In 1814, Francois de Berckheim, special commissioner of police at Mayence wrote a detailed report on the activities of the Illuminati. He was convinced – and alarmed – that they were growing more powerful. Berckheim reported, “As the principal force of the Illumines lies in the power of opinions, they have set themselves out from the beginning to make proselytes amongst the men who through their profession exercise a direct influence on minds, such as litterateurs, savants, and above all professors. The latter in their chairs, the former in their writings, propagate the principles of the sect by disguising the poison that they circulate under a thousand different forms. “These germs, often imperceptible to the eyes of the vulgar, are afterwards developed by the adepts of the Societies they frequent, and the most obscure wording is thus brought to the understanding of the least discerning. It is above all in the Universities that Illuminism has always found and always will find numerous recruits. Those professors who belong to the Association set out from the first to study the character of their pupils. If a student gives evidence of a vigorous mind, an ardent imagination, the sectaries at once get hold of him. They sound in his ears the words Despotism – Tyranny – Rights of the People, etc. Before he can even attach any meaning to these words, as he advances in age, reading chosen for him, conversations skillfully arranged, develop the germs deposited in his youthful brain. “Soon his imagination ferments, history, traditions of fabulous times, all are made use of to carry his exaltation to the highest point, and before even he has been told of a secret Association, to contribute to the fall of a sovereign appears to his eyes the noblest and most meritorious act … ” Berckheim claimed the authorities were unable to discover the ultimate leaders or penetrate the Order because of its organizational structure. Small cells of five or six would meet together ostensibly to discuss literature or for amusement. There they would receive instructions from intermediaries, strategize, and draft reports to pass back to their intermediaries. The intermediaries would pass along reports to their superiors who reported to unknown leaders above them. Small coteries were hidden in plain sight throughout the world. Each member was required to spy on their associates, their immediate leaders, and their recruits. They also knew they were being spied upon. Initiates were watched for many years before they established the trust of their unknown leaders and rose up the ladder, which made infiltration almost impossible. Berckheim concluded, “At last, when he has been completely captivated, when several years of testing guarantee to the society inviolable secrecy and absolute devotion, it is made known to him that millions of individuals distributed in all the states of Europe share his sentiments and his hopes, that a secret link binds firmly all the scattered members of this immense family, and that the reforms he desires so ardently must sooner or later come about.” Whether the Illuminati disbanded or not, Weishaupt had created a powerful form of organization that was prevalent throughout history. He refined and perfected it. He spawned disciples who used his blueprint. And they spawned others. Subversive secret societies proliferated throughout Europe and instigated worldwide revolutions, which became a dominant feature of the 19th and 20th Centuries.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 02:39:46 +0000
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