The Capstone

"The Capstone"
An attempt to identify the 'Head of the Snake' Secret Societies Order of Hospitallers (link) The Knights Hospitaller, also known as the Order of Hospitallers or simply Hospitallers, were a group of men attached to a hospital in Jerusalem that was founded by Blessed Gerard around 1023 out of which two major Orders of Chivalry evolved, the Order of the Knights of St. Lazarus and the Order of the Knights of St. John, later to be known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. The Hospitallers arose around the work of an Amalfitan hospital located at the Muristan site in Jerusalem, founded around 1023 to provide care for poor, sick or injured pilgrims to the Holy Land. After the Western Christian conquest of Jerusalem in 1099 during the First Crusade, the organisation became a religious and military order under its own charter, and was charged with the care and defence of the Holy Land. Following the conquest of the Holy Land by Islamic forces, the Order operated from Rhodes, over which it was sovereign, and later from Malta where it administered a vassal state under the Spanish viceroy of Sicily. The Order was weakened by Napoleon's capture of Malta in 1798 and became dispersed throughout Europe. It regained strength during the early 19th century as it repurposed itself towards humanitarian and religious causes. The modern continuation of the mediaeval Order is the Roman Catholic Sovereign Military Order of Malta, headquartered in Rome; allied Protestant orders are headquartered in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. The first master of the original Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem was Brother Gerard (whose origins remain a mystery). Although the original traditions may go further back, we believe that in about 1080, with the help of certain merchants and pilgrims, the Benedictine abbey of St Mary in Jerusalem, in which Gerard was probably a monk, established a hospice close to the Holy Sepulchre compound. Its aim was to tend to pilgrims visiting the city and the holy places nearby, as well as the poor and sick. In 1099, the First Crusade entered Jerusalem - and the fame of Blessed Gerard and his hospital soon spread. The hospital was independently endowed; and the number of brothers (and sisters) grew. Before long, the Brotherhood of Hospitallers, dedicated to St John the Baptist, assumed a military as well as a nursing character. The Knights, as well as tending to our lords the sick and the poor, served as armed guards for the Hospital and escorts for visiting pilgrims, in addition to fighting in support of the Crusader kings and princes. The first master of the original Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem was Brother Gerard (whose origins remain a mystery). Although the original traditions may go further back, we believe that in about 1080, with the help of certain merchants and pilgrims, the Benedictine abbey of St Mary in Jerusalem, in which Gerard was probably a monk, established a hospice close to the Holy Sepulchre compound. Its aim was to tend to pilgrims visiting the city and the holy places nearby, as well as the poor and sick. In 1099, the First Crusade entered Jerusalem - and the fame of Blessed Gerard and his hospital soon spread. The hospital was independently endowed; and the number of brothers (and sisters) grew. Before long, the Brotherhood of Hospitallers, dedicated to St John the Baptist, assumed a military as well as a nursing character. The Knights, as well as tending to our lords the sick and the poor, served as armed guards for the Hospital and escorts for visiting pilgrims, in addition to fighting in support of the Crusader kings and princes. The Order was formally recognised in 1113. Pope Paschal II issued a Bull in that year establishing it as an independent religious Order with a legal status recognised and approved by the Holy See. Members of the Order (knights, clerics and serving brothers) took vows of chastity, obedience and personal poverty. By the middle of the twelfth century members were wearing on their black robes the eight-pointed cross of St John. The eight points were soon linked to the eight Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount; but were later linked to the eight tongues, or divisions of the knights into groups defined by language. The Order flourished and soon spread widely throughout Europe, where it was organised into Bailiwicks, Priories and Grand Priories. Their chief purpose was to channel recruits and funds to the headquarters in the East. Those brothers serving at the headquarters came themselves to be organised along roughly linguistic lines into collegiate bodies called Tongues: Provence, Auvergne, France, Italy, Aragon, Castile, England and Germany. Meanwhile, the Order had shifted its headquarters from the Holy Land to Cyprus; and then to Rhodes and later Malta, which it ruled for two centuries (1530-1798) and from which it took the name, Sovereign Military Order of Malta, by which the Roman Catholic Order is still known today. Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem (link) The Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus is one of the orders of chivalry to survive the downfall of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the attempts by the Crusader knights to win control of the Holy Land from the forces of Islam. In theory the Order remained a military one, but with the exception of a brief period in the 17th century it played no military role after 1291. The Order of Saint Lazarus is one of the most ancient of the European orders of chivalry. At the very least it dates back to the time of the Crusader knights. From its foundation in the 12th century, the members of the Order were dedicated to two ideals: aid to those suffering from the dreadful disease of leprosy and the defense of the Christian faith. Today the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem is an international self-governing and independent body, having its own Constitution; it may be compared with a kind of electoral kingdom. According to the said Constitution the Order is nonpolitical, oecumenical or nondenominational, as its membership is open to all men and women being practicing members of the Christian faith in good standing within their particular denomination. Its international membership consists of Roman-catholic, Anglican, Protestant, Orthodox, United, Old Catholic, New Apostolic and other Christians, upholding with their lives, fortunes and honour the principles of Christianity. Traditionally it is organized as a Christian Chivalric Order. The Order is registered in London in accordance with the laws in England. It is both a Military Order of Mercy and a Hospitaller Order dedicated to the care and assistance of the poor and the sick. Its aim is to preserve and defend the Christian faith, to guard, assist succor and help the poor, the sick and dying, to promote and maintain the principles of Christian chivalry and to follow the teachings of Christ and His Holy Church in all its works. With the exception of the present Teutonic Order ("Deutscher Orden") the Order of Saint Lazarus is today the smallest of the orders of Christian chivalry. It is made up of approximately five thousand members in the five continents. The Order sees itself as an oecumenical Christian order whose genesis goes back to the Holy Land, to the crusades and to the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta (link) The Sovereign Military and Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta [short: Order of

Malta] is both a Religious Order of the Roman Catholic Church and a Sovereign under the provisions of International Law. The Order of Malta is a world-wide and supranational institution dedicated to the defence of faith and the service to the poor (tuitio fidei et obsequium pauperum). The Order of Malta has international bodies, Grand Priories and Sub-Priories, National Associations and Relief Organisations. The Order of Malta maintains diplomatic relations with the Holy See and 75 other countries. The Order of Malta maintains relations to International Organisations. The Order of Malta constitutes the sole unbroken continuation of the Order of the Hospital of St. John, which was founded in AD 1099 by Blessed Gérard in Jerusalem. Sovereign Military Order of Malta [SMOM], Order of Malta (link) The Order of St John of Jerusalem is one of the oldest institutions of Western and Christian civilization. Present in Palestine in around 1050, it is a lay religious Order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. Its 13,000 members include Professed Friars and others who have made vows of obedience. The other Knights and Dames are lay members, devoted to the exercise of Christian virtue and charity. What distinguishes the Knights of Malta is their commitment to reaching their spiritual perfection within the Church and to expending their energies serving the poor and the sick. The Order of Malta remains true to its inspiring principles, summarized in the motto “Tuitio Fidei et Obsequium Pauperum”, defense of the Faith and assistance to the poor and the suffering, which become reality through the voluntary work carried out by Dames and Knights in humanitarian assistance and medical and social activities. Today the Order carries out these activities in over 120 countries. Order of St Thomas of Acre (link) The Order of St. Thomas of Acre is an international ecumenical society concerned with fostering of the values of traditional chivalry. The Order was re-established on 8th February 2005. The current order is dedicated to both St.Thomas the Apostle and St. Thomas of Canterbury. It now operates under an official ecclesiastical blessing. The habit adopted is that of the original order - a white mantle bearing a red cross with a scallop shell. The badge of the order is a red cross patonce, with an escallop centrally placed, surmounted by a crown to signify the independence of the new order, placed on a white field. We claim no direct links with the original Crusader order or any revival. Rather the name is chosen to honour those original knights who served in the Holy Land in that little known but uniquely English Hospitaller and Military Order. Assassins (link) The Assassins (Arabic: ‫ الحشاشين‬Ḥashāshīn, also Hashishin or Hashashiyyin, Persian: ‫ / حشيشيون‬Hašišiyun (UniPers)) were an order of Nizari Ismailis, particularly those of Syria and Persia that existed from around 1092 to 1265. Posing a strong military threat to Sunni Saljuq authority within the Persian territories, the Nizari Ismailis captured and inhabited many mountain fortresses under the leadership of the Persian Hassan-i Sabbah. The name 'Assassins' comes from the Arabic Hashishin or "users of hashish" was originally derogatory and used by their adversaries during the Middle Ages; the modern word "assassin" is derived from this name, but Amin Malouf states that "The truth is different. According to texts that have come down to us from Alamut, Hassan-i Sabbah liked to call his disciples Asasiyun, meaning people who are faithful to the Asās, meaning "foundation" of the faith. This is the word, misunderstood by foreign travelers, that seemed similar to "hashish"". Vatican Societies (link) The modern archives of the Holy See were established thanks to Paul V Borghese around 1610, but the roots of the history of the archives of the Roman Pontiffs reach way back in time, linking up with the very origin, nature, activities and development of the Roman Church itself. Right from the apostolic times, the Popes carefully preserved the manuscripts concerning the exercise of their activities. This collection of manuscripts was kept in the scrinium Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae that usually followed the Popes in their various residences, but the fragility of the papyrus, normally used at the papal chancery until the XI Century, the transfers and the political upheavals nearly caused the total loss of all the archival material preceding Innocent III. From the XI Century onwards, when the Roman Pontiff and his Curia gained a central role, the number of offices of the Curia grew, as well as the number of archives, and in the XV Century the most precious documents were taken to Castel S. Angelo. After several projects for the creation of a main archive of the Church, Paul V gave the order to transfer the registers of the Papal bulls and briefs, the books of the Camera and the collections of documents up to the papacy of Pius V included, to the three halls next to the Secret Library (the so-called Sale Paoline). This gave life to a new archive «pro privata Romanorum pontificum commoditate» and «ad publicam studiorum utilitatem», for a total of just over three thousand pieces, of which the most important part included the registers of the papal bulls from Innocent III onwards, (Registra Vaticana). The new archive was called «Vatican Secret Archives». During the XVII Century, the Archives increased considerably, especially under Urban VIII Barberini (the Bulls of Sixtus IV and Pius V; the papers of the Briefs Secretariat from Alexander VI to Pius V, the abundant documentation contained in the Armaria XXXIX-XLV; the books of the Apostolic Camera from Avignon, where they had remained after the end of the Scism; the papers of the Council of Trent), and under Alexander VII, who chose to place the diplomatic correspondence of the Secretariat of State on a specific floor of the Vatican Palaces. Order of Cistercians; (O.Cist.) (link) In 1098, a Benedictine abbot, Robert of Molesme, left his monastery in Burgundy with around twenty supporters, who felt that the Cluniac communities had abandoned the rigours and simplicity of St Benedict's Rule. The abbey church at Cluny, the largest in Europe, had become wealthy from rents, tithes, feudal rights and pilgrims who passed through Cluniac houses on the Way of St. James. The massive endowments, powers and responsibilities of the Cluniac abbots had drawn them into the affairs of the secular world, and their monks had abandoned manual labour to serfs to serve as administrative officials or "choir monks". On March 21, 1098, Robert's small group acquired a plot of marshland just south of Dijon called Cîteaux (Latin: "Cistercium". Cisteaux means reeds in old French), given to them expressly for the purpose of founding their Novum Monasterium. Robert's followers included the

Benedictine monks Alberic, a former hermit from the nearby forest of Colan, and Stephen Harding, a member of an Anglo-Saxon noble family which had been ruined as a result of the Norman conquest of England. During the first year, the monks set about constructing lodging areas and farming the lands of Cîteaux, making use of a nearby chapel for Mass. In Robert's absence from Molesme, however, the abbey had gone into decline, and Pope Urban II, a former Cluniac monk, ordered him to return. The remaining monks of Cîteaux elected Prior Alberic as their abbot, under whose leadership the abbey would find its grounding. Robert had been the idealist of the order, and Alberic was their builder. Upon assuming the role of abbot, Alberic moved the site of the fledgling community near a brook a short distance away from the original site. Alberic discontinued the use of Benedictine black garments in the abbey and clothed the monks in white cowls (undyed wool).[citation needed] He returned the community to the original Benedictine ideal of work and prayer, dedicated to the ideal of charity and self sustenance. Alberic also forged an alliance with the Dukes of Burgundy, working out a deal with Duke Odo the donation of a vineyard (Meursault) as well as stones with which they built their church. The church was sanctified and dedicated to the Virgin Mary on November 16, 1106 by the Bishop of Chalon sur Saône. On January 26, 1108 Alberic died and was soon succeeded by Stephen Harding, the man responsible for carrying the order into its crucial phase. The Order of Cistercians (O.Cist. Latin: Ordo Cisterciensis or, alternately, O.C.S.O. for the Trappists [Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance]) is a Catholic religious order of enclosed monks and nuns. They are sometimes also called the Bernardines or the White Monks, in reference to the colour of the habit, over which a black scapular or apron is sometimes worn. The emphasis of Cistercian life is on manual labour and self-sufficiency, and many abbeys have traditionally supported themselves through activities such as agriculture and brewing ales. The term Cistercian (French Cistercien), derives from Cistercium,[1] the Latin name for the village of Cîteaux, near Dijon in eastern France. It was in this village that a group of Benedictine monks from the monastery of Molesme founded Cîteaux Abbey in 1098, with the goal of following more closely the Rule of Saint Benedict. The best known of them were Robert of Molesme, Alberic of Citeaux and the English monk Stephen Harding, who were the first three abbots. Bernard of Clairvaux entered the monastery in the early 1110s with 30 companions and helped the rapid proliferation of the order. By the end of the 12th century, the order had spread throughout France and into England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Eastern Europe. The keynote of Cistercian life was a return to literal observance of the Rule of St Benedict. Rejecting the developments the Benedictines had undergone, the monks tried to reproduce life exactly as it had been in Saint Benedict's time; indeed in various points they went beyond it in austerity. The most striking feature in the reform was the return to manual labour, especially field-work, a special characteristic of Cistercian life. Cistercian architecture is considered one of the most beautiful styles of medieval architecture[by whom?]. Additionally, in relation to fields such as agriculture, hydraulic engineering and metallurgy, the Cistercians became the main force of technological diffusion in medieval Europe. The Cistercians were adversely affected in England by the Protestant Reformation, the Dissolution of the Monasteries under King Henry VIII, the French Revolution in continental Europe, and the revolutions of the 18th century, but some survived and the order recovered in the 19th century. In 1891 certain abbeys formed a new Order called Trappists (Ordo Cisterciensium Strictioris Observantiae - OCSO), which today exists as an order distinct from the Common Observance. Papal Swiss Guard (link) Not many of the visitors to Rome who pose for a photograph in front of the Swiss soldiers on guard at the gates of Vatican City are familiar with the history of these troops who take an oath of loyalty to the Pope. To know more we must go back to the period of the Renaissance and discover the motives that in 1506 led Pope Julius II to invite to Rome the Swiss soldiers, renowned for their courage, noble sentiments and loyalty. Many centuries earlier the great Latin historian Tacitus had written: "The Helvetians are a people of warriors, famous for the valour of their soldiers." This is why the Swiss Cantons, as allies first of one side and then of another, played such an important role in the history of European politics. In fact as allies of Pope Julius II in 1512 they helped to shape Italy’s destiny and were granted by the Pope the title of “Defenders of the Church’s freedom”. At that time, when being a mercenary soldier was a commonplace occupation, there lived a war-like people in the very heart of the Alps. The first Swiss Cantons had about 500,000 inhabitants and thus constituted an overpopulated country where, because of the precarious economic conditions of the times, much poverty existed. There was no choice but to emigrate and one of the most profitable jobs was that of a mercenary soldier abroad. There were some 15,000 men available for this type of work which was "organized" and controlled by the small Confederation of Cantons. The Confederation authorized the enlistment of the men and in return received corn, salt, or other commercial goods. The men themselves regarded going to war as a temporary period of summer emigration. They took part in brief but glorious battles and then returned home for the winter with their "pay" and booty. They were the best troops of those times. Without cavalry and with little artillery, they had invented a manoeuvring tactic that was superior to all others. They were therefore in great demand in both France and Spain. They resembled a mobile rampart, standing tall and impenetrable, and it is impossible to understand the Italian Wars without taking these mercenaries into account. Already in the 13th and 14th centuries, after the Swiss Cantons had become independent, many of their men were fighting in Germany and Italy; as the Cantons were unable to prevent this type of emigration, they sought at least to organize it. Jesuit (link) Inigo Lopez de Loyola, who later took the name Ignatius, was the youngest son of a nobleman of the mountainous Basque region of northern Spain. Trained in the courtly manner of the time of King Ferdinand, he dreamed of the glories of knighthood and wore his sword and breastplate with a proud arrogance. When Ignatius was born in 1491, the Middle Ages were just ending and Europe was entering into the Renaissance. So Ignatius was a man on the edge of two worlds. Europe of the late 15th Century was a world of discovery and invention. European explorers sailed west to the Americas and south to Africa, and scholars uncovered the buried civilizations of Greece and Rome. The printing press fed a new hunger for knowledge among a growing middle class. It was the end of chivalry and the rise of a new humanism. It was a time of radical change, social upheaval, and war. In a quixotic attempt in 1521 to defend the Spanish border fortress of Pamplona against the French artillery, Inigo’s right leg was shattered by a cannon ball. His French captors, impressed by the Inigo’s courage, carried him on a litter across Spain to his family home at Loyola where he began a long period of convalescence. During that time, he read several religious books, the only reading material readily available. These books and the isolation of the recovery period brought about a conversion which led to the founding of the Jesuits. Ignatius began to pray. He fasted, did penance and works of

charity, dedicated himself to God and, after some troubles with the Spanish Inquisition, decided to study for the priesthood. As a student in Paris he drew a small band of friends to himself and directed them in extended prayer and meditation according to his Spiritual Exercises. After further studies, the first Jesuits were ordained to the Catholic priesthood in Venice and offered themselves in service to Pope Paul III. In 1540, Paul III approved the Institute of the Society of Jesus. Ignatius was elected General Superior and served in that post until his death in 1556 at the age of 65. Opus Dei (link) Opus Dei was founded in 1928 in Spain and is currently established in 66 countries. Opus Dei is a Catholic institution founded by Saint Josemaría Escrivá. Its mission is to help people turn their work and daily activities into occasions for growing closer to God, for serving others, and for improving society. Ordo Praedicatorum (link) Dominican Order or Dominicans Knights of Columbus (link) Thanks to the efforts of Father Michael J. McGivney, assistant pastor of St. Mary’s Church in New Haven and some of his parishioners, the Connecticut state legislature on March 29, 1882, officially chartered the Knights of Columbus as a fraternal benefit society. The Order is still true to its founding principles of charity, unity and fraternity. The Knights was formed to render financial aid to members and their families. Mutual aid and assistance are offered to sick, disabled and needy members and their families. Social and intellectual fellowship is promoted among members and their families through educational, charitable, religious, social welfare, war relief and public relief works. The history of the Order shows how the foresight of Father Michael J. McGivney, whose cause for sainthood is being investigated by the Vatican, brought about what has become the world's foremost Catholic fraternal benefit society. The Order has helped families obtain economic security and stability through its life insurance, annuity and long-term care programs, and has contributed time and energy worldwide to service in communities. The Knights of Columbus has grown from several members in one council to more than 14,000 councils and 1.8 million members throughout the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, Poland, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Cuba, Guatemala, Guam and Saipan. The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Jesus Christ and the Temple of Solomon (link) There are many historical accounts of the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Jesus Christ, or Knights of the Temple, more commonly referred to as Knights Templar. They were formed as a result of the Crusades doing battle with the Moslems and the capture of Jerusalem around 1099. Jerusalem fell and the Holy City belonged to the Crusaders and all Christendom rejoiced. Most libraries and bookstores have many volumes on the Crusades and the Knights Templar and these writings are easily understood. The Internet today has an almost endless amount of information on Knights Templar and those interested can become well informed of the different versions relating to their history. Men, women and children pressed forward on their pilgrimage to the sacred city only to find that although Jerusalem was in Christian hands, the Moslems still controlled Palestine. The highways and byways leading to Jerusalem were unprotected. The ferocity of the Moslems seemed to increase with the fall of the city, and mutilated bodies and bleached bones of pilgrims soon became a common site along the roadways. To add to the vulnerability of the pilgrims, thousands of the Crusaders, their primary objective accomplished, returned to their own lands leaving the countryside to the Moslems uncontested. This was the circumstance that set the stage for Templary. A small band of Crusaders remaining after the conquest recognized the plight of the pilgrims and bound themselves in a holy Brotherhood in arms, entering into a solemn agreement to aid one another in clearing the highways, and in protecting the pilgrims through the passes and defiles of the mountains to the Holy City In short, the Knights Templar were laymen who protected and defended Christians traveling to Jerusalem. These men took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, and were renowned for their fierceness and courage in battle. In 1118 A.D., nineteen years after the successful Crusade, these Poor Fellow Soldiers of Jesus Christ, as they termed themselves, were officially recognized and sanctioned and were given for their headquarters, a building on Mount Moriah, the site of the former Temple of King Solomon. Consequently, they became known as the Knights of the Temple, or Knights Templar. This was the era of chivalric ascendancy. Much as outstanding athletes receive the hero worship and admiration of the public today, so did those Knights of old capture the hearts and the wealth of the public of their period. Their fame spread like wildfire. Rulers hastened to be identified with Knights Templar and to present gold and property to the Order. It is a matter of history that the warriors who fought for Christianity as Knights Templar had their vicissitudes with more downs than ups on the battlefield through the centuries. However, their wealth and their prestige remained undiminished. on the contrary their treasury became too large to escape the notice of some financially embarrassed rulers, especially Philip the Fair, King of France. Philip the Fair with Pope Clement (who Philip pretty well influenced) arranged for Convocation of the Grand Master of the Knights Templar, Jacques DeMolay, and his officers at Paris. The Convocation was held, but Grand Master DeMolay and his officers never left, at least not with their lives. In 1314 Jacques DeMolay was burned at the stake for alleged heresy and dozens of other accusations; all Knight Templar wealth was seized and Templary "moved underground." Some have written that after the death of Grand Master DeMolay there was an unbroken succession of the Grand Masters and a constant Templar organization without a lapse. This is difficult to believe and it is even more difficult to read the many treatises written to support or disprove the theory. Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani; O.S.M.T.H. (link) Knight Templars of Solomon Ha-Melech (link) WHO WAS ST. GERMAIN? The following is offered as suggestion rather than proof: Among the legends of his origins is that he was a "wandering Jew" or an exiled Transylvanian Prince. His "dragon book" implies that his lineage is secretly identified with the Dragon. All those threads weave together once we realize that Royal Ashina Khazars, a dynasty of converted Jews ruled Khazaria (ancient Scythia) from about 650 to 1016. Two royal clans merged: in Hebrew Ha-Shechina, and Turkic Ashina. They were preceded by proto-Scythian kings who initiated a custodial tradition of seership and wisdom that migrated with them from Transylvania and Central Asia throughout Europe. Thus, the Scythian dynasties permeated European royalty as individual Dragon lineages

fused. The (Central Asian) Khazar name is derived from Turkic *qaz-, meaning "to wander." The Ashina was considered a sacred clan of quasi-divine status. The Ashina clan, a noble caste, carry the 16q24.3 "red gene" inherited from the Sumerian Annunaki, the root of the Dragon seed that permeates royal lines: Merovingian, Carolingian, Tudor, Plantagenet, Stuart, Hapsburg, Hanoverian, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Guelph, Bowes-Lyon, Battenberg (Mountbatten), Guise, and Savoy families - and Transylvanian lineages. The Davidic House of Judah married into the descent of the Merovingian Kings of the Franks. They are connected by a shared bloodline. The dragon archetype rests within the Dragon blood, passed on through the genes. According to Nicholas de Vere, "Briefly, the Dragon lineage starts in the Caucasus with the Annunaki, descending through migrating protoScythians to the Sumerians while branching off also into the early Egyptians, Phoenicians and Mittani. A marriage bridge back to Scythia infused the Elvin line of “Tuatha de Danaan” and the Fir Bolg, which branched into the Arch-Druidic, Priest-Princely family to the Royal Picts of Scotland and the ring kings of the Horse Lords of Dal Riada, through the Elven dynasty of Pendragon and Avallon del Acqs, and down to a few pure bred families today." The Royal Court of the Dragon was founded by the priests of Mendes in about 2200 BC and was subsequently ratified by the 12th dynasty Queen Sobeknefru. This sovereign and priestly Order passed from Egypt to the Kings of Jerusalem; to the Black Sea Princes of Scythia (Princess Milouziana of the Scythians) and into the Balkans - notably to the Royal House of Hungary, whose King Sigismund reconstituted the Court just 600 years ago. Sigismund’s assumed descent from Melusine. Her ancestry actually can be traced back to the Scythian Dragon Princess Scota, Queen Sobekh Nefru and the Egyptian Cult of the Dragon. Vlad Dracul was a minion of Sigismund of Luxembourg, and was educated at the Emperor's court in Nuremberg. Dracul was invested into Societas Draconis. The Byzantine Emperor Constantine was a Dragon King. The Byzantine emperor Leo III married his son Constantine (V) to the Khazar princess as part of the alliance between the two empires. Princess Tzitzak was baptized as Irene. Their son Leo (Leo IV) was known as "Leo the Khazar", emperor of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire from 775 to 780. The "secret of immortality" of the "Wandering Jew" is the in-bred dynasty. For the ancient Egyptians, it lay partly in historical remembrance of one's name. Some say the nomadic Khazars derived from both the Edomites and the so-called “Lost Tribes”. Like their Edomite ancestors, the Khazars were also red-headed, and came to be known as “Red Jews”. Transylvania was part of the Khazarian Empire (with roots from Mongolia to Transylvania). The Khazar ruling class was strikingly handsome with reddish hair, white skin and blue eyes. Perhaps these concealed symbolic hints were a private joke to himself and perhaps the familial European royalty of St. Germain's unrealized ruler identity. Comte de St. Germain has been plausibly identified as the younger son (b. 1690) of the Prince Franz-Leopold Rakoczy and the Princess Charlotte Amalia of Hesse-Wahnfried. He was concealed from the Hapsburgs and lived incognito. The Hesse blood would invest St. Germain with dragon genes, and provide a familial link to the royal patron of his later years, Landgrave Karl von Hessen. Transylvanian royalty belonged to the Dragon Court. So, St. Germain might represent himself authentically as a "Wandering Jew" with the secret of immortality, while being Transylvanian (the royal House of Rakoczy) and carrying the Dragon legacy with which he emblazoned his singular book. Whether it was genetically accurate or not, he had plausible reasons to believe so in his day. In fact, this Dragon connection may explain why he was itinerant, not merely a wandering magician, scholar and businessman -- but a man with a mission. Was this dragon emblem the symbol of his natural family? As a Hungarian or Transylvanian prince, was he either part of or in a struggle to restore a bloodline, bred for rulership and magic? Transylvania is the earliest known homeland of the Dragon Kings. But, according to Nicholas de Vere, the House of Dracul descended from sons of Attila the Hun with no bloodline connection to Egypt. So it claimed an apostolic succession. There is no definable bloodline link or marriage bridge. If there was indeed dynastic [self-]deception, Saint Germain was unlikely to be any but an unwitting part, and would probably have identified strongly with this legacy. It is a legacy of seership through the genetic root – clear seeing, clairvoyance, trancendent consciousness. The Dragon Tradition was alive and well during the time of Saint Germain and he was certainly part of it as a Transylvanian prince, whether he could pass a “Dragon DNA test” or not. It is no accident one of his only two original works carried the Dragon emblem. No wonder the book has been held closely ever since. taken from; "DRAGON TREASURES OF SAINT GERMAIN" Secrets of the Most Occult Book on Earth A Cryptoporticus Production by Iona Miller, ©2010 http://trianglebook.iwarp.com/ Steinmetzen (link) One of the earliest records of Masonic lodges is found in the German city of Hirschau (now Hirsau) in the current state of Baden-Württenberg. Masonic lodges instituted in the city of Hirschau in the late 11th century worked under the Benedictine order of Germany and were the first to establish the Gothic style of architecture. As early as 1149 the first German Zünfte or stonemason unions developed in Magdeburg, Würzburg, Speyer and Straβburg. In 1250 the first grand lodge of Freemasons was formed in the city of Cologne (Köln), Germany. The grand lodge was formed as part of the immense undertaking to erect the cathedral of Cologne. The first Masonic congress occurred in the city of Straβburg, Germany in the year 1275. It was formed by Grand Master Erwin von Steinbach. This was also the earliest recorded use of the symbol of Freemasons, the square and compasses. Whilst Straβburg was considered the premier grand lodge of the day, other Great Masonic lodges had already been formed in Wien, Bern and the above mentioned Köln (Cologne); these were called Oberhütten or great lodges. Several Masonic congresses were held in the city of Straβburg, including the years 1498 and 1563. At this time the first recorded Arms of the Masons of Germany were recorded depicting four compasses positioned around a pagan sun symbol and arranged in the shape of a swastika or pagan / Aryan sun-wheel. The Masonic Arms of Germany also displayed the name of St John the Evangelist, the patron Saint of German Masons. Rosicrucian (link) The legend presented in the Manifestos has been interpreted symbolically (as were all hermetic and alchemical texts of those times). They do not directly state Christian Rosenkreuz's years of birth and death, but in two sentences in the second Manifesto the year 1378 is presented as being the birth year of "our Christian Father", and it is stated that he lived for 106 years, which would mean he died in 1484. The foundation of the Order can be supposed in similar terms to have occurred in the year 1407. The Rose-Croix made themselves known by publishing three now famous Manifestos: the Fama Fraternitatis, the Confessio Fraternitatis, and the Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreuz, published respectively in 1614, 1615, and 1616.

