promiscuity, to the
proauthoritarian

and Nietzschian
aspects of
Thelema,
normative society
has much to reject
in Thelema and
conversely,
Thelema
encourages its
adherents to reject
most aspects of
normative
society.". "Journal
of Thelemic
Studies", 1;2,
2008, page 40.
See The Templar's
Reich.

Discussions
on the
Nature of the
O.T.O.
Phenomeno
n
Ecstatic Creation
of Culture
Deutsche
Version: Eksta
tische
Erzeugung
von
Kultur [overdu
bbed version]
Die
kommerzielle
Plnderung
der okkulten
Leitfossilien.

Version 2011.
Traduo
portuguesa: C
riao
Exttica de
Cultura.
The
McDonaldisation of
Occulture
Deutsche
Version: Die
McDonaldisati
on der
Okkultur
Das Internet
im
Spannungsfel
d potentieller
Schpfung.
Version 2011.
Halo of Flies
Use of the
Internet
Playgame of an
O.T.O.Fatamorgana:
Statistics,
Censorship, Name
Dropping
Traduction
franaise: Jeu
de rle d'une
O.T.O.Fatamorgana.
Traduzione
italiana: La
versione playgame di un
O.T.O.Fatamorgana
Gaps in the
Script of Esotericism:
Hypocrisy and
Hypercrisis
Fetish, Self-

Induction, Stigma
and Rleplay
Traduction
franaise: Fti
che, autoinduction,
stigmatisation
et jeu de rle.
Traduzione
italiana: Il
feticcio, lautoinduzione, lo
stigma, il
gioco di ruolo.
Tlumaczenie
polskie: Fetys
z. Rytualy.
Resocjalizacja
: Tozsamosc
przez
stygmat.
Autoindukowa
na
schizofrenia.
Odgrywanie
rl.
Le pouvoir
createur [en franais]
Saturn-Gnosis
Saturn's Art of
Living and Loving
Sexmagic and
the Fraternitas
Saturni