Book Review of the Historic Structure of the Original GD Temples Edited by Darcy Kuntz

Modern students of Golden Dawn tend to be fairly unaware of the administrative structure of the original Golden Dawn Temples. Darcy Kuntz addresses this issue with his book, compiling several versions of the rules and regulations from the earliest Golden Dawn lodges.

There are two reasons why modern students tend to be ignorant about the original administrative structure. One, as Kuntz notes, is the fact that Israel Regardie chose not to publish any of the rules and regulations in his grand opus. Regardie's decision probably was based on the fact that he was more interested in preserving the magical lore of Golden Dawn, therefore the rituals and knowledge lecture notes were given higher priority.

Regardie probably also did not foresee that the lodge system would enter a period of decline. It is occasionally hard to believe that during the heyday of the lodge system that forty percent of the adult population were members of one or more lodges. Today, the basics of lodgekit has to be taught directly (more often than not) by one's Mother Lodge in Golden Dawn, rather than learning lodgekit in a lodge of fraternal Order.

The ultimate reason that Regardie did not publish bylaws for the original Golden Dawn groups may simply be the result of him not having the documents to begin with.

The second reason for a modern occult student to be ignorant of the original administrative structure is that an ill-qualified esoteric leader hardly wants a student to know that they might have options beyond the leader's petty whims. Not only are modern occult students ignorant of the original bylaws of Golden Dawn, they are often in the dark about their own group's bylaws (if the group even has any rules beyond "It is Greatly Honored Frater XYZ's Order; he can do whatever he likes").

There is a misconception in occult circles that one's right to rule is based solely on one's lineage and occult knowledge. Occult students generally ignore their leaders' people skills or lack thereof, just like they generally ignore the lack of an administrative structure.

Ignoring this deficiency leads to one of the most common occurrences in the history of the esoteric Orders. Kuntz in his introduction says, "Without internal administrative structure, any large working group is doomed to splinter and dissolve. The challenge is always to develop a structure that is neither too rigid to allow for growth, or so flexible that members develop their own individual agendas and lose sight of the intent of the group as a whole."One can go one step further and claim that any group beyond a couple of people is doomed without an administrative structure as the history of modern-day Wiccan seems to indicate.

What are the documents in this book?

The following is a brief commentary (summary) on the documents contained in The Historic Structure of the Original Golden Dawn Temples (not in the order that they are published in this volume):

Ordinances of the First Order of the GD [Golden Dawn] in the Outer (G.H. Fratres Nom Omnis Moriar [W.W. Westcott] and Deo Duce Comite Ferro [S.L. Mathers); London 1888.

What is most interesting about this document is that is a smokescreen. GH Fraters Sapiens Dominabitur Astris (Fraulein Sprengel, in the person of Westcott), DDCF and Sit Lux et Lux (W.R. Woodman) gave VH (Very Honored) Fraters Magna et Vertias (Woodman), S' Rioghail Mo Dhream (Mathers)and Quod Scis Nescis (Westcott) the authority to run Isis-Urania Temple. Rather than openly take responsibility for the Order, Westcott and company chose to pretend that there was other Adepts above them.

This document also contains a clause that says that if one of the Chiefs of the lodge "should die, demit, or resign," then the Chiefs shall petition the GH Chiefs to assign a replacement. This clause, as a student of Golden Dawn history will know, was ignored when such events happened, leaving Mathers in sole control of the Golden Dawn system.

Order of the GD [Golden Dawn] in the Outer, Bye-Laws of the Isis-Urania Temple, No.3 (VH Fratres Sapere Aude [Westcott] and S' Rioghail Mo Dhream [Mathers]), London (1890).

This document starts off with the mention that the bylaws can be changed both by the Chiefs and by a two-thirds majority of the subscribing members. The rest of the document concerns itself with when advancement to specific Grades can happen (ex. Neophyte initiations only happen in January, March, July, September, and December), and the cost of documents and insignia.

Order of the GD [Golden Dawn] in the Outer, Bye-Laws of the Isis-Urania Temple, No.3 Amended (VH Soror Sapientia Sapienti Dono Data [Florence Farr] and VH Frater Levavi Oculos [Percy Bullock]), London (April 1892).

This document represents only minor changes to the previous one.

[Pattern] Bye-Laws [for all Golden Dawn Temples], (VH Fratres Sapere Aude [Westcott] and S' Rioghail Mo Dhream [Mathers], London (23 November 1895).

This document starts off by defining who the members of a lodge are (Warrant receivers, members that are later initiated by them, and transfers from other lodges); the document then moves to the matter of dues. After that, it details the responsibilities of the Chiefs of the lodge, and assemblies of the membership. It moves onto the insignia, manuscripts (Rituals and Lectures), and advancement procedure. The document finishes with expected conduct of the members, and how the bylaws can be modified (all modifications must be approved by the GH Chiefs).

Amen-Ra Temple, No. 6, Bye-Laws, (Edinburgh 1896).

This document follows the layout and plan of the previous document, though it is only half the length of the previous one. Only members of the Philosophus Grade can possess copies of the lectures and rituals. An note of interest is the fact that a member can advance from 3=8 to 4=7 in less than three months if the Second Order so orders the advancement.

