You better watch out, You better not cry,
Better not pout,
I’m telling you why:
Santa Claus is coming to town.
He’s making a list,
And checking it twice;
Gonna find out
Who’s naughty and nice.
Santa Claus is coming to town.
He sees you when you’re sleeping.
He knows when you’re awake.
He knows if you’ve been bad or good,
So be good for goodness sake!
Oh, you better watch out!
You better not cry.
Better not pout,
I’m telling you why:
Santa Claus is coming to town.
Santa Claus is coming to town!

The stories here in the United States of Saint Nicholas knowing if you are bad or good are little more than idle threats to get children to behave for a reward system. However, over in Eastern Europe this is not the case. The lyrics to Santa Claus is Coming Town, have quite the history. You may even learn why little kids need to behave. The far more sinister side of Christmas comes not in the threat of coal in the stocking but as a demon to whisk away the naughty children.

The Krampus (from Austria, Bavaria, Switzerland and Hungary) is a dark haired beast bound in shackles. The shackles implying he is under the control of Saint Nicholas and cannot harm the good boys and girls. Krampus is portrayed with large horns and a red tongue and sometimes a red face or forked tail like a devil. He carries with him a switch (bundle of twigs) and a basket upon his back. The Krampus follows Saint Nicholas doling out beatings to the naughty children and kidnapping the even more misbehaved kids in his basket to eat them later.

However, if the children have been good Krampus will leave candy or small toys in their shoes. Depending upon the tale it is also juxtapozed with the Krampus replacing the treats Saint Nick leaves with Coal.

In some parts of Austria the legend of the Krampus is still celebrated. Every year on December 5th the young men will dress up as the Krampus wearing wooden masks, animal furs, and carrying chains, whips, baskets, and swatches. They will run about Austria scaring children and goading them into being good boys and girls. Amazing craftsmanship is placed into these suits making Halloween costumes pale in comparison.

In the past there were news reports of young men actually carrying off a child and distributing beating him /her then throughout the rest of the day they terrorized kids by banging sticks on windows, and cars wherever they saw them.

The Krampus is not the only fiend to accompany Saint Nicholas on his Christmas journeys. In Switzerland there is Schmutzli, a soot faced bearded man dressed in black. Who like the Krampus carries a swatch and basket to punish children. In France there is Père Fouettard a butcher who accompanies Saint Nick and serves a similar purpose to Krampus and Schmutzli. In Germany you have Ruprecht who like Schmutzli leaves treats for good kids and beatings for the bad.

One thing that was consistent with Saint Nicholas and his dark follower was they were often accompanied by angels who carried a book of those naughty and nice. The angels protected the children from the dark follower and gave Saint Nicholas his knowledge of those who were good and bad.

I have no doubt though that if the Krampus were a world wide Christian tale as well as the Eve of Saint Nicolas then not only would we have many more kids scarred for life but perhaps just maybe we’d have a few less spoiled brats.

• Winter Holiday Traditions in Salzburg
• Krampus Day
• Who travels with Saint Nicholas
• Schmutzli: the Swiss Santa’s sinister sidekick

The trip began with checking into a nearby Hotel situated on derby street. A short distance from all of the museums, and historical events. Today Salem is a Mecca of sorts for many practicing wiccans, an irony of Salem amongst many. In 1692 the Salem witch trials took place, in which time 20 people and 2 dogs were convicted of witchcraft. These charges were based entirely upon spectral evidence. Meaning imagination and make believe.

I began my visit with a trip to three museums. The Witch History Museum , The New England Pirate Museum , and The Witch Dungeon Museum . The museums consisted primarily of historical scenes depicted by mannequins and narrated by a tour guide. I found the most spectacular of the three to be the visit to The Witch Dungeon Museum.

The Witch Dungeon Museum featured a live re-enactment of an account of the trial held in 1692 of Elizabeth Proctor. A woman accused of witchcraft and later to be released. One of the actresses in the account is an 8th generation descendant of Giles Corey. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending upon how you look at it the actual Dungeon in which the citizens of Salem were imprisoned over (150) has been razed. In 1954 Bell-Atlantic was looking to build a new office. The breaking of the ground revealed the old dungeon, long since lost. At the time the people wanted to avoid a witch hysteria so the Dungeon was built upon.