Rosicrucian Order AMORC (link) Neophyte Development of the Intuition Introduction to: Human Aura, Telepathy, Mystical Sounds, Spiritual Alchemy Structure and Composition of Matter Power of Thought The Creative Power of Visualisation Mental Projection and Telepathy Law of the Triangle Origin of Diseases Influence of Thoughts on Health Mystical Art of Breathing Rosicrucian Healing Treatments Perception of the Aura Awakening the Psychic Consciousness Mystical Sounds and their Effects The Great Religious Movements The Nature of Soul Purpose of our Spiritual Evolution Reincarnation and Karma Good, Evil and Free Will Intuition, Inspiration and Illumination I°

Metaphysical Healing

Structure of Matter Positive and Negative as Vibratory Polarities Rosicrucian Definitions of Electricity, Magnetism and Electromagnetism Rosicrucian Classification of Elements Material Alchemy II° Cosmic Consciousness Our Objective and Subjective Consciousness Mental and Sensory Illusions Imagination and Memory Physical, Psychic and Spiritual Influence of the Subconscious Memory and Reasoning of the Subconscious Psychology and Mysticism III° Cosmic Purpose of Life Rosicrucian Definitions of Living and Incarnation of the Soul Transition of the Soul Initiatic Aspect of Death

Non-living Matter

VI° Vital Life Force and the Living Soul Cycles of Life and the Constant States of Flux Time, Space, Infinity and Eternity Symbols - Natural, Artificial and Mystical Sacred Architecture V° A Mystic is a Philosopher Classic Philosophy considered from a mystical Ancient Root of Rosicrucian Philosophy Thales, Solon, Pythagoras, Heraclitus Democritus, Empedocles, Socrates Plato and Aristotle vantage

VI° Health and Disease Spiritual Dimension of Food Breathing and Respiratory Health Cell Consciousness and Cellular Health Rosicrucian Therapy and Self-Healing Personal Treatment to Restore Psychic Equilibrium Physical and Mental Prevention of Disease Emotional and Spiritual Prevention of Disease VII° Psychic Body and Psychic Centres

Psychic Perception and Psychic Consciousness How to accomplish Psychic Projection Nature and Symbolism of Dreams The Physical, Psychic and Spiritual Auras Mystical Power of Vowel Sounds and Mantras VIII° Universal Soul and the Human Soul Divine Consciousness and Self Consciousness Spiritual Evolution of Humans Mastery of Karma Reincarnation of the Soul Memory of Past Incarnations The Mystery of Birth and Death Help to the Dying, Before and After Death IX° Macrocosm and Microcosm The Four Principles: Earth, Water, Fire and Air Symbolism of the Cross, Triangle, Square, Circle and Rose-Cross Mental Alchemy Telepathy, Telekinesis, Vibroturgy Cosmic Protection, Mystical Regeneration Attunement with the Cosmic Consciousness Freemason Although claiming roots in the founding of Solomon’s Temple, it wasn’t until June 24th, 1717 that four London lodges came together at the Goose and Gridiron Ale House in St Paul’s Churchyard, and formed themselves into a Grand Lodge and elected a Grand Master by the name of Anthony Slayer. Blue Lodge 1°, 2°, 3° Allied Masonic Degrees of the United States of America (link) The Allied Masonic Degrees are an invitational organization, and requires membership in the Royal Arch as well as the Symbolic Lodge. Membership is limited to 27 members per council. Be it remembered that on August 5, 1933, this Grand Council took as its date of formation January 14, 1892, since this date was the beginning of the Allied Masonic Degrees in America with the formation of the Sovereign College of Allied Masonic and Christian Degrees at Richmond, Virginia, that on April 16, 1932, the subsequent establishment of a Grand Council of Allied Masonic Degrees of the United States of America occurred in Salisbury, North Carolina, and that the union of the two bodies was drawn up and entered into July 18, 1933, and was ratified by the North Carolina Grand Council August 5, 1933 and was ratified by the Sovereign College at Norway, Maine August 24, 1933, and became effective as of September 7, 1933. The Allied Masonic Degrees are detached degrees some of which, many years ago, were conferred under Craft warrants and formed part of the then loosely governed Freemasonry of the period. Many of these detached degrees became dormant in some places, although in others they were conferred as side degrees. In time, the better of these degrees were grouped together in an organized body under the title of Allied Masonic Degrees. The degrees comprising the system in our Jurisdiction in the U.S.A. are the Royal Ark Mariner, Secret Monitor, Knight of Constantinople, Saint Lawrence the Martyr, Architect, Superintendent, Grand Tilers of Solomon, Master of Tyre, Excellent Master, Installed Sovereign Master, Installed Commander Noah, Red Branch of Eri and Ye Ancient Order of Corks. They are conferred in the United States in Councils chartered by the Grand Council. Each Council is limited to twenty seven members, with two exceptions. One of these Councils is known as the Council of the Nine Muses and is limited to nine members. The other is Grand Masters Council, which has what is known as a roving charter. The purpose of the latter Council is to provide a place of membership in the Allied Masonic Degrees for brethren residing in localities where Councils have not been organized. Membership in every Council of Allied Masonic Degrees is by invitation, and is predicated on membership in the Royal Arch Chapter. In addition to perpetuating these degrees, there is still another and equally important purpose. It is to bring together, in small groups, Freemasons who are interested in the advancement of all Masonry, preparing themselves to better serve the Craft through the medium of study and research. By limiting the membership in a Council and securing membership only by invitation, the result is a congenial group able to enjoy full fellowship when meeting together. Wherever there is an active Council of Allied Masonic Degrees, it exerts an influence for the betterment of Freemasonry in all the Masonic Bodies. There is no intention on the part of the Allied Masonic Degrees to detract from any organized and established body of Masonry. On the contrary, you will find our members active, beyond the average, in all local Masonic bodies. The real purpose is to stimulate interest in Masonry in general and bring together in small groups those who are interested in the study of Masonic subjects. Thus they are better enabled to serve the Craft. Saint Lawrence the Martyr Excellent Master Knight of Constantinople Master of Tyre Grand Tilers of Solomon Architect Royal Ark Mariner (link) The story of this degree contains events before, during and after the Biblical Flood. The apron and emblems of this degree are easily recognizable by the ark and rainbow motif, although the degree itself claims the original apron to have been made of unfinished lambskin. The historic prerequisite to be made a Royal Ark Mason is to be a Mark Master Mason, however, the degree has no connection symbolically or otherwise to the Mark

degree. A brother is said to be "Elevated" to the Degree of Royal Ark Mariner. Earlier in AMD history, this Degree was conferred in separate Royal Ark Mariner Lodges which were “moored” to a Council of the Allied Masonic Degrees. There are still a few surviving RAM Lodges moored to Councils, but warrants are no longer issued for new RAM Lodges. Other than those remaining Lodges, the Degree, if worked today, is worked directly by the Council upon their own AMD members. In Canada, it is conferred by a Council of Royal & Select Masters (Cryptic Masons), bringing the number of Degrees worked by R&SM in that country to four (the third being Super Excellent Master.) Overseas, RAM Lodges are moored to Lodges of Mark Masters which work under a separate Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons. The existence of Mark Grand Lodges is another fascinating study, worthy of its own lengthy discussion. It is fascinating to me that this Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariners exists worldwide, while being administered by three very different bodies of Masonry. The Principal Officers of a Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners represent Noah, and two of his sons: Shem, and Japheth, and the Lodge room is made to represent the Ark of Safety. Indeed, our Brethren of the nineteenth century considered Noah to be one of the Grand Masters of Masonry. (Do you?) He is a celebrated Builder, and a man of integrity in the face of great opposition (if not a little bit of a drunkard.) Indeed, the early brethren of our Craft did not hesitate to trace the line of Masonry even back to Adam in the Garden of Eden, who was the first to build an Altar (of unhewn stone, the Rough Ashlar), and the first man to don an apron (though his was of fig leaves.) While it is ridiculous to think that Modern Freemasonry was known to Adam or Noah, there is something inherently true in the idea that Masonry is heir to the fruits of the greatest and noblest accomplishment of a more primitive generation of man. The Royal Ark Mariner degree is special because it embodies this speculative reference to far antiquity, which if taken literally, implies that all of humanity was saved from the great flood by a Grand Master Mason. The Ark and the Anchor are symbols to which our attention is drawn, seemingly at random, in the Lecture of the Master Mason Degree. This proves the antiquity of their Masonic significance. I will now diverge from the subject of the Royal Ark Mariners in particular in order to quote at great length about "The Ark and Anchor," from "Freemasory, its Symbolism, Religious Nature, and Law of Perfection, by Brother Chalmers I. Paton (Past-Master, No. 393, England)" printed in 1873. If it doesn't suit you, please look past the Christian references present in this piece, as I believe the point being made regarding Salvation (Deliverance) and Trust are equally applicable to all of us who depend upon the Great Architect: CHAPTER LX. MASONIC SYMBOLS.—THE ARK AND THE ANCHOR. THE Ark and the Anchor sometimes represented separately, and sometimes conjointly, are symbolic of the safety and the sure hope of him who puts his trust in God, and walks in the way of God's Commandments. Tossed on a tempestuous sea of troubles, and exposed to many dangers in his earthly life, a good man is still preserved in safety, as Noah and his family were preserved in the ark, when it floated on the waters of the deluge, and all the rest of mankind perished. The ark refers our thoughts to this great historic fact, but at the same time leads us to think of that which even it symbolised or typified. As Noah and his family were saved in the ark, from the destruction which overwhelmed the multitudes of the unbelieving and ungodly, so all who put their trust in God are saved, whatever the dangers which beset them, and the storms which thicken around them. We read in the Epistle to the Hebrews, that "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith" (Heb. xi. 7). Even so, every believer, listening to the voice of God, and yielding a willing obedience, finds an ark of refuge ready, an ark which he does not need to prepare as Noah did, but in which he is in perfect safety. The anchor may be regarded as securing the ark from danger amidst the storms of life. Or by itself it may be accounted as a symbol of the security of a good man who puts his trust in God. And thus the figure of the anchor is used in Scripture, to represent the perfect security of the believer's hope. "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the vail" (Heb. vi. 19). The Anchor and the Ark remind us both of the dangers to which we are exposed, and of the refuge which we may find from them. They encourage us to choose and persevere in a right course, all dangers notwithstanding, and they assure us that if we do so, all shall be well. We shall not be overwhelmed in the surging billows; we shall not be driven from our place to be the sport of winds, and to be dashed by them to destruction; but we shall weather every storm, and find ourselves after all in a haven of peace and rest. It is a terrible picture of human life which is presented to us by the ark on the shoreless waters of the deluge; but we are comforted and encouraged by the thought of the safety in which it was preserved, till it rested on the mountains of Ararat, and its inmates went forth to enter on possession of the regenerated earth. Amidst the storm, a well-built and well-appointed ship rides securely at anchor in a good harbour, and we are encouraged to confidence of perfect security, as knowing how good both our anchor and our harbour are. But let us see to it that all is right, that ours is indeed a well-built and well-appointed ship, and our anchor is that which is "sure and steadfast." The very significant symbol now under our consideration, is therefore far from being merely intended to remind us of the deliverance of Noah and his family, the progenitors of the whole existing human race, from the deluge which overwhelmed the old world, and swept away the workers of iniquity, but still more to suggest to our thoughts those great truths which were typified even in Noah's ark itself, and in the salvation accomplished by it. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust," says the Apostle Peter, "that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but quickened by the Spirit. By which also lie went and preached unto the spirits in prison; which sometimes were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was apreparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him" (1 Pet. iii. 18-22). Traditions of the flood are common throughout the world, and are found in the earliest records of ancient times, mingling with the other legends of all the mythologies, and with the accounts which different nations have received of their origin. These traditions have been sought out and compared with great diligence by learned authors; for they afford an important argument in favour of the unity of the human race, and of the truth of the Bible. We find the ark figured in the ancient monuments of Egypt; and we find in many other of the most ancient sculptures, and on coins or medals of various countries, not uncertain evidence of the prevalence of the tradition of the flood, and

of the preservation of Noah and his family. The ark fitly symbolises the means of salvation. The flood rages around, but within the ark there is no danger. The perfect safety of those who seek refuge in it, is still further symbolised by the anchor. The ark is not represented as floating wildly, at the mercy of the winds and waves, but as secured by its anchor. And thus the believer has hope, "as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the vail; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec" (Heb. vi. 19-20). That hope cannot fail; disappointment is impossible; for it is a hope resting on the promise—nay, upon the oath of God; for "God," says the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, "willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it wns impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us" (Heb. vi. 17-18). He is safe who puts his trust in the Lord. The fiery deluge of wrath shall sweep away the workers of iniquity; perdition awaits them; but the believer is free from danger. No billow shall overwhelm the ark in which he has taken refuge; and it cannot be wrecked by any storm. Grand Architect Order of the Secret Monitor Secret Monitor (link) While the first references to the Order of David and Jonathan are known to be of Dutch origin, the Secret Monitor arose in America as a side degree conferred by any mason who had received it himself. It was brought to England by Dr I. Zacharie when he returned from America (following the Civil War) around 1875. Under his leadership a Grand Council was formed in 1887 and the ritual was extended when a further two degrees were added, one of which pertained to the chair of Supreme Ruler. The degrees gained in popularity, but this success was to bring about a series of unfortunate events, for in the meantime the Grand Council of Allied Masonic Degrees had been empowered by an American body (of similar name) to confer their version of the degree. This resulted in the Allied body denouncing the Grand Council of the Order of the Secret Monitor and attempting to assume sole jurisdiction over the degree, but in spite of this Dr Zacharie’s group prospered. Regretfully a period of over 37 years elapsed, during which both orders were conferring a Secret Monitor degree, but the matter was finally resolved in 1931 when C. W. NapierClavering was in the favourable position of being Grand Supreme Ruler and also Grand Master of Allied Masonry. He then implemented an agreement transferring all rights to the Grand Council of the Order of the Secret Monitor and the degree was removed from the list of degrees of the Allied body. In the United States, the order is still a part of the Allied Masonic Degrees. Late 1999, the British Grand Conclave had 343 conclaves, of which were 4 in Spain, 4 in France and the rest in Commonwealth countries and Hong Kong. Despite its Dutch origins, there were no conclaves in the Netherlands until 2005. At that year the foundation of the Fidelitas Conclave No. 494 was approved by the Dutch Grand Orient. Furthermore, a number of Dutch masons is grand officer of this order. The Order comprises of the following degrees: Secret Monitor—First degree: The legend narrated during the Induction ceremony is the story of the remarkable friendship which existed between David and Jonathan. During the ceremony the candidate is instructed in a certain course of action to be adopted when a brother is about to do anything which might prove injurious to himself and it teaches a beautiful lesson in friendship and fidelity. Prince—Second degree: The admission ceremony to an assembly of Princes is also derived from the Book of Samuel and narrates how Saul sought the life of David. It further relates an interesting legend of the methods contrived to thwart the efforts of the jealous King. Supreme Ruler—Third degree: This last named degree is unusual in that the ceremony of Installation constitutes the third degree of the Order pertaining to the Kingship of David and is fundamentally concerned with the headship of a Conclave. Embodied in the ritual of this degree, however, is the ceremony of commissioning, which gives rank and status within the Order as a whole, a certificate being issued to that effect. Brotherhood of David and Jonathan Supreme Ruler Superintendent Red Branch of Eri (Honorary) This remote and elite Order is said to be derived from a very ancient Order in Ireland, consisting of freemasons and said to have been erected and patronised by the Kings of Ireland, for it is claimed that in early times Erin (Ireland) possessed a literature and history equal to that of the most highly developed of ancient nations. While it is generally accepted that Bro John Yarker (1833—1913) was at one time head of the ‘English Revived Order of the Red Branch of Eri’, certain records of the Order relate that Bro F. G. Irwin, while Worshipful Master of the Inhabitants Lodge No 178 at Gibraltar in 1858, received the Order at the hands of the captain of an American trading vessel, to whom it had been transmitted from father to son, dating back to 1757, when his Irish forbear emigrated to New York while a District Grand Master of the Order. Major Irwin is then purported to have restored and reorganised the degree in England under the aegis of the Grand Mur-Ollamham. The order possesses two Psalters, the Major Psalter being basically the rituals of the degrees and the Minor Psalter comprising the laws and rules of the order. Admission to this order is strictly by invitation only and is restricted to members of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia who have attained the fifth grade or above. The Order is governed by a Most Enlightened Grand Master who is supported by eight Knights Grand Cross and also a retinue of hierarchy designated Ard Officers who constitute the Grand Mur-Ollamham. There are three Chapters of the Order; meeting in London and the Midlands as well as in Australia. In the United States this order is a part of the Allied Masonic Degrees. 1°. Man-at-Arms The candidate is admitted under an exhortation of a celebrated Celtic Bard by the name of Mac Leag (AD 1015) and in a simple yet impressive ceremony, is duly armed.

2°. Esquire Reception into the second degree is promulgated through the interpretation of an important charge which stimulates the candidate to demonstrate humility and service in supporting the honourable creed of the ancient kings. 3°. Knight In this, the last degree, the aspirant is encouraged to engage in figurative combat and his reward is the acclaim of his Brother Knights, to commemorate the mighty deeds of their forbears at the Battle of Ossary. After investiture he is instructed in the Ancient Mysteries and Legends of the Order by the Brehon. Ye Ancient Order of Corks Ye Antient Order of Noble Corks also known as The Cork, is an informal degree allied to Freemasonry. It is described as "fun". Distinctly nautical in form, its membership is open to Master Masons in good standing who are either a companion in the Holy Royal Arch or a Warden, Master or Past Master of a craft Lodge. The Cork or Corks is derived from the organization's emblem of a cork with a corkscrew inserted at an angle. Membership is not onerous—the only costs on top of membership being dining fees, drinks, etc. The idea and aim being to raise money for children's charities, and with Corkies having fun in so doing. Allied Masonic Degrees of Nottinghamshire (link) In 1879 it was decided to establish a Grand Council of Allied Masonic Degrees to take under its direction all Lodges of various Orders that had no central authority. Initially the Orders of Grand High Priest, St. Lawrence the Martyr, Red Cross of Babylon and the Knights of Constantinople acknowledged this new central authority and subsequently the Degree of Grand Tilers of Solomon, which originated in the United States of America, was added as a fifth Order in 1893. The Degree of St. Lawrence the Martyr is that in which all administrative business of a Council of the Order is conducted. The Master of a Council is elected, as such, in a Lodge of St. Lawrence the Martyr and the only ceremony of Installation is that of a Master of a Lodge of St. Lawrence the Martyr. Thereby, he constitutionally becomes Master of the Council and appoints the Officers of the Lodge. The Master of the Council is responsible for designating Officers to work any other Degree of the Order, when required. At every meeting of a Council, a Lodge of St. Lawrence the Martyr must be opened and closed and a Lodge or Council of any of the other four Degrees is opened and closed only when the ceremony of Admission to that Degree is worked. Every Candidate for Admission to the Order of the Allied Masonic Degrees must be a Companion of the Holy Royal Arch and a Mark Master Mason. He is first admitted to the Degree of St. Lawrence the Martyr. Although this is not a Christian Order, this Degree deals with the Martyrdom of St. Lawrence and teaches fortitude. The other four Degrees are conferred upon him subsequently, in any order, and in any Council. The Degree of the Knights of Constantinople links the legends of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great with Masonry and teaches humility, justice and equality. In the Degree of Grand Tilers of Solomon the Lodge represents a vaulted chamber beneath King Solomon's Temple. The Degree warns of the great danger of carelessness and hasty judgement. The Red Cross of Babylon is the most profoundly mystical of the five Degrees. The scene is set partly in Babylon and partly in Jerusalem and is closely associated with the rebuilding of the second Temple. The Holy Order of Grand High Priest takes us to a high realm of Masonic thought and the Companion who is admitted is left in no doubt that he is set apart for higher duties and responsibilities in life. It is founded on the Blessing of Abraham and the consecration of Aaron. Having taken the five Degrees of this Order, the candidate is awarded a breast jewel appropriate to each degree. There is no other regalia worn by the Brethren. Officers of a Council wear a collar. Grand Officers and District Officers wear a collar, and Active Officers of Grand or District Councils also wear a collarette. Saint Lawrence the Martyr Knight of Constantinople Grand Tilers of Solomon Red Cross of Babylon Grand High Priest Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Shrine (Shriners) (link) Shriners International is a fraternity based on fun, fellowship and the Masonic principles of brotherly love, relief and truth. There are approximately 340,000 members from 193 temples (chapters) in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, Puerto Rico and the Republic of Panama. Shriners International supports Shriners Hospitals for Children®, a health care system of 22 hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing pediatric specialty care, innovative research, and outstanding teaching programs for medical professionals. Children up to age 18 with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate are eligible for care and receive all services in a family-centered environment, regardless of the patients’ ability to pay. Daughter of the Nile (link) Daughters of the Nile is an international fraternal organization for women 18 years of age or older, who are related by birth or marriage to a Shriner, Master Mason, or Daughter of the Nile. Founded in 1913 in Seattle, Washington, Daughters of the Nile now totals over 32,000 members in 144 cities throughout the United States and Canada. The members of Daughters of the Nile are proud of their long association with the Shrine of North America and their continuing support of the Shriners Hospitals for Children®. High Twelve International (link) High Twelve International’s founder, former minister, E. C. "Wallie" Wolcott, who was the YMCA’s General Secretary at the time and eight of his business associates who were also Master Masons, met in Sioux City, IA, for fellowship and camaraderie and chartered the first High Twelve International club. It was Founders #1, chartered May 17, 1921. "High Twelve is an organization of Master Masons who support Masonic causes with special emphasis on youth support and patriotic events. There are approximately 9,000 members in over 250 clubs nationwide and in foreign

countries. Although only Master Masons can join High Twelve, anyone is welcome at the meetings. A typical meeting is brief in its business, full of fellowship, and includes a program usually a speaker, on a limitless range of subjects. Some clubs have ladies at all of the meetings, while others have ladies on special occasions. High Twelve is an association dedicated to the unification of Master Masons, independent of the formal ritual of Lodge, but dedicated to service to the fraternity. Just a few or our accomplishments have been to develop long lasting friendships, encourage and support our public school systems and participate in constructive community activities and to preserve the principles of good government based on the rights of the individual. High Twelve, which is a social extension of the Masonic experience, is so named because long ago, noon was known as “high twelve” and the time to call off from labor for refreshment. Accordingly, many High Twelve clubs – but not all – meet at noon. There is no ritual; but it strongly encourages its members to be active in their lodges and their communities. High Twelve International affords valuable assistance to the Blue Lodges in whatever manner it is most needed. High Twelve International is Masonry in Action in the community where each Club holds its meetings and in the State where the several clubs are banded together in common purpose. High Twelvians adhere strictly to Masonic Law of that jurisdiction. High Twelve International’s clubs combine fellowship with helping others in their quality of life pursuits, particularly young adults and youth. The club’s two philanthropic objectives are youth and education, strongly supporting the Order of DeMolay, Rainbow Girls, Job’s Daughters and the Wolcott Foundation that was established to provide scholarships for students at George Washington University who seek public service careers in government." International Masonic Order of "Delphi" (link) The Order was founded in 1926, and was restructured in 1996, under the name "Delphi International Freemasonic Order". The first Mixed Lodge was founded in 1926, under the aegis of The International Mixed Freemasonic Order " Le Droit Humain ", that resides in Paris. In 1996, the General Assembly of the Order unanimously voted its re-establishment under the separate name of "DELPHI". Today, it exists and functions by law as an independent and self-governing entity, it follows the Great Freemasonic Constitution of 1786, according to the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. Masonic Medical Research Laboratory (link) The Masonic Medical Research Laboratory (MMRL) is a not-for-profit institute supported by volunteer contributions and bequests. The Laboratory also obtains funding through foundation, corporation and Federal grants. The MMRL is a state-of-the-art medical research facility engaged in studies involving major health issues facing society today such as, ischemic heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias, sudden cardiac arrest and other aspects of cardiovascular disease. Mission Statement The MMRL is dedicated to improving the health and quality of life for all humankind. The Laboratory's primary mission is to conduct high quality basic medical research aimed at generating knowledge and information necessary for development of the medical cures and treatments of tomorrow. The Laboratory is also committed to providing education and training to basic scientists and clinical researchers who would perpetuate and extend the fight against disease. Masonic Order of the Bath (link) The original Order of the Bath (designated as the Wahoo Band until 1938) provided for a national body with subordinate bodies made up of members in an individual Lodge of Freemasons, Only one such body was formed and the members were called Active when it was decided to take in other members not of the Lodge, the latter being termed Honorary. Founded on June 21, 1921 in Red Bank, New Jersey by nine members of Mystic Brotherhood Lodge, No. 21, F. & A. M., as the Wahoo Band. Six years later, on June 22, 1927 five additional members were taken into the Band, and eight days later two more members. Two members were added in 1928, one in 1929, and two in 1930. Member Number No. 20 was inducted on January 20, 1931 at which time the first three Honorary Members were made: Donald J. Sargent of New Jersey, then Grand ______ of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey; J. Hugo Tatsch, originally of Iowa, then living in New York; and William L. Boyden, Librarian of the Supreme Council AASR Washington, D.C. Only fifteen more Active Members were ever inducted, the last on November 3, 1942, thirty-seven in all, they being members of Mystic Brotherhood Lodge. By this time fifty-six Honorary Members had been admitted. From June 21, 1921, to 1941, Wallace R. Rankin of Mystic Brotherhood Lodge No. 21 in Redbank, New Jersey, served as the King Bird of the Wahoo Band. In 1941 it was decided to reserve the set-up, which had been administered by Wallace B. Rankin (No. 1) as King Bird and Harold Van Buren Voorhis (No. 2) as Quill Bird, or Secretary. The Organization was renamed The Masonic Order of the Bath and the Wahoo Band became an appended degree. In 1941, Wallace B. Rankin was recognized as the first Past Commander-General of the Masonic Order of the Bath. Masonic Rosicrucianism The modern society of Rosicrucians was given its present form by Robert Wentworth Little in 1865, who with other zealous masons founded the order following the reputed discovery of certain manuscripts in the archives of Grand Lodge. The society was based upon symbolism and traditions of a much earlier Society known as the Fraternity of the Rose and Cross, which in turn claimed its origin from an immortal character, real or mythical, known as Christian Rosenkreutz and familiarly designated by the initials CRC. This society subsequently gave rise to other bodies in Scotland and the USA, and in building upon the ancient order the modern societies have not departed from precedent, but have continued the eternal search for knowledge. This is evinced by the encouragement given for members to produce papers and deliver lectures as a vital part of College work. The order is being governed by the Grand College in England. In various countries there are local chapters. In total there are about fifty chapters worldwide under this order. In the Netherlands there are two Colleges, The Netherlands College (founded in 1992) and Hermes College (founded in 1997). The number of members is not clear, but does not exceed a couple of dozen. This order or the Dutch College is actually not connected to the Grand Orient of the Netherlands. It is not recognized as an appendant order and did not need approval of the Grand Orient. The SRIA is however only open to Master Masons who proclaim a belief in the christian TriUnity. Besides the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia, there is a Grand Council in Schotland, that governs the

Societats Rosicruciana in Scotia, with five Colleges and approximately 300 members and a Grand Council in the United States: Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis. Under this Society work 32 Colleges. Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis (link) The Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis is a Rosicrucian Society based in the United States of America extending from its formation of a Grand High Council on April 21st, 1880 and its official consecration on September 21, 1880, by three Colleges chartered by the Societas Rosicruciana In Scotia. High Grade Christian Freemasons in the United States in search of the Classical Rosicrucian Society for Masons in the United Kingdom became interested in organizing a similar body in the United States and did so under Scotland’s authority (Societas Rosicruciana In Scotia) with the help of Most Worthy Charles Matier of the SRIS, as early as 1873. This effort died out two years later under the care of R.W. Frater George S. Blackie VIII and was then re-chartered by the SRIS later again in 1878. Dr. Jonathon J. French was a IX grade head of the Rosicrucian Society of the United States & opened the Matier Royal Provincial College with a charter from Lord Inverurie, Earl of Kincore and Supreme Magus of the SRIS. The college was named after Charles Fitzgerald Matier, the first Supreme Magus of SRIS who served in 1876. Harold Van Buren Voorhis insists that the Illinois College under Dr. French was never truly active, and it certainly was short-lived as Dr. French died an untimely death in 1879. Harold Voorhis also insisted that Frater Stodart Blackie’s early charter in New York had been nothing more than an unsubstantiated rumor. It has since been established as historical fact. 1st Order I° Zelator II° Theoricus III° Practicus IV° Philosophus 2nd Order V° Adeptus Minor VI° Adeptus Major VII° Adeptus Exemptus 3rd Order VIII° Magister Templi IX° Magus Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (link) The Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (Society of Rosicrucians in England or SRIA) is an independent Christian society. Admission is limited to Master Masons who are subscribing members of a Lodge under the Grand Lodge of England or a jurisdiction in amity with Grand Lodge and who accept and believe in the fundamental principles of the Trinitarian Christian faith. The Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia does not, however, constitute another interesting degree in Freemasonry, to be acquired in the course of ordinary Masonic progress. It is something beyond and outside Freemasonry. More and more Freemasons are looking to the Christian degrees for answers to the questions confronted during their daily advancement in Masonic knowledge. The membership of the S.R.I.A. is made up from brethren who have all trod the same path within the structure of Masonry. The Society is the ideal forum for Masons who wish to extend their contemplation of the hidden mysteries of Nature and Science. The S.R.I.A. can provide the thoughtful Mason with direction, structure and resources for his enlightenment and advancement in working out the great problems of Life, in comprehending and appreciating his relations to his fellow man and to his Creator. The Society also provides an outlet for sharing insights, learning and experiences with others through presenting papers and by joining study and discussion groups. 1st Order I° Zelator This is the first grade of the Society, where the aspirant is received in a most impressive and colorful ceremony and where he is exhorted to commence his quest for true wisdom. All business of the College is transacted in this grade. II° Theoricus As implied by the title, the ritual of admission is concerned with the theoretical aspects of divinity in all its forms. This grade embodies an erudite lecture on color. III° Practicus The study and ritual of this grade has special reference to the spiritual facet of the ancient art of alchemy. IV° Philosophus Here the aspirant is encouraged to expand his knowledge by careful study of the various philosophical and sacred writings of the World religions. An extensive lecture of superb calibre is embodied within this grade. 2nd Order V° Adeptus Minor Admission to this grade is not permissible until a minimum period of four years has been served in the Society. This is a pre-requisite grade for advancement to the office of Ancient within a College. Red Branch of Eri (Honorary) (link) This remote and elite Order is said to be derived from a very ancient Order in Ireland, consisting of freemasons and said to have been erected and patronised by the Kings of Ireland, for it is claimed that in early times Erin (Ireland) possessed a literature and history equal to that of the most highly

developed of ancient nations. While it is generally accepted that Bro John Yarker (1833—1913) was at one time head of the ‘English Revived Order of the Red Branch of Eri’, certain records of the Order relate that Bro F. G. Irwin, while Worshipful Master of the Inhabitants Lodge No 178 at Gibraltar in 1858, received the Order at the hands of the captain of an American trading vessel, to whom it had been transmitted from father to son, dating back to 1757, when his Irish forbear emigrated to New York while a District Grand Master of the Order. Major Irwin is then purported to have restored and reorganised the degree in England under the aegis of the Grand Mur-Ollamham. The order possesses two Psalters, the Major Psalter being basically the rituals of the degrees and the Minor Psalter comprising the laws and rules of the order. Admission to this order is strictly by invitation only and is restricted to members of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia who have attained the fifth grade or above. The Order is governed by a Most Enlightened Grand Master who is supported by eight Knights Grand Cross and also a retinue of hierarchy designated Ard Officers who constitute the Grand Mur-Ollamham. There are three Chapters of the Order; meeting in London and the Midlands as well as in Australia. In the United States this order is a part of the Allied Masonic Degrees. 1°. Man-at-Arms The candidate is admitted under an exhortation of a celebrated Celtic Bard by the name of Mac Leag (AD 1015) and in a simple yet impressive ceremony, is duly armed. 2°. Esquire Reception into the second degree is promulgated through the interpretation of an important charge which stimulates the candidate to demonstrate humility and service in supporting the honourable creed of the ancient kings. 3°. Knight In this, the last degree, the aspirant is encouraged to engage in figurative combat and his reward is the acclaim of his Brother Knights, to commemorate the mighty deeds of their forbears at the Battle of Ossary. After investiture he is instructed in the Ancient Mysteries and Legends of the Order by the Brehon. VI° Adeptus Major The sixth grade is one with great significance and demands a high degree of contemplation in preparation for advancement to the seventh grade of ... VII° Adeptus Exemptus This, the final grade of the ‘Second Order’, is pre-requisite for installation into the chair of a College. The teachings embodied are of a divine and ethereal nature, designed to elevate the mind in preparation for complete initiation. 3rd Order VIII° Magister This grade is conferred upon the Officers of the High Council designated in the Ordinances of the Society and may be conferred upon other members of the High Council. 8° Magister (Honoris Causa) may be conferred upon other Fratres who show outstanding service to the Society. A Magister High Councillor on ceasing to be a member of the High Council reverts to the rank of Magister (Honoris Causa) 8°. IX° Magus This rank is only held by the Supreme Magus, the Senior Substitute Magus and the Junior Substitute Magus. The rank of Magus (Honoris Causa) 9° may be conferred by the Supreme Magus on a Frater who has shown outstanding devotion to the aims of the Society and there are but few Fraters who attain it. The American Rosicrucian Order - Lodge de Parfaits (link) America's First Mystics - The First Rosicrucian Masonic High Degrees in America ™. The Scottish Lodge of Perfection and Rose Croix Society founded in 1764 in French and Spanish New Orleans. The First American Society and Order of Higher Degrees including the Rose Croix Rosicrucian Initiation in what is now the USA. This is where the First American Rosicrucian Masonic Brotherhood of Metaphysics began.... Whether you interpret the history as a Rosicrucian Society, Fraternity, Rosicrucian Lodge, or a Rosicrucian Order is not important. What is important is that the Renaissance actually flowered in the New World before it was allowed in the Old. Louisiana was first claimed by European Explorers in 1528. In the old colonial city of New Orleans in 1764, a group of Dutch, French, Spanish and Central Europeans founded the secret “Loge de Parfaits” or Lodge of Perfection which was the first organization in the Americas to offer the 25 higher initiations and degrees of Mysticism, Masonry and Rosicrucianism sometimes referred to as “The Rites of the Royal Secrets” or Loge de Parfaits d' Écosse or Scottish Lodge of Perfection. Only in New Orleans, the combination of Hellenistic Oriental religious bodies, Italian Brotherhoods, African magical cults, and secret orders would be founded such as the: Mystic Greek Orthodox Church USA, the Italian Mafia, the Arts of African Hoodoo/Voodoo, American Pagan Heathen Carnival, and Mardi Gras. In the City that allowed America to be finally freed from European domination at the Battle of New Orleans, a spiritual renaissance had flowered secretly under the influences of France, Spain, England and massive immigrations from Italy, Germany, Ireland and many other central European powers. Louisiana was purchased by the USA in 1803, but before this event, the mystical rites of the Secret Loge de Parfaits had a rich history in New Orleans. To this day, New Orleans is rich in culture, mythology, and spirituality as evidenced in the secret krewes, clubs, and orders related to Mardi Gras and carnival. Some of the largest fraternal and societal cemeteries in the world

are located in New Orleans. This site is dedicated to the Higher Teachings of the first Rose Croix Illumaniti in the New World as a Sovereign Body in the Americas. The Ancient Mystical Loge de Parfaits in America is a trademarked and copyright protected society that is an active Masonic Rosicrucian Research Society and Fellowship. 1st Order I° Zelator II° Theoricus III° Practicus IV° Philosophus 2nd Order V° Adeptus Minor VI° Adeptus Major VII° Adeptus Exemptus 3rd Order VIII° Magister Templi IX° Magus Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm (Grotto) (link) We know why, how and where the GROTTO - MYSTIC ORDER OF VEILED PROPHETS OF THE ENCHANTED REALM OF NORTH AMERICA-was actually founded. The chief moving spirit in the founding of this organization was LeRoy Fairchild. In the summer of 1889 a group of Master Masons, members of Hamilton Lodge #120 at Hamilton, New York, met to organize and hold informal meetings. What this group was seeking was fun and good fellowship. At their meeting on September 10, 1889, they decided to honor the founder by calling it "Fairchild Deviltry Committee." It was decided that this organization be confined to Master Masons in good standing. The idea of the Order proved to be attractive and many distinguished Masons joined. The Order could no longer be confined to any one locality and in response to imperative requests other groups were formed. On June 13, 1890 the Fairchild Deviltry Committee duly established and formed the Supreme Council, Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm. Its purpose mainly was to add in greater measure to the Masonic fraternal spirit the charm of radiant cheerfulness and to maintain within the fraternity an impetus of royal good fellowship, wherein joyous companionship and helpful sympathy shall mingle graciously and become the distinguishing characteristics of the Order. The late LeRoy Fairchild, who is revered by all Prophets of the Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm as the founder of the Order, was an earnest, devoted Mason and an enthusiastic believer in the helpful influence of mirth. He loved his Brethren with an ardor of a true Mason and man and always sought to bring joy to their hearts by the cultivation of sunny cheerfulness and indulgence in healthy merriment and joyful laughter. He believed with all his heart that the beneficial influence of Masonry would be far greater if, along with the inculcation of sublime moral lessons, opportunities were afforded for the cultivation of a greater spirit of cheerfulness and goodfellowship amongst the members than was possible in the Blue Lodge. A little fun now and then is the best tonic and the man who occasionally unbends is the man who lasts and gets the most out of life, The Enchanted Realm holds an inexhaustible store of the sunshine which warms with the glow of generous sympathy, dispels the gloom of fret and worry and gives a brighter outlook and kindlier feeling, while it strengthens the fiber for real serious work and so brings true blessings and beautifies the fellowship of the Prophets. The founding and growth of the Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm is phenomenal in the history of fraternal organizations, and proves that a really good thing will grow on its merits, even if it has no powerful combination in back of it to press it to the front. The Grotto is the playhouse of the craft - the place where world-worn men can get together, forget their cares, and be, as it were, boys again. For within the portals of the Grotto, the stiffness and formality which keeps men apart melts away and they come into closer and truer relationship because of the breaking down of these barriers. In this way the Order is doing a noble job and is a powerful help in the cause of fraternity, for it supplements the work of the regular Masonic bodies with a spirit of cheer which lends a charm and grace to the severity of the more serious work. National Sojourner (link) The Purposes of National Sojourners shall be to organize Commissioned Officers, Warrant Officers, Senior NonCommissioned Officers of the uniformed services (past and present) of the United States, and Honorary Members, who are Master Masons, into Chapters, for the promotion of good fellowship among its members, for assisting such as may be overtaken by adversity or affliction, for cultivating Masonic ideals, for supporting all patriotic aims and activities in Masonry, for developing true Patriotism and Americanism throughout the Nation, for bringing together representatives of the uniformed forces of the United States (past and present) in a united effort to further the military need of National Defense, and for opposing any influence whatsoever calculated to weaken the National Security. Heroes of '76 (link) The Heroes of '76 is an affiliate, auxiliary organization of National Sojourners, Inc., which functions under the authority of, and in accordance with, ARTICLE 15 of the By- Laws of National Sojourners, Inc. It is composed of National Sojourners who have, in recognition of exemplary service to National Sojourners, Inc., Freemasonry, or our National Government, received this inspiring patriotic Degree. Each Camp of Heroes is subordinate to and dependent upon one or more Chapters of National Sojourners, Inc. which shall be responsible for it proper functioning. Operatives (link) Operative or Guild Masons were organized in England with royal approval dating at least from as early as the Grand Assemblage of 926 in York, which is reputed to have been authorized and encouraged by King Athelstan. As a result of the general decline in Guild masonry, only a few operative lodges were still active in the early 1900s. Fearing that their teachings and ceremonials might eventually become lost, several operative lodges of the York Division decided that positive action should be taken to obviate this possibility. Under the authority of the York Division, the Channel Row Assemblage was reconstituted under the present title at Bedford House, in

