66

a moft folemn affurance, that nothing is ever tranfacted in this fociety, hurtful to Religion, Morals, or the State." But after they have, by almost incredible art and perfeverance, got poffeffion of all the fecrets of his life, and his family, he is farther bound to" a blind obedience to the Order, without any restriction whatever." Weishaupt, the founder of the Order, thus writes to an areopagite, or chief, concerning what he calls the Priest's degree. "One would almost imagine that this degree, as I have managed it, is genuine Chriftianity; and that its end was to free the Jews from flavery. I say that Free-Mafonry is concealed Chriftianity. My explanation of the hieroglyphicks at leaft proceeds on this fuppofition; and, as I explain things, no man need be afhamed of being a Christian. Indeed I afterwards throw away this name, and fubftitute reafon. But I affure you this is no fmall affair: a new religion, and a new flat? government, which fo happily explain one and all of these fymbols, and combine them all in one' degree. You may think that this is my chief work; but I have three other degrees, all different, for my clafs of higher mysteries, in comparison with which, this is but child's play; but these I keep for

for myself as General, to be bestowed by me only on the Benemeritiffimi.-It is the key to hiftory, to religion, and to every state government in the world.” "You cannot imagine what respect and curiofity my Prieft's degree has raised; and, which is wonderful, a famous Proteftant divine, who is now of the order, is perfuaded that the religion contained in it is the true fenfe of Christianity. O man, man! to what mayest thou not be perfuaded! Who would imagine that I was to be the founder of a new Religion ?"

Before the adept is admitted to the Priest's degree, a number of questions are put to him, which he has been prepared to anfwer, by previous steps of Illumination. The following are fome of the leading questions: "Do you think the present ftate of nations correfponds with the object, for which man was placed upon earth? For example, do governments, civil affociations, or religion, attain the ends for which they were defigned? Do the fciences to which men apply furnish them with real lights? Are they conducive (as they ought to be) to real happiness ?-Did there not formerly exist an order of things more fim

ple?

ple? What fort of an idea can you form of

that, antient ftate of the world?-What means were best to be employed for restoring mankind to that happy state? Should it be by public measures, by violent revolutions, or by any means that should enfure fuccefs? Does not the Christian Religion in all its purity afford fome indications, does it not hint at some state or happiness similar to this? Does it not even prepare it? Is this holy and simple religion really what different fects profefs it to be at this present day, or is it more perfect? Can this more perfect Christianity be known or taught? Could the world, fuch as it now is, fupport a ftronger degree of light ?-Muft we not then filently and gradually remedy these diforders, before we can flatter ourselves with the re-establishment of the golden age? Meanwhile is it not advisable to diffeminate the truth in fecret focieties? Can we trace fuch fecret doctrine in the antient schools of the fages, or in the allegorical leffons given by Jefus Chrift, the Saviour and Liberator of mankind, to his most intimate Difciples? Have you not obferved a fort of gradual education in that art which you fee has been tranfmitted to our Order from the highest antiquity ?”

any

It

It is with regret that I omit the initiatory Difcourfe of the President ", the whole tendency of which is the total deftruction of all Religion, all Government, and all that the world has been accustomed to confider as morality; but which tendency is fo artfully concealed by the dazzling veil of fophiftry, that the prepoffeffed mind of the candidate does not eafily perceive it. The following extracts, however, will fully difplay its defign. "The first age of mankind is that of favage and uncouth nature. A family is the whole fociety: hunger and thirst easily quenched, a fhelter from the inclemency of the seasons, a woman, and after fatigue, reft, are then the only wants. At that period men enjoyed the two inestimable bleffings, equality and liberty: they enjoyed them to their utmost extent.-As families multiplied, the means of fubfiftence began to fail; the Nomade (or roaming) life ceafed, and property started into existence ;-hence liberty was ruined in its foundation, and equality disappeared.-Men then had paffed. from their peaceable state to the yoke of fervitude; Eden, that terreftrial Paradife, was loft to them.-The fecret fchools of

n See Barruel, vol. iii. p. 164.

Philosophy, which have been in all ages the archives of nature, and of the rights of man, shall one day retrieve the fall of buman nature, and princes and nations fhall disappear from the face of the earth, and that without violence.-Reafon fhall be the only book of laws, the fole code of man. This is one of our great mysteries. Attend to the demonftration of it, and learn how it has been tranfmitted down to us."-This we fhall see presently. We are to obferve, that the candidate is here informed, that fecret focieties are to effect this mighty change in the world without violence. Let us now notice the following instructions in the fame difcourfe. Serve, affift, and mutually fupport each other; augment our numbers 3 render yourselves at least independent, and leave to time and pofterity the care of doing the rest. When your numbers fhall be augmented to a certain degree, when you fhall have acquired ftrength by your union, besttate no longer, but begin to render yourself powerful and formidable to the wicked [that is to fay, all who refift their plans]; the very circumftance of your being fufficiently numerous to talk of force, and that you really do talk of it, that circumftance alone makes the profane and wicked tremble. That

66

N 2