Below are some photos from the museum, including an old foundation board from the original dungeon.

How one was treated in the dungeon was all based upon a matter of wealth. The more money you had the better you ate and the larger your cell. You see the people had to pay their own room and board and if you did not have the money then you were left to rot.

The history of Salem is quite a grim one, whether it is about pirates or witches. Today however around this time of year Salem receives a great influx of wiccans, pagans, and psychics, their psychic fair being held from October 1st to October 31st. Halloween as you can imagine holds quite the festivities as some would compare it to the Mardi Gras.

After a day of tours and sightseeing, I spent my evening on a ghost tour . Of course I did not expect to see some ghost but I did learn a great deal of Salem’s continuing ironies and travesties. The photo below is taken of where Giles Corey was pressed to death for refusal to speak.

Some say Giles last words were “more weight” while others say that he cursed the sheriff and all of Salem. If you look at the ensuing history one may be inclined to believe such a curse to be true. Every sheriff in Salem’s history starting with the one who was responsible for pressing Giles, has suffered from heart attacks; until recently when Salem did away with the position of Sheriff.

Giles ghost is said to appear whenever disaster will strike. He appeared in 1914 before the Salem Fires, before Pearl Harbor was bombed and even as recently as the night before September 11th. If this is true it is all a matter of speculation.

The trip to Salem was a wonderful one, where I not only became more educated in the history of the witch trials but I got to enjoy some fantastic food and beautiful sites. Surprisingly, many locals and descendants don’t appreciate the influx of wiccans, and witches now occupying Salem. While, many want to simply forget it seems the town is doomed to remember the past as long as their is money to be made. If you have the chance this fall or next fall, do take the time to visit even if it is only for a day and a night.

The secret words that the savior spoke to Judas Thomas which I, even I, Mathaias, wrote down, while I was walking, listening to them speak with one another.

The savior said, “Brother Thomas while you have time in the world, listen to me, and I will reveal to you the things you have pondered in your mind.

“Now, since it has been said that you are my twin and true companion, examine yourself, and learn who you are, in what way you exist, and how you will come to be. Since you will be called my brother, it is not fitting that you be ignorant of yourself. And I know that you have understood, because you had already understood that I am the knowledge of the truth. So while you accompany me, although you are uncomprehending, you have (in fact) already come to know, and you will be called ‘the one who knows himself’. For he who has not known himself has known nothing, but he who has known himself has at the same time already achieved knowledge about the depth of the all. So then, you, my brother Thomas, have beheld what is obscure to men, that is, what they ignorantly stumble against.”

Now Thomas said to the lord, “Therefore I beg you to tell me what I ask you before your ascension, and when I hear from you about the hidden things, then I can speak about them. And it is obvious to me that the truth is difficult to perform before men.”

The savior answered, saying, “If the things that are visible to you are obscure to you, how can you hear about the things that are not visible? If the deeds of the truth that are visible in the world are difficult for you to perform, how indeed, then, shall you perform those that pertain to the exalted height and to the pleroma which are not visible? And how shall you be called ‘laborers’? In this respect you are apprentices, and have not yet received the height of perfection.”

Now Thomas answered and said to the savior, “Tell us about these things that you say are not visible, but are hidden from us.”

The savior said, “All bodies [...] the beasts are begotten [...] it is evident like [...] this, too, those that are above [...] things that are visible, but they are visible in their own root, and it is their fruit that nourishes them. But these visible bodies survive by devouring creatures similar to them with the result that the bodies change. Now that which changes will decay and perish, and has no hope of life from then on, since that body is bestial. So just as the body of the beasts perishes, so also will these formations perish. Do they not derive from intercourse like that of the beasts? If it, too derives from intercourse, how will it beget anything different from beasts? So, therefore, you are babes until you become perfect.”

And Thomas answered, “Therefore I say to you, lord, that those who speak about things that are invisible and difficult to explain are like those who shoot their arrows at a target at night. To be sure, they shoot their arrows as anyone would – since they shoot at the target – but it is not visible. Yet when the light comes forth and hides the darkness, then the work of each will appear. And you, our light, enlighten, O lord.”

