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
"Agreeably to this manner of proceeding there are two classes
of the Brotherhood, the _Ordinary_ and the _Managing_ Brethren.
The latter alone know the aim of the association, and all the
means for attaining it; and they alone constitute the UNION, the
name, and the connection of which is not intended to be at all
conspicuous in the world.
"To this end the business takes a new external form. The
Brethren, to wit, speak not of the Union in the places where
they reside, nor of a Society, nor of enlightening the people;
but they assemble, and act together in every quarter, merely
as a LITERARY SOCIETY, bring into it all the lovers of reading
and of useful knowledge; and such in fact are the _Ordinary
Brethren_, who only know that an Association exists in their
place of residence for the encouragement of literary men, but
by no means that it has any connection with any other similar
Society, and that they all constitute one whole. But these
Societies will naturally point out to the intelligent Brethren
such persons as are proper to be selected for carrying forward
the great work. For persons of a serious turn of mind are not
mere loungers in such company, but show in their conversation
the interest they take in real instruction. And the cast of
their reading, which must not be checked in the beginning in
the smallest degree, although it may be gradually directed
to proper subjects of information, will point out in the most
unequivocal manner their peculiar ways of thinking on the
important subjects connected with our great object. Here,
therefore, the active Brethren will observe in secret, and will
select those whom they think valuable acquisitions to the sacred
Union. They will invite such persons to unite with themselves in
their endeavours to enlighten the rest of mankind, by calling
their attention to profitable subjects of reading, and to
proper books. Reading Societies, therefore, are to be formed in
every quarter, and to be furnished with proper books. In this
provision attention must be paid to two things. The taste of
the public must be complied with, that the Society may have any
effect at all in bringing men together who are born for somewhat
more than just to look about them. But the general taste may,
and must also be carefully and skilfully directed to subjects
that will enlarge the comprehension, will fortify the heart,
and, by habituating the mind to novelty, and to successful
discovery, both in physics and in morals, will hinder the timid
from being startled at doctrines and maxims which are singular,
or perhaps opposite to those which are current in ordinary
society. Commonly a man speaks as if he thought he was uttering
his own sentiments, while he is only echoing the general sound.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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