BAPHOMETXI

LiberCXCIV
{Book194}
O.T.O.

AnIntimation
withReferencetothe
ConstitutionoftheOrder
ThisIntimationispresentlybeingimplementedintheUnitedStates themostsignificantrecentdevelopmentwastheinstitutionof
theElectoralCollege.UnliketheConstitutionproper,whichhasadecidedlyinternationalemphasis,mostofitsclausesgovern
nationaloperations.ThisIntimationshouldbecloselystudiedinconjunctionwiththeConstitution,theOpenLetterandother
relevantpaperspublishedinthisvolumebythosewhoareconcernedwiththefuturedirectionoftheO.T.O.,intheUnitedStates
andabroad.ItfirstappearedinTheEquinoxIII(1)(Detroit:Universal,1919).Paragraphnumbershavebeensuppliedforreference
purposes,anditisfollowedbyasynthetic,diagrammaticrepresentationoftheIntimationspreparedbytheNewYorkConstitutional
StudyGroup. H.B.
IssuedbyOrder:BAPHOMETXIO.T.O.,HIBERNIAEIONAEETOMNIUM
BRITANNIARUM,REXSUMMUSSANCTISSIMUS
ANYPROVINCEOFTHEO.T.O.isgovernedbytheGrandMasterandthosetowhomhedelegateshisauthority, untilsuchtimeastheOrderis
established,whichisthe casewhenitpossesseselevenormoreProfess Housesin theprovince.Thentheregularconstitutionisautomatically
promulgated.Thequotationisslightly adaptedfromanaddressinoneoftherituals.
1.ThisistheConstitutionandGovernmentofourHoly OrderbythestudyofitsBalanceyoumayyourselfcometoapprehensionofhowtoruleyourown
life.For,inTrueThings,allarebutimagesoneofanothermanis butamapoftheuniverse,andSocietyisbutthesameon alargerscale.
2.LearnthenthatourHolyOrderhasbutThreeTrue GradesasitiswritteninTheBookoftheLaw:The Hermit,TheLover,andtheManofEarth.
3.Itisbutforconveniencethatthesegradeshave beenseparatedintoThreeTriads.
4.TheThirdTriadconsistsofthedegreesfrom MinervaltoPrinceofJerusalem.TheMinervaldegreeisaProloguetotheFirstthedegreessubsequentto
theThirdbutpendantstoit.Inthis,theManofEarthseries,therearethenbutThreeDegreesandtheseThree areOne.
5.TheManofEarthtakesnoshareintheGovernmentoftheOrderforheisnotyetcalledupontogivehislifetoitinserviceandwithusGovernmentis
Service,andnothingelse.TheManofEarthisthereforeinmuchthepositionofthePlebianinRomeinthetimeofMeneniusAgrippa.Butthereisthis
markeddifferencethateveryManofEarthisencouragedandexpectedtopushontothenextstage.Inorderthatthefeelingsofthegeneralbodymay
berepresented,theMenofEarth choosefourpersons,twomenandtwowomen,fromamong themselves,tostandcontinuallybeforethefaceofthe
Father,theSupremeandHolyKing,servinghimdayand night.Thesepersonsmustnotbeofhigherrankthanthe SecondDegreetheymustvolunteer
forthisserviceat theconclusionofthatceremonyandthereforetheygiveuptheirownprospectofadvancementintheOrderforone year,thatthey
mayservetheirfellows.Thisisthenthe firstlessoninourgreatprinciple,theattainmentofhonourthroughrenunciation.
6.ThedegreeofKnightsoftheEastandWestisbuta bridgebetweenthefirstandsecondseriesbutitis important,forinthatgradeanewpledge
formmustbesigned,andthenewKnightvowedtodevotehislifetotheEstablishmentoftheLawofThelema.
7.ThemembersoftheFifthDegreeareresponsiblefor allthatconcernstheSocialwelfareoftheOrder.Thisgradeissymbolicallythatofbeautyand
harmonyitisthenaturalst ppingplaceofthemajorityofmenandwomenfortoproceedfarther,aswillappear,involvesrenunciationofthesternest
kind.Herethenisalljoy, peace,wellbeingonallplanestheSovereignPrince RoseCroixisattachedequallytothehigherandthe lower,andformsa
naturallinkbetweenthem.Yetlethimlooktoitthathiseyesaresetonhigh!
8.InthisdegreetheMostWiseSovereignofeach chapterwillappointacommitteeoffourpersons,twomen andtwowomen,toarrangeforallsocial
gatherings, banquets,dances,theperformanceofplays,andsimilarpleasures.Theywillalsoendeavourtopromoteharmony amongtheBrethreninall
possibleways,andtocompose anydisputesbytactandfriendlinesswithoutformal appealbeingmadetoanymoreauthoritativetribunal.
