M A S O N R Y. 
of the fociety, though they firmly wifh the conduct of its 
members may prove its higher commendation. 
Convinced.of his attachment to its caufe, and readinefs 
to encourage its benevolent, defigns, they have-taken the 
liberty to.dedicate this work to one, the qualities of wliofe 
heart, and the a ft ions of whole life, have contributed to 
improve perfona! virtue, and extend throughout the world 
the molt endearing cordialities ; and they humbly hope 
he will pardon this freedom, and accept the tribute of 
their eft’eem and homage. 
May the Supreme Architeft of the Univerfe proteft and 
blefs you, give you length of days and increafe of felicity 
in this world, and then receive you to the harmonious and 
yxalted fociety in Heaven! 
a John Cutler, G.M. 
Bolton, Josiah Bartl.et, S.G.W. 
Dec. 27, A. L. 5792. MujJGO Mackay, J. G. \V. 
To this Addrefs Gen. Walhington returned the follow¬ 
ing Anfwer : “ Flattering as it may be to the human mind, 
and truly honourable as it is, to Receive from our fellow- 
citizens teftimonies of approbation for exertions to pro¬ 
mote the public, welfare it is not iefspleafing to know, 
that the milder virtues of the heart are highly rel'pefted 
by a fociety whofe liberal principles are founded in the 
immutable laws of truth and jujlice. To enlarge the fphere 
of focial happinefs is worthy the benevolent defign of a 
raafortic inftitution ; and it is moll fervently to be withed, 
that the conduft: of every member of the fraternity, as 
well as thofe publications that difeover the principles 
which adluate them, may tend to convince mankind, that 
the grand objebl of Mafomy is to promote the happinefs of the 
human race. While I 'beg your acceptance of my thanks 
for the Book of Conliitutions which you have lent me, 
and for the honour you have done me in the dedication, 
permit me to allure you, that I feel all thofe emotions of 
gratitude which your affectionate Addrefs and cordial 
willies are calculated to infpire; and I fincerely pray, that 
the Great Architect of the Univerfe may bids you here, 
and receive you hereafter into his immortal Temple ! 
Geo. Washington.” 
From this time we perceive that the fociety of mafons 
in America continued to flourjlh under the aufpices of 
Gen. Waihington, who extended his patronage to the 
lodges till his death, on the 14th qf December, 1799. 
Under the aufpices of the piinCQ.pf Wales, and the in¬ 
defatigable exertions of the earl of Moira, the progrefs of 
the fociety in England far exceeded at this time that of any 
former period. The lodges not only confiderably increafed 
in numbers and confequence, but were in general better 
regulated ; and, the principles of the inllitution being 
more clearly underttood, the brethren both in town and 
country vied in promoting the ufeful purpofes of the 
fociety. 
A few years only had elapfed, however, when fome 
books were publifhed, which Hated, that a new feft: of 
philofophers bad arifen in Germany and France, who had 
affiliated tbemfelves to the fociety of Mafons, and had, 
under that fanftion eftablilhed lodges, for the more ex¬ 
tended diffemination of tjie principles of their new theory. 
To thefe philofophers was attributed the defign of destroy¬ 
ing Chriftianity, and fubverting all the regular govern¬ 
ments of Europe. The degrees of Mafonry were under- 
flood to be preparatory Heps to this new eftabliffiment, 
and from that fociety were felefted the principal members 
of which this feft: was compofed. In their occult lodges, 
as they were termed, were inculcated the feeds of thofe 
dangerous principles which had brought about the French 
revolution, and produced all the evils which had refulted 
from it. 
The circulation of thefe publications excited a general 
alarm, and for fome time checked the progrefs of the fo¬ 
ciety in Europe; till, the tuyftery being unveiled, it was 
found that the Conliitutions of ftfafonry did not warrant 
the proceedings of this new fyftem; and that therefore 
Titta degrees had been isfituUd, under the fame appellation, to 
Yol. XIV. No. 9S9. 
459 
carry into effect the purpofes of thefe new alfocntes. 
