MASONIC MANUAL

Page 60

4G

HISTORY OF

kingdom, am\ withstood the persecution. ::1\fasoury partook of the uational character, and appeared with a pomp and parade unknown in any other counh·y. ~ ew graues wet·e adued, and some of the civil and military religious orders were annexed to the institution. In 1761:1, t.wn letters were received from the grand lodge of Ft·ance, by the gt·and lodge of England, expt·e.ssing a dcsii·e of opening a regulat• correspondence. This was agreed to; and a Book of con. stitotion of England, with a form of deputation, were ordet·cd to be sent to the grand louge of Ft·ance. The number of lodges gt'E'atly increased, and the society enjoyell a high reputation at the beginning of the French l'eYolution; bot several works having been published, charging the lodges with ueeigns hostile to goverment and the chl'istian religion, and aiming at. the suLversion of all social order, tltey were suppressed. Amongst those writers who have attacked }'reemasonry in li'mnce, the Abbe Barruel holds a conspicuous place. In his "Memoit·s of J acobinism," he endeavours to shew that there existed on the confinr.nt, long before the lt'rench revolulion, a tlu·eefohl c.onspit·acy to effect the ruin of the altat·, the throue an<l all social order. 'l'hat the fi.t·st cous}>imcy was formecl by a set of Philosophea·s, who aimed to destroy the altat·s of Jesus Christ and his gospel; the srcond, conspit·ed against the thrones of Kings, and affiilliated tb~msehes to the society of Ft·eemasons ; and the thll'd, undet• the denomination of nlu.minati, formed an union with the two fo1·mer1 and aimed

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