I can't speak at all for COTO and their Process but I'm guessing that AC was dealing with unique circumstances outside of a Lodge context. As a Freemason, the concerns with Initiation are similar...sometimes a person will petition as Lodge and have all kinds of background info, leaving little room for "surprise" when the Ritual is underway. Others won't have a clue and a very basic breakdown of the over approach and structure is given to them but carefully so as to avoid elements of Degree Working which could lose "impact" if forseen. I was once "accused" of "ripping the presents open before Christmas" with my studies of Higher Degrees prior to taking them. To an extent that's true-IF one's involvement with the system is as a Candidate. If find it to be less an issue of "secrecy" and more one of giving the Candidate the maximum psychological impact and "imprint" of a ceremony, originally designed to be entered into "cold."

Presumably, the G.D., COTO and such also heighten the impact with the application of actual metaphysical workings during the "Outward Ceremony," as well-but again, I'm not qualified to speak on their behalf.

93

Kyle

Isn't that the truth!

My take on that letter is that AC 'read' her into the Third Degree. Being unable, for any of a variety of reasons, to perform the rituals, he simply read through the ritual with her explaining the symbolism, Oaths, etc. He may have even collected her annual dues. By the time he wrote the letters in MWT, AC was O.H.O. and didn't need any approval to bring someone into the O.T.O. in this manner.

YMMV