Jesus said, “It is in light that light exists.”

Thomas, spoke, saying, “Lord, why does this visible light that shines on behalf of men rise and set?”

The savior said, “O blessed Thomas, of course this visible light shines on your behalf – not in order that you remain here, but rather that you might come forth – and whenever all the elect abandon bestiality, then this light will withdraw up to its essence, and its essence will welcome it, since it is a good servant.”

Then the savior continued and said, “O unsearchable love of the light! O bitterness of the fire that blazes in the bodies of men and in their marrow, kindling in them night and day, and burning the limbs of men and making their minds become drunk and their souls become deranged [...] them within males and females [...] night and moving them, [...] secretly and visibly. For the males move [...] upon the females and the females upon the males. Therefore it is said, “Everyone who seeks the truth from true wisdom will make himself wings so as to fly, fleeing the lust that scorches the spirits of men.” And he will make himself wings to flee every visible spirit.”

And Thomas answered, saying, “Lord, this is exactly what I am asking you about, since I have understood that you are the one who is beneficial to us, as you say.”

Again the savior answered and said, “Therefore it is necessary for us to speak to you, since this is the doctrine of the perfect. If, now, you desire to become perfect, you shall observe these things; if not, your name is ‘Ignorant’, since it is impossible for an intelligent man to dwell with a fool, for the intelligent man is perfect in all wisdom. To the fool, however, the good and bad are the same – indeed the wise man will be nourished by the truth and (Ps. 1:3) “will be like a tree growing by the meandering stream” – seeing that there are some who, although having wings, rush upon the visible things, things that are far from the truth. For that which guides them, the fire, will give them an illusion of truth, and will shine on them with a perishable beauty, and it will imprison them in a dark sweetness and captivate them with fragrant pleasure. And it will blind them with insatiable lust and burn their souls and become for them like a stake stuck in their heart which they can never dislodge. And like a bit in the mouth, it leads them according to its own desire. And it has fettered them with its chains and bound all their limbs with the bitterness of the bondage of lust for those visible things that will decay and change and swerve by impulse. They have always been attracted downwards; as they are killed, they are assimilated to all the beasts of the perishable realm.”

Thomas answered and said, “It is obvious and has been said, ‘Many are [...] those who do not know [...] soul.’”

And the savior answered, saying, “Blessed is the wise man who sought after the truth, and when he found it, he rested upon it forever and was unafraid of those who wanted to disturb him.”

Thomas answered and said, “It is beneficial for us, lord, to rest among our own?”

The savior said, “Yes, it is useful. And it is good for you, since things visible among men will dissolve – for the vessel of their flesh will dissolve, and when it is brought to naught it will come to be among visible things, among things that are seen. And then the fire which they see gives them pain on account of love for the faith they formerly possessed. They will be gathered back to that which is visible. Moreover, those who have sight among things that are not visible, without the first love they will perish in the concern for this life and the scorching of the fire. Only a little while longer, and that which is visible will dissolve; then shapeless shades will emerge, and in the midst of tombs they will forever dwell upon the corpses in pain and corruption of soul.”

Thomas answered and said, “What have we to say in the face of these things? What shall we say to blind men? What doctrine should we express to these miserable mortals who say, “We came to do good and not curse,” and yet claim, “Had we not been begotten in the flesh, we would not have known iniquity”?”

The savior said, “Truly, as for those, do not esteem them as men, but regard them as beasts, for just as beasts devour one another, so also men of this sort devour one another. On the contrary, they are deprived of the kingdom since they love the sweetness of the fire and are servants of death and rush to the works of corruption. They fulfill the lust of their fathers. They will be thrown down to the abyss and be afflicted by the torment of the bitterness of their evil nature. For they will be scourged so as to make them rush backwards, whither they do not know, and they will recede from their limbs not patiently, but with despair. And they rejoice over [...] madness and derangement [...] They pursue this derangement without realizing their madness, thinking that they are wise. They [...] their body [...] Their mind is directed to their own selves, for their thought is occupied with their deeds. But it is the fire that will burn them.”

