IVAN,
I don't know anything about the guy other than what information is readily available about him. He was, from what I've read, a gifted masonic scholar and occultist, supposedly a brilliant polyglot (including many ancient languages), some sort of Confederate officer, and a man in contact with many of the masonic revolutionaries of his day. His book Morals and Dogma is supposed to be an important book in Masonry, but I've never read it.
I mentioned the book "Fire in the Minds of Men" by James Billington to the other guy because this man is well known (librarian of Congress) and has serious establishment and scholarly credentials, and is not someone who would normally be called a nut. He mentions the influence of Masonry and the Illuminati (Order of Illuminism as he calls it) fairly often in his book.
Masonry is more firmly entrenched in England than in the US I think. Although in fairly recent times, due to a few books, murders, and public outrage over corruption, it has become somewhat more of an issue over there (I don't know if it still is or not). When I was in London a few years ago I found several articles including one on the front page of a major daily newspaper covering debate going on as to whether laws should be passed forcing Masons to declare themselves before running for political office. - Oh well, I better break this off before it becomes a book, hope it helped!
[This message has been edited by Hoplite (edited June 28, 1999).]
I don't know anything about the guy other than what information is readily available about him. He was, from what I've read, a gifted masonic scholar and occultist, supposedly a brilliant polyglot (including many ancient languages), some sort of Confederate officer, and a man in contact with many of the masonic revolutionaries of his day. His book Morals and Dogma is supposed to be an important book in Masonry, but I've never read it.
I mentioned the book "Fire in the Minds of Men" by James Billington to the other guy because this man is well known (librarian of Congress) and has serious establishment and scholarly credentials, and is not someone who would normally be called a nut. He mentions the influence of Masonry and the Illuminati (Order of Illuminism as he calls it) fairly often in his book.
Masonry is more firmly entrenched in England than in the US I think. Although in fairly recent times, due to a few books, murders, and public outrage over corruption, it has become somewhat more of an issue over there (I don't know if it still is or not). When I was in London a few years ago I found several articles including one on the front page of a major daily newspaper covering debate going on as to whether laws should be passed forcing Masons to declare themselves before running for political office. - Oh well, I better break this off before it becomes a book, hope it helped!
[This message has been edited by Hoplite (edited June 28, 1999).]
