The Ordway new era., 1910-10-14


kNM E ers of evil. or OF the
N&R&O devil. Satan. Paris has
known them for centu-
res: Berlin hasprobably several CO.
teries: London possibly one or two.
Martinique was their headquarters in
this hemisphere until Mont Pelee had
its awful catacylsm and wiped out
st. Pierro and Its $4,000 souls. But
now the cult has come to New York.
Its coming has not been heralded.
Of course. No member will admit his
membership-yes. there are women
initiates here. just us there are else
where. The meeting place is se-
cret: the membership not Of record.
There Is no book OF the coterie-noth-
ing but a few spoken words will iden-
tify a member. To keep in hiding
is the chief design OF these strange
people who profess to worship Lucifer.
though in reality their strange rites
are a mocLery Of all religion.
Hold Meetings In Secret.
Services" they call their regular
meetings. They are held In rooms on
the lower West side OF New York.
Everything Is shrouded in the utmost
secrecy. The meetings are held late
at night and under the guise OF &C.
cret fraternal order. Even the jani.
tor Of the building where the few
members meet does not know who his
tenants may be-to him they are mem.
bers OF some vague brotherhood. Just
as others who use that room on other
nights. and all the other organizations
t,. thnr
They sometimes call themselves
1.-THE Hcrmctic brotherhood OF Chal.
dea." which means nothing ut all. and.
least Of all-devil worship! But Lu-
cifer to this group is hailed as the
Incarnation OF all that is really worth
while. And to blaspheme God and
religion Is their delight. Their form
OF worship is simply an obscene
travesty OF the sacred ritual OF the
church.
In the old days. when diabolism was
quite common In Europe and espe.
cially in France. the sacrifice Of n
child was part Of the blasphemous
rites OF the devil worshipers. OF
course. In New York such n practice
is tabooed This was later changed
abroad to the slaughter Of n dove or
n lamb. but even this is no part OF
the Services of the New York group.
who have very lively respect for the
law. and don't desire to get caught.
How do know this?
Authentic knowledge.
Simply because In my capacity as a
professional photographer in New
York | was called upon to take photo.
graphs of these strange persons while
they were at this strange rites. I was
sworn to secrecy. Before I could get
the order for the work | had to swear
that I would neither tell the place OF
the meeting nor give the names OF
any person present. After the photo
graphs had been taken and delivered
l asked one of the members II he
would not, Just for vcrification. give
me his real name and address. with
the promise that even then 1t would
not be published. He threw up his
hands IN mock horror.
I'D just as willingly go out. and
commit murder as to admit belonged
to this group of devil worshipers!" he
protested. would be ruined for.
ever, not only in New York. but all
over the world"
Nevertheless | can say for GER
tainty that devil worship exists In
New York. Today Its devotees prac'
tice the black mass" or "messe
noire," just as It was practiced In
France, but in n mildcr degree. 1t Is
a revelation of the depths to which
blnsphemy can sink. even In such an
enlightened country as the United
States. It is enough to make one
who believes in anything wonder that
such things can exist. was present
at the meeting for time and was al
lowed to hear their creed 1t
runs:
ITO thee, Lucifer. consccrate my
self with respect. love and faith. Thou
art the God Of Good. and | will prom
ise to hate the God Of Evil Thou
art the Spirit of Truth and | shall for
ever hate falsehood. hypocrisy and su
perstition. Thou, oh Lucifer. art the
eternal light. and forswear darkness;