253 lines
9.3 KiB
Plaintext
253 lines
9.3 KiB
Plaintext
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From: Paul Seymour
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To: All Msg #67, 03/06/91 14:01cst
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Subject: COG (1of4)
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THE COVENANT OF THE GODDESS
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PURPOSE
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The Covenant of the Goddess was founded in 1975 to increase
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cooperation among Witches, and to secure for Witches and covens
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the legal protection enjoyed by members of other religions.
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FUNCTIONS
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The Covenant publishes a newsletter; issues ministerial
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credentials on request to qualified persons; sponsors a national
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festival each summer; and encourages networking nationally, as
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well as regionally through local councils.
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STRUCTURE
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The Covenant is incorporated as a non-profit religious
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organization in California, though it has grown to be a
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nationwide organization. It is a confederation of covens and
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solitaires of various traditions, who share in the worship of
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the Goddess and the Old Gods and subscribe to a common code of
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ethics. The Covenant holds a Grand Council annually to elect
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national officers, set a budget, and decide matters which require
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deliberation by the full membership. Decisions are usually made
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by consensus.
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CODE OF ETHICS
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* An ye harm none, do as ye will.
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* Since our religion and arts and practices peculiar to it
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are the gift of the Goddess, membership and training in a local
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coven or tradition are bestowed free, as gifts, and only on
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those persons who are deemed worthy to receive them. However, a
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coven may expect each of its members to bear a fair share of its
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ordinary operating expenses.
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* All persons have the right to charge reasonable fees for
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the services by which they earn a living, so long as our
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religion is not thereby exploited.
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* Every person associated with this Covenant shall respect
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the autonomy and sovereignty of each coven, as well as the right
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of each coven to oversee the spiritual, mental, emotional and
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physical development of its members and students in its own way,
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and shall exercise reasonable caution against infringing upon
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that right in any way.
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* Members of this Covenant shall respect the traditional
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secrecy of our religion.
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* Members of this Covenant should ever keep in mind the
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underlying unity of our religion as well as the diversity of its
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manifestations.
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--- FD 1.99c
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* Origin: The Mountain Oracle - Pagan/Occult Distribution System (1:301/9)
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From: Paul Seymour
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To: All Msg #68, 03/06/91 14:02cst
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Subject: COG (2of4)
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PART II
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* These ethics shall be understoond and interpreted in light
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of one another, and especially in light of the traditional laws
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of our religion.
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CONFIDENTIALITY
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All information give to the Covenant of the Goddess or any of
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its officials is considered strictly confidential, unless you
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indicate otherwise. No information about members is published or
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given out without explicit written permission. Direct access
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to the Covenant's mailing list is limited to the Board of
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Directors. Maximum privacy is assured.
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NEWSLETTER
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At every Sabbat the Covenant publishes a newsletter of Craft
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and Pagan news, original articles, poetry, humor, rituals
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and announcements. Member covens receive the newsletter
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automatically. Individual coveners and non-members who donate
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a suitable tax-deductible gift will also be placed on the mailing
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list, to receive the newsletter and other mailings. Circulation
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is limited to members and friends of the Covenant.
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FINANCES
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An annual membership tithe is set every year by the Grand
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Council to cover bare expenses, based on the previous year's
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expenses and any projected cost increases. The annual
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financial statement is published in the newsletter. Other
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activities are supported by fund-raising.
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All contributions to the Covenant of the Goddess are greatly
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appreciated and are tax-deductible.
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APPLYING FOR MEMBERSHIP
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Any Goddess-supporting coven or solitaire can be eligible
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for membership in the Covenant of the Goddess if certain
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criteria and requirements are met. All inquiries into membership
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should be sent to the National Credentials Officer. If the
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coven or solitaire is in an area near a local council, the
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National Officer will forward the inquiry to the local
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Credentials Officer, who will respond. A member can apply in
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person at a council meeting, or by filling out the appropriate
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form and sending it in with the initial membership tithe.
