the story just recited
rests on nothing that can be called evidence.

During the years intervening between 1870 and 1891 we may search the
literature of French Anti-Masonry in vain for any hint of the Palladium.
In 1884 the collaboration of Louis D'Estampes and Claudio Jannet
produced a work entitled "Freemasonry and the Revolution," which
affirms that the immense majority of Masons, including those who have
received the highest grades, do not enjoy the confidence of the true
secrets, but the establishment of atheism in religion and socialism in
politics as designs of the Fraternity are the only secrets intended.

The New and Reformed Palladium connects with the Order of the Temple by
its supposed possession of the original Baphomet idol, but in 1882 this
was entirely unknown to Mgr. Fava, who denies all the reputed connection
between Templars and Masons, and traces the latter to Faustus Socinus as
founder, following Abbe Lefranc in his "Veil raised for the Curious." A
mystic and diabolic aspect of the Fraternity is so remote from his mind
that in his "Secret of Freemasonry" the Bishop of Grenoble affirms that
its sole project is to replace Christianity by rationalism.

The third and concluding volume of Pere Deschamps' great compilation on
"Society and the Secret Societies," supports, on the contrary, the
hypothesis rejected by Fava. It recites much old knowledge concerning
adoptive lodges, the Illumines, the Orders of Philalethes, of Martinez
Pasquales, and of Saint-Martin, on which subjects few writers indeed can
say anything that is new; but while specially devoted to the political
activity of the Fraternity all over Europe, Deschamps tells us nothing
of the conspiracy which produced the New Palladium, though the alleged
collaboration of Mazzini gave it a strong political complexion; of Pike
nothing; of Diabolism still nothing. I may add that his work claims to
be verified at all points.

In the year 1886 another ecclesiastic, Dom. Benoit, published two
formidable volumes on "Freemasonry and the Secret Societies," forming
part of a vaster work, entitled "The City of anti-Christ in the
Nineteenth Century." Like D'Estampes and Jannet, he distinguishes
between a small number of initiates and a vast crowd of dupes who swell
the ranks of the Fraternity. "Many Masons ascend the ladder of the
grades without receiving the revelation of the mysteries." The highest
functions of most lodges are said to be given to the dupes