http://www.freemasonrywatch.org/witchcraft.html
Freemasonry's Latest Scheme: Wicca, the Neo-Pagan Witchcraft Nature
Religion for the New Age
A Certain Point Within A Circle...
"And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD's house, and,
behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and
the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the
temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they
worshipped the sun toward the east."
Ezekial
So Mote It Be...
The History of Wicca: 1939 - present day
This talk was given by Julia Phillips at the Wiccan Conference in
Canberra, 1991. It is mainly about the early days of the Wicca in
England; specifically what we now call Gardnerian and Alexandrian
traditions. The text remains "as given", so please remember when you
read it that it was never intended to be "read", but "heard" and
debated.
Text begins:
There are three main strands I intend to examine: one, Gardner's claim
of traditional initiation, and its subsequent development; two,
magical traditions to which Gardner would have had access; and three,
literary sources.
As we look at these three main threads, it is important to bear in
mind that Gardner was 55 years old at the time of his claimed
initiation; that he had spent many years in Malaya, and had an
enormous interest in magic, Folklore and Mythology. By the time he
published High Magic's Aid, he was 65, and 75 when "The Meaning of
Witchcraft" appeared. He died in 1964, at the age of 80.
Gardner was born in 1884, and spent most of his working adult life in
Malaya. He retired, and returned to the UK in 1936. He joined the
Folklore Society, and in June 1938, also joined the newly opened
Rosicrucian Theatre at Christchurch where it is said he met Old
Dorothy Clutterbuck.
I chose 1939 as my arbitrary starting point as that was the year that
Gerald Gardner claims he was initiated by Old Dorothy into a
practising coven of the Old Religion, that met in the New Forest area
of Britain. In his own words,
"I realised that I had stumbled upon something interesting; but I was
half-initiated before the word, "Wica" which they used hit me like a
thunderbolt, and I knew where I was, and that the Old Religion still
existed. And so I found myself in the Circle, and there took the usual
oath of secrecy, which bound me not to reveal certain things." This
quote is taken from The Meaning of Witchcraft, which was published in
1959.
It is interesting that in this quote, Gardner spells Wicca with only
one "c"; in the earlier "Witchcraft Today" (1954) and "High Magic's
Aid" (1949), the word Wicca is not even used. His own derivation for
the word, given in "The Meaning of Witchcraft", is as follows:
"As they (the Dane and Saxon invaders of England) had no witches of
their own they had no special name for them; however, they made one up
from "wig" an idol, and "laer", learning, "wiglaer" which they
shortened into "Wicca".
"It is a curious fact that when the witches became English- speaking
they adopted their Saxon name, "Wica"."
In "An ABC of Witchcraft Past and Present", Doreen Valiente does not
have an entry for Wicca, but when discussing Witchcraft, does mention
the Saxon derivation from the word Wicca or Wicce. In the more
recently published The Rebirth Of Witchcraft, however, she rejects
this Saxon theory in favour of Prof. Russell's derivation from the
Indo-European root "Weik", which relates to things connected with
magic and religion.
Doreen Valiente strongly supports Gardner's claim of traditional
initiation, and published the results of her successful attempt to
prove the existence of Dorothy Clutterbuck in an appendix to "The
Witches' Way" by Janet and Stewart Farrar. It is a marvellous piece of
investigation, but proving that Old Dorothy existed does nothing to
support Gardner's claims that she initiated him.
In his book, "Ritual Magic in England", occultist Francis King does
offer some anecdotal evidence in support of Gardner's claims. However,
it is only fair to point out that in the same book, he virtually
accuses Moina Mathers of murder, based upon a misunderstanding of a
story told by Dion Fortune! With that caveat, I'll recount the tale in
full:
King relates that in 1953, he became acquainted with Louis Wilkinson,
who wrote under the pen-name of Louis Marlow, and had contributed
essays to Crowley's Equinox. He later became one of Crowley's literary
executors. King says that in conversation, Wilkinson told him that
Crowley had claimed to have been offered initiation into a witch
coven, but that he refused, as he didn't want to be bossed around by a
bunch of women. (This story is well-known, and could have been picked
up anywhere.)
Wilkinson then proceeded to tell King that he had himself become
friendly with members of a coven operating in the New Forest area, and
he thought that whilst it was possible that they derived their
existence from Murray's "Witch Cult in Western Europe", he felt that
they were rather older.
King draws the obvious conclusion; that these witches were the very
same as those who initiated Gardner. King claims that the conversation
with Wilkinson took place in 1953, although "Ritual Magic in England"
was not published - or presumably written - until 1970. However, on
September 27 1952, "Illustrated" magazine published a feature by Allen
Andrews, which included details of a working by, "the Southern Coven
of British Witches", where 17 men and women met in the New Forest to
repel an invasion by Hitler. Wilkinson had told King of this working
during their conversation, which King believes to be proof that such a
coven existed; there are some differences in the two stories, and so
it is possible that two sources are reporting the same event, but as
Wilkinson's conversation with King came after the magazine article, we
shall never know.
In the recently published "Crafting the Art of Magic", Aidan Kelly
uses this same source to "prove" (and I use the word advisedly - the
book "proves" nothing") that Gardner, Dorothy, et al created Wicca one
night following a social get together! Of one thing we can be certain
though: whatever its origin, modern Wicca derives from Gardner. There
may of course be other traditional, hereditary witches, but even if
they are genuine, then it is unlikely that they would have been able
to "go public" had it not been for Gardner.
There have been many claims of "hereditary" origin (other than
Gardner's own!) One of the most famous post-Gardner claimants to
"hereditary" status was actress Ruth Wynn-Owen, who fooled many people
for a very long time before being exposed. Roy Bowers, who used the
pseudonym Robert Cochrane, was another: Doreen Valiente describes her
association with him in "The Rebirth of Witchcraft", and The Roebuck,
which is still active in the USA today, derives directly from
Cochrane, via Joe Wilson. "Witchcraft: A Tradition Renewed" by Evan
John Jones with Doreen Valiente describes a tradition derived from
Robert Cochrane. Alex Sanders, of course is another who claimed
hereditary lineage, and like Cochrane, deserves his own place in this
history, and we'll get to both of them later.
Many people have been suspicious of Gardner's claims, and have accused
him of making the whole thing up. They suggest that the Wicca is no
more than the fantasy of an old man coloured by a romantic
imagination. One particularly virulent attack upon Gardner came from
Charles Cardell, writing under the pseudonym of Rex Nemorensis.
One of Gardner's initiates who is still active in the Wicca today has
an interesting tale to tell about Cardell, whom he knew:
"Cardell claimed to be a Witch, but from a different tradition to
Gardner's. Cardell was a psychopathic rat, with malevolent intent
toward all and sundry. He managed to get a woman called Olive Green
(Florannis) into Gardner's coven, and told her to copy out the Book of
Shadows so that Cardell could publish it, and destroy Gardner. He also
contacted a London paper, and told them when and where the coven
meetings were held, and of course the paper got quite a scoop. Cardell
led people in the coven to believe that it was Doreen Valiente who had
informed on them.
Doreen had just left Gardner in a bit of a huff after a disagreement;
another coven member, Ned Grove, left with her. Anyway, the day the
paper printed the exposure, Cardell sent Gardner a telegram saying,
"Remember Ameth tonight". (Ameth was Doreen's Craft name, and as it
has now been published, I see no reason not to use it here)."
My informant also said that Olive Green was associated with Michael
Houghton, owner of Atlantis book shop in Museum Street, who was the
publisher of High Magic's Aid. Through this association, she also
encountered Kenneth Grant of the OTO, although their association was
not friendly.
Cecil Williamson, the original owner of the witchcraft museum on the
Isle of Man, and present owner of the Witchcraft Museum in Boscastle,
has also published a number of articles where he states quite
categorically that Gardner was an utter fraud; but, he offers only
anecdotes to support these allegations.
Although Gardner claimed his initiation occurred in 1939, we don't
really hear anything about him until 1949, when "High Magic's Aid" was
published by Michael Houghton.
This book has very strong Solomonic leanings, but like Gardner's own
religious beliefs, combined the more natural forms of magic with high
ceremonial. In his introduction to the book, Gardner says that: "The
Magical rituals are authentic, party from the Key of Solomon
(MacGregor Mathers' translation) and partly from magical MSS in my
possession)." Gardner did indeed have a large collection of MSS, which
passed with the rest of his goods to Ripleys in Toronto after his
death.
Scire (pseudonym) was the name Gardner took as a member of Crowley's
branch of the OTO; although it is generally agreed that his membership
was purely nominal, he was certainly in contact with people like
Kenneth Grant and Madeline Montalban (founder of the Order of the
Morning Star).
