ptian and
Pythagorean doctrines were retained, the Judaic version of the secret
tradition was the one selected by the founders of Grand Lodge on which
to build up their system.

6

THE GRAND LODGE ERA

Whatever were the origins of the Order we now know as Freemasonry, it is
clear that during the century preceding its reorganization under Grand
Lodge of London the secret system of binding men together for a common
purpose, based on Eastern esoteric doctrines, had been anticipated by
the Rosicrucians. Was this secret system employed, however by any other
body of men? It is certainly easy to imagine how in this momentous
seventeenth century, when men of all opinions were coalescing against
opposing forces--Lutherans combining against the Papacy, Catholics
rallying their forces against invading Protestantism, Republicans
plotting in favour of Cromwell, Royalists in their turn plotting to
restore the Stuarts, finally Royalists plotting against each other on
behalf of rival dynasties--an organization of this kind, enabling one to
work secretly for a cause and to set invisibly vast numbers of human
beings in motion, might prove invaluable to any party.

Thus, according to certain masonic writers on the Continent, the system
used by the Rosicrucians in their fight against "Popery" was also
employed by the Jesuits for a directly opposite purpose. In the
manuscripts of the Prince of Hesse published by Lecouteulx de Canteleu
it is declared that in 1714 the Jesuits used the mysteries of the
Rose-Croix. Mirabeau also relates that "the Jesuits profited by the
internal troubles of the reign of Charles I to possess themselves of the
symbols, the allegories, and the carpets (tapis) of the Rose-Croix
masons, who were only the ancient order of the Templars secretly
perpetuated. It may be seen by means of what imperceptible innovations
they succeeded in substituting their catechism to the instruction of the
Templars."[339]

Other Continental writers again assert that Cromwell, the arch-opponent
of the Catholic Church, was "a higher initiate of masonic mysteries,"
and used the system for his own elevation to power[340]; further, that
he found himself outdistanced by the Levellers; that this sect, whose
name certainly suggests masonic inspiration, adopted for its symbols the
square and compass,[341] and in its claim of real equality threatened
the supremacy of the usurper. Finally, Elias Ashmole, the Rosicrucian
Royalist, is