Paul Foster Case
- Timeline by Lee Moffett
- Timeline by Lee Moffett
The following is a timeline I have been collecting on Paul Foster Case. I
would like to eventually put together a "proper" narrative history based on
whatever sources are available.
These listings may seem patchy and incomplete. But, having been a student
of Case's material almost 10 years, I can only plead that the average
person rarely has an opportunity to learn more about Case (and Ann Davies)
than is publicly available in a brief biographical sheet.
Although this timeline brings to view some items about Paul Case that have
not been shared with the general public, my own experience has been that it
makes him a more sympathetic person and highlights the great struggles he
underwent in spreading the Light.
Thanks to all who have contributed to this work. I welcome more historical
information and insights. In some instances, the sources differ in details
and dates. I have preserved these differences in the timelines.
I am also working on timelines of Ann Davies and "other personages" they
were associated with. I welcome all information on these subjects, also.
In L.V.X.
Lee Moffitt
______________
TIMELINE
Paul Foster Case
Editor's note: The following timeline is taken wherever possible from
public or semi-public records. The source of the item is indicated by the
bracketed number. In some instances, different sources give conflicting
accounts. I have tried to include divergent views. See the end of the
timeline for the sources.
1884 - October 3, 5:28 PM, in Perendor NY (now called Fairport), Paul
Foster Case was born. His father was caretaker of a private library and
Deacon at a Congregational church. His mother was half-Gypsy. [2]
Case was a direct descendant of Miles Standish (on his Mother's side). His
Father was head librarian of the town library.[1]
Editor's note: Fairport is ESE of Rochester, only about 10 miles from
Palmyra NY, where Joseph Smith grew up and where Smith is said to have
received the revelation that became the Book Of Mormon(!)
1886 - Case demonstrated his ability to read books.[1]
1887 - Young Case was found to have musical talent, by his mother. She
began training him in piano and organ.[1]
1891 - Case had been able to manipulate his dream states. He corresponded
with Rudyard Kipling, who assured him of the reality of the supersensory
states that Case had been experiencing.[1]
Case became the organist for the Congregational church where his father was
Deacon.[1]
1900 - Case played at a charity performance, where occultist Claude Bragdon
was also performing. Bragdon asked Case where he thought playing cards came
from. Case discovered, in his father's library, that they come from Tarot
(orginally called The Game Of Man). This began Case's search into Tarot.
Case started collecting books on Tarot.[1]
1905-1908 - Case undertook extensive yoga practice, including much
pranayama, from various published sources. This and other circumstances of
the time appear to have psychically opened him "wide open" without
safeguards or protection. His psychic sensitivity became intolerable until
he learned to close the psychic doors, practically by brute force![10]
1907, Summer (approx) - While in Chicago, Case read The Secret Of Mental
Magic, by William W. Atkinson (aka Ramachakraka) and wrote to the author.
The two met and became well-acquainted. This eventually led to their
collaboration on The Kybalion (the "Three Initiates" being Case, Atkinson,
and a certain Inner Voice that had been assisting Case for years.)[10]
1907 - Case had visions of himself as a rabbi in a previous life. [2]
1909-10- Case was approached on the streets of Chicago by a stranger who
called him by name, and revealed Case's "most secret thoughts, hopes, and
activities". The stranger told Case he came from the Master of Wisdom who
was the teacher of them both. Case was at a crossroads. He could either
continue with his musical career and have a life of relative ease and
comfort, or dedicate himself to fully serve humanity and play a vital part
in its evolution for this coming Aquarian Age. He was told that road would
be hard, with much trials and sorrow. From that moment on, although Case
went on to become an orchestral conductor, every spare moment went into his
dedicated service.[1]
The man was Dr. Fludd, a prominent Chicago physician.[10]
1916 - Case published attributions of the Tarot Keys in the magazine The Word.