London, on 21st May 1913. The Worshipful Society of Freemasons is governed by a Grand Assemblage, which is based in London and presided over by three Grand Master Masons. When the annual Grand Assemblage met in September 1999, the Worshipful Society had a worldwide membership of 1,697 and comprised fifty-one Assemblages, of which thirteen are in Australia and four in New Zealand. For administrative purposes the Worshipful Society is subdivided into divisions or regions, of which five are in Australia, presided over by a Senior Passed Master who is the Deputy Grand Master Mason responsible directly to Grand Assemblage. I° Indentured Apprentice II° Fellow of the Craft III° Fitter and Marker IV° Setter Erector V° Intendant, Overseer, Super Intendant and Warden VI° Passed Master VII° Master Mason and Grand Master Honoris Causa Order of Athelstan (link) The Order is based on the historic records of the life and the legend of King Athelstan. The focus of the Order is to show how this early reference to the importance of Masonry in English history was significant for the development of speculative Freemasonry. The Masonic Order of Athelstan portrays the story of a Master Mason being called to York in 926 AD to receive the Ancient Charges from the king. Throughout its ceremony the ritual contains a great deal of symbolism that is still seen in some Lodges today and a great deal that is not currently worked. The Order, in England and Wales, is structured so that its Provinces, wherever possible, reflect and represent the original Kingdoms and Gilds (original spelling of Guilds) as they were set up by King Athelstan during his reign as "The First King of all the English". Our Provinces do not therefore correlate directly with the English County divisions; our Provinces amalgamate and include areas from existing counties to provide Provinces large enough to support and sustain the required ten Courts. Throughout Masonic ceremonies, there are many legends that are used to tell a story and portray moral values. The ceremonies within this Order are no different. The Athelstan ceremony focuses on the legend of the York Assembly of 926 AD and uses this as the framework and conduit for our own ceremony. The story is the summoning of the Master Mason to the York assembly for further 'instruction' of Masonic ritual and symbolism and in doing so follows the historic development of the Craft over the following centuries. The aim of the Masonic Order of Athelstan is to encourage and prompt its members into actual further study and research. As such each candidate is carefully chosen due to their interest in Masonic history and is ‘Instructed’ into our Order. Membership of our Order is strictly invitational and members are expected to take a wide and committed interest in all aspects of freemasonry, there are therefore mandatory requirements for each member to have current, active and ongoing membership of both Craft and Royal Arch Chapter Masonry. To this end we are fully committed to supporting the United Grand Lodge of England and expect each and every member of the Order to give full support and allegiance to the UGLE. Order of DeMolay (link) DeMolay is an organization dedicated to preparing young men to lead successful, happy, and productive lives. Basing its approach on timeless principles and practical, hands-on experience, DeMolay opens doors for young men aged 12 to 21 by developing the civic awareness, personal responsibility and leadership skills so vitally needed in society today. DeMolay combines this serious mission with a fun approach that builds important bonds of friendship among members in more than 1,000 chapters worldwide. Order of DeMolay Alumni DeMolay alumni include Walt Disney, John Wayne, Walter Cronkite, football Hall-of-Famer Fran Tarkenton, legendary Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne, news anchor David Goodnow and many others. Each has spoken eloquently of the life-changing benefit gained from their involvement in DeMolay. Order of the Eastern Star Rainbow Girl's (link) In 1922, Rainbow was created for young women whose fathers were members of the Masonic Lodge, and their friends. Although a Christian minister named W. Mark Sexson founded the organization, today the leaders of Rainbow Girls respect and welcome all girls from every religion. Their main focus is more on the spiritual principles of being a kind and caring person. While the Rainbow practices and programs continue to evolve, the basic teachings of faith, hope, and charity remain a cornerstone of this dynamic girl’s youth group. Today, there are more than 850 assemblies across the world that have bimonthly meetings. This is how the members learn standard meeting protocol and parliamentary procedure. Adults are always present to provide support, guidance, and help interpret the rules. Members also learn to memorize meaningful lectures and to be prepared for extemporaneous speeches. Some meetings conclude with a presentation or unique entertainment. In addition, members and advisors work on different service projects throughout the year. Since November of 1951, world headquarters for the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls has been located in McAlester, Oklahoma. This magnificent building was constructed for Rainbow Girls and funded by Rainbow Girls. It represents what can be accomplished when girls are empowered with knowledge, enlightened by travel, and energized by their own inner spirit. Job's Daughters (link) Founded in 1920 by Mrs. Ethel T. Wead Mick, Job's Daughters International is an organization of young women with members in the United States, Canada, Australia, the Philippines and Brazil. Members have fun together at activities such as swimming parties, dances, family picnics, slumber parties, miniature golf, marching in parades and so much more. In Job's Daughters you will make new friends that will last a lifetime. Job's Daughters perform service projects to help their community and the less fortunate. We actively support the Hearing Impaired Kids Endowment (HIKE) Fund, which purchases hearing assistive devices for hearing impaired children. Job's Daughters can qualify for various scholarships that are offered on a state and national

level. We also gain valuable leadership experience, serve as part of a team, and learn democratic principles as they run their own meetings, decide our own activities, and plan our own events. In short, Job's Daughters International offers the qualities that today's young women want and need from organizations that earn their commitment: fun, friendship, helping others and the chance to learn organizational and leadership skills. Order of the Eastern Star (link) The history of the Order of the Eastern Star is divided into three Eras: 1. The First Era extended from 1850 to 1866, under the leadership of Dr. Rob Morris, Poet Laureate of Masonry. 2. The Second Era extended from 1866 to 1876, under the leadership of Robert Macoy of New York. 3. The Third Era extends from 1876, when the General Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, was established to the present time. Of these eras, the first is perhaps the most important as it prepared the way for the other two. The real origin of the Order of the Eastern Star, like Masonry, will always be shrouded in mystery. Many researchers believe it had a French origin as early as 1703. By some, this is claimed to be the first inception of "Female Masonry" or "Androgynous Degrees" -- (degrees for both men and women). There appeared at this time, to be a demand for "Side Degrees" or Degrees conferred on ladies, and quite a list sprang up -- "Heroines of Jericho", "Danger in the Dark", "Tall Cedars of Lebanon", etc. These were extensively used but soon fell into decay for lack of lasting worth. As to the real origin of the Eastern Star degrees in its Initiatory form, there is not the least shadow of doubt that the honor belongs to Dr. Rob Morris and its real origin comes under the First Era. Dr. Morris had traveled many years. He had written many books on Masonry which are valued references in many Masonic Libraries. Never quite satisfied that all the good in Masonry should be confined to men, Dr. Morris felt that Masonry should be for the whole family. But by the laws of that Ancient Order, women are not eligible for its degrees. Knowing he could not change the Ancient Landmarks of Masonry, Dr. Morris sought some method by which women could share with the Masonic Brother the same inspiration that "prompts man to noble deeds." Although he harbored these feelings for years, it wasn't until 1850, while confined to his home after an accident, that Dr. Morris fully developed the Eastern Star Degrees in their present initiatory form. During this time, he carefully thought out the symbolism and significance of the floor plan and the corps of officers. He conferred the degrees upon his wife and daughters, and some neighbors, presumably having an idea to clothe the ladies with certain words or signs whereby they might make themselves known to Master Masons. These signs and so-called mysteries of the Order were communicated freely to all Master Masons and their relatives. Dr. Morris and other prominent Master Masons gave many lectures and conferred the degrees on many ladies throughout the nation. Order of Amaranth (link) About three hundred years ago in Sweden, a little girl just six years old named Christina became the ruler of that country. As she grew to womanhood, she was very fond of things beautiful, cultured and of social importance. During her reign as Queen, she created the Order of the Amarantha for the ladies and knights of her royal court, building it around the character of Lady Amarantha, who was portrayed as being a beautiful, virtuous and talented Lady of the Court. Queen Christina herself acted the part of Lady Amarantha; and the name of the Order was probably chosen because of the beautiful never-fading red Amaranthus flowers growing in profusion in Spain and Portugal. The Order was perpetuated and exists in the Royal Court of Sweden now. As originally created by Queen Christina, the Royal and Social Order of the Amarantha had no more connection with Masonry than did the beautiful Catholic Cathedrals constructed by masons and by builders of old, before the structure of Masonry was developed and embodied in our present day Fraternity. So let's leave the Swedish Order of the Amarantha and return to more modern days. In the middle of the 19th century, a number of societies were started in America, in which females could become members. The two that we are most concerned with are the "Order of the Eastern Star" and the "Order of the Amaranth". Order of the White Shrine of Jerusalem (link) The mission of the Order is to uphold the simple religion of Christ and further his Gospel of "Peace and Good Will upon the Earth." To do noble deeds and by acts of kindness and works of cheer make the world better and brighter to him or her who in the hour of sorrow and affliction sees nothing but darkness Order of the Secret Monitor (link) While the first references to the Order of David and Jonathan are known to be of Dutch origin, the Secret Monitor arose in America as a side degree conferred by any mason who had received it himself. It was brought to England by Dr I. Zacharie when he returned from America (following the Civil War) around 1875. Under his leadership a Grand Council was formed in 1887 and the ritual was extended when a further two degrees were added, one of which pertained to the chair of Supreme Ruler. The degrees gained in popularity, but this success was to bring about a series of unfortunate events, for in the meantime the Grand Council of Allied Masonic Degrees had been empowered by an American body (of similar name) to confer their version of the degree. This resulted in the Allied body denouncing the Grand Council of the Order of the Secret Monitor and attempting to assume sole jurisdiction over the degree, but in spite of this Dr Zacharie’s group prospered. Regretfully a period of over 37 years elapsed, during which both orders were conferring a Secret Monitor degree, but the matter was finally resolved in 1931 when C. W. Napier-Clavering was in the favourable position of being Grand Supreme Ruler and also Grand Master of Allied Masonry. He then implemented an agreement transferring all rights to the Grand Council of the Order of the Secret Monitor and the degree was removed from the list of degrees of the Allied body. In the United States, the order is still a part of the Allied Masonic Degrees. Late 1999, the British Grand Conclave had 343 conclaves, of which were 4 in Spain, 4 in France and the rest in Commonwealth countries and Hong Kong. Despite its Dutch origins, there were no conclaves in the Netherlands until 2005. At that year the foundation of the Fidelitas Conclave No. 494 was approved by the Dutch Grand Orient. Furthermore, a number of Dutch masons is grand officer of this order. The Order comprises of the following degrees:

Secret Monitor—First degree: The legend narrated during the Induction ceremony is the story of the remarkable friendship which existed between David and Jonathan. During the ceremony the candidate is instructed in a certain course of action to be adopted when a brother is about to do anything which might prove injurious to himself and it teaches a beautiful lesson in friendship and fidelity. Prince—Second degree: The admission ceremony to an assembly of Princes is also derived from the Book of Samuel and narrates how Saul sought the life of David. It further relates an interesting legend of the methods contrived to thwart the efforts of the jealous King. Supreme Ruler—Third degree: This last named degree is unusual in that the ceremony of Installation constitutes the third degree of the Order pertaining to the Kingship of David and is fundamentally concerned with the headship of a Conclave. Embodied in the ritual of this degree, however, is the ceremony of commissioning, which gives rank and status within the Order as a whole, a certificate being issued to that effect. Secret Monitor The legend narrated during the Induction ceremony is the story of the remarkable friendship which existed between David and Jonathan. During the ceremony the candidate is instructed in a certain course of action to be adopted when a brother is about to do anything which might prove injurious to himself and it teaches a beautiful lesson in friendship and fidelity. Brotherhood of David and Jonathan (Prince) The admission ceremony to an assembly of Princes is also derived from the Book of Samuel and narrates how Saul sought the life of David. It further relates an interesting legend of the methods contrived to thwart the efforts of the jealous King. Supreme Ruler This last named degree is unusual in that the ceremony of Installation constitutes the third degree of the Order pertaining to the Kingship of David and is fundamentally concerned with the headship of a Conclave. Embodied in the ritual of this degree, however, is the ceremony of commissioning, which gives rank and status within the Order as a whole, a certificate being issued to that effect. Order of True Kindred (link) The Order of True Kindred is incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois. It's purposes are to encourage the practice of the principles of fraternal love, relief and truth, to confer the ritualistic degrees; to promote the moral and intellectual advancement of its members; and to administer acts of charity. Philalethes Society (link) Established in 1928, the Philalethes Society is the oldest independent Masonic research society in North America, serving thousands of members around the world. With a new, contemporary design, the Philalethes magazine features thought-provoking, substantial articles on Masonic symbolism, philosophy, ritual, artwork, literature and history. Today's Freemasons are acutely curious about the meaning of the Craft in their lives. They want to understand more deeply the profound lessons of the ritual. Greater insight into the nature of Masonic initiation requires a search for knowledge, and Philalethes is ready to be a trusted ally on that quest. Our approach is academically responsible, without being dry … traditional, without stifling creativity and new ideas. Phoenixmasonry (link) This website was developed to deliver further Light in Freemasonry. While the origin dates of Freemasonry in Europe are unclear, for more than two hundred years Freemasonry has been documented as an integral and vital part of the American society, culture and history. Our site is important to Phoenixmasons (e-Masons) and the general public, because it is a well-kept repository of our treasured Masonic heritage and humble origins. Our Mission Statement fills many roles. One goal, in the global world of the Internet, is to exhibit Masonic documents, lectures, and objects in a rich historical context that both educates and stimulates the traveler to continue and learn. We hope to bring the past back to life; and incite a passion for learning. We truly appreciate your visit and welcome you to download any portion of this site for your personal use as Masonic Research and Education material. Prince Hall Grand Lodge (link) Prince Hall Freemasonry derives from historical events which led to a tradition of separate, predominantly African-American, Freemasonic fraternal organization in North America. It is considered regular by the United Grand Lodge of England. On March 6, 1775, an African American named Prince Hall was made a Master Mason in Irish Constitution Military Lodge No. 441, along with fourteen other African Americans: Cyrus Johnston, Bueston Slinger, Prince Rees, John Canton, Peter Freeman, Benjamin Tiler, Duff Ruform, Thomas Santerson, Prince Rayden, Cato Speain, Boston Smith, Peter Best, Forten Horward, and Richard Titley, all of whom apparently were free by birth. When the Military Lodge left the area, the African Americans were given the authority to meet as a Lodge, form Processions on the days of the Saints John, and conduct Masonic funerals, but not to confer degrees nor to do other Masonic work. These individuals applied for and obtained a Warrant for Charter from the Grand Lodge of England in 1784 and formed African Lodge #459. The Red Cross of Constantine is officially The Masonic and Military Order of the Red Cross of Constantine and the Orders of the Holy Sepulchre and St. John the Evangelist, the latter two of which are called the Appendant Orders. There are also two chair degrees conferred on the Viceroy and Sovereign of a Conclave, and two honorary orders: Knight Commander of Constantine and Knight Grand Cross. The governing body of the Order for the United States of America, the Republic of Mexico and the Republic of the Philippines and their territories is styled The United Grand Imperial Council of Knights of the Red Cross of Constantine and Appendant Orders for the United States of America, Mexico and the Philippines. The purpose of the Constantinian Orders are to commemorate the first elevation of Christianity from the position of a despised and proscribed heresy to that of a legally recognized and honored religion, to cultivate the social virtues, appeal to the intellectual and moral qualities, preserve as far as possible the customs of the fraternity and bring about good fellowship and understanding between all branches of

Masonry. Knights Companions of the Order meet in Conclaves of the Red Cross of Constantine and a member must be a Royal Arch Mason in good standing and subscribe to a belief in the Christian religion as revealed in the New Testament. Membership is by invitation and each Conclave has a prescribed membership limit. On March 6, 1775, Prince Hall and 14 men of color were made masons in Lodge #441 of the Irish Registry attached to the 38th British Foot Infantry at Castle William Island in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. It marked the first time that Black men were made masons in America. About a year later, since the conflict between England and America had commenced, the British Foot Infantry left Boston, along with its lodge, leaving Prince Hall and his associates without a lodge. Before the lodge left, Worshipful Master Batt, gave them a "permit" to meet as a lodge and bury their dead in manner and form. This permit, however, did not allow them to do any "masonic work" or to take in any new members. Under it, African Lodge was organized on July 3, 1776, with Prince Hall as the worshipful master. It wasn't long before this lodge received an additional "permit" from Provincial Grand Master John Rowe to walk in procession on St. John's Day. On March 2, 1784, African Lodge #1 petitioned the Grand Lodge of England, the Premier or Mother Grand Lodge of the world, for a warrant (or charter), to organize a regular masonic lodge, with all the rights and privileges thereunto prescribed. The Grand Lodge of England issued a charter on September 29, 1784 to African Lodge #459, the first lodge of Blacks in America.. African Lodge #459 grew and prospered to such a degree that Worshipful Master Prince Hall was appointed a Provincial Grand Master, in 1791, and out of this grew the first Black Provincial Grand Lodge. In 1797 he organized a lodge in Philadelphia and one in Rhode Island. These lodges were designated to work under the charter of African Lodge #459. In December 1808, one year after the death of Prince Hall, African Lodge #459 (Boston), African Lodge #459 (Philadelphia) and Hiram Lodge #3 (Providence) met in a general assembly of the craft and organized African Grand Lodge (sometime referred to as African Grand Lodge #I). In 1847, out of respect for their founding father and first Grand Master, Prince Hall, they changed their name to the Prince Hall Grand Lodge, the name it carries today. In 1848 Union Lodge #2, Rising Sons of St. John #3 and Celestial Lodge #4 became the first lodges organized under the name Prince Hall Grand Lodge. From these beginnings, there now are some 5,000 lodges and 47 grand lodges who trace their lineage to the Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Jurisdiction of Massachusetts. Scottish Rite In the United States, members of the Scottish Rite can be elected to receive the 33° by the Supreme Council. It is conferred on members who have made major contributions to society or to Masonry in general. In the Southern Jurisdiction, a member who has been a 32° Scottish Rite Mason for 46 months or more is eligible to be elected to receive the "rank and decoration" of Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (K.C.C.H.) in recognition of outstanding service. After 46 months as a K.C.C.H. he is then eligible to be elected to the 33rd degree. In the Northern Jurisdiction, there is only one 46-month requirement for eligibility to receive the 33rd degree, and while there is a Meritorious Service Award (as well as a Distinguished Service Award), they are not required intermediate steps towards the 33°. A recipient of the 33rd Degree is an honorary member of the Supreme Council and is therefore called an "Inspector General Honorary." However, those who are appointed Deputies of the Supreme Council that are later elected to membership on the Supreme Council are then designated "Sovereign Grand Inspectors General." In the Northern Jurisdiction a recipient of the 33rd Degree is an honorary member of the Supreme Council, and all members are referred to as a "Sovereign Grand Inspectors General." Northern Jurisdiction (link) Lodge of Perfection 4° Master Traveler 5° Perfect Master 6° Master of the Brazen Serpent 7° Provost and Judge 8° Intendant of the Building 9° Master of the Temple 10° Master Elect 11° Sublime Master Elected 12° Grand Master Architect 13° Master of the Ninth Arch 14° Grand Elect Mason Council, Princes of Jerusalem 15° Knight of the East, or Knight of the Sword 16° Prince of Jerusalem Chapter of the Rose Croix 17° Knight of the East and West 18° Knight of the Rose Croix de Heredom Council of Kadosh Consistory 19° Grand Pontiff 20° Master ad Vitam 21° Patriarch Noachite 22° Prince of Libanus 23° Chief of the Tabernacle 24° Brother of the Forest 25° Master of Achievment 26° Friend and Brother Eternal 27° Knight of Jerusalem 28° Knight of the Sun, or Prince Adept 29° Knight of Saint Andrew 30° Grand Inspector 31° Knight Aspirant 32° Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret

33° Inspector General Southern Jurisdiction (link) Lodge of Perfection 4° Secret Master The Fourth Degree, or Secret Master, is the first step into the inner sanctuary of the Spiritual Temple, where he who seeks, finds Truth. In this Degree we are to learn the duty of obedience to law, not to the edict of a tyrant, contrary to the law of God or nature, but the law that is an expression of the will and judgment of the people and for the benefit of the whole people. 5° Perfect Master The Fifth Degree, or Perfect Master, emphasizes the two virtues, Industry and Honesty. The Master Khurum (Hiram) had both of these virtues. Idleness, the great enemy of growth, whether mental or spiritual, is the brewer of mischief and vice. "To sleep little, study much, say little, think and hear much, to learn to do earnestly and vigorously whatever is required by duty" are the precepts of the Mason who follows the Master. A Mason should always be honest in his contracts, sincere in his statements, and keep all promises and covenants even to his own disadvantage. 6° Intimate Secretary The Sixth Degree teaches us to be zealous, faithful, disinterested and benevolent. No good Mason can be worldly, covetous or sensual, but must be kind and affectionate, broadminded and charitable; keeping thoughts only on the good and true, with a feeling of thankfulness for all favors rendered and a sincere desire to do unto his Brother as he would wish done unto him. 7° Provost and Judge The Seventh Degree, or Provost and Judge, has for its chief lesson the great principle of justice. Those with the power of judgment should judge impartially without any personal consideration, without prejudice or preconception and without haste. Two kinds of injustice may be done to a fellow-man: one where a man does an injury to another, the other where he fails to avert an injury both by God and man, yet the consequences remain. In judging a wrong we should remember the motive and temptation. Some men are born with noble instincts, while others are less fortunate. Perhaps the man who leads a clean life has never had the temptation which came to his fallen brother; so we should judge with charity and pitying kindness. 8° Intendant of the Building The Eighth Degree, or Intendant of the Building, impresses upon the candidate the futility of advancing unless the lessons already taught have been carefully considered. The jurisprudence, learning and morality of Masonry and not merely the work and ceremonies should have our most profound thought and attention. We are seekers after Light and we should consider the earthly life of ours a field for noble action, the beginning of heaven and a part of immortality. This Degree teaches us that we have high duties to perform and a high destiny to fulfill on this Earth. We should love this Earth as the garden on which the Creator has lavished such miracles of beauty, has made it the dwelling place of the wise and the good, the place of opportunity for the development of the noblest passions, the tenderest sympathies and the loftiest virtues. 9° Elu of the Nine This Degree is consecrated to bravery, devotedness and patriotism. Its duties are summed up in "Protect the oppressed against the oppressor and devote yourself to the honor and interest of your country." Masonry calls for active service in comforting the unfortunate and raising the degraded. It requires initiates to work actively and earnestly for the benefit of their brethren, their country and mankind. Most men have sentiment to the right, but do the wrong. They may talk much of virtue but live little of it. They may even talk much of wrongs but do little to eradicate them. He who fights against cruelty, oppression, wrongs and abuse fights for his country's honor. Life is not measured by days, but by the deeds we have done for our fellow man and our country. "Unselfish and noble acts are the most radiant epochs in the biography of souls. When wrought in earliest youth, they lie in the memory of age like the coral islands, green and sunny, amidst the melancholy waste of ocean." 10° Elu of the Fifteen This Degree is devoted to religious and political toleration and to the enlightenment of the mind of soul. Toleration holds that every man has a right to his opinion, and liberally claims that no human being can say he alone knows the Truth. Whatever a man sincerely and conscientiously believes is truth to him, and only through enlightenment and education are intolerance and fanaticism put down. Masonry is not a religion, but is founded on the essential truths of all religions; it is the universal morality underlying every creed. A belief in the one true God and a moral and virtuous life are the only requirements that Masonry promulgates as a necessity for membership. 11° Elu of the Twelve The duties of this Degree are to be earnest, true, reliable and sincere; to protect the people against illegal impositions; and contend for their political rights. It is a Mason's duty to serve his Brothers, not Masons alone, but all humanity. The safety of every free government depends upon the integrity of the common people. The nation that bases its greatness on tyranny over prostrate states, heavy and unjust taxation and crafty alliances will find its empire tottering in ruins. Masonry should do all in its power to protect the people, to better their living conditions and to supply their needs. 12° Master Architect The human soul ever travels toward the Light and God. It never loses the sense of its own powers, but

there are many faculties within us of which we are dimly conscious; to arouse that slumbering soulconsciousness to the realization of Truth is the most divine object of all human helpfulness. Masonry strives to develop these half-forgotten, God-given traits and to accept them as their guide. Life is what each man makes of it; the optimist turns every trial into a blessing, the pessimist sees only ruin and disaster. All our earthly transactions and institutions are based on faith in our fellow-man. How much more so must we believe in God. The belief in a Supreme Being is an instinct in all races. No man can suffer and be patient, can struggle and conquer, can improve and be happy without faith in a just, wise and beneficent God. 13° Royal Arch of Solomon For centuries the Hebrews have been forbidden to pronounce the sacred name of God and whenever it occurred they have read the name "Adonai" instead. The knowledge of the true pronunciation was supposed to give to the possessor supernatural powers. This idea of the sanctity of the Creator's name was common to all ancient nations. Among them the conception of God varied according to their intellectual capacities; among the ignorant He was invested with the lower attributes of humanity, among the spiritual He was a Being, pure and holy. This knowledge of God, however, was not given out the common people, but was kept secret by the favored few. The communication of this knowledge of the true nature of the Creator, with other esoteric truths, is what is now called Free Masonry, which under other names has existed since the beginning of the human race. This Degree, in fact, forms the climax of the ineffable Masonry. It is the keystone of the Arch and discovers that which is revealed in the succeeding of Degree of Perfection. It is a most important and interesting grade, and so intimately connected with its successor as to appear like a section of that Degree. The dark clouds and mists that have hitherto veiled the sacred mysteries now begin to be dispelled; the glorious dawn illuminates the East with its bright effulgence, and its rays penetrate into dark and hidden places. 14° Perfect Elu This Degree is the last of the Lodge of Perfection, and we have reached the point where each individual Mason must discover the secret of Masonry for himself. This can be done only upon reflection of its symbols, and a wise consideration and analysis of what is said and done in the work. Perfect Truth is unattainable, yet we must ever press on, more nearly approaching it. We receive as much of the Divine Light as we are capable of understanding. God has arranged His great purpose so that each man has a work to do, a duty to perform to help in the progress of the great plan for enlightenment and growth. The Mason believes that the sorrows and trials of this life are a part of the plan of God designed to purify and strengthen our souls. Surely a wise and merciful God would not send these things upon His children without some ultimate good resulting. On this life depends our future well-being, and we should so live that death will have no terror for us, but will only be a release from the earth to spiritual realms above. Chapter of the Rose Croix 15° Knight of the East, or Knight of the Sword, or Knight of the Eagle The Fifteenth Degree is the first Degree of the Rose Croix, and the leading lesson is fidelity to obligations and constancy under difficulty. Masonry carries on a war against ignorance, intolerance and error. The chief stumbling blocks on the way to success in this crusade are the indifference of its own members and the world. Masonry teaches that God is paternal, having concern for each individual, for each individual soul is an emanation from Him, made for good and not for evil. We must, therefore, persevere even as the ancient Brethren have done, notwithstanding all obstacles. We must resist temptation and be upright and virtuous, assisting in God's great plan for the eternal salvation of the universe. We must pass through the darkness to reach the Light. 16° Prince of Jerusalem The story of the rebuilding of the Temple at Jerusalem is of peculiar interest to Masons, and while we no longer plan to rebuild it, yet its story ever conveys to us the thought that the world and every noble heart is God's Temple, and we should labor to establish the reign of love and peace, thus building a lasting temple to God. The trowel is the emblem of this Degree, teaching Masons the ennobling effect of honest labor. The work of the soul, developing the virtue of patience and gentleness ought to be as important to us as earning our daily bread. The beauty of Love, charm of Friendship, the sacredness of Sorrow, the heroism of Patience, the nobleness of Sacrifice, make life to be life indeed, and we are its grandeur and power. They are the priceless treasures and glory of humanity. The story of Cyrus and the adventures of Darius form one of the most interesting and fascinating chapters in the history of the Persian Empire. They are rich in tradition and clouded in fable, and yet Scriptural and historical reference to their deeds and exploits entitle them to a position among the empire builders of Persia men with vision and foresight, whose efforts at conquest and attempts at the liberation of oppressed peoples seem to have been divinely authorized. It is upon these epochs in Persian history that the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Degrees are founded, and the lessons in the ritual are drawn from events that transpired during the lives of Cyrus and Darius. 17° Knight of the East and West This is the first of the Philosophical Degrees which penetrate the inner mysteries of Masonry. In all times truth has been concealed in symbols. At the time of John the Baptist, all the ancient philosophical and religious doctrines became intermingled on account of the various conquests which brought the nations together. John, who taught some creed older than Christianity, must have belonged to a sect of the Essenes, which was very similar to Christianity. It is from the Essenes that this Degree is sprung. The Essenes believed that Truth was scattered throughout the world among different sects. They believed it the duty of every man to gather these fragments of divine revelation into a harmonious whole to be used in spreading the right thinking and right living among mankind. Thus, they combine the

thought of the Orient and the Occident, from which fact we draw the name of this Degree. 18° Knight Rose Croix The ceremonies of this Degree are interpreted by each individual according to his own faith for in no other way can Masonry retain its universal character. To all antiquity, Light was the type of Good while Darkness was Evil. Evil was a principle represented in demons and fallen angels, who first having fallen themselves, tempted others to do so, thus bringing sin into the world. The future life was to be obtained by purification and suffering, through the Redeemer who would overcome Evil. The belief was general that He was to be born of a virgin and suffer death. The Cross has been a sacred symbol of earliest antiquity among many nations, with various meanings. In this degree its interpretation was taken from the Egyptian hieroglyphic for life emanating from Deity, the eternal life for which we all hope. The Rose is the symbol of dawn, of the resurrection of life. Together the Rose and Cross represent the dawn of eternal life. In all religions there is a basis of Truth; in all there is a pure Morality. All that teaches the cardinal tenets of Masonry we respect; all teachers and reformers of mankind we admire and revere. Masonry also has her mission to perform. With her traditions reaching back to the earliest times, and her symbols dating further back than even the monumental history of Egypt extends, she invites all men of all religions to enlist under her banners and to war against evil, ignorance and wrong. Council of Kadosh 19° Grand Pontiff This is the first Degree of the Council of Kadosh. In it the fact of the influence of the past upon the present and future is forcibly exemplified. The true Mason labors for the enlightenment of future ages. All good men hope to live after death through the work they have done. We still feel the influence of deeds of heroism done in the past and are uplifted by the monuments of art and literature of ages gone by. It is the dead that govern. The living only obey. The thoughts of the Past are the Laws of the Present and the Future. That which shall live when we are dead, as a part of the great body of law enacted by the dead, is the only act worth doing, the only thought worth speaking. Then let us so live that our acts may endure to uplift a Brother yet unborn. 20° Master of the Symbolic Lodge As Grand Master of all Lodges, one must first learn to be able to teach. There is nothing more sublime than leading the initiate into the sublime truth of Masonry, but to do so properly requires study and thought. The legends and allegories recited by Masonry are of worth only when understood. The lessons of this degree are Liberty, Fraternity and Equality. These must be applied to everyday life and not reserved for the lodge room only. The world will judge us by our acts and Masonry itself will be judged by the character of its members. Let the light shine always. 21° Noachite, or Prussian Knight In the 21st Degree we are admonished to be modest and humble, speaking only of the good in mankind and forgetting the evil. Slander is the exact opposite to mercy, for "Mercy blesseth him that gives and him that takes" while slander curses him that speaks it, and to say the least, does no good to the other. Our ancient brethren met to redress wrongs and defend the helpless. Masonry today has the same great mission and woe to him who would attempt to destroy it. 22° Knight of the Royal Axe, or Prince of Libanus The lessons of this degree have always been of great moment to a large number of people. The respect for labor itself and sympathy for the laboring classes are purely Masonic. Masonry has made the working man and his associates the heroes of her principal legend, and himself the companion of kings. From first to last, Masonry is work. Labor is man's great function, his peculiar distinction and his privilege. He pours his own thoughts into the molds of nature, fashioning them into forms of grace and fabrics of convenience. But greater than these, every man has work to do in himself, upon his own soul and intellect, and so may attain the highest nobleness and grandeur on earth or in Heaven. 23° Chief of the Tabernacle In most of the ancient ceremonies of public worship and private rites, called Mysteries, only the initiated could attend. Only after years of practice of the most rigid virtue, and great spiritual development, could the initiated hope to attain the greater mysteries. These ceremonies were often held at night in some secret place and consisted of sacred dramas, portraying some legend which contained a lesson, but little explanation was given and each candidate was left to interpret the truths for himself. Moses undoubtedly received from the Egyptians these Mysteries and in turn taught them to the Hebrew priesthood, emphasizing the doctrine of the one God, supreme and unapproachable. 24° Prince of the Tabernacle The Jewish tabernacle was more symbolic than an ordinary reading of the Scriptures would indicate. Whether it was copied after other religions or not has never been settled to the satisfaction of the leading scholars. Josephus, the great Hebrew historian, says that in the construction of it, and its vestments and sacred vessels, the whole world was in some way represented. In this we again see the influence of the Egyptian teachings. The twelve loaves of shew bread signify the twelve months of the year and the candlestick the twelve signs of the Zodiac. Philo asserts that the cherubim represented the two hemispheres. Symbols were the universal language of ancient theology. Symbolic instruction was the uniform usage of antiquity as a system of mysterious communication. The Mysteries were a series of symbols which strive to recall man to his Divine Origin, and point out to him the means of returning hither. The great science acquired in the Mysteries was knowledge of man's self, of the nobleness of his origin, the grandeur of his destiny, and his superiority over the animals, which can never acquire this knowledge. The human mind still speculates upon the great mysteries of nature, and still finds its ideals

