Charles Stansfeld Jones
Encyclopedia
Charles Stansfeld Jones aka Frater Achad, was an occultist and ceremonial magician. An early aspirant to A∴A∴ (the 20th to be admitted as a Probationer, in December 1909) who "claimed" the grade of Magister Templi as a Neophyte. He also became an O.T.O. initiate, serving as the principal organizer for that order in British Columbia
, Canada
. He worked under a variety of mottos and titles, including V.I.O. (Unus in Omnibus, "One in All," as an A∴A∴ Probationer), O.I.V.V.I.O., V.I.O.O.I.V., Parzival
(as an Adeptus Minor and O.T.O. Ninth Degree), and Tantalus Leucocephalus (as Tenth Degree O.T.O.), but he is best known under his Neophyte motto Achad (Hebrew "unity", אחד), which he used as a byline in his various published writings.
's A∴A∴ order. Jones' motto as a Probationer was Vnvs in Omnibvs (V.I.O.), and his supervising Neophyte was J. F. C. Fuller (Per Ardua). When Fuller later withdrew from the A∴A∴, Aleister Crowley took over as Jones' superior. Jones advanced to Neophyte, taking the motto Achad, which he was subsequently to use for most of his published writings, and by which he is best known. Jones continued his work under Crowley in the Outer Order of A∴A∴ until the former decided to "take 8=3, in case that is what the Master really needed," i.e. to claim the grade of Magister Templi in the Third Order, thus assisting Crowley's advancement to the further grade of Magus, by filling "the Master's" current position in the A∴A∴ hierarchy. (Note that—vows of obedience notwithstanding—service to a superior is not part of the A∴A∴ ethical system.) Jones took the Magister Templi obligation (i.e. "the Oath of the Abyss
") and notified Crowley.
The news came as a profound revelation to Crowley. Nine months earlier he had been involved in a set of sex-magical operations with Sr. Hilarion (Jeanne Foster) in an apparently unsuccessful effort to conceive a child. Crowley noted the nine-month interval and concluded that Jones' "birth" as a Babe of the Abyss
qualified him as the "magical child" of Crowley and Hilarion. He welcomed Jones to the Third Order, and declared him to be his "beloved son." Eventually, goaded by suggestions from Jones and impressed by his qabalistic insights into Thelema's
founding volume, The Book of the Law
, Crowley came to consider the younger man the "child" and the "one" prophesied in the book (in I:55-56 and similar passages).
and it is often mentioned in their unpublished letters.
Throughout 1917 Achad experimented with the board as a means of summoning Angels, as opposed to Elementals. In one letter Crowley told Jones:, "Your Ouija board experiment is rather fun. You see how very satisfactory it is, but I believe things improve greatly with practice. I think you should keep to one angel, and make the magical preparations more elaborate."
Over the years, both became so fascinated by the board that they discussed marketing their own design.
Charles Stansfeld Jones wrote a book called Crystal Vision through Crystal Gazing, in which he notes that in relationship to skrying (also spelled scrying
) "the case of the Ouija Board applies equally to the Crystal."
Inspired by the fifth point of the Task of a Zelator in the A∴A∴ system, Jones sought from Crowley the authority to begin O.T.O. initiatory work in Canada. The result was the first operation of the Mysteria Mystica Maxima degrees in North America, and the founding of British Columbia Lodge #1, where the original founders of Agape Lodge were first initiated.
Baphomet
(Aleister Crowley) awarded Jones all O.T.O. degrees through the Seventh expedentiae causa in 1915. Jones was not given the IX° until he demonstrated a knowledge of the Supreme Secret of the Sovereign Sanctuary of the Gnosis in correspondence with Crowley. On his admission to the Ninth Degree, Jones took the magical name Parzival.
Jones became Grand Treasurer General after Crowley removed George Macnie Cowie from the post in 1918. Crowley and Jones soon came to disagreement about the management of Order funds, and Jones resigned from O.T.O. altogether in 1918. Crowley did not accept Jones' resignation, however, and Jones was eventually made Grand Master (X°) for North America by Theodor Reuss
. Jones and the German initiate Heinrich Traenker were the Grand Masters who confirmed Crowley in his succession to the office of Outer Head of the O.T.O. in 1925.
Jones' organizing interests were never fired by O.T.O. after the early work of British Columbia Lodge. At Crowley's later request, Jones resigned from the office of National Grand Master General. Although Crowley formally expelled Jones from the Order in 1936, Jones nevertheless considered himself "Past Grand Master for the United States of America" until his death.