And Thomas answered and said, “Lord, what will the one thrown down to them do? For I am most anxious about them; many are those who fight them.”

The savior answered and said, “What is your own opinion?”

Judas – the one called Thomas – said, “It is you, lord, whom it befits to speak, and me to listen.”

The savior replied, “Listen to what I am going to tell you and believe in the truth. That which sows and that which is sown will dissolve in the fire – within the fire and the water – and they will hide in tombs of darkness. And after a long time they shall show forth the fruit of the evil trees, being punished, being slain in the mouth of beasts and men at the instigation of the rains and winds and air and the light that shines above.”

Thomas replied, “You have certainly persuaded us, lord. We realize in our heart, and it is obvious, that this is so, and that your word is sufficient. But these words that you speak to us are ridiculous and contemptible to the world since they are misunderstood. So how can we go preach them, since we are not esteemed in the world?”

The savior answered and said, “Truly I tell you that he who will listen to your word and turn away his face or sneer at it or smirk at these things, truly I tell you that he will be handed over to the ruler above who rules over all the powers as their king, and he will turn that one around and cast him from heaven down to the abyss, and he will be imprisoned in a narrow dark place. Moreover, he can neither turn nor move on account of the great depth of Tartaros and the heavy bitterness of Hades that is steadfast [...] them to it [...] they will not forgive [...] pursue you. They will hand [...] over to [...] angel Tartarouchos [...] fire pursuing them [...] fiery scourges that cast a shower of sparks into the face of the one who is pursued. If he flees westward, he finds the fire. If he turns southward, he finds it there as well. If he turns northward, the threat of seething fire meets him again. Nor does he find the way to the east so as to flee there and be saved, for he did not find it in the day he was in the body, so that he might find it in the day of judgment.”

Then the savior continued, saying, “Woe to you, godless ones, who have no hope, who rely on things that will not happen!

“Woe to you who hope in the flesh and in the prison that will perish! How long will you be oblivious? And how long will you suppose that the imperishables will perish too? Your hope is set upon the world, and your god is this life! You are corrupting your souls!

“Woe to you within the fire that burns in you, for it is insatiable!

“Woe to you because of the wheel that turns in your minds!

“Woe to you within the grip of the burning that is in you, for it will devour your flesh openly and rend your souls secretly, and prepare you for your companions!

“Woe to you, captives, for you are bound in caverns! You laugh! In mad laughter you rejoice! You neither realize your perdition, nor do you reflect on your circumstances, nor have you understood that you dwell in darkness and death! On the contrary, you are drunk with the fire and full of bitterness. Your mind is deranged on account of the burning that is in you, and sweet to you are the poison and the blows of your enemies! And the darkness rose for you like the light, for you surrendered your freedom for servitude! You darkened your hearts and surrendered your thoughts to folly, and you filled your thoughts with the smoke of the fire that is in you! And your light has hidden in the cloud of [...] and the garment that is put upon you, you [...]. And you were seized by the hope that does not exist. And whom is it you have believed? Do you not know that you all dwell among those who that [...] you as though you [...]. You baptized your souls in the water of darkness

“Woe to you who dwell in error, heedless that the light of the sun which judges and looks down upon the all will circle around all things so as to enslave the enemies. You do not even notice the moon, how by night and day it looks down, looking at the bodies of your slaughters!

“Woe to you who love intimacy with womankind and polluted intercourse with them! Woe to you in the grip of the powers of your body, for they will afflict you! Woe to you in the grip of the forces of the evil demons! Woe to you who beguile your limbs with fire! Who is it that will rain a refreshing dew on you to extinguish the mass of fire from you along with your burning? Who is it that will cause the sun to shine upon you to disperse the darkness in you and hide the darkness and polluted water?

“The sun and the moon will give a fragrance to you together with the air and the spirit and the earth and the water. For if the sun does not shine upon these bodies, they will wither and perish just like weeds or grass. If the sun shines on them, they prevail and choke the grapevine; but if the grapevine prevails and shades those weeds and all the other brush growing alongside, and spreads and flourishes, it alone inherits the land in which it grows; and every place it has shaded it dominates. And when it grows up, it dominates all the land and is bountiful for its master, and it pleases him even more, for he would have suffered great pains on account of these plants until he uprooted them. But the grapevine alone removed them and choked them, and they died and became like the soil.”

