This book is one of the most substantial and complete books written on this subject. It was published anonymously in London in 1889 by the Freemason and Rosicrucian Hargrave Jennings. In several voluminous works, Jennings developed the theory that the origin of all religion is to be sought in phallic worship of the Sun and fire, which he properly called “phallism.” Ophiolatreia is just one of its expressions. Unlike many modern authors, for whom he word “phallic” implies the penis, Jennings used the word “phallic” in its nongendered sense, meaning “relating to the sexual organs”.
Hargrave Jennings was a rival of Blavatsky and friend of the American sex magician and occult writer Paschal Beverly Randolph and both authors had a major influence on the twentieth century pioneers of sex magic. This collectors item describes the rites and mysteries connected with the origin of ophiolatreia and its rise and development in many parts of the world. The relation between snake worship, raw creation force and sexual energy includes Jennings analyses of Bacchic orgies and rites related to Saturn, Zoroaster, Abaddon, Dionysus and Osiris.