The methods of the U.B. involved one-to-one correspondence, with an elaborate set of rules regarding strict secrecy of instructions, envelopes-within-envelopes, purple typewriter ribbon
s, and special paperclips. Aspirants were provided with typescript lectures ("sutras") on metaphysical topics, using idiosyncratic terms like "integrality" and "partitivity." A system of alms provided for funds to be remitted back up the same chain down which these instructions descended. Organizational titles and pseudonyms in the U.B. were generally taken from Sanskrit
. Few U.B. writings have become accessible to non-members, but those that have, taken with Jones' writings in the U.B. vein, suggest that their doctrines involved a baroquely intellectualized form of sentimental monotheism.
In 1924, Jones was superintending about 70 members of U.B., and he formed a plan for subsuming Thelema into the U.B. as a Grama or "Integral Body," which would perpetuate some O.T.O. and A∴A∴ materials "in their pure form." He communicated this idea to Wilfred T. Smith, who was at that time his subordinate in both the U.B. and A∴A∴, but Smith's interest in the U.B. was slight and waning.
Annie Besant
, as head of the Theosophical Society
, strictly forbade cross-membership in the U.B. As Crowley became aware of the involvement of his followers, he likewise denounced the U.B., calling it a "swindle" in correspondence with Jones. Many of those who left the Theosophical Society for the U.B. under pressure from Besant later converted to Roman Catholicism.
In 1928, Jones himself became a Roman Catholic, undergoing baptism and confirmation into the laity of that church. At roughly the same time, he succeeded to the U.B. office of Mahaguru, thus becoming the chief of that organization. Jones continued to hold that office, apparently until his death. Jones was succeeded as Mahaguru by John P. Kowal (1900–1978).
The true aims of the U.B. remain obscure, but it has been accused by Wilfred T. Smith, among others, of acting as a front for Roman Catholic infiltration of occult groups; and by former member Paul Foster Case of being inspired by the Bavarian Illuminati. Mahaguru John P. Kowal told Martin Starr that its purpose was "to make men think."
who was pretending to be insane. He was released after three days.
Kenneth Grant
, writing in The Magical Revival
, claims that on Jones' return to Vancouver circa 1930, he was wearing only a raincoat, which he proceeded to throw off, and then circumambulated the center of the city as a magical operation of some sort, was arrested, and had a stay in a mental institution. This story, which Grant may have had directly from Crowley, is in all likelihood a confusion of the 1917 incident with the "insanity" of Jones' 1928 baptism and 1929 confirmation in the Roman Catholic Church.
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He worked under a variety of mottos and titles, including V.I.O. (Unus in Omnibus, "One in All," as an A∴A∴ Probationer), O.I.V.V.I.O., V.I.O.O.I.V., Parzival
Parzival
Parzival is a major medieval German romance by the poet Wolfram von Eschenbach, in the Middle High German language. The poem, commonly dated to the first quarter of the 13th century, is itself largely based on Chrétien de Troyes’s Perceval, the Story of the Grail and mainly centers on the Arthurian...
(as an Adeptus Minor and O.T.O. Ninth Degree), and Tantalus Leucocephalus (as Tenth Degree O.T.O.), but he is best known under his Neophyte motto Achad (Hebrew "unity", אחד), which he used as a byline in his various published writings.
Jones as the Magical Child of Aleister Crowley
Having been recruited through The Equinox in 1909, Jones was the twentieth person to join Aleister CrowleyAleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
's A∴A∴ order. Jones' motto as a Probationer was Vnvs in Omnibvs (V.I.O.), and his supervising Neophyte was J. F. C. Fuller (Per Ardua). When Fuller later withdrew from the A∴A∴, Aleister Crowley took over as Jones' superior. Jones advanced to Neophyte, taking the motto Achad, which he was subsequently to use for most of his published writings, and by which he is best known. Jones continued his work under Crowley in the Outer Order of A∴A∴ until the former decided to "take 8=3, in case that is what the Master really needed," i.e. to claim the grade of Magister Templi in the Third Order, thus assisting Crowley's advancement to the further grade of Magus, by filling "the Master's" current position in the A∴A∴ hierarchy. (Note that—vows of obedience notwithstanding—service to a superior is not part of the A∴A∴ ethical system.) Jones took the Magister Templi obligation (i.e. "the Oath of the Abyss
Abyss (Thelema)
Within the mystical system of Thelema, the Abyss is the great gulf or void between the phenomenal world of manifestation and its noumenal source.-Theory and Practice:...
