Preface

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w
IN TME CUSTODY OV ThE
BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY.
SMELF N°
ibO.a/
y
¥
P R OOFS
OF A
CONSPIR AGY
AGAINST ALL THE
RELIGIONS AND GOVERNMENTS
OF
EUROPE,
CARRIED ON
IN THE SECRET MEETINGS
OF
FREE MASONS, ILLUMINATI,
AND
REABING SOCIETIES,
COLLECTED FROM GOOD AUTHORITIES,
By J O H N R O B I S O N, A. M.
PROFESSOR OF NATURAL PHILOSOPRY, AND SECRETARY TO THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH.
Nam tua res agitur paries cu?n proximus ardet. The THIRD EDITION. To which is added a Postscript.
PHILADELPHIA:
printed FOR T. DOBSON, N°. 4I, SOUTH SECOND STREET, AND W. COBBET, N°. 25, NORTH SECOND STREET.
1798. J
>
A0AM8
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
WILLIAM W Y N D H A M,
SECRETARY AT WAR, Sec &c. &c.
S IRy
It was with great fat is fa^ Ion that I learned from a Friend that you coincided with me in the opinion ^ that the information contained in this F^ erf or man ce would make a ufeful imprejfiun on the minds of my Countrymen.
I have prefumed to infcribe it with your Name^ that I may publicly exprefs the pleafure which I felt ^ when I found that neither a feparation for thirty years , nor the prejjure of the moft important hufinefs^ had effaced your kind remem- brance of a College Acquaintance^ or abated that obliging and polite attention with which you favoured me in thcfe early days of life.
The friendjhip of the accomplifjed and the worthy is the highefi honour ; and to him who is cut cff^ by want of healthy from almcfi every other enjoyment ^ it is an ineftimable bltf- ftng. Accept^ therefore^ I pray^ of ?ny grateful acknow- ledgments, and of my earnefi wifhes for your Healthy Prof- perity^ and increafing Honour,
IVithfentimcnts of the greatefl Efteem and Refpe^l^
I am, SIR^
Tour mcfl obedient^ and mcfl humble Servant,
JOHN ROBISOX.
Edinburgh,
Septemlier 5, 1797.
^UOD fi quis vera vilam ratione guhernet,
Diviti^ grandes hominijunt^ vivere pdirce
j^quo a'dimo : neque enim eft unquam penuria parvi.
At dares Je hor.mies voluerimt atque potentes^
Ut fundament 0 ft ahili for tuna maneret^
Et placidam pcjjent opiilenti degere vitam :
Nequicquamy — quoniam ad Jummum Juccedere hojiorem
Certantes^ iter inf eft urn fe cere vidi,
Et tamen efummo quafi fulmen dejicit i^os
Invidia inter dum conte?nptm in Tartar a tetra,
Ergo^ Regihus cccifis, Juhverja jacehat Priftina majeftas Juliorum, etjceptrajuperha ; Et capitis Jummi prtsclar urn in figne, cruentumy Sub pedibus volgi magnum lugebat honor um : Nam cupide conculcatur nimis ante metutum. Res itaqueadjummamfa:cem^ turbajqiie redibat, Mperiumftbi cum ac Jummatum qui/que petebat,
Lucretius, V. 1116.
INTRODUCTION.
Being at a friend's houfc in the country during Ibmc part of the fummer 1795, I there faw a volume of a Gernian periodical work, c^Wcdi Religions Bcgehen- heiten, i. e. Religious Occurrences : in which there was an account of the various fchifms in the Fraternity of Free Mafons, with frequent allufions to the origin and hiftory of that celebrated affociation. This ac- count interefted me a good deal, becaufe, in my early life, I had taken fome part in the occupations (jQiall I call them) of Free Mafonry; and, having chiefly frequented the Lodges on the Continent, I had learned many doctrines, and ittn many ceremonials which have no place in the nmple f/frem of Free Ma- fonry which obtains in this^ country. I had alfo re- marked, that the whole was much more the obje6l of reflediion and thou2;ht than I could remember it to have been among my acquaintances at home. Ther*^, I had feen a Mafon Lodge confidered merely as a pre- text for paffing an hour or two in a fort of decent con- viviality, not altogether void of fome rational occupa- tion. I had fometimes heard of difierences of doc- trines or of ceremonies, but in terms which miarked them as mere frivolities. Bur, on the Continent, I found them matters of ferious concern and debate.
Such
6 INTRODUCTION. *
Such too is the contagion of example, that I could not hinder myfclf from thinking one opinion better found- ed, or one Ritual more appofice and Hgnificant than another J and I even feltromething like an anxiety for its being adopted, and a zeal for making it a general pradice. I had been initiated in a very fplendid Lodge at Liege, of which the Prince BiHiop, his Trefonciers, and the chief NoblefTe of the State were members. I vifited the French Lodges at Valenciennes, at BrufTcls, at Aix-la-Chapelle, at Berlin, and Koningiberg ; and I picked up fome printed difcourfes delivered by the Brother-orators of the Lodges. At St. Peterlburgh I connedled myfeif with the Englifli Lodge, and occa- fionally vifited the Germ.an and Ruffian Lodges held there. I found myfeif received with particular refpe6t as a Scotch Mafon, and as an Eleve of ihtLodge de la Parfait Intelligence at Liege. I was importuned by perfons of the firlt rank to purfue my mafonic career through many degrees unknown in this country. But all the fplendor and elegance that 1 faw could not con- ceal a frivolity in every part. It appeared a bafelefs fabric, and I could not think of engaging in an occu- pation which would confume much time, coft me a good deal of money, and might perhaps excite in me fome of that fanaticifm, or at leaP-, enthufiafm, that! faw in others, and perceived to be void of any rational fupport. I therefore remained in the Englilh Lodge, contented with the rank of Scotch Mailer, Vv'hich was in a manner forced on me in a private Lodge of French Mafons, but is not given in the Englifli Lodge. My jnafonic rank admitted me to a very elegant entertain- ment in the female hogedela Fidelite, where every ce- remonial was compofcd in the higheft degree of ele- gance, and every thing conduced with the moft deli- cate refpe6l for our fair fillers, and the old fong of bro- therly love was chanted in the moft refined ftrain of
fentimcnt.
INTRODUCTION. 7
t
fentiment. I do not fuppofe that the Parifian Free Ma- fonry of forty- five degrees could give me more enter- tainment. I had profited fo much by it, that I had the honour of being appointed the Brother-orator. In this office I gave fuch fatisfi\6i:ion, that a worthy Bro- ther fent me at midnight a box, which he committed to my care, as a perfon far advanced in mafonic fcience, zealoufly attached to the order, and therefore a fit de- pofuory of important writings. I learned next day that this gentleman had found it convenient to leave the empire in a hurry, but taking with him the funds ofan eftablifhment of which her Imperial Majefty had made him the manager. I wasdefiredto keep thefe writings till he fhould fee me again. I obeyed. About ten years afterward I law the gentleman on the ftreet in Edin- burgh, converfmg v/ith a foreigner. As I paffcd by him, I faluted him foftly in the Ruffian language ; but without flopping, or looking him diredlly in the face. He coloured, but made no return. I endeavoured, in vain, to m.eet with him, wiffiing to make a proper re- turn for much civility and kindncfs which I had receiv- ed from him in his own country.
I now confidered the box as acceffible to myfelf, and opened it. I found it to contain all the degrees of the Parfait Macron Ecvjjois^ with the Rituals, Catechifms, and InftruAions, and alfo four other degrees of Free Mafonry, as cultivated in the Parifian Lodges. I have kept them with all care, and mean to give them tofome refpedlable Lodge. But asl am bound by no engage- ment of any kind, I hold myfelf at liberty to make fuch ufe of them as may be ferviceable to the public, without enabling any uninitiated perfon to enter the Lodges of thefe degrees.
This acquifition might have roufed my former reliffi for mafonry, had it been merely dormant; but, after fo long feparation from the Lodge de la Fidelite, the mafo- nic
8 INTRODUCTION.
nic rpirit had evaporated. Some curiofity however re- mained, and Ibme v/ilh to trace this plailic my fiery to the pit from which the clay had been dug, which has been moulded into fo rhany different Ihapes, ^^ fom.e to *' honour, and fome to diflionour.'' But my opportu- nities were now gone. 1 have given away (when in Rufiia) my volumes of dirccurfes, and fome far-fetched and gratuitous hiilories, and nothing remained but the pitiful work of Andcrfon, and the Magonnerie Adonhi- ramique devoilee^ which are in every one's hands.
My curiofity was ftrongly roufed by the accounts given in the Religions Begehenheiten. There I faw quo- tadons v.nthout number, fyftems and fchifms of which I had never heard ; but what particularly flruck me wa- a zeal and a fanaticifm about what I thought trifles, which aftoniflied me. Men of rank and fortune, and engaged in fericus and honourable public employments, not only frequennng the Lodges of the cities where they refided, but journeying from one end of Germany or France to the other, to- vifit new Lodges, or to learn new fecrets or new do6lrines. I faw conventions held at WiQrnar, at WiPoad, at Kohlo, at Brunfvvick, and at Wilk-mibad, confifting of fome hundreds of perfons of refpe^table fcations. 1 faw adventurers coming to a city, profefTing fome new fecret, and in a few days forming new Lodges, and inifruding in a troublelbme and expenfive manner hundreds of brethren.
German Mafonry appeared a very ferious concern, and to be implicated with other fubje6ls with which I had never fufpe6led it to have any connedlion. I faw it much connected with many occurrences and fchifms in the Chriftian church ; I faw that the Jefuits had fcveral times interfered in it ; and that moft of the ex- ceptionable innovations and difTcntions had arifen about the time that the order of Loyola was fupprefTed j fo that it fliould feem, that thefe intriguing brethren had
attempted
INTRODUCTION. 9
attempted to maintain their influence by the help of Free Maibnry. I favv it much difturbed by the myftical whims of J. Behmcn and Svvedenborg — by the fanatical and knavifh do6lrines of the modern Rofycrucians^ — by- Magicians — Magnet! fers — Exorcifts, &c. And I ob- ferved that thele different ictls reprobated each other, as notonlymaintainingerroneous opinions, but even in- culcating opinions which were contrary to the cftablilli- ed religions of Germany, and contrary to the princi- ples of the civil cftablifriments. At the lame time they charged each other vvirh miltakes and corruptions, both in dodlrine and in practice ; and particularly Vv^ith falfification of the firft principles of Free Mafonry, and with ignorance of its origin and its hiRory ; and they fupported thele charges by aiuhoritles from many different books v;hich were unknown to me.
My curicfity was now greatly excited. I got from a much rclpcd:ed friend many of the preceding vo- lumes of the Religiofis BegebenheiteYiy in hopes of much information from the patient induilry of German eru- dition. This opened a new and very interefting fcenc ; I was frequently fent back to England, from whence all agreed that Free Mafonry had been im- ported into Germany. I was frequently led into France and into Italy. There, and more remarkably in France, I found that the Lodges had become the haunts of many projeftors and fanatics, both in fci- ence, in religion, and in politic?, who had availed themfclves of the fccrecy and the freedom ot fpeech maintained in thefe meetings, to broach tlieir parti- cular whims or fufpicicus doc'frines, which, if publiili- ed to the world in the iifual manner, v/oiild have expofed Xa\^ authors to ridicule or to cenfure. Thefe projeftors liad contrived to tag their peculiar no- (Irums to the mummery of Mafonry, and were even allowed to twin the mafcnic emblenis and ceremonies
B to
lO INTRODUCTION.
to their purpofe ; fo that in their hands Free MaHjnrf became a thing totally unlike, and ahnoft in direft oppolition to the iyftem (if it may get fuch a name) imported from England j and forae Lodges had be- come fchools of irreligion and licentioulhefs.
No nation in modern times has lo particularly- turned its attention to the cultivation of every thing that is retined or ornamental as France, and it has long been the refort of all who hunt after entertain- ment in its moil refined form ; the French have come to confider themfclves as the inftru6lors of the world in every thing that ornaments life, and feeling them- fclves received as fuch, they have formed their man- ners accordingly — full of the moft condefcending com- plaifance to rdl who acknowledge their fuperiority. De- lighted, in a high degree, vviih this office, they have become ze:dous millionarics of refinement in every de- partment of human purfuit, and have reduced their apoflolic employm.ent to a lyUem, which they profe- cute with ardour and deiip-ht. This is not eroundlefs
CD vj
declamation, but fober hiftorical truth. It was the profelled aim (and it was a magnificent and wife aim) of the great Colbert, to make the court of Louis XIV. the fountain of human refinement, and Paris the Athens of Europe. We need only look, in the prefent day, at the plunder of Italy by the French army, to be convinced that their low-born generals and ftatefmen have in this refpe(!:l: the fame notions with the Colberts and the Richlicus.
I know no lubie61: in which this aim at univerfal in- fluence on tfie opinions of men, by holding themfelves forth as the models of excellence and elegance, is more clearly fecn than in the care that they have been pleafed to take of Free Mafonry. It feems indeed peculiarly fuited to the talents and tafte of that vain and ardent people. Bafclcfs and frivolous, it admits of every
form
INTRODUCTION. II
form that Gallic refinement can invent, to recommend it to the young, the gay, the luxurious ; that clafs of fociety which alone defcrves theii; care, becaufe, in one way or another, it leads all other dalles of fociety.
It has accordingly happened, that the homely Free Mafonry imported from England has been totally changed in every country of Europe either by the im- poling afcendency of Frcn&h bretfiren, who are to be found every where, ready to in(lru6l the world ; or by the importation of the do6i:rines, and ceremonies, and ornaments of the Parifian Lodges. Even England, the birth-place of Mafonry, has exj-)erienced the French innovations; and all the repeated injunctions, admo- nitions, and reproofs of the old Lodges, cannot pre- vent thofe in different parts of the kingdom from ad- mitting the French novelties, full of tinfcl and glitter, and high -founding titles.
Were this all, the harm would not be great. But long before good opportunities had occurred for fpread- ing the refinements on the fimple Free Mafonry of England, the Lodges in France had become places of very ferious difcufTion, where opinions in morals, in religion, and in politics, had been promulgated and maintained with a freedom and a keennefs, of which we in this favoured land have no adequate notion, be- caufe we are unacquainted with the reftraints which, in other countries, are laid on ordinary converfation. In confequence of this, the French innovations in Free Mafonry were quickly follovv'ed in all parts of Europe, by the admiffion of fimilar difcuffions, al- though in diredt oppoficion to a (landing rule, and a declaration made to every newly received Brother, " that nothing touching the religion or government '' fliall ever be fpoken of in the Lodge." But the Lodges in other countries followed the example of France, and have frequentlv become the rendezvo :s
of
12 INTRODUCTION.
of innovators in religion and politics, and otj;4er dif- turbers of the public peace, in fhort, I have found that the covert of a Mafon Lodge had been employed in every country for venting and propagating fenti- ments in religion and politics, that could not have cir- culated in public v^^ithout expofing the author to great danger. I found, that this impunity had gradually encouraged men of licentious principles to become more bold, and to teach do6lr;nes fubverfive of all our notions of mordity — of all our confidence in the moral government of the univerfe— of all our hopes of improvement in a future ftate of exiflience — and of all fatisfadlion and contentment v/\th our prefent life, fo long as we live in a Hate of civil fubordination. I have been able to trace thefe attempts, made, through a courfe of fifty years, under the fpecious pretext of enlightening the world by the torch of philofophy, and of difpelling the clouds of civil and religious fuperfti- tion which keep the nations of Europe in darknefs and fiavery. I have obferved thefe do6lrines gradually diffufmg and mixing with all the different fyllems of Free Mafonry ; till, at lafV, an Association has BEEN FORMED for the cxprcfs purpofe of rooting out
ALL the religious ESTABLISHMENTS, AND OVER- TURNING ALL THE EXISTING GOVERNMENTS OF
Europe. I have (cen this Afibciation exerting itfelf ^ealoufly and fyftematically, till it has become almoft irrefiftible : And I have fcen that the moft adive lead- ers in the French Revclurion v/ere members of this Afibciation, and conduded their iiril" movements ac- cording to its principles, and by means of its inftruc- tions and alilitance, formally requefted and obtained: And, laitly, I have (ten that this Affociation ilill ex- ifls, fiill works in fecret, and that not only feveral appearances among ourfclves fhow that its emifiaries are endeavouring to propagate their drteilable doc- trines
INTRODUCTION. IJ
trines among us, but that the Afibciation has Lodges in Britain correfponding wich the mother Lodge at Munich ever fmce 1784.
If all this were a matter of mere curiofity, and fuf- ceptible of no good ufe, it would have been better to have kept it to myfeif, than to difturb my neighbours with the knowledge of a (late of things which they cannot amend. But if it ihall appear that the minds of my countrymen are mifltd in the very fame manner as were thofe of our continental neighbours — if I can fhow that the reafonings which make a very ftrong im- prefTion on fome perfons in this country are the fame which adtually produced the dangerous alTociation in Germany i and that they had this unhappy influence folely becaufe they were thought to be fmcere, and the expreiTions of the fentiments of the fpeakers — if I can fhow that this was all a cheat, and that the Lead- ers of this AiTociation difoclieved every word th^t they uttered, and every doclrine that they taught; and that their real intention was to abolifb ^//religion, overturn every government, and make the world a general plunder and a wreck — if I can Hiow, that the princi- ples which the Founder and Leaders of this AlTociation held forth as the perfedion of human virtue, and the moft powerful and efficacious for forming the minds of men, and making th.em. good and happy, had no in- fluence on the Founder and Leaders themfelves, and that they were, almofl: without exception, the moft in- figniiicant, worthiefs, and profligate of men; I cannot but think, that fuch information will make my coun- trymen hefitate a little, and receive with caution, and even diflrufl:, addreiles and infcruftions which flatter our felf-conceit, and which, by buoying us up with the gay profpec^l of what feems attainable by a change, may make us difcontented with our prefent condition, and forget that there never was a government on earth
Vv'hcre
14 INTRODUCTION.
where the people of a great and luxurious nation en- joyed ,fo much freedom and fecurity in the polTciTion of every thing that is dear and valuable.
When we fee that thefe boafted principles had not that efFcdt on the Leaders which they aficrt to be their native, certain, and inevitable confcquences, we fhall diftruft the fine defcriptions of the happincfs chat ihould refult fpom fuch a change. And when we fee that the methods which were pradifed by this AfToci- ation for the exprefs purpofe of breaking all the bands of fociety, were employed folely in order that the Leaders might rule the world with uncontroulable power, while all the reft, even of the aflbciated, fnould be degraded in their own eflimation, corrupted in their principles, and employed as mere tools of the ambition of their imknoivn Jwperiors ; lurely a free-born Briton will not hefitate to reject at once, and without any far- ther examination, a plan fo big with mifchief, fo dif- graceful to its underling adherents, and fo uncertain in its ifiue.
Thefe hopes have induced m.e to lay before the public a fhort abftraft of the information which I think' I have received. It will be fhort, but I hope fufficient for eftablifhing the fa6l, that this deteficihle AJfociation exifts, and its emijfaries are hujy among ourjelves,
1 was not contented with the quotations which I found in the Religions Begebenheiten, but procured from abroad fome of the chief writings from which they are taken. This both gave me confidence in the quotations from books which I could not procure, and furnidied me with more materials. Much, however, remains untold, richly deferving the attention of all thofe who/^^/ themfelves difpofed to liilen to the tales of a pofTible happinefs that may be enjoyed in a ibciety where all the magiflrates are wife and juft, and all the people are honeft and kind.