Then Jesus continued and said to them, “Woe to you, for you did not receive the doctrine, and those who are [...] will labor at preaching [...]. And you are rushing into [...] will send them down [...] you kill them daily in order that they might rise from death.

“Blessed are you who have prior knowledge of the stumbling blocks and who flee alien things.

“Blessed are you who are reviled and not esteemed on account of the love their lord has for them.

“Blessed are you who weep and are oppressed by those without hope, for you will be released from every bondage.

“Watch and pray that you not come to be in the flesh, but rather that you come forth from the bondage of the bitterness of this life. And as you pray, you will find rest, for you have left behind the suffering and the disgrace. For when you come forth from the sufferings and passions of the body, you will receive rest from the good one, and you will reign with the king, you joined with him and he with you, from now on, for ever and ever, Amen.”

The Book of Thomas The Contender Writing To the Perfect

Remember me also, my brethren, in your prayers: Peace to the saints and those who are spiritual.

Video 30 minutes

Video 12 minutes

DEPRECATORY BLESSING AGAINST PESTS

(mice and rats, locusts, worms, etc.)

The priest vests in surplice and purple stole, and coming to the
field or place infested with these creatures, says:

Antiphon: Arise, Lord, help us; and deliver us for your kindness’
sake.

Ps 43.1: O God, our ears have heard, our fathers have declared to
us.

All: Glory be to the Father.

P: As it was in the beginning.

All Ant.: Arise, Lord, help us; and deliver us for your kindness’
sake.

P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
We entreat you, Lord, be pleased to hear our prayers; and even
though we rightly deserve, on account of our sins, this plague of
mice (or locusts, worms, etc.), yet mercifully deliver us for
your kindness’ sake. Let this plague be expelled by your power,
and our land and fields be left fertile, so that all it produces
redound to your glory and serve our necessities; through Christ
our Lord.
All: Amen.

Let us pray.
Almighty everlasting God, the donor of all good things, and the
most merciful pardoner of our sins; before whom all creatures bow
down in adoration, those in heaven, on earth, and below the
earth; preserve us sinners by your might, that whatever we
undertake with trust in your protection may meet with success by
your grace. And now as we utter a curse on these noxious pests,
may they be cursed by you; as we seek to destroy them, may they be destroyed by you; as we seek to exterminate them, may they be exterminated by you; so that delivered from this plague by your goodness, we may freely offer thanks to your majesty; through
Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.

Exorcism

I cast out you noxious vermin, by God + the Father almighty, by
Jesus + Christ, His only-begotten Son, and by the Holy + Spirit.
May you speedily be banished from our land and fields, lingering
here no longer, but passing on to places where you can do no
harm. In the name of the almighty God and the entire heavenly
court, as well as in the name of the holy Church of God, we
pronounce a curse on you, that wherever you go you may be cursed, decreasing from day to day until you are obliterated. Let no remnant of you remain anywhere, except what might be necessary for the welfare and use of mankind. Be pleased to grant our request, you who are coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire.
All: Amen.

The places infested are sprinkled with holy water.

Download Roman Ritual

There is more to this story than meets the eye. When Mormonism first started to take on its popularity, a letter surfaced that was supposedly a testimony of Joseph. The letter said the following