") and notified Crowley.
The news came as a profound revelation to Crowley. Nine months earlier he had been involved in a set of sex-magical operations with Sr. Hilarion (Jeanne Foster) in an apparently unsuccessful effort to conceive a child. Crowley noted the nine-month interval and concluded that Jones' "birth" as a Babe of the Abyss
Abyss (Thelema)
Within the mystical system of Thelema, the Abyss is the great gulf or void between the phenomenal world of manifestation and its noumenal source.-Theory and Practice:...
qualified him as the "magical child" of Crowley and Hilarion. He welcomed Jones to the Third Order, and declared him to be his "beloved son." Eventually, goaded by suggestions from Jones and impressed by his qabalistic insights into Thelema's
Thelema
Thelema is a religious philosophy that was established, defined and developed by the early 20th century British writer and ceremonial magician, Aleister Crowley. He believed himself to be the prophet of a new age, the Æon of Horus, based upon a religious experience that he had in Egypt in 1904...
founding volume, The Book of the Law
The Book of the Law
Liber AL vel Legis is the central sacred text of Thelema, written by Aleister Crowley in Cairo, Egypt in the year 1904. Its full title is Liber AL vel Legis, sub figura CCXX, as delivered by XCIII=418 to DCLXVI, and it is commonly referred to as The Book of the Law.Liber AL vel Legis contains three...
, Crowley came to consider the younger man the "child" and the "one" prophesied in the book (in I:55-56 and similar passages).
Ouija board
Crowley and Jones frequently discussed the Ouija boardOuija
The Ouija board also known as a spirit/fire key board or talking board, is a flat board marked with the letters of the alphabet, the numbers 0-9, the words "yes", "no", "hello" and "goodbye", and other symbols and words are sometimes also added to help personalize the board...
and it is often mentioned in their unpublished letters.
Throughout 1917 Achad experimented with the board as a means of summoning Angels, as opposed to Elementals. In one letter Crowley told Jones:, "Your Ouija board experiment is rather fun. You see how very satisfactory it is, but I believe things improve greatly with practice. I think you should keep to one angel, and make the magical preparations more elaborate."
Over the years, both became so fascinated by the board that they discussed marketing their own design.
Charles Stansfeld Jones wrote a book called Crystal Vision through Crystal Gazing, in which he notes that in relationship to skrying (also spelled scrying
Scrying
Scrying is a magic practice that involves seeing things psychically in a medium, usually for purposes of obtaining spiritual visions and less often for purposes of divination or fortune-telling. The most common media used are reflective, translucent, or luminescent substances such as crystals,...
) "the case of the Ouija Board applies equally to the Crystal."
Work in O.T.O.
Baphomet
Baphomet
Baphomet is an imagined pagan deity , revived in the 19th century as a figure of occultism and Satanism. It appeared as a term for a pagan idol in trial transcripts of the Inquisition of the Knights Templar in the early 14th century...
(Aleister Crowley) awarded Jones all O.T.O. degrees through the Seventh expedentiae causa in 1915. Jones was not given the IX° until he demonstrated a knowledge of the Supreme Secret of the Sovereign Sanctuary of the Gnosis in correspondence with Crowley. On his admission to the Ninth Degree, Jones took the magical name Parzival.
Jones became Grand Treasurer General after Crowley removed George Macnie Cowie from the post in 1918. Crowley and Jones soon came to disagreement about the management of Order funds, and Jones resigned from O.T.O. altogether in 1918. Crowley did not accept Jones' resignation, however, and Jones was eventually made Grand Master (X°) for North America by Theodor Reuss
Theodor Reuss
Theodor Reuss was an Anglo-German tantric occultist, anarchist, police spy, journalist, singer, and promoter of Women's Liberation; and head of Ordo Templi Orientis.-Early years:...
. Jones and the German initiate Heinrich Traenker were the Grand Masters who confirmed Crowley in his succession to the office of Outer Head of the O.T.O. in 1925.
Jones' organizing interests were never fired by O.T.O. after the early work of British Columbia Lodge. At Crowley's later request, Jones resigned from the office of National Grand Master General. Although Crowley formally expelled Jones from the Order in 1936, Jones nevertheless considered himself "Past Grand Master for the United States of America" until his death.