I hope
INTRODUCTION. I5
I hope that I am honefl; and candid. I have been at all pains to give the true fenle of the authors. My knowledge of the German language is but fcanty, but I have had the affiftance of friends whenever I was in doubt. In comprefTing into one paragraph what I have colleded from many, I have, as much as I was able, fluck to the words of the author, and have been anxious to give his precife meaning. I doubt not but that I have fometimes failed, and will receive correc- tion with deference. I entreat the reader not to exped: a piece of good literary compofition. I am very fen- fible that it is far from it — it is written during bad health, when I am not at eafe — and I v;ifh to conceal my name — but my motive is, without the fmalieft mixture of another, to do fome good in the only way I am able, and I think that what I fay will come with better grace, and be received with more confidence, than any anonymous publication. Of thefc I am now moil heartily fick. I throw myfeif on my country with a free heart, and I bow with deference to its decifion.
The alTociation of v;/hich Ihave been fpeaking is the Order of Illuminati, founded, in 1775, by Dr. Adam Weifhaupt, profe (Tor of Canon law in the uni- vcrfity of Ingolftadt, and abolifned in 1786 by the Eleftor of Bavaria, but revived immediately after, un- der another name, and in a different form, all over Germany. It was again detected, and feemingly bro- ken up j but it had by this time taken fo deep root that it ilill fubfifts without being dctedied, and has fpread into ail the countries of Europe. It took its firll rife among the Free Maibns, but is totally dif- ferent from Free Mafonry. It was not, however, the mere protection gained by the fecrecy of the Lodges that gave occafion to it, but it arofe naturally from the corruptions that had gradually crept into that fra- ternity, the violence of the parry fpirit which pervaded
iti
l6 , INTRODUCTION.
it, and from the total uncertainty and darknefs that hangs over the whole of that myilerious Alfociation. It is neceflary, therefore, to give fome account of the innovations that have been introduced into Free Ma- fonry from the time that it made its appearance on the continent of Europe as a myftical fociety, polTcffing fecrets different from thofe of the mechanical employ- ment whofe name ic afiiimed, and thus affording en- tertainment and occupation to perfons of all ranks and profcffions. It is by no means intended to give a hif- tory of Free Mafonry. This would lead to a very long difculTion. The patient induilry of German eruiition has been very ferioufly employed on this fubjed, and many perform.ances have been publiihed, of which fome account is given in the di(Terent volumes of the Religions Begebenheiten, particularly in thofe for 1779, 1785, and 1786. It is evident, from the nature of che thing, that they cannot be very inilruclive to the pub- lic -y becaufe the obligation of fecrecy refpeding the important matters which are the very fubje61:s of de- bate, prevents the author from giving that full infor- mation that is required from an hiftorian ; and the wri- ters have not, in general, been perfons qualitied for the taflc. Scanty erudition, credulity, and enthufiafm, appear in almofl all their writings ; and they have neither attem.pted to remove the heap of rubbifh with wliich Anderfon has difgraced his Confiitutions of Free Mafonry^ (the bafis of mafonic hiftory,) nor to avail themfelves of informations which hiftory really affords to a fjber enquirer. Their Royal art mufl: never for- footh appear in ailate of infancy or childhood, like all other human acquirements ; and therefore, when they cannot give proofs of itsexiftencein a (late of manhood, pofielTed of all its m.yiferious treafures, they fuppofe Vv^hat they do not fee, and fay that they are concealed by the oath of fecrecy. Oi fuch inUruction 1 czn make
no
INTRODUCTION". ly
noufe, even if I were difpofed to write ahiftory of the Fraternity. I (hall content myielfwith an account of fuch particulars as are admitted by all the maibnic parties, and which illufirate or confirm my general pro- pofition, making fuch ufeof the accounts of the higjier degrees in my polTeffion as I can without admitting the profane into their Lodges. Being under no tie offe- crecy with regard to thefe, I am with-held by difcretion alone from putting the public in pofTefTion of all their jmyfteries.
PROOFS
V
PROOFS
O F
A CONSPIRACY, Sec.
CHAP, L
Schifms in Free Majonry.
X HERE is undoubtedly a dignity in the art of build- ing, or in architedture, which no other art pofTefles, and this, whether we confider it in its rudeft (late, occu- pied in raifing a hut, or as pradifed in a cultivated nation, in the erection of a magnificent and ornament- ed temple. As the arts in general improve in any nation, this mufl always maintain its pre-eminence; for it employs them all, and no man can be eminent as an archited who docs not pofTefs a confiderable knowledge of almoft every fcience and art already cul- tivated in his nation. His great works are undertak- ings of the moft ferious concern, connect him with the public, or with the rulers of the ftate, and attach to him the pra6titioners of other arts, who are occu- pied in executing his orders : His works are the ob- je6ls of public attention, and are not the tranfient fpec- taclcs of the day, but hand down to pofterity his in- vention.
•20 THE SCHISMS IN CHAP, t,
vention, his knowledge, and his tafte. No wonder then that he thinks highly of his profefTion, and that the public fhould acquiefce in his pretenfions, even when in fome degree extravagant.
It is not at all furprifing, therefore, that the incor- porated architedls in all cultivated nations ihould arro- gate to themfelves a pre-eminence over the fimilar af- fociations of other tradefmen. We find traces of this in the remotcft antiquity. The Dionyfiacs of Afia Minor were undoubtedly an aflbciation of archite6ts and engineers, who had the exclufive privilege of build- ing temples, Itadia, and theatres, under the myfterious tutelage of Bacchus, and diftinguiihed from the unin- itiated or profane inhabitants by the fcicnce which they pofTefled, and by many private figns and tokens, by which they recognifed each other. This aflbciation came into Ionia from Syria, into which country it had come from Perfia, along with that ftyle of architedlurc that we call Grecian. We are alfo certain that there was a fimilar trading aflbciation, during the dark ages, in Chriftian Europe, which monopolized the building of great churches and cafl:les, working under the patro- nage and prote Europe, and poflefling many privileges. Circum- fliances, which it would be tedious to enumerate and difcufs, continued this aflbciation later in Britain than on the Continent.
But it is quite uncertain when and why perfons who were not builders by profcflion firft fought admiflion into this Fraternity. The firfl: diftincl and unequivocal infl:ance that we have of this is the admiflion of Mr. Aflimole, the famous antiquary, in 1648, into a Lodge at Warrington, along with his father-in law Colonel Mainwaring. It is not improbable that the covert of fecrecy in thofc aflemblies had made them courted hj the Royalifls, as occaflons of meeting. Nay, the Ri- tual
eHAl*. I, FRIE MASONRY. 21
tual of the Mailer's degree feems to have been formed, or perhaps twifted from its original inftitution, fo as to give an opportunity of founding the political princi* ple^ of the candidate, and of the whole Brethren pre- fe4t. For it bears fo cafy an adaption to the death of ^e King, to the overturning of the venerable confli- tution of the Englifh government of three orders by a mean democracy, and its re-eftablilhment by the ef- forts of the loyalifts, that this would flart into every perfon's mind during the ceremonial, and could hard- ly fail to fhow, by the countenances and behaviour of the Brethren, how they were affedled. I recommend this hint to the confideration of the Brethren. I have met with many particular fadls, which convince me that this ufe had been made of the meetings of Ma- fons, and that at this time the Jefuits interfered confi- derably, infinuating themfelves into the Lodges, and contributing to encreafe that religious myfticifm that is to be obfcrved in all the ceremonies of the order. This fociety is well known to have put on every ihape, and to have made ufe of every mean that could pro- mote the power and influence of the order. And we know that at this time they were by no means with- out hopes of re-eftablifliing the dominion of the Church of Rome in England. Their fervices were not fcrupled at by the diftreifed royalifts, even fuch as were Proteftants, while they were iiighly prized by the Sovereign. Wc alio know that Charles II. was made a Mafon, and frequented the Lodges. It is not 'vinlikely, that belides the amufemicnt of a vacant hour, which was always agreeable to him, he had pleaftire in the meeting with his loyal friends, and in the occupa- tions of the Lodge, which recalled to his mind their attachment and fervices. His brother and fucceflbr James II. was of a more lerious and manly caft of mind, and had little pleafure in the frivolous ceremo- nies
22 THE SCHISMS IN" CHAP. I,
monies of Mjiionry. He did not frequent the Lodges. But, by this time, they were the refort of many perfons who were not of the profelTion, or members of the trading corporation. This circumftance, in all proba- bility, produced the denominations of Free and Ac* CEPTED. A perfcn who has the privilege of working at any incorporated trade, is faid to be a freeman of that trade. Others were accepted as Brethren, and ad- mitted to a kind of honorary freedom, as is the cafe in many other trades and incorporations, without having (as far as we can learn for certain) a legal title to earn a livelihood by the exercife of it.
The Lodges being in this manner frequented by per- fons of various profeffions, and in various ranks of civil fociety, it cannot be fuppofed that the employment in thofe meetings related entirely to the oftenfible pro- feffion of Mafonry. We have no authentic informa- tion by which the public can form any opinion about it. k v;as not till fome years after this period that the Lodges made open profefiion of the cultivation of ge- neral benevolence, and that the grand aim of the Fra- ternity was to enforce the exercife of all the focial vir- tues. It is not unlikely that this was an after-thought. The political purpofes of the afTociation being once obtained, the converfation and occupations of the members mull take fome particular turn, in order to be generally acceptal)le. The ellablifliment of a fund for- the relief of unfortunate Brethren did not take place till the very end of lall century ; and we may prefume that it was brought about by the warm recommenda- tions of fome benevolent members, who would na* rurally enforce it by addrrfles to their afiembled Bre- thren. This is the probable origin of thofe philan- thropic difcourfes which were delivered in the Lodges by one of the Brethren as an official tafl^. Brotherly love was the general topic, and this, with great pro- priety,
CHAP. I. FREE MA'SONRY. 23
priery, when we confider the obje6l aimed at in thofe addrelTes. Nor was this objedt altogether a novelty. For while the manners of fociety were yet but rude. Brother Mafons, who were frequently led by their employment far from home and from their friends, flood in need of fuch helps, and might be greatly be- nefited by fuch an inftituiion, which gave them in- trodudtion and citizenfliip wherever they went, and a' right to fharc in the charitable contributions of Bre- thren w^ho were ftrangers to them. Other incorporat- ed trades had fimilar provifions for their poor. But their poor were townfmen and neighbours, v/ell known to them. There was more perfuafion necefiarv in this Fraternity, where the objects of our immediate bene- ficence were not of our acquaintance. But when the Lodges confifled of many who were not Mafons, and who had no particular claim to good ofhces from a ftranger, and their number might be great, it is evi- dent that ftronger perfuafions were now neceiTary, and that every topic of philanthropy muft now be emplo)- cd. When the funds became confiderable^ the etFccts naturally took the public eye, and recommended the Society to notice andrefpedl. And now the Brethren were induced to dwell on the fame topic, to join in the commendations beftowed on the Society, and to fay that univerfal beneficence v/as the great aim of the Order. And this is all that could be faid in public, without infringing the obligation to fecrecy. The in- quifitive are always prying and teazing, and this is the only point on which a Brother is at liberty to fpeak. He will therefore do it with affedionate zeal, till pei- haps he has heated his own fancy a little, and over- looks the inconfiftency of this univerfal beneficence and philanthropy with the exclufive and monopolizing fpirit of an AlTociation, which not only confines its benevolence to its own Members, (like any other cha- ritable
^4 'iHE SCHISMS IN CHAP, 1.
ritable afibciation,) but hoards up in its bofom inefti- niable fecrets, whofe natural tendency, they fay, is to form the heart to this generous and kind condudl, ancj infpirc us with love to all mankind. The profane world cannot fee the beneficence of concealing from public view a principle or a motive which fo power- fully induces a Mafon to be good and kind. The Brother fays that publicity would rob it of its force, and we mud take him at his vi^ord -, and our curiofity is fo much the more excited to learn what are the fc^ crets which have fo fingular a quality.
Thus did the Fraternity condu(5l themfelves, and thus were they confidercd by the public, when it was carried over from England to the continent ; and here it is to be particularly remarked that all our Brethren abroad profefs to have received the Myftery of Free Mafonry from Britain. This is furely a puzzle in the hiftoryj and we mufl: leave it to others to reconcile this with the repeated affertions in Anderfon's book of Conftituti- ons, " That the Fraternity exifled all over the World," and the numberlcfs examples which he adduces of its exertions in other countries ; nay, with his repeated ailertions, '^ that it frequently was near periiliing in *' Britain, and that our Princes were obliged to fend ^' to France and other countries, for leading men, to '^ reftorc it to its former energy among us." We fhall find by and by that it is not a point of mere hifto- rical curiofity, but that much hinges on it.
In the mean time, let us juft remember, that the plain tale of Brotherly love had been polilhed up to protetlatlons of univerfal benevolence, and had taken place of loyalty and attachment to the unfortunate Fa- mily of Stuart, which was now totally forgotten in the Englifh Lodges. The Revolution had taken place, and King James, with many of his moft zealous adhe- rents, had taken refuge in France.
But
CHAP. I, FREE MASONRY. 2^
But they took Free Mafonry with them to the con- tinent, where it was immediately received by the French, and v/as cultivated with great zeal in a man- ner iuited to the tafte and habits oTth.at highly poiillied people. The Lodges in France naturally became the rendezvous of the adherents to the exiled Kinir, and the means of carrying on a correfpondence v.'ith their friends in England. At this time alfo zhe Jefuits took. a more a6live hand in Free Mafonry than ever. They infmuated themfelves into the Encrlifh Lod£;es, where they were careffed by the CathoHcs, who panted after the re-eflablifnment of their faith, and tolerated by the Proteilant royalifts, v/ho thought no concefTion too great a compenfation for their fervices. At this time changes were made in fome of the Mafonic fymbols, particularly in the tracing of the Lodge, which bear evident marks of Jefuitical interference.
It was in the Lodo-e held at St. Germain's that the degree of Chevalier Mapn Ecoffcis was added to the three SYMBOLICAL degrees of Engliih Mafonry. The conftitution, as imported, appeared too coarfe for the refined tafle of our neighbowrs, and they mull make Mafonry miore like the occupation of a gentleman. Therefore, the Englifn degrees of Apprentice, Fellow- craft, and Mafler, were called ^7;2^c?//c^/, and the whole contrivance was confidered either as typical of fome- thing more elegant, or as a preparation for it. The degrees afterwards fuperadded to this leave us in doubt which of thcfe views the French entertained of our Mafonrv. But at all events, this rank of Scotch Knio-ht was called i\\t: frjl degree of the Macon Parfait. There is a device belon2;ine to this Lodixc which deferves no- tice. A lion, Vvounded by an arrow, and clcaped from the flake to which he had been bound, with the broken rope ftill about his neck, is reprefented lying at the mouth of a cave, and occuoied vvidi marhenia-
I) ticai
26 THE SCHISMS IN CHAP. I
tlcal inflrumcnts which are lying near him. A broken crown lies at the foot of the (lake. There can be lit- tle doubt but that this emblem alludes to the dethrone- ment, the captivity, the efcape, and the afylum of James 11. and his hopes of re-eltablillimcntby the help of the loyal Brethren. This emblem is worn as the gorget of the Scotch Knight. It is not very certain, however, when this degree was added, Vv'hether im- mediately after king James's Abdication, or about the time of tne attempt to fet his fon on the Briciih Throne. But it is certain, that in 17:6, this and ftill higher de- grees of Mafonry were much in vogue in the Court of France. The refining genius of the French, and their love of {how, made the humble denominations of the Engiifh Brethren difgufting; and their pafTion for mi- litary rank, the only character that conne6i:ed them with the court of an abfolute monarch, m.ade them adapt Free Mafonry to the fame fcale of public eftima- tion, and invent ranks o{ Melons Chevaliers ^ ornam;ent- cd with titles, and ribands, and ftars. Thefe were highly relifned by that vain people ; and the price of reception, which was very high, became a rich fund, that was generally applied to relieve the wants of the baniilied Britifh and Irifh adherents of the unfortunate Family who had taken refuge among them. Three new degrees, of Novice, ElevCy and Chevalier, were foon added, and the Parfait iVk.gon had now feven re- ceptions to go through, for each of which a handfome contribution Vv'as made. Afterv/ards, when the firft beneficent purpofe of this contribution ceafed to exift, the finery that nov; glittered in all the Lodges made a Itill more craving demand for reception-money, and ii^ePAiitv v/as fet to work to invent new baits fur the Parfait Mcgyn. More degrees of chivalry were added, interfperfed with degrees q^ Phikjcphe, PeUeriny Clair- voyant^ &:c. &c. till fonic Parifian Lodges had forry-
iive
ei-IAf*. I. FREE MASONRY. 27
five ranks of Mafonry, having fifteen orders of chi- valry. For a Knighthood, mzh a Riband and a Star, was a hnne hcuche, given at every third flep. For a long while thefe degrees of chivalry proceeded on fome faint analogies with feveral orders of chivalry which had been erected in Europe. All of thefe had fome reference to foaie myiiical dodlrines of the Chriftian church, and were, in fadt, contrivances of the Church of Rome for fecuring and extending her influence on the laymen of rank and fortune, whom fhe retained in her fervice by thefe play-things. The Knights Tem- plars of Jerufalem, and the Knights of the Deferr, whofe ofHce it v/as to piotedi: pilgrims, and to defend the holy city, aftorded very apt models for Mafonic inimicry, becaufe the Temple of Solomon, and the Holy Sepulchre, always fhared the fame fate. Many contefted dcdrines of the theologians had alfo their Chevaliers to defend them.
