Devil-Worship in France | Page 8

in
England posing as a benefit society, and political or not upon the
Continent, but everywhere disclaiming any connection with a religious
propaganda--there is affirmed to be another Masonry, of which the
ordinary Mason knows nothing, secretly directing the order, and
devoted to the cultus of Lucifer. This organisation, which has sprung
up within recent years, is largely, though not exclusively, recruited
from Masonry; it works through the powerful Masonic apparatus, and,
according to the evidence which has been put in, it has obtained a
substantial and masterful control over the entire Fraternity. It has
focussed the raw material of Masonic hostility towards the Catholic
Church; as it is anti-Christian in religion, so is it revolutionary in
politics; and once more, it is called the Palladian Order.
This exceedingly grave and important accusation, together with its side
issues, has perhaps all the more claim on our consideration because,
apart from actual diabolism, which is in itself so paralysing as almost to
arrest discussion, it conflicts with all that we know or believe
concerning the Masonic constitution. Let me briefly collect the points.

(a) Masonry possesses a secret directing centre--which has been
strenuously denied by the Fraternity. (b) It has a religious mission and a
doctrinal propaganda--which has also been invariably denied. (c) It is
concerned with political objects--which, for the most part, is denied. (d)
It has a transcendental teaching--which is generally denied, and (e) is
concerned largely with transcendental practices and phenomena--which
would be denied absolutely, had the question been seriously raised till
this day. (f) It initiates women--which, except in a very secondary,
occasional, and insignificant manner, is in toto and at all times denied.
The last point is brought within the scope of our inquiry because the
Palladium is an androgyne order.
Now, it will be fairly well known to many who are not within the ranks
of the fraternity that the Grand Lodges of every country are supposed to
be autonomous, and that there has been no previous impeachment of
this fact; that, ostensibly at least, there is no central institution to which
they are answerable in Masonry. Individual lodges derive from a single
Grand Lodge and are responsible thereto, but Grand Lodges themselves
are supreme and irresponsible. It will be known also that the Masonic
system in England differs from that of France, that the French rite has
always occupied a somewhat heterodox position, and that since the
Grand Orient expunged the Grand Architect of the Universe, so to
speak, from its symbolism, official communication has been suspended
by the Grand Lodge of England. It will be known further that outside
recognised Masonic systems many rites have arisen which are only
Masonic to the extent that their point of departure is from the
Master-grade. As a special instance may be cited the Supreme Oriental
Rite of Memphis and Misraïm. In England the Lodge meetings of these
rites are never suffered to take place in the great central institution of
Freemasons Hall; in France, the Grand Orient has consistently
forbidden its members to participate in the Memphis system. To hold
Masonry responsible for irregularities or abuses which from time to
time may obtain in these fantastic developments from the parent
institution, would be about as just and reasonable as to impeach the
Latin Church on the score of corruptions now existing in the heresies
which have separated from her.

Having established these points in view of the result of our inquiry, let
us now trace the manner in which a supreme authority, frequently
termed by the accusers Universal Masonry, is alleged to have grown up.
Upon this subject not only the most complete information but the only
formal narratives are provided by the later witnesses, so that the
following account, while in no sense translation, is based exclusively
upon the works of Domenico Margiotta and Dr Bataille.
On the 20th of May, 1737, there was constituted in France the Order of
the Palladium, or Sovereign Council of Wisdom, which, after the
manner of the androgyne lodges then springing into existence, initiated
women under the title of Companions of Penelope. The ritual of this
order was published by the Masonic archæologist Ragon, so that there
can be no doubt of its existence. At the same time, so far as I am aware,
there are few materials forthcoming for its history. In some way which
remains wholly untraceable this order is inferred to have been
connected by more than its name with the legendary Palladium of the
Knights Templars, well known under the title of Baphomet. In any case
it failed to spread, and it is uncertain whether the New and Reformed
Palladium, also an androgyne order, with which we shall presently be
concerned, is a metamorphosis or reconstruction of the original
institution, but a connection of some kind is