Photo: Wikimedia.org/ Initiation into the Freemasons

On August 13, 1822, Alexander I banned the activities of secret societies in the Russian Empire. Now, two hundred years later, there are plenty of secret societies in Russia: you can join either the Masonic lodge or the Rosicrucian Order. But how many secrets remain in the activities of these once secret organizations?

Unwitting masons

The prohibitory rescript of Emperor Alexander is explained by the activities of the Decembrist movement, which by that time had already acquired enormous scope. But organizations that seem to have nothing to do with politics also came under attack: Masonic lodges. Why were the “Freemasons” deprived of their former will?

The question of the connection between the Masons and the Decembrists is a topic popular among modern historians and writers, but never fully explored. It is difficult to doubt that the Decembrists were Freemasons: early XIX centuries, they were, perhaps, the entire active part of the male nobility. But no one has yet been able to prove that the uprising on Senate Square is part of a global Masonic conspiracy. Although many still believe in the Masonic conspiracy itself. No matter how much the websites of Masonic organizations claim that the goals of the movement are spiritual growth, public education and charity, to the mass consciousness these aspirations seem too petty and uninteresting. It's a different matter - a group of initiates who keep the secrets of the Templars, hatch plans for world domination and seek to take control of the governments of different countries! There are so many myths about Freemasons that the reality looks somehow faded. However, the good thing about secret societies is that it is completely impossible to debunk the legends about them: you can always say, “You just don’t know everything!”

What do we know about the Freemasons not from adventure novels, but from authentic evidence? Free masons were called masons for a reason: although compasses and squares in Freemasonry are interpreted as symbols of the ability to judge, these objects also have a historical meaning - they remind of the origins of the organization. After all, Masonic associations did not arise from the ruins of the Templar Order. They grew out of guilds involved in construction in the Middle Ages. Gothic cathedrals. The cathedrals were huge, the life of the builders seemed small and insignificant against their background, and entire generations of stonemasons, designers, and artists lived next to grandiose construction projects, getting used to the idea of ​​​​subordinating their own interests to great goals.

It is difficult to say at what point the guild associations turned into secret brotherhoods: the process was gradual: people worked, helped each other, created their own signs, rituals and ceremonies. In the 17th century, when craft associations lost their importance, the Masonic organization was enriched with utopian ideas: after all, it is possible to build not only temples, but also a fair, humane and enlightened society!

What does it cost them to build a temple?

Proponents of the “conspiracy theory” attributed many secret goals to the Freemasons, but the information available to the “uninitiated” sounds quite peaceful. Members of the Masonic fraternity had to believe in God, although it was allowed to interpret it differently, depending on religion (some Masonic movements, having agreed to believe in the Absolute, began to accept atheists into their ranks). Discussions about politics and religion were prohibited so that the Brothers would not quarrel on the way to a common goal. It was required to be loyal to the authorities of the country in whose territory the lodge was located, to do something socially useful and engage in charity. In general, nothing interesting.

However, such tasks did not sound very intriguing, so the new members of the brotherhood needed to be somehow captivated. When the hero of the novel “War and Peace” Pierre Bezukhov is accepted into the Freemasons, he is promised more tempting prospects: “The rhetorician cleared his throat, folded his gloved hands on his chest and began to speak.

“Now I must reveal to you the main goal of our order,” he said, “and if this goal coincides with yours, then you will benefit from joining our brotherhood.” The first most important goal and overall foundation of our order, on which it is established and which no human force can overthrow, is the preservation and transmission to posterity of a certain important sacrament... from the most ancient centuries and even from the first person who came down to us, from whom the sacraments , perhaps the fate of the human race depends. But since this sacrament is of such a nature that no one can know it or use it, unless one has prepared oneself through long-term and diligent purification, then not everyone can hope to find it soon. Therefore, we have a second goal, which is to prepare our members as much as possible, correct their hearts, purify and enlighten their minds with those means that have been revealed to us by tradition from men who have labored in seeking this sacrament, and thereby make them capable of perception of it." An important sacrament served as at least some incentive for self-improvement!

After the ban of 1822, Masonic lodges, of course, did not disappear completely, but they lost popularity. Times changed, gradually other teachings came into fashion, and active youth no longer wanted to peacefully improve society all their lives: the idea of ​​destroying everything that was wrong and then building the world anew seemed much more promising. The short renaissance of the Masonic movement in Russia after 1905 ended along with the existence of Russian Empire: in Soviet Russia, freemasons, of course, were banned again.

A new round of development of the Masonic movement occurred already in the 1990s, when everything that was not there before became popular in the country: from neo-paganism to esotericism. The Masons never regained their former influence, however, they are now also not what they were before.

According to the Masonic calendar

The Masons time is running in their own way: they count from the creation of the world, adding 4000 years to the current year, and the year begins on March 1. That is, now it is 6014 year of the Light of Truth.

The phrase “Masonic year” has more practical significance: the period from September to June, when the lodge leads active work. Masonic holidays begin in July-August, and the new Masonic year begins in September. It is usually designated as the year 2013-2014 e.v. – Era Vulgaris – Ordinary Era.

As Alexander, who introduced himself as the Worshipful Master of the New World lodge, told the site, modern Masons are not a secret society, but rather a society with its own secrets. All the “secret” rituals, history, lists of famous participants in the movement have long been described. " Main secret which no one can ever reveal is personal experience“, which every Mason experiences during the work of the Lodge, rituals of initiation and elevation in degree, communication with his Sisters and Brothers,” Alexander explained. “Otherwise, Freemasonry is open to the world and maintains an active dialogue with it, avoiding only communication on political and religious topics.”

It seems to the venerable master of the lodge that modern society also treats Masons quite democratically. Although there is a lot of conspiracy theories on the Internet, more and more people are beginning to look at Freemasonry positively. And Alexander is not afraid of a new government ban: “I think that with the current level of openness of information about Freemasonry, most modern government officials also have the idea that in fact we are more of a club for intellectual conversations and self-improvement than revolutionaries-conspirators At least I would like to hope so."

More lodges, good and different!

The New Light Lodge, bearing the number 1989, belongs to the Masonic Mixed International Order of the Right of Man (Le Droit Humain). And this is just one of several Masonic lodges in our country. More precisely, it was founded by people from the United Grand Lodge of Russia, and that, in turn, arose after the separation of some Masons from the Grand Lodge of Russia created in 1995. In addition to simply the Grand and United Grand, there are also the Moscow and Astrea lodges, subordinate directly to the oldest association in Europe, the Grand Orient of France.

Women in the Masonic movement used to have a difficult time: their right to build a fair society was infringed upon, like all other rights, by refusing to be accepted into the Masons. As Alexander explained, “the ban on women joining the so-called regular Freemasonry represents one of the ancient landmarks, that is, the basic principles of Freemasonry. In fact, it reminds us of the times when a woman was not considered free because she did not have enough civil rights.” .

However, emancipation in general affected secret societies in particular: today many Masonic obediences have opened the doors of their temples to women. Recognized Freemasonry is now divided into Regular and Liberal. Regular - male Freemasonry, originating in Scotland and then England. Liberal Freemasonry includes primarily French lodges, male, mixed and female, for example the Grand Women's Lodge of France. All liberal lodges exist in one form or another in Russia. The New World Lodge is one of those that accepts members of both sexes.

Lodges and clubs

There are several organizations in the world that are similar to Masonic lodges, but still have nothing in common with them. For example, a network of Rotary clubs created by business representatives for charitable activities and the implementation of humanitarian projects. Rotarians also have their own ethical principles, initiation ceremonies and even a special calendar. There is also the Lions Club: an organization that brings together volunteers and philanthropists. But, according to Alexander, these organizations were originally created for business contacts and solving business issues that do not require symbolic rituals. In Masonic lodges they often talk about higher matters.

How to become an initiate

How do modern Masons recruit their members? First of all, they don’t recruit anyone. On the websites of all existing lodges it is stipulated that they do not engage in missionary activities: they say, if you want to join the Masons, ask the Masons yourself, and do not wait until they call you. So, anyone who wants to become a free mason needs to find the website of a lodge on the Internet and send a request.
All Masonic organizations describe suitable candidates in the same way: “a person of free and good morals, over 18 years of age, striving for self-improvement.” The person must also be solvent, since Masons pay monthly membership dues. The size of the contribution usually depends on the candidate’s income, although the Grand Lodge of Russia, for example, pragmatically stipulates the average prices for its “services”: “4,000 rubles/year, 10,000 rubles/initiation.”

Paying your dues is not everything. A New World candidate, for example, undergoes at least four interviews on various topics, after which the newcomer is invited to an interview ceremony under the blindfold. Alexander described it this way: “Blindfolded, the candidate is led into the temple and answers the questions of the Brothers and Sisters, after which a secret vote is taken for the candidacy, according to the results of which the candidate is invited to initiation (or denied it).”

Photo: Wikimedia.org/Initiation into the Masons

But joining the lodge is half the battle, but what to do afterwards? How exactly do they “make people better”? “The main achievement is, perhaps, the atmosphere of brotherhood that reigns in the Lodge, the readiness to come to each other’s aid, as well as the opportunity to engage in one’s own intellectual and spiritual development, equaling worthy Brothers and Sisters,” explains Worshipful Master Alexander. “For example, last year our Lodge worked on two main topics: we looked at utopianism and its relevance in modern world, and also explored the symbolism and lessons of Masonic initiation rituals."

Lodge members engage in self-development and education of others by creating “architectural works” - small reports or abstracts on topics like “Symbolism of the number 3” or “Symbolism of architectural styles.” The works are read aloud at lodge meetings. Particularly gifted people can write music, poetry, paintings, or make ritual paraphernalia as architectural works. Free masons also translate foreign materials about their movement and publish magazines (most often only in electronic form).

Charity programs embody lofty words about improving the world. “This is mainly private charity,” explained Alexander. “We provided assistance to veterans and the elderly in hospices, large families, helped organize charity events and festivals. Some members of the lodge regularly participate in charity sports marathons. We also help Sisters and Brothers who found themselves in a difficult life situation, even if they do not belong to our Lodge and our Order."

Other secret

Those who are eager to gain access to secret knowledge have a large choice in our time. If the Masonic movement for some reason does not suit you, you can join the Illuminati. This mysterious Order exists not only on the pages of Dan Brown's books. The first Illuminati Society appeared in 1776 in Bavarian Ingolstadt, founded by philosopher, theologian and lawyer Adam Weishaupt, inspired by the ideas of the Enlightenment. Naturally, he proclaimed the goal of his activity to be the happiness and improvement of humanity.

Pyramid with All-seeing eye- a symbol of the Freemasons and the Illuminati, found on the dollar bill

Modern Russian Illuminati are easy to find on the Internet. They describe their principles in blissfully vague formulations: “community free people, seeking the meaning of existence", "maintaining the Light and faith in the victory of Good". Unlike the Freemasons, representatives of this teaching do not like religion: they say that it sets false goals, distracts from building a New Order of universal prosperity and well-being. The "enlightened" have it (from Latin illuminatus) and specific goals: to destroy the World Monetary System, create a unified library of the Illuminati, and even revive a certain “Secret Knowledge”. However, exactly how they plan to implement these guidelines is unknown.

Like any self-respecting secret society, the Illuminati writes that they do not seek to attract new members, but still invite those interested to fill out a form on the website. The requirements for candidates are simple: they must be people over 18, without a criminal record and with the desire to change the world for the better. Applicants are asked to describe what the words “Morality”, “Freedom”, “Culture” mean to them, they are asked tricky questions from the series “Does the end justify the means?”, and in the end they honestly warn that when joining the fraternity, a new member will have to “ bear the financial burden." The magnitude of the burden is not reported.

Rosicrucians of all kinds are more open about finances. Theoretically, all these orders, schools and societies descended from the Rosicrucian Order that arose in the Middle Ages. Its founder is considered to be Christian Rosenkreutz, the hero of the novel “The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz” published in 1616. Whether Rosenkreutz existed in reality and what his real name was is unknown, but the beautiful pseudonym Rosenkreutz provided the society with an emblem: a rose blooming on a cross. The Rosicrucians were fond of alchemy, esotericism and astrology, and did not disdain magical practices.

Cross and roses - symbol of the Rosicrucians

At the beginning of the 20th century, many organizations arose that imitated the medieval Rosicrucians, and it is not so easy to understand them. For example, in Russia there is now a certain Order of the Rosicrucians - a branch of an organization whose headquarters is located in the Canary Islands. Joining this secret Order is very simple: you register on the website and choose the appropriate tariff: individual (40 euros immediately, 13 every month) or family (45 euros for two at once, 15 monthly). It's cheaper to join wholesale! Having sent the fee and application for membership by postal order, all you have to do is wait for your membership card, the Emperor's greeting card and instructions to be sent to you. In the future, communication takes place by mail: new members of the order are sent material to study, almost like in a university correspondence course.

At the Theological School of the Golden Rosicrucian, tariffs are lower: from 300-500 rubles per month. This organization, which arose in Holland in 1924, is present in Russia not only “virtually”: it has centers in several cities, including Moscow. In addition, this is almost the only Rosicrucian organization whose website provides not only an email address, but also a telephone number. The woman who answered it matter-of-factly introduced herself as Lidia Vasilievna and said that the Russian representative office of the school opened in 1993. The Theological School does not contact other Rosicrucian communities, because their principles are different: the school is based on the principles of the New Testament, transferred to our time, and does not deal with occult and mystical teachings. You can start joining with free open events; those who wish can become members of the school, and then students. In addition to membership fees, two-day conferences are paid for, but, according to Lidia Vasilyevna, the money collected goes primarily to renting premises, since the school does not have its own building.

However, the Theological School of the Golden Rosicrucian has very little in common with secret orders - it is rather something like collective training with a religious bias, and those entering it should not expect mystical revelations. As the hero of Umberto Eco’s novel “Foucault’s Pendulum” aptly noted: “If a person came out to meet you and said: good evening, I am a Rosicrucian, this meant that he was not a Rosicrucian. A self-respecting Rosicrucian never says that. On the contrary, he denies it as best he can.” . And in order to find a truly secret society that stores ancient knowledge, you need to work hard!

Although, maybe it’s better not to look? And then suddenly you will find it. Or they will find you...

Anna Makarova

On the way to establishing a Masonic Eden on earth stands religion,

nation and monarchical states. These historical institutions prevent

to unite all nations into one union, and hence the inevitability of struggle with them.

Freemasonry approached the destruction of the church, nation and monarchy

gradually, with careful steps, preparing society for more decisive

measures and actions.

But the struggle against the church and the clergy never stopped, even

and in the era of construction corporations.

"The Brotherhood rebelled everywhere against the corruption of the clergy and in

in many cases it was at odds even with Catholic teaching.