Gardner was given his OTO degree and Charter by Aleister Crowley, to
whom he was introduced in 1946 by Arnold Crowther. As Crowley died in
1947, their association was not long-lived, but Crowther confirms that
the two men enjoyed each other's company.
So, after that brief introduction we can have a look at the first of
the strands I mentioned.
In 1888, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was born, beginning a
renaissance of interest in the occult that has continued to the
present day. It is impossible to overstate the importance of the GD to
modern occultists; not only in its rituals, but also in its
personalities; and of course, through making available a large body of
occult lore that would otherwise have remained unknown, or hidden in
obscurity.
I will be looking at this body of occult lore with other literary
influences later, and will here concentrate on the rituals and
personalities that have influenced Wicca.
We cannot look at the GD in isolation from its own origins. It is
descended from a myriad of esoteric traditions including
Rosicrucianism, Theosophy, and Freemasonry. The latter in its own
right, as well as via the SRIA - a scholarly and ceremonial
association open to Master Masons only.
Whether the German Lodge or Fraulein Sprengel actually existed is a
matter still under debate; but either in fact or in spirit, this is
the source for the "Cypher Manuscripts" which were used to found the
Isis-Urania Lodge in 1888.
As I'm sure everyone knows, Isis-Urania was founded by Dr
Wynn-Westcott, Dr Woodman, and MacGregor Mathers. Not only were all
three Master Masons; Wynn-Westcott and Mathers were also members of
the Theosophical Society. The most important thing though is the fact
the these three men were a ruling triumvirate that managed the affairs
of the SRIA. This is important, for the SRIA included Hargrave
Jennings in its membership, and Jennings is reputed to have been
involved with a Pagan group at the end of the 19th century, which drew
its inspiration from Apuleius - The Golden *****.
But back to the GD - whether the Cypher Manuscripts actually existed,
or Wynn-Westcott manufactured them is now irrelevant; Mathers was
commissioned to write-up the rituals into a workable shape, and thus
the Golden Dawn was born.
Members of the Isis-Urania Lodge at various times also included Allan
Bennett, Moina Mathers, Aleister Crowley, Florence Farr, Maud Gonne,
Annie Horniman, Arthur Machen, "Fiona Macleod", Arthur Waite and WB
Yeats. Also associated were Lady Gregory, and G W Russell, or AE,
whose "The Candle of Vision" was included in the bibliography of "The
Meaning of Witchcraft". The literary and Celtic influences within the
GD were immense.
From the Isis-Urania Lodge sprang all the others, including the
so-called Dissident Orders derived through Crowley. It is this line
that some commentators trace to modern Wicca, so it is the one upon
which we will concentrate.
Aleister Crowley was initiated into the Isis-Urania Lodge on 18
November 1898. As you most probably know, Crowley later quarrelled
with MacGregor Mathers, and in 1903 began to create his own Order, the
Argenteum Astrum, or Silver Star. In 1912, Crowley was initiated into
the OTO, and in 1921, succeeded Theodor Reuss as its Chief.
According to Arnold Crowther's account, it was in 1946, a year before
Crowley's death, that Crowley gave Gardner an OTO Charter. Ithell
Colquhoun says only that it occurred in the 1940s, and further states
that Gardner introduced material from the OTO, and less directly from
the GD, into "...the lore of his covens".
As Doreen Valiente also admits, "Indeed, the influence of Crowley was
very apparent throughout the (Wiccan) rituals.". This, Gardner
explained to her, was because the rituals he received from Old
Dorothy's coven were very fragmentary, and in order to make them
workable, he had to supplement them with other material.
To give an example of some of the lines by Crowley which are rather
familiar to modern Wiccans:
I give unimaginable joys on earth; certainty, not faith, while in
life, upon death; peace unutterable, rest, ecstasy; nor do I demand
aught in sacrifice.
I am Life, and the giver of Life, yet therefore is the knowledge of me
the knowledge of death.
And of course, the Gnostic Mass has been immensely influential.
Not only poetry, but also magical practices in Wicca are often derived
from GD sources. For example:
the way of casting the circle: that is, the visualisation of the
circle, and the pentagrams at the quarters, are both based upon the
standard GD Pentagram Ritual;
both the concept and word "Watchtowers" are of course from the
Enochian system of Magic, passed to Wicca via the GD (although I would
like to make it very clear that their use within Wicca bears no
relation to the use within Enochia - the only similarity is in the
name);
the Elements and colours generally attributed to the Quarters are
those of the GD;
the weapons and their attributions are a combination of GD, Crowley
and Key of Solomon.
In "Witchcraft Today", Gardner says, "The people who certainly would
have had the knowledge and ability to invent (the Wiccan rites) were
the people who formed the Order of the Golden Dawn about seventy years
ago...".
The GD is not the only influence upon Gardner; Freemasonry has had a
tremendous impact upon the Wicca. Not only were the three founders of
Isis-Urania Temple Masons, so too were Crowley and Waite; Gardner and
at least one member of the first coven (Daffo) were both Co-Masons.
Gardner was also a friend of JSM Ward, who had published a number of
books about Masonry.
Doreen describes Ward as a "leading Mason", but Francis King says only
that Ward was, "a bogus Bishop... who had written some quite good but
far-fetched books on masonry, and who ran a peculiar
religious-*****-occult community called The Abbey of Christ the King..."
Whether the books were far-fetched or not, we can assume that some of
the many similarities between Wicca and Masonry are in some ways due
to Ward's influence.
Some of these include:
The Three Degrees
The Craft
So Mote It Be
The Challenge
Properly Prepared
The 1st Degree Oath (in part)
Presentation of the Working Tools at 1st degree
and so on.
It seems to me quite clear that even if Gardner received a traditional
set of rituals from his coven, they must have been exceptionally
sparse, as the concepts that we know of as Wicca today certainly
derive from ceremonial magic and Freemasonry to a very great extent.
Indeed, Gardner always claimed that they were sparse.
It could be argued that all derive from a common source. That the
appearance of a phrase, or technique in one tradition does not
automatically suggest that its appearance elsewhere means that the one
was taken from the other. However, Gardner admits his sources in many
cases, and Doreen confirms them in others, so I think it is safe to
presume that the rituals and philosophy used by Wicca descends from
the traditions of Freemasonry and Ceremonial magic, rather than from a
single common source. However, as Hudson Frew points out in his
commentary upon Aidan Kelly's book, the phenomena of the techniques
and practices of ceremonial magic influencing folk magic and
traditions is widely recognised by anthropologists, and certainly does
not indicate plagiarism. And of course there are many traditional
witchcraft aspects in the Wicca.
We have looked at the development of the magical orders which resulted
from the British occult revival of the 19th and 20th centuries, and
now we can see where this ties in with Wicca, and Gardner's claim of
traditional initiation.
I have here a "family tree" of the main branches of British Wicca. It
is by no means exhaustive, and is intended to provide an outline, not
a definitive history! I have included my own coven lines and
development as an indication of the kind of "cross-over" of tradition
which often occurs, not to suggest that these are the only active
groups! Also, it would not be ethical for me to include details of
other covens.
We have two possible "hereditary" sources to the Gardnerian Craft:
one, the Horsa Coven of Old Dorothy, and two, the Cumbrian Group which
Rae Bone claims to have been initiated into before meeting Gardner.
(NB: Doreen Valiente says that the Horsa Coven is not connected with
Old Dorothy, but is another group entirely.) There is also sometimes
mention of a St Alban's group that pre-dates Gardner, but as far as I
know, this is mistaken. The St Albans group was Gardner's own group,
which as far as research confirms, did not pre-date him.
To return to Rae Bone: she was one of Gardner's HPSs, and her "line"
has been immensely important to the modern Wicca; she was featured in
the magazine series, "Man Myth and Magic" if anyone has a copy of
that.
In her heyday she ran two covens: one in Cumbria, and one in South
London. Rae is still alive, and lives in Cumbria, although her last
coven moved to New Zealand many years ago, and she is no longer
active. No-one has ever been able to trace the coven in New Zealand.
At this point, I will just mention George Pickingill, although he is
not shown on the tree, as I think it extremely dubious that he had any
connection with Gardner, or any other modern Wiccan.
Pickingill died in 1909, whilst Gardner was still in Malaya. Eric
Maple is largely responsible for the beginnings of the Pickingill
myth, which were expanded by Bill Liddell (Lugh) writing in "The
Wiccan" and "The Cauldron" throughout the 1970s. Mike Howard still has
some of Liddell's material which he has never published, and I have
yet to meet anyone within the British Craft who gives credence to
Liddell's claims.
In the book, "The Dark World of Witches", published in 1962, Maple
tells of a number of village wise women and cunning men, one of whom
is George Pickingill. There is a photograph included of an old man
with a stick, holding a hat, which Maple describes as Pickingill. This
photograph has subsequently been re-used many times in books about
witchcraft and Wicca.