1918 - Case met Michael Whitty, editor of Azoth, and Cancellarius of
Thoth-Hermes Lodge of The Rosicrucian Order of the Alpha et Omega
(A.'.O.'.) (S. L. MacGregor Mathers' post-Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
group.). Whitty recognized Case's abilities and invited him to join
Thoth-Hermes. Case accepted, and was initiated into A.'.O.'., taking the
aspiration name Perseverantia (perseverance).[10]
Whitty published Case's attribution of the Tarot Keys (with corrections of
some errors in the previous articles) in Azoth.[10]
1918 - Case was appointed Sub-Praemonstrator of the Thoth-Hermes Lodge
(Whitty was the Praemonstrator).[8]
1919 - Case began his correspondence with Dr. John Brodie-Innes (Frater Sub
Spe), according to one private source which is usually, but not invariably,
correct.[10]
1919-20 - Case and Michael Whitty "received" the text for most of the Book
of Tokens. The source behind the text is The Master R., although no name
was attached to the source at that time.[10]
1920 - May 16, Case was initiated into the Second Order of Alpha et Omega.
He was named Third Adept three weeks later.[3]
Case's Portal ritual was held on either Sunday, May 2 or May 9, 1920, in
the evening; his 5=6 initiation took place on Sunday, May 16. Corpus
Christi (the annual Second Order holiday as celebrated by the HOGD
tradition) was June 6, and he was asked to serve as Third Adept.[10]
December 27, 1920 - Michael Whitty died in Los Angeles. Whitty was holding
Praemonstrator office in A.'.O.'. at the time.[10]
Case attributed the failure of Whitty's health to "magical practices based
on Order formulae." (Enochian magic)[8]
Dec 1920 / Jan 1921. Between the period of Michael's death and Case being
officially named Praemonstrator, he began to receive letters from Dr. Henry
Pullen-Burry (Frater Animus Pura Sit). These are enormously important. They
constitute much of what he would later quote as direct Third Order
authorization for one or another things. The December 18, 1920 letter from
Pullen-Burry appears to be the first that was addressed to Case directly,
though he had corresponded with Whitty previously. Pullen-Burry was
apparently 7=4 at the time. He confirmed the Inner Plane authenticity of
the Order Case had already been building for some time. Pullen-Burry, in
the letter, called this new Outer Vehicle by its (confidential) Esoteric
Name. He referred to it as Case's "first centre," of which the Alpha et
Omega was its parent (in the sense of a Piscean predecessor to an Aquarian
heir). This implies knowledge that what later became B.O.T.A. -- and which
may already have been called B.O.T.A., but which, at least, already had its
Inner Plane "call letters" -- preexisted Case's Alpha et Omega
membership.[10]
The Order was VERY secret at that time. Case wrote to Israel Regardie that
B.O.T.A. had pre-existed his A.'.O.'. membership, and that the Thoth-Hermes
Chiefs knew of this. It is implied, but not said anywhere, that the name
B.O.T.A. already existed; and we know for sure that the Esoteric Name of
the Order pre-existed this era. When they actively began, with Case and
others from the A.'.O.'., in 1921, they therefore veiled their activities
under the name of the Hermetic Order of Atlantis (H.O.A. -- probably a pun
on HVA, Hu, "He," the name of the Archangel of the Most High who witnesses
the most sacred obligation any of them had taken up to that point).
Membership was TOTALLY secret -- highly selective, with absolutely no
disclosure by anyone AT ALL of their participation, on penalty of immediate
removal.[10]
February 1921 - Case is named Praemonstrator of Thoth-Hermes Lodge soon
after Whitty's death.[9]
1921 - Moina Mathers (widow of S. L. MacGregor Mathers), who was the
Imperator of A.'.O.'., wrote Case questioning his discussion of sex magic
in the Lodge. Case later resigned as Praemonstrator of the Thoth-Hermes
Lodge of Alpha et Omega.[3]
Moina Mathers was NOT the actual head of the A.'.O.'; Brodie-Innes was. But
Case didn't know that. As part of the governing triad, she was handling the
Imperator function -- the hands on, Geburan management of things.