In all this progrefuve mummery we fee much of the hand of the jefuits, and it would fcem that it was en- couraged by the church. But a thing happened which might eafily have been forefcen. The Lodges had become familiar with this kind of invention ; the pro- fefTed obje6t of many real Orders of Knighthood was often very whimfical, or very refined and far-fetched, and it required all the finelTe of the clergy to give to it fome flight connedlion with religion or morality. The Mafons, protefted by their fecrecy, ventured to go farther. The declamations in the lodges by the Brother orator, miift naturally refemible the compofi- tions of the ancient fophifts, and confilT: of wire -drawn dillertations on the focral duties, where every thing is amjplificd and flrained to hyperbole, in their far-fetched and fanciful explanations ofthefymbols of Mafonry. Thuii accuftomiCd to allegory, to fidion, to finefle, and to a fort of innocent hypocrify by v/hich tbty cajoled themfclves
int«
28 THE SCHISMS IX CHAP. I.
into a notion that this child's-play had at bottom a ferious and important meaning, the zealous champions of Free Mafonry found no inclination to check this inventive fpirit or circumfcribe its flights. Under the prote(5cion of Mafonic fccrecy, they planned fchemes of a different kind, and inftead of more Orders of Chivah-y direfted againft the enemies of their faith, they formed aiTociations in oppofition to the ridiculous and opprefiive ceremonies and fuperftitions of the church. There can be no doubt, that in thofe hidden afiemblies, a free communication of fentiment was highly relifhed and much indulsred. It was foon fuf- pedied that fuch ufe was made of the covert of a Mafon Lodge ; and the church dreaded the confequenccs, and endeavoured to fupprefs the Lodges. But in vain. And when it was found, that even auricular confellion, and the fpiritual threatenings of the church, could not make the Brethren break their oath of fecrecy ; a full contidence in their fccurity made thefe free-thinking Brethren bring forward, v.'ith all the eagernefs of a miffionary, fuch fentiments as they were afraid to ha- zard in ordinary fociety. This was long fufpedled ; but the rigours of the church only ferved to knit the Brethren more firmly together, and provoked them to a more eager exercile of their bold criticifms. The Lodges became fchools of fcepticifm and infidelity, and the fpirit of converfion or profclytifm grev/ every day flronger. Cardinal Dubois had before 'this time laboured with all his might to corrupt the minds of the courtiers, by patronifing, direftiy and indiredlly, all fcepcics who were otherwife men of talents. He gave tlie young courtiers to underftand, that if he fnould obtain the reins of government, they Ihould be entirelv freed from the bis-otry of Louis XIV. and the oppreilion of the church, and fhould have the free m- dujgence of their inclinations. His own plans were
difap-
CHAP. I. FREE MASONRY. fi^
dlfappointed by his deaths but the Regent Orleans wjas equally indulgent, and in a few years there was hardly a man in France who pretended know- ledge and reflc(5lion, who did not laugh at all reli- gion. Amidft the almofl: infinite number of publi- cations from the French prefTes, there is hardly a do- zen to be found where the author attempts to vindicate religion from the charges of univerfal fuperftition and faifehood. And it muft be acknowledged that little tlfc was to be feen in the ellabliflied religion of the kingdom. The people found nothing in Chrillianity bvt a nevcr-ceafing round of infignificant and trouble- fome ceremonies, which confumed their time, and fiirnilhed a fund for fupporting a fet of lordly and op- prelTive dignitaries, who declaired in the plained man- n-rr their own dilbelief of their religion, by their total difregard of common decency, by their continual reii- dence at court, and by abfolute neglecft, and even the mod haughty and opprefTive treatment of the only part of their order that took anv concern about the reiiiiious lentiments of the nation, namely the Cures or parifh- priefts. The monks appeared only as lazy drones ; but the parifli-priefbs inflrufted the people, vifited the fick, reconciled the ofFefider and the offended, and were the great mediators between the landlords and their vaf- fais, an office which endeared them m.ore to the peo- ple than all the other circumftances of their profefllon. And it is remarkable, that in all the licentious writings and biti'er fatirical tales of the philofophic freethink- ers, fuch as Voltaire, who never fails to have a taunting hit at the clergy, the Cure is generally an amiable perfon- age, a charitable man, a friend to the poor andunfor- tunate, a peace-maker, and a man of piety and worth. Yet thele men were kept in a ilate of the mod flavifn •and cruel fubjection by the higher orders of the cler- gy, and all hopes of advancement cut off. Rarely,
hardly
30 THE SCHISMS IN CHAP. I.
hardly ever, does it happen, that a Cure becomes a Bifhop. The Abbes Itep into every ]Inc of prefer- ment. When fuch procedure is obferved by a v/hcle nation, what opinion can be formed but- that the whole is a vile cheat ? This however was the cafe in France, and therefore infidelity was almolt univerfal. Nor was this overtrained freedom or iicentioufnefs confia- ed to religious opinions. It was perhaps more natu- rally direded to the refiraints arifing from civil fub- ordination. The familiar name of Brother could not but tickle the fancy of thofe of inferior rank, when they found themfeives fide by fide with perfons whom they cannot approach out of doors but with cautious refpe6l; and while thefe men of rank have their pride lulled a little, and perhaps their hearts a little foftened by the hackneyed cant of fentimental declamation on the topic of Brotherly love and Utopian felicity, the others begin to fancy the happy days arrived, and the light of philanthropy beaming from the eafl and illu- minating the Lodge. The Garret Pamphleteer enjoys his fancied authoriry as Senior Warden, and conducts with affedlionate folemmity the young nobleman, who pants for the honour of Mailerfhip, and he praifes the trufty Brother who has guarded him in his perilous journies round the room. What topic of declamation can be more agreeable than the equality of the worthy Brethren ? and how naturally will the Brother Orator in fupport of this favourite topic, Aide into all the common-place pi6tures of human fociety, freed from ail the anxieties attending civil diftintlion, and pnfiing their days in happy fimplicity and equality. From this (late of the fancy, it is hardly a ftep to defcant on the propriety, the expediency, and at laft, the juftice of fuch an arrangement of civil fociety \ and in doing this, one cannot avoid taking notice of the great ob- flruclions to human felicity which we fee in every
quarter.
CE'AP. I. TREE MASONRY. ^I
quarter, proceeding from the abufes of thofe diftinc- tions of rank and fortune which have arifen in the world : and as the mifchiefs and horrors of fuperfli- tion are topics of continual declamation to thofe who wifh to throw off the redraints of religion ; fo the op- prcflion of the rulers of this world, and the fufferings of talents and worth in inferior [tations, will be no lefs greedily liftened to by all whofe notions of morality are not very pure, and who would be glad to have the enjoyments of the wealthy without the trouble of la- bouring for them. Free Mafonry may be affirmed to have a natural tendency to fofter fuch levelling wifhes; and wc cannot doubt but that o:reat liberties are takcQ with thvofe fubje6ls in the Lodges, efpeciaily in coun- tries where the dillin6tions of rank and fortune are ftrongly exprcfied and noticed.
But iris not a matter of m.ere probability that the Mafon Lodv^^-es were the feminaries of thefe libertine infcruclions. We have diltind; proof of it, even in fome of the French degrees. In the degree called the Chevalier aeSclcil, the v/hoie inftruclion is aimed againil: the ellablilhcd religion of the kingdom. The profeiled object is the emancipation from error and the difcovery of truth. The infcription in the eail is Sagcjfe^ that in the north is Ltherte^ that in the fouth is Fermete, and in the weft it ii. Caution; terms which are very fignificant. The Tres Venerable is Adam; the Senior Warden is Truth, and all the Brethren are Chikiren of Truth. The proccfj of reception is very well contrived : the whole ritual is decent and circumifpe61:, and nothing occurs which can alarm the moP: timiid. Brother Truth is afivcd. What is the hour ? He informs Fa- ther Adam, that among men it is the hour of dark- nefs, but th.at; it is mid-day in the Lodge. The can- didate is allied. Why he has knocked at the door, and v/h^t is become of his eight companions fhe is one of
the
32 . THE SCHISMS I >: CHAP. t.
the Elus)? He fays, that the world is In darknefs, and his companions and he have loft each other ; th!at Hejperus^ the ftar of Europe, is obfcured by clouds^ of incenfe, offered up by fuperftition to defpots. Who have made themfelves f?;ods, and have rctu'ed into /the inmoft receffes of their palaces, that they may not be recognifed to be men, while their prielts are deceiving the people, and caufmg them to worlliip thefe divi- nities. This and many fimilar fentim.ents are evident allufions to the pernicious dodrine of the book called Origine du Defpotifme Oriental, where the religion of all countries is conlidered as a mere engine of ftate^ where it is declared that reafon is the only light which nature has given to man : that our anxiety about futu- rity has made us imagine endlefs torments in z. future world ; and that princes, taking advantage of our weaknefs, have taken the management of oiir hopes and fears, and direded them fo as to fuit their own purpofes i and emancipation from the fear of death is declared to be the greateft of all deliverances. Quef- tions are put to the candidate, tending to difc/over whe- ther and how far he may be trulled, and what facrilices he is willing to m.ake in fearch after truth.
This fhape givea to the plaftic m.yfteries of Mafonry was much reliflied, and in a very fhort time this new path was completely explored, and a new fcries of de- crees was added to the lift, viz. the Nov^ice, and the Elil de la Verite, and the Suliime Fhtlcjophe. In the progrefs through thefe degrees, the Brethren muft for- get that they have formerly been Chevaliers de rOrient, Chevaliers de VAigle^ when the fymbols were all ex- plained as typical of the life and immortality brought to light by the gofpel. Indeed they are taught to clafs this among the other clouds which havepcen difpelled by the fun of reafon. Even in the Chezplerie de VAigle there is a twofold explanation given of die fymbols, by
' which
CHAP. r. FREE MASONRY. Jj
which a lively imagination may conceive the whole hiltory and peculiar doftrincs of the New Teilamenr, as being typical of the final triumph of reafon and phi- lofophy over error. And perhaps this degree is the very firft ilep in the plan of Illumination.
We are not to fuppofe that this v/as carried to ex- tremity at once. But it is certain, that before 1743, it had become univtrfal, and thac the Lodges of Free Mafons had become the places for m.aking profclyces to every flranse and obnoxious doclrine. Theurgy. Cofincgcny, Cabala^ and many whimificai and myftical doctrines which have been grafted on the difliinguifli- ing tenets and tlie pure morality of the Jews and Chrif- tians, were fubjedis of frequent difcuffion in the Lodges. The celebrated Chevalier Ram^fay had a great fliare in all this bufincfs. Affectionately attached to the family of Suuartj and to his native country, he had co-ope- rated heartily with thofe v/ho endeavoured to employ Mafonry in the fervice of the Pretender, and, availing himfcif of the pre-eminence given (at liril perhaps as a courtly com*piiment) to Scotch Mafonry, he laboured to iliew that it exided, and indeed arofe, during the Crufades, and that there really v/as either an order of chivalry whofe bufinefs it was to rebuild the Chriftian churclics dcilroyed by the Saracens, or that a frater- nity of Scotch Mafons v^^ere thus employed in the eaR, under the ])rote£tlon of the Knights of St. John of Je- rufalen^. He found fome fads v.'hich were thought fufBcient grounds for fuch an opinion, fuch as the biiilding of the college of thefe Knights in London, called the Temple, v/nich v^as aflually done by the public Fraternity of Mafons who had been in the holy wars. It is chiefly to him that we are indebted for that rage of Mafonic chivalry v/hich difLine^uifhes the French Free Mafonry. Rainfiy v;as as eiriincnt for his piety as he v/ac for his entliufiafm, but his cpinion.s
E were
J4 THE SCHISMS IN CHAP.i^
were fingular. His eminent learning, his elegant ta- lents, his amiable charader, and particularly his efti- mation at court, gave great influence to every thing he faid on a lubje6t: which was merely a matter of fafnion and amufement. Whoever has attended much to human affairs, knows the eagernefs with which men propagate all fingular opinions, and the delight which attends their favourable reception. None are more zealous than the apoftles of infidelity and atheifm. It is in hum.an nature to catch with greedinefs any op- portunity of doing v/hat lies under general reftraint. And if our apprehcnfions are not completely quieted, in a cafe v/here our wifnes lead us ftrongly to fome fa> vourite but hazardous obie6t, we are confcious of a kind of felf bullying. This naturally gets into our difcourfe, and in our eagernefs to get the encourage- ment of joint adventurers, v/e enforce our tenets wiih an energy, and even a violence, that is very inconfif- tent with the fubjedt in hand. If I am an Atheiil, and my neighbour a Theift, there is furely nothing thac ihould make me violent in m.v endeavours to rid him of his error. Yet how violent were the people of this party in Fiance.
Thefc facts and obfervations fully account for the zeal with which all this patch-work addition to the fimple Free Mafonry of England was profecuted in France. It furprifes us Britons, who are accuilomed to confider the whole as a matter of amufement for young men, who are glad ef any pretext for indulging in conviviality. We generally confider a man ad- vanced in life with hfs refpecl, if he fliows any ferious attachment to fuch things. But in France, the civil and religious reftraints in converfation made thefe fe- cret aiTemblies very precious ; and they were much frequented by men of letters, v/ho there found an op- portunity of exprefTing in fakty their diffatisfadlion
with
CAAP. I. FREE MASONRY
with chofe reflraints, and with that inferiority of rank and condition to which they v/cre fubje6tedj and which appeared to themfelves fo inadequate to their own ta- lents and merits. The Avcccts au Parlement^ the un- benehced Abbes, the vounj^" men of no fortune, and the Joidijant philofophers, formed a numerous band^ frequented the Lodges, and there difcufTcd every topic of religion and policies. Specimens of this occupation appeared from tim.e to time in Colledlions of Difcourfes delivered by the Fr ere Or at ear. I once had in my pof- felTion two volumes of thefe difcourfes, v/hich I now regret that I left in a Lodge on the continent, when my reliih for Free Mafonry had forfaken me. One of thefe is a difcourfe by Brother Robinet, delivered in the 'hcge des Chevaliers Bienfalfants de la Saint e Cite at Lyons, at a vifitation by the Grand Mailer the Due de Chartres, afterwards Orleans and Egalite. In this difc- courfe we have the germ and fubftance of his noted work. La Nature, ou I' Homme VAoral et -phyfique* In another difcourfe, delivered by Brother Condorcec in the Loge des Philakthes at Straibourg, we have the outlines of his poft humous work, Le Pr ogres de FEfprit humain ; and in another, delivered by Mirabeau in the Loge des Chevaliers Bienfaijants at Paris, we have a great deal of the levelling principles, and cofmopolitifm,-j- which he thundered from the tribunes of the National Afiembly. But the moll remarkable performances of this kind are, the Archives Myftico-Hermetiques^ and i\\q Des Erreurs^ et de la Verite. The firfl: is con fide red as an account, hiflorical and dogmiaticai, of the proce- dure and fyflem of the Loge des Chevaliers Bienfaijants
ac
* And I may add the Syfleme de la Nature of Diderot, who cor- redled the crude whims of Robinet by the more refined rnechanifm of Hartley.
f Citizendiip of the World, from the Greek words Cofmos, world, and Poll St a ciiy.
36 THE SCHISMS IN CHAP. T.
at Lyons. This was the mofl: zealous and fyftcmatical of all the cofmopolitical Lodges in France. It worked long under the patronage of its Grand iVLfter the Due des Chartres^ afterwards Orleans^ and at laft Fh. Ega- lite. It fent out many affiiiared Lodo-es, which v/ere eredledin various pares of the French dominions. The daughter Lodges at Paris, Srrafbourg, Lille, Thou- loufe, took the additional title of Philaletbes. There arofe fome fchifms, as may be expedled, in an Affo- ciation where every man is encouraged to broach and to propagate any the moil fingular opinion. Thefe fchifms were continued with fome heat, but v/ere in a great meafure repaired in Lodges which took the name of ylmis reunis de la Veritk One of this denomination at Paris became very eminent. The mother Lodge at Lyons extended its correfpondence into Germany, and other foreign countries, and fent conftiturions or fyftems, by which the Lodges conducled their opera- tions.
I have not been able to trace the fbeps by which this Lodge acquired fuch an afcendancy ; but I fee, that in 1769 and 1770, all the refined or philofophicai Lodges in Alface and Lorraine united, and in a convention at Lyons, formally put themftlves under the patronage of this Lodge, cultivated a continual correfpondence, and confidcrcd themfeives as profeffino; one Ivlafonic Faith, fufficiently diftingu'.fhable from that of other Lodges. What this v/as v/e do not very diftincily know. We can only infer it from fome hiftorical cir- cumflances. One of its flivourite daucyhters, the Lod^e Theodor vcn dcr guten Ratby at Munich, became fo re- markable for difcourfes dano-erous to church and fhate, that the Ele6bor of Bavaria, after repeared admonitions during a courfe of five or fix years, v/as obliged to iup- pi^efs it in 1786. Another of its fufFrrgan Lodges at Regeniburgh became exceedingly obnoxious to the
llaccj
CHAP. I. FREE MASONRY. ^1
dare, and occafioned feveral commotions and infurrec- tions. Another, at Paris, gradually refined into the Jacobin club — And in the year 1791, the Lodges in Alface and Lorraine, with thofe of Spire and Worms, invited Cuftine into Germany, and delivered Mentz into his hands.
When we refle6l on thefe hiilorlcal fa^ls, we get fome key to the better underftanding of the two perfor- mances which Imentiunedas defcriptive of the opinions and occupations of this Sed; of Free-Mafons. The Archives Myfrico-Hermetiques exhibit a vei-y (Irange mix- ture of Myfticifm, Theofophy, Cabaliftic whim, real Science, Fanaticifm, and Freethinking, both in reli- gion and politics. They mud not be confidered as an account of any fettled fyftem, but rather as annals of the proceedings of the Lodge, and abftra6ls of the llrange doctrines whichmade their fucefiive appearance in it. But if an intelligent and cautious reader examine them, attentively, he will fee, that the book is the work of one hand, and that all the wonders and oddi- ties are caricatured, 'lo as to engrofs the general atten- tion, while they aifo are twiftcd a little, fo that in one way or another they accord with a general fpirit of li- centioufnefs in morals, religion, and politics. Although every thing is exprelTed decently, and with fome cau- tion and moderation, atheifm, materialifm, and difcon- tent vv^ith civil fubordination, pervade the whole. It is a work of great art. By keeping the ridicule and the danger of fuperftition and ignorance continually in view, the mind is captivated by the relief which free enquiry and communication of fentiment feems to fe- cure, and we are put off our guard againft the rifle of delufion, to which we are expofed when our judgment is warped by our pafTions.
The other book, '' Des Erreurs et de la Verire," came tl-om the lame fchool, and is a fort of holy fcrip-
ture,
3$ THE SCHISMS IN GHAP. I.
tnre, or at lead a Talmud among the Free Mafons of France. It is intended only for the initiated^ and is indeed a myftery to any other reader. But as the ob- ject of it was to fpread the favourite opinions of fome enthufiaftic Brethren, every thing is laid that does not diredtly betray the fccretsofthe Order. It contains a fyftefn of Theofophy that has often appeared in the writings of philofophers, both in ancienc and modern times. *' All the intelligence and moral fentiment *' that appears in the univerfe, either dire6lly, as in ''^ the minds of men, or indiredly, as an inference ^^ from the marks of defisn that we fee around us, fome " of which Ihow us that men have adted, and many " more that fome other intelligence has a61:ed, are con- *' fidered as parts or portions of a general mafs of in- *' teliigence which exifts in the univerfe, in the fame *' manner as matter exifts in it. This intelligence has *^ an infcrutable connexion with the material part of ^^ and body of man 3 and it may be confidered as the " fource of fuperftition and fanaticifm, the moft 6.t{' '^ trudtive plagues that have ever afflidled the human *"■ race. The Soul of Man is feparated from the ge- **^ neral mafs of intelligence by fome of the operations ** of nature, which we fnall never underftand, juft as ^^ water is raifed from the ground by evaporation, or " taken up by the root of a plant. And as the water, ** after an unfearchable train of changes, in which it ** Ibmetimes makes part of a flower, fomctimes part
'' of
CHAP. I. FREE MASONHy. J^
*' of an animal^ &c. is at lafl reunited, in its original " form, to the great mafs of waters, ready to run over '' the fame circle again ; fo the Soul of Man, after " performing its office, and exhibiting all that train " of intelleftual phenomena that we call human life, *^ is at laft fwallowed up in the great ocean of intelli- ^' gence." The author then may fmg
•* Felix qui potuit rerum cognofcere caufas,
" Ataue metus omnes et inexorabile fatum
** Subjecit pedibus, ftrepitumque Acheronds avari."
For he has now got to his afylum. This deity of his may be the obje6t of wonder, like every thing great and incomprehenfible, but not of woriLip, as the mo- ral Governor of the univerfe. The hopes are at end, which reft on our notions of the immortality and in- dividualitv of the human foul, and on the encourage- ment which religion holds forth to believe, that im- provement of the mind in the courfe of this life, by the exercife of wifdom and of virtuous difpofiticns, is but the beginning of an endlefs progrefs in all that can give delight to the rational and v\;eil-difpo fed mind. No relation now fubfifts between man and Deity that can Vi^irm the heart. But, as this is contrary to fome natural propenlity in the human mind, which in all ages and nations has panted after fome connedtion with Deitv, the author ftrives to avail hlmfclf of fome cold principles of fymmetry in the works of nature, fome ill-fupported notions of propriety, and other fuch con- fiderations, to make this anma mundi an obje6l of love and refpe6l. This is done in greater detail in another work, Tableau^ des rapports entre VRcnime^ Dieu, et VUnherSf which is undoubtedly by the fame hand. But the intelligent reader will readily fee, that fuch incongruous things cannot be reconciled, and that we can expect nothing here but fophiftry. The author
proceeds.