So in church

Saint Sebald in Nuremberg depicted a monk and a nun in indecent

pose. In Strasbourg, in the upper gallery, opposite the pulpit were depicted

a pig and a goat, who carried a sleeping fox like a shrine: the pig was followed by

bitch, and in front of the procession is a bear with a cross and a wolf with a burning candle, a donkey

stood at the altar and celebrated mass. In the Brandenburg Church there is a fox in

preaches to a flock of geese in priestly vestments. In another gothic

The descent of the Holy Spirit is ironically represented to the church. At Berne Cathedral

in the image of the Last Judgment the pope is also included, etc. "(21)

Construction lodges have always been a true refuge for people

freethinkers and persecuted by church fanaticism. Construction,

corporations gave shelter to all heretics persecuted

Catholic Church

something like: Qataris, Albigensians, Waldensians, etc.

In the code of Masonic charters and traditions, the so-called “New Book”

Constitutions", compiled in 1721 by a Presbyterian pastor and doctor,

theologian Anderson, in the 1st paragraph it is said:

"In the old days, Freemasons perforce remained in every country of its

local religion, whatever it may be, but in our time a person is free

chooses his faith, and only one religion is truly obligatory for everyone:

this is the universal religion that unites all people, which consists in

the duties of each of us to be kind and faithful to duty, to be a man of honor

and conscience, no matter what name our religion is called and what

religious dogmas did not distinguish us from other people.

Loyalty to these principles

turning Freemasonry into a unifying center will help him tie the bonds of friendship

wrote against the Christian religion. These writings of "great" philosophers, like

Locke, Voltaire, Diderot and others were spread in society by ordinary Masons.

“For two centuries,” writes Nis, “in all points of the globe

members of the lodges were at the head of fighters for the triumph of political ideas

freedom, religious tolerance, agreement between peoples; more than once the most

the lodges were drawn into the struggle; finally, and according to its basic principles,

Freemasonry is the enemy of error, abuse, prejudice." (22)

At first, the fight against religion was carried out cautiously. About freedom of conscience

the masons spoke only in their own circle, preparing future fighters against

religions and churches.

“To carry out their ideas through the press,” writes Sokolovskaya, “they

chose other people's thoughts, other people's articles, completely consistent with their views and

propaganda."

To have better success, Freemasons supported various sects and

freethinkers in the religious field. Under the guise of broad religious tolerance

heresies and schisms were introduced into Christian Church.

Reformation in the West and

Protestantism is closely related to Freemasonry and has roots of its origin

in Freemasonry.

In a word, the history of Freemasonry is the history of the struggle against religion and

the church, mainly Christian, in word and action.

This struggle in modern times has resulted in a certain denial of religion

and churches.

In the fight against the church, Freemasonry sees its main service to

humanity, because by destroying “prejudice”, it thereby prepares

the ground for a better future.

"It (Freemasonry) more than any other institution contributed

strengthening the importance of public opinion and entrusted it with the mission of control.

It worked for the recognition of the rights of civil power, it preached

tolerance in religious matters and insisted on worldly character

states. It consistently fought for the removal from all legal

norms and legal manifestations of the religious element, this direct

heir to the magical element that prevailed in primitive societies."

Modern Freemasonry has remained true to the principles that were

proclaimed the "Great Revolution of 1789"

The main lines of his program

remained unchanged - this is a fight against religion and the church, religious

morality, family and nation-state and the re-education of society on

Masonic principles.

now, consists of “believing people”, the other, less significant, consists of

"rationalists". The former believe blindly, the latter criticize everything by reason.

The first speak out for individual power, for oligarchy, for authoritarian

beginning in politics and social economy, second for democracy and liberal

reform in the political field, for progress in the field of social economy.

The entire history of civilized European peoples is imbued with this “struggle”;

The world owes its ideological progress to her."

From here the Masonic leader draws a decisive conclusion:

“Freemasonry, alien to mysticism, denies the authoritarian principle;

deeply rationalistic is not only a certain social

association. Freemasonry is anti-church, anti-Catholicism, church

heretics, skeptics, church of free thought." And Giram ends with the statement,

completely paralyzing the fundamental affirmations of peace, brotherhood and

tolerance:

"The struggle against the church will end when the church is separated from

state will become a fait accompli when the church becomes private

community, then Freemasonry will direct its main efforts to the education

philosophical, political of its members, who are now neglected,

when the struggle has pushed all other concerns into the background." (24)

The outer church is not recognized by Freemasonry as a church, as

divine institution: the war with the dogmas of the church is the main

the duty of a Freemason, the war against "religious despotism", "prejudice" and

extinguisher of light in the person of representatives of the church hierarchy.

The idea of ​​separating church and state and turning the church into a private one

union, which is the central point of the liberal and

socialist parties, left the Masonic lodges.

Rejecting God, Christianity, the Christian Church and the Christian

morality, Freemasonry creates new religion- the religion of humanitarianism, committing

replacing God with humanity.

"We can no longer accept God as the purpose of life, we have created

an ideal which is not God, but humanity." (25)

"The invaluable benefit that humanity has won and we must

first of all to protect, this is the idea that there is no sacred truth... that every

truth that does not come from us is a lie; that a secret rebellion must

accompany all our statements and thoughts; that even if the idea of ​​God

took on a tangible form and God himself appeared above the crowd in a visible form,

then the first duty of a person would be to refuse him obedience and

treat him as an equal with whom you can negotiate, and not as

to the intolerable Master, to whom one must obey. That's the whole point

the greatness and beauty of our Masonic teachings." (26)

Freemasons preach a new religion and a new morality.

“For a happy life,” John Tolland wrote back in 1720, “

Virtue alone is enough: it is itself its own reward." (27)

"We need to develop a morality that can compete with the morality

religious." (28)

In one of its circulars, the Council of the Great Orient reminds

lodges that Freemasonry has the claim to create a new morality superior to

morality of both Christianity and Stoicism:

"This new morality consists in preaching altruism or,

as the Freemasons like to say, solidarity." (29)

Rejecting positive religion and rebelling against the influence of the church on

state and national life, Freemasonry is hostile to

monarchical state structure peoples and their national

originality.

A monarch based on a certain religious consciousness of the people, according to

thoughts of the Freemasons, cannot live in peace with other nations.

Monarchical government, from a Masonic point of view, is inevitable

we tolerate evil only until a more perfect system is established

Republican The bearers of monarchical power are enemies of Freemasonry, tyrants,

more terrible than the church.

The Masonic idea of ​​equality excludes monarchy:

According to the teachings of the Freemasons, all members of society are brothers and neither language nor

rank, fortune, or wealth makes no difference between them.

Don't be vain here,

nor the pomp of their ranks;

and there are no caressing slaves;

with us the king is equal with everyone

does not deceive Masonic hearts

not the very splendor of earthly kings,

virtue adorns us

above the proud of all kings, - is sung in one

Masonic song. (thirty)

Freemasonry can come to terms, albeit temporarily, with limited

the power of the monarch; the ideal of his achievements was a democratic republic.

The idea of ​​democracy, which has found its definite expression in the teaching

English Freemason Locke, was further developed by the French

"enlighteners" - ideologists of the revolution of 1789, who, as we know, all

belonged to the Masons. Masons Voltaire, Diderot, Montesquieu and, finally, J. J.

The Rousseaus affirmed the democratic idea through experience and through their work created

democratic movement around the world.

The famous formula: Liberty, Equality and Fraternity is a charter

political freedom is a purely Masonic work.

The Declaration of the Rights of Man was drawn up by Freemason Thomas

Jefferson (later president in America) with the participation of a freemason

Franklin and announced at the Colonial Congress in Philadelphia in 1776.

The idea of ​​democracy and democracy (the notorious "sovereignty

people") and the theory of separation of powers - all this originated in the Masonic

heads and from Masonic lodges spread widely throughout the world.

The immediate task of Freemasonry is to seize the political

influence and power and re-education of society on new principles. Freemasonry

should cover all areas human life in modern states.

Religion, state, politics, family, school, army, social system,

science, art, printing, industry, international relations and so on

this is being rebuilt by Freemasonry in a new way.

Freemasonry seeks to destroy everything old, to destroy everything

existing foundations and build a new Masonic on the ruins of the past

The guiding principles of Masonic activity are atheism and

cosmopolitanism.

The goal of Freemasonry is the destruction of Christian culture and its replacement

Masonic world based on atheism and materialism.

Humanity is higher than the fatherland - this is the whole hidden meaning of Masonic

wisdom

Freemasonry must cross out the past of peoples. It should create

international movement, the consequence of which will be Eternal Peace and

the ideals of freedom, equality and brotherhood between peoples will triumph,

inhabiting the universe.

The path to achieving this sacred goal for Freemasonry is

re-education of human societies in the Masonic spirit. active fight against

religion and nationalism, revolution.

The people, in the minds of the Freemasons, are only a means to create

world Masonic state:

"People are always unrestrained and rude - these are bulls who need a yoke,

driver and fodder,” says the Freemason Voltaire, the ideologist of the “great French

revolution."

“The people value strength most of all,” echoes the famous Freemason Goethe.

As soon as it’s day, the holiday is coming.

With a bad mind, with more fun in the world

they spin in a circular dance,

exactly like kittens by the tail,

If only they had a loan at the tavern,

let my head not crack:

so everything in the world is a piece of cake for them,” -

Freemason Goethe finishes his characterization of “royal democracy”.

Freemasonry motto:

"Through national revolutions and destruction of historically established

states to the international revolution and the creation of the Masonic

super-states."

"Freemasonry, to which history owes national revolutions,

will be able to produce the largest revolution, that is, an international revolution."

(Official Gazette of the Grand Lodge in 1902).

"The coming international revolution will be the creation of Freemasonry"

(Grand Lodge Convention 1922).

The idea of ​​a world Masonic republic never died among

In a small book entitled: "Four Masonic Speeches, Only

for faithful brothers. For careful saving. Krause, Dresden. 18th

February 1809," this is what Krause, the famous Freemason, writes on pp. 61 - 62:

"The greatest merit of the state would be to unite all peoples into one

state... but, a comprehensive, harmonious completion of humanity

it would be in vain to expect from church and state, because life

human life can be realized only in a union, which is the most reliable

the germ is in the brotherhood of free masons."

"If Freemasonry is finished, if it lives, in the hearts

people, if his power fills everything earthly, then only the kingdom of man

will take place in truth, heaven will be on earth."

And page 77 - I reads:

“And then only the structure can succeed in its entirety, when

there will be one lodge in the whole earth... For Freemasonry is universal, as is clearly stated

in the most ancient explanation of the Ritual." (31)

The Assembly declared: "The French people have laid down among the old monarchical

continent's beginning, the foundation of a colossal building that will

be called the United States of Europe."

In 1884, the "Almanac of the Freemasons" speaks of that happy

time when "a republic will be proclaimed in Europe under the name

United States of Europe"

In June 1917, Freemasonry of the allied and neutral countries organized

Paris congress, one of the main tasks of which, according to its chairman

Carnot, it was:

"Prepare the United States of Europe, create a super-national

power, whose task will be to resolve conflicts between nations; agent

The propaganda of this concept of peace and general well-being will be Freemasonry."

The idea of ​​the League of Nations, as originating in the depths of Freemasonry, is

only a stage towards achieving the goal set by world Freemasonry to create

super-state, for, in the words of the Italian Freemasons, " final goal, To

which Freemasonry has been striving for so many centuries is liberation

humanity from every moral, religious, political and

economic enslavement."

The ultimate ideal of Freemasonry is the organization of a super-state in the form

world atheistic republic.

Based on the study of secret Masonic archives, the book reveals secret and unknown pages in the history of Russian and foreign Freemasonry. The book proves that the secret rituals and political activities of Freemasonry are an ideological continuation of Judaism, and all its members - employees of Masonic lodges - are ritual participants in the construction of Solomon's Temple. From the repository of the Grand Orient and the Grand Lodge of France, the German national lodge, where Russian Freemasons secretly sent their reports, documents were extracted and published for the first time, allowing a new look at many events in Russian and world history, and assessing the influence of Judaism and Zionism on it.

Goals and objectives of the criminal community of Masons

Extracts from Masonic documents, books and magazines

1. “Freemasonry is a secret union that is higher and stronger than all callings, parties, nationalities and religions” (definition of Gable d’Allbielard, 33rd degree Freemason).

2. Mason Mackay writes: “It is clear that there is no unity in the rituals, but this difference does not interfere with the universality of Freemasonry. Ritual is only an external form. The doctrine of Freemasonry is the same everywhere. This immutable body, remaining the same everywhere, at least we are consoled by the fact that while the ceremony or ritual in different periods have changed and are still changing in different countries, the science, philosophy, symbolism and religion of Freemasonry continue to be the same wherever true Freemasonry is practiced." Freemasonry, he asserts, “unites men of the most opposite opinions into one fraternal society (fraternal orchestra), which gives the same language to the people of all nations and one altar to the people of all religions,” which is why this connection is rightly called the “Mystical Arcana,” and Masons, being united under its influence or benefiting from its benefits, are called "Brothers of the Mystic Loop."

The generally recognized Masonic authority Brother Raton states: “The main character of Freemasonry is internationality. Freemasonry is one, and any ritual or nation that deviates from this principle is mistaken and departs from the Masonic path... We do not understand real Freemasonry, which could be called English, Scottish, French, American, etc. Is there English, Scottish, French mathematics? No, there is only mathematics and there is also only Freemasonry. Certain features in rituals, ceremonies and forms of reception are not sufficient to nationalize Freemasonry, despite its claim to internationality."

Freemasonry is united, and the discord between various rituals is only for show, for the general public. Belonging to this ritual does not at all exclude this “brother” from another ritual that is supposedly hostile to him. Every Mason of the highest degree possesses the first three degrees and, as a master, is a full member of any lodge on the globe. Every Mason, no matter what federation he belongs to, must therefore bear full responsibility for the anti-Christian and anti-state work carried out by the one world Masonic order, and anyone who hides from this responsibility behind national ritual labels is either deceiving himself, or admits deliberate untruths.

Judaism governs Freemasonry. Image of the Jewish High Priest on the cup, above it an inscription in Hebrew

3. The magazine “Revue Internationale de Societe Secrete” in No. 5 for 1929 published the full text of the manifesto of the Masonic center - “Manifesto of the OTO”. Here are the most interesting passages from this manifesto:

– OTO means Ordo Templi Orientis – Order of the Temple of the East.

– OTO is a community of initiates at whose disposal the wisdom and knowledge of the following societies are concentrated: 1) the Catholic Gnostic Church; 2) Order of the Knights of the Holy Spirit; 3) the Order of the Illuminati; 4) Order of the Knights Templar; 5) Order of the Knights of St. John; 6) the Order of the Knights of Malta (the editors of the Catholic magazine “Revue Internationale de Societe Secrete” (the editor exposing the Freemasons is, as you know, a Catholic prelate) makes a reservation that the orders shown in the Masonic list: the Knights of Malta and the Holy Sepulcher are occult orders, bearing names of the same name Catholic orders, who, of course, are not members of Freemasonry); 7) Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre; 8) occult Church of the Holy Grail; 9) Hermetic Brotherhood of Light; 10) Holy Order of the Rose Cross of Eredon; 11) Order of the Holy Royal Arch of Enoch; 12) ritual of ancient and initial Freemasonry (33rd degree); 13) ritual of Memphis (97th degree); 14) ritual of Mizraim (90th degree); 15) Swedenberg ritual; 16) Scottish Masonic ritual, ancient and accepted (33rd degree); 17) Martinist Order; 18) Order of Sat. Bhai and many other orders of equal dignity, although not of equal importance. This list does not contain the A.A. (A.A. means "Adepts of Atlanta"), whose sovereign society is, however, in close union with the O.T.O. - "The O.T.O. in no way arrogates to itself the privileges of other Masonic societies duly constituted."

