HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 100 



secret from the public at large, as the Alchemists, Rosicrncians, Illurainati. 

 Other secret societies of several kinds, as the Carbonari, Virtuous Alliance, 

 (fee, had political tendencies. 



Finally, we must briefly mention the Freemasons, whose objects are some- 

 what dift'erent, and who do not assume the title of Order, but wish to be con- 

 considered as a society or an association, althougli they at first themselves 

 called their fraternal association an order. Their real origin is not positively 

 known. They first sprang into public notice in 1728, by their book of con- 

 stitutions, whose author was James Anderson. From this book we learn that 

 the Freemason's association originated in the diverse associations of archi- 

 tects of the middle ages, from whom they had entirely separated in London, 

 in 1717, retaining only their symbols ; and that their objects were exclusively 

 charitable and educational. 



The society at present is composed of men who follow some proper avoca- 

 tion, and have a good reputation. They are admitted with certain ceremonies, 

 and call each other brethren, whereby they indicate that they cherish an in- 

 violable friendship for each other, and are always ready to afford one another 

 speedy and effectual assistance. In their meetings (lodges) all distinctions 

 of rank belonging to common life are forgotten. Wealth and poverty, ob- 

 scurity and eminence, together with all religious peculiarities, for the time 

 being, cease to exist, and all arc esteemed as brethren. By their constitution 

 they pledge themselves to preserve inviolate the secret of the proceedings of 

 the lodge, though in place of the former terrible oath the promise is now 

 made upon the word of honor. 



Freemaoonry soon spread all over Europe, although in some countries it 

 continued to be prohibited by law. In 1725 the first lodge was established 

 at Paris, similar to those in England, though it soon after underAvent impor- 

 tant alterations. In 1735 the order passed into Germany, and in 1730 it 

 besjan to excite attention in America and India. Accordino; to the Eno-lish 

 form, freemasons occupy three different degrees : apprentice, companion, and 

 master. The Grand Master is the highest authority. In several lodges, c. g. 

 the Scottish, additional higher degrees exist, whose members are often un- 

 known to those of lower degrees. 



PI. 35, fig. 1, initiation of a candidate into the first degree ; fig. 2, ini- 

 tiation of a master mason ; fig. 3, conferring of the thirty-third degree 

 according to the Scottish ritual ; fig. 4, funeral of a brother mason. 



After this digression, we return to the church and the clergy. The 

 power of the priesthood increased from year to year. In the long night of 

 intellectual darkness, the church possessed almost unlimited means of 

 strength and conquest. The priesthood could safely assume an authority 

 before which princes bowed with reverence. It hoarded in the monasteries 

 the treasures of knowledge, dazzled the people by mummeries, blazone<l 

 trifles as the genuine product of true Christianity, and, above all, shielded 

 itself from investigation under the pretence of ineffable sanctity. In 

 fact the spiritual powers, having a common interest, common laws, and 

 a well constructed constitution, managed to elevate the priestly order above 

 every other ; the church employed the all crushing power of the anathema 



281 