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--- FD 1.99c
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* Origin: The Mountain Oracle - Pagan/Occult Distribution System (1:301/9)
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From: Paul Seymour
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To: All Msg #69, 03/06/91 14:04cst
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Subject: COG (Part 3of4)
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PART III
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GENERAL CRITERIA FOR COVEN MEMBERSHIP
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* Generally focus thealogy and ritual, etc., around worship
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of the Goddess and the Old Gods (or the Goddess alone).
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* Believe and follow a code of ethics compatible with that of
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the Covenant.
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* Have beem meeting monthly or oftener for at least six
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months.
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* Have three more more members who have been formally
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accepted into the clergy.
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* Be a cohesive, self-perpetuating group.
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REQUIREMENTS FOR MEMBERSHIP
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Full Membership: The applicant must be recommended without
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reservation by two active members of the Covenant.
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Provisional Membership: The applicant may be recommended by
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one member; and then within a year and a day make a viable
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effort to get to know other members, in order to achieve Full
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Member status.
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The appropriate Credentials Officer (National or local)
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shall verify information regarding criteria and credentials.
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COVEN-AT-LARGE
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This is the term we use to represent the many Witches who are
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solitaires, i.e. practicing alone. Each local council may devise
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its own standards for admission of coveners-at-large, in harmony
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with national guidelines.
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LOCAL COUNCILS
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A local council is a smaller branch of the Covenant,
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consisting of at least three member covens of at least two
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different traditions, in
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reasonably close geographic proximity to each other. The local
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councils generally meet more often than the national
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organization. They may initiate independent projects,
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sponsorlocal festivals and workshops, and generally work
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together for common goals close to home. As the Covenant
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continues to grow, we encourage new member covens close to one
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another to form their own local councils.
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VOTING
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When a matter requiring a decision is presented before the
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Covenant in council, it is discussed by the members in attendance
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until a consensus is reached. If a consensus cannot be reached,
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then a vote is taken. A coven holding a current Full Membership
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is entitled to one vote. Each such coven also holds the power to
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veto, though this is exercised only in extreme cases. A coven
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with Provisional Membership is entitled to one vote, but does not
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hold veto power.
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--- FD 1.99c
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* Origin: The Mountain Oracle - Pagan/Occult Distribution System (1:301/9)
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From: Paul Seymour
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To: All Msg #70, 03/06/91 14:05cst
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Subject: COG (Part 4of4)
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A coven-at-large is entitled to one vote if, and only if,
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three individuals are physically present at the council and
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unanimous in their choice of vote.
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MINISTERIAL CREDENTIALS
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In order to receive Ministerial Credentials as a Priestess or
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Priest, a person shall:
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1. Be an active member of a coven which is a Full Member of
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the Covenant.
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2. Have been "confirmed" to taking on the full commitment
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to the requirements of that coven's Tradition of our religion.
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3. Have undergone at least a full year of active training
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for the ministry of that Tradition.
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These credentials shall remain valid only so long as the
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person remains an active member of the coven which remains an
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active member of the Covenant.
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In order to be eligible to receive Ministerial Credentials as
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an Elder, a person shall:
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1. Satisfy (2.) and (3.) above.
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2. Have undergone an additional full year of active training
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for the ministry.
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3. Be fully able to form a coven, admit members, and train
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them in the tenets and practices of that Tradition.
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These credentials shall remain valid for life, unless
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specifically revoked, so long as the person remains in contact
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with the Covenant.
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THE NATIONAL FESTIVAL
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The annual Grand Council or national business meeting is held
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as part of a national festival, which is open to the whole
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membership as well as Pagans and Witches who are not part of the
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Covenant. The
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festival is usually held at a secluded campground or resort, and
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moves to a different area of the country each summer. In
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addition to the council meeting, the program includes
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workshops on magick and the Craft, concerts, a potluck feast, a
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talent show, and the opportunity to purchase (or barter for) art,
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crafts and ritual tools by Pagan artisans. Registration
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information is available in the newsletter.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
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Write to: Covenant of the Goddess, P.O. Box 1226, Berkeley,
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CA 94704.
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--- FD 1.99c
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* Origin: The Mountain Oracle - Pagan/Occult Distribution System (1:301/9)
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