other," he says, " augment our numbers, and leave to time and posterity the care of doing the rest." (B. p. 127.) "The seed is sown whence shall spring a new world; the roots extend themselves; they have acquired too much strength; they have been too industriously propagated for the day of harvest to fail us. Perhaps it may be necessary to wait thousands and thousands of years; but, sooner or later, nature shall consummate her great work, and she shall restore that dignity to man for which he was destined from the beginning.'

Few schemes have yielded a more speedy or abundant harvest, than this of Weishaupt; but the fruit is of a quality not likely to be stored with pleasure by any people. The seed sown, the roots already extended, and too far strengthened, too industriously propagated, for the day of harvest to fail, was altogether proved true in the tremendous events, and unexampled immoralities of the French revolution.

Spartacus (Weishaupt) to Cato (Zwack.)

(R. p. 11.) "SPARTACUS says," speaking of the priest's degree, "One would almost imagine that this degree, as I have managed it, is genuine Christianity, and that its end was to free the Jews from slavery. I say, that Free Masonry is concealed Christianity. My explanation of the hieroglyphics, at least, proceeds on this supposition; and as I explain things, no man need be ashamed of being a Christian. Indeed, I afterwards throw away this name, and substitute Reason. But I assure you this is no small affair; a new religion, and a new state government, which so happily explain one and all of these symbols, and combine them in one degree. You may think that this is my chief work; but I have three other degrees, all different, for my class of higher mysteries, in comparison with which this is but child's play; but these I keep for myself, as General, to be bestowed by me only on the Bene meritissimi. The promoted may be Areopagites, or not. Were you here, I should give you this degree without hesitation. But

it is too important to be intrusted to paper, or to be bestowed otherwise than from my own hand. It is the key to history, to religion, and to every state government in the world. [The key to their destruction.]

"There shall be but three copies for all Germany. You cannot imagine what respect and curiosity my priest degree has raised; and (which is wonderful) a famous protestant divine, who is now of the order, is persuaded that the religion contained in it, is the true sense of Christianity. O MAN, MAN! TO WHAT MAYEST THOU NOT BE PERSUAded. Who would imagine that I was to be the founder of a new religion?"

When describing to Cato the Christianity of the priest degree, as he had manufactured it, he says, "It is all one whether it be true or false; we must have it, that we may tickle those who have a hankering for religion."

I dare say the order of high priests, and the most excellent high priests, and grand high priests, and grand deputies, &c. in this Christian land, are free from all connexion with this degree of Illuminism. But it is a modern thing,* this order of high priests; and the German so artfully contrived his, as to make it his boast, it will do no harm for the members to search it to the bottom. It may be that the famous protestant divine of Weishaupt, is not the only one that has mistaken the doctrines of Illuminism for the true sense of Christianity.

Having dwelt at length upon the great objects of his association, enumerating the obstacles to be overcome, and the supports to be derived from various sources, Weishaupt, in view of the necessary coadjutors in his work of moral reformation, exclaims:

(R. p. 93.) "But where are the proper persons, the good, the generous, and the accomplished, to be found? And how, and by what strong motives, are they to be induced

The 19th of the Sublime Sovereigns.-Dalcho's Orations, p. 77.

to engage in a task so vast, so incessant, so difficult, and so laborious? This association must be gradual. There are some such persons to be found in every society. Such noble minds will be engaged by the heart-warming object. The first task of the association must therefore be, to form the young members. As these multiply and advance, they become the apostles of beneficence, and the work is now on foot, and advances with a speed increasing every day. The slightest observation shows that nothing will so much contribute to increase the zeal of the members as secret union. We see with what keenness and zeal the frivolous business of Free Masonry is conducted, by persons knit together by the secrecy of their union. It is needless to inquire into the causes of this zeal which secrecy produces. It is a universal fact, confirmed by the history of every age. Let this disposition of our nature, therefore, be directed to this noble purpose, and then all the objections urged against it by jealous tyranny and affrighted superstition, will vanish. The order will thus work silently and securely; and though the generous benefactors of the human race are thus deprived of the applause of the world, they have the noble pleasure of seeing their work prosper in their hands."

In his remarks upon the keenness and zeal with which men conduct the frivolous business of Free Masonry, Weishaupt speaks like a man of sense.

CHAPTER LVI.

It was the plan of the Illuminees to represent Free Masonry as true Christianity: then easily showing Free Masonry to be a bladder of wind, they entirely abolished all regard for the gospel from the hearts of their pupils.

Philo (Knigge) to Cato (Zwack.)

(R. p. 121.) "WE must consider the ruling propensities of every age of the world. At present, the cheats and tricks of the priests have roused all men against them, and against Christianity. But, at the same time, superstition and fanaticism rule with unlimited dominion, and the understanding of man really seems to be going backwards. (This was right in him.) Our task, therefore, is doubled. We must give such an account of things, that fanatics shall not be alarmed, and that shall, notwithstanding, excite a spirit of free inquiry. We must not throw away the good with the bad, the child with the dirty water; but we must make the secret doctrines of Christianity be received as the secrets of genuine Free Masonry.* But, farther, we have

* The Grand Chaplain, and the Grand Chapter of New-York, could have had no suspicion, that, in publishing "A System of Speculative Masonry," they were most effectually aiding the schemes of Illuminism.