Issue number 31 of "Insight" Magazine, dated July 1984, contains a
very interesting letter from John Pope:
"The photograph purporting to be Old George Pickingill is in fact a
photo of Alf Cavill, a station porter at Ellstree, taken in the early
1960s. Alf is now dead, but he was no witch, and laughed over the
photograph when he saw it."
A very respected Craft authority has told me that he believes the
photo, which is in his possession, to be of Pickingill, but like so
much to do with Craft history, there is no definitive answer to this
one.
Many claims were made by Liddell; some obviously from cloud- cuckoo
land, others which could, by a stretch of the imagination, be
accepted. The very idea of Pickingill, an illiterate farm labourer,
co-ordinating and supervising nine covens across the breadth of the UK
is staggering. To accept - as Liddell avers - that he had the likes of
Alan Bennett and Aleister Crowley as his pupils bends credulity even
further.
The infamous photograph which Liddell claims shows Crowley, Bennett
and Pickingill together has conveniently disappeared, and no-one
admits to ever having seen it. Like most of Liddell's claims, nothing
has ever been substantiated, and when pushed, he retreats into the
time honoured favourite of, "I can't reveal that - you're not an
initiate"!
But to return to the family tree: the names of Doreen Valiente, Pat
and Arnold Crowther, Lois Bourne (Hemmings), Jack Bracelin and Monique
Wilson will probably be the most familiar to you.
Jack Bracelin is the author of Gardner's biography, "Gerald Gardner,
Witch", (published 1960) now out of print, although still available
2nd hand, and in libraries. (In Crafting the Art of Magic, Kelly
claims that this book was actually written by Idries Shah, and simply
published under Bracelin's name. As with every other claim, Kelly
offers no evidence of this)
I have seen a copy of Bracelin's Book of Shadows, which it is claimed
dates from 1949, although in The Rebirth Of Witchcraft, Doreen says
that Bracelin was a "relative newcomer" in the mid-1950s. I have also
been told by two different sources that Bracelin helped Gardner write
"The Laws". In The Rebirth Of Witchcraft, Doreen states that she did
not see The Laws until the mid 1950s, when she and her partner Ned
Grove accused Gardner of concocting them in order to re-assert control
over the coven. As Bracelin was in the Gardner camp during the
break-up of the group, it seems reasonable that he did in fact help
with their composition. (NB: Alex Sanders increased the number of "The
Laws" much later - these appeared in June Johns' book, "The King of
the Witches")
Although Doreen claims that the reason for the coven break-up was the
fact that Gardner and Bracelin were publicity crazy, there was another
reason, which was the instatement of a new lady into the coven,
effectively replacing Doreen as HPS. This is also the main reason for
Gerald's Law which states that the HPS will, "...gracefully retire in
favour of a younger woman, should the coven so decide in council."
Needless to say, Doreen was not impressed, and she and Ned left the
coven under very acrimonious circumstances. It was quite some time
before Doreen had contact with Gardner again, and they never quite
regained the degree of friendship that had previously existed.
Monique and Campbell Wilson are infamous, rather than famous, as
Gardner's heirs who sold off his magical equipment and possessions
after his death, to Ripleys in the USA.
Monique was the last of his Priestesses, and many Wiccans today still
spit when her name is mentioned. Pat Crowther was rather scathing
about her recently in an interview, and in The Rebirth Of Witchcraft,
although Doreen tells of the sale of Gardner's magical possessions to
Ripleys, she doesn't ever mention the Wilsons by name. In effect, the
Craft closed ranks against them, and they became outcasts.
Eventually, in the face of such opposition they had to sell the Museum
in Castletown, and they moved to Torremolinos, where they bought a
cafe. Monique died nine years after selling the Museum. It is rumoured
that Campbell Wilson moved to the USA, and met with a car accident
there: this is only hearsay though - I really do not know for sure
what happened to him.
However, Monique was influential in a way that even she could not have
imagined, when in 1964 or 5 she initiated Ray Buckland, who with his
wife Rosemary (later divorced), was very influential in the
development of the Wicca in the USA.
Fortunately, Richard and Tamarra James managed to buy the bulk of
Gardner's collection back from Ripleys in 1987, for the princely sum
of US$40,000, and it is now back within the Craft, and available for
initiates to consult and view.
D and C S. are probably completely anonymous, and if it were not for
the fact that C initiated Robert Cochrane (briefly mentioned earlier)
they would probably stay that way!
Cochrane's origins are obscure, but I have been told that he was
initiated into the Gardnerian tradition by C S, and met Doreen
Valiente through a mutual acquaintance in 1964. When he met Doreen,
however, he claimed to be a hereditary witch, from a different
tradition to Gardner's, and as Doreen confirms, was contemptuous of
what he called "Gardnerian" witches. Indeed, Doreen believes he coined
the term, "Gardnerian".
Doreen said she was completely taken in by Cochrane and for a while,
worked with him and the "Clan of Tubal-Cain" as he described his
tradition, which was also known as "The Royal Windsor Cuveen", or
1734.
The figures "1734" have an interesting history. Doreen gives a rather
strange account of them in The Rebirth Of Witchcraft, which
contradicts what Cochrane himself describes in a letter to Joe Wilson,
dated "12th Night 1966", where he says,
"...the order of 1734 is not a date of an event but a grouping of
numerals that mean something to a witch.
"One that becomes seven states of wisdom - the Goddess of the
Cauldron. Three that are the Queens of the Elements - fire belonging
alone to Man, and the Blacksmith God. Four that are Queens of the Wind
Gods.
"The Jewish orthodoxy believe that whomever knows the Holy and
Unspeakable name of God has absolute power over the world of form.
Very briefly, the name of God spoken as Tetragrammaton ... breaks down
in Hebrew to the letters YHVH, or the Adam Kadmon (The Heavenly Man).
Adam Kadmon is a composite of all Archangels - in other words a poetic
statement of the names of the Elements.
"So what the Jew and the Witch believe alike, is that the man who
discovers the secret of the Elements controls the physical world. 1734
is the witch way of saying YHVH." (Cochrane, 1966)
Although Doreen says that Cochrane's group was small, it still proved
to be remarkably influential. As well as Cochrane and his wife (whom
Doreen refers to as "Jean") and Doreen herself, there were others who
are well-known today, and a man called Ronald White, who very much
wanted to bring about a new age in England, with the return of King
Arthur.
In The Rebirth Of Witchcraft, Doreen elaborates upon the circumstances
surrounding the death of Cochrane: the bald facts are that he died at
the Summer Solstice of 1966 of an overdose. Craft tradition believes
that he became in fact, and of his own choice, the male ritual
sacrifice which is sometimes symbolically enacted at the height of
Summer.
The Royal Windsor Cuveen disbanded after Cochrane died, only to be
re-born from the ashes at Samhain that year under a new name - The
Regency. All of its early members were from the Royal Windsor Cuveen,
and they were under the leadership of Ronald White. The Regency proved
to be of great importance to the development of the Wicca, although
its existence was kept a fairly close secret, and even today, there
are relatively few people who have ever heard of it.
Meetings were held in North London, at a place called Queens Wood. As
well as Ron White and Doreen Valiente, members included "John Math",
founder of the Witchcraft Research Association in 1964, and editor of
Pentagram magazine, and the founder of the Pagan Movement, Tony Kelly.
At its height, there were frequently more than 40 in attendance at
rites, which tended to be of the dramatic, pagan kind rather than the
ceremonial associated with high ritual magic. The Regency operated
fairly consistently for over twelve years, finally disbanding in 1978.
The Membership roll reads like a who's who of the British Wicca! Some
of the rites have been incorporated into modern Wiccan rituals - in
fact, one was used at the Pan European Wiccan Conference 1991 with
very great success.
Moving back over to Rae Bone's line, there are a number of influential
people here, mainly through her initiates, Madge and Arthur, who
probably take the award for the most prolific pair in Wiccandom! Rae,
although initiated by Gardner, does of course also claim a hereditary
status in her own right.
Madge and Arthur's initiates include:
John and Jean Score
John Score was the partner of Michael Houghton (mentioned earlier),
and the founder of the Pagan Federation, which is very active today.
Houghton died under very mysterious circumstances, which is briefly
mentioned in "The Sword of Wisdom" by Ithell Colquhoun. My Craft
source told me that this was actually a ritual that went badly wrong,
and Houghton ended up on the wrong end of some fairly potent energies.
There is an interesting anecdote about Houghton in The Rebirth Of
Withcraft, which is taken from "Nightside of Eden" by Kenneth Grant,
and agrees in some respect to a similar story that I was told some
years ago. Doreen suggests in The Rebirth Of Witchcraft that the story
may relate to a magical working involving Kenneth Grant and his wife,
Gardner, Dolores North (Madeline Montalban), and an un-named witch,
who was probably Olive Green.
