Ordo Templi Orientis

An Open Letter to those who may wish to join the Order

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This is an organizational regulation document issued by Aleister Crowley in his capacity as head of the Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), originally published in *The Equinox* in 1919 and later reprinted with editorial notes for American use. Structured as a quasi-legal epistle and organized by the twelve astrological houses, it codifies the mutual duties and privileges of O.T.O. members in material and social life — covering topics including financial mutual aid, lodge dues, dispute arbitration (lawsuits between members are absolutely forbidden), marriage, inheritance, treatment of servants, and care for the sick and elderly. A central thread is the practical application of Thelema's "Do what thou wilt" ethos: members are expected to prefer fellow members in business dealings, evangelise the Law to outsiders, and gradually build Brotherhood-linked commercial enterprises. Notably, the document instructs members to regard non-initiates as possessing "no rights of any kind," likening them to "troglodytes" deserving only animal-like kindness, while also directing that enemies in wartime be treated as brothers once inside a lodge. The text is of interest primarily to scholars of Western esotericism, the history of ceremonial magic orders, or Thelemic religion, as it reveals how Crowley envisioned the O.T.O. functioning as a comprehensive parallel social institution rather than merely a ritual fraternity.

An Open Letter to those who may wish to join the Order

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