Through the Key Hole - RoseCroix.org.au

30
PALLADIAN FREEMASONRY
By Keith Stockley
146
Researchers and students of Freemasonry will, I am sure, recognise
the name of Gabriel Jogand-Pages or at least the name he
went by that of Leo Taxil, the “inventor” of Palladian Freemasonry.
Born in France in 1854 he was educated by the Jesuits who
caused him to become embittered toward religion. He became a
“free thinker” and joined a Masonic Lodge. He was later expelled
from the lodge for “wrong doing” before he could progress beyond
the rank of Entered Apprentice. This action resulted in his seeking
revenge against the Order, or at least that is what is thought to
have been his motivation for what he did next.
Who was this mystery man? In those days he wasn’t such a mystery.
He created by means of regularly published magazines, an
imaginary Masonic Order which he called “Palladian” Freemasonry
which worshipped a god called “Baphomet” or satan; that
the Palladian practiced murder, devil worship and much more. He
published a “quote” allegedly from Albert Pike, but which in reality
he had himself made up, confirming these activities.
He simply made up the hoax out of thin air and was praised for
having revealed the “true evil purpose of Freemasonry”. He created
a Grand Mistress by the name of Diana Vaughan and said
that sexual perversions were part of the Order’s repertoire.
The magnitude of the hoax and the damage it caused will be readily
understood when I say that it continued, with regular publications
of the magazine, for a period of 12 years, before Leo Taxil
owned up in spectacular fashion when he confessed to the hoax at
a public meeting on 19 April 1897.
Elizabeth St. Leger/Mrs Aldworth
Despite this confession the damage had been done and even today
Pike’s imaginary quote is often used by those who are against
Freemasonry.
Taxil’s confession was published in full in the weekly Paris newspaper
“le Frondeur” .