Brodie-Innes was in the Praemonstratorial role of the Order at large, and
seems to have played this quite privately -- as stated, Case and others
were in regular correspondence with him, but it never leaked out. In
Mather's final letter to the Order, he left control of to a triad of Moina,
Dr. Berridge, and Brodie-Innes, all of whom were identified by him as 7=4;
and he specifically designated Brodie-Innes as his "direct successor" and
"Supreme Chief of the Order, representing the Secret Chiefs," under the
motto Fidei Tenax.[10]
1921, Summer - Various vague reports all indicate this as the approximate
time of the famous phone call from The Master Rococzy. If this is so, it
would seem to be just after his formal resignation of all of his offices
(his term as Chief Adept expired in June 1921). People who have passed
through the system may also place some importance on the fact that this is
also just a little more than one year after his admission to the Second
Order -- a very significant juncture for many people.[10]
Case met The Master R. in person at the Hotel Roosevelt in NYC (Madison and
Lexington Avenues at 43rd Street)[2]
1921, December- Case, Lilly Geise, and others finally resigned from the
A.'.O.'.. Elsa Barker followed a month or two later.[10]
1922, June- Case's final resignation, right after summer solstice (and not
long after Corpus Christi). He had been serving as Chief Adept at the time,
and did not want to resign until his term of office expired -- he didn't
want to leave the Order lacking someone in the position that formally
linked to the Inner contacts.[10]
1922, Summer - The first efforts were undertaken at preparing a
comprehensive correspondence course. He essentially put into one year what
is, at present, extended over five years. The course was called The Ageless
Wisdom, and it covered just about the whole of Hermeticism.
1923 - The School of Ageless Wisdom was organized by Case, probably in
Boston.[2]
1924, May 9 - Lilly Geise (Mrs. Case) died.[10]
1926 - Case moved from NYC back to his hometown of Fairport. He did
extensive travel and lecturing.[10]
1926, March 22 - Case was initiated into Freemasonry (1st Deg, E.'.A.'.) in
Fairport.[10]
1926, April 12 - Case was passed to 2nd Degree Mason (F.'.C.'.).[10]
1926, April 26 - The Boston office of B.O.T.A. was set up.[10]
1926, June 28 - Case was raised to 3rd Degree Mason (M.'.M.'.).[10]
1926-27 - Case began the intensive work of building Chapter, and fully
activating it within B.O.T.A.. He reconstructed A.'.O.'. rituals from a
combination of his memory and a copy of The Equinox, then rewrote them
extensively. By 1927 he had finished: 0=0 ritual, 0=0 Knowledge Lecture,
1=10 ritual, 1=10 Knowledge Lecture, a paper on an important magic ritual
(mostly adapted from the old Section D course material), and the Equinox
ritual.[10]
1927 - The True and Invisible Rosicrucian Order (First Edition) emerged.[10]
1927, April - A really substantial shift in the entire direction of the
correspondence course-work began, coincidental with his launching Chapter.
It seems that the detailed instruction in meditation and magic were taken
out of public circulation at the same time that Chapter working was begun.
A new 48-week course, called the EXTENSION or FIRST YEAR COURSE replaced
the old system altogether. Tarot was discussed more extensively than
previously, and most of the other material was now gone.[10]
1927, Autumn - Sound & Color course was added. Esoteric Astrology [NOT
Ann's course -- Case's course!] and 12 lessons on Alchemy (a precursor to
The Great Work) followed in short order.[10]
1928, January - Boston Chapter #2 was opened. (It was called #2, despite
the fact that #1 hadn't yet been consecrated.)
1928, March - Chapter #5 in Washington, DC was going, and New York Chapter
#1 was about to be formalized. Buffalo and Rochester followed in short
order (probably being #3 and #4, respectively). About the same time, Case
and his wife Astra moved from Fairport to Melrose, MA, near Boston.[10]
1928, April - The first of a regular set of "Prolocutor-General's Messages"
sent to all the Chapters. These continued until 1934. Among the most
important material in them is a detailed discussion of the main B.O.T.A.