Involvement in U.B.
In 1921, Jones joined the Universal Brotherhood (U.B.), also known to its members as the Integral Fellowship or as the Mahacakra Society (or M.), depending on their level of participation. This group had been actively recruiting among Theosophists for a decade or more, and Jones was one of a number of prominent Thelemites who eventually joined.The methods of the U.B. involved one-to-one correspondence, with an elaborate set of rules regarding strict secrecy of instructions, envelopes-within-envelopes, purple typewriter ribbon
Typewriter ribbon
A typewriter ribbon is an expendable module serving the function of transferring pigment to paper in various devices for impact printing. Such ribbons were part of standard designs for hand- or motor-driven typewriters, teleprinters, stenotype machines, computer-driven printers and many mechanical...
s, and special paperclips. Aspirants were provided with typescript lectures ("sutras") on metaphysical topics, using idiosyncratic terms like "integrality" and "partitivity." A system of alms provided for funds to be remitted back up the same chain down which these instructions descended. Organizational titles and pseudonyms in the U.B. were generally taken from Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
. Few U.B. writings have become accessible to non-members, but those that have, taken with Jones' writings in the U.B. vein, suggest that their doctrines involved a baroquely intellectualized form of sentimental monotheism.
In 1924, Jones was superintending about 70 members of U.B., and he formed a plan for subsuming Thelema into the U.B. as a Grama or "Integral Body," which would perpetuate some O.T.O. and A∴A∴ materials "in their pure form." He communicated this idea to Wilfred T. Smith, who was at that time his subordinate in both the U.B. and A∴A∴, but Smith's interest in the U.B. was slight and waning.
Annie Besant
Annie Besant
Annie Besant was a prominent British Theosophist, women's rights activist, writer and orator and supporter of Irish and Indian self rule.She was married at 19 to Frank Besant but separated from him over religious differences. She then became a prominent speaker for the National Secular Society ...
, as head of the Theosophical Society
Theosophical Society
The Theosophical Society is an organization formed in 1875 to advance the spiritual principles and search for Truth known as Theosophy. The original organization, after splits and realignments has several successors...
, strictly forbade cross-membership in the U.B. As Crowley became aware of the involvement of his followers, he likewise denounced the U.B., calling it a "swindle" in correspondence with Jones. Many of those who left the Theosophical Society for the U.B. under pressure from Besant later converted to Roman Catholicism.
In 1928, Jones himself became a Roman Catholic, undergoing baptism and confirmation into the laity of that church. At roughly the same time, he succeeded to the U.B. office of Mahaguru, thus becoming the chief of that organization. Jones continued to hold that office, apparently until his death. Jones was succeeded as Mahaguru by John P. Kowal (1900–1978).
The true aims of the U.B. remain obscure, but it has been accused by Wilfred T. Smith, among others, of acting as a front for Roman Catholic infiltration of occult groups; and by former member Paul Foster Case of being inspired by the Bavarian Illuminati. Mahaguru John P. Kowal told Martin Starr that its purpose was "to make men think."
Rumors of insanity and imprisonment
In late 1917 Jones was arrested in a Vancouver, Canada hotel, where he had been behaving erratically. He was imprisoned on suspicion of being a draft dodgerDraft dodger
Draft evasion is a term that refers to an intentional failure to comply with the military conscription policies of the nation to which he or she is subject...
who was pretending to be insane. He was released after three days.
Kenneth Grant
Kenneth Grant
Kenneth Grant was a British occultist, novelist, and poet, who with his partner, the artist Steffi Grant, headed the magical order previously known as the Typhonian Ordo Templi Orientis but which is now referred to as the Typhonian Order.-Occult background:Grant's occult experiences began in 1939...
, writing in The Magical Revival
The Magical Revival
The Magical Revival is a book written by British occultist Kenneth Grant, first published in 1972. It is the first of his Typhonian Trilogy, which comprises this work and two others—Aleister Crowley and the Hidden God and Cults of the Shadow . In this work, he first introduced his theory that...
, claims that on Jones' return to Vancouver circa 1930, he was wearing only a raincoat, which he proceeded to throw off, and then circumambulated the center of the city as a magical operation of some sort, was arrested, and had a stay in a mental institution. This story, which Grant may have had directly from Crowley, is in all likelihood a confusion of the 1917 incident with the "insanity" of Jones' 1928 baptism and 1929 confirmation in the Roman Catholic Church.