Dear Sir,

Your letter of yesterday is received & I hasten to answer as fully as I can–Joseph Smith Jr first come to my notice in the year 1824 in the summer of that year I contracted with his father to build a fence on my property in the corse of that work I approach Joseph & ask how it is in a half day you put up what requires your father & 2 brothers a full day working together he says I have not been with out assistance but can not say more only you better find out the next day I take the older Smith by the arm & he says Joseph can see any thing he wishes by looking at a stone Joseph often sees Spirits here with great kettles of coin money it was Spirits who brought up rock because Joseph made no attempt on their money I latter dream I converse with spirits which let me count their money when I awake I have in my hand a dollar coin which I take for a sign Joseph describes what I seen in every particular says he the spirits are grieved so I through back the dollar in the fall of the year 1827 I hear Joseph found a gold bible I take Joseph aside & he says it is true I found it 4 years ago with my stone but only just got it because of the enchantment the old spirit come to me 3 times in the same dream & says dig up the gold but when I take it up the next morning the spirit transfigured himself from a white salamander in the bottom of the hole & struck me 3 times & held the treasure & would not let me have it because I lay it down to cover over the hole when the spirit says do not lay it down Joseph says when can I have it the spirit says one year from to day if you obay me look to the stone after a few days he looks the spirit says bring your brother Alvin Joseph says he is dead shall I bring what remains but the spirit is gone Joseph goes to get the gold bible but the spirit says you did not bring your brother you can not have it look to the stone Joseph looks but can not see who to bring the spirit says I tricked you again look to the stone Joseph looks & sees his wife on the 22d day of Sept 1827 they get the gold bible–I give Joseph $50 to move him down to Pa Joseph says when you visit me I will give you a sign he gives me some hiroglyphics I take then to Utica Albany & New York in the last place Dr Mitchel gives me an introduction to Professor Anthon says he they are short hand Egyption the same what was used in ancent times bring me the old book & I will translate says I it is made of precious gold & is sealed from view says he I can not read a sealed book–Joseph found some giant silver specticles with the plates he puts them in an old hat & in the darkness reads the words & in this way it is all translated & written down–about the middle of June 1829 Joseph takes me together with Oliver Cowdery & David Whitmer to have a view of the plates our names are appended to the book of Mormon which I had printed with my own money–space and time both prevent me from writing more at present if there is any thing further you wish to inquire I shall attend to it.

Yours Respectfully
bq. Martin Harris

This letter set precedent for the rumors of magic involved in the origins of Mormonism. The descriptions in the letter are quite reminiscent of ceremonial magic: more in particular conjuration and evocation. The letter however was proven to be a fake. It was purchased at later date by a private collector and donated to the Mormons.

Even though the letter was a fake it does not disprove Joseph Smith’s involvement with hermeticism. On the night of September 21, 1823 Joeseph Smith was visited by an angel, Moroni. Over the next six years Moroni continued to visit Smith until the golden bible was given to Joseph. A golden book is a curious thing as Gold is the alchemical equivalent to perfection, and it represents the sun in astrology. Joseph then used a Urim and Thummim to translate the golden pages. When he was done the book was returned. The metaphorical significance of the creation of this book is extremely significant.

The Urim Thummim and the methods which Joseph Smith used them also match his seeing stone described in the letter quite well. Perhaps the oddest thing or element in Joesph’s life was not; his start of polygamistic ritual; or his induction into Freemasonry; but his silver jupiter medallion found on him at the time of his death. This silver medallion was Joseph’s masonic jewel.

It is this same talisman that is in Francis Barrett’s The Magus (Plate Fig 1) and symbols in The Three Books of Occult Philosophy (page 322) by Henry Cornelius Agrippa. Joseph’s involvement in the Masons was very obvious with the motives of his spiritual movement. Upon Joseph’s death the Mormons were later run by Brigham Young who declared a ban of silence on the Masonic ties with Mormonism.

A golden book disappears and an entire religion is based upon it; this echoes quite wonderfully with traditional biblical lore as well. Where are the ten commandments? Could it be that part of the creation of Mormonism was a social agenda? Given it was at a later time but L Ron Hubbard himself said “The way to make a million dollars is to start a religion.” Then we can look at Aleister Crowley and his womanizing ways, could Joseph Smith have been the catalyst for these two individuals later in history?

Reference:
* America´s Hermetic Prophet
* Scanned Book of Mormon
* Urim and Thummim
* Mormon Church and Freemasonry
* The Magus
* Three Books of Occult Philosophy

The story goes that the Abbot Henry brought back some dirt from the holy land. This of course caused a ruckus and everyone wanted to be buried in a place that had “Holy Land”. Soon though the cemetary was full, but that did not stop them from burying people there. People were removed and stored, eventually the church even had too many bones in storage. With the help of the local architect they deviced a use for these bones and the Ossuary as it is now was born.

Reference:
* Ossuary of Sedlec
* Church of Bones