booknetsaWebster-secretSocietiesAndSubversiveMovements

eties of " mystic Germany." To say, then, that Barruel and Robison were alone in proclaiming the danger of
Illuminism is simply a deliberate perversion of the truth, and it is difficult to understand why English Freemasons
should have allowed themselves to be misled on this question.
Thus the Masonic Cyclopædia observes that the Illuminati " were, as a rule, men of the strictest morality
and humanity, and the ideas they sought to instil were those which have found universal acceptance in our
own times." Preston, in his Illustrations of Masonry, also does his best to gloss over the faults of the Order,
and even " the historian of Freemasonry " devotes to its founder this astounding apology. After describing
Weishaupt as the victim of Jesuit intrigue, Mr. Gould goes on to say: He conceived the idea of combating
his foes with their own weapons, and forming a society of young men, enthusiastic in the cause of humanity,
who should gradually be trained to work as one man to one end-the destruction of evil and the enhancement
of good in this world. Unfortunately he had unconsciously imbibed that most pernicious doctrine that the
end justifies the means, and his whole plan reveals the effects of his youthful teaching.... The man himself
was without guile, ignorant of men, knowing them only by books, a learned professor, an enthusiast who
took a wrong course in all innocence, and the faults of his head have been heavily visited upon his memory
in spite of the rare qualities of his heart.[24]
One can only conclude that these extraordinary exonerations of an Order bitterly hostile to the true aims
of Masonry proceed from ignorance of the real nature of Illuminism. In order to judge of this it is only necessary
to consult the writings of the Illuminati themselves, which are contained in the following works:
1. Einige Originalschriften des Illuminatenordens (Munich, 1787).
2. Nachtrag von weitern Originalschriften, etc. (Munich, 1787).
3. Die neuesten Arbeiten des Spartacus und Philo in dem Illuminaten-Orden (Munich, 1794).
All these consist in the correspondence and papers of the Order which were seized by the Bavarian Government
at the houses of two of the members, Zwack and Bassus, and published by order of the Elector.
The authenticity of these documents has never been denied even by the Illuminati themselves; Weishaupt,
in his published defence, endeavoured only to explain away the most incriminating passages. The publishers,
moreover, were careful to state at the beginning of the first volume: " Those who might have any
doubts on the authenticity of this collection may present themselves at the Secret Archives here, where, on
request, the original documents will be laid before them." This precaution rendered all dispute impossible.
Setting Barruel and Robison entirely aside, we shall now see from the evidence of their own writings,
how far the Illuminati can be regarded as a praiseworthy and cruelly maligned Order. Let us begin with
their attitude towards Freemasonry.
ILLUMINISM AND FREEMASONRY
From the moment of Weishaupt's admission into Freemasonry his whole conduct was a violation of the
Masonic code. Instead of proceeding after the recognized manner by successive stages of initiation, he set
himself to find out further secrets by underhand methods and then to turn them to the advantage of his own
system. Thus about a year after his initiation he writes to Cato (alias Zwack): " I have succeeded in obtaining
a profound glimpse into the secret of the Freemasons. I know their whole aim and shall impart it all at
the right time in one of the higher degrees."[25]
Cato is then deputed to make further discoveries through an Italian Freemason, the Abbe Marotti, which
he records triumphantly in his diary: Interview with the Abbé Marotti on the question of Masonry, when he
explained to me the whole secret, which is founded on old religion and Church history, and imparted to me
all the higher degrees up to the Scottish. Informed Spartacus of this.[26]
Spartacus, however, unimpressed by this communication, replied drily: Whether you know the aim of
Masonry I doubt. I have myself included an insight into this structure in my plan, but reserved it for later
degrees.[27]
Weishaupt then decides that all illuminated " Areopagites " shall take the first three degrees of Freemasonry[28];
but further: That we shall have a masonic lodge of our own. That we shall regard this as our
nursery garden. That to some of these Masons we shall not at once reveal that we have something more than
the Masons have. That at every opportunity we shall cover ourselves with this [Masonry].... All those who
are not suited to the work shall remain in the masonic Lodge and advance in that without knowing anything
of the further system.[29]
We shall find this plan of an inner secret, circle concealed within Freemasonry persisting up to our own
Nesta H. Webster — Secret Societies and Subversive Movements — Part I
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