Proofs of a Conspiracy against all the Religions and Governments of Europe: carried on in the secret meetings of Free Masons, Illuminati, and reading societies.Robison, John
History
Proofs of a Conspiracy against all the Religions and Governments of Europe: carried on in the secret meetings of Free Masons, Illuminati, and reading societies.
Robison, John
Freemasonry -- Early works to 1800; Illuminati -- Early works to 1800
in talents, and virtue, and happiness, (otherwise the Order is good
for nothing,) warm his heart, and fill him with emulation, since
he sees in them, that what is so strongly preached to him is an
attainable thing? No, no--it is all a trick; he must be kept like
a child, amused with rattles, and stars, and ribands--and all the
satisfaction he obtains is, like the Masons, the diversion of seeing
others running the same gauntlet.
Weishaupt acknowledges that the great influence of the Order may be
abused. Surely, in no way so easily or so fatally as by corrupting
or seductive lessons in the beginning. The mistake or error of
the pupil is undiscoverable by himself, (according to the genuine
principles of Illumination,) for the pupil must believe his Mentor
to be infallible--with him alone he is connected--his lessons only
must he learn. Who can tell him that he has gone wrong--or who can
set him right?
Here, therefore, there is confusion and deficiency. There must be
some standard to which appeal can be made; but this is inaccessible
to all within the pale of the Order; it is therefore without this
pale, and independent of the Order--and it is attainable only by
abandoning the Order. The QUIBUS LICET, the PRIMO, the SOLI, can
procure no light to the person who does not know that he has been
led out of the right road to virtue and happiness. The Superiors
indeed draw much useful information from these reports, though they
affect to stand in no need of it, and they make a cruel return.
All this is so much out of the natural road of instruction, that,
on this account alone, we may presume that it is wrong. We are
generally safe when we follow nature's plans. A child learns in
his father's house, by seeing, and by imitating, and in common
domestic education, he gets much useful knowledge, and the chief
habits which are afterwards to regulate his conduct. Example
does almost every thing; and, with respect to what may be called
living, as distinguishable from profession, speculation and
argumentative instruction are seldom employed, or of any use. The
indispensableness of mutual forbearance and obedience, for domestic
peace and happiness, forms most of these habits; and the child,
under good parents, is kept in a situation that makes virtue easier
than vice, and he becomes wise and good without any express study
about the matter.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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