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 something more was wanted: Disrespect for the higher Orders of
the State, and disloyalty to the Sovereign.--It is not so easy to
conceive how these sentiments, and particularly the latter, could
meet with toleration, and even encouragement, in a nation noted for
its professions of veneration for its Monarch, and for the pride of
its Noblesse. Yet I am certain that such doctrines were habitually
preached in the Lodges of _Philalethes_, and _Amis Reunis de la
Verite_. That they should be very current in Lodges of low-born
Literati, and other Brethren in inferior stations, is natural, and
I have already said enough on this head. But the French Lodges
contained many gentlemen in easy, and affluent circumstances. I do
not expect such confidence in my assertions, that even in these the
same opinions were very prevalent. I was therefore much pleased with
a piece of information which I got while these sheets were printing
off, which corroborates my assertions.
This is a performance called _La voile retiree, ou le Secret de la
Revolution explique par la Franc Maconnerie_. It was written by a
Mr. Lefranc, President of the Seminary of the _Eudists_ at Caen in
Normandy, and a second edition was published at Paris in 1792. The
author was butchered in the massacre of September. He says, that on
the death of a friend, who had been a very zealous Mason, and many
years Master of a respectable Lodge, he found among his papers a
collection of Masonic writings, containing the rituals, catechisms,
and symbols of every kind, belonging to a long train of degrees of
Free Masonry, together with many discourses delivered in different
Lodges, and minutes of their proceedings. The perusal filled him
with astonishment and anxiety. For he found that doctrines were
taught, and maxims of conduct were inculcated, which were subversive
of religion and of all good order in the state; and which not only
countenanced disloyalty and sedition, but even invited to it. He
thought them so dangerous to the state, that he sent an account of
them to she Archbishop of Paris long before the Revolution, and
always hoped that that Reverend Prelate would represent the matter
to his Majesty's Ministers, and that they would put an end to the
meetings of this dangerous Society, or would at least restrain them
from such excesses. But he was disappointed, and therefore thought
it his duty to lay them before the public[19].
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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