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by Michael A. Aquino, Ipsissimus VI* Temple of Set
Electronic mail: MCI-Mail 278-4041
Within the Temple of Set there exist a number of specialized Orders,
each supervised by a IV*+ Initiate as Grand Master of that Order.
Perhaps the best way to visualize the Temple of Set's concept of Orders
is to think of the Temple as a university, with the Orders as the
various academic departments. Students at the university, in the course
of their general education, may sample subjects at appropriate
introductory levels in various departments. Upon completing their
general education, students with an interest in or aptitude for a
particular department may "major" in that department and possibly go
on
to graduate work in that field. Nonetheless all the departments
cooperate in the operation of the university as a whole, and its general
academic environment lends a sense of perspective to the various
departments - so that their faculty and students can relate to a world
beyond their field of specialization. General guidelines concerning
the
Temple of Set's Orders are as follows:
1. Only a IV* Initiate may establish an Order within the Temple. This
has
been the traditional prerogative of this degree since the time of the
G.'.D.'. and the A.'.A.'.
2. An Order is characterized by special interests and emphases, which
may be
formalized by special introductory and ritual procedures within that
Order.
Such interests and emphases may not clash with those of the Temple
of Set as
a whole, and an Order's initiatory system must be subordinate to and
supportive of the system of the Temple as a whole.
3. The Grand Master (presiding IV*+) of each Order exercises complete
authority over that Order, subject to the review of the High Priest
of Set.
4. Subject to exemptions approved by the High Priest, Orders will accept
only II*+ Setians as Initiates. This is based on the premise that I*
Setians
should concentrate on their "general magical education" prior to
specializing within a particular Order.
5. While an Adept II* may specialize indefinitely, a Priest or Priestess
of
Set III* must possess a high level of general knowledge. IV*+s who
are Grand
Masters of Orders will not Recognize new III*s solely on the basis
of their
competence within a particular Order, but rather according to their
broader
skills and State of Being within the Temple of Set and the AEon.
6. The fruits of an Order's work must actively extend beyond the Initiates
of that Order to the Temple of Set as a whole. The only exception to
this is
that initiatory ceremonies within an Order may be private to that Order,
per
the magical principle that uninvolved observers at such ceremonies
can
impair their effectiveness.
7. A Setian may belong to only one Order [in addition to the Order of
the
Trapezoid] within the Temple of Set, on the premise that personal efforts
would otherwise be diluted. On the same premise, personal movement
between
various Orders will be discouraged. Aspirants are advised to interview
and
correspond with various Orders before making a personal commitment
to any
one in particular.
8. It is not necessary for a Setian to affiliate with any Order. Setians
of
all degrees may freely visit activities of all Orders, except as noted
in #6
above.
9. There is no required or standard internal design for an Order, save
that
each be headed by a IV*+ with the formal title of Grand Master.
10. Order insignia may be worn either together with Temple of Set insignia
or alone. When it is worn with Temple insignia, it must not conflict
with,
cover, or displace it.
11. The Order of the Trapezoid (O.Tr.) will be accorded the distinction
of
"first among equals" as an Order, due to its legacy in the Church of
Satan
and Temple of Set. This is an honorary distinction alone and infers
no "rank
above" any other Order. The O.Tr. incurs a special responsibility to
"set
the example" for other Orders, and to creditably represent the institution
of Orders within the Temple of Set.
12. Priests and Priestesses of Set III* will be encouraged to involve
themselves with specialized concerns of an Order only after their Priestly
affairs are amply in hand. In all cases this means active involvement
with
potential Setians and I*/II* Setians who are working to become fully
Adept
at the Black Arts at a personal level. In many cases it further means
the
establishment and leadership of a Pylon of the Temple. effect
of this
provision is that an enthusiastic II* member of a particular Order
will have
to resolve to put Order-specific interests on the back burner should
he or
she be Recognized to the Priesthood of Set. Active work within Orders
will
be done mostly by II* and IV* Initiates, with III*s contributing only
after
their more general responsibilities within the Temple are fulfilled.
Hence
II*s who are intensely interested in a particular Order should consider
this
provision before aspiring to the III*.]
13. Orders' areas of focus may be historic, philosophical, geographic,
psychological, or almost anything else that does not conflict with
the
Temple of Set's basic ethical guidelines.