They were all to perform a ritual together, supposedly to contact an
extra-terrestrial being. The material basis for the rite, which took
place in 1949, was a drawing by AO Spare.
Apparently soon after the rite commenced, a nearby bookseller (Michael
Houghton) turned up and interrupted proceedings. On hearing that
Kenneth Grant was within, he declined to enter, and wandered off. The
rite was disrupted, and the story goes that everyone just went home.
Kenneth Grant claims that as a result of disturbing their working,
Houghton's marriage broke up, and that Houghton died in mysterious
circumstances. In fact, the Houghton divorce was a cause celebre, with
her suing him for cruelty because he boasted of being a Sagittarian
while sneering at her because she was only a dingy old Capricorn!
The interrupted ritual could well have taken place. Madeline had a
flat near to Atlantis (Houghton's shop), and would certainly have
known both Grant and Houghton. I know for a fact that Madeline was
acquainted with Gerald, although her opinion of both him and the Wicca
was rather poor. One of Madeline's older students told me that she
thought Gardner rather a fraud, and ritually inept. She also had a
very low opinion of Wiccans, and refused to allow her own students to
participate in Wiccan rites. The reason for this lies in an anecdote
which Doreen doesn't relate: the story goes that Madeline agreed to
participate in a rite with Gerald, which turned out to involve
Madeline being tied up and tickled with a feather duster! The great
lady was not amused.
Prudence Jones
Prudence was for many years the president of the Pagan Federation, and
editor of its newsletter. She inherited her role from John Score,
after he passed away. With Nigel Pennick, Prudence also runs the Pagan
Anti-Defamation League (PADL), and is an active astrologer and
therapist. She has edited a book on astrology, and with Caitlin
Matthews, edited "Voices from the Circle", published by Aquarian
Press. Although Prudence took her degree in Philosophy, her main
interests lie in the areas of the Grail and troubadour tales, and she
has published privately an excellent essay on the Grail and Wicca. She
is also a very highly respected astrologer, who lectures extensively
in Britain.
Vivianne and Chris Crowley
Vivianne Crowley, is author of "Wicca - The Old Religion in the New
Age", and also secretary of the Pagan Federation. She has a PhD in
Psychology, and is perhaps the only person to have been a member of
both a Gardnerian Coven and an Alexandrian one simultaneously!
Vivianne is very active at the moment, and has initiated people in
Germany (having memorised the ritual in German - a language she
doesn't speak!), Norway, and - on the astral - Brazil. As a result of
her book, she receives many letters from people from all around the
world, and organised the first ever pan-European Wiccan conference,
held in Germany 1990. The second conference was held in Britain at the
June solstice, and the third (1992) in Norway. In 1993, the Conference
will be in Scotland.
John and Kathy (Caitlin) Matthews, are probably well-known to
everyone, but possibly their Gardnerian initiations are not such
common knowledge. The story that John Matthews relates in "Voices from
the Circle" is essentially the one which he told the HPS who initiated
him.
Pat and Arnold Crowther
I have left Pat and Arnold till last, as it is from their line that
the infamous Alex Sanders derives! It is no secret anymore that Alex,
far from being initiated by his grandmother when he was seven, was in
fact turned down by Pat Crowther in 1961, but was later accepted by
one of her ex-coven members, Pat Kopanski, and initiated to 1st
Degree.
In "The Rebirth of Witchcraft" Doreen says that Alex later met
Gardner, and was allowed to copy from the Book of Shadows; Craft
tradition is somewhat different! It has always been said (even by
Alex's supporters!) that he pinched what he could from Pat Kopanski
before being chucked out, and that the main differences between the
Alexandrian and Gardnerian Books of Shadows occur where Alex
mis-heard, or mis-copied something! There are certainly significant
differences between the two Books; some parts of Gardnerian ritual are
quite unknown within the Alexandrian tradition, and the ritual
techniques are often different. It is usually very easy to spot
whether someone is an Alexandrian, or Gardnerian initiate.
Alex needed a HPS, and as we know, chose Maxine Morris for the role.
Maxine is a striking Priestess, and made a very good visual focus for
the movement which grew in leaps and bounds.
In the late 1960s, Alex and Maxine were prolific initiators, and a
number of their initiates have become well known. Some came to
Australia, and there are still a number of covens in the UK today
whose HP and/or HPS was initiated by Alex or Maxine.
Alex and Maxine's most famous initiates are almost certainly Janet and
Stewart Farrar, who left them in 1971 to form their own coven, first
in England, then later, in Ireland. Through their books, they have
probably had the most influence over the direction that the modern
Craft has taken. Certainly in Australia, the publication of "What
Witches Do" was an absolute watershed, and with Janet and Stewart's
consistent output, their form of Wicca is more likely to become the
"standard" than any other type.
Since their early days of undiluted Alexandrianism, they have drifted
somewhat towards a more Gardnerian approach, and today, tell everyone
that there are no differences between the two traditions. In fact,
despite the merging that has been occurring over the last few years,
there are very distinct differences between the traditions; some
merely external, others of a very significant difference of
philosophy.
Seldiy Bate was originally magically trained by Madeline Montalban,
and then took an Alexandrian initiation from Maxine and Alex. Her
husband, Nigel, was also initiated by Maxine, and they have been
"public" witches for a number of years now, often appearing on TV,
radio and in the press. Their background in ritual magic is expressed
in the type of coven that they run; a combination of Wicca and
Ceremonial Magic.
In 1971, Alex and Maxine went their separate ways. David Goddard is a
Liberal Catholic Priest, and for many years, he and Maxine worked in
the Liberal Catholic faith, and did not run a coven of any kind. Then
in 1984, Maxine gathered together a group again, and started
practising a combination of Wicca, Qabalah and Liberal Catholicism.
She and David separated in 1987, and since then her coven has been
exclusively Wiccan. In 1989, she married one of her initiates,
Vincent, and they are still running an active coven in London today.
Alex's history after the split was a little more sordid, with one girl
he married, Jill, filling the gutter press with stories about Alex
being homosexual, and defrauding her of all her money to spend on his
boyfriends. Sally Taylor was initiated by Maxine and David, but then
transferred to Alex. She was trained by him, and then started her own
group.
I'd now like to focus upon the last of the strands which I believe has
been influential upon the birth and development of Wicca; that of the
literary traditions and sources to which Gardner would have had
access. To a certain extent these are contiguous with the magical
traditions described earlier, as nowhere is it ever suggested that
Gardner did in fact ever work in a magical Lodge, so we must assume
that his knowledge came from the written form of the rites, not from
the actual practise of them.
From reading Gardner's books, it is quite apparent that Margaret
Murray had a tremendous impact upon him. Her book, "The God of the
Witches" was published in 1933, and twelve years previously, "The
Witch Cult in Western Europe" had appeared. "The God of the Witches"
has been tremendously influential on a number of people, and certainly
inspired Gardner.
In fact, "Witchcraft Today", published by Gardner in 1954 contained a
foreword by Margaret Murray. At this time, remember, Murray's work was
still taken seriously, and she remained the contributor on the subject
of witchcraft for the Encyclopedia Britannica for a number of years.
Now of course her work has been largely discredited, although she
remains a source of inspiration, if not historical accuracy. In
Gardner's day, the idea of a continuing worship of the old pagan gods
would have been a staggering theory, and in the second article in my
series about Murray (published in The Cauldron), I made the point that
Murray may have had to pretend scientific veracity in order to get her
work published in such times. Don't forget that Dion Fortune had to
publish her work privately, as did Gardner with High Magic's Aid.
Carlo Ginzburg's excellent book, "Ecstasies", also supports Murray's
basic premise; although of course he regrets her historical
deceptions.
There were of course other sources than Murray. In 1899, "Aradia:
Gospel of the Witches" was published. Most of Crowley's work was
available during the pre- and post-war years, as were the texts
written and translated by MacGregor Mathers and Waite. Also readily
available were works such as The Magus, and of course the classics,
from which Gardner drew much inspiration.
Of paramount importance would have been "The White Goddess", by Robert
Graves, which is still a standard reference book on any British
Wiccan's bookshelf. This was published in 1952; three years after High
Magic's Aid appeared, and two years before Gardner's first
non-fictional book about witchcraft. I would just like to say at this
point that Graves has taken some very unfair criticism in respect of
this book. The White Goddess was written as a work of poetry, not
history, and to criticise it for being historically innaccurate is to
miss the point. Unfortunately, I agree that some writers have referred
to it as an "authority", and thus led their readers up the garden
path. This is not Graves's fault, nor do I believe it was his
intention.