anticipated by the ancients, whose profound thoughts are to be looked for, not in their philosophies, but in their symbols, by which they endeavored to express the great ideas that vainly struggled for utterance in words, as they viewed the great circle of phenomena - Birth, Life, Death, and New Life out of Death to them the greatest of mysteries. 25° Knight of the Brazen Serpent The serpent was regarded in olden days with reverence and was known as the author of the fate of souls. The serpent in coil with his head erect was the royal ensign of the Pharaohs. Other mysteries as well as those of the Hebrews and Gnostics consecrated it. In those of Bacchus Saba-Zeos it was flung into the bosom of the initiate. In a system of degrees to complete the Scottish Rite, it was necessary to teach every religion and philosophy known, and so in this degree, we find the moral lessons of some of the older religions taught with vigor, especially that of the mystical death which symbolizes the descent of the soul into the infernal regions and afterwards its rise to the state of light, truth and perfection. 26° Prince of Mercy, or Scottish Trinitarian To know many sciences and to know them thoroughly is an impossible task for our infinite minds. But we can take time from our daily tasks to learn a little. That the light from some great sun has been traveling toward the earth for many centuries and is not yet visible to us is almost unbelievable, when we know that light travels 186,000 miles each second, and yet is it any more wonderful to know that the great tree, the clinging vine and the little plant all sprang from seeds so similar that only a botanist can tell one from another? The truth is that everything in nature is a mystery to us and we are mysteries to ourselves. Then let us watch and pray for that understanding which comes only after being tried in the fire of time and experience. 27° Knight of the Sun, or Prince Adept The study of the ancient religions is of such vast proportions, that were one able to devote his entire lifetime to it, he could not hope to complete it. The worship of the sun and its planets, with more or less variations, was the most prevalent, although originally the planets, as well as fire, light and heat, were but symbols or rather the outward manifestations of the Supreme Being or Intellect. Almost every heathen nation, or at least all of whose mythology we have any knowledge, believed in one supreme God, whose name was never uttered. All rites and creeds, the evolution of some one or more of these ancient beliefs, have come down to us, sometimes purified by experience and added wisdom, but often a distorted vision has made what was once pure gold nothing but dross. This Degree especially was the real belief of our first Brethren, who lived long before the Pyramids of Egypt or the first Babylon. 28° Knight Commander of the Temple Practical charity, knightly attributes of character, and a scorn for the base and selfish...are but a few of the lessons taught in this degree. Truth and honor are more to be cultivated than the gathering of wealth and power, and while we have been studying the historical, philosophical and religious lessons of Masonry, let us not forget the practical side of it, ever remembering our duties to the poor and helpless, the weak and the unhappy. 29° Scottish Knight of Saint Andrew Traditions and folk songs, handed down through the ages, are the foundation stones for the building of national character. The glorious achievements of our ancestors are the beacon lights of our efforts today. The Cross of St. Andrew has always been the emblem of humility, patience and self-denial, and even more than these, that of charity and forbearance for the weak, the poor and the helpless. The knights of old held virtue and truth and honor the most essential qualities of character. 30° Knight Kadosh, or Knight of the White and Black Eagle Of all the Degrees of the Scottish Rite, we should consider this one of the most important. "Lives of great men," as the poet has said, "remind us we can make our lives sublime." If in death there is life, then the great martyrs of history live indeed in the hearts of the followers after Truth. Every Mason who has attained this Degree should study the history of the Templars for it is as true now as then that the esoteric teachings of Masonry are only to be appreciated when studied diligently and continually. This Degree particularly teaches the great necessity of combating arbitrary and unscrupulous power and all influences which would keep the people in ignorance. Consistory 31° Inspector Inquisitor The title of this Degree conveys the thoughts of self-examination. Every man, and more especially every Mason, should meditate prayerfully and soberly on his thoughts and acts of the day. The wrongs of today must not be repeated on the morrow, for each day should add some light and truth for our guidance for the next, and then as time goes by, our characters should be so far above reproach, so filled with the love of our fellowman, that the world would instinctively say: "There is a good man, for he is a Mason." To correct the faults of others, to admonish with love and forbearance, is a duty we owe each other, but never to judge, for that is a divine prerogative alone. 32° Master of the Royal Secret In this degree the crowning point is reached by those who have studied and thought. The Royal Secret, like the occult science of the ancients, is concealed even here - but remember, "Faith begins where Reason sinks exhausted." Magic, contrary to the belief of many, is but the absolute science of nature and its laws, hence the Star of Hope shines for us as truly as it did for the Wise Men of the East two thousand years ago. Today, as in the first days of the creation, the universal equilibrium still retains its predominant position in the eternal plan of the Omnipotent. Good and evil, right and wrong, justice and

mercy, attraction and repulsion balance each other to teach us to remember ourselves as immortal souls, retaining for each other respect and charity and remembering always that each is slowly climbing to that state of perfection, the final goal of all. "Be sovereign over yourself, be neither intoxicated by success nor depressed by defeat. You must not usurp in order to be enabled to punish usurpation nor must you hate error so much as not to love mankind." Court of Honor 32° Knight Commander of the Court of Honor (KCCH) At the biennial session of the Supreme Council certain Masters of the Royal Secret, having held that degree for at least forty-six months prior to the session, are chosen to receive the Rank and Decoration of Knights Commander of the Court of Honour. These are chosen from the ranks of the Consistory for special service to Masonry, or to mankind, by the Deputy or Sovereign Grand Inspector General. The Knight Commander of the Court of Honour may be recognized by the red cap they are entitled to wear. The rank of KCCH, if petitioned or asked for, must be refused. 33° Inspector General Honorary The Thirty-third Degree is conferred by the Supreme Council upon members of the Rite in recognition of outstanding work in the Rite or in public life. The 33° cannot be asked for and if asked for must be refused. At its biennial session the Supreme Council elects members of the Rite to receive the Degree. These 33° Masons are Inspectors General honorary and honorary members of the Supreme Council. The active members of the Supreme Council are chosen from among them. Grand Cross of the Court of Honor This is the highest individual honor that The Supreme Council bestows. It is voted very rarely to Thirtythird Degree Masons only for the most exceptional and extraordinary services. The Grand Cross cap is white with a blue band. On the front is a replica of the Grand Cross jewel, which is composed of a Teutonic Cross, with an embroidered crimson rose with green leaves at its center. 33° Inspector General Tall Cedars of Lebanon (link) Before going into the history of Tall Cedarism. I would like to quote the Preamble of our Constitution, which is not only adequate, but sometimes fills a need for those men who are our brothers through the great Masonic fraternity in which we progressed from the apprentice, fellow craft, and Master Mason Degrees. It is to promote wider acquaintances and friendship among men already bound together by fraternal vows: To perpetuate itself as a fraternal and social organization, and to provide for its orderly government," In the good book it states. " in the beginning." And thus it is with the Tall Cedars of Lebanon-there was a beginning, just how and where is a moot question and a lot of it is conjecture, but some facts do come out of the wood (Cedar wood, i.e..). Apparently it all started in 1843 with some very energetic and imaginative Master Masons who dreamed up the idea of a Tall Cedar Degree, and in those days the degree was called " The Ancient and Honorable Rite of Humility." The name "Tall Cedar Degree" does not reveal itself other than the possibility of a somewhat shorter title than the aforementioned, and this was to remain as such until we adopted the title of " Tall Cedars of Lebanon of the United States of America" upon incorporation in 1902. It was some time around 1846, after the meetings of the Grand Lodge and some of the Blue Lodges in the Pennsylvania and New Jersey area that they would have the Tall Cedar Degree performed., and from what I can gather, it was a form of hazing in which the candidates for the degree were gotten from those willing to receive it, and it was put on by those who had already received the degree. However, there was a great lapse of time and nothing was heard about this degree until the early 1850's when a Dr. Thomas J. Corson from the New Jersey area started conferring the degree as he had received it in Philadelphia. As you well know, around that time your only means of travel was the horse and buggy, and the train, so this degree was not performed often, but rest assure, whenever they had a good gathering of Master Masons, the Tall Cedar Degree was put on. It was always so much clean fun to see someone get the works, even as it is today. Some " Old Timer" spoke of a jury of men being housed in the hotel in a town in New Jersey, that heard the Tall Cedar Degree was to be performed. The Deputy Sheriff being a Mason took those that were also Masons to see it performed and after it was over brought them back to the hotel. It must have been really something to go to all that trouble. Upon the death of Dr. Corson in 1879 the Tall Cedar Degree was continued by Dr. Stevens , who organized the first regular degree team and went to several cities and towns throughout the New Jersey area performing the work. It seems that Glassboro, New Jersey, was the focal point for the performance of the Tall Cedars Degree, for whenever that had enough candidates the work was put on. In 1887 Dr. Stevens and his degree team came to the town and conferred the degree on Frank W. Bowen and Orlando M. Bowen, and thirteen other candidates. I mention the names of these brethren because they were part of the charter group that formed the Tall Cedars of Lebanon. Even today, The Pitman Masonic Club in Pitman, New Jersey is where the 34th degree is performed, and perhaps is the aftermath of he Tall Cedar Degree. In similar manner as the 34th degree is now conferred, at Pitman Masonic Club on May 24, 1901, fifty-four Master masons who had received the Tall Cedar Degree met in Glassboro, New Jersey, to watch and confer the degree on 53 candidates from Glassboro, Clayton, Williamstown, Manuta, Woodbury and Philadelphia, with the following as officers. They were Grand Mogul Frank W. Bowen, Vice-Mogul Jacob Bibo, Treasurer T.C. Allen, Secretary Dr. F.A. Stanger, Conductor S. Stanger Iszard, Assistant Conductor Charles W. Wood, Inside Announcer W.H. Jones, Outside Announcer B.T. Ferrell, Preparer of the Forest Bresier Westcoat, Jr. Chaplain Rev. John H. Algar. I mentioned above officers' titles to give you an idea of what comprised Tall Cedar Degree Team,. It seems that the library of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania has a manuscript in its archives written in 1864 by Brother William H. Adams, Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge, recording the secret work, and a description of the degree. Four Master Masons who received the Tall Cedar Degree later became Supreme Tall Cedars, They were Frank W. Bowen, and Orlando M. Bowen in 1887, David H. Lukens in 1888, and Johns S. Broughton in 1889. The above brethren along with several others (fifteen in all, charter members of our organization) assembled in the State Capitol of New Jersey, in the City of Trenton, on March 18, 1902 for the purpose of establishing a fraternal order

to be know as the Tall Cedars of Lebanon of America for fun, frolic, and fellowship. These brethren felt that since this form of friendship and sociability occurred so infrequently and had little form, that by incorporating they could eliminate the haphazard, disorganized methods of conferring the Tall cedar Degree and thus stabilize and preserve a worthwhile ceremony. I honestly believe that in the Prologue and Royal Court we have one of the most beautiful ritualistic works and we are indeed thankful to Rev. George S. Gassner who was instrumental in making up the ritual. It comes directly from the first book of Kings Chapter 5 verses 1 though 10, and the second book of Chronicles, Chapter 2 verses 8 and 9. Of the two passages, the first book of Kings, Chapter 5 is more specific. It revolves around the building of the Temple of Jerusalem, and that King Solomon had to rely in the help of King Hiram of Tyre who send his Hewers of Wood into the forest of Lebanon to strike down and shape all the tall cedars for use in the Temple thus the Tall Cedars of Lebanon have a biblical background and performance of the Tall Cedar Degree in the Blue Lodges at the conclusion of their meetings brings us closer to our Masonic forbearance. Thus, from March 18, 1902 to 1971, we are known as the Tall Cedars of Lebanon of the United States of America, However, on November 13 1971 in our 70th year of existence we instituted a Forest in Canada, and be came known as the Tall Cedars of Lebanon of North America. While our strength of membership lies in the eastern section of the United States were are slowly expanding westward. All down through the years the Tall Cedars of Lebanon had in one way or anther, on occasion contributed to worthy causes, However they really became of age when they decided that "no organization could continue to prosper unless it had a definite uplifting objective for the benefit of humanity." These were the remarks of the Most Worshipful Grand Master Harry Campbell of Washington, DC in 1933. After years of investigation and research in 1951 they found not only a worthy cause but one which desperately needed support -- muscular dystrophy. Up until 1972 we supported the Metabolism Unity on the tenth floor of the Research Center in New York City through our Contributions and Life Fund Memberships in the National Charitable Objective. When the Metabolism Unity of the Research Center was closed in 1972 the Supreme Forest was advised that the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Muscular Dystrophy Association of America were going to submit monies in the form of research grants to various universities and colleges in the search and cure for muscular dystrophy, and they would welcome our support in this endeavor. It was decided that the Tall Cedars of Lebanon of North America would become a part of this project with the Jerry Lewis Tall Cedar Day Camp in the summertime. Thus while one aspect of our National Charitable Objective fades away another on come into the forefront with the possible finding of a cure for the dreaded disease through the project and to provide for a little bit of fun for these children in the summertime. Before I close I would like to leave this thought with you. Should you meet a Cedar wearing a pyramid upon his head, greet him for he is always glad to extend to you the hand of friendship for he carries in his heart compassion, friendship and love for his fellow man -- that is why he is a Tall Cedar. Written by the late J. Edward Bullen, Past Grand Tall Cedar Baltimore no. 45, Supreme Historian 1970-1975. Theosophical Society (link) The Theosophical Society was founded in late 1875, in New York City, by Russian noblewoman Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and American Colonel Henry Steel Olcott, along with attorney William Quan Judge and a number of other individuals interested in the philosophy expounded by Madame Blavatsky. Madame Blavatsky was the first Russian woman to be naturalized as an American citizen. Her mother was a social novelist and her grandmother was an accomplished amateur scientist. As a young woman, she traveled all over the world in search of wisdom about the nature of life and the reason for human existence. Eventually, Blavatsky brought the spiritual wisdom of the East and that of the ancient Western mysteries to the modern West, where they were virtually unknown. Her writings became the first exposition of what is today known as modern Theosophy. Colonel Henry S. Olcott, a prominent lawyer and journalist, became the first President of the Society . He was a veteran of the Civil War, during which he had been a special investigator into corruption in the armed services and after which he was a member of the commission appointed to investigate the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. He was also an internationally renowned agricultural authority. Olcott related the timeless wisdom of Theosophy to the cultures of both East and West, applied it to everyday life, and built the Society into an international organization. In 1879, the principal founders, Mme Blavatsky and Col Olcott, moved to India, where the Society spread rapidly. In 1882, they established the Society's International Headquarters in Adyar, a suburb of Madras (currently Chennai), where it has since remained. They also visited Sri Lanka, where Olcott was so active in promoting social welfare among oppressed Buddhists that even now he is a national hero of that land. Today the Society has members in almost 70 countries around the world. The Theosophical Society was the source of many later esoteric movements, which were founded by former TS members. Some notable cases are Dr. Gerard Encausse (Papus), founder of the modern Martinist Order; William W. Westcott, co-founder of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn; Max Heindel, founder of The Rosicrucian Fellowship; Alice Bailey, founder of the Arcane School; Rudolf Steiner, founder of the Anthroposophical Society; the russian painter Nicholas Roerich and his wife Helena, founders of the Agni Yoga Society; Guy and Edna Ballard, founders of the “I AM Movement”; among others. York Rite (link) The York Rite is one of the appendant bodies of Freemasonry that a Master Mason may join to further his knowledge of Freemasonry. But the York Rite is not found as a single system world wide, and outside of the York Rite there are often significant differences in ritual, as well as organization. However in most cases provided that the Grand Body in question regards the parent "Craft" jurisdiction as regular, each distinct Order has recognized fraternal inter-relations with the respective Grand Body within the York system. Since the York Rite is actually a grouping of separate organizations joined in order, each body operates with relative autonomy. And though they are referred to as one rite it is common for individuals to be member of some bodies and not others. For example in many jurisdictions Cryptic Masonry can be skipped allowing the person to be a member of just the Royal Arch and Knights Templar. It is also common for non-Christians to join only the Royal Arch and Council of Royal & Select Masters as the Knights Templar require members to be of the Christian faith. But no matter what the Royal Arch is always required and membership in that body must be kept in order to maintain membership in the other two bodies.

Capitular Royal Arch Masonry is the first order a Master Mason joins in the York Rite. Mark Master Mason Royal Ark Mariner (link) The story of this degree contains events before, during and after the Biblical Flood. The apron and emblems of this degree are easily recognizable by the ark and rainbow motif, although the degree itself claims the original apron to have been made of unfinished lambskin. The historic prerequisite to be made a Royal Ark Mason is to be a Mark Master Mason, however, the degree has no connection symbolically or otherwise to the Mark degree. A brother is said to be "Elevated" to the Degree of Royal Ark Mariner. Earlier in AMD history, this Degree was conferred in separate Royal Ark Mariner Lodges which were “moored” to a Council of the Allied Masonic Degrees. There are still a few surviving RAM Lodges moored to Councils, but warrants are no longer issued for new RAM Lodges. Other than those remaining Lodges, the Degree, if worked today, is worked directly by the Council upon their own AMD members. In Canada, it is conferred by a Council of Royal & Select Masters (Cryptic Masons), bringing the number of Degrees worked by R&SM in that country to four (the third being Super Excellent Master.) Overseas, RAM Lodges are moored to Lodges of Mark Masters which work under a separate Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons. The existence of Mark Grand Lodges is another fascinating study, worthy of its own lengthy discussion. It is fascinating to me that this Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariners exists worldwide, while being administered by three very different bodies of Masonry. The Principal Officers of a Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners represent Noah, and two of his sons: Shem, and Japheth, and the Lodge room is made to represent the Ark of Safety. Indeed, our Brethren of the nineteenth century considered Noah to be one of the Grand Masters of Masonry. (Do you?) He is a celebrated Builder, and a man of integrity in the face of great opposition (if not a little bit of a drunkard.) Indeed, the early brethren of our Craft did not hesitate to trace the line of Masonry even back to Adam in the Garden of Eden, who was the first to build an Altar (of unhewn stone, the Rough Ashlar), and the first man to don an apron (though his was of fig leaves.) While it is ridiculous to think that Modern Freemasonry was known to Adam or Noah, there is something inherently true in the idea that Masonry is heir to the fruits of the greatest and noblest accomplishment of a more primitive generation of man. The Royal Ark Mariner degree is special because it embodies this speculative reference to far antiquity, which if taken literally, implies that all of humanity was saved from the great flood by a Grand Master Mason. The Ark and the Anchor are symbols to which our attention is drawn, seemingly at random, in the Lecture of the Master Mason Degree. This proves the antiquity of their Masonic significance. I will now diverge from the subject of the Royal Ark Mariners in particular in order to quote at great length about "The Ark and Anchor," from "Freemasory, its Symbolism, Religious Nature, and Law of Perfection, by Brother Chalmers I. Paton (Past-Master, No. 393, England)" printed in 1873. If it doesn't suit you, please look past the Christian references present in this piece, as I believe the point being made regarding Salvation (Deliverance) and Trust are equally applicable to all of us who depend upon the Great Architect: CHAPTER LX. MASONIC SYMBOLS.—THE ARK AND THE ANCHOR. THE Ark and the Anchor sometimes represented separately, and sometimes conjointly, are symbolic of the safety and the sure hope of him who puts his trust in God, and walks in the way of God's Commandments. Tossed on a tempestuous sea of troubles, and exposed to many dangers in his earthly life, a good man is still preserved in safety, as Noah and his family were preserved in the ark, when it floated on the waters of the deluge, and all the rest of mankind perished. The ark refers our thoughts to this great historic fact, but at the same time leads us to think of that which even it symbolised or typified. As Noah and his family were saved in the ark, from the destruction which overwhelmed the multitudes of the unbelieving and ungodly, so all who put their trust in God are saved, whatever the dangers which beset them, and the storms which thicken around them. We read in the Epistle to the Hebrews, that "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith" (Heb. xi. 7). Even so, every believer, listening to the voice of God, and yielding a willing obedience, finds an ark of refuge ready, an ark which he does not need to prepare as Noah did, but in which he is in perfect safety. The anchor may be regarded as securing the ark from danger amidst the storms of life. Or by itself it may be accounted as a symbol of the security of a good man who puts his trust in God. And thus the figure of the anchor is used in Scripture, to represent the perfect security of the believer's hope. "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the vail" (Heb. vi. 19). The Anchor and the Ark remind us both of the dangers to which we are exposed, and of the refuge which we may find from them. They encourage us to choose and persevere in a right course, all dangers notwithstanding, and they assure us that if we do so, all shall be well. We shall not be overwhelmed in the surging billows; we shall not be driven from our place to be the sport of winds, and to be dashed by them to destruction; but we shall weather every storm, and find ourselves after all in a haven of peace and rest. It is a terrible picture of human life which is presented to us by the ark on the shoreless waters of the deluge; but we are comforted and encouraged by the thought of the safety in which it was preserved, till it rested on the mountains of Ararat, and its inmates went forth to enter on possession of the regenerated earth. Amidst the storm, a well-built and well-appointed ship rides securely at anchor in a good harbour, and we are encouraged to confidence of perfect security, as knowing how good both our anchor and our harbour are. But let us see to it that all is right, that ours is indeed a well-built and well-appointed ship, and our anchor is that which is "sure and steadfast." The very significant symbol now under our consideration, is therefore far from being merely intended to remind us of the deliverance of Noah and his family, the progenitors of the whole existing human race, from the deluge which overwhelmed the old world, and swept away the workers of iniquity, but still more to suggest to our thoughts those great truths which

were typified even in Noah's ark itself, and in the salvation accomplished by it. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust," says the Apostle Peter, "that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but quickened by the Spirit. By which also lie went and preached unto the spirits in prison; which sometimes were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a-preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him" (1 Pet. iii. 18-22). Traditions of the flood are common throughout the world, and are found in the earliest records of ancient times, mingling with the other legends of all the mythologies, and with the accounts which different nations have received of their origin. These traditions have been sought out and compared with great diligence by learned authors; for they afford an important argument in favour of the unity of the human race, and of the truth of the Bible. We find the ark figured in the ancient monuments of Egypt; and we find in many other of the most ancient sculptures, and on coins or medals of various countries, not uncertain evidence of the prevalence of the tradition of the flood, and of the preservation of Noah and his family. The ark fitly symbolises the means of salvation. The flood rages around, but within the ark there is no danger. The perfect safety of those who seek refuge in it, is still further symbolised by the anchor. The ark is not represented as floating wildly, at the mercy of the winds and waves, but as secured by its anchor. And thus the believer has hope, "as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the vail; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec" (Heb. vi. 19-20). That hope cannot fail; disappointment is impossible; for it is a hope resting on the promise—nay, upon the oath of God; for "God," says the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, "willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it wns impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us" (Heb. vi. 17-18). He is safe who puts his trust in the Lord. The fiery deluge of wrath shall sweep away the workers of iniquity; perdition awaits them; but the believer is free from danger. No billow shall overwhelm the ark in which he has taken refuge; and it cannot be wrecked by any storm. Past Master (Virtual) Most Excellent Master Royal Arch Mason Order of Knight Masons of the USA (link) The Grand Council of Knight Masons of the United States of America, in consideration of its origin strives to: 1. Perpetuate the ancient rituals of the Irish Masonic Canon, (the "Green" degrees) by promoting their frequent and regular conferral inits constituent councils, and by its expectation that such conferral will be executed with an accuracy, a precision, and a dramatic power congruent with the highest traditions of the Masonic institution. 2. Elevate to membership in its constituent councils only those Freemasons who in their character and persons have amply and thoroughly demonstrated in their Masonic lives, by means of a faithful attachment to the institution, a true and honorable record of service to its goals, and a genuine dedication to its high ideals. 3. Foster in its constituent councils the regular exploration and studyof the Masonic Tradition and Heritage by means of an aggressive program of scholarly inquiry and research, and to pursue that Masonic learning in the spirit of our Celtic forbears who kept the light of faith burning in times of darkness. 4. Encourage its constituent councils to discover in the pleasures and diversions of the festive board that warm fellowship and that joyous fraternity, which have ever characterized and actuated the great spirit of this Ancient Craft. 5. Promote the charitable dimension so central to, and inherent in, Masonic life and tradition by obliging its constituent councils to contribute with customary Masonic liberality to those institutions, both Masonic and non-Masonic, which serve the needs of the greater community. Order of the Red Cross of Constantine (link) In 1100 the Crusaders of every country carried the banner of the Order of Knights of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine. A Grand Conclave of that Order assembled in Rome, May 11, 19. Emperor Michael Angelo Commenus was chosen Sovereign Grand Master. The Sovereign Grand Council issued an edict limiting the active membership of Knights of the Grand Cross to fifty Sir Knights in each Kingdom or independent country, and that a Grand Cross Knight shall have precedence in all Assemblies of Sir Knights of the Red Cross, immediately after the Sovereign Grand Master. Pope Innocent III urged the Knights of the Red Cross, Knights of the Holy Sepulchre and Knights of St. John to overthrow the Infidels in Constantinople in 1193. Richard of England in 1195 was proclaimed Sovereign Grand Master of the Knights of Rome and Constantine, and Senior Knight of the Grand Cross by the Duke of Burgundy, for valorous services in front of Jerusalem. After the return of the Crusaders (1200) to about 1654, the history of the Order of the Knights of Rome and Constantine is somewhat uncertain. No General Assembly was held. The Kings of Spain and France and the Emperor of Germany asserted Sovereignty by Divine Authority in their respective countries. The Orders of Red Cross, Holy Sepulchre and St. John were resuscitated in England, the first Conclave being instituted by the German Ambassador to the Court of St. James, February, 1688. The Abbe Guisiniani, a Venetian Priest of great learning, while visiting England, May, 1692, conferred these three Orders of Red Cross, Holy Sepulchre and of St. John on several of the attaches of the English court. Sir Bernard Burke says: "Duke Francis I of Parma, of the House of Farnese was installed (September, 1699) Grand Master of the Knights of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine with much pomp." Baron Hunde credits the Knights of the Red Cross as the only Order of Christian

Knighthood that has had a regular succession since it was instituted in 312. This degree relates the well-known story of Constantine the Great, the Roman Emperor who was miraculously converted to the Christian faith. It tells of his divine vision, the institution of a special standard, his subsequent victory over the rival Emperor Maxentius and the creation of what is claimed to be the oldest institution of Christian Knighthood. The substance of the degree develops around the secret doctrine associated with the Labarum, the banner of victory, while the lecture contains a most interesting reference to the Roman College of Architects. All regular business of the Conclave is conducted in the degree of the Red Cross of Constantine, while the Sanctuary and Commandery are only for the purpose of conferring the Appendant Orders. Knight of the Holy Sepulcher (link) The origins of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem are generally thought to date back to the First Crusade, when the Crusade's leader, Godfrey de Bouillon, liberated Jerusalem. As a component of his reorganisation of the religious, military and public bodies of the territories newly freed from Muslim control, he founded the Order of Canons of the Holy Sepulchre. According to accounts of the Crusades, the first King of Jerusalem, Baldwin I, assumed the leadership of this canonical order in 1103, and reserved the right for himself and his successors (as agents of the Patriarch of Jerusalem) to appoint Knights to it, should the Patriarch be absent or unable to do so. The Order’s members included not only the Regular Canons (Fratres) but also the Secular Canons (Confratres) and the Sergentes. The latter were armed knights chosen from the crusader troops for their qualities of valour and dedication; they vowed to obey the Augustinian Rule of poverty and obedience and undertook specifically to defend the Holy Sepulchre and the Holy Places, under the command of the King of Jerusalem. Very soon after the First Crusade the troops – including the Knights of the Order of Canons of the Holy Sepulchre – began to return to their homelands. This led to the creation of priories all over Europe, which were part of the Order as they came under the jurisdiction of the noble knights or prelates who had been invested at the Holy Sepulchre itself and who, although they were no longer in the direct service of the King of Jerusalem, continued to belong to the Order of Canons. The Order began to decline as a cohesive military body of knights after Saladin regained Jerusalem in 1182, and completely ceased to exist in that format after the defeat of Acre in 1291. The passing of the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem left the Order without a leader, though it continued to survive in the European priories thanks to the protection of sovereigns, princes, bishops and the Holy See. The priories kept alive the ideals of the Crusader Knights: propagation of the Faith, defence of the weak, charity towards other human beings. With the exception of events in Spain, it was only rarely that the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre ever took part again in military action to defend Christianity. In the 14th century, the Holy See made a substantial payment to the Egyptian Sultan so that he would grant the right to protect the Christian Sanctuaries to the Franciscan Friars Minor. Throughout the whole subsequent period of the Latin Patriarchate’s suppression, the right to create new Knights was the prerogative of the representative of the highest Catholic authority in the Holy Land: the Custos. In 1847 the Patriarchate was restored and Pope Pius IX modernised the Order, issuing a new Constitution which placed it under the direct protection of the Holy See and assigned its government to the Latin Patriarch. The Order’s fundamental role was also redefined: to uphold the works of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, whilst preserving the spiritual duty of propagating the Faith. In 1949, Pius XII decreed that the Grand Master of the Order should be a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church and assigned the position of Grand Prior to the Patriarch of Jerusalem. In 1962 Pope John XXIII and, in 1967, Pope Paul VI respectively reorganised and revitalised the Order by adding more specific regulations to the Constitution with the intention of making the Order’s activities more co-ordinated and more effective. In February 1996, Pope John Paul II further enhanced the Order’s status. Today it is a Public Association of faithful with a legal canonical and public personality, constituted by the Holy See under Canon Law 312, paragraph 1:1. Over and above the Order's historic connotations and its eventful progress in times gone by, the valuable and interesting aspects of the Order today lie in the role assigned to it, which it pursues within the sphere of the Catholic Church and through its administrative structure and its local organisations in various communities. Tradition asserts that this degree originated after the discovery of the true Cross by St. Helena. It is concerned with the three days which intervened between the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. This Order of Chivalry is said to have been instituted by the mother of Constantine, to maintain a guard at the Holy Place and is symbolized in the ceremony by a vigil over the HS. The duties enjoined on the Knights were the performance of the seven works of mercy. Knight of St. John the Evangelist This is the second of the Appendant degrees which are always conferred together and is founded upon a tradition concerning a remarkable discovery made at the ruins of the Temple at Jerusalem and the subsequent foundation of the Knights of St. John. The interpretation of the legend is of a most interesting and instructive nature and is striking in its attempt to explain the Craft and Royal Arch ceremonies in a purely Christian sense. Order of High Priest (link) Order of High Priesthood The Anointed Order of High Priesthood is a side, or “chair” degree, and is conferred upon present or past High Priests, typically during the time of the Grand Chapter’s annual grand convocation. It tells the story of Abraham (in Hebrew: ‫ )אברהם‬returning from the slaughter of the kings, and his encounter with ָ ָ ְַ Melchizedek (in Hebrew: ‫ מלכיצדק‬or ‫ ,)מלכיצדק‬High Priest of Salem. The candidate participates in a ֶֶ ִ ְַ ‫ּ־‬ ֶָ ְִַ ‫ּ־‬ breaking of bread and sharing of wine, assumes an obligation to preside justly over his chapter, and to regard all Companion High Priests as true friends and brothers. He is then solemnly anointed, consecrated and set apart to the Holy Order of High Priesthood. The central element of the jewel of a past high priest is a representation of the breastplate worn by the High