- Since the independent dissemination of such wisdom led to confusion, the heads of these different orders decided to reorganize themselves, uniting their actions, just as a white ray of light is restored by decomposition through a prism, the order embraces all the secret knowledge of the orders of the East, and its heads are initiates of the highest degree, recognized such by all authorized in all countries of the world. Karl Kellner revived the esoteric organization of the OTO and conceived, fortunately, a plan for the assembly of all secret societies under a single authority.

– The Order is international and has its branches in all civilized countries.

– The true goals of the OTO can only be revealed to initiates, but you can tell everyone that the order teaches the science of Hermes or secret knowledge, pure and Holy Magic of Light, the secrets of mysticism, yoga, heavenly yoga, blac yoga and all other branches of the secret wisdom of the ancients. Great mysteries are in its depths, its head resolved all questions of philosophy and life. He opened, moreover, in every important center of population a Hidden Refuge (Collegium ad Spiritum Sanctum), where members could take refuge for the unhindered accomplishment of the Great Work. These houses are the secret fortresses of Truth, Light, Power and Love, and their location is revealed to those who have the right to know only under an oath of secrecy. These houses are also temples of true adoration, deliberately dedicated to Nature and designed to bring out the best in man.

– Power in the OTO is concentrated in ONO (ONO means the Supreme Head of the Order). The name of the person who occupies this post is never revealed to anyone except his immediate representatives.

– Power in the OTO is delegated for all countries of the English language by a special Charter to the Most Holy, Most Famous, Most Enlightened and Most Powerful Baphomet X Rex Summus Sanctissimus, 33, 99, 96th degrees, Grand Honorary Master of the United States of America, Grand Master of Ireland, Ion and Rey of Britain, Grand Master of the Knights of the Holy Spirit, Sovereign of the Code of Enoch, Sovereign of the Order of the Rose-Croix, Grand Zerubbabel of the Order, etc., etc., Grand Master - General National Representative of the OTO.

Reading this set of pompous ranks and titles, it seems that you are dealing either with a clownish farce, or with the work of a sick mind, stricken with delusions of grandeur. But real reality testifies that all these holy Baphomets not only exist, but also act, and how they act!

4. In the lower and middle levels of Freemasonry, democracy is preached; at the top there is a personal dictatorship, surrounded by impenetrable secrecy. “Freemasonry,” said one Masonic speaker at the Masonic Convention of 1893, “has no intention of applying in its own midst the full doctrine of individual freedom and independence, the necessity of which it preaches to the profane world. Freemasonry is an organism of struggle and, as such, it is forced to subject its members to the rules of discipline necessary for the struggle.”

5. Secrecy and conspiracy constitute the very essence of Freemasonry. The Manifesto of the Grand Lodge of Germany of 1794 states: “The purpose of the Order must be its first secret: the world is not strong enough to bear the discovery of the purpose.”

6. Yu. Hessen in the article “Freemasonry” ( encyclopedic Dictionary Brockhaus and Efron) argues that the main goal of Freemasonry is “moral improvement and philanthropy and that it has nothing to do with “sedition.”

7. But here is what the head of the Martinist order before the First World War, a freemason of high dedication, Papus, writes in the book “Genesis and Development of Masonic Symbols,” published in 1911 in St. Petersburg, in the printing house of the St. Petersburg solitary prison. (This is where the Freemasons even had their own people in tsarist times!): The main goal of Freemasonry, according to Papus, is “revenge on all those responsible for the destruction of the Temple of Solomon.” About the Order of the Templars, Papus writes that it is nothing more than the Order of the Temple, “which continues the Temple of Solomon. Only initiates of the highest degrees learn about the true goals of Freemasonry.”

8. “Only at the degree of Knight of the Temple (passed partly into Kadosh), writes Papus, “the one entering the society was truly initiated into the Avengers of the Order. Thus, the initiation was transformed into a political war, in which the Martinists always refused to participate." “The details of initiation into the degree of Kadosh ... indicate that this degree is the synthesis of all vengeances and the implementation on Earth of that terrible bloody book, which very often is invisibly revealed when God allows the hellish forces to make themselves known.”

9. “Freemasonry,” Papus admits, “has always been a great initiator of political and social reforms. For its members it destroys boundaries and prejudices regarding race and color, it destroys the personal and corporate privileges that stifle the failed intelligentsia, it supports the age-old struggle against obscurantism in all kinds."

Papus's confessions, as we see, completely refute the false assertion of J. Gessen that Freemasonry supposedly has nothing to do with revolutionary movements and revolutions. The world revolution and the creation as a result of it of a world state is the true goal of world Freemasonry.

10. In the name of the victory of Freemasonry, every Mason has the right to do as he pleases, completely disregarding ordinary morality. The Masonic philosopher Diderot argued: “Lying is so little worthy of blame and in essence it would become a virtue if it could be useful.”

11. In the text of the oath given by the Mason Raton

“Knight Kadosh,” for example, says: “You swear and promise to do, speak and write at every time and in every place, at every time, that which will be prescribed to you by the orders of the legitimate authority, which authority you swear to obey, although it is before you.” is unknown at this time and may remain unknown for a long time" (see: Ragon. Orthodox Freemasonry).

12. Freemason Lhermitte, in a report read at the Masonic Convention of 1912, stated: “Duplicity is a necessary moral element. Without her social life impossible."

13. Mason Raynal says: “To be virtuous is to be useful; to be vicious is to be harmful. That's the whole moral."

14. “Some of the symbols are explained to the beginner, but he is deliberately deceived by false explanations. They do not strive for him to understand them, but only for him to imagine that he understands them. Their true interpretation is intended for the adepts, for the princes of Freemasonry." So writes Peake, one of the doctors of Masonic secret knowledge.

15. “Freemasonry,” writes the same Peak, “like all religions, all mysteries, Hermeticism and alchemy, hides its secrets from everyone except adepts, scientists or the elite, and uses false explanations and interpretations of its symbols in order to deceive those who deserve to be deceived; to hide from them the true, as they say, light.”

6. The instructions to a comrade in the ritual of the Lodge of the Three Globes say: “The novice Mason must never forget that almost every symbol of the order has a double meaning: one is moral, the other is mystical... Mystical meaning partly concerns the interior of the order, partly its history. The student is given only hints, never an exact explanation, since the most insignificant point cannot be fully explained and understood without understanding the whole thing.”

17. The famous Freemason Voltaire once said: “Let us crush the scoundrel,” that is, religion. This famous phrase resonates in Masonic circles to this day.

18. The Spanish revolutionary Freemason Francisco Ferrero, in his catechism for secular schools, writes: “God is only a childish concept caused by a feeling of fear.”

19. “Down with the Crucified! You, Who for 18 centuries have kept the world bowed under Your yoke, Your kingdom is over... There is no need for God.”

20. “The triumph of the Galilean lasted 20 centuries. He dies in turn. The mysterious voice that once announced the death of Pan from the mountains of Epirus informs us today of the death of the Trickster God, who promised an era of justice and peace to those who believe in him. The illusion lasted too long. He disappears in turn, God is a liar. He joins the dust of centuries, with other deities of India, Egypt, Greece and Rome, who also saw many beings deceived by them, lying prostrate before their altars.

Brothers Masons, we should be pleased that we are not strangers to this fall of false gods.”

21. “Christianity is an obscene blasphemy against the bright image of God,” writes the Masonic Italian Review.

22. The Belgian Freemason Kok declared at the International Masonic Congress in Paris: “What we need to destroy is religion, dogmas,” and further: “Through propaganda and even through administrative acts, we will achieve the fact that we can crush religion.”

23. “Our goal is not to restore individualism, but to wipe Christianity off the face of the earth,” said the founder of the Theosophical Society, Blavatsky.

Kabbalistic tree of Freemasonry

24. “Atheist is one of the most glorious titles of humanity, an insignia of world heroes... martyrs... saviors of the world. No philosophy, no theology brought anything worthy to the world in comparison with the good news of atheism... honor and glory to these foremost fighters of progress, this honorable vanguard of the army of freedom. Honor and glory to him who, in his zeal for man, has forgotten God,” says theosophist Anna Besant.

25. “Freemasonry is an anti-church, a church of heresy,” - such a statement can be read in the French Masonic magazine “Acacia”.

26. “The struggle between the Church and Freemasonry,” said the Grand Master of the Belgian Freemasons, Coega, at the Grand Orient Congress in 1900 in Brussels, “is a struggle for life and death.”

27. The declaration of the Council of the Order of the Grand Orient of France says: “Freemasonry does not recognize any truths other than those based on reason and science.”

28. In the book of the freemason Clavel, “The Colorful History of Freemasonry,” it is stated: “The Knight of the Sun (28th degree) has the task of establishing a natural religion on the ruins of the existing Christian religions.”

29. The following words of Masonic figures are significant: “Let us remember that Christianity and Freemasonry are absolutely irreconcilable, so much so that to join one means to break with the other. In this case, the Mason has only one duty - he must boldly enter the arena of struggle and fight.” “We will work, we will spin with deft and careful hands that shroud that will one day cover all religions, and then we will contribute to the destruction throughout the world of clericalism and the superstition that comes from it,” says a member of the convention of the Grand Lodge of France. Similar expressions could be given as many times as desired, since not a single Masonic meeting is complete without attacks against religion.

30. “I am deeply convinced,” wrote the German Freemason K. von Gagern in “Freimauer Zeitung,” “that the time will come and must come when atheism will become a universal human principle.” The editor of this newspaper, the Masonic pastor Zille, once wrote that “only idiots and weak-minded people still dream about God and the immortality of the soul.”

31. In 1912, Freemason Lebe explained the goal pursued by Freemasonry in relation to religion: “You feel the need to put an end to the Church, all Churches, once and for all. Until we achieve this, we will not be able to work productively or build anything.”

32. In 1913, Freemason Sicard de Plosol said: “There is one peace that we cannot conclude, one disarmament that we cannot agree to, there is one war that we must tirelessly continue until victory or death, this is the war against today’s enemies of Freemasonry and the Republic, enemies of freedom of conscience, enemies of reason, science and human justice, and these enemies are all dogmas, all Churches.”

33. In the report of the Convention of the Grand Orient of France, held in 1923, there is the following call from one of the Freemasons: “Let us destroy this symbol of horror and abomination, this center of world atrocity and resume the eternal struggle ... let us wage war on all religions, since they are real enemies of humanity."

34. The Convention of 1893 decided: “No Mason can be elected a member of the council of the order unless he first undertakes in writing for himself and his minor children not to perform Christian rites.”

35. “Freedom of conscience is the basic idea of ​​Freemasonry. The Masonic Order, in essence, is an anti-church, since the clergy imposes its own dogmas and tolerance.”

36. “Freemasonry must proclaim that between itself and dogma there is an irreconcilable, radical opposition that does not allow any tolerance.”

37. “Dogma is a weapon of domination and conquest: one must wage war against dogma” (brother A. Marechaux).

38. “Freemasonry, alien to mysticism, denying the beginning of authority, deeply rationalistic, is not only a specific social association. Freemasonry is anti-Church... The struggle against the Church will end when the separation of Church and state becomes an accomplished fact, when the Church turns into a private association.”

39. “It is not enough to defeat the influence of the clergy and deprive the Church of its authority... it is necessary to destroy religion itself.”

40. “A triangle instead of a cross, a box instead of a church.”

41. All the previously cited excerpts prove the validity of the statement of A. A. Borovoy in the book “Modern Freemasonry in the West”: “And whatever the Masons profess - “whether reasonable atheism, rationalism”, “metaphysical dogmatism”, “skepticism” - they display complete intolerance towards the Church and the clergy.”

42. The tactics of Freemasonry in propagating atheism are as follows. Freemasons are gradually taught to anti-Christianity, first they are told: “Freemasonry is not a church, not a religion, and in order to be truly tolerant, it must avoid mentioning the name of Christ.”

43. When a young Mason gets used to the fact that he should not mention the Name of Christ, he is then taught to think that Freemasonry is broader than any church, since it brings all religions into a single, common religion.” When a Mason is imbued with this thought, then he moves on to the deification of man.

44. “For those who cannot renounce their faith in Christ,” wrote the Illuminati Knigge to the Illuminati Zwak, “we will establish that Christ also preached a religion of nature and reason, we will add that this simple religion was perverted, but that we We are its successors through Freemasonry and natural followers of true Christianity, then it remains to add a few words against the clergy and monarchs.”

45. The confessions of Freemasons that the main goal of Freemasonry is the destruction of Christianity and other religions could fill a vast volume. Freemasons want to destroy all religions except one, which is professed by the creators and real organizers of Freemasonry.

Freemasonry and the cult of Lucifer

46. ​​It cannot, of course, be said that all Masons are worshipers of the devil. “However,” as Farah rightly states in his book Freemasonry and Its Activities, “Luciferianism is undoubtedly a cult widespread among the Freemasons, and represents the logical conclusion of their anti-Christian program. It goes without saying that this cult is hidden just as carefully by the Freemason brothers as it was once hidden by their ancestors, the Templars, but still, although very rarely, this dark issue is touched upon in the speeches of the Freemasons.”

“It should be noted,” writes Metropolitan Anthony in his “Message on Freemasonry,” that Freemasonry in its rituals, initiations and symbolism is clearly blasphemous in nature. For example, the box of the 18th degree (Rosicrucian) is decorated with the image of Golgotha. On the cross is a rose, above which is placed a mysterious Hebrew inscription: “I. H.P.I.” The lodge meeting opens at the hour when the church veil is torn in two. The ceremony ends with a blasphemous re-enactment of the Last Supper. Some Masons declare themselves servants of Satan."

There are various societies associated with Freemasonry that profess the cult of Lucifer. In them the work is no longer carried out “for the glory of the Great Builder of the Universe” (as in both lower degrees of Freemasonry), but there they openly proclaim: “Glory and love to Lucifer.”

“In these societies,” writes the former Freemason Copen-Albanselli, “it is preached that everything that the Christian God commands is unpleasant to Lucifer, and, on the contrary, everything that He forbids is pleasant to him; therefore, one should do everything that the Christian God forbids, and one must beware, like fire, of everything that He commands. This society is a direct school of debauchery that surpasses everything imaginable."

