From the Ziggurat Press run of the Moorish Science Monitor, Vol. V, #1, Winter 1990/1991 “Special Preternatural Hygiene Issue”

Salaam aliekum!

The Manhattan Moorish Orthodox Church (Adept Chamber) hierarchy is tickled pink to hear that the Moorish Science Monitor is once again to reach the faithful (and the faithless) this time under your aegis. Not only is your editorship approved, you’re also of the hereby appointed Grand Metropolitan of the Burnt Over District,
ie: the holy lands of upstate NY. We feel sure that Moorish Orthodoxy will thrive upon such mantic soil.

Since the publication of article on Noble Drew Ali and Moorish Science Temple history in Gnosis magazine, we been in touch with several MST groups and individuals, esp. Bro Morocco Bey’s Moorish Friendship Circle in Newark, NJ. We’ve learned a lot, and are planning an expanded version of the essay, incl. MOC history from the 1950s (before I got involved, or ‘converted’) and MST history after the death (or disappearance) of Noble Drew Ali.

The MOC is presently considered to be ‘in communion’ with the following groups: KAOS, and the Order of Ganymede (both in the UK), The Yellow Turban Soc. (Kerry Thornley), Discordian Zen (Tundra Wind) , The Sacred Jihad of 0ur Lady of Perpetual Chaos (Brooklyn), the Discordian Illuminati (Robert Anton Wilson), the Si Fan Soc. (Providence) , The Egyptian Orthodox Church of New Zealand, the Anarcho- Taoists of Williamantic, CT, etc. “Social Affiliates” include: The Association Ontological Anarchy, Autonomedia, The Last International, Maximalists, the John Henry Mackay Soc.

I’d like to announce here the founding of 2 new societies which may be of interest to readers. The first will be a kind of chivalric order affiliated with the MOC, to be called The Blackthorn League. According to MST/MOC teaching, Ireland was once part of the Moorish empire, which is why all Celts are considered to be Celts by birthright. The legend of St. Patrick expelling the snakes from Ireland is considered actually to refer to the expulsion of the Moors. The purpose of the Blackthorn League will be to bring the snakes back to Ireland. As this goal is shared by many neo-pagans, we look forward to the League as a possible means of outreach to the pagan community, as well as to anarchomonarchists, Celtic/ Islamic folklorists etc. , which is why membership will be open to all. If any interest is shown we will print diplomas and patents and consider doing a newsletter. (Contact the Blackthorn League, c/o Autonomedia, Box 568, Brooklyn, NY 11211)

The second society will (we hope) interest a wider range of enthusiasts. Some time ago, Mark Sullivan (who is both the founder of the J.H. Mackay Gesellshaft and also a Moorish Castellan and Swami) and I decided to reorganize the 19th century anarchist Steven Pearl Andrews’ UNIVERSAL PANTARCHY. Andrews adhered to Individualist anarchism but was also a member of the notorious Branch 12 of the International. He founded several communes, incl. one on 14th street in NY and “Modern Times” in what is now Brentwood, Long Island. Around the same time many communes or Phalansteries were founded in America under the influence of the French “utopian socialist” Charles Fourier, incl. the most successful, the North American Phallanx (in Red Hook, NJ) We’ve decided to revive the latter and amalgamate it with the official title

NORTH AMERICAN PHALANX AND UNIVERSAL PANTARCHY

We plan to issue a special number of the Mackay Soc. newsletter The Arrow, devoted to to Andrews and Fourier. Both these had their religious side – The Pantarchy was also a church, and Fourier devised a religion of “Harmony.” We are decidedly interested in the cultic aspects of their thought and personalities, and would like to see them revered as saints or demigods. But we’re even more interested in their practical inspiration and the great american tradition of combining ‘individualism’ with ‘association.’ We will be looking for ways to implement these ideas in our everyday lives, and perhaps even to achieve some degrees of real association.

Meanwhile, even the dream of Pantarchy and Harmony helps in the struggle against the anomie and alienation of the post-spectacular Babylon of Information. (Write to the N. American Phalanx and Universal Pantarchy c/o the Mackav Soc. Box 131, NYC 10023)

We’ ve been busy up at the_MOC Ashram, and the temple itself is coming along nicely. By next year we hope to have it in shape for some sort of opening ceremony. (Note: we need lots more bizarre religious artifacts, icons, orientalia, and numinous treasures!) The Ashram has hosted some fine barbeques, firework displays and gourmet dinners for the MOC hierarchs from all over. An indoor shower with natural rock floor has been built, and next year we hope to dig a well and no longer depend on community water (which is shut off from Oct. to April). We also hope to erect a Tesla Coil on the patio.

Long Live the Moorish Science Monitor!
Wa Salaam,
Hakim Bey
Hun-T’ un Hermitage
Chaos Day, 1990