Priest in the Holy Temple of Jerusalem, its twelve precious stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel. It was through this breastplate that G-d could communicate to the High Priest by causing the air currents to flicker the light from the candle onto the two sacred jewel stones held by the High Priest, the Urim (in Hebrew: ‫( )אורים‬representing light and excellence) and the Thummim (in Hebrew: ‫( )תומים‬representing ִּ ִ ּּ perfection and completion), and thence reflected upon the breastplate where they would cause flashes upon the stones. A flash from each of the two sacred jewel stones onto each of the breastplate stones indicated the particular Hebrew letter engraved upon that respective stone. When not in use, the Urim and Thummim were kept in a pocket behind the breastplate. Three equilateral triangles, or deltas, are each a symbol of the sacred name of G-d, the pronunciation of which is no longer known to man. The Hebrew characters, collectively known as the Tetragrammaton, inscribed on the deltas are believed to be the consonants of that sacred name. Cryptic Membership in the Council of Royal & Select Masters or the Council of Cryptic Masons is not required for membership in the Knights Templar in some jurisdictions, so it can be skipped. In others it is required. It is called Cryptic Masonry or the Cryptic Rite because a crypt or underground room figures prominently in the degrees. Royal Master Select Master Super Excellent Master Order of the Silver Trowel Chivalric The Knights Templar is the final order joined in the York Rite. Unlike other Masonic bodies which only require a belief in a Supreme Being regardless of religion, membership in the Knights Templar is open only to Christian Masons who have completed their Royal Arch and in some jurisdictions their Cryptic Degrees. This body is modeled off of the historical Knights Templar in hopes to carry on the spirit of their organization. Throughout history it has been claimed that Freemasonry itself was founded by the Knights Templar or that the Knights Templar took refuge in Freemasonry after their persecution. The Grand Encampment of the United States acknowledges the existence of these theories but states that there is no proof to justify such claims. A local Knights Templar division is called a Commandery and operates under a state level Grand Commandery as well as The Grand Encampment of the United States. This is unique among Masonic bodies as most report to the state level alone. Illustrious Order of the Red Cross Passing Order of St. Paul, or the Mediterranean Pass Order of the Knights of Malta, or simply Order of Malta Order of the Temple Knights of the York Cross of Honor (link) The Order was formed in Monroe, North Carolina on March 13,1930. On June 6,1930 the Convent General of the United States of America was formed to administer the Order. Requirements for membership are that each proposed candidate for membership must have presided over a Lodge as a Master, over a Chapter as High Priest, over a Council as Illustrious Master and over a Commandry as Commander. Knights of the York Cross of Honour is a Honor Group of York Rite Masons who are dedicated to serving the Masonic Fraternity as a Labor of Love. No individual should aspire to membership in KYCH, when he has done the required work, and done it well, he will be invited to membership. Those who labor will be rewarded by being invited. After a Mason has fulfilled the requirements of membership, his name may be proposed for membership by a member of the K.Y.C.H.. The prospective member should not know that he has been proposed. When a Priory receives a proposed, such proposal must be held over until the next stated meeting of the Priory before it is Balloted on. Some of the Ballot rules vary in different Jurisdictions, to comply with Grand Lodge Rules and Regulations. In this Jurisdiction the prospect must receive a unanimous vote by secret Ballot. The prospective proposal should not know that his name was proposed until he is official notified that he is elected to be invited to petition to membership. I f this rule is followed, no one that is proposed and rejected should ever know that he was proposed and rejected, thereby saving much embarrassment. to everyone. A member of K.Y.C.H. who has served any of the Four Grand York Rite Bodies as presiding Officer is thereby a Knight Grand Cross of Honour, with one Quadrant for each of the Grand Bodies he has served. This means that if he has served any of these Four Grand Bodies, before he is inducted into K.Y.CH. , he would be a Knight Cross of Honour upon being inducted into membership.. If he serves any of these Four Grand Bodies after he is a K.Y.C.H, member, then he gets a Grand Quadrant when his term ends for each of those Grand Bodies. When a member becomes a Knight Grand Cross of Honour, he is entitled to a Certificate from Convent General showing the distinction, i.e., Knight Grand Cross of Honour with, One Quadrant, Two Quadrants, Three Quadrants, or Four Quadrants, as the case may be. These certificates are available from the Grand Registrar General at no cost. Lapel emblems are available to indicate Knight Grand Cross of Honour. Each Quadrant is represented by the appropriate color of the order served, i.e., Blue for Lodge, Red for Chapter, Purple for Council, and White for Commandry, if the member is a Past Prior the background of his emblem should be Purple, if he is a Knight Grand Cross of Honour, but not a Past Prior, the background should be White. The meaning of membership in K.Y.C.H. can best be explained by a closing statement of Most Eminent Knight Donald E. Friend, Grand Master General, at his Convent General Session in 1995 , "As a Knight of the York Cross of Honour, you are a proven servant of the Masonic Fraternity , your inspiration has came from your Past, your duty is in the present , your Hope is in the Future, I ask you always to remember—In all you do , In all you say, In all of your actions, take a good look at yourself, you are someone impression of Freemasonry ". This information prepared by Ivan D. Rinck, Personal Representative No, 18 April 3, 1999. Knight Crusader of the Cross (link) The Knight Crusaders of the Cross is a "chair degree" conferred upon present or past Eminent Commanders of

a Commandery. It is not used everywhere, but is gaining in popularity across the country. The degree originated in Florida in 1969 and spread North. Typically it is conferred at the same time as the state Grand Commandery meeting. The body is styled an Asylum, and has eight officers, the highest being the Knight Crusader of the East. The Induction Ceremony opens with three brief lectures on Masonic Templary and the duties of a Commander, followed by the arrangement of the candidates in a cross formation in the center of the Asylum, where they receive refreshment and are dubbed Knight Crusaders of the Cross. It concludes with a brief lecture on the ancient Knight Templars and an explanation of the Jerusalem Cross,as well as the modes of recognition among Knight Crusaders. Illuminati First Mentioned in 1492 per Marcelino Menendez y Pelayo; The 'Marrano' or 'Crypto-Jews' in Spain found the first known Illuminati Order; "Alumbrado". On May 1, 1776 Johann Adam Weishaupt (2.6.1748 in Ingolstadt - 11.18.1830 in Gotha) was a German philosopher and founder of the 'Order of Illuminati', a secret society with origins in Bavaria. Alumbrados (link) The Alumbrados (Illuminated) was a term used to loosely describe practitioners of a mystical form of Christianity in Spain during the 15th-16th centuries. Some alumbrados were only mildly heterodox, but others held views that were clearly heretical. Consequently, they were firmly repressed and became some of the early victims of the Spanish Inquisition. The historian Marcelino Menéndez y Pelayo found the name as early as 1492 (in the form aluminados, 1498), and traced the group to a Gnostic origin. He thought their views were promoted in Spain through influences from Italy. Bavarian Illuminati (link) The Illuminati (plural of Latin illuminatus, "enlightened") is a name given to several groups, both historical and modern, and both real and fictitious. Historically, the name refers specifically to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on May 1, 1776. In modern times it is also used to refer to a purported conspiratorial organization which acts as a shadowy "power behind the throne", allegedly controlling world affairs through present day governments and corporations, usually as a modern incarnation or continuation of the Bavarian Illuminati. In this context, the Illuminati are believed to be the masterminds behind events that will lead to the establishment of a New World Order. Nursery Preperation Novice Minercal Illuminatus Minor Masonry Symbolic Apprentice Fellow Craft Master Mason Illuminatus Major or Scotch Mason Scotch Illuminatus Dirigens or Scotch Knight Mysteries Lesser Prince Priest Greater Magus King Illuminati (Jonathan Barlow Gee) 1° Illuminatus Minor A: Apprentice It can't rightly be said that to become an Illuminati, one had to already be a Free Mason, but it can be said that membership in the Illuminati did require one to become a Freemason. Therefore, the first actual degree of Illuminism (following the Candidate's initial admission) corresponds to the first blue lodge degree of freemasonry. 2° Illuminatus Minor B: Fellow Likewise, the second "official" poisition in the "Illuminati" originally corresponded to the time when the member of the Illuminati gained 2nd° membership in a regular Lodge of Freemasons. Presumeably, one could not pass beyond the first degree of Illumination until one had passed the second step of the Lodge stairs, however one could likewise fully enter the Lodge and never progress farther in Illuminism. 3° Illuminatus Minor C: Master A Master of the Illuminati, as envisioned by Weishaupt, was therefore also a Master in a Freemasonic Lodge. Thus, the third degree Illuminatus served as a dual head of two separate traditions. 4° Illuminatus Major: Scottish Novice Following this infiltration of the Illuminati candidate through the first few degrees of the Blue Lodge, and after the Illuminatus has become a Master Mason, they may further infiltrate the (then new) Scottish Rite of 30 additional degrees. Between the final Blue degree and the final Scottish degree, an Illuminatus who reported on inter-Lodge info to other Illuminati was acting as an infiltrator. 5° Scots Major Illuminatus Dirigens

The final "up-line" position held in information-gathering for the order, as envisioned by Weishaupt, was the Dirigens, or the Departments. Those who served on this position took the information gathered by the 4° and colated it to check against information gathered at other levels. This information was compiled, ostensibly, to "fact check" new candidates, however this was, of course, not the only use for it. 6° Presbyter of a Prefect Beyond the "Nursery" and "Intermediary" degrees Weishaupt envisioned an entirely other system, promoting a network for maintaining a clandestine government, operating among the "intelligentsia" to influence the financial elites. So, a "Lodge" of "Illuminati" would convene when everyone present was at least 3 degree, however, the Master of Masters among such a lodge would be the Prespbyter over that Lodge and the Prefecture it governed over. 7° Priest of a Province The Presbpyter would be "down-line" from a "Priest" over a larger area province. The "Priest" up-line from the "Presbpyter" thus makes descisions based on info given to them by the Presbpyters, and the other Masters of an Illuminati Lodge answer to the Prepbyter over their Lodge. There are, thus, more Presbpyters than there are Priests. Likewise, there is only one... 8° Epopt of a Nation The 8th degree is the highest of the "Lesser Mystery" degrees of Weishaupt's Illuminati. This person posesses a position that gives them final say over all choices made in the government of the entire Order, because they have access to the intel reports from the Priests, who collect them from the Presbpyters, who are the minimum Master's level degree co-members of the Illuminati and the Lodge. 9° Prince or Regent Weishaupt's Prince or Regent degree was meant to be a post held by a plenum of multiple members, however more than this is not known. Much may be learned from the alleged Palladian Council may shed some further light on how this idea was later developed. 10° Rex or King Man The highest member of the Order was not in fact the Epopt, but a group of up to 7, though preferably as few as 5, other members from the political "Greater Mysteries" who had been advanced in the Prince degree to become equal to the Epopt as Rex Illuminati. Their rank was "King Man," and all were of equal importance in rank to the Epopt. 11° Magus Council of Arepoagites Weishuapt's own ideal of government was always, whether applied to secret societies or to the betterment of humankind as a whole, Democratic, and he remains an idealistic advocate of direct Democracy at the highest level. Thus the Council of 5 or of 7 Areopagites were all equal in rank and importance. It was important for this council to maintain an odd number membership, however, in order to make certain of the democracy of any vote. Such was the ideal held to his dying breath by Adam Weishaupt. Improved Order of the Red Men (link) Yale (link) In 1832 William Huntington Russell, founded Skull and Bones and the namesake of the society's corporate body, the Russell Trust Association. Skull & Crossbones Skull and Bones is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA. It is a traditional peer society to Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head, as the three senior class 'landed societies' at Yale. The society's alumni organization, which owns the society's real property and oversees the organization, is the Russell Trust Association, named for General William Huntington Russell, who co-founded Skull and Bones with classmate Alphonso Taft. The Russell Trust was founded by Russell and Daniel Coit Gilman, member of Skull and Bones and later president of the University of California, first president of Johns Hopkins University, and the founding president of the Carnegie Institution. The society is known informally as "Bones", and members are known as "Bonesmen". Scroll and Key The Scroll and Key Society is a secret society, founded in 1842 at Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut. It is the second oldest and wealthiest Yale secret society. Each year, the society admits fifteen juniors to participate in its activities and carry on its traditions. Its members have gone on to serve in positions of distinction in medicine, law, politics, media, athletics, business, international affairs, philanthropy, journalism, and the arts. Berzelius Berzelius is a secret society at Yale University named for the Swedish scientist Jöns Jakob Berzelius, considered one of the founding fathers of modern chemistry. Founded in 1848, 'BZ', as the society is called often, is the oldest of the societies of the now-defunct Sheffield Scientific School, the institution which from 1854-1956 was the sciences and engineering college of Yale University. Berzelius became a senior society in the tradition of Skull and Bones, Scroll and Key, and Wolf's Head in 1933 when the Sheffield Scientific School was integrated into Yale University. Book and Snake and St. Elmo societies from Sheff, followed suit. Skull and Bones, founded in 1832, Scroll and Key, founded in 1841, and Wolf's Head, founded in 1883, catered to students in the Academic Department, or liberal arts college. Book and Snake The Society of Book and Snake is the fourth oldest secret society at Yale University. Book and Snake was founded

at the Sheffield Scientific School in 1863 as a three-year society bearing the Greek letters Sigma Delta Chi. As other "Sheff" societies, it was once residential and maintained a separate residential "cloister" at 1 Hillhouse Ave, which was built in 1888 and deeded to Yale after the institution of the residential college system. The building is today the university provost's office. A plaque honoring the society can be found on the first floor of the building. Like other landed Yale societies, Book and Snake owns its own meeting hall, or "tomb." As is traditional with the meeting places of Yale societies, the building is windowless and available only to the current members and alumni; parties have been held that include friends of members, however. Wolf's Head Wolf's Head Society (W.H.S.) is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA. W.H.S. membership is recomposed annually of fifteen or sixteen Yale University students, typically juniors from the college. A delegation spends its year together answerable to the Phelps Association, composed of past members. St. Elmo St. Elmo Society is a secret society at Yale University. It was founded in 1889 as an independent entity for seniors within the nationally chartered fraternity, Delta Phi (ΔΦ), Omicron Chapter (1889-1925). Elihu Elihu, founded in 1903, is the sixth oldest secret society at Yale University, New Haven, CT. While similar to Skull and Bones, Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head societies in charter and function, Elihu favors privacy over overt secrecy. Founded in 1903 as "the first non-secret senior society," Elihu held itself up as a model of openness at a time "when prestige of membership in a senior society was reaching its zenith." To this end, Elihu is the only society whose building, located at 175 Elm Street, has windows, though they are shaded. Like the other societies, the organization's building is closed to non-members. Elihu is likely the first society to tap an undergraduate from an ethnic minority – Henry Roe Cloud, a Native American who graduated in 1910 – in keeping with its reputation for diversity. It was also one of the first senior societies to tap women. It takes its name from Elihu Yale, the founder of Yale College. Aurelian Honor Society The Aurelian Honor Society (AHS) is a landed senior honor society founded in 1910 at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, USA. Manuscript Society Founded in 1952, Manuscript was Yale's seventh "landed" senior society; that is, its alumni trust owns its building, or "tomb". Manuscript was the first of the "above-ground" societies to tap women along with Elihu and St. Elmo. Each delegation is elected by a consensus of Manuscript alumni, trustee members, and others, unlike other secret societies, where undergraduate members shoulder more of the burden of selecting, recruiting and initiating their replacements. Toward the end of each junior year, 16 undergraduates are "tapped" to be inducted into the society, which meets twice weekly for dinner and discussion (once per week with undergraduates only, once with alumni, honorary members and invited guests). Mace and Chain Mace and Chain is the youngest of the eight "landed" secret societies at Yale University. he society was founded by Thornton Marshall with the help of poet and Yale professor Robert Penn Warren in 1956 (four years after Manuscript). Warren had encouraged Marshall "to start something which is a little closer to reality and that can exist in the sunlight," in contrast with other senior societies. Mace and Chain became inactive in the 1960s, a period of hostility among Yale students towards senior societies, but was revived in the 1990s with significant financial and logistical support from older delegations. In 2001, it acquired a regular meeting place (called a "tomb"—a 190-year old, late Colonial-style house in downtown New Haven). Its interior crown moulding is said to have been salvaged from Benedict Arnold's house in New Haven. Bohemian Club (link) Founded in 1872; “Weaving spiders come not here"—inscription surrounding an owl on a bronze bas-relief plaque built into the brick wall near the corner of Taylor and Post Streets in San Francisco. The Committee of 300 (link) http://www.peoplemandate.com/mandate/download/c300.pdf Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (link) The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (or, more commonly, the Golden Dawn) was a magical order active in Great Britain during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which practiced theurgy and spiritual development. It has been one of the largest single influences on 20th-century Western occultism. Concepts of magic and ritual at the center of contemporary traditions, such as Wicca and Thelema, were inspired by the Golden Dawn. The three founders, William Robert Woodman, William Wynn Westcott, and Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers were Freemasons and members of Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (S.R.I.A.). Westcott appears to have been the initial driving force behind the establishment of the Golden Dawn. The Golden Dawn system was based on hierarchy and initiation like the Masonic Lodges, however women were admitted on an equal basis with men. The "Golden Dawn" was the first of three Orders, although all three are often collectively referred to as the "Golden Dawn". The First Order taught esoteric philosophy based on the Hermetic Qabalah and personal development through study and awareness of the four Classical Elements as well as the basics of astrology, tarot divination, and geomancy. The Second or "Inner" Order, the Rosae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis (the Ruby Rose and Cross of Gold), taught proper magic, including scrying, astral travel, and alchemy. The Third Order was that of the "Secret Chiefs", who were said to be highly skilled; they supposedly directed the activities of the lower two orders by spirit communication with the Chiefs of the Second Order.

First Order The paired numbers attached to the Grades relate to positions on the Tree of Life. The Neophyte Grade of "0=0" indicates no position on the Tree. In the other pairs, the first numeral is the number of steps up from the bottom (Malkuth), and the second numeral is the number of steps down from the top (Kether). The First Order Grades were related to the four elements of Earth, Air, Water, and Fire, respectively. The Aspirant to a Grade received instruction on the metaphysical meaning of each of these Elements and had to pass a written examination and demonstrate certain skills to receive admission to that Grade. The Portal Grade was an "Invisible" or in-between grade separating the First Order from the Second Order. The Circle of existing Adepts from the Second Order had to consent to allow an Aspirant to be initiated as an Adept and join the Second Order. The Second Order was not, properly, part of the "Golden Dawn", but a separate Order in its own right, known as the R.R. et A.C. The Second Order directed the teachings of the First Order and was the governing force behind the First Order. After passing the Portal, the Aspirant was instructed in the techniques of practical magic. When another examination was passed, and the other Adepts consented, the Aspirant attained the Grade of Adeptus Minor (5=6). There were also four sub-Grades of instruction for the Adeptus Minor, again relating to the four Outer Order grades. A member of the Second Order had the power and authority to initiate aspirants to the First Order, though usually not without the permission of the Chiefs of his or her Lodge. Introduction—Neophyte 0=0 Zelator 1=10 Theoricus 2=9 Practicus 3=8 Philosophus 4=7 Intermediate—Portal Grade Second Order Adeptus Minor 5=6 Adeptus Major 6=5 Adeptus Exemptus 7=4 Third Order Magister Templi 8=3 Magus 9=2 Ipsissimus 10=1 Ordo Templi Orientis (link) Although officially founded at the beginning of the 20th century e.v., O.T.O. represents a surfacing and confluence of the divergent streams of esoteric wisdom and knowledge which were originally divided and driven underground by political and religious intolerance during the dark ages. It draws from the traditions of the Freemasonic, Rosicrucian and Illuminist movements of the 18th and 19th centuries, the crusading Knights Templars of the middle ages and early Christian Gnosticism and the Pagan Mystery Schools. Its symbolism contains a reunification of the hidden traditions of the East and the West, and its resolution of these traditions has enabled it to recognize the true value of Aleister Crowley's revelation of The Book of the Law. Carl Kellner The Spiritual Father of Ordo Templi Orientis was Carl Kellner (Renatus, Sept. 1, 1851 - June 7, 1905), a wealthy Austrian paper chemist. Kellner was a student of Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism and Eastern mysticism, and traveled extensively in Europe, America and Asia Minor. During his travels, he claims to have come into contact with three Adepts (a Sufi, Soliman ben Aifa, and two Hindu Tantrics, Bhima Sena Pratapa of Lahore and Sri Mahatma Agamya Paramahamsa), and an organization called the Hermetic Brotherhood of Light. The Third, or Man of Earth, Triad 0° Minerval I° Man and Brother Woman and Sister II° Magician III° Master Magician IV° Perfect Magician and companion of the Holy Royal Arch of Enoch; Perfect Initiate, or Prince of Jerusalem Outside all Triads Knight of the East and West The Second, or Lover, Triad V° Sovereign Prince Rose-Croix, and Knight of the Pelican and Eagle; Knight of the Red Eagle, and Member of the Senate of Knight Hermetic Philosophers VI° Illustrious Knight (Templar) of the Order of Kadosch, and Companion of the Holy Graal; Grand Inquisitor Commander, and Member of the Grand Tribunal; Prince of the Royal Secret VII° Theoreticus, and Very Illustrious Sovereign Grand Inspector General; Magus of Light, and Bishop of Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica; Grandmaster of Light, and Inspector of Rites and Degrees The First, or Hermit, Triad VIII° Perfect Pontiff of the Illuminati; Epopt of the Illuminati IX° Initiate of the Sanctuary of the Gnosis X° Rex Summus Sanctissimus XI° Initiate of the Eleventh Degree (This degree is technical, and has no relation to the general plan of the Order) XII° Frater Superior, and Outer Head of the Order Independent Order of Odd Fellows (link) In 17th Century England, people were facing a lot of challenges. Life was tough, often lawless and desperate. Medicine was still crude and in a primitive stage. Life expectancy was about 45 to 50. There were lots of sickness, orphaned kids, widowed mothers and many people cannot afford to pay a descent burial for the dead. So, ordinary people from different trades and walks of life found it necessary to group together as brothers and sisters and contribute some of their hard-earned wages to a common fund which they could use for unfortunate times such as sickness, losing a job and even death. They would work together to help each other and the unfortunate families back on their feet, whether it was rebuilding a barn that had burned or putting in a new crop after a devastating season. Such altruistic and friendly

society came to be known as "Odd Fellows" because it was odd to find people organized for the purpose of giving aid to those in need and of pursuing projects for the benefit of all mankind. It was believed that they were "an odd bunch of fellows" who would behave in such a selfless and seemingly impractical fashion. Odd Fellows are also known as "The Three Link Fraternity" which stands for Friendship, Love and Truth. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was founded on the North American Continent in Baltimore, Maryland, on April 26, 1819 when Thomas Wildey and four members of the Order from England instituted Washington Lodge No. 1. This lodge received its charter from Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows in England. At that time, the city was suffering both a yellow fever epidemic and mass unemployment so they dedicated the organization to "Visit the sick, relieve the distress, bury the dead and educate the orphans." Odd Fellowship became the 1st national fraternity to include both men and women when it adopted the beautiful Rebekah Degree on September 20, 1851. This degree is based on the teachings found in the Holy Bible, and was written by the Honorable Schuyler Colfax who was Vice President of the United States during the period 18681873. Odd Fellows and Rebekahs were also the first fraternal organization to establish homes for our senior members and for orphaned children. Today, Odd Fellows and Rebekahs continue to exist with nearly 10,000 lodges in approximately 26 countries consisting of men and women who united together for mutual aid and conviviality, providing social and practical support for each other and their communities in every way possible. Even though we have come a long way now, there are still more needs to be done. Working together to achieve these goals and help our fellow men creates a bond that cannot be described – a brotherhood and sisterhood of benevolence that can only be felt as an active participant. Working together, we can really help make a difference! Prieure de Sion (link) According to the "prieure documents," a conclave of Calabrian monks who left from the Belgian Abbey of Orval in 1090 helped secure the election of Godfroi de Bouillion as de facto king of Jerusalem during the First Crusade (but as is well known, he refused the title, accepting only Defender of the Holy Sepulchre), based on their belief that he was a descendant of the Merovingians, and by that fact, according to these documents, also a descendant of King David through Jesus and Merovech. In return, Godfroi secured their installation into an Abbey on Mount Sion. These documents also claim that the Ordre of Sion and the Order of the Temple (officially, the Poor Knights of the Temple of Solomon, later known as the Knights Templar, and officially recognized as such in 1118) were, until 1188, one unified organization with the same leadership. The Black Hand (link) Thule Society (link) The Thule Society (German: Thule-Gesellschaft), originally the Studiengruppe für germanisches Altertum ("Study Group for Germanic Antiquity"), was a German occultist and völkisch group in Munich, named after a mythical northern country from Greek legend. The Society is notable chiefly as the organization that sponsored the Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (DAP), which was later transformed by Adolf Hitler into the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazi Party). There is no evidence that Hitler ever attended the Thule Society. But there was great enthusiasm among Thule members for Hitler, most notably Rudolf Hess and Dietrich Eckart. The occultists believed Hitler to be the prophesied “redeemer of Germany”. They were Hitler’s first “disciples” and as such were crucial to his meteoric rise. The Thule Society was originally a "Germanic study group" headed by Walter Neuhaus, a wounded World War I veteran turned art student from Berlin who had become a keeper of pedigrees for the Germanenorden (or "Order of Teutons"), a secret society founded in 1911 and formally named in the following year. In 1917 Nauhaus moved to Munich; his Thule-Gesellschaft was to be a cover-name for the Munich branch of the Germanenorden, but events developed differently as a result of a schism in the Order. In 1918, Nauhaus was contacted in Munich by Rudolf von Sebottendorf (or von Sebottendorff), an occultist and newly elected head of the Bavarian province of the schismatic offshoot, known as the Germanenorden Walvater of the Holy Grail. The two men became associates in a recruitment campaign, and Sebottendorff adopted Nauhaus's Thule Society as a cover-name for his Munich lodge of the Germanenorden Walvater at its formal dedication on 18 August 1918. Vril Society (link) Vril is a substance described in Edward Bulwer-Lytton's 1871 novel The Coming Race, which was later reprinted as Vril: The Power of the Coming Race. The novel is an early example of science fiction. However, many early readers believed that its account of a superior subterranean master race and the energy-form called "Vril" was accurate, to the extent that some theosophists accepted the book as truth. Furthermore, since 1960 there has been a conspiracy theory about a secret Vril Society. Citizen Spy-Force Apple (link) Blackwater (link) Xe Services, LLC (link) U.S. Training Center (link) Clergy Response Team (link) http://www.infowars.com/images2/ps/pastor_fema_docs.pdf http://www.ksla.com/story/6937987/homeland-security-enlists-clergy-to-quell-public-unrest-if-martial-law-everdeclared?redirected=true Council of Governors (link) http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/2010executive_order.pdf CryptoKids (link) English East India Company (link) East India Company (link) December 31, 1600 Dutch East India Company (link) 1602

Danish East India Company (link) 1616 Portuguese East India Company (link) 1628 French East India Company (link) 1664 The Committee of 300 - "The Olympians" (link) 1727 Swedish East India Company (link) 1731 Facebook (link) Google (link) I.B.M. (link) Infragard (link) iWatch (link) Microsoft (link) NVOAD (link) Rural Council (link) http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/uploads/2011ruralcouncil_eo_rel.pdf See Something; Say Something (link) Titan Corp. (link) L-3 Communications (link) T.S.A. (link) Transportation Security Administration Wiki-Media (link) "Yes, this includes WikiLeaks and Mr. Assange, whether originally Federal or Co-Opted." 13 Bloodlines of the Illuminati Astor Bundy Collins DuPont Freeman Kennedy Li Onassis Reynolds Rockefeller Rothschild Russell Van Duyn *Merovingian (European Royal Families) **Interconnected Families Disney Krupp McDonald Key Families and Players Adolf Hitler (link) Adolf Hitler (German pronunciation: [ˈadɔlf ˈhɪtlɐ]; 20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party (German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, abbreviated NSDAP), commonly known as the Nazi Party. He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and served as head of state as Führer und Reichskanzler from 1934 to 1945. Hitler is most remembered for his central leadership role in the rise of fascism in Europe, World War II and the Holocaust. A decorated veteran of World War I, Hitler joined the precursor of the Nazi Party (DAP) in 1919, and became leader of NSDAP in 1921. He attempted a coup d'état known as the Beer Hall Putsch, which occurred at the Bürgerbräukeller beer hall in Munich on 8–9 November 1923. Hitler was imprisoned for one year due to the failed coup, and wrote his memoir, Mein Kampf (in English "My Struggle"), while imprisoned. After his release on 20 December 1924, he gained support by promoting Pan-Germanism, antisemitism and anti-communism with charismatic oratory and propaganda. He was appointed chancellor on 30 January 1933, and transformed the Weimar Republic into the Third Reich, a single-party dictatorship based on the totalitarian and autocratic ideology of Nazism. Hitler ultimately wanted to establish a New Order of absolute Nazi German hegemony in continental Europe. To achieve this, he pursued a foreign policy with the declared goal of seizing Lebensraum ("living space") for the Aryan people; directing the resources of the state towards this goal. This included the rearmament of Germany, which culminated in 1939 when the Wehrmacht invaded Poland. In response, the United Kingdom and France declared war against Germany, leading to the outbreak of World War II in Europe. Within three years, German forces and their European allies had occupied most of Europe, and most of North Africa, and the Japanese forces had occupied parts of East and Southeast Asia and the Pacific Ocean. However, with the reversal of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, the Allies gained the upper hand from 1942 onwards. By 1944,

Allied armies had invaded German-held Europe from all sides. Nazi forces engaged in numerous violent acts during the war, including the systematic murder of as many as 17 million civilians, including an estimated six million Jews targeted in the Holocaust and between 500,000 and 1,500,000 Roma, added to the Poles, Soviet civilians, Soviet prisoners of war, people with disabilities, homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses, and other political and religious opponents. In the final days of the war, during the Battle of Berlin in 1945, Hitler married his long-time mistress Eva Braun. To avoid capture by Soviet forces, the two committed suicide less than two days later on 30 April 1945 and their corpses were burned. http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/hitler.html Albert Mackey (link) March 12, 1807 - June 20, 1881 Dr. Mackey practiced medicine until 1854, after which literary and masonic pursuits fully occupied his time. In July, 1865, President Johnson appointed him Collector of the Port. Later defeated in a senatoral race, he moved to Washington, D.C. in 1870. Compiler of A Lexicon of Freemasonry in 1845, he went on to publish many books on Freemasonry, most notably his Encyclopedia of Freemasonry. At various times he edited such publications as the Western Masonic Miscellany (1849-54), the Masonic Quarterly Review (1857-58), the American Freemason (1859-60), and Mackey’s National Freemason (1871-74) and the Voice of Freemasonry (1875-79). Initiated, Passed and Raised: 1841 Saint Andrews Lodge No. 10, South Carolina Worshipful Master : 1842 Solomon’s Lodge No. 1, Charleston Founding member : 1851 Landmark Lodge No. 76 Grand Secretary : 1842-1867 South Carolina Affiliated : 1870 Landmark Lodge No. 19, D.C. Source: Albert G. Mackey, Encyclopedia of Freemasonry. Albert Pike (link) December 29, 1809 - April 2, 1891 Well-known masonic author and composer of the ritual for the concordant body, the Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, he was elected Sovereign Grand Commander of that body in 1859, an office he held until his death. Appointed Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas on November 7, 1864, from 1853 onward he was, at various times, chairman of numerous committees and boards, as well as Grand Representative of four jurisdictions. Western Star Lodge No. 2, Little Rock, Arkansas Entered Apprentice: July 1850 Fellow Craft: July 1850 Master Mason: November 4, 1850 Demitted: November 4, 1852 Magnolia Lodge No. 60, Little Rock Charter member: November 4, 1852 Worshipful Master: 1854 Demitted: 1858 c. Affiliated: 1884 c. Kilwinning Lodge No. 341, Memphis, Tenn. Marion Lodge No. 68, New Orleons, La Affiliated: 1858 Demitted: 1860 Honorary member: February 24, 1871 Pentalpha Lodge No. 23, Washington, D.C. Affiliated: October 4, 1880 Demitted January 1, 1883 Source: Denslow Alexandre-Louis Roëttiers de Montaleau (1748-1808) (link) Savalette de Langes was the son of Charles Pierre Savalette de Magnanville (1713-1790) – intendant of the Generality of Tours (1745) and Keeper of the Royal Treasury from 1756 to 1788 – and Marie-Émilie Joly de Choin (1726-1776), the daughter of a fermier général. In 1773, like his father, Savalette de Langes became a Keeper of the Royal Treasury; 1790/91, Captain of the Paris National Guard in the battalion of Saint Roch and aide-de-campe to Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834). One of the most active and influential Masons of his time, Savalette de Langes was first initiated in 1766 at the Lodge “L’Union Indivisible” in Lille, he was the founder of the Paris Lodge “Les Amis Réunis” (1771), Regime of the Philalèthes (1773), and convoked the Philalèthes Convents of Paris in 1785 and 1787. From the beginning Savalette was on the side of the Duke de Chartres (future Duke d’Orléans) for the creation of the Grand Orient, and after this was accomplished (1773) Savalette subsequently became its Grand Officer and Archivist. He was also a member of the Paris Lodge “L’Olympique de la Parfaite Estime” from 1783-88, the founder of “La Société Olympique” in 1785, and a member of the Paris Lodge “Centre des Amis” in 1793. Permanent, official correspondence between the Illuminati and Savalette’s Amis Réunis was established in 1784. Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig von Beulwitz (1755-1829), the head of the Rudolstadt Illuminati was initiated into the Amis Réunis in 1784, while visiting Paris, and received into the 11th class of the Philalèthes. Another Illuminatus, Sigismund Falgera (1752-1790) was already initiated into the Amis Réunis in 1784 (to 1789) and was appointed the official Illuminati correspondent/liaison to the Paris Lodge. Yet even before this, other Illuminati were simultaneously members of the Amis Réunis – Count Kolowrat, for one (see

below) – and it would be hard to believe that they hadn’t at least tried to “Illuminize” this most important Lodge in Paris. In this regard, about all we can safely say is that there remains a lack of documentation about any successes the Illuminati may have had in France before 1787. Alister Crowley (link) Aleister Crowley (12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947), born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other fields, including mountaineering, chess and poetry, and it has also been alleged that he was a spy for the British government. In his role as the founder of the Thelemite faith, he came to see himself as the prophet who was entrusted with informing humanity that it was entering the new Aeon of Horus in the early twentieth century. Thelema (link) Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Thelema ("They-LEE-mah" or "They-LEH-mah") is a Greek word meaning "will" or "intention". It is also the name of a new spiritual philosophy which has arisen over the past several hundred years and is now gradually becoming established worldwide. One of the earliest mentions of this philosophy occurs in the classic Gargantua and Pantagruel written by Francois Rabelais in 1532. One episode of this epic adventure tells of the founding of an "Abbey of Thelema" as an institution for the cultivation of human virtues, which Rabelais identified as being squarely opposite the prevailing Christian proprieties of the time. The sole rule of the Abbey of Thelema was: "Do what thou wilt". This has become one of the basic tenets of Thelemic philosophy today. Although touched upon by various prominent visionary thinkers in the following few hundred years, the seeds of Thelema sown by Rabelais eventually came to fruition in the early part of this century when developed by an Englishman named Aleister Crowley. Crowley was a poet, author, mountaineer, magician, and member of the occult society known as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. In 1904, while traveling in Egypt with his wife Rose, Crowley became inextricably involved in a series of events which he claimed to inaugurate a new aeon of human evolution. These culminated in April when Crowley entered a state of trance and wrote down the three chapters of 220 verses which came to be called The Book of the Law (also known as Liber AL and Liber Legis). Among other things, this book declared: "The word of the law is Thelema" and "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law". Crowley spent the rest of his life developing the philosophy of Thelema as revealed by the Book of the Law. The result was a voluminous output of commentary and works relating to magick, mysticism, yoga, qabalah, and other occult subjects. Virtually all of this writing bears the influence of Thelema as interpreted and understood by Crowley in his capacity as prophet of the New Aeon. One theory holds that each chapter of the Book of the Law is associated with a particular aeon of human spiritual evolution. According to this view, Chapter One characterizes the Aeon of Isis, when the archetype of female divinity was paramount. Chapter Two relates to the Aeon of Osiris, when the archetype of the slain god became prominent, and the world’s patriarchal religions became established. Chapter Three heralds the dawning of a new aeon, the Aeon of Horus, the child of the Isis and Osiris. It is in this new aeon that the philosophy of Thelema will be fully revealed to humanity, and will become established as the primary paradigm for the spiritual evolution of the species. Some of the essential elements of belief in Thelema are: "Every man and every woman is a star." This is usually taken to mean that each individual is unique and has their own path in a spacious universe wherein they can move freely without collision. "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law." and "thou hast no right but to do thy will." Most Thelemites hold that every person possesses a True Will, a single overall motivation for their existence. The Law of Thelema mandates that each person follow their True Will to attain fulfillment in life and freedom from restriction of their nature. Because no two True Wills can be in real conflict (according to "Every man and every woman is a star"), this Law also prohibits one from interfering with the True Will of any other person. The notion of absolute freedom for an individual to follow his or her True Will is a cherished one among Thelemites. This philosophy also recognizes that the main task of an individual setting out on the path of Thelema is to first discover his or her True Will, giving methods of selfexploration such as magick great importance. Furthermore, every True Will is different, and because each person has a unique point-of-view of the universe, no one can determine the True Will for another person. Each person must arrive at the discovery for themselves. "Love is the law, love under will." This is an important corollary to the above, indicating that the essential nature of the Law of Thelema is that of Love. Each individual unites with his or her True Self in Love, and so empowered, the entire universe of conscious beings unites with every other being in Love. Of course, with the emphasis on freedom and individuality inherent in Thelema, the beliefs of any given Thelemite are likely to differ from those of any other. In the Comment appended to The Book of the Law it is stated that: "All questions of the Law are to be decided only by appeal to my writings, each for himself." Although Thelema is sometimes referred to as a "religion", it accommodates the full range of individual beliefs, from atheism to polytheism. The important thing is that each person has the right to fulfill themselves through whatever beliefs and actions are best suited to them (so long as they do not interfere with the will of others), and only they themselves are qualified to determine what these are. Love is the law, love under will. Battenberg (Mountbatten) (link) The Battenberg family was a morganatic branch of the House of Hesse-Darmstadt, rulers of the Grand Duchy of Hesse in Germany. The first member was Countess Julia Hauke whose brother-in-law, Grand Duke Louis III of Hesse, created her Countess of Battenberg at her morganatic marriage to his brother, Prince Alexander of Hesse, in 1851 and Princess of Battenberg in 1858. The name Battenberg was last used by her youngest son, Prince Francis Joseph of Battenberg, who died childless in 1924. Most members of the family, residing in the United Kingdom, had renounced their German titles in 1917, due to rising anti-German sentiment among the British public during World War I, and changed their name to Mountbatten, an anglicised version of Battenberg. The name Battenberg refers to Battenberg, Hesse. Barry Soetoro (link) Basarab (link) Basarab I of Wallachia (link) House of Drăculeşti (link)

Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia (link) Vlad the Impaler Benjamin Franklin (link) Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston on January 17, 1706. He was the tenth son of soap maker, Josiah Franklin. Benjamin's mother was Abiah Folger, the second wife of Josiah. In all, Josiah would father 17 children. In 1729, Benjamin Franklin bought a newspaper, the Pennsylvania Gazette. Franklin not only printed the paper, but often contributed pieces to the paper under aliases. His newspaper soon became the most successful in the colonies. This newspaper, among other firsts, would print the first political cartoon, authored by Ben himself. During the 1720s and 1730s, the side of Franklin devoted to public good started to show itself. He organized the Junto, a young workingman's group dedicated to self- and-civic improvement. He joined the Masons. He was a very busy man socially. Popularly, Benjamin Franklin gets pegged as a sybaritic sort of fellow, a man given to lusty appetites. That Franklin did indeed enjoy eating and drinking we can gauge by looking at portraits painted of him, reading his letters, or considering the gout which afflicted him later in life. Whether his lusty appetite extended to the boudoirs of French socialites or the trysting nature of late-night dalliances, is a matter of conjecture that historians are divided over. Regardless, Franklin carefully considered most everything he did — including eating and drinking — and could serve as a posterboy for the Platonic notion that "the life which is unexamined is not worth living." Whether it came to questions of philosophy or norms of social behavior, Franklin carefully examined pros and cons, costs and benefits. Often, added into the balance of a question was whether its consequence would have any positive public upshot, and further, to consider how the public perceived his response to said question. Thus, in this manner, even the matter of fine dining became a philosophical question for Franklin. "Query, Whether it is worth a Rational Man's While to forego the Pleasure arising from the present Luxury of the Age in Eating and Drinking and artful Cookery, studying to gratify the Appetite for the Sake of enjoying a healthy Old Age, a Sound Mind and a Sound Body, which are the Advantages reasonably to be expected from a more simple and temperate Diet." This question, posed by Franklin in 1732, and translated for the modern ear, more or less asks, "When there is so much good food and beverage available should we just indulge ourselves or should we partake of a blander diet as that will probably make us live longer and healthier? Today, the public forum for that type of question might be a call-in radio show or a glossy article in a glamour magazine. But where today does one find forums and answers for the following questions? Bernard of Clairvaux, O.Cist (link) Bernard of Clairvaux, O.Cist (1090 – August 20, 1153) was a French abbot and the primary builder of the reforming Cistercian order. After the death of his mother, Bernard sought admission into the Cistercian order. Three years later, he was sent to found a new abbey at an isolated clearing in a glen known as the Val d'Absinthe, about 15 km southeast of Bar-sur-Aube. According to tradition, Bernard founded the monastery on 25 June 1115, naming it Claire Vallée, which evolved into Clairvaux. There Bernard would preach an immediate faith, in which the intercessor was the Virgin Mary. In the year 1128, Bernard assisted at the Council of Troyes, at which he traced the outlines of the Rule of the Knights Templar, who soon became the ideal of Christian nobility. Borgias (link) The Borgias, also known as the Borjas, "Borjia," "Borghetti" and "Bourghesse" were a European Papal family of Béarnaise origin with the name stemming from the familial fief seat of Borja belonging to their Aragonese Lords; they became prominent during the Renaissance. The Borgias were patrons of the arts; thanks to their support, artists of the Renaissance could 'spread their wings' and realize their artistic potential. The most brilliant personalities of this era regularly visited their court. The Borgias became prominent in ecclesiastical and political affairs in the 1400s and 1500s. Today they are remembered for their corrupt rule when one of them was Pope. They have been accused of many different crimes, including adultery, simony, theft, rape, bribery, incest, and murder (especially murder by arsenic poisoning). Because of their search for power, they made enemies of other powerful families such as the Medici and the Sforza, as well as the influential Dominican friar Savonarola. Bowes-Lyon (link) Bowes-Lyon is a Scottish family; see the following articles for more information, including information on individual members: Baron Bowes Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon Gibside Glamis Castle Katherine Bowes-Lyon Lilian Bowes Lyon Lord Glamis Michael Bowes-Lyon, 18th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne Monster of Glamis Nerissa Bowes-Lyon Patrick Bowes-Lyon (tennis player) Viscount of Lyon Princess Anne of Denmark There are now Bowes-Lyon family members all over the world, ranging from Ireland to England, Australia and other various Countries. In some cases it has been found to have been shortened to Lyon. Bush (link) The Bush family is a prominent American family. Along with many members who have been successful bankers and businessmen, across three generations the family includes two U.S. Senators, one Supreme Court Justice, two Governors, one Vice President and two Presidents.

Prescott Sheldon Bush (link) Prescott Sheldon Bush (May 15, 1895 – October 8, 1972) was a Wall Street executive banker, and a United States Senator representing Connecticut from 1952 until January 1963. He was the father of George H. W. Bush, 41st President of the United States and the paternal grandfather of George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States. *McCormack–Dickstein Congressional Committee The Business Plot (also the Plot against FDR and the White House Putsch) was an alleged political conspiracy in 1933. Retired Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler claimed that wealthy businessmen were plotting to create a fascist veterans' organization and use it in a coup d’état to overthrow United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt, with Butler as leader of that organization. In 1934 Butler testified to the McCormack–Dickstein Congressional committee on these claims. In the opinion of the committee, these allegations were credible. One of the purported plotters, Gerald MacGuire, vehemently denied any such plot. In their report, the Congressional committee stated that it was able to confirm Butler's statements other than the proposal from MacGuire which it considered more or less confirmed by MacGuire's European reports. No one was prosecuted. George Herbert Walker Bush (link) George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12, 1924) also known as George W. Bush, Sr. is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States (1989–1993). He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President (1981–1989), a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence. Carlyle Group (link) The Carlyle Group is an American-based global asset management firm, specializing in private equity, based in Washington, D.C. The Carlyle Group operates in four business areas: corporate private equity, real assets, market strategies and fund-of-funds, through its AlpInvest subsidiary. In its 2010 annual report, Carlyle reported assets in excess of $150 billion under management diversified over 84 distinct funds. The firm employs more than 890 employees, including 495 investment professionals, in 20 countries with offices in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia, and its portfolio companies employ more than 415,000 people worldwide. The firm has over 1,300 investment partners in 71 countries. According to a 2011 ranking called the PEI 300 based on capital raised over the last five years, Carlyle was ranked as the third largest private equity firm in the world, after TPG Capital and Goldman Sachs Principal Investment Area. Carlyle had been ranked first in the 2007 listing. In... George Walker Bush (link) George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009. Before that he was the 46th Governor of Texas, serving from 1995 to 2000. Bush is the eldest son of President George H. W. Bush, who served as the 41st President, and Barbara Bush, making him one of only two American presidents to be the son of a preceding president.[4] He is also the brother of Jeb Bush, former Governor of Florida. Carolingian (link) The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolings, or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family with its origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling (meaning "descendant of Charles", cf. MHG kerlinc), derives from the Latinised name of Charles Martel: Carolus. The family consolidated its power in the late 7th century, eventually making the offices of mayor of the palace and dux et princeps Francorum hereditary and becoming the de facto rulers of the Franks as the real powers behind the throne. By 751, the Merovingian dynasty which until then had ruled the Franks by right was deprived of this right with the consent of the Papacy and the aristocracy and a Carolingian, Pepin the Short, was crowned King of the Franks. Charles Martel (link) Charles Martel (Latin: Carolus Martellus) (c. 688 – 22 October 741), literally Charles the Hammer, was a Frankish military and political leader, who served as Mayor of the Palace under the Merovingian kings and ruled de facto during an interregnum (737–43) at the end of his life, using the title Duke and Prince of the Franks. In 739 he was offered the title of Consul by the Pope, but he refused. He is remembered for winning the Battle of Tours (also known as the Battle of Poitiers) in 732, in which he defeated an invading Muslim army and halted northward Islamic expansion in western Europe. A brilliant general, he lost only one battle in his career, (the Battle of Cologne). He is a founding figure of the Middle Ages, often credited with a seminal role in the development of feudalism and knighthood, and laying the groundwork for the Carolingian Empire. He was also the father of Pepin the Short and grandfather of Charlemagne. Cecil Rhodes Cecil John Rhodes PC, DCL (5 July 1853 – 26 March 1902) was an English-born South African businessman, mining magnate, and politician. He was the founder of the diamond company De Beers, which today markets 40% of the world's rough diamonds and at one time marketed 90%. An ardent believer in British colonial imperialism, he was the founder of the state of Rhodesia, which was named after him. In 1964, Northern Rhodesia became the independent state of Zambia and Southern Rhodesia was thereafter known as simply as Rhodesia. In 1980, Rhodesia, which had been defacto independent since 1965, was granted independence by Britain and was renamed Zimbabwe. South Africa's Rhodes University is also named after Rhodes. He set up the provisions of the Rhodes Scholarship, which is funded by his estate. Charles-Pierre-Paul, Marquis de Savalette de Langes (1745-1797) (link) Clinton (link) William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (link) Mena, Arkansas (link) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mena,_Arkansas Operation Black Eagle (link)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1262638 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran-Contra_affair Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (link) Clinton Global Initiative (link) Cornelius Heinrich Agrippa (1486-1535) (link) Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa (1486-1535) is the most influential writer of renaissance esoterica. His de occulta philosophia appeared in three books. Written from 1509 to 1510 (he would have been 23 at the time), it circulated widely in manuscript form, and was eventually printed in 1533. It is a "systematic exposition of ... Ficinian spiritual magic and Trithemian demonic magic (and) ... treatised in practical magic" (I. P. Couliano in Hidden Truths 1987, p. 114). Without doubt, this book should be at the top of any required reading list for those interested in Western magic and esoteric traditions. Count Franz Joseph von Kolowrat-Liebensteinsky (b. 1748) (link) Donald Henry Rumsfeld (link) Donald Henry Rumsfeld (born July 9, 1932) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977, under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006, under President George W. Bush. Combined, he is the second longest-serving defense secretary after Robert McNamara. Rumsfeld was White House Chief of Staff during part of the Ford Administration and also served in various positions in the Nixon Administration. He was elected to four terms in the United States House of Representatives, and served as the United States Permanent Representative to NATO. He was president of G. D. Searle & Company from 1977–1985, CEO of General Instrument from 1990–1993, and chairman of Gilead Sciences from 1997-2001. Eliphas Lévi (link) Eliphas Lévi, born Alphonse Louis Constant, (February 8, 1810 - May 31, 1875) was a French occult author and purported magician. "Eliphas Lévi," the name under which he published his books, was his attempt to translate or transliterate his given names "Alphonse Louis" into Hebrew although he was not Jewish. His second wife was French sculptress Marie-Noémi Cadiot. Lévi's version of magic became a great success, especially after his death. That Spiritualism was popular on both sides of the Atlantic from the 1850s contributed to this success. His magical teachings were free from obvious fanaticisms, even if they remained rather murky; he had nothing to sell, and did not pretend to be the inititate of some ancient or fictitious secret society. He incorporated the Tarot cards into his magical system, and as a result the Tarot has been an important part of the paraphernalia of Western magicians. He had a deep impact on the magic of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and later on the ex-Golden Dawn member Aleister Crowley. He was also the first to declare that a pentagram or five-pointed star with one point down and two points up represents evil, while a pentagram with one point up and two points down represents good. It was largely through the occultists inspired by him that Lévi is remembered as one of the key founders of the twentieth century revival of magic. Elliott Abrams (link) Elliott Abrams (born January 24, 1948) is an American lawyer and policy analyst who served in foreign policy positions for two Republican U.S. Presidents, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. He is currently a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. During the Reagan administration, Abrams gained notoriety for his involvement in controversial foreign policy decisions regarding Nicaragua and El Salvador. During Bush's first term, he served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director on the National Security Council for Near East and North African Affairs. At the start of Bush's second term, Abrams was promoted to be his Deputy National Security Advisor for Global Democracy Strategy, in charge of promoting Bush's strategy of advancing democracy abroad. His appointment by Bush was controversial due to his conviction in 1991 on two misdemeanor counts of unlawfully withholding information from Congress during the Iran-Contra Affair investigation. Francesco Mario Pagano (1748-1799) (link) In 1780 Pagano co-founded the Naples Lodge ‘Della Vittoria’ of the Orient. He was insinuated into the Illuminati in October 1786, and became one of the six founding members of an Illuminati cell in Naples; named Venerable Master of the Naples Lodge ‘La Philantropia’ in 1796 – the Lodge which contained the core of the Illuminati insinuated by Münter. His alias refers to the influential sixteenth-century Neapolitan author, scholar, occultist and scientist Giambattista della Porta (1535?-1615). Pagano was an author, historian, philosopher and a professor of law in Naples. His famous work Saggi Politici, was a major contribution to the Neapolitan Enlightenment (Illuminismo, in Italian), and is compared with Adam Ferguson’s Essay on the History of Civil Society. It was translated into German by fellowIlluminatus von Müller (Anselmus Sanchoniaton) in 1796. Francis Bacon (link) Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount Saint Alban, KC (22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626) was an English philosopher, statesman, scientist, lawyer, jurist, author and pioneer of the scientific method. He served both as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England. Although his political career ended in disgrace, he remained extremely influential through his works, especially as philosophical advocate and practitioner of the scientific method during the scientific revolution. Bacon has been called the father of empiricism. His works established and popularized inductive methodologies for scientific inquiry, often called the Baconian method, or simply the scientific method. His demand for a planned procedure of investigating all things natural marked a new turn in the rhetorical and theoretical framework for science, much of which still surrounds conceptions of proper methodology today. His dedication probably led to his death, bringing him into a rare historical group of scientists who were killed by their own experiments. Bacon was knighted in 1603, and created both the Baron Verulam in 1618, and the Viscount St Alban in 1621; as he died without heirs both peerages became extinct upon his death. He famously died of pneumonia contracted while studying the effects of freezing on the preservation of meat. Imperator of the Rosicrucian Order. Francois Rabelais (1494-1553) (link) François Rabelais (French pronunciation: [fʁɑ̃swa ʁablɛ]) (c. 1494 – 9 April 1553) was a major French Renaissance

writer, doctor and Renaissance humanist. He has historically been regarded as a writer of fantasy, satire, the grotesque, and bawdy jokes and songs. Franklin Delano Roosevelt (link) FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT (1882-1945) Thirty-second President (1933-1945) MASONIC RECORD Initiated: October 11, 1911, Holland Lodge No. 8, New York City. Brother Roosevelt participated in the Raising of his son Elliott (1910-1990) on February 17, 1933, in Architect's Lodge No. 519, also in New York City. He was present, but did not participate in the Degrees when two other sons, James (1907-1991) and Franklin D., Jr. (1914-1988) became Members of their brother Elliott's Lodge, on November 7, 1935. Brother and President Roosevelt was made the first Honorary Grand Master of the Order of DeMolay on April 13, 1934 at the White House. Governor of New York, 1929-1933. http://www.pagrandlodge.org/mlam/presidents/froosevelt.html Friedrich Christian Carl Heinrich Münter (1761-1830) (link) Alias: Syrianus A theologian, church historian and archaeologist, Münter studied theology and philosophy in Copenhagen (1778-81) and Göttingen (1781-83), being taught by, and/or studying with some of following: Johann Benjamin Koppe (Illuminatus), Johann Georg Heinrich Feder (Illuminatus), Christian Gottlieb Heyne (1729-1812), Christian Wilhelm Walch (1726–1784), Ludwig Timotheus Spittler (Illuminatus) and Johann Christoph Gatterer (1727-1799). He earned a doctorate of philosophy in 1784, was a professor of theology in Copenhagen in 1788, a member of the Danish Academy of Sciences in 1798, and became Bishop of Zealand in 1807. Münter was invested as a Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog in 1808, and became the commander of the Order in 1817. He was initiated into Freemasonry in 1780 and reached the 5th degree of the Zinnendorf Rite in the same year; a member of the Gotha Lodge ‘Zum Rautenkranz’; a member of the Templar Strict Observance, knighted ‘Eques ab Itinere’; initiated in 1787 at the Copenhagen Lodge ‘Friedrich zur gekrönten Hoffnung,’ becoming its librarian and Lodge Master from 1794 to 1807; visitor of the Vienna Lodge ‘Zur wahren Eintracht.’ Münter was insinuated into the Illuminati in 1783; Illuminatus Major in 1784; Prefect of the Illuminati in Copenhagen. He helped spread Illuminatism into Italy (1784-87) and established an Illuminati cell in Naples with Mario Pagano (see below), Emmanuele Mastelloni, Donato Tommasi, Giuseppe Zurlo, Gaetano Carrascal, and Nicola Pacifico; and one in Rome (February 1785), that according to the late historian Hanns Gross of Loyola University Chicago was overseen by Wilhelm Tischbein.68 Gross cited historian Carlo Francovich as his source. Corroboration comes from Hermann Schüttler, who wrote that Münter had been recruiting members for the Order while staying at the palace of Monsignor (later Cardinal) Stefano Borgia (1731-1804). His alias refers to Syrianus (c. 5th Century AD), the Greek Neo-Platonist philosopher and the teacher of Proclus. Friedrich Ludwig Ulrich Schröder (1744-1816) (link) Schröder was a major reformer of German Freemasonry, a stage actor, theatrical manager and dramatist. His mother was an actor as well, and the young Friedrich – travelling with his mother and stepfather, Konrad Ernst Ackermann, an actor from Russia – appeared in child roles. When he moved to Hamburg in 1767, Schröder befriended Gotthold Ephraim Lessing and worked “as a script editor and critic for the Hamburg national theater.” In 1771, after his stepfather had passed away, he and his mother took over the management of Ackermann’s theatre in Hamburg. From 1781-85 he was a court actor at the Vienna Hofburg (for the Hapsburg Imperial residence); from 1786-98, and again in 1810, he was the director of the Hamburg theatre. On the suggestion of J. J. C. Bode, Schröder was first initiated into Freemasonry at the Hamburg Lodge ‘Emanuel zur Maienblume’ in 1774 and received the Master Degree in 1785, becoming the Lodge’s Master in 1787; a member of the Lodge ‘Einigkeit und Toleranz’ in 1792/93; Provincial Grand Master of the Grand Lodge in Hamburg, 1814-16; and a co-founder of the Engbund Chapter in Hamburg. Schröder was the determining influence in the ritual reform of German Freemasonry, which he accomplished in collaboration with his former Illuminati brethren Johann Gottfried Herder, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Carl Leonhard Reinhold and Christoph Wilhelm Hufeland. He practically made a career out of Freemasonry. According to Dr. Schüttler, Schröder was the most significant Masonic reformer and author of his time. His alias alludes to Quintus Roscius Gallus (c. 12662 BC), the most famous Roman actor of his time. Gabriel Honoré Riqueti, Comte de Mirabeau (1749-1791) (link) That Mirabeau was influenced by Illuminati such as Jakob Mauvillon and the Prussian Aufklärer in particular, there is no doubt. He’s prefaced here with an asterisk because his membership in the Illuminati, however probable or likely, is not confirmed. Mirabeau’s (claimed) aliases are Adramelech and/or Leonidas. In Die Mitglieder des Illuminatenordens 1776-1787/93, Hermann Schüttler used an asterisk under Mirabeau’s name in the section that lists the Paris Illuminati, but neglects to include it in his actual biography (pp. 221 and 106 respectively). The good thing about Schüttler, however, is that he is completely transparent. Precise citations are provided on three fronts: 1) for biographical details, 2) Masonic and 3) Illuminati membership. Gerald Rudolph Ford (link) George Soros (link) George Soros (Hungarian: Soros György; born August 12, 1930, as Schwartz György) is a Hungarian-American financier, businessman and notable philanthropist focused on supporting liberal ideals and causes. He became known as "the Man Who Broke the Bank of England" after he made a reported $1 billion during the 1992 Black Wednesday UK currency crises. Soros correctly speculated that the British government would have to devalue the pound sterling. George Washington (link) George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799) was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in 1775–1783, and he presided over the writing of the Constitution in 1787. As the unanimous choice to serve as the first President of the United States (1789–1797), he developed the forms and rituals of government that have been used ever since, such as using a cabinet system and

delivering an inaugural address. Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette (link) A French aristocrat and military officer born in Chavaniac, in the province of Auvergne in south central France. Lafayette was a general in the American Revolutionary War and a leader of the Garde Nationale during the French Revolution. Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz (link) German philosopher and mathematician. Leibniz occupies a prominent place in the history of mathematics and the history of philosophy. He developed the infinitesimal calculus independently of Isaac Newton, and Leibniz's mathematical notation has been widely used ever since it was published. He became one of the most prolific inventors in the field of mechanical calculators. While working on adding automatic multiplication and division to Pascal's calculator, he was the first to describe a pinwheel calculator in 1685 and invented the Leibniz wheel, used in the arithmometer, the first mass-produced mechanical calculator. He also refined the binary number system, which is at the foundation of virtually all digital computers. In philosophy, Leibniz is mostly noted for his optimism, e.g. his conclusion that our Universe is, in a restricted sense, the best possible one that a God could have created. Leibniz, along with René Descartes and Baruch Spinoza, was one of the three great 17th century advocates of rationalism. The work of Leibniz anticipated modern logic and analytic philosophy, but his philosophy also looks back to the scholastic tradition, in which conclusions are produced by applying reason to first principles or a priori definitions rather than to empirical evidence. Leibniz made major contributions to physics and technology, and anticipated notions that surfaced much later in biology, medicine, geology, probability theory, psychology, linguistics, and information science. He wrote works on politics, law, ethics, theology, history, philosophy, and philology. Leibniz's contributions to this vast array of subjects were scattered in various learned journals, in tens of thousands of letters, and in unpublished manuscripts. As of 2010, there is no complete gathering of the writings of Leibniz. Guelph (link) The House of Welf (historically rendered in English, Guelf or Guelph) is a European dynasty that has included many German and British monarchs from the 11th to 20th century. The House of Welf is the older branch of the House of Este, a dynasty whose oldest known members lived in Lombardy in the 9th century. For this reason, it is sometimes also called Welf-Este. The first member of this branch was Welf IV; he inherited the property of the Elder House of Welf when his maternal uncle Welf, Duke of Carinthia, died in 1055. In 1070, Welf IV became duke of Bavaria. Welf V married Countess Matilda of Tuscany who died childless and left him her possessions, including Tuscany, Ferrara, Modena, Mantua, and Reggio, which played a role in the Investiture controversy. Since the Welf dynasty sided with the Pope in this controversy, partisans of the Pope came to be known in Italy as "Guelphs"; see Guelphs and Ghibellines. Guise (link) The House of Guise was a French ducal family, partly responsible for the French Wars of Religion. The Guises were Catholic, and Henry Guise wanted to end growing Calvinist influence. The assassination of Guise heightened passions and inspired Catholic attacks on Huguenots and their culture. The House of Guise was founded as a cadet branch of the House of Lorraine by Claude of Lorraine, first Duke of Guise (1496–1550), who entered French service and was made a duke by King Francis I. Claude's daughter, Mary of Guise (1515–1560), married King James V of Scotland and was mother of Mary, Queen of Scots. Claude's eldest son, Francis, became a military hero thanks to his capture of Calais from the English in 1558, while another son, Charles became Archbishop of Reims and a Cardinal in the Catholic Church. In 1558, the Dauphin Francis married Mary, Queen of Scots. When the sickly young man became king after his father's death in 1559, the queen's uncles the Duke of Guise and his brother the Cardinal of Lorraine controlled French politics during his short reign. This prompted the Amboise conspiracy in which the Huguenots and the House of Bourbon plotted to usurp the power of the House of Guise. The Cardinal of Lorraine was also leader of the French representatives at the final sittings of the Council of Trent, and, ironically given his family's role in French politics, had fought for a greater willingness to compromise with Protestantism than the Italian and Spanish delegates. Hanoverian (link) The House of Hanover (the Hanoverians) is a German royal dynasty which has ruled the Duchy of BrunswickLüneburg (German: Braunschweig-Lüneburg), the Kingdom of Hanover, the Kingdom of Great Britain, the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It succeeded the House of Stuart as monarchs of Great Britain and Ireland in 1714 and held that office until the death of Victoria in 1901. They are sometimes referred to as the House of Brunswick and Lüneburg, Hanover line. The House of Hanover is a younger branch of the House of Welf, which in turn is the senior branch of the House of Este. Queen Victoria was the granddaughter of George III, and was an ancestor of most major European royal houses. She arranged marriages for her children and grandchildren across the continent, tying Europe together; this earned her the nickname "the grandmother of Europe". She was the last British monarch of the House of Hanover; her son King Edward VII belonged to the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the line of his father, Prince Albert. Since Victoria could not inherit the German kingdom and duchies under Salic law, those possessions passed to the next eligible male heir, her uncle Ernest Augustus I of Hanover, the Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale—the fifth son of George III. The current head of the House of Hanover is Ernst August V, Prince of Hanover. Hapsburg (link) The House of Habsburg (English pronunciation: /ˈhæps.bɝːg/, German pronunciation: [ˈhaːps.bʊʁk]), also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria was one of the most important aristocratic royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and Spanish Empire and several other countries. Originally from Switzerland, the dynasty first reigned in Austria, which they ruled for over six centuries. A series of dynastic marriages brought Burgundy, Spain, Bohemia, Hungary, and other territories into the inheritance. In the 16th century, the family separated into the senior Habsburg Spain and the junior Habsburg Monarchy branches, who settled their mutual claims in the Oñate treaty. The House of Habsburg became extinct in the male line in in the 18th century: The Spanish branch ended upon the death of Charles II in 1700 and was replaced by the Anjou branch of the House of Bourbon in the person of his

great-nephew Philip V. The Austrian branch went extinct in 1780 with the death of Empress Maria Theresa and was succeeded by the Vaudemont branch of the House of Lorraine in the person of her son Joseph II. The new successor house styled itself as House of Habsburg-Lorraine (German: Habsburg-Lothringen). Harry S. Truman (link) HARRY S TRUMAN (1884-1972) Thirty-third President (1945-1952) MASONIC RECORD Initiated: February 9, 1909, Belton Lodge No. 450, Belton, Missouri. In 1911, several Members of Belton Lodge separated to establish Grandview Lodge No. 618, Grandview, Missouri, and Brother Truman served as its first Worshipful Master. At the Annual Session of the Grand Lodge of Missouri, September 24-25, 1940, Brother Truman was elected (by a landslide) the ninety-seventh Grand Master of Masons of Missouri, and served until October 1, 1941. Brother and President Truman was made a Sovereign Grand Inspector General, 33°, and Honorary Member, Supreme Council on October 19,1945 at the Supreme Council A.A.S.R. Southern Jurisdiction Headquarters in Washington D.C., upon which occasion he served as Exemplar (Representative) for his Class. He was also elected an Honorary Grand Master of the International Supreme Council, Order of DeMolay. On May 18, 1959, Brother and Former President Truman was presented with a fifty-year award, the only U.S. President to reach that golden anniversary in Freemasonry. http://www.pagrandlodge.org/mlam/presidents/truman.html Hassan-i Sabbah (link) Hassan-i Sabbāh (Persian: ‫ ,حسن صباح‬Arabic: ‫ حسن الصباح‬Hassan aṣ-Ṣabbāḥ, Hasan ibn Sabbah, Hassan Ben Sabbah. 1050s-1124) was a Persian Nizārī Ismā'īlī missionary who converted a community in the late 11th century in the heart of the Alborz Mountains of northern Iran. The place was called Alamut and was attributed to an ancient king of Daylam. He founded a group whose members are sometimes referred to as the Hashshashin or Assassins. His search for a base from where to guide his mission ended when he found the castle of Alamut in the Rudbar area in 1088. It was a fort that stood guard to a valley that was about fifty kilometers long and five kilometers wide. The fort had been built about the year 865; legend has it that it was built by a king who saw his eagle fly up to and perch upon a rock, of which the king, Wah Sudan ibn Marzuban, understood the importance. Likening the perching of the eagle to a lesson given by it, he called the fort Aluh Amut: the "Eagles Teaching". Hassan’s takeover of the fort was one of silent surrender in the face of defeated odds. To affect this takeover Hassan employed an ingenious strategy: it took the better part of two years to effect. First Hassan sent his Daʻiyyīn and Rafīks to win the villages in the valley over. Next, key people were converted and in 1090 Hassan took over the fort. It is said that Hassan offered 3000 gold dinars to the fort owner for the amount of land that would fit a buffalo’s hide. The term having been agreed upon, Hassan cut the hide in to strips and link the strips around the perimeter of the fort. The owner was defeated. (This story bears striking resemblance to Virgil's account of Dido's founding of Carthage.) Hassan gave him a draft on the name of a wealthy landlord and told him to take the money from him. Legend further has it that when the landlord saw the draft with Hassan’s signature, he immediately paid the amount to the fort owner, astonishing him. With Alamut as his, Hassan devoted himself so faithfully to study, that it is said that in all the years that he was there – almost 35, he never left his quarters, except the two times when he went up to the roof. He was studying, translating, praying, fasting, and directing the activities of the Daʻwa: the propagation of the Nizarī doctrine was headquartered at Alamut. He knew the Qur'ān by heart, could quote extensively from the texts of most Muslim sects, and apart from philosophy, he was well versed in mathematics, astronomy, alchemy, medicine, architecture, and the major science fields of his time.[5] Hassan was one who found solace in austerity and frugality. A pious life was one of prayer and devotion. Hassan was a charismatic revolutionary; it was said that by the sheer gravity of his conviction he could pierce the hardest and most orthodox of hearts and win them over to his side. From this point on his community and its branches spread throughout Iran and Syria and came to be called Hashshashin or Assassins, an Islamic mystery cult. Hassan was extremely strict and disciplined. The event of the Great Resurrection (al-qiyāmat al-kubrā) occurred under the later Ismaili Imam Hasan ala-dhikrihi as-salaam in 1164. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (link) Helena Petrovna Blavatsky was born on August 12, 1831, at Dnepropetrovsk (Ekaterinoslav), Ukraine, daughter of Colonel Peter Alexeyevich von Hahn and novelist Helena Andreyevna (née de Fadeyev). In 1849 she married N. V. Blavatsky, and shortly thereafter began more than 20 years of extensive travel, bringing her into contact with mystic traditions the world over. In 1873 Blavatsky arrived in New York from Paris where, impelled by her teachers, she began her work. At first she attempted to interest the Spiritualists in the philosophy behind phenomena but they resented her refusal to accept their standard explanations. In July 1875 she was urged "to establish a philosophicoreligious society," and in the Fall of the same year she became the principal founder, along with H. S. Olcott and W. Q. Judge, of The Theosophical Society. She devoted the rest of her life to its humanitarian and educational objectives. About the time the Society began, she started to write her first major work, Isis Unveiled, and after its publication in 1878 she and H. S. Olcott left for India. There they worked to re-establish Oriental philosophical and religious ideas, largely through the pages of The Theosophist, a magazine which Blavatsky founded and edited. In 1884, while Blavatsky was traveling in Europe, disgruntled TS employees in India went to the missionaries with forged documents, bringing charges of fraud against her. The Society for Psychical Research (SPR) then sent Richard Hodgson to investigate the charges, and subsequently published an unfavorable report. (In 1986 the SPR published an analysis of the Hodgson Report by Dr. Vernon Harrison, an SPR member expert in forgery and handwriting analysis, who concluded that the Hodgson Report was biased, unscientific, and completely unconvincing.) Under the strain, Blavatsky's health had broken down, and in 1885 she left India for Europe, where she continued to write The Secret Doctrine, her masterwork. In 1887 she settled in London, and began a new magazine Lucifer ("Light-bringer"). In 1888 The Secret Doctrine was published and, in the same year, aided by W. Q. Judge, she formed the Esoteric Section of The Theosophical Society. Shortly afterwards she wrote The Key to Theosophy and The Voice of the Silence. In 1890 she became head of a newly-established European Section. She died in London on May 8, 1891 after many years of chronic illness.

