Liber LXI vel Causæ

THE PRELIMINARY LECTION
In the Name of the Initiator, Amen.

1. In the beginning was Initiation. The flesh profiteth nothing; the mind profiteth nothing; that which is unknown to you and above these, while firmly based  upon their equilibrium, giveth life.

2. In all systems of religion is to be found a system of Initiation, which may be defined as the process by  which a man comes to learn that unknown Crown.

3. Though none can communicate either the knowledge or the power to achieve this, which we may call the Great  Work, it is yet possible for initiates to guide others.

4. Every man must overcome his own obstacles, expose his own illusions. Yet others may assist him to do both, and they may enable him altogether to avoid many of the  false paths, leading no whither, which tempt the weary  feet of the uninitiated pilgrim. They can further insure that he is duly tried and tested, for there are many who  think themselves to be Masters who have not even begun to  tread the Way of Service that leads thereto.

5. Now the Great Work is one, and the Initiation is one, and the Reward is one, however diverse are the  symbols wherein the Unutterable is clothed.

6. Hear then the history of the system which this lection gives you the opportunity of investigating.

Listen, we pray you, with attention: for once only does the Great Order knock at any one door.

Whosoever knows any member of that Order as such, can never know another, until he too has attained to mastery.

Here, therefore, we pause, that you may thoroughly search yourself, and consider if you are yet fitted to  take an irrevocable step.

For the reading of that which follows is Recorded.

THE HISTORY LECTION
7. Some years ago a number of cipher MSS. were discovered and deciphered by certain students. They attracted much attention, as they purported to derive from the Rosicrucians. You will readily understand that the genuineness of the claim matters no whit, such  literature being judged by itself, not by its reputed  sources.

8. Among the MSS. was one which gave the address of a certain person in Germany, who is known to us as S.D.A.  Those who discovered the ciphers wrote to S.D.A., and in  accordance with the instructions received, an Order was  founded which worked in a semi-secret manner.

9. After some time S.D.A. died: further requests for help were met with a prompt refusal from the colleagues  of S.D.A. It was written by one of them that S.D.A.'s  scheme had always been regarded with disapproval. But since the absolute rule of the adepts is never to  interfere with the judgment of any other person  whomsoeverhow much more, then, one of themselves, and  that one most highly revered!they had refrained from  active opposition. The adept who wrote this added that the Order had already quite enough knowledge to enable it  or its members to formulate a magical link with the adepts.

10. Shortly after this, one called S.R.M.D. announced that he had formulated such a link, and that himself and  two others were to govern the Order. New and revised rituals were issued, and fresh knowledge poured out in  streams.

11. We must pass over the unhappy juggleries which characterized the next period. It has throughout proved impossible to elucidate the complex facts.

We content ourselves, then, with observing that the death of one of his two colleagues, and the weakness of  the other, secured to S.R.M.D. the sole authority. The rituals were elaborated, though scholarly enough, into  verbose and pretentious nonsense: the knowledge proved  worthless, even where it was correct: for it is in vain  that pearls, be they never so clear and precious, are  given to the swine.

The ordeals were turned into contempt, it being impossible for any one to fail therein. Unsuitable candidates were admitted for no better reason than that of their worldly prosperity.

In short, the Order failed to initiate.

12. Scandal arose and with it schism.

13. In 1900 one P., a brother, instituted a rigorous test of S.R.M.D. on the one side and the Order on the  other.

14. He discovered that S.R.M.D., though a scholar of some ability and a magician of remarkable powers, had  never attained complete inititiation: and further had  fallen from his original place, he having imprudently  attracted to himself forces of evil too great and  terrible for him to withstand.

The claim of the Order that the true adepts were in charge of it was definitely disproved.

15. In the Order, with two certain exceptions and two doubtful ones, he found no persons prepared for  initiation of any sort.

16. He thereupon by his subtle wisdom destroyed both the Order and its chief.

17. Being himself no perfect adept, he was driven of the Spirit into the Wilderness, where he abode for six  years, studying by the light of reason the sacred books  and secret systems of initiation of all countries and  ages.