40 THE SCHISMS IN CHAP. I,
proceeds, in the next place^ to confider man as relat- ed to man^ and to trace out the path to happinels in this life. Here we have the fame overftrained mora- lity as in the other work, the fame univerfai Benevo- lence, the fame lamentations over the miferable finite of mankind, refuking from the opprefiion of the pow- erful, the great ones of the earth, who have combined againil the happinefs of mankind, and have iucceeded, by debafing their minds, fo that they have become wiilinor Haves. This could not have been brou2"ht about v/ithouc the affiftance of fuperftition. But the princes of tliis world eniiiled into their fervice the priefts, who exerted them.felves in darkening the un- derflandings of men, and tilled their minds with reli- gious terrors. The altar became the chief pillar of the throne, and m.en were held in complete fubjeclion. Nothing can recover them from this abje6l ftate but knowledge. While this difpels their fears, it will alio ihow them their rights, and the way to attain them.
It deferves particularly to be remarked, that this fyftem of opinions (if fuch an inconfiftent mafs of af- fcrtions can be called a fyftem) bears a great refem- biance to a performance of Toland's, publiil:ed in 1720, called Panibeijliccni fell Celelratio Scdalitii Sccra- tid. It is an account of the principles of a Fraternity which he calls Socratica, and the Brothers Fantheiftaf. They are fuppofed to hold a Lodge, and the author gives a ritual of the procedure in this Lodge -, the ce- rem.onics of opening and fjiutting of the Lodge, the admiifiion of Members into its different degrees, &c. Realbn is the Sun that illuminates the v^hole, and Li- berty and Equality are the objects ol their occupa- tions.
We fhall fee afterwards that this book v/as fondly pufhed into Grrmany, tranflated, commAcnted upon, and fo mifrepreicnted, as to call oif the atttntion from
the
CHAP. I. f^REE MASONRt. 4I
the real fpiric of the book, which is Intentionally wrap- ped up in cabala and enigma. Mirabeau was at much pains to procure it notice ; and it mud therefore be confidered as a treafui-e of the cofmo-political opini- ons of the AlTociation of Chevaliers Bienfaijants^ Phila- lethes^ and Amis Reunisy who were called the improved Lodges, working under the D. de Chartres — of thefe there were 266 in 1784. This will be found a very important remark. Let it alfo be recollcded after- wards, that this Lodge of Lyons fenc a deputy to a grand Convention in Germany in 1772, viz. Mr. Wil- lermooz, and that the bunnefs was thought of fuch importance, that he remained there two years.
The book Des Erreiirs et de la Verite^ niuft therefore be confidered as a claflical book of thefe opinions. We know that it originated in the Lege des Chcv, Bienfai- Ja7its at Lyons. We know that this Lodge ftood as it were at the head of French Free Mafonry, and that the fictitious Order of Mafonic Knights Templars was formed in this Lodge, and was confidered as the mo- del of all the red of this mimic chivalry. They pro- ceeded fo-far in this mummery, as even to have the clerical tonfure. The Duke of Orleans, his fon, the Ele6lor of Bavaria, and fome other German Princes^ did not fcruple at this mummiery in their own perfons. In all the Lodges of reception, the Brother Orator never failed to exclaim on the topics of funerftition, blind to the exhibition he was then making", or indif- ferent as to the vile hypocrify of it. We have, in the lifts of Orators and Office-bearers, many n'>imes of perfons, who have had an opportunity at iaft of pro- claiming their fentiments in public. The Abbe Sieyes was of the Lodo;e of Philalcthes at Paris, and alfo at Lyons. Lequinio, author of the moft profligate book that ever dil'graced a prefs, the Prejiiges vaincus par la Rai/hi, was Warden in the Lodffe CcmPrJJe Sociale,
F Defprcmenil^
42 THE SCHISMS IN CHAP. I,
Dcfpremenil, Baiily, Fauchcr, Maury, Mounier, were of the fame lyftem, though in cii(^ercnt Lodges. They were called Martinifts, from a St. Martin, who form- ed a fchifm in the fyftem of the Chevaliers Bienfaijants, of which we have not any very precile account. Mer- cier gives fome account of it in his Tableau de PariSy and in his Anne 2440. The breach alarmed the Bre- thren, and occafioned great heats. But it was heal- ed, and the Fraternity took the name of Mija du Re- 7ns, which is an anagram oi' d:s Amis Reimis. The_Bi- fhop of Aiitun, the man fo bepraifed as the benevolent Citizen of the World, the friend of mankind and of o^ood order, was Senior Warden of another Lodo-e at Paris, efiablifiied in 1786, (I think chieiiy by Orleans and himfclf,) which afterv/ards became the Jacobin Club. In fhort, we may aflert with confidence, that the Mafon Lodges in France were the hot-beds, where the feeds were fown, and tenderly reared, of all the pernicious dodrines which foon after choaked every moral or religious cultivation, and have made the So- ciety worie than a waile, have made it a noifome marfn of human corruption, filled with every rank and poilbnous weed.
Thefe Lodges were frequented by perfons of all ranks, and of every profefTion. The idle and the fri- volous found amufement, and glittering things to tickle their fatiated fancies. There they becamic the dupes of the declamations of the crafty and licentious Abbes, and writers of every denomination. Mutual encou- raoement in the induioence of hazardous thoughts and opinions which flatter our wifl-ies or propenfities is a lure which few minds can refill. 1 believe that moft men have felt this in fome period of their lives. I can find no other way of accounting for the company j that I havelbmetimes feen in a Mafon Lodge. The ' Lodge de la Farfaite Intelligcme at Liege, contained, in
Decem.ber
CHAP. I. FREE MASONRY. 43
December 1770, the Prince Bifnop, and the greateft part of his Chapter, and all the Ofiice- bearers were dignitaries of the church j yet a dircourfe given by the Brother Orator was as poignant a fatire on fuperftition and credulity, as if it had been written by Voltaire. It was under the aufpices of this Lodge that the collec- tion of difcourfes, which I mentioned above, v/as pub- lifhed, and there is no fault found with Brother Robi- ner, nor Brother Condorcet. Indeed the Trefonciers of Liege were proverbial, even in Brabant, for their Epicurifm in the moft extenfive fenfe of the word.
Thus was corruption fpread over the kingdom un- der the rnafk of moral in(tru6tion. For thefe difcourfes were full of the mod refined and drained morality, and florid paintings of Utopian felicity, in a ilate where all are Brothers and citizens of the world. But alas 1 thefe wire- drawn principles feem to have had little in- fluence on the hearts, even of thofe who could befl: difplay their beauties. Read the tragedies of Voltaire^ and fome of his grave performances in profe — What man is there who feems better to know his Mailer's will ? No man cxprelles with more propriety, with more exa6tnefs, the feelings of a good mind. No man feems more fenfible of the immutable obligation of juftice and of truth. Yet this man, in his tranfac- tions with his bookfellers, with the very men to whom he was immediately indebted for his affluence and his fame, was repeatedly, nay inceiTantly, guilty of the meanefl:, the vileft tricks. When he fold a work for an enormous price to one bookfeiler, (even to Cramer, whom he really refpe6led,) he took care that a furrep- titious edition fhoukl appear in Holland, almoft at the fame moment. Proof-ilieets have been traced from Ferney to Amflerdam. When a friend of Cramer's expoflulated with Vokaire on the injuflice of this con- dud, he fiid;, grinning, Oh le ton Crame'r — ch Men — //
44 THE SCHISMS IN CHAP. I.
n'a que d' etre du parti — he may take a fliare — he vvill not give me a liv^re the lefs for the firft piece I offer him. Where iliall we fee more tendernefs, more ho- nour^ more love of every thing that is good and fair, than in Diderot's Pere de Fa?nille? — Yet this man did not fcruple to fell to the Emprefs of Ruffia an immenfe library^ which he did not poiTefs, for an enormious price, having got her promifc that it fliould remain in his poiTefTion in Paris during his life. When her am- baffador wanted to fee it, after a year or tvv^o's pay- ments, and the vifitation could be no longer ftaved off^ Diderot was obliged to fet o^ in a hurry, and run through all the bookfellers fliops in Germany, to help him to fill his empty Iheives. He had the good for- tune to fave appearances-— but the trick took air, be- caufe he had been niggardly in his attention to the am- bafTador's fecretary. This, however, did not hinder him from honouring his Imperi?.! pupil with a vifit. He expected adoration, as the light of the world, and was indeed received by the Ruffian courtiers with all the childifh fondnefs that they feel for every Parifian mode. But they did not urderftand him, and as he did not like to lofe money at play, they did not long court his company. He found his pupil too clear fig h ted. Ces philofophes, fa id fhe, font beaux y vus de loin ; mais de plus preSj h diamcnt parait cryjlal. He had contrived a poor fcory, by vvhich he hoped to get his daughter married in parade, and portioned by her Majefty— but it was fecn through, and he was difap- pointed.
When v/e fee the inefHcacy of this refined humanity on thefe two apoflles of philofophical virtue, we fee ground for doubting of the propriety and expediency of trufling entirely to it for the peace and happinefs of a (late, and we fhould be on our guard when we liflen to the florid fpeeches of the Brother Orator, and his
congra-
CHAP. I. FREE MASONRY. 45
congratulations on the emancipation from fuperftition and opprefiion, which will in a fliorc time be efFedtu- ated by the Chevaliers Bienfaijants^ the Philalethes, or any other fed: of cofmo-political Brethren.
I do not mean by all this to maintain, that the Ma- fon Lodges were the fole corrupters of the public mind in France.--^No. — In all nations that have made much progrefs in cultivation^ there is a great tendency to corruption, and it requires all the vigilance and exer- tions of magiflirates, and of moral inftrudtors, to pre- vent the fpreading of licentious principles and maxims of conduct. They arife naturally of them.feives, as weeds in a rich foil ; and, like weeds, they are perni- cious, only becaufe they are, w^here they fhould not be, in a cultivated fit\d. Virtue is the cultivation of the human foul, and not the miCre pofieflion of good difpofitions j all men have thefe in fome degree, and occafionally exhibit them. But virtue fuppofes exer- tion ; and, as the hufbandman muft be incited to his laborious talk by fome cogent motive, fo muft man be prompted to that exertion which is necefTary on the part of every individual for the very exiftence of a great fociety : For man is indolent, and he is luxuri- ous 5 he v/ifnes for enjoym.ent, and this with Tittle trou- ble. The lefs fortunate envy the enjoyments of others, and repine at their ov^n inability to obtain the like. They fee the idle in affluence. Few, even of good men, have the candour, nay, I may call it the v/ifdom, to think on the adivity and the labour which had pro- cured thofe comforts to the rich or to their anceftors ; and to believe that they are idle only becaufe they are wealthy, but would be adive if they were needy. — Such fpontaneous reflexions cannot be expe61;ed in per- fons who are engaged in unceafmg labour, to procure a very moderate fnare (in their eilimacion at leaft) of the comforts of life. Yet fuch ^eilexions would, in
tlie
■^
46 THE SCHISMS IN CHAP. I.
the main, be jud, and furely they would greatly tend
to quiet the minds of the unfuccefsful.
This excellent purpofe may be greatly forwarded
by a national eftablilTiment for moral inftrudion and
admonition ; and if the public inftrudors fhould add
all the motives to virtuous moderation which are fugr-
. . . *-*
gelled by the coniiderations of genuine religion, every advice would have a tenfold influence. Religious and moral inftrudions are therefore, in their own nature, unequivocal fupports to that moderate exertion of the authority arifmg from civil fubordination, which the moft refined philanthropift or cofmo- polite acknow- ledges to be necellary for the very exiftence of a great and cultivated fociery. I have never Ictn a fcheme of Utopian happinefs that did not contain fome fyfiiem of education, and I cannot conceive any fydem of edu- cation of which moral inftrudion is not a principal part. Such eiiablifhments are didates of nature, and obtrude themfelves on the mind of every perfon who begins to form plans of civil union. And in all exift- ing focieties they have indeed been formed, and are confidered as the greateft corredor and foother of thofe difcontents that are unavoidable in the minds of the unfuccefsful and the unfortunate. The ma^ifcrate, therefore, whofe profciTional habits lead him frequently to exert himfelf for the maintenance of public peace, cannot but fee the advantages of fuch ftated remem- brancers of our duty. He will therefore fupport and cherifh this public eRabiifhment, which fo evidently affifbs him in his beneficent and important labours.
But all the evils of fociety do not fpring from the difcontents and the vices of the poor. The rich come in for a large and a confpicuous Hiare. They fre- quently abufe their advantages. Pride and haughty behaviour on their part rankle in the breafrs, and af- fed the tempers of their inferiors, already fretted by
the
CHAP. I. FREE MASONRY. ^J
the hardfhips of their own condition. The rich alfo are luxurious ; and are often needy. Grafping at every mean of gratification, they are inattentive to the rights of inferiors whom they defpife, and, defpifmg, opprefs. Perhaps their own fuperiority has: been acquired by in- jutlice. Perhaps moft fovcreignries have been acquired by cpprcfTion. Princes and Rulers are but men -, as fuch, they abufe many of their greated blefiings. Ob- ferving that religious hopes make the good refigned under the hardfhips of the prefcnt fcene, and that its terrors frequently reftrain the bad -, they avail them- felves of thefe obfervations, and fupport religion as an engine of fiate, and a mean of their own fecurity. But they are not contented with its real advantages ; and they are much more afraid of tbe refentment and the crimes of the offended profligate, than of the murmurs of the fuiTering worthy. Therefore they encourage fuperfiition, and call to their aid the vices of the prieft- hood. The priefts are men of like pafiions as other men, and it is no ground of peculiar blame that they alfo frequently yield to the temptations of their fitua- tion. They are encouraged to the indulgence of the love of influence natural to all men, and they heap ter- ror upon terror, to lubdue the minds of men, and dark- en their underilandings. Thus the moft honourable of all employments, the moral infiruclion of thefcate, is degraded to a vile trade, and is pradifed v^ith ail the deceit and rapacity of any other trade ; and religion, from being the honour and the fafeguard of nation, be- comes its greatefl: difgrace and curfe.
Wiien a nation has fallen into this lamientable fdate, it is extremely diflicuk to reform. Although nothing would fo immediately and fo completely remove all ground of complaint, as the re-eilablifhing private virtue, this is of all others the leafb likely to be adopt- ed. The really worthy, who fee the miifchief where ic
ad: u ally
THE SCHISMS IN CHAP. I.
a6lually Is, but who view this life as the fchool of im- provement, and know that man is to be made pcrfed: through fufFering, are the laft perfons to complain. The worthlefs are the mofl difcontented, the moil noify in their complaints, and the lead fcrupulousabouD the means of redrefs. Not to improve the nation, but to advance themfelves, they turn the attention to the abufes of power and influence. And they begin their attack where they think the place moil defencelefs, and where perhaps they expedl affiftance from a difcon- tented garrifon. They attack fuperftition, and are not at all folicitous that true religion (hall not fufFer along with it. It is not perhaps, v^^ith any direct in- tention to ruin the ftate, but merely to obtain indul- gence for themfelves and the co-operation of the wealthy. They expedt to be jiflened to by many who wifh for the fame indulgence ; and thus it is that reli- gious free-thinking is generally the firil: tlep of anarchy and revolution. For in a corrupted ftate, perfons of all ranks have the fame licentious wifhes, and if fu» perftitious fear be really an ingredient of the human mind, it requires {omc Jlriiggle to fhake it off. No- thing is fo effeftual as mutual encouragement, and therefore all join againft prieft-craft ; even the rulers forget their intereft, which fliould lead them to fupport it. In fuch a ftate, the pure morality of true religion vanlihes from the fight. There is commonly no re- mains of it in the religion of the nation, and therefore all g;ocs together.
Perhaps there never was a nation wnere ail tnefe co- operadng caufes had acquired greater ftrengdi than in France. OppreiTions of all kinds were at a height. The luxuries of life were enjoyed exclufively by the upper clafies, and this in the higheft degree of rennement j fo that the deftrcs of the reft were whetted to the utmoft. Religion appeared in its worft form, and feemed cal- culated
CHAP. r. FREE MASONRY. 49
Ciliated folcly for procuring eilablifhments for the yoiinorer fons of the infolcnc and ufciefs noblelfe. The morals of the higher orders of the clergy and of the laity were equally corrnpted. Thoufands of literary men were excluded by their ilation from all hopes of advancement ro the more ref]::)e6]:able offices in the church. Thefe vented their difconrents as far as there was fafety, and were encouraged by many of the upper clalTes, who joined them in their fatires on the prieflhood. The clergy oppofed them, it is true, but feebly, be- caufe they could not fupport their oppofition by ex- amples of their ovvn virtuous behaviour, but were al- ways obliged to have recourfe to the power of the church, the very objecl of hatred and difguil. The whole nation becam.e inficiel ; and when in a few inftan- ces a worthy Cure uttered the fmall dill voice of true religion, it was not heard amidft the general noife of fatire and reproach. The mdfconducl of adminiftra- tion, and the abufe of the public treafures, were every day growing mxore impudent and glaring, and expofed the ofovernmient to continual criticifm. But it was ilill too powerful to fuller this to proceed to extremities ; while therefore infidelity and loofe fcntimients of mo- rality paiTed unpuniihed, it was flill very hazardous to publifh any thing againft the fLare. It vv'as in this ref- peft, chiefly, that the Mafon Lodges contributed to the difTemination of dangerous opinions, and they were employed for this purpofe all over the kingdom. This is not an affertion hazarded merely on account of its probability. Abundant proof will appear by and by, that the mod turbulent char:ici:ers in the nrition f^'c- quented the Lodges. We cannot doubt, but that un- der'this covert they indulged their fadious difpoiitions ; ray, we fhall find the greateft part of the Lodges of France, converted, in the courfe of a vcrf few weeks, into correfpondino: political focieries..
50 THE SCHISMS IN CHAP. U
But it is now time to turn our eyes to the progrefs of Free Malbnry in Germany and the north of Europe ; there it took a more ferious turn. Free Mafonry was imported into Germany fomewhat later than into France. The firft German Lodge that wc have any account of is that at Cologne, erected in 17 16, but very foon fuppreifed. Before the year 17C15 there were many, both in Proteiiant and CathoUc Germa- ny. Thofe of Wetziar, Frankfort on the Mayne, Brunfwick, and Hamburg, are the oldell, and their priority is doubtful All of them received their infti- tution from England, and had patents from a mother Lodge in London. All feem to have got the myftery through the fame channel, the banifned friends of the Stuart family. Many of thcfe were Catholics, and entered into the fervice of Auftria and the Catholic princes.