9.Thenextgrade,thatwhichliesbetweentheFifthandSixthDegrees,iscalledtheSenate.Thisisthefirstofthegoverningbodies,properlyspeaking,
and herewebegintoinsistuponRenunciation.Forwithin thisbodyistheElectoralCollegeoftheO.T.O.
10.Theprincipleofpopularelectionisafatal follyitsresultsarevisibleineverysocalleddemocracy.Theelectedmanisalwaysthemediocrityheisthe

safeman,thesoundman,themanwhodispleasesthemajoritylessthananyotherandthereforeneverthe genius,themanofprogressand
illumination.
11.ThiselectoralcollegeconsistsofElevenPersonsineachcountry.IthasfullcontroloftheaffairsoftheMenofEarth,appointingLodgeMastersatwill.
IthashowevernoauthorityovertheChaptersofRoseCroix.
12.PersonswhowishtobeappointedtothisCollegebytheSupremeandHolyKingmustvolunteerfortheoffice.TheappointmentisforElevenYears.
Volunteers mustrenounceforthatperiodallfurtherprogressinthe Order.Theymustgiveevidenceoffirst rateabilityin
i(i)Somebranchofathletics.
(ii)Somebranchoflearning.
13.Theymustalsopossessaprofoundgeneral knowledgeofhistoryandoftheartofgovernment,with someattentiontophilosophyingeneral.
14.Theymusteachliveinsolitude,withoutmorethanthenecessaryspeecheventocasualneighbours,serving themselvesinallrespects,forthree
monthscontinuously,onceatleastineverytwoyears.ThePresidentwillsummonthematthefourseasonsofthe year,andifnecessaryatothertimes,
whentheywill deliberateupontheaffairsplacedintheircharge.All applicationstopasstotheFifthDegreemustreceivetheirsanction.Appealfromtheir
decisionsmayhowever bemadetotheSupremeCouncil.
15.TheSixthDegreeisanexecutiveormilitarybody,andrepresentsthetemporalpoweroftheSupremeandHoly King.Eachmemberisamenableto
militarydiscipline.Singlyorinconcertwithhiscomrades,eachKnightisvowedtoenforcethedecisionsofauthority.
16.TheGradeofGrandInquisitorCommanderfollows. HereeverymemberhastherighttoaseatontheGrandTribunal,whichbodydecidesalldisputes
andcomplaints whichhavenotbeencomposedbytheChaptersofRoseCroixortheLodgeMasters.Itsverdictsarewithoutappeal,unlessamemberof
theElectoralCollegegive sanctiontotakethecasetotheAreopagusoftheEighth Degree.AllmembersoftheOrder,evenofhighergrades, aresubject
totheGrandTribunal.
17.ThenextgradeisthatofPrinceoftheRoyalSecret.EverymemberofthisdegreeisdevotedtothePropagationoftheLawinaveryspecialmanner
forthisgradeisthefirstinwhichtheBeginningoftheInmost Secretisdeclaredopenly.Hewilltherefore,byhispersonalexertions,induceonehundred
andelevenpersons tojointheOrder,beforehemayproceedtotheSeventh Degree,exceptbyspecialorderfromtheSupremeandHolyKing.
18.TheSeventhDegreeis,inmilitarylanguage,theGreatGeneralStaffoftheArmyoftheSixthDegree.From itsmemberstheSupremeandHolyKing
appointsaSupreme GrandCouncil.
19.ThisCouncilischargedwiththegovernmentofthe wholeoftheSecondTriad,orLovers.AllmembersoftheSeventhDegreetravelasSovereign
GrandInspectors GeneraloftheOrder,andreport,ontheirown initiative,totheSupremeandMostHolyKing,astothe conditionofallLodges,and
ChapterstotheSupreme Council,onallaffairsoftheSecondTriadandtothe ElectoralCollege,onthoseoftheThird.
20.TheEighthDegreeisaPhilosophicalBody.Its membersbeingfullyinstructedinthePrinciplesoftheOrder,saveinonepointonly,devotethemselves
tothe understandingofwhattheyhavelearnedintheir initiation.TheyhavepowertoreversethedecisionsoftheGrandTribunal,andtocomposeall
conflictsbetween anyofthegoverningbodies.Andthistheydouponthe greatprinciplesofphilosophy.Foritwilloftenoccur thatthereiscontention
betweentwoparties,bothof whomarerightfromtheirownpointofview.Thisisso importantthatanillustrationisdesirable.Amanissmittenwith
leprosyisitrightthatmenshould circumscribehislibertybyisolatinghimfromhisfellows?Anotherholdsbacklandorsomeothernecessity fromthe
commonuseishetobecompelledtosurrender it?SuchcasesofdifficultyinvolvedeepphilosophicalprinciplesandtheAreopagusoftheEighthDegree
ischargedwiththedutyofresolvingtheminaccordance withthegreatprinciplesoftheOrder.