The great architect of the Universe is an ennobled image of Satan

47. In a report on Masonic morality, Brother Lerment, a member of the Alsace-Lorraine lodge, says: “In this way I tried to destroy or undermine your moral principles. This is the role of Satan, and Christians are not so mistaken when they accuse philosophers and especially us.”

48. Prominent Freemason Oswald Wirth in his report “Initiation and Spiritualism” said: “The connection of Freemasonry with Lucifer, the head of the rebel angels ... is quite acceptable.” According to Wirth, Lucifer rebels against God because of “the gross injustices of the divine administration. In essence, the angel of Light (Lucifer) represents the spirit of freedom. In this sense, Freemasonry fully accepts Luciferianism.”

49. “We Masons,” says Altmeister of the Brocklin Lodge “Lessing,” “belong to the race of Lucifer. A triangle instead of a cross. A lodge instead of a church."

50. “Of course,” writes Metropolitan Anthony in his “Message on Freemasonry,” “masons hide the existence of such blasphemous rituals; nevertheless, they take place at the top of some Masonic lodges.”

51. In 1889 in Rome, during the opening of the monument to Giordano Bruno, Italian Freemasons openly glorified Satan. The Vatican newspaper announced a protest against the glorification of Satan, called “The Banners of the Prince of Hell Move Forward.”

52. The body of Italian Freemasonry responded to an article published in the Vatican officialdom: “Well, well. Yes, yes, the banners of hell are moving forward and there is no conscious person who loves his homeland who would not stand under these banners, under these banners of Freemasonry.”

53. In Volume X of the “Review of Italian Freemasonry” it was printed: “The Genius of the Future, our own God, lays in us the germ of a new law of good... The soul of our God rejects the need for the social good to liberate man from his animality, for social good in reality is not nothing more than a consequence of human animality. The now collapsing social knowledge needs a cornerstone (triangular) stone, and this stone will be laid by our god. And the place for this stone is not in heaven, but on earth.

Come, all you who suffer, and bow to the Genius-Renewer, raise your brow higher, my brothers, Freemasons, for he is coming - the great Satan!”

54. In Ancona, Italian Freemasons published the magazine “Lucifer”, in which they openly declared: “Our leader is Satan.”

55. On June 22, 1883, Italian Freemasons carried a black banner at the opening of the Mazzini monument, the shaft of which was crowned with a statuette of Lucifer.

56. In the Journal of the Grand Orient of Italy the following praise of Satan was published: “I appeal to Thee, Satan, king of banquets. Down, priest, with your sacred water and your prayers. And You, Satan, do not step back... In matter that never rests, You are the living sun, the king of natural phenomena... Satan, You defeated the God of the priests!”

57. The usual technique of Masons for the purpose of glorifying Satan is as follows. First, they call Satan not Satan, but Lucifer, Good God and other names. And by calling Satan Lucifer, they are trying to prove that Lucifer is fallen Angel and the devil of Christians are not the same thing.

Agni Yogi - the Fiery Mother, the wife of the Freemason Roerich, herself, probably a Freemason, explains who Satan is in the article “God and Satan”: “In the “Secret Teaching” there are passages that explain this meaning. Thus Satan, when he is no longer considered in the superstitious, dogmatic, and unphilosophical spirit of the churches, grows into the majestic image of one who creates from earthly man– divine; who gives him, during the long cycle of Mahahalpa, the law of the Spirit of Life and frees him from sin and death..."

Official Freemasonry Program

58. “Freemasonry is a deeply philanthropic, philosophical and progressive institution. It aims to seek truth, study world morality and apply the principle of solidarity. Freemasonry works for material and moral progress, for the mental and social improvement of humanity. Its principles: mutual tolerance, respect for one's own and others' dignity, complete freedom of conscience. Freemasonry, believing that metaphysical concepts are a personal matter for everyone, refuses dogmatic statements. Its motto is “liberty, equality and fraternity” (v. 1).

Freemasonry respects religious beliefs and the political beliefs of its members, but it strictly prohibits during its meetings all discourse on religious and political topics, touching criticism of various religions, the actions of governmental authorities, and the merits of various forms of government.

Freemasonry reminds its followers that their first duty as Masons and as citizens is to respect the laws of the country in which they live (Article 2).

Since Freemasonry wants to create among all its people such bonds of brotherhood as are united by Freemasons throughout the entire globe, Masonic propaganda in word, deed and by means of the press is charged to all Freemasons (Article 4).

Enjoining every Mason under all circumstances to assist, impart information, and support his brother, even at the risk of his own life, and to protect him from injustice (Art. 5).”

59. We find the same confession in the constitution of the Grand Lodge of France: “Freemasonry is a world union resting on solidarity... E (the ate of Freemasonry is the moral improvement of humanity. Its motto is Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. In the eyes of Freemasonry, all followers are equal in rights, regardless to differences of nationality, race, religion, to differences in status, rank, position... Freemasonry affirms the principles of universal morality, equally acceptable to all peoples in all conditions. It does not set any boundaries in the search for truth. Therefore, it is against the establishment of any dogmas or. requirements of belonging to a particular belief... Every Mason is free and is guided only by the dictates of his conscience. Masons practice the widest tolerance also in the philosophical and religious field, both in the political and social.”

The true goals of Freemasonry must be hidden

60. “The distinctive quality of every good Mason is, undoubtedly, restrained silence, which should be a direct consequence of strict adherence to discipline ... By prudent silence we must understand the restraint and caution that we must observe in our relations with those not initiated into the secrets of Freemasonry, when the matter concerns our activities, our assumptions and our hopes... Let us take an example from the ancients, who jealously guarded the secrets of their secrets... Why were their decisions not written down anywhere? Why were traitors, indiscreet talkers and apostates punished with death? But because they knew, my brothers, that the greatest and noblest ideas are perceived purer if they are disseminated only by the initiates. Because they knew that everything that is mysterious and inaccessible to everyone has much more prestige in the eyes of the people and that an institution that knows the moods and aspirations of the surrounding society at a time when it itself is unknown to the latter has irresistible power, for his decisions are not changed or distorted by any alien element. No obstacle delays its execution, and as a result it accomplishes its work with wise slowness, but with the fidelity of a drop of water chiseling granite. Let us, following the example of the ancients, be reserved, my brothers, and we will become famous by serving the world of Freemasonry” (“Noveliste de Bordeaux”).

61. “Let us keep the secret regarding our members and our internal decisions: this is the veneration of old traditions,” said His Serene Highness Grand Master of Italian Freemasonry Hector Ferrare.

62. “The Grand Orient of France considers Masonic secrecy one of the fundamental rules of fraternity.”

63. “None of the Masons has the right to reveal to the uninitiated that any of his brothers belong to Freemasonry.”

64. “Freemasonry should be felt everywhere and should not be obvious anywhere.”

65. “It is necessary that all preparations for the fight should be unknown to anyone and discipline should be strictly observed by everyone.”

66. “With us everything is based on mystery; with the help of secrecy and obedience we fight great battles and win victories.”

Preaching the ideas of unlimited freedom to everyone, the Masons themselves are controlled by a secret unlimited dictatorship.

67. “Tolerance is not a natural quality of a person, it is a product of education. And, if we stand for tolerance of every sincere thought, we must demand the most inexorable discipline in the attitude of people towards each other.”

68. “Freemasonry has not the slightest claim

to practice in one's own midst some of those principles of freedom and personal independence which it demands for the uninitiated. Freemasonry is an organization of struggle and as such it is forced to subject its members to the demands of discipline necessary for the struggle.”

69. “All press reports about the activities of Freemasonry and the actions of individual brothers should be prohibited. We ask our brothers working in the press to look after the interests of the Order first and foremost and refrain from reporting to the public what is done and said in the lodges, as well as commenting on the actions and speeches of the Masons."

70. “We are forced to ask the Masonic brothers to submit everything they say or write to our fraternal criticism.”

71. Article 135 of the constitution of Italian Freemasonry states: “It is forbidden to both lodges and every brother, of whatever degree he may be, except the Grand Master and Chief of the Ritual, to publish documents on any occasion and by any means whatsoever.” , acts, circulars related to Freemasonry, before written permission is received from the Grand Master.”

Authentic Freemasonry Program

72. When the position of Freemasonry in Europe was finally strengthened, the Freemasons abolished the clauses in their charters that stated that Freemasons do not deal with issues of religion and politics. At a meeting on October 21, 1854, the Lodge of the Grand Orient of Belgium abolished clause 135 of the charter, which stated: “Lodges may in no case deal with political or religious matters.”

73. Thirty years later, the Grand Lodge of France decided to abolish “as unnecessary the clause in the constitution according to which V.L. refuses to discuss political issues.” And the resolution of the Lodge of the Grand Orient of France says: “At one time there was not so much a rule as a formality to declare that Freemasonry deals neither with matters of religion nor politics... Under the pressure of police regulations, we were forced to hide what is our only task.”

74. “We are forbidden to debate about politics and religion,” writes Freemason Camille Dreyfus, “but what else can we do?”

“Against us,” said Freemason Gonard at the 1886 convention, “it is usually argued that Freemasonry is too much involved in politics, or even that it is only occupied with politics. But what else could it do?

75. “Masonic doctrine is unthinkable without the confession of freedom of conscience. And this confession fosters hostility towards the Church in Freemasonry, since the Church, in essence, is a denial of freedom of conscience...”

76. “The value of a civilization is inversely proportional to its religiosity; the future belongs to science.”

77. “Society is always divided into two camps, two Churches, two groups. One is more extensive, prevailing in the past, still prevailing now, consists of believers; the other, less significant, is one of the rationalists. The former believe blindly, the latter criticize everything by reason. The former speak out for individual power, oligarchy, the beginning of authority in politics and social economy, the latter – for democracy and liberal reform in the political field, for progress in the field of social economy... The entire history of civilized peoples is imbued with this struggle, the world owes progress to it alone.”

78. “Everything in the world happens as if God does not exist... The word “God” does not explain anything; If there are riddles in the world, there is no need to multiply them with one more - by God.”

79. “We will energetically support freedom of conscience in everyone, but we will not hesitate to declare war on all religions, for they are the true enemies of humanity. Throughout the centuries they have contributed to discord between individuals and nations.”

80. “Freemasonry must educate a person,” wrote the “Review of Italian Freemasonry,” “to develop human dignity in him, to make a person reasonable, loving only what is human. A man who would be his own God, king and pope.”

81. One of the declarations of the Council of the Grand Orient of France states: “Nor can a person who is either apathetic or not inclined to see meaning in the progress of mankind be a Freemason.” “If we delve into the meaning of the principles professed by Freemasonry,” says the same declaration, “then we must admit that it is a confession of culture, that is, faith in the progress of human civilization, manifested in the thoughts, deeds and words of each Freemason, in accordance with his individuality – freely and unconstrained.”

82. “That invaluable good that humanity has conquered and which we must first of all protect is the thought that there is no sacred truth... that every truth that does not come from us is a lie; that... a secret rebellion must accompany all our statements and thoughts; that even if the idea of ​​God were to assume a tangible form and God Himself appeared in a visible form above the crowd, the first duty of man would be to refuse Him obedience and treat Him as an equal with whom one could negotiate, and not as an insufferable master, to whom one must obey. This is the whole meaning, greatness and beauty of our teaching.”

83. “Our kingdom is the kingdom of this world,” declared Brother A. Mintz in June 1919 at a meeting of the Grand Lodge of Vienna.

84. “Freedom of conscience is the basic idea of ​​Freemasonry. The Masonic Order is essentially an anti-Church, since the clergy imposes its own dogmas and pursues doctrines that are alien to the beliefs of the Masons.”

85. “Freemasonry,” writes the Grand Orient Council in its declaration of 1904, “knows only the truths obtained by reason and scientific research.”

Propaganda of internationalism and cosmopolitanism as the main methods of decomposition of states

86. “Our societies make people indifferent to the interests of government; they connect people of different nationalities and religions; they rob the Church and the state of the best and most energetic minds. By doing this they undermine the foundations of the state, influence international relations and disguise our activities.”

87. “Reduce, destroy the feeling of patriotism in the hearts of people,” the Illuminati instructed members of their order. – Through the work of secret philosophical schools monarchs and nationalities will disappear from the face of the earth. Then reason will be the only legislator."

88. “In order to conquer minds,” says the “Instructions for obtaining the degree of leader of the Illuminati,” “it is necessary to preach with great fervor the interests of all mankind and instill indifference to the interests of individual groups of it.”

89. “Never forget that Freemasonry is first and foremost international,” said Brother Debierri at the 1910 Convention of the Grand Orient of France.

90. At the First International Congress of Freemasons in Paris in 1889, the high-ranking Freemason Brother Amiable emphasizes that “cosmopolitanism is the main thing” in their union and that “a universal democratic republic is the ideal of Freemasonry, born and expressed half a century before the revolution of 1789.” .

91. At this congress, it was repeatedly stated by the Freemasons that the goal towards which Freemasonry strives is an “atheistic republic.”

The relationship of Freemasonry to monarchies

After Christianity, Freemasonry most strongly hates the monarchical form of government, since it is organically connected with the religious worldview.

The president of the republic can be a believer, or he can be an atheist. In a real monarchy, the monarch cannot be an atheist. While hating the monarchy for its religious basis, Freemasons also strongly hate it because in monarchies the possibilities for the development of parties are limited - this is the main instrument with which Freemasonry gains power over the democratic herd.

Jews and Masons create their own world order

In democratic republics, based on a skillful combination of political and social lies, and this lie rests on the chimera ideas created by Freemasonry, the true rulers in the final sense are always the Freemasons and the leaders of world Freemasonry who control the Freemasons. That is why, always and everywhere, Freemasons, regardless of which ritual they belong to, always preach the republic as better shape state structure.

92. “Monarchists and religiously minded persons are not accepted at all into the Lodges of the Grand Orient. Every applicant must be first of all “a good republican and a free thinker.” "A true Freemason cannot be a monarchist."

93. “The bearers of state power are the enemies of Freemasonry, since state power is a more terrible tyrant than the Church.”

94. “It is necessary that the persons composing the government should be our brother Masons or be deprived of power,” declared Brother Lemmy.

“The day will come when nations that did not have the 18th century and 1789 will have their monarchies and religions fall. This day is not far away, this is the day we are waiting for."

The rapid successes of Freemasonry in Europe led to the fact that in 1747 “... among the Freemasons there were already Emperor Francis I, Prince Charles of Lorraine, the Emperor’s brother King Frederick II of Prussia, the Prince of Wales and almost all the German princes; Henry of Bourbon, Count of Clermont, was Grand Master of French Freemasonry with the consent of King Louis XV, and all the most important dignitaries of France belonged to Freemasonry. In all of France there was not a single significant city where the Freemasons did not have their own “temple” and there were not brothers among the most prominent people of parliament, tribunals, nobility, clergy and even the Jesuits.”

