524:15 Da nun die leute sehen dass wir die einzigen ächten wahren Christen sind, so därfen wir da gegen ein word mehr gegen pfaffen and fürsten reden; doch habe ich diess so gethan, dass ich päpste und könige nach vorhergegangener prüfung, in diese grade aufnehmen wollte. Indem höheren mysterien sollte man dann A diese piam fraudem entdecken, und B aus allen schrifften den ursprung aller religiözen lügen, und deren zusammenhang entwickeln—Original Writings, Vol. II. Let. I., from Philo to Cato.
524:16 Der erste, welcher Magus auch Philosophus heist, enthält spinosistiche grund-sätze, nach welchen alles materiell, Gotz und die welt einerley, alle religion unstatthaft, und eine erfindung hersüchtiger menschen ist.
I might have quoted the testimony of another adept, who writes as follows to the authors of the Eu-demonia: (Vol. III. No. 2, Art. 4.) “I can also declare that I have been present at the grand mysteries; particularly, that in 1785 I was entrusted with the instructions of the degree of Mage or Philosopher, and that the short description given in the Endliches Schicksal (or the last object of Freemasonry) is perfectly exact and well grounded.” The author of the Endliches Schicksal has only, like myself, copied the text from Biederman. I have no knowledge of this new adept. I see he has signed his letter, desiring the authors of the Eudemonia not to make use of his name without an absolute necessity. “Besides,” he adds, “I am a Roman Catholic; and in the country in which I live might find disagreeable consequences from not having asked to be absolved from my oath, before I published what I had promised to keep secret.” Sir, I am a Catholic as well as yourself, and should wish to know where you have learned, that the oath you had taken to the Illuminees was superior to that you had taken to the state. How then could you reconcile with your conscience the keeping back from the magistrate or the prince such proofs as you had acquired of a conspiracy against the state? Yes, do penance, and ask absolution for having taken such an oath, and for not having been true to the oath of allegiance which you had sworn to the state, and from which you could not be absolved by any power on earth.—What singular ideas are sometimes formed of probity! To persuade oneself that one is bound by an oath to a band of conspirators, while the oath of allegiance is overlooked!—Sir, you had said, that it was necessary to take proper precautions for your security, that wretches pretending to the power of life and death might not assassinate you, nothing could be more natural; take your precautions while informing the public magistrate, but do not come and give us as an excuse your fidelity to an oath, which in itself is nothing less than a perjury to the state.
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Notwithstanding, however, the reproach justly merited by this adept, his testimony is not to be neglected, since he has sent his name to the editors of the Eudemonia, a journal printed at Franckfort on the Mein, and highly deserving of encouragement for the vigour with which the editors combat the Illuminees. Their writings have frequently corroborated materials that I had received from Austria and Bavaria, which give me great confidence in the researches I have made.
524:17 Panegyric of Montesquieu.
524:18 Der zweyte, Rex gennant, lehrt dass jeder Bauer, Bürger und hausvater ein souverain sey, wie in dem patriarchalischen leben, auf welches die leute wieder zurück-gebracht werden müsten, gewesen sey; und dass folglich alle obrigkeit wegfallen müsse—Diese beyden graden habe auch ich, der ich in dem orden alles durchgegangen bin, selbst gelesen. Ibid.
524:19 Original Writings, Vol. II. Let. 10, to Cato.
524:20 See the Degree of Epopt.
524:21 Chap. I.
524:22 Discourse on the Inequality of Stations, Vol. II.
524:23 See above, the Prince Illuminee.
524:24 Befordem die gemeine wissenschaften warhafte aufklärung, wahre menschliche glückseligkeit; oder sind sie viel mehr kinder der noth, der verfielfältigten bedürfnisse, des wiedernatürlichen zustandes erfindungen spitzfindiger eitler köpfe?
524:25 Nun seyd ihr stark genug den noch übrigen rest die hände zu binden, sie zu unterwerfen, und die bosheit eher in ihrem keime zu ersticken.
Moe is the founder of GnosticWarrior.com. He is a father, husband, author, martial arts black belt, and an expert in Gnosticism, the occult, and esotericism.
