was an initiatic occult organisation that first became public in late 1884, although according to an official document of the order it began its work in 1870. According to this document, authored by Peter Davidson[disambiguation needed], the order was established by Max Theon, who when in England was initiated as a Neophyte by "an adept of the serene, ever-existing and ancient Order of the original H. B. of L."

The Order's relation, if any, with the mysterious "Brotherhood of Luxor" that Blavatsky spoke of is not clear.

Theon thus became Grand Master of the Exterior Circle of the Order. However, apart from his initiatory role, he seems to have little to do with the day to day running of the order, or of its teachings. He seems to have left these things to Peter Davidson, who was the Provincial Grand Master of the North (Scotland), and later also the Eastern Section (America).