95. How royalty and noble persons were lured into Freemasonry can be seen from the confession of the once famous Italian Freemason, the Jew Picollo, nicknamed the Tiger. In one of the letters intercepted in 1822 by this prominent Freemason and the founder of the secret Carbonari lodge in Turin, it was written: “The Supreme Venta (Lodge) wants you, under one pretext or another, to introduce as many princes and rich people as possible into Masonic lodges. Every prince who does not have a legitimate hope of obtaining the throne with the help of God strives to obtain it with the help of revolution. Some of them were even dethroned or exiled. Flatter these popularity seekers, prepare them for Freemasonry. The Supreme Venta will subsequently see what can be done with them in the name of progress. Any prince without a kingdom is a good find for us. The lodge will lead him to carbonarism. Let them serve as bait for fools, intriguers, vulgar townsfolk and all kinds of businessmen. They will do our work, thinking that they are doing theirs.”

Freemasons and propaganda of the republican form of government

96. “Each lodge,” we read in the Bulletin of the Grand Orient of France for 1885, “is a center of republican worldview and propaganda.”

97. In 1848, a member of the Provisional Government that arose in France, the Freemason Cremieux openly declared: “The Republic is doing the same thing that Freemasonry does.”

98. Brother Gadan declared at convention meetings beginning in 1894: “Freemasonry is nothing but a republic in disguise, just as a republic is nothing but freemasonry in open form.”

99. Chairman of the Grand Orient Desmon gives the following definition of the republic: “For me, the republic means: “anti-clericalism, anti-militarism, socialism.” “Only through the union of the left, the main cell of which will be the lodge, will we triumph,” says the report of the said convention. “We must group all the Republicans and even develop a program in alliance with the Communists.”

100. “For us it is enough to serve first of all a secular republic - democratic and social.”

101. At the general meeting of the Grand Orient of France in 1923, the president of the order proclaimed the following toast: “To the French Republic - daughter of French Freemasonry. For the future World Republic - the daughter of World Freemasonry."

Freemasonry and revolutions

102. Mason and Kabbalist Papus states: “Revolutions are the application of the constitutions of Masonic lodges to society.”

103. “Freemasonry concentrates the efforts of all revolutionary minds.”

104. At the Masonic Convention of 1913, Freemason Sicard de Plosol said: “One of the enemies of our order (namely Bord) says quite correctly: the spirit of Freemasonry gave birth to the revolutionary spirit. This is the most valuable praise that can be given to Masonic work in the past."

105. “The Freemasons,” says the declaration of the Grand Orient of France, issued in 1904, “prepared the Great Revolution... they had the great honor of giving this unforgettable event a formula in which its principles were embodied: freedom, equality and fraternity.”

“After 1789, the Freemasons scattered to clubs,” says Freemason Brunelier, “they indulged in political life, were elected to the people’s representative office and enlisted in the army; some lodges directly turned into clubs, without even changing their name, like the lodge “Le Cercle Social”... The time for “disputes” and “science” was over - it was necessary to act. Now, according to circumstances, the great Masonic ideas are beginning to be applied."

106. “It will remain forever unforgettable that it was the French Revolution that realized the Masonic principles developed in our Masonic temples.”

107. “The revolution... dug a grave to push the corpse of the past there. And since the revolution is only the world formula of Freemasonry, then everything that is true regarding the revolution is also true regarding Freemasonry.”

108. After the July Revolution of 1830, the highest degree freemason Dupin said: “We staged a revolution in a few days only because we had everything ready in advance so that we could immediately completely replace everything destroyed with a new system.”

During the revolution of 1830, some Freemasons make speeches in honor of Emperor Charles X, while others prepare the revolution.

The revolution was carried out according to a proven method, which was later applied by the Freemasons in Russia in 1917. “General Maison,” writes the former Freemason Copin, who was entrusted with the king’s guard, “unexpectedly showed the rear of the rebels before they showed themselves. It is known to everyone, but it is hardly known to everyone that General Maison was the senior overseer of the Grand Orient. This “little” detail contains a whole revelation, especially if we remember that in 1789 Freemasonry’s tactic was to develop a spirit of treason among the defenders of the monarchy.”

In preparing for the revolution of 1848 in France, Freemasons widely resorted to organizing “banquets,” a method that Russian Freemasons successfully used during the preparation of the 1905 revolution. The revolutionary government was Masonic, and no one except the Masons knew it (just like in Russia in 1917). Of the 11 members of the government... 9 were Freemasons. The day after the coup, the “offended prince” Lucien Murat is proclaimed Grand Master of the Grand Orient of France. Later he was enthroned by his brothers under the name of Emperor Napoleon 111. But in 1870, Freemasonry overthrew Napoleon III and proclaimed a republic.

Symbolism depicting Freemasons ruling the world as builders of a Masonic temple

109. The Paris Commune was the work of the Freemasons and revolutionary organizations associated with them. “But nowhere,” writes Farah in his study “Freemasonry and its Activities,” “does it appear so clearly in its usual anti-Christian and revolutionary work as during the Paris Commune of 1871. I will not dwell on the work of Freemasonry in preparing the overthrow of the Second Empire, on its leading role in the Franco-Prussian war, on the activities of Marshal Bazin, this toy in the hands of the Grand Orient, on the failures of Marshal MacMahon, in which the nephew of the former played such a significant role Grand Master of the Order, Lieutenant Colonel Magnan, and I will only point out the open manifestations of Freemasonry after the collapse of the Second Empire and the proclamation of the commune.”

"No one political system“has never been as mysterious as the Third Republic,” writes Jacques Bideguin, at one time secretary of the Order of the Grand Orient of France. “The institutions that serve as its façade are merely false decorations behind which things happen that are unknown to the crowd.”

BY. On May 27, the official journal of the Commune reported on the ceremonial reception at the city hall of a deputation of Masons. “All hearts beat in unison,” says the Masonic reception report. A member of the Commune, the freemason Tirifok stated: “Freemasonry accepts the Commune as the basis of all social reforms.” A member of the Commune and a member of Masonic Lodge No. 133, Lefrancais stated that he “long ago saw that the goals of the Commune are the same as the goals of Freemasonry.” A member of the Commune, Alike, said: “The Paris Commune is putting into practice and in a new form what Freemasonry has long proclaimed.” The celebration ended with the statement of one of the Masons that “The Commune is new temple Solomon" and that the goals of the Commune and Freemasonry are the same.

111. In the newspaper published by the Commune, on May 24, the following appeal was published: “To the Masons of all rituals and all degrees.

The Commune is the defender of our sacred principles, calling everyone to itself. You heard it, and our venerable banners were torn apart by bullets and broken by the shells of our enemies. You responded heroically to our call, so continue with the support of all lodges.

The education which we have received in our venerable lodges will dictate to each and every one the sacred duty which we are obliged to fulfill. Happy are those who triumph, glory to those who die in this sacred struggle. To arms! Everything for the republic! Everything for the Commune!

112. Freemasonry helped the unification of Italy and the enthronement of a representative of the Savoy dynasty. But after the unification of Italy, he immediately begins to work against the monarchy. In 1900, King Humbert was assassinated by the Freemasons.

Freemasons and the 1905 Revolution

113. “The Black Hundreds,” argued Freemason Kedrin, a member of the State Duma, “are trying to convince everyone that the Liberation Movement was caused by the Freemasons. This is completely false." Kedrin lied, as Masons always lie. The liberation movement that prepared the revolution of 1905 was closely connected with world and Russian Freemasonry of all directions. “In Paris,” writes Tyrkova in “On the Paths to Freedom,” “I vaguely heard that, as soon as the Liberation Movement began, Professor M. M. Kovalevsky opened a Russian lodge in Paris. It included many of my acquaintances, including my friend in the trial, E.V. Anichkov.”

In addition to the Masonic lodge created by Kovalevsky, at the time of the emergence of the Union of Liberation in Russia, there were several highly conspiratorial lodges that were subordinate to the Grand Orient of France. “Those few lodges,” states the report of the Grand Orient of France for 1903, “which exist in Russia, are isolated and hidden from view.”

There were two lodges in Finland, several lodges in Poland. There were lodges of Secret Novikovsky Freemasonry, Rosicrucians and lodges of “mystical” Freemasonry (Martinism) and various occult and theosophical societies, which, each in its own area of ​​​​work, actively fueled revolutionary sentiments. And, in the end, they prepared a revolution in 1905.

114. Almost all the leaders of the revolution that took place in Portugal in 1910 were Freemasons. The Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge of Belgium stated on February 12, 1911: “Do you remember the deep feeling of pride that we all felt when we received the news of the revolution in Portugal? .. To the uninitiated, this event came like lightning from a clear sky ... but we, my brothers, were initiated... we knew of the excellent organization of our Portuguese brothers... we possessed the secret of this glorious event."

115. The coup d'état in Turkey in 1908 was carried out by Turkish Freemasons, led by the Grand Orient of France. At a meeting held on June 16, 1910 at the Voltaire Lodge in Paris, a member of the Turkish embassy declared that “Freemasonry has contributed powerfully to the Turkish revolution and that now all the intellectual forces of the empire are members of the numerous Masonic lodges in Turkey.”

116. The Persian Revolution (1905–1910) was carried out by Persian Freemasons. We learn this from the message made by the Freemason Jules Combe at the solemn honoring of the Turkish Freemasons in the French lodge of Voltaire in Paris on June 16, 1910, in his report on the Persian lodge in Tehran, which, according to him, operates, like Russian lodges, secretly until circumstances change . This Tehran lodge, according to Combe, alone carried out the revolution.

The role of the Freemasons in organizing the military coup in 1917

117. “The Grand Orient of France,” reported in 1911 to Comrade Minister of Internal Affairs Kurlov from France, who was specially sent there to study the connections of Freemasonry with the Russian revolutionary movement. Advisor Alekseev, “has already taken the path of the broadest possible assistance to the anti-government plans of the Russian revolutionaries.” Alekseev managed to attend a meeting of the Renaissance Masonic Lodge, and he personally heard one of the Masons say: “Even the recently formidable state of the North will notice in horror how deeply the Masonic knife has stuck into it and how all the revolutionary forces will rush together into the hole we have cut.” "

World, Jewish and Russian Freemasonry played a major role in preparing the military coup at the Main Headquarters in February 1917. But this is too large and extensive a topic, and we will limit ourselves to only citing a few quotes from letters of a prominent figure in Russian so-called “Duma” Freemasonry E. Kuskova, published by the Menshevik G. Aronson in the book “Russia on the Eve of the Revolution.” “After all, to this day the secret of the movement, the secret of this organization has not been revealed. And she was HUGE. By the February Revolution, all of Russia was covered with lodges. There are many members of this organization here abroad. But everyone is silent."

118. "People high society(princes, counts, as they said then) there were a LOT. They behaved amazingly; I saw some of them at conventions.”

119. “Have you probably noticed our extensive relations with the “princes and counts”? This is the zemstvo environment. She had to be brought to the side of the revolution. That was done. Moreover, truly friendly relations remained between us and this environment even later, after the revolution.”

120. “It was necessary to conquer the military,” writes E. Kuskova to the wife of the prominent Menshevik L. O. Dan (probably also a Freemason). – The slogan is democratic Russia and do not shoot at the people demonstrating. I had to explain a lot and for a long time - the environment is inert. It was quite a success there."

121. “There were also high-ranking military men...”

122. “There is a lot of talk about the “Guchkov conspiracy.” There was this conspiracy." N. Volsky, to whom the letter was addressed, accompanies E. Kuskova’s statement with the following note: “Of course, he was. I heard this myself from Guchkov.”

The head of the Provisional Government, Prince Lvov, and a number of his members, like A.F. Kerensky, Guchkov, Nekrasov, Tereshchenko and a number of prominent figures of the February revolution, like Efremov, V. Maklakov and others, were Freemasons or Freemasons, like Milyukov, Rodzianko, General. Alekseev, gen. Ruzsky, lead. book Nikolai Nikolaevich and similar figures of the February revolution.

123. “Freemasonry, which played the greatest part in 1789,” says the Grand Lodge Bulletin, “must always be ready to furnish cadres for the revolution that may break out.” “Freemasonry, to which history owes national revolutions, will be able to produce the largest, that is, an international revolution.” "The coming international revolution will be the creation of Freemasonry."

Freemasonry and anti-Christian ideas

People fascinated by Masonic propaganda usually do not realize what a gigantic role in the destruction of Christian society has been played by anti-Christian religious, political and social ideas. It seems to them that all these anti-Christian ideas arise and exist on their own, that no one has ever led or is leading the development of anti-Christian ideology. This is a deep mistake. In fact, from the moment of the emergence of Christianity, the leaders of anti-Christian forces, without ceasing, waged an irreconcilable struggle against Christianity and the cycle of ideas associated with it.

“During the 19th centuries,” writes N.A. Butmi in the study “Kabbalah, heresies and secret societies,” “various heresies and secret societies undermine Christianity and Christian civilization. The teachings of these heresies and secret societies are based more or less on the Jewish Kabbalah." At first, this struggle was waged through various kinds of religious heresies, and subsequently, from the moment of the organization of Freemasonry, through Freemasonry. “It is very interesting,” writes N. A. Butmi, “the fact that in England the establishment of Freemasonry coincided with the mental movement known under the name of deism.”

The main representatives of this movement, expressed in passionate preaching religious freedom, tolerance and infallibility of Reason, were Toland, Collins, Tyndall, Shubb and Bolingbroke.

Collins in 1712, in his work “Discourse on Free Thought, concerning the emergence and development of the so-called Sect of Free Thoughts,” writes: “What can reveal the truth to us, if not the free use of thought.”

In 1720, Toland, in his essay “Godliness,” expressed the following thoughts: “All is God, and God in All, the eternal, infinite God, who has NEVER BEEN BORN and will never die, in whom all people live, move and coexist.” And further: “Reason is the only and highest law; he is the light and clarity of life.”

If Toland's slogan was, "No dogmatic doctrine," and Shubba's, "No dogmatic Christianity," Bolingbroke's slogan was, "No Christianity at all."

The history of the development of anti-Christian ideas, the propaganda of Reason as the highest principle of life goes in parallel with the development of various rituals of Freemasonry. The history of Freemasonry is the humiliation of Christ and Christianity and the tireless proclamation of the praises of Reason and Man.

All more or less major “free-thinking” thinkers in Europe since the emergence of Freemasonry in England were either Freemasons or were influenced by the ideas developed by Freemasons. This applies entirely to that circle of French philosophers who are known as “Enlighteners.” Some of them, like Voltaire, were Freemasons, others were ideological students of Masonic philosophy. The worldwide success of the atheistic philosophy of the “enlighteners” is due to the systematic work of Masonic lodges.

124. “The worldwide success of this literature,” writes the former Freemason Copen, “is usually attributed to the “sign of the times,” or the talent of the authors, or the height of the ideas preached. But at that time there were many talented writers besides the so-called encyclopedists, and they did not enjoy the resounding success that befell these creators of “educational literature.” As for the “height of ideas,” many states have now become convinced through bitter experience that these ideas are simply disastrous for any human society that accepts them. The success of “educational literature” was actually PREPARED AND ORGANIZED... Advertising for encyclopedists was done by Masonic lodges, because they belonged to Freemasonry and wrote under the inspiration of the lodges.” “Special organizations were established by Freemasonry, thanks to which the works of philosophers were distributed free of charge throughout France and abroad.”

