CHAPTER L. Weishaupt, Zwack, and Knigge: and the Brother Insinuator, or Recruiter, "Now he appears almost divine, "When he assumes the dove."-Watts. IN giving some account of Illuminism, as connected with Free Masonry, I shall confine myself for the facts, at least, to the original letters and papers of the fraternity, published, with every mark of authenticity, in the works of Barruel and Robison. The writings are generally so plain as to require little comment, and so extraordinary as to force the reflections of the reader. They will serve to show the danger of abusing reason, while we seem most to use it; and the madness of attempting to reform the world by the overthrow of religious worship in the fear of God. They will show the nature and dangerous tendency of all secret associations, and particularly the flexibility and emptiness of Free Masonry. upon I cannot enter upon this subject farther, without expressing my high consideration of the Abbe Barruel's treatise the Illuminees: to him I am most indebted. His plan is perspicuous, his documents are copious, and every one authenticated in such manner that no reader can rise from the perusal of his work without an irresistible conviction, both from the sentiments and from the designs of the Illuminees, that they are justly entitled a sect, "the most disastrous in its principles, the most extensive in its views, and the most atrociously cunning in its means," that ever disgraced the earth, Every member of the fraternity had a name peculiar to himself as an Illuminee, in which name he acted on all occasions of the society. Every considerable town, too, had its name of Illuminism; and every kingdom. They wrote also in cipher, the different degrees having different hieroglyphics. Their papers were seized by the different governments of Germany and published; and their whole aim was completely detected and exposed by these, and by the confessions of the disappointed of their order. In speaking of the principals, I will give both their own name, and their name of adoption. It is worthy of remark, that the names they affected were such as honest men would hate. The founder and builder, Adam Weishaupt, took the name of Spartacus, a gladiator of ancient Rome, who, in a desperate rebellion of three years, caused scarcely less danger to the commonwealth than Hannibal had done. It would be odious to place this man before the reader in the depravity of his private life, with the full blaze of proof upon his countenance. And to call him by the epithets he deserves for his base immorality, would unnecessarily disfigure the page. It is enough to say, that he gave full proof, in his own life, of the detestable nature of the false principles which guided him, and which he zealously communicated to others. Though of mean birth, his talents and acquirements were sufficient to gain for him the Professorship of Laws in the University of Ingolstadt, in Bavaria, his native country, before he had attained his twenty-eighth year; and before he was thirty he had plans in operation for the reformation of the world, by the destruction of all religious principles. Zwack, a German lawyer, who adopted the name of Cato, without so much as temperance or chastity to entitle him to the appellation of that stern and virtuous Roman, was the second grand officer in this fraternity. And Knigge, a man of fashion, and of the world, a famous Free Mason, and lover of good cheer, surnamed himself Philo, and by his epistles and services, seems entitled to the third rank in this brotherhood of smooth-tongued impostors. Their plan of operations divided the sect into two grand classes; these were again divided into many degrees. The first class was that of preparation, and the three first degrees of this class were the three first degrees of Masonry, unless we say, that novices in Illuminism were always selected from masters in Free Masonry. Then four degrees brought them to the second class, or mysteries; of the mysteries there were five degrees. Illuminism, proper, had nine degrees, grafted on the three first degrees* of Free Masonry: all the remaining degrees of Masonry were used as occasion required; and served the disciples of Weishaupt as the twenty collateral degrees serve the sublime sovereigns: "which they generally communicate free of expense to those brethren who are high enough to understand them."-(Dalcho's Orations, p. 80.) Every degree had one member, who was, by the code itself, entitled, from his official duty," Brother Insinuator," and, sometimes, "Brother Recruiter." The Free Mason lodges were the pools in which the Brother Recruiter angled for novices in Illuminism, and the manner of baiting and taking his prey will be best understood from the following directions, furnished by the statutes of the order. (B. p. 30.) "He must begin by descanting on the supreme felicity of being versed in sciences which few can approach; of walking in the paths of light, while the vulgar are groping in darkness. He must remark, that there *Barruel, who best understood the plans of the Illuminees, makes all Free Masonry only collateral to Illuminism; Robison, who was better skilled in their practices, makes the three first degrees of Masonry the stock, and luminism the scion. exist doctrines solely transmitted by secret traditions, because they are above the comprehension of common minds. In proof of his assertions, he will cite the Gymnosophists in the Indies, the priests of Isis in Egypt, and those of Eleusis, and the Pythagorean school in Greece." (P. 32.) "Let your first care be to gain the affection, the confidence, and the esteem of those persons whom you are to entice into the order; let your whole conduct be such, that they shall surmise something more in you than you wish to show-hint that you belong to some secret and powerful society-excite little by little, and not at once, a wish in your candidate to belong to a similar society—certain arguments, and certain books, which the insinuator must have, will greatly contribute to raise such a wish; such are, for example, those which treat of the union and strength of associations." (P. 33.) "To sound the very bottom of his mind, the insinuator will pretend to consult him, as if he had been intrusted with certain secrets; he will make objections on the secrecy of these societies; but should they make too much impression, he will resolve them himself. At other times, to stimulate the curiosity of his pupil, he will hold a letter in his hand written in a cipher, or he will leave it half open on his table, giving his candidate sufficient time to observe the cipher, and then shut it up with all the air of a man who has important correspondences to keep secret." This claim of the Brother Insinuator to the sciences, and to the light, while the rest of mankind are in profane darkness; this claim to valuable doctrines transmitted by secret traditions, and this attempt to excite curiosity, and magnify self-importance, by evident attempts to conceal a mystery, are all in the very image of Free Masonry. Few will admire them in the professed insinuator. CHAPTER LI. Illuminism: The end sanctifies the means: Reason their Religion. "With tract oblique, "At first, as one who sought access, but feared "Oft he bowed "His turret crest, and sleek enamelled neck, 66 Fawning, and licked the ground whereon she trod." Milton, b. 9. THE innocent aspect assumed by this fraternity, is worthy, in fraud, of the Tempter himself. The novice is made, at his introduction, to say, "I subject myself the more willingly to the secrecy required, as my introducer assures me that nothing is ever transacted in this society hurtful to religion, morals, or the state." (B. p. 38.) These words are put into the mouth of the novice, and prepare him with confidence to receive the following introduction to the statutes of his degree, which are now placed in his hands. (B. p. 41.) "For the tranquillity and security of all the brethren, whether novices, or active members of the society, and to prevent all ill grounded suspicions, or disagreeable doubts, the venerable order declares, that it absolutely has in view no project, enterprise, or undertaking, hurtful to the state, to religion, or to good morals; and that it savours nothing of that nature in any of its members. Its |