Introduction to the Masonic Question

What is Freemasonry?

It is difficult to answer this question in a few words for the following reasons:

1. Freemasonry is a secret society.
   It considers it necessary to conceal everything concerning it not only from outsiders but also from the great majority of its own members. Only a few chosen initiates know its real secrets. Its adepts collaborate unconsciously towards an aim of which they are ignorant, led by invisible chiefs whose very existence they sometimes do not even suspect.
2. Freemasonry has not an invariable and rigid form.
   The work which it proposes to accomplish is so vast that the task is divided, each section of Masonry having its particular role, which varies according to countries, times and circumstances; so that if we ask several Free-Masons for a definition of Freemasonry, they can in good faith give us in Each case very different one.
3. Freemasonry conceals its true aim beneath vague formulas.
   It purposely never explains in precise fashion what it intends. By using vague formulas, those who direct it have been able, little by little, and without too obvious contradictions, to turn Masonry in the direction which they desired.

All this, taken together, makes Freemasonry a very complex problem. A part of the truth has however been discovered by the following means:

1. By studying Masonic documents.
   (Publications, reports of meetings, masonic correspondence, etc.)

   This work is now facilitated in certain countries, such as France, where Freemasonry believes itself strong enough to throw off partly its mask.

2. By studying the work of former Masons.
   (Such as Copin-Albancelli, Findel, Robison, etc.)

   It has sometimes happened that a Freemason, having caught a glimpse of the truth, has felt himself in conscience bound to leave the association and to divulge its dangers to the public. A very few persons also succeeded in insinuating themselves into the Lodges in order to try to pierce the masonic mysteries. But these are exceptional cases. Freemasonry has known what measures to take for the avoidance of all indiscretions.

3. By means of important masonic documents that have fallen into the hands of certain governments which have made them public.

   These cases occurred on three principal occasions:

   a) In 1785 Lanze, a member of the masonic order of the Bavarian "Illuminati", who was carrying secret documents was struck by lightning at Ratisbon. When the Police picked up his body, they discovered on him such compromising papers that the Bavarian government immediately took the matter up. A search was carried out among the papers of the sect which led to considerable further discoveries and ended in a celebrated trial. Weishaupt, the chief, was able to escape. All the documents seized could be seen in the archives at Munich. Copies were sent to all European governments, which, however, took no notice of them.

   b) In 1845 the documents of the secret society: "the Haute Vente Romaine" came into the possession of the Vatican and were in part published by Cretineau-Joly in his book: L'Eglise Romaine en face de la revolution. On this occasion again copies of these papers were sent to all European governments but with no better success.

   c) In 1919, upon the fall of Bela Kun, chief of the Bolshevist revolution in Hungary, the government caused the masonic archives of the lodges in Buda-Pest to be seized. The revolutionary role of the Masons was clearly revealed; all the lodges of Hungary were closed and Freemasonry forbidden.

4. By ascertaining the masonic revolutionary work accomplished in the would during the two last centuries.
   

   This work of disintegration extends to all brandies: religion, politics, morals, arts, literature, etc . . . and to all countries. It is the most solid proof and the most tangible; for, if it is easy to refute an argument, facts cannot be denied, and there are so many of them, that, according to the evidence it is no longer possible to preserve any doubt as to the real essence of Freemasonry.

From this study the true role of this universal association emerges little by little, and it may be briefly stated thus:

• Freemasonry is a body of superimposed secret societies spread throughout the world.
• Its aim is to destroy the present civilization based on Christian principles, to establish in its place an atheistic rationalist society which, in fact, leads straight to materialism although it is supposed to have science and reason as a religion. Appearances have often changed but this aim has remained unalterable.
• The inner nature of the struggle is spiritual. It is a conflict between rationalism and the Christian idea, between the rights of God and the rights of man, who will become a man-god, directed by a state-god. In order to reach this final aim it was necessary to begin by undertaking the overthrow of monarchies representing the principles of authority and tradition, and to replace them, little by little, by the universal atheist masonic republic.
• The role of Freemasonry is to create the revolutionary state of mind rather than to act directly.

We could quote in support of this brief summary numerous masonic documents. Here are a few taken at random:

"To the French Republic, daughter of French masonry. To the universal Republic of tomorrow, daughter of universal masonry." (Toast of the President of the Grand Orient, 1923).

"Freemasonry cannot do less than thank the sovereign Pontiff for his last encyclical. Leo XIII with incontestable authority and a wealth of proofs, has just informed us once more that there exists an impossible abyss between the church, of which he is the representative, and the revolution, of which Freemasonry is the right arm. It is better for those who are hesitating not to keep up vain hopes. All must come to understand that the time has arrived for choosing between the old order, which rests upon Revelation, and the new order which knows no other foundation but science and human reason, between the spirit of authority and the spirit of liberty." (Extract from the Bulliten of the Grand Logde of France).

Having briefly stated the problem, we are now going to study the question in detail and to show with proofs in support:

• Freemasonry in Appearance
• Its Revolutionary Part in the World
• Freemasonry in Reality
• Jewish influence in Freemasonry
• English Freemasonry