Masonic symbolism

125. In addition to these pseudo-philosophical works, secret Masonic printing houses published a mass of lampoons, pamphlets, epigrams, and anecdotes, which were published either without the name of the author, or under the name of deceased authors. Here is the frank confession of one of the Masons: “Most of the books that appeared at that time against religion, against morality, against the government were published by us; they were composed either by the members of the community themselves, or at our request; Before printing, we corrected or shortened them depending on the conditions at this moment, then they invented the title and the name of the author in order to hide the true origin of the book; what you considered to be the posthumous publications of Frere, Boulanger and others like “Christianity Unveiled”, etc. works - all this came from our community. We first printed the corrected book on good paper in a limited number of copies in order to offset the costs of publication, and then produced a huge number of copies on the cheapest paper, which we sent to booksellers or book peddlers. The latter, receiving them for free, undertook to distribute them among the people at the lowest price.”

126. Voltaire wrote to Helvetius that the “Christian Educator” (as the common textbook of that time was called) “is contrasted with small philosophical books that are cleverly put to use; they are distributed freely to certain individuals, and they distribute them among young men and women.”

127. “From these books,” Voltaire wrote to Count Argental in 1766, “German youth learn to read, they become the world’s catechism from Baden to Moscow.”

128. Secretary of the Grand Orient of France Vaso said in one of his speeches: “There was and could not be a struggle between Freemasonry and the great philosophers (Helvetius, Voltaire, Rousseau, Condores), since their goal is the goal of both.”

129. “In the 18th century,” writes the prominent freemason Malyapert, “freemasonry was so widespread that, starting from this era, NOTHING WAS DONE OR SAID WITHOUT HIS CONSENT.”

130. Masonic historian G. Martin claims that even before the revolution of 1789, Freemasonry “controlled the opinion of parliaments.”

Historian Henri Martin confirms the validity of G. Martin’s statement, pointing out that in “the history of France, before the revolution of 1789, lodges were instruments of philosophy and laboratories of revolution.”

131. In “Confessions of a Sinner” by the former Freemason Pierre Chaliu we read: “It was the spring of 1789, when the ideas of freedom fermented in all minds; I was all the more fascinated by them because they were the same as the ideas I gleaned from Freemasonry.”

What ideas did Freemasonry support and support?

Freemasonry is the cradle of most liberal and revolutionary teachings, which were born since the emergence of Freemasonry. This has long been recognized by Freemasonry itself. Quote 103 contains a significant extract from the Masonic magazine Symbolism, which states that “Freemasonry concentrates the efforts of all revolutionary minds.”

Freemasonry and after french revolution continuously supplied more and more anti-Christian and anti-monarchist ideas to the ideological market.

“Establish new principles, ALL NEW PRINCIPLES, and do not think about the consequences,” taught the founder of the Illuminati Masonic order, Adam Weishaupt.

132. “We will always remain ardent soldiers of the revolutionary idea. See in Freemasonry not an imitation of the philanthropic and political societies of the profane world, but a school of practical life wisdom,” instructs the French Masonic magazine.

And during the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, Freemasonry tirelessly threw new and new anti-Christian ideas onto the market. It always supports and promotes those philosophers, sociologists, writers, religious innovators, artists and musicians who, in one form or another, contribute to the destruction of Christianity, Christian society and existing traditions.

All successful teachings of the last three centuries basically boil down to the refutation of Revelation, the Appearance of Christ and the denial of the God-Man and the affirmation of the idea of ​​the Man-God. Freemasonry supported only those teachings that did not contradict the following unchangeable dogma of Freemasonry: “Since our order exclusively wants to liberate the purely human and human, it does not recognize any difference in the institutions of the Church, religions, but only one person.”

“By attracting the intelligentsia into its ranks,” writes Great Russian in the essay “Modern Freemasonry,” Freemasonry achieves this by influencing its spiritual interests through propaganda, mainly through the press, of certain ideas useful for the purposes of the Order, clothed in the form of seductive ones to raise their prestige popular – scientific doctrines. Along with this, the free mason brothers are no less concerned about developing among the general public a spirit of irreconcilable criticism and condemnation of everything that for some reason interferes with the implementation of their plans.

If we take into account what weak scientific training the modern school provides everywhere, then the ease of taking over our minds through the capture of all our consciously perceived further education by the press alone becomes understandable, which is actually observed everywhere. Reading throughout our lives only newspapers, which have long replaced not only the serious book, but also the reputable magazine from everyday life, we involuntarily see and understand everything only in the light in which it corresponds to the interests of our intangible mentors-editors and their higher BACKSTAGE INSPIRATIONS. This important point was skillfully taken into account by the occult leaders of Freemasonry when they developed methods of attracting the attention and sympathy of the masses of the intelligent public.

For most of the last century, the main agent of the spread of the ideas of Freemasonry was liberalism, which was revered as the highest ideal of human wisdom by the intelligent classes who loved to adorn themselves with the title of liberals. Unquestioning fulfillment of the motto of Freemasonry “Liberty, Equality and Fraternity” (Article 1 of the Charter of the Order of the Grand Orient of France) since the French Revolution was mandatory for everyone who wanted to be considered a progressively educated person.

The wide dissemination of the ideas of liberalism contributed to the success of the further steps of Freemasonry, which then successively put forward opportunism, radicalism, materialism and socialism, which were greeted as enthusiastically as new revelations due to the blinding of wide circles of the intelligentsia, already accustomed to slavishly bow to everything that came from the preachers of the doctrines of liberalism.

Before the eyes of real scientists, something amazing was happening: the most difficult problems of science were developed by publicists in a whole stream of popular articles, and the confidence and certainty of judgments increased precisely where there was the least competence. What serious scientists approached cautiously through long and difficult research, the popularizers of knowledge hastily and frivolously generalized in short, fashionable, flying buzzwords, picked up by the “advanced intelligentsia”, who in this way received the opportunity, with the appearance of a competent expert, to prove on supposedly scientific grounds what is far from incorrect and only accepted. hearsay of the situation. Thus, for example, speculative science instilled in the broad masses a materialistic worldview with the express purpose of destroying all their idealistic foundations of life.”

Any independently expressed opinion that did not agree with the teachings of the Freemasons and those who served them was subjected to the most relentless and cruel persecution, slander or silence. In this regard, an example close to us was the branding of the great talents Gogol and Dostoevsky as mentally abnormal, who dared to think differently than the Masonic seducers of the Russian intelligentsia wanted. In our country, the internationally revered scientist D.I. Mendeleev was also subjected to complete silence for his deep Russian views.

“When in the first years of the 20th century the unscientific nature of Darwin’s theory, so kind to the goals of Freemasonry, and the bankruptcy of many of the basic provisions of the humanities (especially socialist theories and economic materialism) were proven, when some thinkers allowed themselves to declare that science did not live up to the expectations placed on it in relation to the development absolute truths and ethical principles of behavior, when some political leaders began to have doubts about the benefit of the widespread popularization of education and alarming fears about the insurmountable difficulties of governing a half-educated people, then Freemasonry, enraged by such an obvious attack on its dogma of progress, released suffocating gases against such intolerant heresies. Science was declared in danger and divided into “real” science, consistent with Masonic ideology, and “fake” science, diverging from this ideology. Literature and art suffered the same fate.

Through such methods of purely speculative science, a materialistic worldview was instilled in the broad masses with the obvious goal of destroying all their idealistic foundations of life.

The press, led by the Freemasons, deliberately, for this purpose, engaged in training the public’s mind in a certain direction, contemptuously ridiculing the concepts of religion, morality, honor, duty, love of the fatherland, and the tradition of native history. The whole meaning of man's earthly existence came down exclusively to mechanical functions, closely related to the supposedly inevitable laws of evolution for all the world. Labor discipline, the desire for order, subordination to the whole, diligence, frugality, property were presented as backward reactionary concepts that only prevent the masses from organizing their earthly life pleasantly and cheerfully.

Freemasonry takes special credit for preaching all these doctrines as a desire to establish the dominion of liberal progress beneficial for humanity.”

Freemasonry, occultism and theosophy

“But,” writes Great Russian, “at the beginning of the 20th century, among the most independent-thinking part of the intelligentsia, who had faith in the scientific immutability of the doctrines of economic liberalism, searches for problems of mystical intuitions appeared. Immediately this movement also finds its speculator in the person of the same Freemasonry, which very carefully and skillfully uses this turn for its plans. Through advertising, an unprecedentedly wide popularity among the helplessly wandering semi-educated masses of the intelligentsia is created by those scientists and theosophists whose sermons are especially close to the ideas of Freemasonry. Thus, for example, the one-time fashionable “prince of modern philosophy,” the French Jew Henri Bergson, appeared, whose lectures at the College de France in Paris attracted well-dressed society ladies and all sorts of dandies as if they were attending a concert or the first performance of a famous ballerina.”

At the same time, the secret sciences of various kinds of theosophists, occultists and spiritualists began to receive the attention of the same society of ordinary people. This dark area of ​​quest is even more widely used by Freemasonry.

For the first time, these quests received a well-known organizational association in 1875, when the Theosophical Society was founded in New York by our compatriot H. P. Blavatsky and the American Colonel Olcott. This society set its open goals: 1) to create the core of a world brotherhood of peoples without distinction of nationality, religion, class and gender; 2) to disseminate the comparative study of religions and world knowledge contained in the ancient Asian literature of the Brahmins, Buddhists and followers of Zoroaster and 3) to explore the secrets hidden in nature, mainly the psychic forces “dormant” in man.

Blavatsky and Olcott sought to give the meetings of members of the Theosophical Society the appearance of the mysteries of ancient times, which especially attracted the curiosity of the general public. The Masonic lodges greeted this new endeavor very kindly and willingly contributed to the success of the spread of theosophical doctrines.

After that, the famous Englishwoman Anna Besant stood at the head of the Theosophical Society, dedicated

to the highest degree of the international mixed Masonic order. Her closest collaborator is a former Anglican priest... Freemason Leadbeater. The famous German Jewish occultist Rudolf Steiner also works in the same direction. From its very foundation until now, all the influential figures of the Theosophical Society, forming the highest esoteric section, belonged and belong to Freemasonry.

The Theosophical Society also has its unknown occult inspirers and leaders, called "Mahatmas", who supposedly constitute the "Great White Lodge of Tibet".

The relationship of Freemasonry to socialism and communism

133. The spiritual mother of communism and internationalism is again Freemasonry. Marx and Engels were among the most active organizers and practitioners of secret unions led by Freemasons and aimed at widespread propaganda in both word and deed of the ideas of the “Communist Manifesto.”

Already in 1849, the German Masonic magazine Latomia welcomed the birth of a new Masonic ideological brainchild - socialism: “We,” he wrote, “cannot help but welcome and support socialism as an excellent collaborator of Freemasonry in the ennoblement of humanity and in the pursuit of improving its well-being.” .

134. In “Acacia” we read: “Only in socialism and in socialism applied in all its breadth is the key to solving the social question... We consider it the logical conclusion of the ideas of solidarity of world Freemasonry... The triumph of socialism is inevitable, and Freemasonry should go at the head of the movement , and not be dragged in tow.”

135. “The spirit of the times,” wrote the German Masonic magazine “Tirkul,” “demands from us, brother Masons, that we take control of the social movement and in this direction some lodges have already been found the right way and the right means."

Masons are recruited from bourgeois, educated, bureaucratic, and aristocratic circles. The Freemasons' lackeys - socialists and revolutionaries - are recruited from the lower strata of society. Proletarians are not accepted into the Masons. For proletarians there are organizations led by Freemasons.

136. In art. 258 of the Statute of the Grand Orient of France states: “No one can be admitted to initiation and enjoy the rights associated with the benefits of a Freemason if he does not have sufficient and decent means of subsistence... Freemasonry is a bourgeois society both in terms of the environment from which it is composed and by the expenses it causes."

Without accepting proletarians into its lodges, Freemasonry, however, is active among the lower classes, which it needs as physical strength and which it cynically uses to achieve its goals.

137. “Freemasonry, which prepared the political revolution of 1789,” wrote the Masonic magazine “Acacia,” “must now prepare the socialist one... Freemasons are obliged to go hand in hand with the proletariat. The former have intellectual strength and creativity on their side, while the latter have numerical superiority and destructive means. Their unity will bring about the socialist revolution.”

“From the day when the union of the proletariat and Freemasonry under the leadership of Freemasonry is sealed,” said the International Masonic Congress in Brussels, “we will be an invincible army.”

In March 1882, at the Free Thought Lodge, Freemason Paul Roque said: “Having worked for the political revolution, Freemasonry must also work for the social revolution.”

"Democracy" and Freemasonry

Democracy in theory is the rule of the people, but it is only a brilliant political chimera, created and vigorously supported by all the ramifications and spiritual offspring of Freemasonry. By convincing the man of the masses that he chooses rulers and rules through them, Freemasonry brazenly deceives the crowd.

138. “Freemasonry and democracy are one and the same,” wrote Brother Pannitz, “or even more - Freemasonry should be considered as the army of democracy.”

140. “It is imperative to carry out active propaganda so that Freemasonry will once again take its place as the sole and main inspirer of ideas leading democracy to perfection.”

141. “The 140 lodges, departments and councils of the Grand Orient of France are centers of light scattered throughout the country. Thousands of free citizens visit these lodges, discuss vital issues in them, talk about them in newspapers and defend their opinions in political committees. Little by little, public opinion is created, voters become inspired, express their opinions by universal suffrage, and parliament yields to the will of the people. This is the tactics of Freemasonry and this is how it should be in a democratic system.”

142. “There is not a single law, political, religious, or public education, which would not have been developed in the lodges and perfected at the Masonic convention.”

Freemasonry and political parties

143. “How did Freemasonry achieve power? – puts question dr Ansonno and immediately answers: “Oh, very simple.” Simply, by arranging the election of deputies and senators of Freemasons or those connected with Freemasonry with the help of committees called republican, but which are at hand controlled by agents of the lodges. Apparently the candidates nominated by the congressional hypocrites are very careful not to say that they are Freemasons. This would be dangerous, they call themselves radicals, radical socialists, socialists or, as appropriate, progressives; in a word, they hide behind a label that is favorable to voters, and promise all the reforms that are obviously pleasing to voters. By doing this, they disgustingly deceive the people. These candidates know full well that they will not be able to fulfill their promises. They are connected. Fooled voters can be indignant at their elected representatives as much as they want, but at the next elections, if they manage to fail one or another deputy, then a new protege of the same Masonic lodge takes his place and makes new deceitful promises. A Mason who fails in the elections will always find consolation in the form of a lucrative position or an influential service. It is not for nothing that the Masonic community is a community of mutual responsibility.”