Chapter ritual, later adapted into a series of papers that persist into
modern times.[10]
1928, October - The B.O.T.A. Foundation was incorporated in Massachusettes,
as an educational institution.[10]
1929, September 4 - The School of Ageless Wisdom, Inc., was created in
Boston as the new name for "the outer administration of Builders of the
Adytum." Its existence (as replacing the prior Foundation) was announced to
the Chapters on September 24 (a Tuesday, which was the regular meeting day
of all Chapters -- so this was their official Equinox celebration).[10]
1930 - The Great Seal of the United States was in process by March. Paul
and Astra Case moved to Boston from Melrose, and moved HQ into their
home.[10]
1931, May - For most of the preceeding year, Case had been in declining
health. His sensitivity was "off the map," he was emotional and testy --
very much pushed to the edge. It was abysmal. Associates arranged for him
to vacation in the Carribbean, and the records of the time reflect that he
reestablished his Third Order link following this horrible period. Upon his
return, he began changing things around, preparing to announce some
revampings to the Order the following Equinox.[10]
1931 September 20 - Case announced what was going on, to all the Chapters
-- concerning his health, his recovery, and where things were going. This
particular Equinox also marked the 10th Anniversary of B.O.T.A.'s active
work. The biggest change was that he modified the Neophyte's oath in its
first two paragraphs, removing for the first time a condition that
prevented members from talking about the Order. This occurred "After
consulting with Him who has been the inspiration of this work from the
beginning," he wrote to the Chapters. "By this change in the obligation the
B.O.T.A. ceases to be a 'secret society,' and becomes a 'society with
secrets,'" the latter to be "guard[ed] as carefully as ever." He then
actively encouraged them to very actively move to do everything legitimate
that they could to push the work and get the Chapters to grow in
membership. This one "P.G. Letter" is of pivotal historic importance, and
redefined the Order from that point forward.[10]
1931-1932 - With Ms. J. Craik Patten, Case brought through a lengthy Inner
School instruction on the Cube of Space (not published).[10]
Late 1932 - Case moved to L.A. He eventually divorced Astra, to marry
Dorothy Spring. With two exceptions, his last two official letters to the
Chapters in the East were dated November and December, 1932.[10]
1933 - Case wrote the first of many letters to Israeli Regardie.[8]
1943 - Ann Davies was introduced to Case.[1]
In another place, Ann said this was 1944. She walked into one of his
classes with her sister.[10]
Ann and her small daughter Bonnie moved into Case's house, and helped him
by fixing meals, mimeographing lessons, etc.[5]
1943(?) - Case marries Harriet. Paul, Ann, and Bonnie move into Harriet's
larger house in Eagle Rock. Harriet puts B.O.T.A. on a solid financial
footing. She purchases the Temple on Figueroa for B.O.T.A.[5]
1947 - The important cycle of regular Communications from The Master R
began February 16, 1947, and ended, 49 communications later, on November 4,
1948. Among the material transmitted was the last part of The Book of
Tokens.[10]
The Epilogue for the Book of Tokens was received by Paul, Harriet, and
Ann, through Ouija board communications.[7]
1954 - Paul Foster Case died in Mexico, while on a vacation train trip with
Harriet. His body was never returned to USA.[2]
Another well-placed source says he was told that Case's body is in Forest
Lawn Cemetery, in the same section as Ann, Harriet, Gene Emard, and others
-- a little section that othes have called "Adept's Row."
OTHER ITEMS
Case was married 5 times, twice to the same woman.[2]
Case was led to move from New York to Los Angeles by Master R.[2]
Case was a member of Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), advancing to the Third
Degree (probably early 1917 to mid-1918). Case received initiations
directly from Aleister Crowley . Case later resigned out of
dissatisfaction.[3][10]
Case had a Doctorate in Music.[6] At one point, he conducted orchestras for
silent movies.[2] His doctorate was honorary.[2]
Case was a Bishop in the Liberal Catholic Church. [6]
REFERENCES
1.Adytum News Notes (Published by B.O.T.A.) Volume 4, No. 3., July -
September 1963
2. Private Notes, Public Talk by B.O.T.A. representative, 1992
3. Biography, HOGD Web page.
4. Email to 'pfcase' list, July 1997 by 'JAE'
5. Email to 'pfcase' list, December 1996 by Joseph Nolen
6. Email to 'pfcase' list, July 1997 by Joseph Nolen
7. Email to 'pfcase' list, January 1997 by 'Keph Ra'
8. Email on 'pfcase' list, July 1997, attributed to "An infrequent
contributor to the forum" by "zeph".
9. Mary Greer, Women of the Golden Dawn, Park Street Press, 1995
10. Private communication, An anonymous source.
--------------------------
Editor - Lee Moffitt
9/26/97