Henry Alfred Kissinger (link) Henry Alfred Kissinger (May 27, 1923) is a German-born American political scientist, diplomat, and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as Secretary of State in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. After his term, his opinion was still sought by many following presidents and many world leaders. A proponent of Realpolitik, Kissinger played a dominant role in United States foreign policy between 1969 and 1977. During this period, he pioneered the policy of détente with the Soviet Union, orchestrated the opening of relations with the People's Republic of China, and negotiated the Paris Peace Accords, ending American involvement in the Vietnam War. Various American policies of that era, including the bombing of Cambodia, remain controversial. Henry Agard Wallace (link) Henry Agard Wallace (October 7, 1888 – November 18, 1965) was the 33rd Vice President of the United States (1941– 1945), the Secretary of Agriculture (1933–1940), and the Secretary of Commerce (1945–1946). In the 1948 presidential election, Wallace was the nominee of the Progressive Party. http://www.theinsider.org/reports/dollar-bill-symbols/ Hugues de Payens (link) Hugues de Payens, Hughes de Pagan (English: Hugh of Payens or Hugh Pagan) (c. 1070–1136), a French knight from the Champagne region, was the co-founder and first Grand Master of the Knights Templar. With Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, he created the Latin Rule, the code of behavior for the Order. Ignatio de Loyoa (link) Ignatius of Loyola (Basque: Ignazio Loiolakoa, Spanish: Ignacio de Loyola) (1491 – July 31, 1556) was a Spanish knight from a Basque noble family, hermit, priest since 1537, and theologian, who founded the Society of Jesus and was its first Superior General. Ignatius emerged as a religious leader during the Counter-Reformation. Loyola's devotion to the Catholic Church was characterized by unquestioning obedience to the Catholic Church's authority and hierarchy. Ignaz Edler von Born (1742-1791) (link) Ignaz Elder von Born was a metallurgist, mineralogist and mining expert, inventing an amalgamation process for the extraction of silver and gold. Born was a member of “over a dozen learned societies throughout Europe.” According to Heather Morrison, von Born belonged to “the Royal Society in London, academies in Russia, Toulouse and Danzig, the Royal Academy of Sciences in Turin, and the Munich Academy of Sciences” and societies in “Göttingen, Uppsala, Lund, Burghausen, and Siena.” Born came from a noble family at Karlsburg, Transylvania and was educated by the Jesuits in Vienna. After sixteen months in their tutelage he fled Prague and took up the study of Law, afterwards turning to mineralogy, physics and mining. From 1769-70 he traveled throughout Europe—mainly Germany, Holland and France—studying and learning from the mining districts in those regions. In his late twenties Born had a serious accident, having been poisoned by noxious fumes in a mine shaft. Apparently, the consequences of this incident left him “a semi-invalid for the rest of his life.” In 1776 Born was chosen by Maria Theresa to enlarge and reshape the natural history collection of the Imperial Museum in Vienna. By 1779 Born “was appointed Wirklicher Hofrat at the mining and monetary administration of the Austrian court.” In 1770 he was initiated into Freemasonry at the Lodge ‘Zu den drei gekrönten Säulen’ in Prague. When he settled in Vienna, Born was enthusiastically proposed for initiation into the Lodge ‘Zur wahren Eintracht’ by the former-African prince and Master Mason Angelo Soliman. On November 19th, 1781 Born passed the Second Degree; “raised to the Third Degree two days later; on 9 March 1782 he was elected Master of the Lodge by a large majority.” Isaac Newton (link) Newton, Sir Isaac (1642-1727), mathematician and physicist, one of the foremost scientific intellects of all time. Born at Woolsthorpe, near Grantham in Lincolnshire, where he attended school, he entered Cambridge University in 1661; he was elected a Fellow of Trinity College in 1667, and Lucasian Professor of Mathematics in 1669. He remained at the university, lecturing in most years, until 1696. Of these Cambridge years, in which Newton was at the height of his creative power, he singled out 1665-1666 (spent largely in Lincolnshire because of plague in Cambridge) as "the prime of my age for invention". During two to three years of intense mental effort he prepared Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy) commonly known as the Principia, although this was not published until 1687. As a firm opponent of the attempt by King James II to make the universities into Catholic institutions, Newton was elected Member of Parliament for the University of Cambridge to the Convention Parliament of 1689, and sat again in 1701-1702. Meanwhile, in 1696 he had moved to London as Warden of the Royal Mint. He became Master of the Mint in 1699, an office he retained to his death. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London in 1671, and in 1703 he became President, being annually re-elected for the rest of his life. His major work, Opticks, appeared the next year; he was knighted in Cambridge in 1705. As Newtonian science became increasingly accepted on the Continent, and especially after a general peace was restored in 1714, following the War of the Spanish Succession, Newton became the most highly esteemed natural philosopher in Europe. His last decades were passed in revising his major works, polishing his studies of ancient history, and defending himself against critics, as well as carrying out his official duties. Newton was modest, diffident, and a man of simple tastes. He was angered by criticism or opposition, and harboured resentment; he was harsh towards enemies but generous to friends. In government, and at the Royal Society, he proved an able administrator. He never married and lived modestly, but was buried with great pomp in Westminster Abbey. Newton has been regarded for almost 300 years as the founding examplar of modern physical science, his achievements in experimental investigation being as innovative as those in mathematical research. With equal, if not greater, energy and originality he also plunged into chemistry, the early history of Western civilization, and theology; among his special studies was an investigation of the form and dimensions, as described in the Bible, of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. Book Excerpt - from Chapter 3 The strange relationship between Newton and the complex fringes of the Hermeticism of the epoch has long been unknown, and even concealed. The official biographies have mostly kept silent about this side of Newton. Loup Verlet writes of the conditions of the “miraculous” discovery of Newton’s unpublished manuscripts. Put in a stack in 1696

when he was leaving the directorship of the mint in London, they escaped the burning of his personal documents arranged just after his death. They were discovered two centuries later and put up at auction in 1936. John Maynard Keynes won the manuscripts and revealed that Newton was not only the “first physicist” but also the “last magician.” The haul included several alchemical works, the bulk of them now at Cambridge, some at the University of Jerusalem, and others in private collections. According to Verlet, Newton’s known work comprises 1.4 million words relating to theology, 550,000 on alchemy, 150,000 on monetary affairs, and one million on scientific problems. Verlet considers Newton, from a scientific point of view, to have been a coincidence. If he had not lived, the development of the sciences would surely have been delayed, and the work begun by Galileo and Descartes would have been slowed down. But by hiding his secrets away, Newton the magus also hid the alchemical, Hermetic, and esoteric dimensions which elucidated his research. From this point of view, victorious Science made its complex matrix disappear. Alexandre Koyré writes that Newton senselessly brought his most technical work into the realm of questioning regarding “methodological, epistemological, and metaphysical problems.” He explains that historians often neglect this development, getting mixed up over the various editions of Newton’s works, especially his Optics. Bishop Berkeley soon saw the danger, and vigorously attacked Newton’s ideas starting in 1710. Leibniz, for his part, accused Newton of philosophical occultism. Newton reacted by publishing his “General Scholium” in a new edition of his Principia. He wrote: “The true God is a living, intelligent, and powerful Being; . . . his duration reaches from eternity to eternity; his presence from infinity to infinity; he governs all things.” Was Newton cautious, or truly a heretic? He refuted the purely mechanist positions of Descartes and Leibniz, always remaining at the edge of what was tolerated in religious matters, even attacking his contemporaries for “impiety.” Leibniz reacted on the same terrain, writing in 1715 to the Princess of Wales--who would later be Queen of England--that “Sir Isaac Newton, and his followers, have also a very odd opinion concerning the work of God. According to their doctrine, God Almighty wants to wind up his watch from time to time: otherwise it would cease to move. He had not, it seems, sufficient foresight to make it a perpetual motion. Nay, the machine of God’s making is so imperfect, according to these gentlemen, that he is obliged to clean it now and then by an extraordinary concourse, and even to mend it, as a clockmaker mends his work.” The controversy continued for a long time, mingling theological and scientific arguments in a surprising mixture, often subtle, sometimes of an absolute intellectual perversity. Isabelle Stengers writes that Newton affirmed: “I do not feign hypotheses, I stick to phenomena.” This did not hinder his speculative theories, and placed him in contrast with the “contemplative” Galileo. In his work on the history of zero, Charles Seife highlights the will of Newton, like Leibniz, to use a “dangerous idea,” the idea of zero, to invent differential calculus. Accepting the idea of a number that is nothing and infinite--a strange and terrifying concept emerging before the time of Christ, rejected by all the thinkers of the ancient world, except for the Babylonians who invented this empty space and the Mayans who placed it before 1--the scientists of the eighteenth century used the nothing and gave it substance. Another revolution was in progress: “mystic calculus” appeared. In 1669, according to Richard Westfall, Newton immersed himself in alchemical literature. Betty Jo Teeter Dobbs affirms that “Newton read virtually everything alchemical that had ever been published, and a good many things that had not.” Numerous manuscripts from Hartlib’s circle were copied by Newton himself. His friend Robert Boyle served him as a link to other circles of Rosicrucians and alchemists. Elias Ashmole did the same in writing his Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum (published in 1652). Newton even devised an anagram of his name as a pseudonym (Isaacus Neuutonus becoming Jeova sanctus unus), which allowed him to exchange manuscripts with his correspondents while remaining anonymous, despite widespread speculation. In Newton’s personal archives, a great many manuscripts have been found with lengthy annotations: Philalethes’ Secrets Reveal’d from 1669, Sendivogius’ Novum Lumen Chymicum, Espagnet’s Arcanum hermeticae philosophiae, Maier’s Symbola aureae mensae duodecim, the Opera of George Ripley (the great English alchemist), Basil Valentine’s Triumphal Chariot of Antimony. Most of these are preserved at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Newton was fascinated by the transmutation of metals. “Far from seeking to make gold, he sought to understand nature,” writes Jacques Blamont. Newton sought to isolate mercury, a fundamental element. This was probably the cause of his death. Outside this dimension, Newton developed truly heretical ideas. Fascinated by the trinity, he was impassioned by the conflict between the orthodox, led by Athanasius in the fourth century, and the disciples of Arius. Arius believed that God was one, and that the trinity could not be. Newton, according to Richard Westfall, became convinced bit by bit “that a massive fraud had perverted the legacy of the early church.” Newton considered the worship of Christ, in place of God, to be idolatrous. But living in a completely orthodox Cambridge where his own master, Barrow, defended the trinity, Newton did not express his views publicly. David Brewster, in his 1855 biography, wrote, “uniting philosophy and religion, Newton dissolved the alliance that genius had formed with skepticism, and added to the myriad witnesses the most brilliant name of ancient and modern times.” Book-review In this valuable book Alain Bauer has been firmly established that the myths relating to the directly operative origins of Freemasonry, seeing the cathedral builders as the true forerunners of speculative Masons and viewing these latter as legitimate heirs of the former, can no longer be considered as anything more than what they are: myths, stories that are significant but are in no way historical facts. The Author presents the swirl of historical, sociological, and religious influences that sparked the spiritual ferment and transformation of that time. His research shows that Freemasonry represented a crossroads between science and spirituality and became the vehicle for promoting spiritual and intellectual egalitarianism. Ceasing to search for the key to understanding itself in mysterious and abstruse geometry and in the fabulous architectonic legacy of the pyramids, speculative Masonry must redirect its attention to what, after almost three centuries, defines it and gives it structure: an intellectual and moral adventure. Bruno Gazzo Editor, PS Review of Freemasonry. http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/book_bauer.html Jacques de Molay (link) James of Molay (French: Jacques de Molay) (c. 1240/1250 – March 1314) was the 23rd and last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, leading the Order from April 20, 1292 until the Order was dissolved by order of Pope Clement V in 1312. Though little is known of his actual life and deeds except for his last years as Grand Master, he is the best known Templar, along with the Order's founder and first Grand Master, Hugues de Payens (1070–1136). Jacques de Molay's goal as Grand Master was to reform the Order, and adjust it to the situation in the Holy Land during the waning days of the Crusades. As European support for the Crusades had dwindled, other forces were at work which sought to disband the Order and claim the wealth of the Templars as their own. King Philip IV of France, deeply in debt to the Templars,

had Molay and many other French Templars arrested in 1307 and tortured into making false confessions. When Molay later retracted his confession, Philip had him burned at the stake on an island in the Seine river in Paris, on March 1314. The sudden end of both the centuries-old order of Templars, and the dramatic execution of its last leader, turned Jacques de Molay into a legendary figure. The fraternal order of Freemasonry has also drawn upon the Templar mystique for its own rituals and lore, and today there are many modern organizations which draw their inspiration from the memory of Jacques de Molay. Johann Adam Weishaupt (link) Johann Adam Weishaupt (6 February 1748 in Ingolstadt – 18 November 1830 in Gotha) was a German philosopher and founder of the Order of Illuminati, a secret society with origins in Bavaria. Johann Caspar [Jean Gaspard] Schweizer (1754-1811) (link) Schweizer was a Swiss merchant and banker, a member of the Helvetian Society, made a Mason at the Zurich Lodge “Bescheidenheit und Freiheit” (Modestia cum Libertate) in 1782, was initiated into the Illuminati in 1785, and became a Jacobin. John of the Cross (1542-1591) (link) St. John of the Cross - (1542-1591), Spanish mystic, Carmelite friar and priest Born in Spain in 1542, John learned the importance of self-sacrificing love from his parents. His father gave up wealth, status, and comfort when he married a weaver's daughter and was disowned by his noble family. After his father died, his mother kept the destitute family together as they wandered homeless in search of work. These were the examples of sacrifice that John followed with his own great love -- God. When the family finally found work, John still went hungry in the middle of the wealthiest city in Spain. At fourteen, John took a job caring for hospital patients who suffered from incurable diseases and madness. It was out of this poverty and suffering, that John learned to search for beauty and happiness not in the world, but in God. After John joined the Carmelite order, Saint Teresa of Avila asked him to help her reform movement. John supported her belief that the order should return to its life of prayer. But many Carmelites felt threatened by this reform, and some members of John's own order kidnapped him. He was locked in a cell six feet by ten feet and beaten three times a week by the monks. There was only one tiny window high up near the ceiling. Yet in that unbearable dark, cold, and desolation, his love and faith were like fire and light. He had nothing left but God -and God brought John his greatest joys in that tiny cell. After nine months, John escaped by unscrewing the lock on his door and creeping past the guard. Taking only the mystical poetry he had written in his cell, he climbed out a window using a rope made of strips of blankets. With no idea where he was, he followed a dog to civilization. He hid from pursuers in a convent infirmary where he read his poetry to the nuns. From then on his life was devoted to sharing and explaining his experience of God's love. His life of poverty and persecution could have produced a bitter cynic. Instead it gave birth to a compassionate mystic, who lived by the beliefs that "Who has ever seen people persuaded to love God by harshness?" and "Where there is no love, put love -- and you will find love." John left us many books of practical advice on spiritual growth and prayer that are just as relevant today as they were then. These books include: Ascent of Mount Carmel , Dark Night of the Soul and A Spiritual Canticle of the Soul and the Bridegroom Christ . John Robert Bolton (link) John Robert Bolton (born November 20, 1948) is an American lawyer and diplomat who has served in several Republican presidential administrations. He served as the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations from August 2005 until December 2006 on a recess appointment. He resigned in December 2006 when his recess appointment would have ended because he was unable to gain confirmation from the Senate. Bolton is currently a Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), Fox News Channel commentator, and of counsel to the law firm Kirkland & Ellis, in their Washington D.C. office. He is also involved with a broad assortment of other conservative think tanks and policy institutes, including the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA), Project for the New American Century (PNAC), Institute of East-West Dynamics, National Rifle Association, US Commission on International Religious Freedom, and the Council for National Policy (CNP). Known for his hawkish views on foreign policy, Bolton is often described as a neoconservative, though he personally rejects the term. In August 2010, Bolton suggested that he may run for president in 2012. On May 27, 2011 he was asked by Neil Cavuto if was going to run for president. He replied "I'm thinking about it." Joseph Smith (link) Joseph Smith, Jr. (December 23, 1805 – June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader and the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was also a theocrat, politician, city planner, military leader, and polygamist. Smith was raised in western New York during a period of religious enthusiasm. Having been influenced by folk religion as a youth, he claimed the ability to find buried treasure through supernatural means. In the late 1820s, Smith said that an angel had directed him to a buried book of golden plates inscribed with a religious history of ancient American peoples. After publishing what he said was an English translation of the plates as the Book of Mormon, he organized branches of the Church of Christ, a church whose adherents were later called Latter Day Saints or, popularly, Mormons. In 1831, Smith moved west to Kirtland, Ohio intending to establish the city of Zion in western Missouri, but his plans were frustrated when Missouri settlers expelled the Saints in 1833. After leading an unsuccessful paramilitary expedition to recover the land, Smith began building a temple in Kirtland. In 1837, the church in Kirtland collapsed after a financial crisis, and the following year Smith joined his followers in northern Missouri. A war ensued with Missourians who believed Smith had incited insurrection. When the Saints lost the war, they were expelled, and Smith was imprisoned on capital charges. After being allowed to escape state custody in 1839, Smith led his followers to settle at Nauvoo, Illinois on Mississippi River swampland, and there he served as both mayor and commander of its large militia, the Nauvoo Legion. In early 1844, he announced his candidacy for President of the United States. That summer, after the Nauvoo Expositor criticized Smith's practice of polgyamy, the Nauvoo city council ordered the paper's destruction. During the ensuing turmoil, Smith first declared martial law and then surrendered to the governor of Illinois who promised his safety. Smith was killed by a mob while awaiting trial in Carthage, Illinois. Smith's followers revere him as a prophet and regard many of his writings as scripture. His teachings include unique views about the nature of God, cosmology, family structures, political organization, and religious collectivism. His legacy includes a number of religious denominations, which collectively claim a growing membership of over 14 million worldwide.

Masonic Symbols and the LDS Temple http://www.utlm.org/onlineresources/masonicsymbolsandtheldstemple.htm Mormonism and Freemasonry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormonism_and_Freemasonry Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (link) Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (18 December 1878 – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian-born, Soviet politician and Bolshevik revolutionary, who held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee from 1922 until his death in 1953. While formally the office of the General Secretary was elective and was not initially regarded as the top position in the Soviet state, after Vladimir Lenin's death in 1924, Stalin managed to consolidate more and more power in his hands, gradually putting down all opposition groups within the party. This included Leon Trotsky, the Red Army organizer, proponent of world revolution, and principal critic of Stalin among the early Soviet leaders, who was exiled from the Soviet Union in 1929. Instead, Stalin's idea of socialism in one country became the primary line of the Soviet politics. In 1928, Stalin replaced the New Economic Policy of the 1920s with a highly centralized command economy and Five-Year Plans, launching a period of rapid industrialization and economic collectivization in the countryside. As a result, the USSR was transformed from a largely agrarian society into a great industrial power, and the basis was provided for its emergence as the world's second largest economy after World War II. However, during this period of rapid economical and social changes, millions of people were sent to penal labor camps, including many political convicts, and millions were deported and exiled to remote areas of the Soviet Union. The initial upheaval in the changing agricultural sector disrupted food production in the early 1930s, contributing to the catastrophic Soviet famine of 1932–1933, one of the last major famines in Russia. In 1937–38, a campaign against former members of the communist opposition, potential rivals in the party, and other alleged enemies of the regime culminated in the Great Purge, a period of mass repression in which hundreds of thousands of people were executed, including Red Army leaders convicted in coup d'état plots. Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) (link) Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci ( pronunciation (help·info)) (April 15, 1452 – May 2, 1519) was an Italian polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer. Leonardo has often been described as the archetype of the Renaissance Man, a man of "unquenchable curiosity" and "feverishly inventive imagination". He is widely considered to be one of the greatest painters of all time and perhaps the most diversely talented person ever to have lived. According to art historian Helen Gardner, the scope and depth of his interests were without precedent and "his mind and personality seem to us superhuman, the man himself mysterious and remote". Marco Rosci points out, however, that while there is much speculation about Leonardo, his vision of the world is essentially logical rather than mysterious, and that the empirical methods he employed were unusual for his time. Born the illegitimate son of a notary, Piero da Vinci, and a peasant woman, Caterina, at Vinci in the region of Florence, Leonardo was educated in the studio of the renowned Florentine painter, Verrocchio. Much of his earlier working life was spent in the service of Ludovico il Moro in Milan. He later worked in Rome, Bologna and Venice and spent his last years in France, at the home awarded him by Francis I. Leonardo was and is renowned primarily as a painter. Among his works, the Mona Lisa is most famous and most parodied portrait and The Last Supper the most reproduced religious painting of all time, with their fame approached only by Michelangelo's Creation of Adam. Leonardo's drawing of the Vitruvian Man is also regarded as a cultural icon, being reproduced on everything from the euro to text books to t-shirts. Perhaps fifteen of his paintings survive, the small number due to his constant, and frequently disastrous, experimentation with new techniques, and his chronic procrastination. Nevertheless, these few works, together with his notebooks, which contain drawings, scientific diagrams, and his thoughts on the nature of painting, compose a contribution to later generations of artists only rivalled by that of his contemporary, Michelangelo. Leonardo is revered for his technological ingenuity. He conceptualised a helicopter, a tank, concentrated solar power, a calculator, the double hull and outlined a rudimentary theory of plate tectonics. Relatively few of his designs were constructed or were even feasible during his lifetime, but some of his smaller inventions, such as an automated bobbin winder and a machine for testing the tensile strength of wire, entered the world of manufacturing unheralded. He made important discoveries in anatomy, civil engineering, optics, and hydrodynamics, but he did not publish his findings and they had little to no influence on later science. Manly Palmer Hall (link) Manly Palmer Hall (March 18, 1901 – August 29, 1990) was a Canadian-born author and mystic. He is perhaps most famous for his work The Secret Teachings of All Ages: An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy, published in 1928 when he was 27 years old. It is claimed that Hall was made a knight patron of the Masonic Research Group of San Francisco in 1953, although he was not raised as a Mason until 22 November 1954 into Jewel Lodge No. 374, San Francisco. He later received his 32° in the Valley of San Francisco AASR (SJ). On December 8, 1973 (47 years after writing The Secret Teachings of All Ages), Hall was recognized as a 33° Mason (the highest honor conferred by the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite) at a ceremony held at the Philosophical Research Society (PRS)). The definitive Manly Palmer Hall Archive states that Hall received the 33°, "despite never being initiated into the physical craft." In his over 70-year career, Hall delivered approximately 8,000 lectures in the United States and abroad, authored over 150 books and essays, and wrote countless magazine articles. He appears in the introduction to the 1938 film When Were You Born, a murder mystery that uses astrology as a key plot point. Maria Orsitsch (link) Maria Orsitsch was the head of the 'The All German Society for Metaphysics' (Alldeutsche Gesellschaft für Metaphysik) founded in the early 20th century as a female circle of mediums who were involved in extraterrestrial telepathic contact. The society was later renamed the 'Vril Society' or 'Society of Vrilerinnen Women'. In 1917 Maria Orsitsch is said to have made contact with extraterrestrials from Aldebaran with her female Vril circle. Later in 1919 the Vril circle met with other [Volkisch] groups in a small forester’s lodge in the vicinity of Berchtesgaden to discuss a possible voyage to Aldebaran to meet the Aliens by the construction of Nazi ufos. Notes on this space mission are

discussed in a recent detailed analysis of Nazi Occultism entitled 'Black Sun: Aryan Cults, Esoteric Nazism, and the Politics of Identity: 'Maria claimed to have received mediumistically transmissions in a secret German Templar script - a language unknown to her - containing technical data for the construction of a flying machine. Vril documents mention these telepathic messages had their origin in Aldebaran, a solar system 68 light-years away in the constellation Taurus’. Marlborough John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC (link) John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC (26 May 1650 – 16 June 1722 O.S), was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Rising from a lowly page at the court of the House of Stuart, he loyally served James, Duke of York, through the 1670s and early 1680s, earning military and political advancement through his courage and diplomatic skill. Churchill's role in defeating the Monmouth Rebellion in 1685 helped secure James on the throne, yet just three years later he abandoned his Catholic patron for the Protestant Dutchman, William of Orange. Honoured for his services at William's coronation with the earldom of Marlborough, he served with further distinction in the early years of the Nine Years' War, but persistent charges of Jacobitism brought about his fall from office and temporary imprisonment in the Tower. It was not until the accession of Queen Anne in 1702 that Marlborough reached the zenith of his powers and secured his fame and fortune. His marriage to the hot-tempered Sarah Jennings – Anne's intimate friend – ensured Marlborough's rise, first to the Captain-Generalcy of British forces, then to a dukedom. Becoming de facto leader of Allied forces during the War of the Spanish Succession, his victories on the fields of Blenheim (1704), Ramillies (1706), Oudenarde (1708), and Malplaquet (1709), ensured his place in history as one of Europe's great generals. But his wife's stormy relationship with the Queen, and her subsequent dismissal from court, was central to his own fall. Incurring Anne's disfavour, and caught between Tory and Whig factions, Marlborough, who had brought glory and success to Anne's reign, was forced from office and went into self-imposed exile. He returned to England and to influence under the House of Hanover with the accession of George I to the British throne in 1714, but following a series of strokes in later age his health gradually deteriorated, and he died on 16 June 1722 (O.S), at Windsor Lodge. Marlborough's insatiable ambition propelled him from poor obscurity to prominence in British and European affairs, becoming the richest of all Anne's subjects. His family connections wove him into the fabric of European politics (his sister Arabella became James II's mistress, and their son, the Duke of Berwick, emerged as one of Louis XIV's greatest Marshals). Throughout ten consecutive campaigns during the Spanish Succession war Marlborough held together a discordant coalition through his sheer force of personality and raised the standing of British arms to a level not known since the Middle Ages. Although in the end he could not extort total capitulation from his enemies, his victories allowed Britain to rise from the periphery of influence to major power status, thus ensuring the country's growing prosperity throughout the 18th century. Mathias Metternich (1747-1825) (link) A professor of mathematics at the University of Mainz, he was also a member of the Erfurt Academy of the Arts and Sciences Useful to the Public. When the French Revolution broke out, Metternich was enthralled and subsequently an active participant as a founding member of the Mainz Jacobin Club, its literary propagandist and vice president of the Rhenish-German National Convention after the Republic of Mainz was declared. Patterned after the Paris Jacobin Clubs, the Mainz ‘Society of the Friends of Liberty and Equality’ (Gesellschaft der Freunde der Freiheit und Gleichheit) advocated political union with France. There were twenty original members and Illuminatus Professor Anton Josef Dorsch (1758-1819) – who had previously renounced his priestly vows and already joined a Jacobin Club in Strasbourg – was sent as commissioner for the Mainz club. It was at his previous post at the Strasbourg Jacobin Club that Dorsch was recorded as saying on December 26th, 1791: The Illuminati Order counted among its members the noblest men in Germany and provided great service for the education of many a young man. The reports, which the clerical and secular inquisition give of the Illuminati, are for the most part as false as that of a propaganda [club] in France. Nearly all of the founding members of the Mainz Jacobins were initiates of the Illuminati, and in addition to Mathias Metternich and Anton Josef Dorsch, we can list the following: Felix Anton Blau (1754-1798) Johann Christoph Blessmann (1760-1836) Johann Georg Wilhelm Böhmer (1761-1839) Johann Adam Caprano (1760-1800) Franz Anton Chambion (1754-1822) Johann Heinrich Rudolf Eickemeyer (1753-1825) Andreas Josef Christian Hofmann (1752-1849) Johann Stephan Köhler (1733-1815) Johann Adam Lang (1752-1790) Franz Konrad Macké (1756-1844) Johann Georg Nimis (1754-1811) Johann Valentin Schumann (1733-1803) Lorenz Schweickhard (b. 1768) Friedrich Joseph Stumme Adam Umpfenbach (b. 1748) Merovingian (link) The Merovingians (also Merovings) were a Salian Frankish dynasty that came to rule the Franks in a region (known as Francia in Latin) largely corresponding to ancient Gaul from the middle of the 5th century. Their politics involved frequent civil warfare among branches of the family. During the final century of the Merovingian rule, the dynasty was increasingly pushed into a ceremonial role. The Merovingian rule was ended March 752 when Pope Zachary formally deposed Childeric III. Zachary's successor, Pope Stephen II, re-confirmed and crowned Pepin the Short in Childeric's place in 754 beginning the Carolingian monarchy and early introduction of the Holy Roman Empire. Merovech (link)