In democratic elections, a very significant circumstance is the single and massive bribery of voters who are indifferent to the common good. Elections require enormous expenses... Obviously, single honest people are simply deprived of the opportunity to participate in parliamentary elections if they are not supported and carried out by rich and influential parties and organizations. Among such organizations, undoubtedly the strongest and richest should be recognized as the world organization of Freemasonry, which for this reason alone wins democratic elections and fills parliaments and governments with its agents.

Masonic-Jewish symbolism, the seal of Solomon - the Star of David

“If the intelligentsia is considered by Freemasonry as a necessary environment for its purposes, from whose composition, by careful screening through a number of special sieves, the senior leaders of the organization are selected, and the ordinary mass forms a contingent of obedient agitators for speeches dictated from behind the scenes, then the working class constitutes for Freemasonry his active force, his crude instrument for achieving, through violence, what was being prepared long before by the zeal of adepts from the intelligentsia.

Revolutionaries of all times have always been very concerned about the incompatibility of simultaneously achieving and widely promoting their goals and keeping the very structure of their organization secret. Most of them had to choose one thing. But the occult leaders of Freemasonry have devised a satisfactory way out of this situation by a combination of the work of Masonic lodges and united workers' organizations.

The task of Masonic lodges is to develop doctrines necessary for the purposes of Freemasonry and disseminate them, permeate the bourgeois, administrative and even governmental environment with them. This work must be done continuously. When a favorable environment for active protests is created, then workers' organizations are put forward for this, in which, under the leadership of experienced and energetic Masons, workers, students, soldiers, sailors and lower administrative agents are attracted in advance.

With such a combination, Freemasonry has at the same time both a corps of zealous propagandists of its ideas (who, in case of failure, can always justify themselves by the fact that they treated this or that issue only on the basis of a strict theory), and an army of ready-made barricade specialists capable of the most desperate enterprises, not excluding political assassinations.

But as soon as the conditions of active struggle clearly do not ensure success, the destructive work of the worker-proletarian organizations ceases, and they quickly disintegrate, with the exception of an extremely small number of cells, which are entrusted with storing the archives and glorious traditions of the bloody struggle for the “rights of humanity.” At this time, bourgeois Freemasonry again appeared on the scene to consolidate its position in the legally“conquests of revolutions” acquired at the cost of blood, betrayal, torture and death of innocent masses of the population.

It took Freemasonry centuries of practice and speculative research to develop the outlined method of alternating the use of propaganda suggestions on the minds, and revolutionary excesses that fundamentally capture the entire environment of everyday life of the average person. To achieve this, Freemasonry in each country was forced to create its own numerous active elements and ready-made headquarters, not to mention the mysterious accumulation of enormous monetary funds, without which, of course, not a single political and tactical operation could even have arisen.

The very methods of influence on the working classes and proletariat by the inspirers of revolutionary movements are now quite monotonous everywhere. If Masonic poison penetrates into intellectual circles through the press and popular articles, then it also influences workers through its specialized literature, street newspapers-leaflets (the fabulously low selling price of which is actually many times less than the cost of their publications), penny brochures, appeals, proclamations, cartoons, films, various kinds of lectures and popular courses. Even attempts to widely popularize scientific knowledge in democratic circles through the creation of so-called People's Universities, as our zealous preacher of humanitarian teachings, Prof. N. Kareev, set the goal of “propaganda of a certain worldview.”

144. “It is necessary for Freemasonry to become what it should be, that is, a master and not a servant of political parties.”

145. “We are a large society,

mute to the outside world, which seeks only to collectively express its ideas and fill the entire country with them. Our desire is to pour into the masses

our thoughts... We find our satisfaction in seeing how our thoughts are grafted.”

146. “All political institutions are at present, quite naturally, in the hands of the Freemasons.”

147. “The Brotherhood of Freemasons,” states paragraph 4 of the Russian lodge “Phoenix,” “is not any political party. It stands OUTSIDE the parties, ABOVE the parties, ABOVE the parties. For every party is something temporary and local, narrow and dogmatic, and unites people on the basis of transient selfish interests.”

148. “Since the League of Human Rights brought together all parties and groups of the left and extreme left for the purpose of practical organization of the defense of public freedoms and individual freedom, the Grand Lodge of France established unity with it.”

Masonic tactics of struggle for power

149. Weishaupt, the founder of the most revolutionary variety of Freemasonry - the Order of the Illuminati, one of the main organizers of the French Revolution, wrote in his instructions about exclusion from the highest degrees: “Leave aside the rude, ignorant fools who do not benefit from saying this, since some benefit can be extracted from their stupidity. Having no soul, they at least have escuds (money). These people - good people, and we need them. These good people make up the numbers and fill the cash register... So let's get to work; It is necessary that these gentlemen fall for the bait, but we will be very careful not to give them our secrets. This class of individuals must be confident that the degree they have is the highest.”

150. One Masonic instruction advises “nothing should be neglected in order to attract into our order members who are foremost in the clergy, among civil and military authorities, youth organizations, not excluding kings and princes, and most importantly - their children, their advisers and ministers and, in the end, all those whose interests would be opposed to our doctrine. It is necessary to spread with all the cunning and in the most seductive form the germ of our dogmas and accustom them in this way insensitively and so that they do not suspect the blow that should destroy them.”

151. Louis Blanc, Freemason and revolutionary, writes: “Thanks to a skillful mechanism, Freemasonry found fewer enemies than patrons among the princes and nobility. The sovereigns liked the way Frederick the Great took a mason's shovel and wrapped himself in an apron. Why not? The existence of higher degrees was carefully hidden from them; they knew about Freemasonry only what could be explained to them.”

152. The Italian Freemason, Jew Picollo, gave the following advice: “In view of the fact that we are not yet able to say our last word, it has been found useful and appropriate to spread light everywhere and shake up everything that tends to move. To achieve everything, we recommend that you try to connect as much as possible larger number persons to all kinds of congregations, but on condition that complete secrecy prevails in them. Italy is covered with religious brotherhoods and penitents of all shades; try to let our people into these flocks controlled by stupid piety; let them carefully study the persons included in these brotherhoods, and then they will be convinced that there is no lack in the harvest. Under a simple pretext (but by no means a political or religious one), create, or better yet force others to create, various unions and communities aimed at trade, industry, music, and the arts. Gather your ignorant flocks in certain places (even in temples and chapels), place at their head some pious but gullible priest, who would be in good standing, but who would be easy to deceive; then inject poison into selected hearts in small doses, do it as if by accident, and you will soon be surprised by the results obtained.” “The main thing is to separate a person from his family and make him lose his family habits. By the very nature of his character, every person is predisposed to flee from household worries and seek entertainment and forbidden pleasures. Gradually accustom him to be burdened by your daily labors; when you finally separate him from his wife and children and prove to him the difficulty of all family circumstances, instill in him the desire to change his lifestyle. Man is born rebellious; kindle in him this feeling of rebellion to the point of fire, but, however, make sure that this fire does not grow. This should only serve as preparation for a great undertaking.” “Having instilled in some souls an aversion to family and religion (one inevitably follows the other), arouse in them the desire to join the nearest lodge. Belonging to a secret society usually flatters the vanity of the common man so much that every time I am delighted with human stupidity. I am surprised that not all people have yet joined the ranks of the chosen workers in the construction of Solomon’s Temple.” “Mystery always has a great charm for people, and being a member of a lodge, feeling outside the care of a wife and children, being called upon to keep some terrible secret (which, by the way, is never trusted), all this gives pleasure and pride to some natures. True, the lodges are of little use in terms of their activities - they have more fun and drink there, but they serve as a sort of storage point, a crucible through which one must pass in order to get to us.”

INTRODUCTION

Freemasonry is the most interesting phenomenon in the history of mankind, which differently and the exact opposite is characterized and assessed by historians to this day. This problem is of great scientific importance, since the history of Freemasonry is still a special and very complex subject of study, due to the fact that few reliable sources have survived. Freemasonry is characterized by the interconnection of the world of biblical ideas, concepts, images, as well as the anti-world, which includes what opposes them. This gives rise to many assumptions about the essence of Freemasonry.

The purpose of this work: to study the activities and influence of Freemasonry on society in the Belarusian lands from the end of the 18th to the 20th centuries.

The tasks that were set during the writing of this work are as follows:

Study the organization, main goals and principles of Freemasonry

Research the activities of Masonic lodges on the territory of Belarus (late 18th - first quarter of the 19th century)

Consider the influence of the brothers of Masonic lodges on society in the Belarusian and Lithuanian lands in 1825-1920.

To write this work, the following methods were used: the method of classification and systematization, the method of deduction and induction, the analytical method, the method of generalization, the method of scientific abstraction.

One of the distinctive features of Masonic organizations is that they never speak out, openly, never refute, never respond to either praise or attacks.

For writing course work The book by V.V. Shved was used. "Between Poland and Russia: socio-political life on the lands of Belarus (1772 - 1863.)" which sets out in detailed form the basic essence and principles of the activities of Masonic organizations on the territory of Belarus.

A number of information for this work were taken from the “Encyclopedia of History of Belarus”, which reflects the history of the activities of Masonic lodges in Belarus. .

We used the work “Guide to the Secrets of Freemasonry” by S.P. Karpacheva. The organization of Freemasonry and its essence are given in most detail in this study. In the monograph “Essays on the history of the movement of free masons in Belarus,” S. M. Rybchonka, also used to prepare the course work, analyzes Freemasonry in the Belarusian lands (late 18th – first quarter of the 19th century).

We also used electronic resources: Belarusian Wikipedia / Freemasonry and Dmitry Galkovsky’s Virtual Server, where Belarusian figures of Masonic lodges are listed.

FREEMASONRY: ORGANIZATION, MAIN GOALS AND PRINCIPLES

The Order of Freemasons, now known in all countries of European culture, traces its ancestry back to the very modest origins of the London Club of the early 18th century.

Until the last quarter of the last century, the term “Freemason” was usually contrasted with the short term “Mason”, as denoting not mason-workers (or operational masons, as they said in England), but mason-thinkers (speculative masons), by name only those who associated themselves with the corresponding craft shop. In particular, they were seen either as “Knights of the Temple”, hiding under the guise of Freemasons after the defeat of their order by Philip the Fair, or as a group of scientists and philosophers who joined the Masonic guild in order to hide their humanitarian and philanthropic goals from a government hostile to them.

The ancestors of modern Freemasons, who bore the same name, were undoubtedly real masons, and the addition of the word “free” (free, frank) to the name of their craft originally had a professional and not a social meaning. The word freemason has been found in English documents since the last quarter of the 16th century, according to the most probable hypothesis put forward in 1887 by an English architect.

These were the sculptoreslapidumliberorum known in England during the Gothic era (the first mention was in a document of the early 13th century) - “free stone masons.” “Freestones, in contrast to ordinary stones, were softer stones in England, such as marble and limestone, used for finer, bas-relief work. By shortening a long term, according to this hypothesis, the English word freemason came about.

In the era of the Gothic style, Freemasons were, in any case, a more skilled category of skilled, as they would say now, construction workers. Later, with the decline of the Gothic style, the distinction between the two categories of masons lost its practical significance, as a result of which the idea of ​​the exact meaning of both terms disappeared: already in the 14th century, the guilds of masons were called indifferently either simply Masonic or Freemasonic.

Today there are many interpretations of what Freemasonry is. The literature on Freemasonry offers a variety of definitions, summarized in several groups:

* The first of them can be conditionally defined as ethical-psychological. She views Freemasonry as a “state of mind,” “an amazingly beautiful system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols,” “a spiritual teaching about constant self-improvement.”

* The second group puts the organizational principle at the forefront, considering Freemasonry as a “religious and philosophical society”, a “religious and moral movement”. Obviously, a synthesizing approach to defining the phenomenon under consideration most adequately reflects the state of affairs. O.F. Soloviev considers Freemasonry to be “an alloy of certain organizational and spiritual principles.”

Freemasonry, according to the most common definition in modern historiography, is nothing more than a “religious, philosophical and political movement.” Of course, Freemasonry is first and foremost an organization. There is no Mason outside the Order, outside the lodge. These principles are evidenced by the statutes of the Orders of Freemasons. For example, the Constitution of the Grand Orient of France defines Freemasonry as “a philanthropic, philosophical and progressive institution,” and the charter of the Grand Lodge of France as “an initiatory Order based on the principles of fraternity.” The Constitution of the Grand National Lodge of France defines Freemasonry as “a free Association of independent people whose goal is to put into practice the ideals of Peace, Love and Fraternity.” The Order of Freemasons is a universal and traditional initiatory Order, it is a Brotherhood of initiated men of all races, nationalities and creeds, working together for the knowledge of the universal principles of existence and for the revelation of the highest spiritual principle in man."

At the same time, the specificity of Freemasonry as an organization is that access to it is open to people who have certain ethical and psychological qualities. As history shows, the association of individuals was of the most varied orientation: from mystics and occultists to rationalists, from believers to atheists, from conservatives to ardent progressives. However, those joining the brotherhood of free masons must:

*Have the intention to make every effort to do good man even better, so that he follows the Divine laws, strives for knowledge of himself and the world;

* Use time conscientiously, dividing it between honoring the Lord, work, recreation and service to society, using your mental and physical abilities in the best possible way;

Striving for the highest moral principles, Masons must be socially active, since Freemasonry aims to improve all mankind. This goal is achievable only through the moral, physical and mental improvement of each person. The obstacles on this path are religion and nation-states, which must be destroyed. Criticism of historical religions and the church occupies an important place in the activities of Freemasons. At the same time, the war with God, the church and the clergy does not yet mean the abolition of religions, faith in general, but on the contrary, the Masons are creating a new religion - the religion of humanitarianism, where humanity takes the place of God, and they are replacing the old religion with a new one - moral solidarity. There is another not unimportant task of Freemasonry (along with the fight against religion, religious morality, the church and the clergy) - the destruction of national statehood.

Freemasonry sees and strives for the ultimate ideal, namely to create a super state. The main features in it will be freedom, equality, brotherhood and whose god is humanity (whose morality is not religious and in which human reason will be the measure of all things). The implementation of all these ideas is modeled within the framework of Masonic lodges and in numerous rituals and complex symbols.

Thus, we can say that Freemasonry is a philosophical, ethical and socio-psychological phenomenon of social and spiritual life, based on organizational principles and presenting certain ethical requirements to its members:

* Freemasons accept people of any ethnic group on Earth into the Brotherhood.

* Freemasons claim that all people have equal rights. A person's worth is measured by his merits, not by his origin, religion, social status or fortune.

* Freemasons respect the faith and ideals of other people and try to be equally kind and understanding towards all people.

* tirelessly strive for the Truth and believe that nothing can justify a Lie.

* treat everyone openly and without prejudice.

Freemasons showing mercy:

* understand by it a sincere desire for the good of all people.

* direct it not only in relation to Masons and members of their families, but to every person and the whole society.

* donate as much to charity as their condition allows, and work free of charge for the brotherhood.

