Free Masonry - The Masonic Trowel

33$ WEISHAUPT
CHAPTER L.
Weishaupt, Zwack, and Knigge: and the Brother Insinuator,
or Recruiter.
" Now he appears almoct divine,
u Like innocence and love;
u Bat the old Serpent larks within,
« 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.
I cannot enter upon this subject farther, without expressing
my high consideration of the Abbe BarruePs treatise
upon 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,