Isis-Urania Temple of the GD [Golden Dawn] in the Outer, Bye-Laws, (London), May 1900.

Much the same as the Pattern Bylaws. Documents must be returned at the end of one's membership, and must be all kept in a locked box or cover and clearly labeled the property of the Order. It closes with the regulation that "Members must preserve absolute silence in the Temple during the performance of the Ceremonies."

RR et AC [Rosae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis] in London, Second Order Bye-Laws (May 1900).

This document sets up the Executive Council, a necessary step after the Revolt of the Adepts.

RR et AC [Rosae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis] Draft Rules of Reconstitution [of the Golden Dawn], London (30 March 1902).

This document is signed by Causa Scientiae (Julian Baker), and is on the behalf of the Provisional Council; it is about a general meeting concerning the revising of the Constitution of Golden Dawn. In order to attend, one had to agree to be bound by a two-thirds majority.

[Draft Rules of] Reconstitution [of the Golden Dawn], London (1902/1903).

This document starts off with a request to change the name of the Order from "the Hermetic Society of the GD" to another name (the name would end up being Hermetic Society of MR [Morgen Rothe]); this is because of the scandal caused by the Horos trial. This document limits the power of the Imperator of Isis-Urania, though it does give them an automatic seat on the Council.

It also removes the subgrades from Inner Order. Furthermore, it abolishes testing in the Adept Minor Grade. "The 5 to 6 Grade shall form a centre of common meeting ground for students interested in all branches of the Occult Sciences without distinction; the object of maintaining the Outer System and its examinations up to 5 to 6 intact being to ensure that admittance of bona-fide students." In addition, there is a clause that allows demitted and resigned members to keep the documents that are in their possession.

Isis-Urania Temple of the MR [Morgen Rothe] in the Outer, Bye-Laws, (Der Scheines des Lichtes "The Shining of the Light"), London (June 1902).

Almost the same as the 1900 Isis-Urania Bylaws, with four clauses amended. The changes deal with an increase in annual dues, and minor changes in officer procedures and manuscript returns.

Ordinis AO
Two clauses dealing with fees, subscriptions, and the price of the sashes (insignia). A third clause includes the fact that copies of documents, lectures and diagrams can only be made from the Master Copy.

New Constitution [of the Stella Matutina] (GH Frater Finem Respice [Dr. R.W. Felkin]) London (18 June 1916).

This document reflects both the failure of the committee to be able to properly rule the Order, and the fact that Dr. Felkin was going to be away from England for an extended time period. The leadership of the Order is invested in five people: three Chiefs, a Recorder and Felkin. Final veto on all matters was held by Felkin himself.

Rules for advancement to the higher Grades of Adept Major and Adept Extemptus are given; the primary requirement is time served in Grade. There are two routes to the higher Grades: study and service. The curriculum itself is in flux: "New Side Lectures and Flying Rolls may be added, and old ones withdrawn, rewritten, or enlarged, with the consent of the Ruling Chiefs, Recorder, and a Guardian." The rituals themselves can only be changed with the approval of Felkin or his successors.

The Portal Grade is mentioned in this document. The watering down of the system seems to be reversed at this point (as history will show, this trend will not last for long).

Working with Mathers, A.E. Waite and Dr. Brodie-Innes is forbidden. Mention is made of members who expelled or asked to resign.

Much of this document focuses on the formation of Daughter Temples. "Each Branch must be absolutely autonomous and ruled by three Chiefs, who are at present time full 5=6 in the R.R. et A.C., and they must follow exactly the traditions of our Order." The Daughter lodges must be monetary independent, though they are allowed to use the main Vault of the Adepti for their initial Inner Order initiations.

Felkin closes the document by saying, "Our Pass-word for the present six months is Achad, signifying 'Unity,' and it is my great desire that all the scattered Rosicrucian Forces within our reach, should be gathered together into a harmonious whole instead of drifting off into comparative uselessness, or into undesirable channels."

What can be learned from these documents?

The most important thing that we can learn is that the founders of Golden Dawn were concerned with the practical business of running an Order: collecting dues, protecting secrets, and providing baubles for the membership. And as the rules and regulations change, they reveal the changing concerns of the leadership of the Order. Just like fraternal Orders, the rules in esoteric Orders typically change after some event became troublesome (the most blatant example is the name change of the Order after the Horos trial).

There is also the rather curious omission; there are no Secret Chiefs or Third Order mentioned in any of these documents. The leadership of the Order was firmly embedded in the Second Order. Occult reasons for the rules are non-existent. Occult might was not the hallmark of the leadership of the Order, rather it was the practical business of running an Order.

Darcy Kuntz's book, The Historic Structure of the Original Golden Dawn Temples, is an important addition to any student of the true history of this esoteric Order. It gets five out of five stars for its historic value.

The Historic Structure of the Original Golden Dawn Temples (Ordinances and Regulations); Golden Dawn Studies Series 20 --- Doctor William Wynn Westcott, Samuel Liddell (MacGregor) Mathers, et al. Introduction and edited by Darcy Kuntz. Holmes Publishing Group, Second Edition, 2005 (1999).