Along with the basic ethical principles, the basic principles of the Order are also highlighted: Each Freemason confirms his faith in God and in the immortality of the Soul. Freemasons strongly believe in religious freedom. They believe that how he worships God is his business and his alone, and how other Freemasons worship God is their business and theirs alone. Freemasonry does not offer any path to Salvation. Every Mason should look for it where he worships God, which is only encouraged and approved by the Brotherhood.

Because religion and politics so often cause discord among people, these issues are prohibited from discussion in the Masonic Lodge. Freemasonry seeks to bring all people of all faiths together in a Brotherhood based on mutual respect to work together for the benefit of those in need. If a Mason's religion requires him to live a life of caring and helping those less fortunate in life, Freemasonry will offer him a variety of ways to live out his compassionate passion. In this matter Freemasonry strives to become the ideal companion of any moral religion. A Freemason should never place his duties to Freemasonry above his duties to his family, to God and to his country.

The mission, goals and values ​​of Freemasons is to become worthy citizens, observing the highest moral principles, the most important of which are equality, mercy and honesty.

The direct predecessors of the Freemasons were medieval masons, builders of cathedrals in Western Europe, from which the very name of the brotherhood came - “Freemasons” or “Freemasons”. The flourishing of Gothic architecture raised the authority of builders, especially craftsmen and architects. At that time, even God was sometimes depicted as an Architect applying a builder's compass to the Earth.

It was at this time that the legend of Hiram, the builder of the temple of the biblical King Solomon, received a special resonance, which formed the basis of the sacraments of Freemasonry of modern and modern times, along with the rituals of medieval building lodges. The Bible text twice mentions Hiram, the head of construction work for King Solomon. Hiram divided his subordinates (depending on professional qualities and diligence) into three categories, placing masters above apprentices. Each category received its own password, identification marks and rituals. One day the apprentices decided to find out the masters' password. They waylaid Hiram as he entered the Temple and closed three exits. Under threat of death, the apprentices demanded that their mentor tell them the treasured word, but he chose to die rather than reveal the secret. The apprentice buried Hiram's corpse on a hill. Seven days later, Solomon, alarmed by the disappearance of his architect, ordered nine craftsmen to find him. After an arduous search, Hiram's grave, over which a light shone, was found. Having marked this place with an acacia branch (it became one of the symbols of Freemasonry), the masters returned to the palace and informed Solomon about the sad discovery. He ordered Hiram's body to be brought to the Temple. But the corpse has decayed. The exclamation of the master who was the first to discover this - “The corpse has decayed!” and became the password that was passed on in Masonic lodges from master to master. Another passage in the Bible that talks about Hiram calls him “the son of a widow.” Hence his followers, as the Masons considered themselves, also began to be called “sons of the widow.”

According to this legend, initiation rites are performed in Masonic organizations, for example: to the degree of Apprentice and Master.

Entry into the Masonic fraternity is carried out on the recommendation of its respected members, after the newcomer has passed a probationary period, which ended with many hours of stay in the reflection room. If the brothers recognized the newcomer as worthy to begin Spiritual Work, he was accepted into the lodge as a student, and sometimes immediately as an apprentice.

The initiation ritual was quite complex and was observed in the smallest details, which could differ in different lodges. However, the basic elements of the ritual were very stable over the centuries. Newbie stripped to the knee left leg and the right shoulder, which symbolized complete openness to future life and brothers, they were blindfolded and led in a roundabout way through passages and stairs to the lodge premises. At the same time, he could be subjected to light blows, the test of fire, the touch of swords - this is how his fortitude and courage were tested.

In the box, the bandage was abruptly removed from him and a bright light was directed into his face. The initiate found himself in front of a dais on which the coffin stood. In this coffin lay a “dead man” - either one of the brothers playing the role of a dead man, or a skeleton or doll. In Masonic ritual, the symbols of death - a skull, a coffin with bones and others - played a vital role. Undoubtedly, there was an element of gaming mystery, “not scary” horror, which invariably attracts people.

Initiation to the degree of Master: a mourning curtain, decorated with pearls - a symbol of tears, is lowered in the temple. The sun is covered with a veil. In the center of the temple is the Master’s coffin and an acacia branch. Everything is ready for the initiation of the Apprentice to the degree of Master. Deep silence precedes the beginning of the ritual. Initiations to even higher degrees will only confirm the introduction to the degree of Master, decorate with some new qualities, but will not be able to add anything to the essence of what is happening now.

The mentor brother accidentally discovered that the Apprentice was wandering around the temple, “immersed in deep meditation.” He seeks Light, reward for his work. He is waiting for a Master's degree. The Venerable One carefully examines his hands and apron. They are untainted. The apprentice must step over Hiram's coffin and stand at the feet of the late Master, looking in the opposite direction. Just as the identification of the living with the deity took place, so it is now - the Apprentice from this moment Hiram. The coffin in which the Master's body was previously imprisoned is now empty and ready to receive the Master. The initiate experiences with Hiram his entire life and terrible death. Now he's Hiram. All brothers take part in “awakening” the master from sleep. The Venerable One, assisted by two Overseers, "raises" Hiram, placing "hand on hand, foot on foot, knee on knee, chest on chest."

Hiram is resurrected. He is resurrected to life in a new Master who takes the oath. The other Masters greet him joyfully. The Worshipful Master extols praises to the Great Architect of the Universe for the fact that “the Master has been found and his face is brighter than before.” The Overseers ask the brothers to unite to "celebrate the return of light and truth." In some parts of the world, this legend is still dramatized.

The description of the ritual of that time makes it possible to feel the mystery and mystery of this action, which attracted people who were seeking, creative, with a rich imagination and intelligence.

Under the influence of this legend, the central symbol of Freemasonry became the Temple, which is a symbol of the great Work, the creation of the divine and human. Erected according to the eternal plan of the Great Architect of the Universe, the Temple is also a symbol of the World Order. And the World Order is reflected in the brotherhood of free masons. The temple is also a symbol of supreme beauty and spirituality. Each Mason, through painstaking work on himself, must erect a Spiritual Temple within himself. Entering the lodge, which according to the ritual is itself a projection of the Temple and a model of the universe, the novice, under the guidance of the Master, begins Work on a rough stone that symbolizes the natural state of man. The initiate begins to build himself, for man, his spirit, and his body are also the “Temple of the Lord.”

“Every word, every sound, every step, movement is a reflection. The temple essentially fills the physical and spiritual vision of the brothers” - with these words one of the Masons conveyed his purely intimate experience of the ritualism and symbolism associated with the Masonic temple.

The organizational structure of Freemasonry in its heyday is well shown in the Lithuanian example, which looks like this (Appendix 1). According to Appendix 1, the Litvinian lodges were subordinate to the Great Polish Sunrise, which included capitular lodges, as well as the provincial Litvinian lodge. Moreover, five symbolic lodges were subordinate to the last lodge.

The organizational structure of the Masonic order involves the gradual ascent of brothers to the top of the Masonic hierarchy along the ladder of degrees, during which they become acquainted with the symbols and rituals of the order, which the Masons have always guarded behind three locks and three keys. In essence, speaking, symbolism and ritual are a kind of world language of the Masons, understandable only to them.

The main, basic degrees of Freemasonry are only the first three: student, journeyman (comrade) and master. Everything else - only the subsequent superstructure over them, the construction in them - was accompanied by magnificent and solemn rituals.

The Masonic degrees (lodges) themselves are divided into:

* symbolic (student, journeyman, master),

* average or capitular,

* and higher or philosophical.

So from the capitular degrees the most important is the 18th, Rosicrucian (Appendix 2). Of the philosophical ones - the degree of “kadosh”, the saint - the 30th. Are the last three degrees considered administrative?; They hold the real power in the order. The first three degrees make up the so-called “blue” (blue) Freemasonry. Degrees 4 to 18 form “red” Freemasonry. "Black" or philosophical Freemasonry consists of degrees from the 19th to the 29th. Finally, the so-called administrative degrees (30th - 33rd) form the so-called “white” Freemasonry. Masons are raised to the 4th to 18th degrees by the Chapter, and to the 19th to 30th degrees by the Areopagus. Ritual scientific councils for raising to powers from the 31st to the 33rd are called, respectively, the supreme court, the supreme consistory and the supreme council.

The main unit of the Masonic fraternity is the lodge. The Masonic lodge is a whole world, the symbolic image of which in the form of a rectangle corresponds to the designation of the universe by Ptolemy. At the same time, this is also the room where the brothers gather for their work.

At the head of the box is a manager, or master of the chair (venerable, chairman).

The remaining positions are as follows: 1st and 2nd overseers, secretary (keeper of the seal), rhetorician, ritual leader, treasurer, gatekeeper and others. The head of an entire union of lodges is called the Grand Master. If there are many lodges, they are united into a grand lodge, which, in turn, allocates a narrower Chapter or Directory to govern them. The very structure of grand lodges can be either hierarchical (Scottish Freemasonry) or representative, elective (St. John's Freemasonry).

The main work of each degree was to prepare and accept a brother into their degree. The symbol of the student was a rude natural stone, and the main activity is processing yourself, in accordance with your abilities and strengths. The combed cubic stone was a symbol of the journeyman.

Every year on March 1 (the first day of the Masonic year), elections for lodge administrators took place. They were elected for one year: the master of the department, his deputy, the keeper of the seal, the rhetorician, the treasurer, the judge and the elmuznik (alms collector), etc. The viceroy mainly assisted the master, and when the master was not there, he managed the affairs of the lodge. The next position in the lodge hierarchy is rhetorician. His duties included a thorough knowledge of the Statute, traditions and regulations of the order in order to defend them. He spoke on every case and gave an opinion in accordance with the rights of the Masons. The next positions are treasurer and judge. The lodge's budget and financial calculations were under the tutelage of the former. The second was in charge of the brothers' legal affairs. The last position was that of an elmuznik; his responsibility was to collect and distribute money to help the poor, he visited sick brothers and petitions for help were submitted in his name. There were many other positions that usually managed their business in accordance with the secular, for example, doctors monitored the health of brothers, lawyers - judges and rhetoricians, musicians - directors or brothers of harmony, office workers - secretaries, etc.

The box opens with the blow of the venerable master’s hammer, urging the brothers “to order.” Holding hands in a special way, they form a sacred Masonic chain, a symbol of the unity of brothers of all countries. After this, the warden of the lodge goes to the altar and greets the master. He then opens the Bible and places on it the square and compass, symbols of straightness and measure. Locality, where the box is located, is usually called “Sunrise”. As a rule, the highest Masonic government is also called “Sunrise”.

The founding charter for the opening of works is called the Constitution.

Thus, Freemasonry is a philosophical, ethical and socio-psychological phenomenon of social and spiritual life, based on organizational principles and presenting certain ethical requirements to its members.

From the very first days of its existence, the organization of Freemasons was considered a secret, where the uninitiated were not accepted. They established a ritual of admission into their organization and some rituals. For the most part, these were deeply religious people who looked at their construction activities as an imitation of the Great Architect, the Builder of Worlds, from which God received from them the name of the Great Architect and the Great Builder.

Faith in the Higher Power that guides the development of life in the Universe, the brotherhood of all people and nations, the community and unity of religions and service to the common good have become the basic principles of the teachings of the Freemasons.

The organizational structure of the Masonic order involves the gradual ascent of brothers to the top of the Masonic hierarchy along the ladder of degrees, during which they become acquainted with the symbols and rituals of the order. In essence, speaking, symbolism and ritual are a kind of world language of the Masons, understandable only to them. The main, basic degrees of Freemasonry are only the first three: student, journeyman (comrade) and master. Everything else - only the subsequent superstructure over them, the construction in them - was accompanied by magnificent and solemn rituals.

Masons of the USA.

The Freemasons are one of the most secretive and controversial religious groups in the world. It is believed that their organization has existed for several centuries, but no one knows exactly how long. Speculation around the Freemasons has not ceased throughout their history, and the most incredible stories are “fueled” from time to time by another scandal about “free masons”.

They will not testify truthfully against each other.

Masons have strict orders to never give truthful testimony against another Mason if he is accused in court. They admit that this may be perjury, but for Freemasons an even greater sin is “failing to protect one’s own.”

2. Handshake

They have a secret handshake.

Although some members of Freemasonry deny this fact to the public, the society has at least one secret Masonic handshake. Supposedly, there are even phrases that Freemasons say only in case of serious danger, which cause other members of the fraternity to rush to the rescue. Mormonism's founder, Joseph Smith, is said to have uttered this phrase in his final moments before his death.

3. “Tu-bal-kain”

They have several secret passwords.

This is one of the most famous facts about Freemasons, but people tend to think that they only have one password. In fact, Masons have several passwords for different occasions and situations. When the person who knew the last syllable of the secret word used for the ceremonies was killed, they replaced the word for the common members of the community with "mor-bon-zee", and very few people know the "real" secret word. “Tu-bal-kain” is the more common secret password that any Mason knows.

4. Loop

Rituals with a loop.

Although the Masons themselves describe the ritual of initiation into members of the fraternity as a beautiful ceremony, one of the attributes in it is a rope loop. It's hard to say whether it's a threat, a call to remain silent, or just a symbol of the umbilical cord (as they themselves claim), but either way, it's quite unusual.

5. Sun

They are obsessed with the sun.

Freemasons believe that the east symbolizes rebirth. They sing of the sun moving across the sky. Masonic lodges are generally oriented east to west in order to "control solar energy for their own purposes."

6. There are no women in the fraternity.

It is impossible for someone who is an atheist to become a Freemason. The first requirement for neophytes is that potential members must believe in a higher power, no matter which one. On the other hand, members of traditionally marginalized groups (such as gays) are accepted into the Freemasons if they adhere to moral principles. However, women are still not accepted into the fraternity.

7. US dollar

Their symbol appears on US dollars.

If you look closely at the American banknote, it’s easy to notice above the pyramid the “all-seeing eye,” which is a symbol of the Freemasons, and under the pyramid the Freemasons’ motto is written in Latin: “new world order.” Many say that the decision to include this Masonic symbol on the bill was not accidental - after all, Benjamin Franklin, who served on the dollar design committee, was a Freemason.

8. Anders Breivik

Anders Breivik is a Freemason.

Breivik, who was responsible for the 2011 massacre in Norway, was a member of St. Olaf Lodge in Oslo. Anders was immediately expelled, but his extent of involvement in the organization is still debated.

9. Apollo Program

Masons played an important role in space exploration.

Some say the Freemasons are about to take over the world - but some Freemasons seem to have their sights set on the moon. The astronauts in the Apollo program, including Buzz Aldrin, were Freemasons. Their ritual flags have been to the Moon and returned back to Earth.

10. Policy and financial control

One of their goals is to control politics and finances.

The official position of Freemasonry is quite well documented, but it is often simply presented in a veiled version. There are a disproportionately large number of Freemasons - half a million - working in England's banking, political and government sectors. Even hospitals and universities are often controlled by Freemasons.

And continuing the topic of this secret society Interesting Facts about the Freemasons in Russia. Yes, yes, they are somewhere nearby!

Characteristics of men