Another book which has had a profound influence on many Wiccans, and
would undoubtedly have been well known by Gardner is "The Golden
Bough"; although the entire book was written based upon purely
secondary research, it is an extensive examination of many pagan
practices from the Ancient World, and the emphasis of the male
sacrifice could certainly have been taken from here equally as well as
from Murray. Certain of the Gardnerian ritual practices were almost
certainly derived from The Golden Bough, or from Frazer's own sources.
In "Witchcraft Today" Gardner mentions a number of authors when
speculating where the Wiccan rites came from. He says that, "The only
man I can think of who could have invented the rites was the late
Aleister Crowley."
He continues to say, "The only other man I can think of who could have
done it is Kipling...". He also mentions that, "Hargrave Jennings
might have had a hand in them..." and then suggests that "Barrat (sic)
of The Magus, circa 1800, would have had the ability to invent or
resurrect the cult."
It's possible that these references are something of a damage control
operation by Gardner, who, according to Doreen, was not too impressed
when she kept telling him that she recognised certain passages in the
Witch rites! "Witchcraft Today" was published the year after Doreen's
initiation, and perhaps by seeming genuinely interested in where the
Rites came from, Gardner thought he might give the appearance of
innocence of their construction!
As mentioned previously, Gardner also had a large collection of
unpublished MSS, which he used extensively, and one has only to read
his books to realise that he was a very well-read man, with
wide-ranging interests. Exactly the sort of man who would be able to
draw together a set of rituals if required.
The extensive bibliography to "The Meaning of Witchcraft" published in
1959, demonstrates this rather well. Gardner includes Magick in Theory
and Practice and The Equinox of the Gods by Crowley; The Mystical
Qabalah by Dion Fortune; The Goetia; The White Goddess (Graves); Lady
Charlotte Guest's translation of The Mabinogion; English Folklore by
Christina Hole; The Kabbalah Unveiled and the Abramelin by Mathers;
both Margaret Murray's books and Godfrey Leland's Gypsy Sorcery, as
well as a myriad of classic texts, from Plato to Bede!
Although this bibliography postdates the creation of Gardnerian Wicca,
it certainly indicates from where Gardner draws his inspiration from.
There are also several books listed which are either directly, or
indirectly, concerned with sex magic, Priapic Cults, or Tantra.
Hargrave Jenning, mentioned earlier, wrote a book called "The
Rosicrucians, their Rites and Mysteries", which Francis King describes
as a book, "concerned almost exclusively with phallicism and phallic
images - Jennings saw the penis everywhere."
As I mentioned earlier, Hargrave Jennings, a member of the SRIA, also
belonged to a group, described as a coven, which met in the Cambridge
area in the 1870s, and performed rituals based upon the classical
traditions - specifically, from The Golden *****. There is no evidence
to support this, except that there are often found references to a
"Cambridge Coven" linked to Jennings' name. Many of the rituals we are
familiar with today were of course later additions by Doreen Valiente,
and these have been well documented by both her and the Farrars, in a
number of books. Doreen admits that she deliberately cut much of the
poetry by Aleister Crowley, and substituted either her own work, or
poems from other sources, such as the Carmina Gadelica.
Of course we can never really know the truth about the origins of the
Wicca. Gardner may have been an utter fraud; he may have actually
received a "Traditional" initiation; or, as a number of people have
suggested, he may have created the Wicca as a result of a genuine
religious experience, drawing upon his extensive literary and magical
knowledge to create, or help create, the rites and philosophy.
What I think we can be fairly certain about is that he was sincere in
his belief. If there had been no more to the whole thing than an old
man's fantasy, then the Wicca would not have grown to be the force
that it is today, and we would not all be sitting here in Canberra on
a Saturday morning!
TEXT ENDS
Resource: Wicca 101
Note: The author of the following article is a Freemason and a Wiccan.
Common Elements in Freemasonry and Neo-Pagan Ritual
Freemasonry is an ancient and venerable institution with many
centuries of history behind it. Likewise, Pagan traditions fade into
the most distant recesses of time. Yet few modern-day Pagans are
intimately familiar with Freemasonry, undoubtedly as least in part due
to the all-male nature of the fraternity in contrast to the prominent
role of women in most traditions of neo-Paganism. And it is likely
that even fewer Masons understand neo-Paganism. Yet there are striking
liturgical similarities and historical ties.
Historians agree that the present-day structure known as the Masonic
fraternity, whatever its antecedents may have been, began with the
formation of the Grand Lodge of England in the year 1717 [1]. It is
not surprising, then, to find that some of the symbolic and
mythological elements in Masonic rituals would appear to be of Pagan
origin. Examples include ritual circumambulation, which is rooted in
Celtic practices centered around belief in sympathetic solar magic. By
walking in the direction of the sun, Pagans believed (as many do
today) that they could attune themselves to Nature's progress around
the wheel of the year. Moderns understand the earth orbits the sun,
but ancients contemplated a life-giving orb which "rose" in the east
and "set" in the west.
Other striking examples occur in common vocabulary of the of the
Masonic fraternity and certain neo-Pagan traditions. For example, the
word "cowan," which comes from ancient Scottish language, refers to
non-initiates in either instance.
No less than the eminent Masonic historian, Dr. Albert G. Mackey,
tells of similarities between Freemasonry and ancient Druidism, which
was one of thousands of ancient Pagan traditions. (Hereafter, the word
"paleo-Pagan" will be used to distinguish between ancient and modern,
or "neo-Pagan," beliefs or systems.) Dr. Mackey tells us:
The doctrine of the Druids were the same as those entertained by
Pythagoras... The object of their mystic rites was to communicate
those doctrines in symbolic language, and object and a method common
alike to Druidism, to the Ancient Mysteries and to Modern Freemasonry.
[2]
It is believed that the body of knowledge which has descended to us in
the form of Freemasonry has its roots in many ancient sources. The
most obvious are Semitic and Christian since the outward content of
the rituals revolve around the construction of King Solomon's temple.
But some aspects of Masonry appear to be of Pagan origin, in the most
honorable and classical sense of that word.[3] One reason may be
common historical roots.
Pythagoras, himself undeniably a Pagan, reportedly studied the
teachings of "Brahmins and Druids," under the mental of an Assyrian
philosopher named Ammanianus.[4] Pythagoras, who lived from 586 to 506
BCE, is remembered generally for his love of knowledge, and
specifically for his writings on the mystical power of numbers, as
well as for being the father of the science of geometry. According to
Mackey, Pythagoras "...traveled through Egypt, Chaldea and Asia Minor,
and is said to have submitted to the initiations in those countries
for the purpose of acquiring knowledge. On his return to Europe, he is
said to have established his school at Crotona, with liturgical
practices resembling those subsequently adopted by Freemasons" [5].
The present paper will touch on a few of the elements evident in
present-day Masonic liturgy, without revealing any of its so-called
"secrets," which appear to have common aspects with some of the
indigenous Pagan mythologies. Dr. Lewis Spence explains this by
pointing out that in the middle ages, students of occultism were often
initiated to a variety of societies. He adds his own assessment of
Masonic mysticism:
No student of occultism can fail to be struck with the close
resemblance of the constitutions of nearly all the mystical
fellowships of the middle ages, and the resemblance of the verbiage
employed by their founders and protagonists * * *
It is extremely doubtful if among even the higher ranks of masonry,
the deepest significance of the tradition of the craft is thoroughly
realised and it is the absurd works which every now and then emanate
from the eminent masons regarding the history of their craft be
accepted as criteria of their higher knowledge, it must indeed be of
slight proportions. Regarding the grand secret, or secrets, of
masonry, the layman may rest comfortably assured that if he has failed
to join the brotherhood, he has missed no fact of supreme importance
by so doing. There is no 'secret' at all. The original secrets in
connection with the craft were those of operative masons, who were
jealous of their position as workmen, and who rightly enough did not
believe in giving away business secrets to all and sundry; but the
so-called 'secrets' of modern speculative masonry are merely such as
have brought alchemy, astrology, and the kindred sciences into
unthinking disrepute among those who do not recognize their
significance in the history of human thought. This is not to say that
masonry as a whole consists of mere clap-trap. The trend of its entire
constitution is nowadays frankly mystical, but it is a mysticism which
is only half understood by the lower ranks of the craft, and which is
imperfectly recognised by its higher officers. Its tenets are
unquestionably mystic and lofty, but Masonic transcendentalism has
scarcely kept in line with more modern forms of mysticism. [6]
Freemasonry has not been without influence in the neo-Pagan movement
in the latter's efforts to reconstruct and recreate that which has
been lost. Gerald Brosseau Gardner (1884-1964) is often cited as being
chiefly responsible for reviving the religion of Witchcraft in England
and the modern West [7]. Wiccan matriarch Doreen Valiente, an High
Priestess who worked closely with Gardner, informs us:
Another tradition which has obviously been laid under tribute by
Gerald's rituals is that of Freemasonry. Thanks to the work of such
writers as Walton Hannah, the ordinary reader is able to find out a
good deal more about Masonic ritual than was generally available
before. We can therefore see that there are terms such as 'the Working
Tools,' the reference to the candidate's being 'properly prepared' for
initiation, the 'Charge' which is read to the new initiate, and the
existence of three Degrees through which the initiate must advance,
which are all very reminiscent of Masonic procedure when one finds
them in the witch rituals. Indeed, both Masons and witches today refer
to their cult as 'the Craft.' The Third Degree of the witches refers
to 'the Five Points of Fellowship,' just as the Third Degree of
Freemasonry does, though with a rather different meaning. In the third
Degree initiation, the candidate is blindfolded, has a cable-tow
placed about the neck and is admitted upon the point of a sharp
instrument, in both Gardnerian witchcraft and Freemasonry.
