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
But this Illumination plan is darkness over all--it is too
artificial--and the topics, from which counsel is to be drawn,
cannot be taken from the peculiar views of the Order--for these are
yet a secret for the pupil--and must ever be a secret for him while
under tuition. They must therefore be drawn from common sources, and
the Order is of no use; all that can naturally be effectuated by
this Association is the forming, and assiduously fostering a narrow,
Jewish, corporation spirit, totally opposite to the benevolent
pretensions of the Order. The pupil can see nothing but this, that
there is a set of men, whom he does not know, who may acquire
incontroulable power, and may perhaps make use of him, but for what
purpose, and in what way, he does not know; how can he know that his
endeavours are to make man happier, any other way than as he might
have known it without having put this collar round his own neck?
These reflections address themselves to all men who profess to
conduct themselves by the principles and dictates of common sense
and prudence, and who have the ordinary share of candour and
good-will to others. It requires no singular sensibility of heart,
nor great generosity, to make such people think the doctrines and
views of the Illuminati false, absurd, foolish, and ruinous. But I
hope that I address them to thousands of my countrymen and friends,
who have much higher notions of human nature, and who cherish with
care the affections and the hopes that are suited to a rational, a
benevolent, and a high-minded being, capable of endless improvement.
To those who enjoy the cheering confidence in the superintendance
and providence of God, who consider themselves as creatures whom
he has made, and whom he cares for, as the subjects of his moral
government, this Order must appear with every character of falsehood
and absurdity on its countenance. What CAN BE MORE IMPROBABLE than
this, that He, whom we look up to as the contriver, the maker,
and director of this goodly frame of things, should have so far
mistaken his own plans, that this world of rational creatures should
have subsisted for thousands of years, before a way could be found
out, by which his intention of making men good and happy could be
accomplished; and that this method did not occur to the great Artist
himself, nor even to the wisest, and happiest, and best men upon
earth; but to a few insignificant persons at Munich in Bavaria,
who had been trying to raise ghosts, to change lead into gold, to
tell fortunes, or discover treasures, but had failed in all their
attempts; men who had been engaged for years in every whim which
characterises a weak, a greedy, or a gloomy mind? Finding all these
beyond their reach, they combined their powers, and, at once, found
out this infinitely more important SECRET--for secret it must still
be, otherwise not only the Deity, but even these philosophers, will
still be disappointed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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