The true hofpitality, that is no where more confpi- cuous than in the charadter of the Germans, made this inilitution a mod agreeable and ufeful palTport to thefe gentlemen; and as m.any of them were in mili- tary ftations, and in gar.rifon, they found it a very eafy matter to fet up Lodges in all parts of Germany. Thefe afforded a very agreeable paflime to the officers, Vv'ho had little to occupy them, and were already ac- cuftomed to a fubordinacion which did not affe6l their vanity on account of family didinclions. As the En- fign and the General were equally gentlemen, the al- legory or play of univerfal Brotherhood was neither novel nor difo-udino-. Free Mafonry was then of the fimpleil form, confiding of the three degrees of Appren- tice, Fellow-craft, and Madcr. it is remarkable, that the Germans had been longaccudomcd to the word, the do-n, and the ,qriue of the Mafons, and fome other handicraft trades. In many parts of Germany there was a didindion of operative Mafons into Wort-
Maurers
GHAP. 1. FREE MASONPs^Y. , 5 1
Maiirers and Schrifc-Maurers. The Wort-Maurers had no other oroof to s^ive of their having been rej^u- larly brought np to the trade of builders, but the word and figns -, the Schrift-Maurers had written indentures to fhew. There are extant and in force, borough- laws, enjoining the Mafters of Mafons to give em- ployment to journeymen who had the proper words and fign. In particular it appears, that fome cities had more extenfive privileges in this refpe6l than others. The word given at Wetzlar, the feat of the great council of revifion for the empire, entitled the pofTeffor to work over the whole empire. We may infer from the procelTcs and decifions in fome of thofe municipal courts, that a mafter gave a word and token for each year's progrefs of his apprentice. He gave the word of the incorporated Imperial city or borough on which he depended, and alfo a word peculiar to himfelf, by which all his own pupils could recognife each other. This mode of recognifance was probably the only document of education in old times, while writing was confined to a very fmall part of the com^ munity. When we refled: on the nature of the Ger- man empire, a confederation of fmall independent dates, we fee that this profeffion cannot keep pace with the other mechanic arts, unlefs its practitioners are invefted with greater privileges than others. Their great works exceed the flrengch of the immediate neighbourhood, and the workmen muft be brought together from a diflance. Their aiTociation muft there- fore be more cared for by the public*
When Englifn Free Mafonry was carried into Ger- many, it was hofpitably received. It required little
elTort
* Note. The Wort or Grufs-Maurer were abolifhed by an Im > perial eJifl: in 1731, and no.ie were intitle4 to the privileges of the cprporation but luch as could Ihcw written indentures.
5'2 ^ THE SCHISMS IN CHAP. I.
effort to give it refpedlability, and to make it the oc- cupation of a gentleman, and its fecrets and myfteries were not inch novelties as in France. It ipread ra- pidly, and the limple topic of Brotherly love was fuf- ficient for recommending it to the honed and hofpita- ble Germans. But it foon took a very different turn. The German character is the very opponte of frivo- lity. It tends to ferioufnefs, and requires ferious oc- cupatiouc The Germans are eminent for their turn for inveiligation ; and perhaps they indulge this to excels. We call them plodding and dull, bccaufe we have little reiitli for enquiry for its own fake. But this is furely the occupation of a rational nature, and deferves any name but Itupidity. At the fame time it muft be acknowledge:], that the fpirit of enquiry re- quires regulation as much as any propenfity of the hu-^ man mind. But it appears that the Germans are not nice in their choice of their objcclsj it appears that fingularity, and Vv'onder, and difficulty of refearch, are to them irrefifdble recommendations and incitements. They have always exhibited a (Irong prediieclion for every thing that is wonderful, or folemn, or terrible j and in fpite of the greac progreis which men have made in the courfe of thefe two laft centuries, in the knowledge of nature, a progrefs too in which we fhould be very unjuft if we did not acknowledge that the Germans have been generally in thaeforemoll ranks, the grofs abfurdities of magic, exorcifm, wirchcrafr, fortune-tellino;. tranfmutation of metals, and univerfal medicine, have always had their zealous partisans, who have liftened with greedy ears to the nonfenfe and jar- gon of fanatics and cheats ; and though they every day faw examples of many v;ho had been ruined or rendered ridiculous by their credulity, every new pre- tender to fecrets found numbers ready to liilen to him, and to run over the fam.e courfe.
Free
CHAP. I. FREE MASONRY. 5
o
Free Mafonry, profefTing myfteries, inftantly roufed all thefc people, and the Lodges appeared to the ad- venturers who wanted to profit by the enthufiafm or the avarice of their dupes, the litceft places in the world for the fcene of their operations. The Rofy- crucians were the firfl: who availed themfelves of the opportunity. This was not the Society which had ap- peared formerly under that name, and was now extindl, but a fet of Alchymifts, pretenders to the tranfmuta- tion of metals and the univerfai medicine, who, the better to inveigle their votaries, had mixed with their own tricks a good deal of the abfurd fuperfticions of that fe6l, in order to give a greater air of myllery to the whole, to protraft the time of infl:ru6lion, and to afiord more room for evafions, by m.aking fo many difFiCult conditions neceffary for perfe6ling the grand work, that the unfortunate gull, who had thrown away his time and his money, might believe that the failure was owing to his own incapacity or unfitnefs for being the polTeffor of the grand fecret. Thefe cheats found it convenient to m^ake Mafonry one of their conditions, and by a fmall degree of art, perfuaded their pupils that they were the only true Mafons. Thefe Rofy- crucian Lodges were foon eilabiiilied, and became nu- merous, becaufe their m-yderies v/ere addrefTed, both to the curiofity, the knfuality, and the avarice of men. They becamjc a very formidable band, adopt- ing the conilitution of the Jefuits, dividing the Frater- nity into circles, each under the management of its own fuperior, knovv^n to the prcfident, but unknown to the individuals of the Lodges. Thefe fuperiors were conne6ted with each other in a way known only to themfelves, and the v^/hole was under one General. At lead this is the account v/hich they willi to be be- lieved. Ifitbejuft, nothing but the abfurdity of the oftenfible m.otives of their occupations could have pre- vented
54 THE SCHISMS IN CHAP. I.
vented this combinati'on from carrvino; on Ichemes h'vr with hazard to the peace of the world. But the Ro- fycrucian Lodges have always been coniidered by other Free Mafons as bad Societies, and as grofs ichilmatics. This did not hinder, however, their alchymical and medical fecrets from being frequently introduced into the Lodges of fimple Free Mafonry -, and in like man- ner, exorcifm, or ghoH-raifing, magic, and other grofs fuperilitions, were often held out in their meet- ings as attainable myflieries, vvhich v»?ould be immenfe acquifitions to the Fraternity, without any necefiity of admitting along with them the religious deliriums of the .Rofycrucians.
In 1743, Baron Hunde, a gentleman of honourable charadler and independent forcune, was in Paris, where he faid he had o-ot acquainted with the Earl of Kilmar- nock and fon:ie other o-entlemen who were about the
o
Pretender, and learned from them that they had fome wonderful fecrets in their Lodges. He vvas admitted, through the medium of that nobleman, and of a Lord Clifford, and his Mafonic patent was figned George (faid to be the fignature of Kilmarnock). Hunde had attached himfelf to the fortunes of the Pretender, in hopes (as he fays himfelf) of rifing in the world under his protedlion. The mighty fecret was this. '^ When the Order of Knights Templars was abolifli- '^ ed by Philip the Fair, and cruelly perfecuted, fome worthy perfons efcaped, and took refuge in the Flighlands of Scotland, where they concealed them- feives in caves. Thefe perfons polfeired the true fecrets of Mafonry, which had always been in that Order, having been acquired by the Knights, du- ^^ ring their ftrvices in the Eaft, from the pilgrims whom they occafionally prOte(5led or delivered. The Chevaliers de la Rofe-Crcix continued to have the ^^ fame duties as formerly, though robbed of their
^^ emolu-
cc
CHAP. I. FREE MASONRY. ^j
^^ emoluments. In fine, every true Mafon is a Knight " Temiplar.*' It is very true that a clever fancy can accommodate the ritual of reception of the Chevalier de rEfee, &c. to fomething like the inftitution of the Knights Templars, and perhaps this explanation of young Zerobabel's pilgrimage, and of the rebuilding of the Temple by Ezra, is the mofh (igr.ificant expla- nation that has been given of the meagre fymbols of Free Mafonry. '
AVhen Baron Hunde returned to Germany, he ex- hibited to feme friends his extenfive powers for pro- pagating this fyftem of Mafonry, and made a few Knights. But he was not very a(flive. Probably the failure of the Pretender's attempt to recover the throne of his anceilors had put an end to Hunde's hopes of making a figure. In the mean time Free Mafonry was cultivated with zeal in Germany, and many ad- venturers found their advantage in fupporting particu- lar fchifms.
But in 1756, or 1757, a complete revolution took place. The French officers v/ho were prifoners at large in Berlin, undertook, with the aflurance peculiar to their nation, to inftrudl the fimple Germans in every thing that embcllifhes fociety. They faid, that the honiefpun Free Mafonry, which had been imported from England, was fit only for the unpolifned minds of the Britiih ; but that in France it had grown into an elegant fyftem, fit for the profcfiion of Gentlemen. Nay, they (aid, that the Englilh v/ere ignorant of true Mafonry, and pofTeiTed nothing but the introduction to it; and even this was not underilood by them. When the ribbands and ftars, with which the French had ornamented the Order, were fhown to the Ger- mans, they could not refill the enchantment. A Mr. Rofa, a French commifiary, brought fiom Paris a com[Jcte v/aggon load of Mafonic Qrnaments, which
were
§6 THE SCHISMS IN CHAP. I.
were all dliliibuted before It had reached Berlin, and he was obliged to order another, to furnlfli the Lodges of that city. It became for a while a moft profitable bufinefs to many French ofncers and commiflarles dif- perfed over Germany, having little elfe to do. Every body gaped for inftru'flion, and thcfe kind teachers were alv/ays ready to befrow it. Iti half a year Free Mafonry underwent a complete revolution all over Germany, and Chevaliers multiplied without number. The Rofaic fyftern was a gofpel to the Mafons, and the poor Britifh fyftem was defpifed. But the new Lodges of Berlin, as they had been the teachers of the W'hole empire, wanted aifo to be the governors, and infifled on complete fubje6lion from all the others. This ftartled the Free Malbns at a diflance, and awa- kened them from their golden dreams. Now began a flrugglc for dominion and for independency. This made the old Lodges think a little about the whole affair. The refuk of this was a counter revolution. Though no man could pretend that he underfbood the true meaning of Free Mafonry, its origin, its hiftory, or its real aim, all faw that the interpretations of their hieroglyphics, and the rituals of the new degrees im- ported from France, were quite gratuitous. It ap- peared, therefore, that the fafefc thing for them was an appeal to the birth-place of Mafonry. They fent to London for Infiruclions. There they learned, that nothing was acknowledged for genuine unfophillicated Mafonry but the three degrees -, and that the mother Lodge of London alone could, by her inflruftions, prevent the m.ofl dangerous fchifms and innovations. Many Lodges, therefore, applied for patents and in- ftruc^ticns. Patents were cafily made out, and moil willingly fent to the zealous Brethren -, and thefe were thankfully received and paid for. But inftruclion v/as not fo cafy a matter. At that time we had nothing
but
CHAP. I. FREE MASONRY. ^y
but the book of conftitutionSj drawn up about 1720, by Anderfon and Defaguilliers, two perfons of little education, and of low manners, who had aimed at little more than making a pretext, not altogether contemptible, for a convivial meeting. This, however, was receiv- ed with refpe6l. We are apt to fmile at grave men's being fatistied with fuch coarfe and fcanty fare. But it was of ufe, merely becaufe it gave an oftenfible rea- fon for refitting thedefpotifm of the Lodges of Berlin. Several refpedlable Lodges, particularly that of Frank- fort on the Mayne, that of Brunfwick, that of Wetz- lar, and the Royal York of Berlin, refolutely adhered to the Englilh fyilem, and denied themfelves all the enjoyment of the French degrees, rather than acknow- ledge the fupremacy of the Rofaic Lodges of Berlin.
About the year 1764 a new revolution took place. An adventurer, who called himfclf Johnfon, and pafled himfelf for an Englifhman, but who v^as really a Ger- man or Bohemian named Leucht, faid that he was am- baifadorfrom the Chapter of Knights Templars at Old Aberdeen in Scotland, fent to teach the Germans what was true Mafonry. He pretended to tranfmute metals, and fome of the Brethren declared that they had fccn him do it repeatedly. This reached Baron Hunde, and brought back all his former enthufiafm. There is fomething very dark in this part of the hidory ; for in a little Johnfon told his partifans that the only point he had to inform them of was, that Baron Hunde was the Grand Mafter of the 7th province of Mafonry, which included the whole of Germany, and the royal do- minions of Pruffia. He fnowed them a map of the Ma- fonic Empire arranged into provinces, each of which had diftinguifhing emblems. Thefe are all taken from an old forgotten and infignificant book, Typotii Symbohz Divina et Humana, publifned in 1601. There is not the Icaft trace in this book either of Mafonry of Tem- pi plars.
58 THE SCHISMS IK CHAP. i.
piarSj and the emblems are taken out without the imallcil ground of feiedion. Some inconfiftency with the former magnificent promifes of Johnfon ftartled them at firil, but they acquiefced and fubmitted to Baron Hunde as Grand Mafrer of Germany. Soon af- ter johnfon turned out to be a cheat, efcaped, was ta- ken, and put in prifon, where he died. Yet this feems not to have ruined the credit of Baron Hunde. He ere6led Lodges, gave a few fimple inflirucSlions, all in the fyftem of Englifli Mafonry, and promifed, that when they had approved themfelves as good Mafons, he would then impart the mighty fecret. After two or three years of noviciate, a convention was held at Altenberg ; and he told them that his whole fecret was, ibat every true Majon was a Knight Templar, They Were aftonifhed, and difappointed ; for they expedted in general that he would teach theai tne philofopher^s fbone, or ghofl-raifmg, or m.agic. After much dif- content, falling out, and difpute, many Lodges united in this fyftem, made fomewhat moderate and palatable, under the nzrat of the Strict Disciplinarians, Strickten Obfervanz. It v/as acceptable to many, be- caufc they infilled that they were really Knights, pro- perly confecrated, though without temporalities J and they krioufly { fnould fecure the Order in a landed property and re- venue, which would give them a refpe6uable civil ex- iftence. Hunde declared that his whole eftate fhould devolve on the Order. But the vexations which he af- terv/ards met with, and his failing in love with a lady who prevailed on him to become Roman Catholic, made him aker his intention. The Order went on, however, and acquired confiderable credit by the feri- ous regularity of their proceedings ; and, although in the mean time a new apoftk^ of Myfceries, a Dr. Zin- zendorff, one of the Stri^ Olfirvanz, introduced a new
fvftem.
eHAF. I. FREE MASONP-Y. C
•/
fyftem, which he faici was from Sweden, dldinguifhefl by fome of the myftical doclrines of the Swtrdcnborgh fed:, and though the fy (tern obtained the Royal patron- ao-e, and a National Lodfre was cilabiiriied at Berlin by patent, ftili the Tempciorden, or Orden des Striken Ohfervanz, continued to be very refprftable. The German gentry were better pleafed with a Grand Maf- ter of their own choofing, than with any impofed on them by authority.
During; this (late of thino-s, one Stark, a Proteftanc divine, well knov/n in Germany by his writings, made another trial of public faith. One Gug®mos, (a pri- vate gentleman, but who would pais for fon to a King of Cyprus), and one Schropfer, keeper of a coitee- houfe at Nuremberg, drew crowds of Free Mafons around them, to learn ghoft-raifing, exorcifm, and al- chymy. Numbers came from a great difrance to Weifbad to^tt and learn thefe myfteries, and Free Ma- fonry was on the point of another revolution. Dr. Stark was an adept in all thefe things, and had contended with Caglioilro in Courland for the palmof Ibpcriority. He faw that this deception could not long iland its ground. He therefore came forward, at a convcmtion at Braunfchweig in 1772, and faid to the Su'xdt Dif- ciplinarians or Templars, That he was of their Order, but of the fpiritual department, and was deputed by the Chapter of K — m — d — t in Scotland, where he was Chancellor of the Consrreo\uion, and had the name of Archidemides, Eqties ab Aquila fuha : That this Chapter had the fuperintendance ot the Order: That they alone could confecrate the Knights, or tl^e un- known fuperiors ; and that he was deputed to inn:ru6t them in the real principles of the Order, and impart iis ineftimable fecrets, which could ik)l be known to Ba- ron Hunde, as he would readily acknowledge vvr.cn i^e fhould convcrfe with him. Johnfon, he faid^ \\ id been
a z\\
V Li w )
60 THE SCHISMS IN CHAP. I.
a cheat, and probably a murderer. He had got fome knowledge from papers which he muft have ftolen from a mifnonary, who had difappeared, and was probably killed. Gugomos and Schropfer muft have had fome fimilar information j and Schropfer had even deceived him for a time. He was ready to execute his com- mifTion, upon their coming under the necellary obliga- tions of fecrecy and of fubmiflion. Hunde (whofc name in the Order was the Eqiies ah Enje) acquiefced at once, and propofed a convention, with full powers to decide and accept. But a Schubart, a gentleman of chara6i:er, who was treafurer to the Templar Mafons, and had an employment which gave him confiderable influence in the Order, ftrongly dilTuaded them from fuch a mea- lure. The moft unqualified fubmiffion to unknown ^ij| fuperiors, and to conditions equally unknown, was re- quired previous to the fmallett communication, or any knowledge of the powers which Archidemides had to treat v/ith them. Many meetings were held, and many attempts were made to learn fomething of this fpiritual court, and of v/hat they might expe6l from them. Dr. Stark, Baron Weggenfak, Baron von Ra- ven, and fome others of his coadjutors in the Lodges at Koningfberg in PrufTia, and at Wifmiar, were re- ceived into the Order. But in vain — nothing was ob- tained from thefe ghoftly Knights but fome infignificant ceremonials of receptions and confecrations. Of this kind of novelties they were already heartily Tick; and . though they all panted after the expedled wonders, " they were fo mucli frightened by the unconditional fub- miflion, that tliey could come to no agreemient, and the fccrets of the Scotch Cono-regation of K — m — d — t ftill remain with Dr. Stark. They did, however, a fenfible thing, theyfenta deputation to Old Aberdeen, to enquire after the caves where their venerable myf- tcric'S were known, and their treafures were hid. They
had
CHAP. I. FREE MASONRY. 6l
had, as they thought, merited fome more confidence; for they had remitted annual contributions to thefe unknown fuperiors, to the amount of fome thoufands of rix dollars. But alas ! their ambaffadors found the Free Mafons of Old Aberdeen ignorant of all this, and as eager to learn from the ambalfadors what was the true origin and meaning of Free Mafonry, of which they knew nothing but the fnnple tale of Old Hiram. This broke Stark's credit ; but he flill in- fifted on the reality of his commiffion, and laid that the Brethren at Aberdeen were indeed ignorant, but that he had never faid otherwife^ their expectations from that quarter had refted on the fcraps purloined by Johnlon. He reminded them of a thing well known to themfelves ; that one of them had been fent for by a dying nobleman to receive papers on this fubjeCt, and that his vifit having been delayed a few hours by an unavoidable accident, he found all burnt but a frag- ment of a capitulary, and a thing in cypher, part of which he (Dr. Stark) had explained to them. They had employed another gentleman, a H. Wach- ter, to make fimiiar enquiries in Italy, vy/here Schrop- fer and others (even Hunde) had told them great le- crets were to be obtained from the Pretender's fecre- tary Approfi, and others. VVachter told them, thdZ all this was a h6lion, but that he had ften at Florence fome Brethren from the Holy Land, who really pof- felTed wonderful fecrets, which he was willing to im- part, on proper conditions. Thelc, however, they could not accede to -, but they were cruelly tortured by feeing Wachter, who had left Germany in Ibber cir- cumftances, now a man of great wealth and expence. He would not acknowledge that he had got the fecret of gold-making from the Afiatic Brethren; but faid that no man had any ris?ht to afk him how^ he had come by his fortune. It v/as enough that he behaved hono- rably.
Si THE SCHISMS I iV CHAP. I.
rably, and owed no man any thing. He broke off all connexions with them, and left them in great diftrefs about their Order, and panting after his fecrcts. Rifum taieatis amici]
Stark, in revenge for the oppofition he had met with from Schubart, left no (lone unturned to hurt him with his Brethren, and fucceeded, fo that he left them in difguft. Hunde died about this time. A book appeared, called. The Stumblmg Block and Rock cf Offence^ which betrayed (by their own confeffion) the whole fecrets of the Order of Templars, and foon made an end of it, as far as it went beyond the fimple Englifh Mafonry.