18. Finally, there was given unto him a certain exalted grade whereby a man becomes master of knowledge  and intelligence, and no more their slave. He perceived the inadequacy of science, philosophy, and religion; and  exposed the self-contradictory nature of the thinking  faculty.

19. Returning to England, he laid his achievements humbly at the feet of a certain adept D.D.S., who welcomed him brotherly and admitted his title to the  grade which he had so hardly won.

20. Thereupon these two adepts conferred together, saying: May it not be written that the tribulations shall  be shortened? Wherefore they resolved to establish a new Order which should be free from the errors and deceits of  the former one.

21. Without Authority they could not do this, exalted as their rank was among adepts. They resolved to prepare all things, great and small, against that day when such  Authority should be received by them, since they knew not  where to seek for higher adepts than themselves, but knew  that the true way to attract the notice of such was to  equilibrate the symbols. The temple must be builded before the God can indwell it.

22. Therefore by the order of D.D.S. did P. prepare all things by his arcane science and wisdom, choosing  only those symbols which were common to all systems, and  rigorously rejecting all names and words which might be  supposed to imply any religious or metaphysical theory. To do this utterly was found impossible, since all language has a history, and the use (for example) of the  word "spirit" implies the Scholastic  Philosophy and the Hindu and Taoist theories concerning  the breath of man. So was it difficult to avoid implication of some undesirable bias by using the words "order," "circle,"  "chapter," "society," "brotherhood," or any other to designate  the body of initiates.

23. Deliberately, therefore, did he take refuge in vagueness. Not to veil the truth to the Neophyte, but to warn him against valuing non- essentials. Should therefore the candidate hear the name of any God, let him  not rashly assume that it refers to any known God, save  only the God known to himself. Or should the ritual speak in terms (however vague) which seem to imply Egyptian,  Taoist, Buddhist, Indian, Persian, Greek, Judaic,  Christian, or Moslem philosoÿhy, let him reflect that  this is a defect of language; the literary limitation and  not the spiritual prejudice of the man P.

24. Especially let him guard against the finding of definite sectarian symbols in the teaching of his master,  and the reasoning from the known to the unknown which  assuredly will tempt him.

We labour earnestly, dear brother, that you may never be led away to perish upon this point; for thereon have  many holy and just men been wrecked. By this have all the visible systems lost the essence of wisdom.

We have sought to reveal the Arcanum; we have only profaned it.

25. Now when P. had thus with bitter toil prepared all things under the guidance of D.D.S. (even as the hand  writes, while the conscious brain, though ignorant of the  detailed movements, applauds or disapproves the finished  work) there was a certain time of repose, as the earth  lieth fallow.

26. Meanwhile these adepts busied themselves intently with the Great Work.

27. In the fullness of time, even as a blossoming tree that beareth fruit in its season, all these pains were  ended, and these adepts and their companions obtained the  reward which they had soughtthey were to be admitted to  the Eternal and Invisible Order that hath no name among  men.

28. They therefore who had with smiling faces abandoned their homes, their possessions, their wives, their children, in order to perform the Great Work, could  with steady calm and firm correctness abandon the Great  Work itself: for this is the last and greatest projection  of the alchemist.

29. Also one V.V.V.V.V. arose, an exalted adept of the rank of Master of the Temple (or this much He disclosed  to the Exempt Adepts) and His utterance is enshrined in  the Sacred Writings.

30. Such are Liber Legis, Liber Cordis Cincti Serpente, Liber Liberi vel Lapidis Lazuli and such others whose existence may one day be divulged unto you. Beware lest you interpret them either in the Light or in the  darkness, for only in L.V.X. may they be understood.

31. Also He conferred upon D.D.S., O.M., and another, the Authority of the Triad, who in turn have delegated it  unto others, and they yet again, so that the Body of  Initiates may be perfect, even from the Crown unto the  Kingdom and beyond.

32. For Perfection abideth not in the Pinnacles, or in the Foundations, but in the ordered Harmony of one with  all.