• Hymenaeus Alpha: In Memoriam

    From Brian Bergmann@RICKSBBS to All on Mon Apr 20 07:17:21 2026
    FRATER HALAYL III

    Hymenaeus Alpha: In Memoriam

    HYMENAEUS ALPHA 777 was born as Grady Louis McMurtry on October |8,
    |9|8 EV in Big Cabin, Oklahoma to Grady and Bee Ivery Puckett
    McMurtry. He became a member of Ordo Templi Orientis in June |94| when
    he was initiated to the O and I at Agap Lodge, Pasadena. His first profession was that of a soldier; he served in the European theatre
    during WWII, enabling him to become a personal student of Aleister
    Crowley (with time off for D-Day, and the liberation of France and the
    low countries). In Fall 1943 he was initiated by Baphomet XI into the
    IX O.T.O. It was also Crowley who suggested he take the name
    `Umenaios A (Hymenaeus Alpha), which in Greek gematria adds to 777.
    A.C. wrote many letters discussing him as a Caliph, a future
    successor. Crowley was guarding against the possibility that Karl
    Germer (Saturnus X ), his ``heir apparent,'' might fail of an heir
    himself and endanger the continued existence of the O.T.O. After the
    war Grady returned to the U.S. and earned his B.A. in Philosophy at
    the University of California, Berkeley. He also acted as Crowley's
    Sovereign Grand Inspector General of the California O.T.O. In April
    |946 he received an appointment as Crowley's O.T.O. representative in
    the U.S.A., with ``his authority...to be considered as Ours.'' In the
    Korean War Major McMurtry returned to active duty in the U.S. Army. He
    then returned to Berkeley to complete a Masters in Political Theory.
    In the late 1950's he worked as a management analyst for the State
    Department of Labor in Sacramento, moving in |96| to Washington, D.C.
    to work for the Labor Department and the Washington Shakespeare
    Society. Karl Germer died in |962 and did indeed fail of an heir--
    McMurtry therefore returned to California and used his emergency
    powers from 666 as Caliph and de facto head of the O.T.O., presiding
    over the rebirth of the O.T.O. In his last years he did battle once
    again--in a courtroom rather than a beachhead. Here also his victory
    was complete--the world, as well as the Secret Master, acknowledged
    him King of this Templar Order. But the final victory of Grady
    McMurtry is yet coming--it lies in the freedom of all to do and love
    as they will. He died peacefully on July |2, |985 EV in San Pablo,
    California.

    Brian,
    telnet://ricksbbs.synchro.net:23
    http://ricksbbs.synchro.net:8080
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