What do these resemblances mean? It has been argued that there was an
ancient connection between witch rituals and those of Freemasonry.
This may be so, but it is a fact that both Gerald Gardner and Dafo
were members of the Co-Masons. Co-Masonry is an offshoot of
Freemasonry which permits the admission of women, something which, of
course, the United Grand Lodge of England strictly forbids. It
originated in France and spread to Britain in 1902, when its first
British Lodge was formed in London. In this Lodge the famous leader of
the Theosophical Society, Mrs. Annie Besant, was initiated and became
the national delegate for Britain, and in 1922 Co-Masonry was
affiliated to the Grand Orient of France. When Annie Besant died, her
daughter, Mrs. Mabel Besant-Scott, became the leader of Co-Masonry in
Britain -- and Mrs. Mabel Besant-Scott was Gerald Gardner's neighbour
in Highcliffe, near Christchurch, on the edge of the New Forest. She
was also a leading member of the Rosicrucian Fellowship of Crotona
[8].
Another close associate of Gardner who is reported to have been a
Freemason was Arnold Crowther (1909-1974) [9].
As has already been made clear in the passage from Spence quoted
previously, the rise of speculative Freemasonry in the 17th and 18th
century has been historically linked to an increase in the popularity
among other secret magical orders whose rituals were based on the
Hermetica, mystery schools, the Tarot, interpretations of the Kabbalah
and astrology [10].
Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) provided other influences on the
development of modern witchcraft through association with Gardner.
Crowley was an adept of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (which
included the Outer Order of the White Brotherhood, Order of the Red
Rose and the Golden Cross, and the Silver Star or A.:.A.:. (Argentum
Astrum). Even the distinctive three dots in "A.:.A.:." suggests a
Masonic connection Later, Crowley advanced through the Ordo Templi
Orientis, a German occult order that practices sex magick. Crowley is
not known to have had any Masonic connections, though the
organizations just named may bear, or once have born, historical or
concordant or clandestine ties to the Fraternity.
Isaac Bonewits, Archdruid of Ar' nDrai'ocht Fe'in: A Druid Fellowship,
in explaining the evolution of Pagan traditions and beliefs as they
were passed through the generations, states the followers of the Old
Religion were forced by persecutions during the Burning Times to
conceal their "superstitious" beliefs and magical systems. "Instead,"
he says, "they became involved in Freemasonry and Rosicrucianism in
the 18th century, Spiritualism and Theosophy in the 19th; for all of
these movements were considered more respectable than witchcraft, and
still allowed the Fam-Trads to practice their occult arts" [11].
Another specific common ritual element between Freemasonry and various
Pagan traditions centers around the idea of iron as a source of evil
to those who touch it. Blacksmiths of ancient Rome and Pompeii wore
phallic amulets to counteract the effect which the constant handling
of iron was expected to bring upon them. More recently, men who built
needfires in Beltane bonfires of Scotland traditionally divested
themselves of anything made of metal. Another Scotch custom was that
in making the clavie (a fire-wheel used in celebrating Yule) any
hammering must be done with a stone rather than metal [12].
Similarly, Masonic ritual requires a candidate for initiation to enter
the Lodge "divested of all metallic substances," as it is said the
masons who built King Solomon's temple cut each stone without blades
of stone. Known as the "rite of divestiture," this Masonic ritual
reminds the new initiate of the destitute condition in which all
humans enter the world and that all must rely on the charity of
others. Mackey explains: "In the divestiture of metals as a
preliminary to initiation, we are symbolically taught that Masonry
regards no man on account of his wealth" [13]
In ancient times, iron was forbidden inside Greek and Roman temples,
just as it was during construction of both Hebrew temples at
Jerusalem. Ancient Saxons would not use iron in cemeteries because it
was feared the metal would scare away departed spirits. Brass has also
been believed to be effective in repelling spirits. Many neo-Pagan
traditions also have strict prohibitions about the types of metals, or
whether any metal, which may be brought into a ritual circle.
An example of a more direct influx of Masonic material, and of its
alteration to fit neo-Pagan system of worship, is documented by Janet
and Stewart Farrar when they refer in a footnote to the evolution of
Gardner's book of shadows:
Text A says 'Holy Twin Pillars, B. and J.' This stands for Boaz and
Jachin, the Masonic names for the twin pillars of Solomon's Temple,
representing the complementary principles of Severity and Mercy. The
'B. and J.' was dropped from Texts B and C. In this ritual, the 'Holy
Twin Pillars' are the Priestess's breasts, which are kissed at this
point. (In the alternative form of the Great Rite..., because of the
different positioning of the Priestess and Priest, the Pillars are
taken to be the Priestess's legs.) [14]
Two interesting literary references, in line with the Farrars'
allusion to the pillars as figured in human breasts and legs, are
found in the Song of Solomon, where the lyricist says: "I am a wall
and my breasts like towers..." (8:10). And again: "His legs are
pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is
as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars" (5:15).
Contrary to the Farrars' interpretation of the Masonic meaning of the
two pillars, knowledgeable Masonic writers provide a different
explanation of the twin pillars which stand at the "inner door" of
Masonic lodges everywhere, which are emblematical of the two which
supposedly stood in the ancient Temple:
It is believed that when a king was crowned he stood before one of
them, for which reason it was called the 'King's Pillar;' when a high
priest was consecrated he stood before the other, or 'Priest's
Pillar.' For this reason the two pillars represented the foundation of
a nation's life, the state and church government and religion, God and
King. But... as used in the Second Degree they have more profound and
important meaning: they are the symbol of the last step taken in
Passing, the step taken between the hard and honest work a man does on
his own nature to shape it into the character it ought to have and the
reward of that work in honor, peace of mind, power, and self-respect.
[15]
Interesting similarities, and also some differences, occur in the
ritual assemblies in Freemasonry and various Pagan traditions both
ancient and modern.
Wicca is a religion the roots of which, like those of Freemasonry, are
lost in antiquity. This century, however, has seen a resurgence of
Goddess worship, both in the form of various Wiccan traditions, and
revitalization of other forms of Pagan worship. Many of these
traditions worship a Great Goddess, side-by-side with a masculine
deity.
In the casting of a modern-day Wiccan ritual circle, a process known
as "erecting the Temple" includes the consecration of sacred space.
This includes saluting the "guardians of the watchtowers" (or other
similar language) of the East, South, North and West, usually in that
order, at each quarter of the circle. Some also salute the center of
the circle. It is explained that each quarter corresponds to one of
the essential elements of Air, Fire, Earth, Water and Spirit.
A Masonic lodge, on the other hand, is described as an "oblong
square," which denotes two squares joined together to form a
rectangle. Masons generally sit or stand around the sidelines of the
Lodge as rituals take place, with officers seated in the East, South
and North. The Masonic alter is always situated in the center of the
lodge, the spot which in a neo-Pagan circle might well represent the
element of Spirit.
Russell A. Herner [16] puts forth the hypothesis that the prehistoric
stones standing on Salisbury Plain, in England, were placed there by a
Masonic organization some 2,700 or more years ago. Although Herner's
writings appear more directed at a popular audience than a scholarly
one, and are not generally accepted by historians, he raises a number
of interesting observations, including that Stonehenge's alignments
are oriented to the positions of the cycles of the sun and moon, and
that its focal point is to the North-East, a significant direction in
the rituals of modern Freemasonry. In addition, Herner notes, the
stones are placed precisely in geographical directions, laid out
nearly identically to a modern Masonic lodge-room, with officer
stations at each of the four quarters.
Ritual space for Wiccans, Druids and other neo-Pagans, is often
referred to as "a place that is not a place, a time that is not a
time," in allusion to the idea of crossing mystical boundaries.