Merovech (Latin: Meroveus or Merovius) is the semi-legendary founder of the Merovingian dynasty of the Salian Franks (although Chlodio may in fact be the founder), which later became the dominant Frankish tribe. He allegedly lived in the first half of the fifth century. His name is a Latinization of a form close to the Old High German given name Marwig, lit. "famed fight" (cf. māri "famous" + wīg "fight") compare modern Dutch mare "renowned" and vecht "fight". The first Frankish royal dynasty called themselves Merovingians ("descendants of Meroveus") after him. Clovis I (link) Clovis (c. 466–511) (Ch-)Leuthwig (Ludwig, Louis) was the first King of the Franks to unite all the Frankish tribes under one ruler. He was also the first Catholic King to rule over Gaul (France). He was the son of Childeric I and Basina. In 481, when he was fifteen, he succeeded his father. The Salian Franks were one of two Frankish tribes who were then occupying the area west of the lower Rhine, with their center in an area known as Toxandria, between the Meuse and Scheldt (in what is now the Netherlands and Belgium). Clovis's power base was to the southwest of this, around Tournai and Cambrai along the modern frontier between France and Belgium. Clovis conquered the neighboring Salian Frankish kingdoms and established himself as sole king of the Salian Franks before his death. The small church in which he was baptized is now named Saint-Remi, and a statue of him being baptized by Saint Remigius can be seen there. Clovis and his wife Clotilde are buried in the St. Genevieve church (St. Pierre) in Paris. An important part of Clovis's legacy is that he reduced the power of the Romans in 486 by beating the Roman ruler Syagrius in the battle of Soissons. Clovis was converted to Catholicism, as opposed to the Arian Christianity common among the Goths who ruled most of Gaul at the time, at the instigation of his wife, Clotilde, a Burgundian Gothic princess who was a Catholic in spite of the Arianism which surrounded her at court. He was baptized in a small church which was on or near the site of the Cathedral of Rheims, where most future French kings would be crowned. This act was of immense importance in the subsequent history of Western and Central Europe in general, for Clovis expanded his dominion over almost all of the old Roman province of Gaul (roughly modern France). He is considered the founder of the Merovingian dynasty which ruled the Franks for the next two centuries. Michael Faraday (link) Michael Faraday, FRS (22 September 1791 – 25 August 1867) was an English chemist and physicist (or natural philosopher, in the terminology of the time) who contributed to the fields of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. Faraday studied the magnetic field around a conductor carrying a DC electric current. While conducting these studies, Faraday established the basis for the electromagnetic field concept in physics, subsequently enlarged upon by James Maxwell. He similarly discovered electromagnetic induction, diamagnetism, and laws of electrolysis. He established that magnetism could affect rays of light and that there was an underlying relationship between the two phenomena. His inventions of electromagnetic rotary devices formed the foundation of electric motor technology, and it was largely due to his efforts that electricity became viable for use in technology. As a chemist, Michael Faraday discovered benzene, investigated the clathrate hydrate of chlorine, invented an early form of the Bunsen burner and the system of oxidation numbers, and popularised terminology such as anode, cathode, electrode, and ion. Although Faraday received little formal education and knew little of higher mathematics, such as calculus, he was one of the most influential scientists in history. Historians of science refer to him as the best experimentalist in the history of science. The SI unit of capacitance, the farad, is named after him, as is the Faraday constant, the charge on a mole of electrons (about 96,485 coulombs). Faraday's law of induction states that magnetic flux changing in time creates a proportional electromotive force. Faraday was the first and foremost Fullerian Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Institution of Great Britain, a life-time position. Albert Einstein kept a photograph of Faraday on his study wall alongside pictures of Isaac Newton and James Clerk Maxwell. Faraday was highly religious; he was a member of the Sandemanian Church, a Christian sect founded in 1730 that demanded total faith and commitment. Biographers have noted that "a strong sense of the unity of God and nature pervaded Faraday's life and work." Napoleon Bonaparte (link) Napoleon Bonaparte (French: Napoléon Bonaparte [napoleɔ̃ bɔnɑpaʁt]; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution. As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815. His legal reform, the Napoleonic Code, has been a major influence on many civil law jurisdictions worldwide, but he is best remembered for the wars he led against a series of coalitions, the so-called Napoleonic Wars, during which he established hegemony over much of Europe and sought to spread revolutionary ideals. Napoleon was born in Corsica to parents of noble Italian ancestry and trained as an artillery officer in mainland France. Bonaparte rose to prominence under the French First Republic and led successful campaigns against the First and Second Coalitions arrayed against France. In 1799, he staged a coup d'état and installed himself as First Consul; five years later the French Senate proclaimed him emperor. In the first decade of the 19th century, the French Empire under Napoleon engaged in a series of conflicts—the Napoleonic Wars—involving every major European power. After a streak of victories, France secured a dominant position in continental Europe, and Napoleon maintained the French sphere of influence through the formation of extensive alliances and the appointment of friends and family members to rule other European countries as French client states. Napoleon's campaigns are studied at military academies throughout much of the world. The French invasion of Russia in 1812 marked a turning point in Napoleon's fortunes. His Grande Armée was badly damaged in the campaign and never fully recovered. In 1813, the Sixth Coalition defeated his forces at Leipzig; the following year the Coalition invaded France, forced Napoleon to abdicate and exiled him to the island of Elba. Less than a year later, he escaped Elba and returned to power, but was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815. Napoleon spent the last six years of his life in confinement by the British on the island of Saint Helena. An autopsy concluded he died of stomach cancer. Nicholas Roerich (link) Nicholas Roerich, also known as Nikolai Konstantinovich Rerikh (Russian: Никола́й Константи́нович Рéрих; October 9, 1874 – December 13, 1947), was a Russian mystic, painter, philosopher, scientist, writer, traveler, and public figure. Oliver Laurence North (link)

Operation Northwoods (link) http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/news/20010430/doc1.pdf Paul Dundes Wolfowitz (link) Paul Dundes Wolfowitz (born December 22, 1943) is a former United States Ambassador to Indonesia, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense, President of the World Bank, and former dean of the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. He is currently a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, working on issues of international economic development, Africa and public-private partnerships, and chairman of the US-Taiwan Business Council. He is a leading neoconservative. As Deputy Secretary of Defense, he was "a major architect of President Bush's Iraq policy and ... its most hawkish advocate." Donald Rumsfeld in his interview with Fox News on February 8, 2011 said that Wolfowitz was the first to bring up Iraq after 9/11 attacks during a meeting at presidential retreat at Camp David. After serving two years, he resigned as president of the World Bank Group "ending a protracted and tumultuous battle over his stewardship, sparked by a promotion he arranged for his companion." Paracelsus (1493-1541) (link) Paracelsus (born Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, 11 November or 17 December 1493 – 24 September 1541) was a Swiss Renaissance physician, botanist, alchemist, astrologer, and general occultist. "Paracelsus", meaning "equal to or greater than Celsus", refers to the Roman encyclopedist Aulus Cornelius Celsus from the 1st century, known for his tract on medicine. He is also credited for giving zinc its name, calling it zincum and is regarded as the first systematic botanist. Plantagenet (link) The House of Plantagenet (pronounced /plænˈtædʒɨnɨt/), a branch of the Angevins, was a royal house founded by Geoffrey V of Anjou, father of Henry II of England. Plantagenet kings first ruled the Kingdom of England in the 12th century. Their paternal ancestors originated in the French province of Gâtinais and gained the County of Anjou through marriage during the 11th century. The dynasty accumulated several other holdings, building the Angevin Empire which at its peak stretched from the Pyrenees to Ireland and the border with Scotland. In total, fifteen Plantagenet monarchs, including those belonging to cadet branches, ruled England from 1154 until 1485. The senior branch ruled from Henry II of England until the deposition of Richard II of England in 1399. After that, a junior branch, the House of Lancaster, ruled for some fifty years, before clashing with another branch, the House of York, in a civil war known as the Wars of the Roses over control of England. After three ruling Lancastrian monarchs, the crown passed to three Yorkist monarchs, the last of whom, Richard III, was killed in battle during 1485. The legitimate male line went extinct with the execution of Richard's nephew, Edward, Earl of Warwick in 1499. However an illegitimate scion, Arthur Plantagenet, Viscount Lisle, was active at the court of Henry VIII of England. Several illegitimate lines persist, including the Dukes of Beaufort, (who are today the last male line descendants of the Plantagenet House of Lancaster). Rashid ad-Din Sinan (link) Rene Descartes (link) René Descartes (French pronunciation: [ʁəne dekaʁt]; (31 March 1596 – 11 February 1650) (Latinized form: Renatus Cartesius; adjectival form: "Cartesian") was a French philosopher and writer who spent most of his adult life in the Dutch Republic. He has been dubbed the 'Father of Modern Philosophy', and much subsequent Western philosophy is a response to his writings, which are studied closely to this day. In particular, his Meditations on First Philosophy continues to be a standard text at most university philosophy departments. Descartes' influence in mathematics is equally apparent; the Cartesian coordinate system—allowing geometric shapes to be expressed in algebraic equations— was named after him. He is credited as the father of analytical geometry. Descartes was also one of the key figures in the Scientific Revolution. Descartes frequently sets his views apart from those of his predecessors. In the opening section of the Passions of the Soul, a treatise on the Early Modern version of what are now commonly called emotions, Descartes goes so far as to assert that he will write on this topic "as if no one had written on these matters before". Many elements of his philosophy have precedents in late Aristotelianism, the revived Stoicism of the 16th century, or in earlier philosophers like St. Augustine. In his natural philosophy, he differs from the Schools on two major points: First, he rejects the analysis of corporeal substance into matter and form; second, he rejects any appeal to ends—divine or natural—in explaining natural phenomena. In his theology, he insists on the absolute freedom of God’s act of creation. Descartes was a major figure in 17th-century continental rationalism, later advocated by Baruch Spinoza and Gottfried Leibniz, and opposed by the empiricist school of thought consisting of Hobbes, Locke, Berkeley, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Hume. Leibniz, Spinoza and Descartes were all well versed in mathematics as well as philosophy, and Descartes and Leibniz contributed greatly to science as well. As the inventor of the Cartesian coordinate system, Descartes founded analytic geometry, the bridge between algebra and geometry, crucial to the discovery of infinitesimal calculus and analysis. He is perhaps best known for the philosophical statement "Cogito ergo sum" (French: Je pense, donc je suis; English: I think, therefore I am; or I am thinking, therefore I exist or I do think, therefore I do exist), found in part IV of Discourse on the Method (1637 – written in French but with inclusion of "Cogito ergo sum") and §7 of part I of Principles of Philosophy (1644 – written in Latin). Richard Lee Armitage (link) Richard Lee Armitage, KCMG AC (born April 26, 1945) was the 13th United States Deputy Secretary of State, the second-in-command at the State Department, serving from 2001 to 2005. Richard Milhous Nixon (link) Richard Norman Perle (link) Richard Norman Perle (born 16 September 1941) is an American political advisor and lobbyist who worked for the Reagan administration as an assistant Secretary of Defense and worked on the Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee from 1987 to 2004. He was Chairman of the Board from 2001 to 2003 under the Bush Administration. He is a member of several think-tanks, such as the Hudson Institute, the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP) Board of Advisors, the Center for Security Policy (CSP), and (as a resident fellow) the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, as well as the neoconservative Project for the New American Century (PNAC) and the Jewish

Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA). He is also a Patron of the Henry Jackson Society. Perle has written extensively on a number of issues; his cited research interests including defense, national security, and the Middle East. Aside from these engagements, Perle is the former co-chairman and director of Hollinger, Inc., a partner of Trireme Partners and a non-executive director of Autonomy Corporation. Robert Pastor (link) "The Father of the North American Union and N.A.F.T.A." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Pastor Rockefeller Family (link) William Avery Rockefeller, Sr (link) John Davison Rockefeller (link) The Rockefeller family, the Cleveland family of John D. Rockefeller (1839–1937) ("Senior") and his brother William Rockefeller (1841–1922), is an American industrial, banking, and political family of German origin that made one of the world's largest private fortunes in the oil business during the late 19th and early 20th century, primarily through the Standard Oil Company. The family is also known for its long association with and financial interest in the Chase Manhattan Bank, now JP Morgan Chase. Their ancestor, Johann Peter Rockefeller, moved to North America in 1723 from what is today Westerwald, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Abby Rockefeller Mauzé John D. Rockefeller III Nelson Rockefeller Laurance Spelman Rockefeller Winthrop Rockefeller David Rockefeller, Sr. David Rockefeller, Jr. (link) Ariana (1982) Camilla (1984) Abby Rockefeller Neva Rockefeller Goodwin Peggy Dulany Rockefeller Richard Rockefeller Eileen Rockefeller Growald William Avery Rockefeller, Jr (link) Lewis Edward Rockefeller (1865–1866) Emma Rockefeller McAlpin (1868–1934) William Goodsell Rockefeller (1870–1922) James Stillman Rockefeller (link) John Davison Rockefeller II (1872–1877) Percy Avery Rockefeller (1878–1934) Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge (1882–1973) Ronald Wilson Reagan (link) Rothschild (link) The Rothschild family (known as The House of Rothschild, or more simply as the Rothschilds) is a European family of German Jewish origin that established European banking and finance houses from the late eighteenth century. Five lines of the Austrian branch of the family were elevated into the Austrian nobility, being given hereditary baronies of the Habsburg Empire by Emperor Francis II in 1816. The British branch of the family was elevated into the British nobility at the request of Queen Victoria. It has been argued that during the 19th century, the family possessed by far the largest private fortune in the world, and by far the largest fortune in modern world history. Moses Kalman Rothschild Amschel Moses Rothschild (link) Mayer Amschel Rothschild Mayer Amschel Rothschild (23 February 1744 – 19 September 1812) was the founder of the Rothschild family international banking dynasty that became the most successful business family in history. In 2005, he was ranked 7th on the Forbes magazine list of "The Twenty Most Influential Businessmen Of All Time". The business magazine referred to him as a "founding father of international finance" Schönche Jeannette Rothschild Amschel Mayer Rothschild Amschel Mayer Rothschild (12 June 1773 – 6 December 1855) was a German Jewish banker of the Rothschild family financial dynasty. He was the second child and eldest son of Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1744–1812), the founder of the dynasty, and Gutlé Rothschild née Schnapper (1753-1849). On the death of Mayer Amschel in 1812, Amschel Mayer succeeded as head of the bank at Frankfurt-am-Main, his brothers having been dispatched to set up banking houses in Paris, London, Naples and Vienna. Salomon Mayer von Rothschild Salomon Mayer von Rothschild (September 9, 1774, Frankfurt/Main – July 28, 1855, Paris) was a Germanborn banker in the Austrian Empire and the founder of the Viennese branch of the prominent Mayer Amschel Rothschild family. He was born at Frankfurt-am-Main the third child and second son of Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1744–1812) and Gutlé Schnapper (1753–1849). In 1800, he married Caroline Stern (1782–1854). Nathan Mayer Rothschild (link)

Lionel de Rothschild (link) Leopold de Rothschild (link) Anthony Gustav de Rothschild (link) Evelyn Robert de Rothschild (link) Anthony James de Rothschild (link) 1977 David Mayer de Rothschild (link) 1978 Isabella Rothschild (link) Babette Rothschild (link) Kalman Mayer Rothschild (link) Julie Rothschild Henriette Rothschild James Mayer de Rothschild (link) Alphonse James de Rothschild (link) Édouard Alphonse James de Rothschild (link) Guy de Rothschild (link) David René de Rothschild (link) Jakob Mayer Rothschild (link) Savoy (link) The House of Savoy (Italian: Casa Savoia) was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II. The House of Savoy ruled unified Italy for 85 years with Victor Emmanuel II, Umberto I, Victor Emmanuel III, and Umberto II as monarchs. The last monarch ruled for a few weeks before being overthrown by a popular referendum and a new republican government. Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (link) Saxe-Coburg and Gotha or Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (German: Herzogtum Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha) served as the collective name of two duchies, Saxe-Coburg and Saxe-Gotha, in Germany. They were located in what today are the states of Bavaria and Thuringia, respectively, and the two were in personal union between 1826 and 1918. The Duchy came to an end in 1918 with the other German monarchies, and the Free State of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was established. This was merged into the new state of Thuringia two years later. The name Saxe-Coburg-Gotha also may refer to the family of the ruling House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, which played many varied roles in nineteenth and twentiethcentury European dynastic and political history, branches of which currently reign in Belgium and the Commonwealth realms. Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (later The Prince Consort; Francis Albert Augustus Charles Emmanuel; 26 August 1819 – 14 December 1861) was the husband of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. House of Windsor The House of Windsor is the current royal house of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V by royal proclamation on the 17 July 1917, when he changed the name of his family from the German SaxeCoburg and Gotha to the English Windsor. Currently, the most prominent member of the House of Windsor is Elizabeth II, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms. Dame of Malta; Queen Elizabeth II The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (French: L'Ordre très vénérable de l'hôpital de Saint-Jean de Jérusalem), is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and injury, and to act to enhance the health and wellbeing of people anywhere in the world." It is commonly referred to simply as the Order of St John, or as the Venerable Order of Saint John (VOSJ) when distinction from other similarly named orders is desired. The Order's approximately 25,000 confrères, supported by 4,000 employees and 300,000 volunteers, are mostly of the Protestant faith, though those of other Christian denominations or other religions are accepted into the Order, but usually honorary membership is awarded to deserving and distinguished adherents of other religions. Except via appointment to certain... Simón Bolívar (link) Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Blanco, commonly known as Simón Bolívar (Spanish pronunciation: [siˈmon boˈliβar]; Caracas, July 24, 1783 – Santa Marta, December 17, 1830) was a Venezuelan military and political leader. Together with José de San Martín, he played a key role in Latin America's successful struggle for independence from the Spanish Empire. Following the triumph over the Spanish Monarchy, Bolívar participated in the foundation of the first union of independent nations in Latin America, which was named Gran Colombia, and of which he was president from 1819 to 1830. Simón Bolívar is regarded in Hispanic America as a hero, visionary, revolutionary, and liberator. During his lifetime, he led Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela to independence, and helped lay the foundations for democratic ideology in much of Hispanic America. http://www.militaryheritage.com/bolivar.htm Stuart (link) The House of Stuart (also known as the House of Stewart) is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland,

the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century. Their direct ancestors (from Brittany) had held the title High Steward of Scotland since the 12th century, after arriving by way of Norman England. The dynasty inherited further territory by the 17th century which covered the entire British Isles, including the Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Ireland, also upholding a claim to the Kingdom of France. In total, nine Stewart monarchs ruled just Scotland from 1371 until 1603. After this there was a Union of the Crowns under James VI & I who had become the senior genealogical claimant to all of the holdings of the extinct House of Tudor. Thus there were six Stuart monarchs who ruled England and Scotland as well as Ireland (although the Stuart era was interrupted by an interregnum lasting from 1649–1660, as a result of the English Civil War). Additionally at the foundation of the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Acts of Union, which politically united England and Scotland, the first monarch was Anne of Great Britain. After her death, all the holdings passed to the House of Hanover, under the terms of the Act of Settlement 1701. Alan fitz Flaad (link) Walter fitz Alan (link) Alan fitz Walter, 2nd High Steward of Scotland (link) Walter Stewart, 3rd High Steward of Scotland (link) Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland (link) James Stewart, 5th High Steward of Scotland (link) Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland (link) Robert II of Scotland (link) Robert III of Scotland (link) James I, King of Scots (link) James II of Scotland (link) James III of Scotland (link) James IV (link) James V (link) Mary, Queen of Scots (link) John Stewart of Bonkyll (link) Sir Alan Stuart John Stewart, 1st Earl of Lennox (link) Matthew Stewart, 2nd Earl of Lennox (link) John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Lennox (link) Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox (link) Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley (link) James VI & I (link) 'King James' Authorized King James Version (link) Andrew Stewart Elizabeth Stewart Hawise Stewart Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) (link) Saint Teresa of Ávila, also called Saint Teresa of Jesus, baptized as Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda y Ahumada, (March 28, 1515 – October 4, 1582) was a prominent Spanish mystic, Roman Catholic saint, Carmelite nun, and writer of the Counter Reformation, and theologian of contemplative life through mental prayer. She was a reformer of the Carmelite Order and is considered to be, along with John of the Cross, a founder of the Discalced Carmelites. In 1622, forty years after her death, she was canonized by Pope Gregory XV, and in 1970 named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI. Her books, which include her autobiography, The Life of Teresa of Jesus, and her seminal work, El Castillo Interior (The Interior Castle), are an integral part of the Spanish Renaissance literature as well as Christian mysticism and Christian meditation practices as she entails in her other important work Camino de Perfección (The Way of Perfection).She died in 1582. Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) (link) Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was the third President of the United States (1801–1809) and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776). An influential Founding Father, Jefferson envisioned America as a great "Empire of Liberty" that would promote republicanism. Jefferson served as the wartime Governor of Virginia (1779–1781), barely escaping capture by the British in 1781. Many people were not pleased with his tenure and in the next election he did not win office again in Virginia. From mid-1784 through late 1789 Jefferson lived outside the United States. He served in Paris initially as a commissioner to help negotiate commercial treaties. In May 1785 he succeeded Benjamin Franklin as the U.S. Minister to France. He was the first United States Secretary of State (1789–1793) under George Washington and advised him against a national bank and the Jay Treaty. He was the second Vice President (1797–1801) under John Adams. Winning on an anti-federalist platform, Jefferson took the oath of office and became President of the United States in 1801. As president he negotiated the Louisiana Purchase (1803), and sent the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806) to explore the vast new territory and lands further west. Jefferson always distrusted Britain as a threat to American security; he rejected a renewal of the Jay Treaty that his ambassadors had negotiated in 1806 with Britain and promoted aggressive action, such as the embargo laws, that contributed to the already escalating tensions with Britain and France leading to war with Britain in 1812 after he left office. Jefferson idealized the independent yeoman farmer as exemplar of republican virtues, distrusted cities and financiers, and favored states' rights and a limited federal government. Jefferson supported the separation of church and state and was the author of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (1779, 1786). Jefferson's revolutionary view on individual religious freedom and protection from government authority have generated much interest with modern scholars. He was the eponym of Jeffersonian democracy and the co-founder and leader of the Democratic-Republican Party, which dominated American politics for 25 years. Born into a prominent planter family, Jefferson owned hundreds of slaves throughout his life; he held views on the racial inferiority of Africans common for this period in time. While historians long discounted accounts that Jefferson had an intimate relationship with his slave Sally Hemings, it is now widely held

that he did and had six children by her. Jefferson was a polymath who spoke five languages and could read two others. He was a major book collector with an enormous library, much of which he sold to the Library of Congress in 1814 after the British set fire to the Capitol which destroyed most of its works. He wrote more than sixteen thousand letters and was acquainted with nearly every influential person in America, and many throughout Europe. Jefferson is constantly rated by historical scholars as one of the greatest U.S. presidents. http://srjarchives.tripod.com/1998-03/beless.htm Tim Osman (link) Tudor (link) The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship and Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimized branch of the English royal House of Lancaster. The Tudor family rose to power in the wake of the Wars of the Roses, which left the House of Lancaster, to which the Tudors were aligned, extirpated. Henry Tudor was able to establish himself as a candidate not only of the traditional Lancastrian supporters, but of discontented supporters of the rival House of York, and rose to capture the throne in battle, becoming Henry VII. His victory was reinforced by his marriage to Elizabeth of York, symbolically uniting the former warring factions under a new dynasty. The Tudors extended their power beyond modern England, achieving the full union of England and the Principality of Wales in 1542, (Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542); and successfully asserting English authority over the Kingdom of Ireland. They also maintained the traditional (i.e. nominal) claims to the Kingdom of France, but none of them tried to make substance of it, though Henry VIII fought wars with France to try and reclaim that title. After him, his daughter Mary I lost the claim on France forever with the Fall of Calais. Elizabeth I of England (link) Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia (link) Walter Elias "Walt" Disney (link) Walton Family (link) Sam's Club (link) Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (link) William Henry "Bill" Gates III (link) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (link) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (German: [ˈvɔlfɡaŋ amaˈdeus ˈmoːtsaʁt], English see fn.), baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791), was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music. He is among the most enduringly popular of classical composers. Mozart showed prodigious ability from his earliest childhood in Salzburg. Already competent on keyboard and violin, he composed from the age of five and performed before European royalty. At 17, he was engaged as a court musician in Salzburg, but grew restless and travelled in search of a better position, always composing abundantly. While visiting Vienna in 1781, he was dismissed from his Salzburg position. He chose to stay in the capital, where he achieved fame but little financial security. During his final years in Vienna, he composed many of his best-known symphonies, concertos, and operas, and portions of the Requiem, which was largely unfinished at the time of Mozart's death. The circumstances of his early death have been much mythologized. He was survived by his wife Constanze and two sons. Mozart learned voraciously from others, and developed a brilliance and maturity of style that encompassed the light and graceful along with the dark and passionate. His influence on subsequent Western art music is profound. Beethoven wrote his own early compositions in the shadow of Mozart, of whom Joseph Haydn wrote that "posterity will not see such a talent again in 100 years." The youngest child and only surviving son of freemason, Leopold Mozart, Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus was born in Salzburg in 1756, He showed early precocity both as a keyboard-player and violinist, and soon turned his hand to composition. Mozart composed a number of masonic pieces. When his father received his masonic Second Degree Wolfgang wrote "Fellow Crafts Journey (Op. K468) to honour the occasion. For lodge Zur Wohltatigkeit he wrote "Opening Ode" (Op. K483) and Closing Ode (Op. K484) His last masonic work (Op. K623) was written for the dedication of a masonic temple in Vienna on November 15, 1791. Mozart was essentially an operatic composer. His last stage work, "The Magic Flute", an opera with strong hermetic themes, was running with success at the time of his death. Initiated: December 14, 1784 lodge Zur Woltatigkeit Passed: January 7, 1785 Raised: before April 22, 1785 Lodge Zur Wahren Eintracht Source: Ars Quatuor Coronatorum, "Bro. Mozart and some of his masonic friends," Herbert Bradley. vol. xxvi (1913), pp. 241-263. Note Frederick Smyth, Paul Nettl, and others maintain that the actual Raising date is unknown. Lewis L. Main Jr. and Jacques Chailley state he was raised on April 22, 1785. Cf. Mozart, Music and Masonry, William K. Bissey, member of the Philalethes Society : 'Bro. F. de Backer of Kortrijk, Belgium states the following. The minutes of Lodge True Concord of April 22, 1785 show the following "Bro. Leopold Mozard (sic) of Lodge zur Wohltätigkeit ... [with two other candidates]...were raised to the Third Degree of our Royal Order with the accustomed ceremonies." Bro. de Backer continues stating that "In the Attendance Register of Eintract for 22 April both Leopold and Wolfgang signed as a Master Mason but the name of Leopold was struck through because he had signed as a Master Mason while still a Fellow Craft." A photo copy of the attendance register in question is reproduced as plate 2 in Nettl’s book Mozart and Masonry. Thus, Wolfgang Mozart was raised as a Master Mason sometime between January 7, 1785 and April 22, 1785."' http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/biography/mozart_a/mozart_a.html Zbigniew Brzezinski (link) Zbigniew Kazimierz Brzezinski (Polish: Zbigniew Kazimierz Brzeziński, pronounced [ˈzbiɡɲev bʐɛˈʑiɲski]; born March 28, 1928) is a Polish American political scientist, geostrategist, and statesman who served as United States National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981.

http://fufor.twoday.net/stories/2302873/ Research and Development Air Force Office of Scientific Research (link) DARPA (link) DynCorp (link) European Office of Aerospace Research and Development (link) Executive Office of the President of the United States Office of Sscience and Technology Policy (link) Part of the Executive Office of the President, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is intended to help the president develop and implement policies related to science and technology. The OSTP works with federal agencies, the private sector, state and local governments, science and higher education communities, and other nations to ensure federal investments contribute to the nation’s prosperity, the quality of the environment, and national security. The office is led by a director who is more commonly known as the President’s Science Advisor, often an academic or leading researcher in an important scientific field. The position of director is currently held by Dr. John P. Holdren. Holdren has stated that he is focusing his efforts both on science for policy and policy for science, as many scientists had criticized the Bush administration for allowing morality- and business-based decision-making to trump scientific findings. Halliburton (link) International Business Machines (IBM) (link) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibm http://www.ibm.com/us/en/ Monsanto (link) Rand Coproration (link) Raytheon (link) Financial District Bank of England (link) Credit Rating Agencies Standard & Poor's (link) Moody's (link) Fitch (link) F.D.I.C. (link) Fort Knox (link) IMF (link) The International Monetary Fund was conceived in July 1944 originally with 45 members and came into existence in December 1945 when 29 countries signed the agreement with a goal to stabilize exchange rates and assist the reconstruction of the world's international payment system. United States Federal Reserve (link) Vatican Bank (link) World Bank (link) The World Bank is one of five institutions created at the Bretton Woods Conference in 1944. The International Monetary Fund, a related institution, is the second. Delegates from many countries attended the Bretton Woods Conference. The most powerful countries in attendance were the United States and United Kingdom, which dominated negotiations. Forms of Rule Androcracy (link) Anarchy (Absence of organized government) (link) Ochlocracy (link) Tribalism (link) Anarchism (Government of consent, not coercion) (link) Anarchist communism Libertarian socialism Libertarian municipalism Anarcho-Capitalism Green Anarchism Isocracy Aristocracy (link) Autocracy (The Rule of One) (link) Authoritarianism (link) Despotism (link) Dictatorship (link) Right-Wing Dictatorship (link) Military Dictatorship (link) Military Junta (link) Kleptocracy (link) Kritarchy (link) Monarchy (link) Absolute Monarchy (link) Constitutional Monarchy

Duchy Grand Duchy Diarchy Enlightened Absolutism Elective Monarchy Hereditary Monarchy Non-Sovereign Monarchy Popular Monarchy Principality New Monarchs Self-Proclaimed Monarchy Regent Oligarchy (link) Saeculum Obscurum Plutocracy (link) Timocracy (link) Police State (link) Stratocracy (link) Theocracy (link) Tyranny (link) Democracy (The Say of the People) (link) Consociationalism Deliberative Democracy Democratic Socialism Totalitarian Democracy Dictatorship of the Proletariat Direct Democracy Egalitarianism Futarchy Open Source Governance Participatory Democracy Representative Democracy Parliamentary System Consensus Government Westminster System Polyarchy Triarchy Tetrarchy Pentarchy Heptarchy Presidential System Semi-Presidential System Fascist State (link) Corporative State (link) Republic (The Rule Of law) (link) Constitutional Republic (link) Parliamentary Republic (link) Federal Republic (link) Capitalist (link) Socialism (link) Socialist State (link) Communist State (link) Collective Leadership (link) State Socialism (link) Soviet Republic (system of government) (link) New World Governance Bilderberg Group (link) Founded May 29, 1952; The Bilderberg Group, Bilderberg conference, or Bilderberg Club is an annual, unofficial, invitation-only conference of approximately 140 guests, most of whom are people of influence in the fields of politics, banking, business, the military and news media. The original conference was held at the Hotel de Bilderberg, near Arnhem in the Netherlands, from 29 May to 31 May 1954. It was initiated by several people, including Polish politician Józef Retinger, concerned about the growth of anti-Americanism in Western Europe, who proposed an international conference at which leaders from European countries and the United States would be brought together with the aim of promoting Atlanticism – better understanding between the cultures of the United States and Western Europe to foster cooperation on political, economic, and defense issues. Committee of 13 The super Congress, officially titled "The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction," consists of 12 lawmakers -six from each party and each chamber -- who have been given nearly unprecedented power to cut projected deficits by $1.5 trillion over 10 years. Democrat Chris Van Hollen James Clyburn

John Kerry Max Baucus Patty Murray Xavier Bacerra President of the United States Republican Dave Camp Fred Upton Jeb Hensarling John Kyl Pat Toomey Rob Portman E.U. (link) Founded July 23, 1952; The EU operates through a hybrid system of supranational independent institutions and intergovernmental made decisions negotiated by the member states. G-8 (link) G-20 (link) N.A.T.O. (link) Founded April 4, 1949; NATO is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty. PPS (link) The Partnership for Prosperity and Security in the Caribbean (PPS) is a regional-level dialogue with the stated purpose of providing greater cooperation on security and economic issues. The Partnership was founded in Bridgetown, Barbados on March 10, 1997 by the Governments of the United States of America, Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the Commonwealth of Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, the Republic of Haiti, Jamaica, the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Republic of Suriname and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partnership_for_Prosperity_and_Security_in_the_Caribbean Project for the New American Century (PNAC) (link) Established in the spring of 1997, the Project for the New American Century is a non-profit, educational organization whose goal is to promote American global leadership. The Project is an initiative of the New Citizenship Project (501c3); the New Citizenship Project's chairman is William Kristol and its president is Gary Schmitt. SPP (link) The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) was a region-level dialogue with the stated purpose of providing greater cooperation on security and economic issues. The Partnership was founded in Waco, Texas on March 23, 2005 by Paul Martin, Prime Minister of Canada, Vicente Fox, President of Mexico, and George W. Bush, President of the United States. It was the second of such regional-level agreements involving the United States of America following the 1997 Partnership for Prosperity and Security in the Caribbean (PPS). Since August 2009 it is no longer an active initiative of any of the original dialogue partners. United Nations (link) Founded June 26, 1945; The League of Nations (LON; founded June 28, 1919) was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended World War I, and it was the precursor to the United Nations. The League was the first permanent international security organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. At its greatest extent from 28 September 1934 to 23 February 1935, it had 58 members. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace. The UN was founded in 1945 after World War II to replace the League of Nations, to stop wars between countries, and to provide a platform for dialogue. World Trade Organization (link) Intelligence Agencies CIA (link) Information Awareness Office (link) Inter-Services Intelligence (link) MI6 (link) Mossad (link) NSA (link) Central Security Service (link) National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (link) OSI (link) Disciple of Truth Society (D.O.T.S.) D.O.T.S. was founded to research the Historical Founders, Leaders, and Decendants of the True Illuminati. D.O.T.S. http://www.jamesaisaacsjr.com D.O.T.S. Blog http://discipleoftruthsociety.wordpress.com/

D.O.T.S. Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Disciple-of-Truth-Society/167973356546496?v=wall D.O.T.S. LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Disciple-Truth-Society-3711670?mostPopular=&gid=3711670 D.O.T.S. Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/xxLostSoulxx Anunnaki The Anunnaki were Sumerian God's who lived, walked, and ruled among them. Gilgamesh was their last 'God-King'. When An left to return to Nibru, He left his sons; Enlil the eldest from Ki and Enki the youngest from Nammu herself, in charge of 600 Anunnaki. 300 Anuki Above 300 Igigi Below 4 High 7 Who Decree Fates 50 Great Anunnaki Nammu ♀ Abzu ♂ Tiamat ♀ Kinqu ♂ Lahmu ♂ Lahamu ♀ Anshar ♂ Kishar ♀ An ♂ Ki ♀ (link) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninhursag http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninsun Enlil ♂ Ninlil ♀ Ishkur ♂ Nudimmud (Enki; Ea) ♂ Damkina ♀ Nanna ♂ Ningal Nergal ♂ II Kings 17:30 Ninazu ♂ Ninurta ♂ Marduk ♂ Dumuzi ♂ Geshtinenna ♀ Ninsar Ninkur Uttu Abu Nuntulla (Nintul) Ninsutu Ninkasi Nanshe (Nazi) Azimua Ninti (Eve) ♀ Enshag (Enshagag) Papsukkal ♂ Utu ♂ Aia ♀ Erishkigal ♀ Inanna ♀ Gizzida ♂ Enmerkar ♂ Namtar ♂ Adapa ♂ Lilith ♀ Gilgamesh ♂ Ziudsura (Utnapishtim, Atra-hasis, Noah) ♂ Think-Tanks CFR (link) The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs. Founded in 1921 and headquartered at 58 East 68th Street in New York City, with an additional office in Washington, D.C., the CFR is considered to be the nation's 'most influential foreign-policy think tank'. Center for National Policy (link) Council for National Policy (link)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_for_National_Policy Federation of American Scientists (F.A.S.) (link) Tavistock Institute (link) The Heritage Foundation (link) 1973 Trilateral Commission (link) The Commission was originally created in 1973 to bring together experienced leaders within the private sector to discuss issues of global concern at a time when communication and cooperation between Europe, North America, and Asia were lacking.