Thus was the faith of Free Mafons quite unhinged in Germany. But the rage for myileries and wonder was not in the leaft abated ; and the habits of thefe fecret AfTemblies were becoming every day more crav- ing. DiiTenfion and fchifm was multiplying in every quarter; and the Infcitution, inftead of being an in- citement to mutual complaifance and Brotherly love, had become a fource of contention, and of bitter en- mity. Not fatisfied Vv^ith defending the propriety of its own Infututions, each Syftem cf Free Mafonry was bufy in enticing away the partifans of other Syi- tems, fnut their Lodges againfl each other, and pro- ceeded even to vilify and perfccute the adherents of every Syftem but their own.
Thefe animofities arofc chiefly from the quarrels about precedency, and the arrogance (as it was thought) of the patent Lodge of Berlin, in pretending to have any authority in the other parts of the empire. But thefe pretenfions were not the refult of mere vanity. The French importers of the new degrees, always true to the glory of their nation, hoped by this means to fecure the dependence even of this frivolous fociety ; perhaps they might forefee political ufes and benefits
which
.CHAP. I. FREE MASONRY. 63
which might arife from it. One thing is worth notice : The French Lodges had all emanated from the great Confederation under the Duke de Chartrcs ; and, even if we had no other proof, we might prefume that they would cultivate the fame principles that chara6le- rifed that Se6t. But we are ceitain that infidelity and laxity of moral principles were prevalent in the Rofaic Lodges, and that the obfervation of this corruption had offended many of the fober old-fafliioned Lodges, and was one great caufe of any check that was given to the brilliant Mafonry of France. It is the obferva- tion of this circumftance, in which they all refembled, and which foon ceafcd to be a diflindtion, becaufe it pervaded the other Lodges, that has induced me to expatiate more on this hifcory of Free Mafonry in Ger- many, than may appear to my readers to be adequate to the importance of Free Mafonry in the general fub~ jedl-matter of thefe pages. But I hope that it will appear in the courfe of my narration that I have not given it a greater value than it dcferves.
About this very time there was a great revolution> of the public mind in Germany, and fcepticifm, infi- delity, and irreligion, not only were prevalent in the minds and manners of the wealthy and luxurioits, and of the profligate of lower ranks, but began to appear in the produ6Lions of the preis. Some circumftances, peculiar to Germany, occaiioned thefe declenfions from the former acquiclcencc in the faith of their fore- fathers to become more uniform and rem.arkahlc than they would otherwifc have been. The confeffions of Germany are the Roman Catholic, the Lutheran^, (which they call Proteflanr,) and the Calvinift, (which they call Reformed). Thefe are profcffed in many fmali contiguous principalities, and there is hardly one of them in which all the three have not free exercile. The defire of making profelyies is natural to all fsriou.s pre-
fcilbrs
64 THE SCHISMS IN CHAP. I.
fefTors of a rational faith, and was frequently exercifed. The Roman Catholics are fuppofed by us to be parti- cularly zealous, and theProteftants (Lutherans andCal- vinids) were careful to oppofe them by every kind of argument, among which thofe of ridicule and reproach were not fpared. The Catholics accufcd them of infi- delity refpedling the fundamental dc(51:rines of Chrifti- anity which tliey profellcd to believe, and even with rcfpe61; to the docfirines of natural religion. This ac- cufation was long very Hightly fupported -, but, of late, by better proofs. The Ipirit of free enquiry was the great boaft of the Proteftants, and the only fupport againd the Catholics, fecuringthem both in their reli- gious and civil rights. It was therefore encouraged by their governments. It is not to be wondered at that it fhould be indulged to excefs, or improperly, even by ferious men, liable to error, in their difputes with the Catholics. In the progrefs of this contell, even their own Confeflions did not efcape criticifm, and it was aficrted that the Reformation which thofe Con- fefiions exprefs was not complete. Further Refor- mations were propofed. The Scriptures, the foun- dation of our faith, were examined by clergymen of very different capacities, difpofitions, and views, till by explaining, correcting, allegorifrng, and otherwife twiiling the Bible, men's minds had hardly any thing left to reft on as a dodirinc of revealed religion. This encouraged others to go farther, and to fay that reve- lation was a folecifm, as plainly appeared by the ir- reconciicable differences among thofe Enlighteners (fo they were called) of the public, and that man had no-' thing to truft to but the dictates of natural reafon. Another let of writers, proceeding from this as a point already fettled, profcribed all religion whatever, and openly taught t\\^ doctrines of materialifm and atheifm. Mofc of thefc innovations were the work of Proteftant
divines
CHAP. I. FREE MASONRY. 6^
divines, from the caufes that I have mentioned. Tel- ler, Semlcr, Eberhardt, Lefling, Bahrdt, Riem, and Shultz, had the chief hand in all thcfe innovations. But no man contributed more than Nicholai, an emi- nent and learned bookfeller in Berlin. He has been for many years the publifher of a periodical work, called the General German Library, (Algt;mein deutfche Bibliothek,) confifting of original difiertations, and re- views of the writings of others. The great merit of this work, on account of many learned diiTertations which appear in it, has procured it much influence on that clafs of readers whofe leifure or capacity did not allow them a more profound kind of reading. This is the bulk of readers in every country. Nicholai gives a decided preference to the writings of the En- lighteners, and in his reviews treats them with parti- cular notice, makes the public fully acquainted with their works, and makes the mod favourable com- ments ; whereas the performances of their oppo- nents, or more properly fpeaking, the defenders of the National Creeds, are negledled, omitted, or barely m.entioncd, or they are criticifed with every feverity of ridicule and reproach. Fie fell upon a very fure method of rendering the orthodox writers difagreeable to the public, by reprefenting them as the abetters of fuperftition, and as fecret Jefuits. He alTerted, that the abolition of the Order of Loyola is only apparent. The Brethren ftill retained their con- nexion, and moft part oi' their property, under the fecret patronage of Catholic Princes. They are, there- fore, in every corner, in every habit and character, working with unwearied zeal tor the reiloration of their empire. He raifed a general alarm, and made a journey through Germany, hunting for Jefuits, and for this purpofe, became Free Mafon and Rofycrucian, being introduced by his. friends Gedicke and Bjcfler,
1 clergymen.
€S THE SCHISMS IN * CHAP. I.
clergymen, publilhers of the Berlin Monatjchrift^ and moll zealous promoters of the new do6lriiies. This favour he has repaid at his return, by betraying the myfteries of the Lodges, and by much bitter fatire. His journey was publiihed in fevcral volumes, and is full of frightful Jefuitilms. This man, as I have faid, found the greateft fuccefs in his method of flandering the defenders of Bible-Chriltianicy, by reprefenting them as concealed Jefuits. But, not contented v;ith open difcufiion, he long ago publiflied a fort of ro- mance, called Sehaldus 'Nothanker^ in which thef^ di- vines are introduced under feigned names, and made as ridiculous and deteftable as pofTibie. All this was a good trading job 3 for fceptical and free-thinking writings have every where a good market; and Ni- cholai was not only reviewer, but publilher, having prefles in different cities of the Empire. The im- menfe literary manufa6lure of Germany, far exceeding that of any nation of Europe, is carried on in a very particular v/ay. The books go in flieets to the great fairs of Leipfic and Frankfort, twice a-year. The bookfellers meet there, and fee at one glance the ftate of literature j and having fpeculated and made their bargains, the books are inlfantly difperfed through every part of the Empire, and appear at once in all quarters. Although every Principality has an officer for licenfmg, it is impolTible to prevent the currency of a performance, although it may be prohibited] for it is to be had by the carrier at three or four miles dif- tance in another ftate. By this mode of traffic, a plot m.ay be formed, and adtually has been formed, for giving any particular turn to the literature of the coun- try. There is an excellent work printed at Bern by the author Heinzmann, a bookfrller, called. Appeal to my Country y concerning a Combinaticn cf JVriterSy and Bookfellers i to rule the Literature of Germany ^ and form
the
CHAP. I. FREE MASONRY. 67
the Puhlk Mind into a Cent empt for the Religicn and Civil EftabliJJjments of the Empire. It contains a hiilorical ac- count of the publications in every branch of literature for about thirty years. The author fliows, in the mod convincing naanner, that the prodigious change from the former fatisfadion of the Germans on thofe fub- jeds to their prefent difcontcnt and attacks from every quarter, is neither a fair pi^Uire of the prevailing fen- tmients, nor has been the iimple operation of things, but the rcfiih of a combination of trading Infidels.
1 have here fomewhat anticipated, (for I hope to point out the fources of this combination,) becaufe it helps to explain or illuflrare the progrefs of infidelity and irrelio-ion that I was fpeaking; of It was much accelerated by another circumftance. One BaJedoWy a min of talents and learning, fet up, in the Principality of Anhalt-DefTau, a Philantkropine, or academy of general education, on a plan extremely different from thofe of the Univerfities and Academies. By this appellation, the founder hoped to make parents expedt that much attention v/ould be paid to the mo- rals of the pupils ', and indeed the programs or adver- tifements by which Bafedovv announced his inftitution to the public, defcribed it as the profeiTed feminary of pra6lical Ethics. Languages, fciences, and the or- namental exercifes, were here confidered as mere ac- ceflbries, and the great aim was to form the young mind to the love of mankind and of virtue, by a plan of moral education which was very fpecious and unex- ceptionable. But there vv^as a circumftance which greatly obftrufted the wide profpeds of the founder. How v/ere the religious opinions of the youth to be cared for ? Catholic:., Lutherans, and Calvinifts, were almoil- equally numerous in the adjoining Principali- ties; and the exclufion cA any two of thefe commu- nions would prodigioiifly limit the propoR-d ufefulnefs
cf
6% THE SCHISMS IN
CHAP. I.
of the inflitution. Bafedow v^^as a man of talents, a good fcholar, and a perfuafive writer. He framed a fet of rules, by which the education fliould be con- dudled, and which, he thought, lliould make every parent eafy -, and the plan is very judicious and manly. But none came but Lutherans. His zeal and intereft in the thing made him endeavour to interefb others; and he found this no hard matter. The people of condition, and all fenfible men, faw that it would be a very great advantage to the place, could they induce men to fend their children from all the neighbouring ftates. What we wifh, we readily believe to be the truth ; and Bafcdow's plan and reafonings appeared complete, and had the fupport of all claffes of men. The moderate Calvinifts, after fome time, were not averfe from them, and the literary manufadlure of Germany was foon very bufy in making pamphlets, defending, improving, attacking, and reprobating the plans. Innumerable were the prcje6ts for moderating the differences between the three Chriftian commu- nions of Germany, and making it poffible for the members of them all, not only to live amicably among each other, and to worfliip God in the fame church, but even to communicate together. This attempt na- turally gave rife to much fpeculation and refinement j and the propofals for am.endment of the formulas and the inflrudions from the pulpit were profecuted with fo much keennefs, that the ground-work, Chriftianity, was refined and refined, till it vanifhed altogether, leaving Deifm, or Natural, or, as it was called, Phi- lofophical Religion, in its place. I am not much mif- taken as to hiflorical facSb, when I fay, that the aflo- nifhing change in religious dodrine which has taken place in Froteflant Germ.any within thefe laft thirty years was chiefly occafioned by this fcheme of Bafe- dow*s. The predifpofing caufes exiflcd, indeed, and
were
gHAP. I. FREE MASONRY. 69
were general and powerful, and the diforder had al- ready broken out. But this fpecious and enticing ob- jedt firft gave a title to Proteftant clergymen to put to their hand without rifk of being cenfured.
Bafedow corredled, and corrc6led again, but not one Catholic came to the Philanthropine. He feems to have thought that the beil plan would be, to banifh all pofitive religion whatever, and that he would then be fure of Catholic fcholars. Cardinal Dubois was fo far right with refped to the firft Catholic pupil of the church. He had recommended ^a man of his own ftamp to Louis XIV. to fill fome important office. The monarch was aftoniflied, and told the Cardinal, that " that would never do, for the man was a Janfe- " nift; Eh! que nsn. Sire/' faid the Cardinal, '' il *^ n'eft qu' Athee ;'' all was fafe, and the man got the priory. But though all was in vain, Bafedow's Phi- lanthropine at Dcflau got a high charader. He pub- lifhed many volumes on education that have much merit.
It were well had this been all. But moft unfortu- nately, though moft naturally, writers of loofe moral principles and of wicked hearts were encouraged by the impunity which the fceptical writers experienced, and ventured to publifti things of the vileft tendency, inflaming the paflions and juftifying licentious m.anners. Thefe maxims are congenial with irreligion and Athe- ifm, and the books found a quick market. It v^as chiefly in the Pruffian States that this went on. The late King was, to fay the beft- of him, a naturalift, and, holding this life for his all, gave full liberty to his fub- jeds to write what they pleafed, provided they did not touch on ftate matters. He declared, however, to a minifter of his court, long before his death, that "he " was extremely forry that his indifi^erence had pro- " duced fuch effeds i that he was fcnfible it had greatlv
'^ contri-
70 THE SCHISMS IN CHAP. I.
cc
" contributed to hurt the peace and mutual good treat- ment of his fubjedis;'' and he faitl, '' that he would willingly give up the glory of his bed- fought battle, to have the fatisfadion of leaving his people in the fame ftate of peace and fatisfadlion with their reli- *^ gious eftablilliments, that he found them in at his " acceflion to the throne." His fucceribr Frederick William found that things had gone much too far, and determined to fupport the church-efcablifliment in the mofl peremptory manner; but at the lame time to al- low perfect freedom of thinking and convcrfing to the profelTors of every Chriflian faith, provided it was en- joyed without difturbing the general peace, or any encroachment on the rights of thofe already fupported by law. He publiflied an edi(5l to this effedl, which is really a model worthy of imitation in every country. This was the epoch of a ilrange revolution. It was attacked from all hands, and criticifms, fatires, flan- ders, threatenings, poured in from every quarter. The independency of the neighbouring ftates, and the mo- narch's not beino; a ereat favourite amono; feveral of his neighbours, permitted the publication of thofe pieces in the adjoining principalities, and it was im.- poffible to prevent their circulation even in the Pruf- fian States. His edict was called an unjuftifiable ty- ranny over the confciences of men -, the dogmas fup- ported by it were termed abfurd fuperftitions ; the King's private chara6ler, and his opinions in religious matters, were treated with little reverence, nay, were ridiculed and fcandaloufly abufed. This field of dif- cuflion being thus thrown open, the writers did not confine themfelves to religious matters. After flatly denying that the prince of any country had the fmalleft right to prefcribe, or even diredl the faith of his fub- jed:s, they extended their difcuflions to the rights of princes in general; and now they fairly opened their'
trenches^j
CHAP. I. TREE MASONRY. yi
trenches, and made an attack in form on the conftitu- tions of the German confederacy, and, after the ufual aoproaches, they fet up the ftandard of univerfal citi- zenfhip on the very ridge of the glacis, and fummoned the fort to furrender. The moil darins; of thefe attacks was a colle6lion of anonymous letters on the conftitu- tution of the PrufTian States. It was printed (or faid to be fo) at Utrecht; but by comparing the faults of fome types with fomc books printed in Berlin, it was fuppofcd by all to be the produftion of one of Nicho- lai's prefTes. It v/as thought to be the compofition of Mirabeau. It is certain that he wrote a French tranf- lation, with a preface and notes, more impudent than the work itfelf The monarch is declared to be a ty- rant; the people are addrelTed as a parcel of tame wretches crouching under oppreffion. The people of Siieiia are reprefented as ftill in a worfe condition, and are repeatedly called to roufe themfelves, and to rife up and alTert their rights. The King is told, that there is a combination of philofophers (^conjuration) who are leagued together in defence of truth and rea- fon, and which no power can v/ithftand; that they are to be found in every country, and are connedted by mutual and folemn engagement, and will put in prac- tice every mean of attack. Enlightening, inftru61:ion, was the general cry am^ong the writers. The triumph of realbn over error, the overthrow of fuperilition and flaviOi fear, freedom from religious and political pre- judices, and the eftabiifhment of liberty and equality, the natural and unalienable rights of m,an, were the topics of general declamation ; and it was openly main- tain-jd, that fecret focieties, v^here the communication of fcntiment (liould be free from every reftraint, was the mcll effc6lual means for indruclin^ and enliehten- ing the world »
And
72 THE SCHISMS IN CHAP. I.
And thus it appears, that Germany has experienced the fame gradual progrefs, from Religion to Atheifm, from decency to dilTolutenefs, and -from loyalty to re- bellion, which has had its courfe in France. And I muft now add, that this progrefs has been effe6ted in the fame manner, and by the fame means 3 and that one of the chief means of fedu6lion has been the Lodges of the Free Mafons. The French, along with their numerous chevaleries, and ftars, and ribands, had brought in the cuftom of haranguing in the Lodges, and as human nature has a confiderable uniformity every where, the fame topics became favourite fub- jedls of declamation that had tickled the ear in France; there were the fame corruptions of fentiments and man- ners among the luxurious or profligate, and the fame incitements to the utterance of thefe fentiments, wherever it could be done with fafety ; and I may fay, that the zealots in all thefe trails of freethinking were more ferious, more grave, and fanatical. Thefe are not alTertions a priori, I can produce proofs. There was a Baron Knigge refiding at that time in the neigh- bourhood of Frankfort, of whom I fliall afterwards have occafion frequently to fpeak. This man was an enthufiafl in Mafonry from his youth, and had run through every pofTible degree of it. He was diffatisfled with them all, and particularly with the frivolity of the French chivalry; but he fail believed that Mafonry contained invaluable fecrets. He imagined that he faw agiimfe of them in the cofmo-political and fceptical dif- courfes in their Lodges 3 he fat down to meditate on thefe, and foon colledled his thoughts, and found that thofe French orators were right without knowing it ; and that Mafonry was pure natural religion and univer- fal citizenfliip, and that this was alfc> true Chriftianicy. In this faith he immediately began his career of Bro- therly love, and publifhcd three volumes of fermons ;
the
CHAP. I. fREE MASONRY. 7J
the firfl: and third publifned at Frankfort, and the fe- cond at Heidelberg, but without his name. He pub- liihed alio a popular fyftern of religion. In all thefe publications, of which there are extradls in the Religions Begebenheiten^ Chriftianity is confidered as a mere alle- gory, or a Mafonic type of natural religion j the moral duties are fpun into the common-place declam.ations of univerfal benevolence; and the attention is continually diredted to the abfurdities and horrors of fuperPcition, the fuffcrings of the poor, the tyranny and opprefiion of the great, the tricks of the priefts, and the indolent fimplicity and patience of the laity and of the common people. The happinefs of the patriarchal life, and fweets of univerfal equality and freedom, are the bur- den of every paragraph ; and the general tenor of the whole is to make men difcontented with their condi- tion of civil iubordinanon, and the repLraints of reveal- ed religion.
All the proceedings of Knigge in the Mafonic fchifms Ihow that he was a zealous apoftle of cofmo-politifm, and that he was continually dealing wich people in the Lodges who were affoclated with him in propagating thofe notions among the Brethren; fo that we are cer- tain that fuch converfations were common in the Ger- man Lodges.