A Masonic initiate enters the lodge "...neither barefoot nor shod,
naked nor clad...," again neither this nor that. In their lectures on
Celtic poetry and myth, Taine Bwca and Erynn Darkstar explain the
roots of such practices is cosmological terms:
[The Celts] had a very different way of classifying time and space
than we do. Their day began at the fall of night. They liked going to
boundaries. They enjoyed looking at an absurd concept and breaking it
down in terms of things that were and were not. The song that Simon
and Garfunkel popularized in the 1960s, 'Scarborough Fair,' has a
little piece of ancient riddle that's very Celtic in form, 'between
the sea water and the sea sand,' it's neither this nor that. They
loved the neither/nor dichotomy. Most of the warriors that die
gloriously (and they all basically die gloriously in Celtic tales) die
under impossible, absurd situations, like standing on the back of a
horse, right between the time when the bell is tolling, neither in nor
out of the house, with a weapon that's not been made by anyone in
particular... These were people that crossed boundaries * * *
They really, again, like boundary conditions, where the shoreline is,
where you can't really see things that clearly, especially in Ireland
and Scotland with all that fog there. Things happen at boundaries in
Celtic culture, at least for purposes of religion. They don't happen
in the middle, or in a 'safe' section. Things happen right on the
edge. [17]
Mithraism is one of many paleo-Pagan religions about which more has
been learned in recent years. James R. Russell (1994) of the Harvard
University Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations
presented a paper entitled "Mithraism and Freemasonry" at the
Livingston Masonic Library in New York, in which he began: "It has
long been recognized that there are very numerous similarities between
the initiatory rituals and symbolism of the ancient Mithraic mysteries
and those of modern Freemasonry." Dr. Russell proceeded to discuss the
contents of Egyptian documents containing a Greek language Obligation
which has elements similar to modern Masonic ritual; as well, we might
add, as being similar to some current-day Pagan religious rituals.
At the conclusion of each Masonic degree a "Charge" is given.
According to Mackey: "It is the admonition which is given by the
presiding officer at the close of the ceremony of initiation, to the
candidate, and which the latter receives standing, as a token of
respect. There is a charge for each degree, which is found in all the
monitors [19] and manuals from Preston onward" [20]. Respect for
Masonic tradition and law prohibits reproduction of a Charge here,
though versions may be found in publication in various places.
In some ways similar, a "Charge of the Goddess" is used among almost
all branches of modern Witchcraft. It is published in varying forms.
Some covens have Charges which they hold secret. The following
version, set in modern language by Starhawk, was first published by
Charles Godfrey Leland in 1899 [21]:
Listen to the words of the Great Mother, who of old was called
Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Ceridwen, Diana,
Arionrhod, Brigid, and by many other names. Whenever you have need of
anything, once in the month, and better when the moon is full, you
shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me who is
Queen of all the wise. You shall be free from slavery, and as a sign
that you be free you shall be naked in your rites. Sing, feast, dance,
make music and love, all in My presence, for Mine is the ecstasy of
the spirit and Mine also is joy on earth. For My law is love unto all
beings. Mine is the secret that opens upon the door of youth, and Mine
is the cup of wine of life that is the Cauldron of Ceridwen that is
the holy grail of immortality. I give the knowledge and the spirit
eternal and beyond death I give peace and freedom and reunion with
those that have gone before. Nor do I demand aught of sacrifice, for
behold, I am the mother of all things and My love is poured out upon
the earth. [22]
Valiente was quoted earlier to the effect that some version of the
"Five Points of Fellowship" of the Masons exist within the third
degree of Witch rituals. Also called the "Fivefold Kiss," Guiley
offers the following description:
A ritual kissing of five parts of the body done in certain rites and
ceremonies, such as handfasting, in some traditions of neo-Pagan
witchcraft. It is always done within a magic circle and is symbolic of
the homage paid by the God and the Goddess to each other. The fivefold
kiss can be done man to woman or woman to man. The kisses may be given
on the parts of the body which, with arms and legs outstretched,
correspond to the points of a pentacle: head, arms or hands; legs or
feet. Or, eight kisses may be given in five body points: on each foot;
on each knee; above the pubic hair; on each breast; on the lips. Each
kiss is accompanied by a blessing... [23]
The closest thing to a Masonic counterpart of this, as noted, is the
Five Points of Fellowship, which Mackey explains thus: "...In the old
system, the symbols are the hand, the foot, the knee, the breast and
the back. In the new system, the first symbol or the hand is omitted,
and the mouth and the ear substituted." [24]
Among the first similarities observed by a Witch visiting a Masonic
lodge, to a Wiccan circle (or vice versa), is the orientation of the
ritual around the points of the compass. The "cardinal point" in
Freemasonry is the East. It is here that the Worshipful Master sits
and presides over the ritual, over whose head the letter "G" hangs
from the vaulted ceiling of the lodge. According to Masonic custom, it
is at the North-East corner that buildings are ceremonially commenced
and the cornerstone laid. A nineteenth century Mason, Brigham Young,
explained the laying of the cornerstone of a temple in Salt Lake City
at the southeast corner, although he acknowledges that this was not
traditional:
The First Presidency proceeded to the south-east corner, to lay the
first stone, though it is customary at the north-east corner -- that
is the beginning point most generally, I believe, in the world. At
this side of the equator we commence at the south-east corner. We
sometimes look for light, you know, brethren. You old men that have
been through the mill pretty well, have been inquiring after light --
which way do you go? You will tell me to go to the east for light? So
we commence by laying the stone on the south-east corner, because
there is the most light. [25]
Ordinarily, it is at the North-East corner that buildings are
ceremonially commenced, according to Masonic custom. Mackey tells us:
The organizers of the Mysteries did not leave things to chance.
However vague some of their speculations may have sounded in the ears
of the people, they were themselves dealing in as exact science as
they were able to command. Hence, while the terrestrial 'East' was
ever in the direction of the rising sun, a direction that describes a
complete circle with every recurring twelve months, the celestial or
true East was permanently situated in the sign of the zodiacal lion,
or Leo, or the 'House of the Sun.' In every part of the world we
always find the four cardinal points associated with the four
elements, -- East, Lion, fire; South, Eagle (Scorpio), water; West,
man, air; North, Bull, earth. [26]
These correspondences are similar but do not precisely match those
commonly recognized by modern Pagan traditions. Though variation
exists with the is diversity of Pagan traditions, following are the
correspondences with which this writer is most familiar in a Pagan
context, for exemplary purposes, in a table alongside the above noted
Masonic counterparts:
WICCA FREEMASONRY
East Air Intellect/Imagination East Fire Leo
South Fire Will/Vitality South Water Scorpio
West Water Emotion/Intuition West Air Man
North Earth Body/Foundation North Earth Bull
Another obvious common symbol used in Masonry and Pagan traditions, is
the Pentagram, recognized as a symbol of many mystical traditions.
With its point turned up or down, it is widely known as the emblem of
the Order of the Easter Star, and has numerous layers of meaning.
Neo-Pagan author, Amber K, on the other hand, relates some historic
meanings this mystic symbol has had, and the meaning it continues to
hold to modern Wiccans:
The pentagram has had many names through the ages: Pentalpha, the
Endless Knot, the Pentacle of the Virgin, the Seal of Microcosm, the
Star of Knowledge, the Pentacle of the Templars, and according to
some, the Seal of Solomon. Medieval churchmen, however, called it
Witch's Foot, or Wizard's Star, Goblin's Cross, Druid's Foot, and
Devil's Sign. It has been used by Sumerians, Kabbalists, Celts,
Egyptians, Christians and Gypsies.
It stands for Spirit ruling the world of Matter. Also life, health,
protection (especially against hostile spirits). Also a human being as
microcosm of the universe. The points can represent the five senses,
stages of life, or states of consciousness. Small ones, of silver, are
amulets favored by Witches. On a disc of wood or metal it is the
Witch's Pentacle, the ritual tool of Earth. If inverted, it can stand
for the Horned God or for Spirit hidden in Matter or subject to it.
[27]
Of your own free will and accord
It would perhaps have been fitting to address the subject of Free Will
first in this treatise, for it is at the beginning and end of both
Freemasonry and Witchcraft, and woven throughout. The element of free
choice is central to initiation in either, just as the concepts of
exercising caution but fearing no danger while in the service of
Deity.
Once a candidate for initiation vocalizes willingness to proceed with
the ceremony, both in the cases of Masons and Witches (or at least
many Witches, depending on tradition), he or she is ceremonially
bound, hoodwinked, neither naked nor clad, and called upon to make a
number of oaths all subject to free will. Although it would not be
appropriate to go into the details here, the two rituals bear a number
of other specific parallels.
