John Symonds (1914 - 2006) included in his biography of Aleister Crowley, a detailed account of L. Ron Hubbard’s involvement with Jack Parsons.

This excerpt plainly chronicles Hubbard’s rise to power, how he took over control of Jack Parsons, his participation and control of Parsons specifically during The Babalon Working. Crowley’s correspondence with Parsons show he personally intervened between Parsons and Hubbard, but was yet unable to maintain his magical authority over Parsons. Hubbard held Parsons to an oath of secrecy about their magical work, and to the extent Parsons was thereafter unable to speak of these things with Crowley, Hubbard clearly manifested his own authority. A series of unconscionable acts ensued.

Hubbard stole Parsons’ girlfriend Sara Northrup out from under him while living as a guest at Parsons’ house in Pasadena. Hubbard thereafter maintained a “friendly” relationship with Parsons, acting as his “Scribe” in the Babalon Working, and eventually scamming Parsons out of his life savings in a confidence trick.

Hubbard also succeeded in breaking Crowley’s bond of authority over Parsons, to the extent that Parsons became unable to talk to his mentor Aleister Crowley about the Working because Hubbard had sworn him to secrecy.

That Hubbard’s magical lineage and training is not revealed in the occult literature is not so strange; magical students guard their relationship with their mentors and often keep their training secret. (Ref. Eshelman, J. A. (2000). The Mystical & Magical System of the A…A… The Spiritual System of Aleister Crowley & George Cecil Jones Step-by-Step. Los Angeles, The College of Thelema.)

Symonds not only noted Hubbard’s “magical potential. By the end of his account, he noted Crowley’s dismissal of Parsons and others as his magical heir. Symonds also conferred Hubbard with the title of “Dr.”