21.BeforethefaceoftheAreoagusstandsan independentParliamentoftheGuilds.WithintheOrder, irrespectiveofgrade,themembersofeachcraft,
trade,science,orprofessionformthemselvesintoaGuild,maketheirownlaws,andprosecutetheirowngood,inall matterspertainingtotheirlabour
andmeansof livelihood.EachGuildchoosesthemanmosteminentinittorepresentitbeforetheAreopagusoftheEighth Degreeandalldisputes
betweenthevariousGuildsare arguedbeforethatBody,whichwilldecideaccordingtothegrandprinciplesoftheOrder.Itsdecisionspassfor
ratificationtotheSanctuaryoftheGnosis,andthencetotheThrone.
22.EpoptsandPontiffsofthisexaltedgradeare boundtoliveinisolationforfourconsecutivemonthsineveryyear,meditatingthemysteriesrevealed
tothem.
23.TheNinthDegree theSanctuaryoftheGnosisissynthetic.Theprimedutyofitsmembersistostudyandpractisethetheurgyandthaumaturgyof
thegradebutinadditiontheymustbepreparedtoactasdirect representativesoftheSupremeandMostHolyKing, radiatinghislightuponthewhole
world.Yet,fromthenatureoftheirinitiation,theymustveiltheirgloryin acloudofdarkness.Theymoveunseenandunrecognized amongtheyoungest
ofus,subtlyandloftilyleadingusintotheholyineffablemysteriesoftheTrueLight.
24.TheSupremeandMostHolyKingisappointedbytheO.H.O.Hisistheultimateresponsibilityforallwithinhisholykingdom.Thesuccessiontothe
highofficeofO.H.O.isdecidedinamannernotheretobedeclaredbutthisyoumaylearn,OBrotherMagician,thathemaybechosenevenfromthe
gradeofaMinerval.AndhereinliethamostsacredMystery.
25.TheElectoralCollegepossessesonemostsingular power.Everyelevenyears,orinthecaseofavacancy occurring,theychoosetwopersonsfrom
theNinthDegree,whoarechargedwiththedutyofRevolution.
26.Itisthebusinessofthesepersonsconstantlyto criticiseandoposetheactsoftheSupremeandMostHolyKing,whetherornotheypersonally
approveofthem.Shouldheexhibitweakness,bodily,mental,ormoral, theyareempoweredtoappealtotheO.H.O.todeposehimbutthey,aloneofall
themembersoftheOrder,arenoteligibletotheSuccession.
27.TheO.H.O.,asthesupremeauthorityintheOrder, willact,insuchanemergency,ashemayseefit.Hemayhimselfberemovedfromoffice,butonly
bytheunanimous voteofallthemembersoftheTenthDegree.
28.OftheEleventhDegree,itspowers,privileges,andqualifications,nothingwhateverissaidinany grade.Ithasnorelationtothegeneralplanofthe
Order,isinscrutable,anddwellsinitsownPalaces.
29.Therearecertainimportantfinancialobligationsinvariousgrades.
30.TheElectoralCollegeoftheSenateisvowedto poverty.Allproperty,earnings,orsalariesarevestedinorpaidovertotheGrandTreasurerGeneral.
ThememberssubsistonthecharityoftheOrder,whichis extendedtotheminaccordancewiththeiroriginalrank inlife.
31.TheseremarksapplyequallytotheSupremeGrand Council,andallhigherdegrees.
32.IntheSeventhDegreeitisaqualificationtovestsomerealpropertyintheOrderandnooneisadmittedtothisgradewithoutthispreliminary.

33.ThosemembersoftheOrderwhohavegivenallto itmustobtainthemoneyfortheirinitiationfeesandsubscriptionsfromtheThirdTriad,whose
honouristhus concernedintheunselfishsupportofthosewhohaveabandonedallfortheirsakes.
34.TheGrandTreasurerGeneralisappointedbythe SupremeandMostHolyKinghemaybeamemberofany gradewhateverbuthemust,on
acceptingoffice,takethevowofpoverty.Hisauthorityisabsoluteinall financialmattersbutheisresponsibleto,andmaybe removedatwillby,the
SupremeandMostHolyKing.Hewillappointacommitteetoassisthimandadvisehimin hisworkandhewillusuallyselectonepersonfromeach ofthe
governingbodiesoftheOrder.
SuchisabriefoutlineofthegovernmentoftheO.T.O.Itcombinesmonarchywithdemocracyitincludesaristocracy,andconcealseventheseedsof
revolution,bywhichaloneprogresscanbeeffected.Thuswebalance theTriads,unitingtheThreeinOnethuswegatherup allthethreadsofhuman
passionandinterest,andweave themintoanharmonioustapestry,subtlyanddiligently withgreatart,thatourOrdermayseemanornamentevento
theStarsthatareintheHeavensatNight.Inour rainbow colouredtexturewesetforththegloryofthewholeUniverse Seethoutoit,brother
Magician,thatthineownthreadbestrong,andpure,andofacolourbrilliantinitself,yetreadytomingleinallbeauty withthoseofthybrethren!