Paganism and Freemasonry today
It is difficult to fix with certainty the number of neo-Pagans in
America. The Witches League for Public Awareness, a nonprofit national
organization based in Salem, Massachusetts, estimates there are
between 200,000 nationwide. But J. Gordon Melton, a United Methodist
minister and director of the Institute for the Study of Religion at
the University of California, Santa Barbara, claims there are only
40,000 [28] Of course, Witches are merely a fraction of those who
identify themselves as Pagan. At this writing, the EarthSpirit
Community of Medford, Massachusetts is in the process of conducting a
"Pagan Census Project," with funding from West Chester State
University in Pennsylvania and the Covenant of the Goddess (a
confederation of Witch covens), which hopefully will yield some
meaningful results. Reports of the 1993 World Parliament of Religions
indicate the neo-Pagan movement is among the fastest-growing religions
in North America today. [29]
On the other hand, as an established organization with clearly defined
membership rolls (which in many jurisdictions are computerized),
obtaining a count of Freemasons is relatively easy. According to the
New York Times, there are currently 2.4 million Masons nationally.
This is down from 4.1 million in 1969.
It is unknown how many Masons hold Pagan beliefs, and it probably will
never be known since religious affiliation is not something about
which Masons traditionally question their members. Some portion of
mainstream Masons who might agree with major aspects of Pagan
philosophy and spirituality, might hesitate to label themselves
"Pagan," partly due to a misunderstanding of what the word denotes and
what it implies.
Assuredly, no atheist may ever be a Mason. But neo-Pagans are far from
atheist. Some devote more time and energy to prayer, religious study,
and other spiritual activities than most Christians, Jews or Moslems
-- Mason or not.
Both Masons and Pagans have been subject to periods of intense
persecution during their history. For example, a measure declaring
Freemasonry Incompatible with Christianity failed by only to a close
vote at the 1993 Southern Baptist Convention in Houston. Two reasons
cited in support of the proposal were the following:
o The recommended readings, in pursuance of advanced degrees, of
religions and philosophies, which are undeniably pagan and/or occult,
such as much of the writings of Albert Pike, Albert Mackey, Manly
Hall, Rex Hutchins, W.L. Wilmshurst, and other such authors.
o The heresy of universalism (the belief all people will eventually be
saved), which permeates the writings of many Masonic authors. [31]
In keeping with the non-sectarian nature of the Masonic fraternity, a
number of the members of any given lodge might be practicing Pagans ad
the other members be totally unaware. A current Masonic introductory
tract affirms:
Freemasonry welcomes men from every religious denomination or creed,
requiring only that they affirm their belief in a Supreme Being, and
that they are of high moral character and are good citizens. Masonic
Lodges are non-denominational and non-political. Partisan and
sectarian discussions are not permitted in Lodges.
Masonry is not a substitute for church or religion. The Fraternity
urges its members to practice their own particular religious beliefs
in their daily lives. [32]
Some Pagan men may find Freemasonry to be a rewarding supplement to
their spiritual life. It can provide fraternal association with a
broader segment of the men of a community than would be possible under
other circumstances, in a Masonic ritual setting which attempts to be
as non-threatening as possible on a personal level. While some Pagans
may miss the presence of women in Masonry (aside from a small handful
who have snuck in over a period of centuries), gender segregation is
not unheard of in neo-Paganism, as Dianic Witches or those of certain
Faery traditions can attest.
Pagans desiring more information about Masonry are invited to ask a
Masonic friend about joining. Likewise, Freemasons who are interested
in learning more about modern application of the ancient mystical
techniques and philosophies, may contact any of a number of neo-Pagan
organizations around the country.
As stated at the outset, the purpose of this article is to initiate a
dialog. Nothing in this article should be interpreted to suggest that
Freemasonry as a whole, or Freemasons as a group, endorse Paganism,
any more than they endorse Christianity, Judaism, Islam, or any other
religion.
So mote it be.
References
1. Lang, Ossian (1922). History of Freemasonry in the State of New,
Grand Lodge of New York, F&AM, p. 1.
2. Mackey, Albert G. (1924). Encyclopaedia of Freemasonry, Chicago:
The Masonic History Company, Vol. 1, p. 221, s.v. "Druidical
Mysteries."
3. "Pagan, from the Latin paganus, peasant, and pagus, a district, the
country, parallels HEATHEN: a dweller on the heath) both in sense and
origin Pagan traveled a more circuitous route, however. First paganus
became an epithet among Roman soldiers for civilian. Then,
contemptuous usage was adopted by early Christians, who saw themselves
as soldiers, milites, of Christ, and who naturally extended paganus to
anyone who wasn't converted. See also HICK, PEASANT, and RENEGADE."
(Hugh Crawson (1989). Wicked Words: A Treasury of Curses, Insults,
Put-Downs, and Other Formerly Unprintable Terms from Anglo-Saxon Times
to the Present, Crown Publishers: New York, P. 280.)
4. Rutherford, Ward (1990). The Druids: Magicians of the West, the
doctrines, beliefs and practices of Druidism, New York: Sterling
Books, p. 46. In this vein, Gerald Gardner (1959) alleges: "According
to tradition, a Druid called Abarts was a friend of Pythagoras, who,
it will be remembered, was also a believer in reincarnation" (p. 74.)
5. Mackey, op cit., Vol. II, p. 602, s.v. "Pythagoras."
6. Spence, Lewis (1960). An Encyclopaedia of Occultism, New Hyde Park,
New York: University Books.
7. Guiley, Rosemary Ellen (1989}. Encylopedia of Witches and
Witchcraft, New York: Facts On File, p. 216, s.v. "Magic."
8. Valiente, Doreen (1989). The Rebirth of Witchcraft, London: Robert
Hale, pp. 55-56.
9. Guiley, op cit., pp. 77-78, sv. "Crowther, Arnold."
10. Guiley, op cit.
11. Bonewits, P.E.I. (1976). "Witchcraft," The Green Egg, Vol. 14, No.
79 {June 21, 1976.)
12. Elworthy, Frederick Thomas (1986). The Evil Eye: An account of
this ancient and widespread superstition, New York: Julian Press, p.
220.
13. Mackey, op cit., Vol. II, p. 482, s.v. "Metals."
14. Farrar, Janet & Stewart (1981). A Witches Bible: Principles,
rituals and beliefs of modern Witchcraft, Vol. II: The Rituals, New
York: Magickal Childe, pp. 304-305.
15. Anonymous {1958). The Fellow Craft Degree, Grand Lodge of New
York, Free & Accepted Masons, pp. 20-21.
16. Herner, Russell A. (1979). Stonehenge: An ancient Masonic temple,
Richmond, Virginia: Macoy Publishing & Masonic Supply Co.
17. Darkstar, Erynn and Bwca, Taine (1992). The Cauldron of Poesy:
Lectures on Irish magick, cosmology and poetry, Seattle, Washington:
Preppie Biker Press, pp. 4-5.
18. Russell, James R. (1994). "On Mithraism and Freemasonry," paper
presented at Livingston Masonic Library on November 10, 1994, 7 pp.
19. Anonymous (1947). Monitor of the Work, Lectures and Ceremonies of
Ancient Craft Masonry, Grand Lodge of New York, pp. 32, 51 and 65.
20. Mackey, op cit., Vol I, p. 143, s.v. "Charge."
21. Leland, Charles Godfrey (1899). Aradia: Or the gospel of the
Witches, reprinted 1974 by Samuel Weiser: New York.
22. Starhawk (1979), The Spiral Dance: A rebirth of the ancient
religion of the Great Goddess, San FranciSco: Harper & Row, p. 76.
23. Guiley, op cit., pp. 126-127.
24. Mackey, op cit., Vol. II, p. 572, s.v. "Points of Fellowship,
Five."
25. Higgins, Frank (1992). Hermetic Masonry, Kila, Mont.: Kessinger
Publishing Co., p. 105.
26. K, Amber (1984). The Pentacle (flyer), published privately.
27. Mackey, op cit., Vol. II, p. 553, s.v. "Pentalpha."
28. Rivera, Jennifer (1992). Hudson Valley, October, pp. 32-35.
29. Arthen, Andras Corban (1993). Earth Spirit: The newsletter of the
Earth-Spirit Community (special Parliament Issue.)
30. Peterson, Iver (1993). "Freemasons begin to lift the veil of
arcana," The New York Times, June 6, Metro section, p. 44.
31. Curtis, Richard H. (1993). "Can a Southern Baptist be a Mason?,"
Empire State Mason, Fall 1993, pp. 12-14.
32. Anonymous (no date). "Q&A: Answers to questions about the Masonic
Fraternity," Grand Lodge of F&AM of New York State.
The author was raised as a Master Mason in September 1993. He has
written numerous articles on religion, spirituality, psychology and
counseling. The statements expressed in this article do not represent
any organization, including any grand or local Masonic lodge.
Resource: Rue
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