The Mafons of this country, and all the lodges under the 
F.nglilh Conftiturion, were, fully exempted from any (fears 
in the general cenfure. 
The firft work of the kind that deferves our notice, is 
a tranflation, by the Hon. Robert Clifford, of The Me¬ 
moirs of Jacobinifrn in France,” in 4 vols. Svo. by the 
abbe Barruel, published in 1798. In this work the abbe 
endeavours to (how, that there exiiied on the continent, 
long before the French revolution, a threefold confpiracy, 
to effeft the ruin of the altar, the throne, and all focial 
order. The air ft confpiracy was formed by a feft of phi¬ 
lofophers, who aimed to dellroy the altars of Jefus Chrii: 
and his gofpel ; thefecond, were the fophilts of rebellion, 
who conipired agair.lt the thrones of kings, and who had 
affiliated tbemfelves to the fociety of Mafons, engrafting 
on that inftitution the fecrets of their occult ledges; and 
the third, paffed under the denomination of Illuminati, 
or Enlightened, who formed an union with the two former, 
and aimed at the fubverlion of all focial order, property, 
and fcience. This coalition, the abb£ obferves.-gave rife 
to the club of Jacobins in France, which was fo denomi¬ 
nated from holding their meetings in 3 convent of the 
order of Jacobins that they had feized in Paris. 
Of thele three confpiracies, fttnti-chriftian, anti-monar¬ 
chical, and anti-focial, very unfortunately for the abbtS, 
each fucceffive one has been brought forward in .his fub- 
fequent volumes with diminished evidence and decreafir.g- 
plaufibility. To expofe to view the unknown chieftains 
and agents of his confpiracies, he has been obliged to de- 
fqribe the fytnbols and reveal the fecrets of an invisible 
fociety wholly unconnefted with them ; and tO'represent: 
the lodges of mafons as fchools of infidelity and infurree- 
tion, whence ail thefe confpiracies have originated. Al¬ 
though he makes France the theatre for their exhibition, 
he is obliged to have recourfe to a ftrange language, and 
to a Bavarian cloifter, for their origin; and, from a want 
of fafts, td fupply, from his own imagination, by inge¬ 
nious interpretations, the leffons which he can no-where 
elfe difeover. 
Notwithftanding this ferious attack on the Mafons, the 
abbe is candid enough to admit, that the occult lodges 
of the Illuminati are unknown in England, and that the 
Engliffi mafons are not implicated in the charge which he 
has made. With his remarks therefore on this fubjeft, 
we ihall conclude our obfervations on the Memoirs of 
Jacobinifrn : “ England, in particular,” he fays, “is full 
of thofe upright men, who, excellent citizens and of all 
ltations, are proud of being Mafons ; and who may be 
diftinguifhed from the others by ties which only appear 
to unite them more clofely in the bonds of charity and 
fraternal affeftion. It is not the fear of offending a na¬ 
tion in which I have found an afyluni, that has fuggelted 
this exception. Gratitude, on the contrary, would lilence 
every vain terror; and I fnould be feen exclaiming in the 
very ftreets of London, that England was left, that it could 
not efcape the French revolution, if its mafons’ lodges 
were limilar to thofe of which I am about to treat. I 
would fay more ; that Chriftianity and all government 
would have long been at an end in England, if it could 
be even fuppofed that her mafons were initiated into the 
laft myfteries of the feft. Long fince have their lodges 
been fufficiently numerous to execute fuch a defign, hhd 
the Englifh mafons adopted either the means, or the plans 
and plots, of the occult lodges. This argument alocie 
might fuffice to except the Englilh mafons in general from 
what I have to fay of the feft. But there ex jit many paf- 
fages in the hittory of Mafonry which necelfitate this ex¬ 
ception. The following appears convincing! At the.time 
when the Illumines of Germany, the molt deteftable of 
thejlacobin crew, were leaking to ftrengthen their party by 
that of Mafonry, they affefted a fovereign contempt for 
the Englilh dodges.” 
The abbe’s information with refpeft to the Illuminati 
may perhaps be juft, fo far as refpects the e^blffhaient 
6 I ci’ 