When the reader confiders all thefe circumilances, he will abate of that fiirprife which naturally afFedls a Briton, when he reads accounts of conventions for dif- cuffing and fixing the dogmatic tenets of Free Ma- fonry. The perfe6l freedom, civil and religious, which we enjoy in this happy country, being familiar to every man, we indulo;e it v/ith calrnnefs and mode- ration, and fecret aikmblics hardly diiler from the common meetings of (i iends and neighbours. We do not forget the expediency of civil fubordination, and of thofe diftinflions Vv'hich arife from fccure poileilion
FC of
74 THE schism:; in chap. r.
of our rights, and the gradual accumulation of the comforts of life in the famili-^s of the fober and in- dudrious. Thefc have, by prudence and a refpedla- ^ ble ceconomy, preferved the acquifitions of their an- ^ cellors. Every man feels in his own bread the firong call of nature to procure for himfelf and his chil- dren, by every honeft and commendable exertion, the means of public confideration and refpedl. No man is fo totally without fpirit, as not to think the better of his condition when he is come of credit- able parents, and has creditable connedions ; and without thinking that he is in any refpe6l generous, he prefumes that others have the fame fentiments, and therefore aliov^s the moderate expreffion of them, without thinking it infolence or haughtinefs. All thefe things are familiar, are not thought of, and we enjoy them as we enjoy ordinary health, without per- ceiving it. But in the fame manner as a young man Vv'ho has been long confined by ficknefs, exults in re- turning health, and is apt to riot in the enjoyment of what he fo diftinctly feels ; fo thofe who are under continual check in open fociety, feel this emancipa- tion in thofe hidden affemblies, and indulge with ea- gernefs in the expreffion of fentiments which in public they muil fmother within their own breaft. Such meetings, therefore, have a zeft that is very alluring, and they are frequented with avidity. There is no country in Europe wiicrc this kind of enjoyment is fo poig-nant as in Germany. Very infignificant principa- lities have the fame rank in the General Federation with very excenfive dominions. The internal confti- tucion of each petty (late being modelled in nearly the lame manner, the official honours of their little courts become ludicrous and even farcical. The Geheim I-Iofrath, the liofmarefchal, and all the Kammerhers tof a Prince, whofe dominions do not equal the eftates
of
CHAP. 1. FREE MASOl^RY. 75
of many Engliili Squires, caufe the whole to appear like the play of children, and muft give frequent oc- cafion for difcontent and ridicule, Mafon Lodges even keep this alive. The fraternal equality profefTed in them is very flattering to thofe who have not fucceed- ed in the fcramble for civil diftindlions. Such perfons become the mofb zealous Maions, and generally ob- tain the adlive offices in the' Lodges, and have an op- portunity of treating w^ith authority perfons whom in public fociety they muft look up to with fome refped:.
Thefe confiderations account, in fome meafure, for the importance which Free Mafonry has acquired in Germany. For a long while the hopes of learning fome wonderful fecret made a German Baron think no- thing of long and expendve journies in queft of fome new degree. Of late, the cofmo-political dodlrines encouraged and propagated in the Lodges, and fome hopes of producing a Revolution in fociety, by which men of talents lliould obtain the management of public affairs, feem to be the caufe of all the zeal with which the order is ftill cheriflied and promoted. In a perio- dical work, publifhed at Neuwied, called Algemein Zeitung der Freymaurerey ^\wt have the lift of the Lodges in 1782, with the names of the Office-bearers. Four- fifths of thefe are clergymen, profeiTors, perfons hav- ing offices in the common law-courts, men of letters by trade, fuch as reviewers and journalifts, and other pamphleteers ; a clafs of m.en, who generally think that they have not attained that rank in fociety to which their talents entitle them, and imagine that they could difcharge the imiportant offixes of the ftate witli reputation to themfclves and advantage to the public.
The miferable uncertainty and inftability of the Ma- fonic faith, which 1 defcribed above, was not altoge- ther the elfeft of mere chance, but had been greatly accelerated bv the machinations of Baron Kni^o-e, and
fome
76 THE SCHISMS IN CHAP. I.
fome other cofmo-political Brethren whom he had called to his affiRance. Knicro-e had now formed a fcheme for uniting the whole Fraternity, for the pur- pofe of promoting his Utopian plan of univerfal bene- volence in a ftate of liberty and equality. He hoped to do this more readily by completing their embarrafT- ment, and (howing each fyitem hovv^ infirm its foundation was, and how little chance it had of obtaining a general adherence. The Striken Obfervanz had now completely loft its credit, by which it had hoped to get the better of all the rell. Knigge therefore propofed a plan to the Lodges of Frankfort and Wetzlar, by which all the fyf- tems might, in fome meafufe, be united, or at lead be brought to a ftate of mutual forbearance and inter- courfe. He propofed that the Englifh fyftem fhould be taken for the ground -work, and to receive all and only thofe who had taken the three fymbolical degrees, as they were now generally called. After thus guard- ing this general point of faith, he propofed to allow the validity of every degree or rank which lliould be received in any Lodge, or be made the charadler of any particular fyftem. Thefe Lodges having fecured the adherence of feveral others, brought about a ge- neral convention at Willcmlbad in Hainault, where every different fyftem fhould communicate its peculiar tenets. It was then hoped, that after an examination of them all, a conftitution might be formed, which fhould comprehend every thing that was moft worthy of feledion, and therefore be far better than the ac- commodating fyftem already defcribed. By this he hoped to get his favourite fcheme introduced into the whole Order, and Free Mafons made zealous Citizens of the World. I believe he was fincerc in thefe in- tentions, and did not vvifh to diilurb the public peace. The convention was accordingly held, and iafted a
long
GHAP. I. FREE MASONRY. 77
long while, the deputies confulting about the frivoli- ties of Mafonry, with all the ferioufnefs of ftate am- bafladors. But there was great iliynefs in their com- munications i and Knigge was making but fmall pro- grefs in his plan, when he met with another Mafon, the Marquis of Conftanza, who in an infbant convert- ed him, and changed all his meafures, by fliowing him that he (Knigge) V7as only doing by halves what was already accompliilied by another Society, which had carried it to its full extent. They immediately fee about undoing what he had been occupied with, and heightened as much as they could the dilfentions al- ready fufficiently great, and, in the mean time, got the Lodges of Frankfort and Wetzlar, and feveral others, to unite, and pick out the bed of the things they had obtained by the communications from the other fyftems, and they formed a plan of what they called, the Edecfic or i>y?! critic Mafonry of the United Ledges o( GtrrViZny. They compofed a coniiitution, ritual, and catechifm, which has merit, and is indeed the completed body of Free Mafonry that wc have.
Such was the flate of this celebrated and myfterious Fraternity in Germ.any in 1776. The fpiric of inno- vation had fcrized ail the Brethren. No man could give a tolerable account of the origin, hidory, or ob- jedl of the Order, and it appeared to all as a led or forgotten mydery. The fymbols feemed to be equal- ly fufccptible of every interpretation, and none of thefe feemed entitled to any decided preference.
CHAP.
[ 78 J
G H A P. II.
The lUuminati,
1 HAVE now arrived at what I fhould call the great epoch of Cofmo-politifm, the fcheme communicated to Baron Knigge by the Marcheje di Conftanza. This obliges me to mention a rcm.arkablc Lodge of the Eclectic Mafonry, ered^d at Munich in Bavaria in 1775, under the woriliipful Mafter, ProfeiTor Baader. It was called The Lodge Theodore of Good Ccunjel. It had its conftitutional patent from the Royal York at Berlin, but had formed a particular fyftem of its own, by in{lru6lions from the Loge des Chevaliers Bienfaijants at Lyons, vv^ith which it kept up a correfpondence. This refpedt to the Lodge at Lyons had arifen from the preponderance acquired in general by the French party in the convention at Willemfbad. The depu- ties of the Rofaic Lodges, as well as the remains of the Templars, and Stril^en Ohjervanz^ all looking up to this as the mother Lodge of what they called the Grand Orient de la France J confiding in (in 1782) of iG(y improved Lodges united under the D. de Chartres, Accordingly the Lodge at Lyons fent Mr. Wiier- mooz as deputy to this convention at Wiiiemfoad. Refining gradually on the fmiple Britifh Mafonry, the Lodge had formed a fyflem of pra6l"ical moralicy, which it alicrted to be the aim of genuine Mafonry,
faying,
CHAF. II. THE ILLUMINATI. 79
faying, that a true mafon, and a man of upright heart and a6live virtue, are fynonimous chara6lers, and that the great aim of Free Mafonry is to promote the hap- pincfs of mankind by every mean in our power, in purfuance of thefe principles, the Lodge Theodore profefledly occupied itfelf with oeconomical, flatifli- cal, and political matters, and not only publifhed from time to time difcourfes on fuch fubjecfts by the Brother Orator, bun the Members confidered them- felves as in duty bound to propagate and inculcate the fame doftrines out of doors.
Of the zealous members of the Lodge Theodore the moil confpicuous was Dr. Adam Weifhaupt, Pro- feifor of Canon Lav/ in the Univerfuy of Ingolftadt. This pcrfon had been educated among the Jefuits ; but the abolition of their order made him change his views, and from being their pupil, he became their moft bitter enemy. He had acquired a high reputa- tion in his profefTion, and was attended not only by thofe intended for the practice in the law-courts, but aifo by young gentlemen at large in their courfe of ge- neral education ] and he brought numbers from the neighbouring Hates to this univerfity, and gave a ten to the ftudies of the place. He embraced v;ith great keennefs this opportunity of fpreading the favo- rite do6lrines of the Lodge, and his auditory became the fcminary of Cofmo-politifm. The engaging pic- tures of the pofTible felicity of a fociety where every o£Bce is held by a man of talents and virtue, and where every talent is fet in a place fitted for its exertion, for- cibly catches the generous and unfufpe(51:ing minds of youth, and in a Roman Catholic (late, far advanced in the habits of grofs fuperilition (a character given to Bavaria by its neighbours) and abounding in monks and idle dignitaries, the opportunities muft be frequent for obferving the inconfiderate dominion of the clergy,
and
So THE ILLUMINaTI. CHAP.. II.
and the abje6i: and indolent fubmifTion of the laity. Accordingly ProfeiTor Weiiliaupt lays, in his Apo- logy for liJLiminatifm, that Dciim, Infidelity, and Atheifm are more prevalent in Bavaria than in any country he was acquainted with. Difcourfes, there- fore, in which the abfurdity and horrors of fuperfli- tion and fpiritual tyranny were flrongly painted, could not fail of making a deep impreffion. And during this Rate of the minds of the auditory the tranfition to general infidelity and irreligion is fo eafy, and fo invit- ing to fanguine youth, prompted perhaps by a latent v^iih that the reflraints Vv'hich religion impofes on the expectants of a future flate might be found, on enquii-y, to be nothing but groundlefs terrors, that I imagine it requires the mofb anxious care of the public teacher to keep the minds of his audience imprefTed with the reality and importance of the great truths of religion, while he frees them from the ihackles of blind and ab- furd fuperftition. I fear that this celebrated inftruclor had none of this anxiety, but was fatisfied with his great fuccefs in the lafl part of this tafli:, the emancipa- tion of his young hearers from the terrors of fuperftition, I fuppofe alfo that this was the more agreeable to him, as it procured him the triumph over the Jefuits, with whom he had long ftruggled for the direction of the univerfity.
This v/as in 1777. Vv'eifhaiipt had long been fcheming the eftabliiflbmcnt of an Aifociation or Order, which, in time, fliould govern the v/orld. In his firfl; fervour and high expectations, he hinted to ftveral Ex- Jefuits the probability cf their recovering, under anew name, the iniluence which they formerly pof- fefiTed, and of being again of great fervice to fociety, by directing the education of youth of diftin^lion, now emancipated from all civil and religious prejudices. He prevailed on fome to join him^ but they all retrac- ted
CHAP. 11. THE ILLUMINATI, 8l
ted but two. After this dlfappointment WelfhaupC became the implacable enemy of the Jcfuits -, and his fanguine temper made him frequently lay himfelf open to their piercing eye, and drew on him their keeneft refentment, and ac lail made him the vidlim of their enmity.
The Lodge Theodore was the place where the above-mentioned doctrines were moft zealouOy propa- gated. But Weiiliaupt's emiifarics had already pro- cured the adherence of many other Lodges ^ and the Eclectic Mafonry had been brought into vogue chiefly by their exertions at the Willemibad convention. The Lodge Theodore was perhaps lefs guarded in its pro- ceedings, for it became remarkable for the very bold fentiments in politics and religion vyhich were fre- cjuently uttered in their harangues ^ and its members were noted for their zeal in making profelytes. Many bitter pafquinades, fatires, and other oflenfive pam- phlets were in ferret circulation, and even Larger works of very dangerous tendency, and feveral of them v/ere traced to that Lodge. The Eledor often exprefTcd his difapprobation of fuch proceedings, and fent them kind mclfaoes, defirinp: them to be careful not to dif- turb the peace of the country, and particularly to re- collect the folemn declaratiox*i made to every entrant into the Fraternity of Free Mafons, ^^ That no fubject " of religion or policies iliall ever be touched on in '/ the Lodge ;" a declaration which alone could have procured his permiifnon of any fccret aflembly what- ever, and on the fmcerity and honour of which he had reckoned when he gave his fanclion to their eitablifn- m^ent. But repeated accounts of the iame kind in- creafcd the alarms, and the Eleclor ordered a judicial enquiry into the procecdinp;s of the Lodge Theodore.
Ic Vv^as then difcovered that this and feveral afiociated Lod.ies were the nurlVry or preiiaration fchool for an-
L other
S2 THEILLUMINATI. CHAP. If.
Other Order of Mafons, who called thcmfelves the Illuminated, and that the cxprefs aim of this Order was to abolifh Chriflianity, and overturn all civil go- vernment. But the refuk of the enquiry was very im- perfe6t and unfatisfadlory. No illuminati were to be found. They were unknown in the Lodge. Some of the members occafionally heard of certain candi- dates for illumination called Minep.vals, who were fometimes feen among them. But whether thefe had been admitted, or who received them, was known only to themfelves. Some of thefe were examined in private by the Eledlor himfelf. They faid that they %vere bound by honour to fecrecy : But they allured the EIe61:or, on their honour, that the aim of the Or- der was in the higheft degree praife-worthy, and ufe- ful both to church and ftate. But this could not allay the anxiety of the profane public j and it was repeat- edly ftated to the Eledlor, that members of the Lodge Theodore had unguardedly fpoken of this Order as one that in time mufb rule the world. He therefore iffued an order forbidding, during his pleafure, all fe- cret aflemblies, and fhucting up the Mafon Lodges. It v/as not meant to be rigoroufiy enforced, but was intended as a trial of the deference of thefe Aflbciations for civil authority. The Lodge Theodore diflin- guifned itfeif by pointed oppoficion, continuing its meetings; and the members, out of doors, openly re- probated the prohibition as an abfurd and unjuftifiable tyranny.
In the beginning of 17 83, four profeiTors of the Marianen Academy, founded by the widow^ of the late Ele6lor, viz. Utfchneider, ColTandey, Renner, and Grunberger, with two others, were fummoned before the Court of Enquiry, and quedioned, on their alle- giance, refpedting the Order of the Illuminati. They acknowledged that they belonged to it, and when
more
CHAP. II. THE ILLUMINATi. Sg
more clofely examined, they related fcveral circum- ilances of its conlticution and principles. Their de- clarations were immediately publiihed, and were very iinfav^ourable. The Order was faid to abjure Chrifri- anity, and to refuie admilTion into the higher degrees to all who adheied to any o( the three confefiions. Seniual pleafures were reftored to the rank they held in the Epicurean philofophy. Self-murder was jufti- fied on Stoical principles. In the Lodges death was declared an eternal fleep j patriorifm and loyalty were called narrow-minded prejudices, and incompatible with univerfal benevolence ; continual declamations were made on liberty and equality as the unalienable rights of man. The baneful infi'jence of accumulated property was declared an infurmountable obftacle to the happinefs of any nation whofe chief laws were framed for its protection and increafe. Nothing was fo frequently difcourfed of as the propriety of employ- ing, for a good purpofe, the means which the wicked employed for evil purpofes ; and it was taught, that the preponderancy of good in the ultimate refult con- fecrated every mean employed; and that vvifdom and virtue confided in properly determining this balance. This appeared big with danger, becaufe it feemed evident that nothing would be fcrupled at, if it could be made appear that the Order would derive advantage from it, becaufe the great objed of the Order was held as fuperior to every confidcration. They concluded by faying that the method of education made them all fpies on each other and on all around them. But all this was denied by the Iliuminati. Some of thefe te- nets were faid to be abfolutely falfe ; and the reft were faid to be miftakes. The apoftate profefibrs had ac- knov.'lcdged their ignorance of many things. Two of them were only Minervals, another was an Illuminatus of the loweft clafs, and the fourth was but one ften
fiirr^er
§4 THE ILLUMINATI. CHAP. II.
farther advanced. Pamphlets appeared on both fides, with very little eftedl. The Elc(flor called before him one of the fuperiors, a yoiing nobleman, Vv'ho denied thofe injurious charges, and laid that they were ready- to lay before his Highncfs their whole archives and all conftitutional papers.
Notwitliflanding all this, the government had re- ceived fuch an imprellion of the dangerous tendency of the Order, that the Elector iffued another edift, forbidding all hidden affemblies ; and a third, exprefsly aboliHiing the Order of liluminati. It was followed by a fearch after their papers. The Lodge Theodore was immediately fearched, but none were to be found. They faid now that they burnt them ail, as of no ufe, fince that Order was at an end.
It was now difcovered, that Weifliaupt was the head and founder of the Order. He was deprived of his ProfefTor's chair, and baniihed from the Bavarian States ; but with a penfion of 800 florins, which he refufed. He went to Regenfburgh, on the confines of Switzerland. Two Italians, the Marquis Conflanza and Marquis Savioli, were alfo banifhed, with equal penfions, (about L. 40,) which they accepted. Oi.e Zwack, a counfelior, holding fome law-office, was alfo baniflied. Others were imprifoned for Ibme time. Weifhaupt went afterwards into the fervice of the D. of Saxe Gotha, a perfon of a romantic turn of mind, and whom we lliall ap-ain meet with. Zwack went into the fervice of the Pr. dc Salms, who foon after had fo orreat a hand in the difturfbances in Holland.
By deftroying the papers, all opportunity was loft for authenticating the innocence and ufefulnefs of the Order. After much altercation and paper war, Weif- haupt, now fafe in Regenfburg, publifiied an account of the Order, namely, the account which was given t® every Novice in a difcourfe read at his reception.
To
CHAP. II. THE ILLUMINATI. 85
To this were added the fcatutes and the rules of pro- ceeding, as flir as the degree o^ Illuminaliis Minor, in- cluded. This account he affirmed to be conformable to the real pra6lice of the Order. But this publication did by no means fatisfy the public mind. It differed exceedingly from the accounts given by the four pro- fefibrs. It made no mention of the higher degrees, which had been moft blamed by them. Befides, it was alleged, that it was all a fi6lion, written in order to lull the fufpicions which had been raifed (and this was found to be the cafe, except in refped: of the very lowefl degree).- The real conllitution was brought to light by degrees, and fliali be laid before the reader, in the order in which it was gradually difcovered, that we may the better judge of things not fully known by the condu6lofthe leaders during the dete'd:ion. The firft account given by Wcifhaupc is corredl, as far as I ihall make ufe of it, and fliows clearly the methods that were taken to recommend the Order to ftran-
gers.
The Order of Illuminati appears as an acceflbry to Free Mafonry. Ic is in the Lodges of Free Mafons that the Minervals are lound, and there they are pre- pared for Illumination. They m.uil have previoufiy ob- tained the three Engliili degrees. The founderfays more. He fays that his do6trines are the only true Free Mafonry. He was the chief promoter of the EcleElic Syftem. This h(^ urged as the bell method for 9;ettino- information of all
*w/ *— ' viz?
the explanations which have been given of the Mafonic Myfteries. He was alfo a Stri5f Obfervanz, and an adept Rofycrucian. The refult of all his knowledge is worthy of particular remark, and fnali therefore be ffiven at large.
^^ I declare," fays he, " and I challenge all man- *' kind to contradict my declaration, that no man can
'^ give
86
THE ILLUMINATI.
CHAP. n.
yivc any account of the Order of Free Mafonry, of ics origin, of its hi (lory, of its obje6l, nor any ex- planation of its myderies and fymbols, which does not leave the mind in total uncertainty on all thtfc points. Every man is entitled, therefore, to give any expUnation of the fymbols, and any fvileni of the dodlrlnes, that he can render palatable. Hence have iprung up chat variety of fyftems which for twenty years have divided the Order. The fim- pie tale of the Englilli, and the fifty degrees of the French, and the Knights of Baron Hunde, are equally authentic, and have equally had the fupporc of intelligent and zealous Brethren. Thefe fyllems are in facl but one. They have all fprung from the Blue Lodg-e of Three decrees j take thefe for their ftandard, and found on thefe all the improvements by which each iyftem is afterwards fuited to the par- ticular obje6t which it keeps in view. There is no man, nor fyflem, in thev/orld, which can fnovv by undounred fucceirion that it fiiould (land at the head of the Order. Our ignorance in this particular frets me. Do but coafider our fnort hiilory of 1 20 years. —Who will fnow me the Mother Lodge ? Thofe of London we have difcovered to be feif-ere6i:ed in 17 1 6. Afls: for their archives. They tell you they were burnt. They have nothing but the wretched fophiilications of the Englifliman Anderfon, and the Frenchman Defaguilliers. Vv^here is the Lodge of York, which pretends to the priority, with their King Bouden, and the archives that he brought from the Eaft ? Thefe too are all burnt. What is the Chapter of Old Aberdeen, and its Holy Clericatc ? t)id we not find it unknown, and the Mafon Lodges there the moil ignorant of all the ignorant, gaping for inftrudtion from our deputies ? Did we not find the fame; thing at London I and have not their
" millionarie^
CHAP. II.
THE TLLUMIXATI. 8?
(C
'^ mifTionaries been among ns, prying into our myftc- '' rics, and eager to learn from us what is true Free *' Mafonry ? It is in vain, therefore, to appeal to judges; they are no where to be found; all claim for thcmfelves the fceptre of the Order i all indeed are on an equal footing. They obtained followers, '^ not from their authenticity, but from their condu- *^ civencfs to the end which they propofcd, and from '' the importance of that end. It is by this fcale that '' we mufc mcafure the mad and wicked explanations *^ of the Rofycrucians, the Exorcifts, and Cabalifts. ^^ Thefe are reje6led by all good Mafons, becaufe in- " compatible with ibcial happinefs. Only fuch fy fee ms " as promote this are retained. But alas, they are all fadly deficient, becaufe they leave us under the do- minion of political and religious prejudices ; and they are as inefficient as the^deepy dofc of an ordi- *^ nary fermon,
'* But I have contrived an explanation which has every advantage -, is inviting to Chriilians of every communion -, gradually frees them from all religious prejudices ; cultivates the focial virtues ; and ani^ mates them by a great, ateailble, andy^^.f^y profpec^ of univerfal happinefs, in a ilate of liberty and mo- ral equality, freed from the obflacles which fubordi- nation, rank, and riches, continually throw in our way. My explanation is accurate, and complete, . '^ my means are cife61:ual5 and irrefifrible. Our iccret " i^iTociation works in a way that nothing can with- fcand, (ind man JIj all Jo en he free and haffy, '^ This is i?he great obiedt held out by this AITocia- tion, and the ineans of attaining it is Illumination, enlightening the undcriianding by the fun of reafon, which v^^ill difpel the clouds of fuperftition and ofpre- judice. The proficients in this Order are therefore juPtiy named the Illuminated, And of all Illumina-
*' tion
f c
cc
cc cc
(C (C
cc
8S
tion which human reafon can give, none is compara- ble to the difcovery of what we arc, our nature, our obligations, what happinefs we are capable of, and what are the means of" attaining it. In comparifon with this, the moil brilliant fciences are but amufe- ments for the idle and luxurious. To fit man by Illumination for a6tive virtue, to engage him to it by the ilrongefl: motives, to render the attainment of it eafy and certain, by finding employment for every talent, and by placing every talent in its pro- per fphere of adlion, lb that all, without feeling any extraordinary effort, and in conjundlion with and completion of ordinary bufinefs, (hail urge forward, with united powers, the general tafk. This indeed will be an employment, fuited to noble naturcs> grand in its views, and delightful in its exercife. *' And v/hatis this general obie6L ? the happiness OF THE HUMAN RACE. Is it uot ditlrcffing to a generous mind, afcer comtemplating what human nature is capable of, to fee how little we enjoy ? When we look at tliis goodly v/orld, and fee that every man 'may be happy, but that the happinefs of one depends on the conduct of another \ when we fee the wicked fo pov/erful and the good {o v/eak ; and that it is in vain x.o drive fin,o;]y and alone, ao-ainft the general current of vice and opprelTion : the wilh naturally ariles in the mind, thai" it werepoffible to form a durable combinati(5n of the moil worthv perfons, who lliould work together in removing the obllacies to human happinefs, beccine terrible to the wicked, and give their aid to all the good with- out diftindlion, and fliould, by tlie moil pov^'crful means, firil fetter, and by fettering, leffen vice \ means which at the fam.e time ihouki promote virtue, by rendering the inclination to redtitude hitherto lb
feeble,
cc cc cc cc
CHAP. II. THE ILLUMINATI. 8^
" feeble, more powerful and engaging. Would not *^ fuch an alTociation be a bleffing to the world ?
" But where are the proper perfons, the good, the ^^ generous, and the accomplifned, to be found -, and *^ how, and by what flrong motives, are they to be «^ induced to engage in a tafk fo vaft, fo inceffant, fo ^^ difficult, and fo laborious ? This AiTociation muft *^ be gradual. There are fome fuch perfons to be *^ found in every fociety. Such noble minds will be ^^ engaged by the heart-warming obje6t. The firfl taflc *^ of the AiTociation mull therefore be to form the young members. As thefe mxultiply and advance, they become the apoflks of beneficence, and the work is now on foot, and advances with a fpecd en- crealing every day. The flighteft obfervation fhows ^' that nothing will fo much contribute to increafe the '^ zeal cf the members as fecret union. We fee with *^ what keennefs and zeal the frivolous bufinefs cf *' Free Mafonry is condudled, by perfons knit toge- *' ther by the fecrecy of their union. It is needlefs to ** enquire into the caufes of this zeal which fecrecy " produces. It is an univerfal (dd:, confirm.ed by the " hiftory of every age. Let this circumftance of our ^^ conftitution therefore be dire6Led to this noble pur- pofe, and then all the objedions urged againft it by jealous tyranny and affrighted fupcrftition wilivanifn. The order will thus work filently, and fecurely ^ and though the generous benefaclors of the human race are thus deprived of the applaufe of the world, they have the noble pleafurc of feeing their work profperin their hands." Such is the aim, and fuch are the hopes of the Or- der of the Illuminated. Let us now fee howthefe were to be accomplifhed. We cannot judge with perfeft certainty of this, becaufe the account given of the con- ftitution of the Order by its founder includes only the
M iowcH
cc
cc cc cc cc cc cc
90 THE ILLUMINATI. CHAP. II.
loweit degree, and even this is liable to great fufpicion. The accounts given by the four ProfcfTors, even of this part of the Order, make a very different imprefTion on the mindj although they differ only in a few parti- culars.
The only oRenfiblc members of the Order were the Minervais. They v/ere to be found only in the Lodges of Free Mafons. A candidate for admiffion muff make his wifn known to fome Minerval -, he reports it to a Superior, v/ho, by a channel to be explained prefently, intimates it to the Council. No notice is farther taken of it for fome time. The candidate is carefully ob- ferved in filence, and if thought unfit for the Order, no notice is taken of his folicitation. But ifotherv>^ife, the candidate receives privately an invitation to a con- ference. Here he meets with a perfon unknown to him, and, previous to all further conference, he is re- quired to perufe and to fign the following oath :
'* I, N. N. hereby bind myfelf, by mine honour '* and good name, forfwearing all mental refervation, never to reveal, by hint, Vv'ord, writing, or in any manner v^hatever, even to my moft trufted friend, any thing that fhall now be faid or done to me re- fpe6ling my wifhed-for reception, and this whether my reception fliall follow or not, I being previoufly " aiTured that it lliail contain nothing contrary to reli- gion, the irate, nor good manners. I promife, that I ihail make no intelligible extract from any papers " which fhall be Iliewn me nov/ or during my novi- ^•^ ciate. All this I fwear, as I am, and as I hope to ^'^ continue, a Man of Honour."
The urbanity of this protedation mud agreeably imprefs the mind of a perfon who recolle(5cs the dread- ful imprecations which he made at his reception into the different ranks of Free Mafonry. The candidate is then introduced to an Illummatus DirigenSy whom
perhaps
cc cc cc
(C
cc
cc cc
CHAP. II. THE ILLUMINATI. 9I
perhaps he knows, and is told that this ptribn is to be his future inlLru61:or. There is now prefented to the candidate, what they call a table, in which he writes his name, place of birth, age, rank, place ofrefidence, profeflion, and favourite iludies. He is then made to read feveral articles of this table. It contains, ijly a very concife account of the Order, its connec^tion with Free Mafonry, and its great obje6l, the promo- ting the happinefs of m.ankind by means of inflruclion and confirmation in virtuous principles. 2^/, Several queftions relative to the Order. Among thefe are, *^ What advantages he hopes to derive from being a " memiber ? What he moft particularly wnlhes to *^ learn ? What delicate quefbions relative to the life, '^ the profpe6ts, the duties of man, as an individual, ^^ and as a citizen, he wifhes to have particularly dif- ** cuffed to him ? In what refpefts he thinks he can " be of ufe to the Order? Who are his ancellors, re- '^ lations, friends, correipondents, or enemies ? Whom '^ he thinks proper perfons to be received into the " Order, or whom lie thinks unfit for it, and the rea- *^ fons for both opinions ?" To each of thefe queftions he muft Q^ive fome anrvvcr in writing;.
The Novice an^-l his Mentor are known only to each other; perhaps nothing more follov/s upon this; if otherv/ife, the Mentor appoints another conference, and begins his inftrudions, by giving him in detail certain portions of the conilitution, and of the funda- mental rules of the Order, Of thefe the Novice muil give a weekly account in writing. He muft alfo read, in the Mentor's houfe, a book containing more of the inftru(5tions of the Order; but he muft make no ex- tracts. Yet from this reading he muft derive all his knowledge ; and he muft give an account in writing of his progrefs. All writings received from his Supe- riors muft be returned with a ftated puncbualiry. —
Thefe
§2 THE ILLUMINATI. CHAP. II.
Thefe writings confift chiefly of important and delicate queftions, fuited, either to the particular inclination, or to the peculiar tafle which the candidate had difco- vered in his fubfcriptions of the articles of the table, and in his former refcripts/ or to the dire6tion which the Mentor wilhes to eive to his thouo-hts.
Enlightening the underftanding, and the rooting out of prejudices^ are pointed out to him as the principal taflis of his noviciate. The knowledge of himfelf is confidered as preparatory to all other knowledge. To difclofe to him, by means of the calm and unbiafTed obfervation of his inilruclor, what is his own charadter, his mod vulnerable fide, cither in refpedt of temper, paflions, or prepoiTefrions, is therefore the mod efTen- tial fervice that can be done him. For this purpofe there is required of him fome account of his own con- du6l on occafions where he doubted of its propriety; fome account of his friendfhips, of his differences of opinion, and of his condufl on fuch occafions. From fuch relations the Superior learns his manner of think- ing and judging, and thofe propenfities which require his chief attention.
Having made the candidate acquainted with himfelf, he is apprifed that the Order is not a fpeculative, but an a6i:ive aiTociation, engaged in doing good to others. The knowledge of human chara6ler is therefore of all others the moil important. This is acquired only by obfervation, affiflied by the inilrudtions of his teacher. Chara6Lers in hiftory are propofed to him for obferva- tion, and his opinion is required. After this he is di- rected to look around him, and to notice the conduct of other nr.en ; and part of his weekly refcripts mufl confift of accounts of all interefting occurrences in his neighbourhood, whether of a public or private nature. Cofiandey, one of the four ProfelTars, gives a parti- cular account of the indrufliions relating to this kind
■ of
€HAP. II. THE ILLUMINATI. pj
of fcience. " The Novice muil be attentive to tri- 5^ fles : For in frivolous occurrences a man is indolent, '^ and makes no effort to act a part, fo that his real ^^ character is then ading alone. Nothing will have *^ fuch influence with the Superiors in promoting the ^^ advancement of a candidate as very copious narra- ^' tions of this kind, becaufc the candidate, if pri>mo- ^' tedj is to be employed in an adlive ftation, and it ^' is from this kind of information only that the Supe- ^^ riors can judge of his fitnefs. Thele charafterillic ^^ anecdotes are not for the inftru6lion of the Superi- " ors, who are men of long experience, and familiar *^ with fuch occupation. But they inform the Order ^' concerning the talents and proficiency of the young '^ member. Scientific inflru6lion, being conneded '^ by fyftem, is foon communicated, and may in ge- '^ neral be very completely obtained from the books ^^ which are recommended to the Novice, and acqui- ^^ red in the public fcminaries of in(lru(5lion. But ^^ knowledge of chara6ter is more multifarious and '^ more delicate. For this there is no college, and it *^ muft therefore require longer time for its attainment. '^ Befides, this affiduous and long continued ftudy of '^ men, enables the poffeflbr of fuch knowledge to a61: *^ with men, and by his knowledge of their character, *^ to influence their condud. For fuch reafons this *^ fliudy is continued, ^nd thefe refcripts are required, ^^ during the whole progrefs through the Order, and " attention to them is recomm.ended as the only meaa ^^ of advancement. Remarks on Phyfiognomy in ^^ thefe narrations are accounted of confiderable va- '' lue." So far Mr. Coffandey.
During all this trial, which may lafl: one, two, or three years, the Novice knows no perfon of the Order but his own inftruclor, with whom he has frequent meetings, along with other Minervals. In thefe con-
verfations
94 I^HE ILLUMINATI. CHAP. II,
verfatlons he learns the importance of tiiQ Order, and the opportunities he v»?ill afterwards have of acquiring much hidden fcience. The employment of his un- known Superiors naturally caufes him to entertain very high notions of their abilities and worth. He is coun- fellcd to aim at a refemblance to them by getting rid by degrees of all thofe prejudices or prepolTefiions which checked his own former progrefs , and he is af- fifted in this endeavour by an invitation to a correfpon- dence with them. He may addrefs his Provincial Superior, by dire6ling his letter Soli, or the General by PrimOj or the Superiors in general by ^ibus licet. In thefe letters he may mention whatever he thinks conducive to the advancement of the Order; he may Inform the Superiors how his indrudor behaves to him ; if alTiduous or rem/ifs, indulgent or fevere. The Superiors are enjoined by the ftrongefl m>otives to con- vey thefe letters wherever addrelTed. None but the General and Council know the refuk of all this; and all are enjoined to keep themfelves and their proceed- ings unknown to all the world.
If three years of this Noviciate have elapfed with- out further notice, the Minerval mull: look for no fur- ther advancement; he is found unfit, and remains a Free Mafon of the higheil clafs. This is called a Sta bene.
But fhould his Superiors judge more favourably of him, he is drawn out of the general mafs of Free M^fons, and becomics Illuminatu^ Minor. When call- ed to a conference for this purpofe, he is told in iV.t mod ferious manner, that '' it is vain for him to hope '^ to acquire wifdom by mere fyPiemutic infl:ru6lion j ^^ for fuch in{lru6]:ion the Superiors have no leifure. " Their duty is not to form fpeculators, but a6live ^' men, whom they muft immediately employ in the '^ fervice of the Order. He mud therefore, grow v>^ife
. '' and
«HAP. II. THE ILLUMINATI. 95
*^ and able entirely by the unfolding and exertion of *' his own talents. His Superiors have already difco- ^^ vered what thefe are, and know what fervice he may ^^ be capable of rendering the Order, provided he " now heartily acquiefces in being thus honourably " employed. They vvili affiil him in bringing his ta- '' lents into aftion, and will place him in the fitua- ^^ tions moft favourable for their exertion, fo that he *^ may be affured of fuccefs. Hitherto he has been a ^^ mere fcholar, but his firft ilep farther carries him '^ into a6lion \ he muft therefore now confider himfelf ^^ as an inftrument in the hands of his Superiors, to " be ufed for the noblefl purpofes." The aim of the order is now more fully told him. It is, in one fen- tence, " to make of the human race, without any diilinftion of nation, condition, or profcflion, one good and happy family." To this aim, demonftra- bly attainable, every fmaller confideration mult give way. This may fometimes require facrifices which no man {landing alone has fortitude to make ; but which become light, and a fource of the pured enjoyment, when fupported and encouraged by the countenance and co-operation of the united wife and and good, fuch as are the Superiors of the Order. If the candi> date, warmed by the alluring pidure of the pollibie happinefs of a virtuous Society, fays that he is fenfi- ble of the propriety of this procedure, and fiill wifhes to be of the Order, he is required to fign the following obligation.
" I, N. N. proted before you, the v/orthy Pleni- *^ potentiary of the venerable Order into which I wifh " to be admitted, that 1 acknowledge my natural «' weaknefs and inability, and that I, with all my pof- '^ feillons, rank, honours, and titles V\/hich I hold in '^ political fociety, am, at bottom., only a man \ I *^ can enioy thefc chines only through mv fellow-men,
'' and
^$ THE ILLUMINATI. CHAP. li"
*^' and through them alfo I may lofe them. The ap- *' probation and confideration of my fellow-men are «^' indifpenfably neceffary, and I mult try to maintain *^ them by all my talents. Thefe I will never ufe to " the prejudice of univerfal good, but will oppofe, " with ail my might, the enemies of the human race, *^ and of political fociety. I will embrace every op- '^ portuniuy of faving mankind, by improving my un- " derflanding and my affedions, and by imparting all ^^ important knowledge, as the good and ftatutes of «*^ this Order require of me. I bind myfelf to perpe- '^ tual fiience and unihaken loyalty and fubmilTion to *' the Order, in the perfons of my Superiors ^ here '^ making a faithful and complete furrender of mypri- '^ vate judgment, my own will, and every narrow- " minded employment of my power and influence. I " pledse mvfelf to account the good of the Order as " my ow.n, and am ready to fcrve it with my fortune, " my honour, and my blood. Should I, through «' omifnon, negk6l, palTion, or wicknednefs, behave «^ contrary to this good of the Order, I 'fubjedt my- *' ihall enjoin. The friends and enemies of the Order ^' fhall be my friends and enemies ; and with refpedl " to both I will condu6l myfelf as directed by the Or- *' dtr, and am ready, in every lawful way, to devote *f myfelf to its incrcafe and promotion, and thereinto *^ employ all my ability. All this I promife, and pro- *' tcil, without fscret refervation, according to the «^ intention of the Society which require from m.e this *' engagement. This I do as I am, and as I hope to *' continue, a Man of Honour."
A drawn fword is then pointed at his breaft, and he is aflced. Will you be obedient to the commands of your Superiors ? He is threatened v/ith unavoidable ven2:eap.ce, from which no potentate can defend him,
if
CHAP. 11. THE ILLUMINATI. 97
if he fhould ever betray the Order. He Is then a9.