Obtaining accurate information about the Secret Combination known as the Illuminati (begun by Adam Weishaupt in 1776) and its influence upon Europe, the French Revolution, and early America during the late eighteenth century, and its continuing influence to the present day, is much like trying to untie the Gordian knot. Much disinformation exists. And unless careful the researcher can get easily sidetracked and lose focus. A sword of truth is needed to cut through the tangles of lies, half-truths, distortions, and other false information that exists, in books, the media, on the Internet and elsewhere, regarding the Illuminati.

Fortunately help exists. That sharp, swift sword exists in the form of three books, which will help the reader cut through this messy tangle.

As documented by the following three books:

1. Proofs of a Conspiracy Against All the Religions and Governments of Europe Carried on In the Secret Meetings of Freemasons, Illuminati, and Reading Societies, by John Robison. (1797)
2. Memoirs Illustrating the History of Jacobinism, by Abbé Barruel. (1797)
3. Fire in the Minds of Men: Origins of the Revolutionary Faith, by James H. Billington. (1980)

the French Revolution was primarily the result of the machinations of agents of the Illuminati who were seeking to overthrow Christianity, the governments of the world, and societal and cultural norms all in a quest for what they called, “cosmo-politism,” or world government. In other words, every religious, political, social or cultural structure had to be overthrown and their perfect world order built upon the ashes. Efforts were made to spread their doctrine throughout the world.

Regarding book 1: Robison’s book details the origin, rise, and influence of the secret society known to us today as the Illuminati. Proof’s of a Conspiracy, is an important work to read in order to know and understand the workings of modern day revolutionary movements, including Communism. Among others, this book was read by and influenced greatly President George Washington, President John Adams, President John Quincy Adams, Yale President Timothy Dwight, and Harvard President Joseph Willard.

Regarding book 2: Abbé Barruel was a Catholic Jesuit Priest who saw the influence of the secret combination started by Adam Weishaupt and later known as the Jacobins upon the horrors of the French Revolution. Barruel and Robison were contemporaries who wrote independent of each other. Barruel and Robison were different in the methodology and viewpoint but both support and buttress each other, and both should be read.

Regarding book 3: the book, Fire in the MInds of Men: Origins of the Revolutionary Faith, was written by a historian with impeccable credentials. Billington is the current historian for the Library of Congress and what makes his work even more important is that Billington independently verifies the works of Robison and Barruel, and this from an admitted liberal. Billington notes in extensive detail the ideological and conspiratorial roots of modern day Marxists and revolutionary movements. This is an important work to study in order to comprehend more fully what is behind those current social, political, and cultural activists who seek to undermine our western cultural heritage.

Further, as documented by Billington, modern-day Communism draws its genealogy from two branches of the Illuminati: The Sublime Perfect Masters (Sublimes Maitres Parfaits. p. 114 of Fire in the Minds of Men, and footnotes 192 and 193 of Chapter 4) and the Society of the Seasons (Societe des Saisons. p. 118 of Fire in the Minds of Men, as well as an independent verification by Frederick Engels).

What is less well known is the Illuminati’s influence upon early America. As hinted at earlier, George Washington and then John Adams directly felt the influence of the Illuminati upon early America as early as 1793. In that year the French Ambassador to the United States, a man named Edmond-Charles Genet, otherwise known as Citizen Genet, arrived and began seditious activites. Genet was the embodiment of the Bavarian Illuminati transplanted to the United States, and the actions of Genet and so-called “democratic clubs” severely threatened the newly born United States. The Illuminati had been key players in the French Revolution and they appeared to be hard at work in the states.

Washington wrote that the subversive Jacobin clubs introduced by Citizen Genet “would shake the government to its foundations.” As great a man as Thomas Jefferson was, it seems he never understood the impact or influence of this secret combination upon America. Jefferson even writing after Barruel’s book came out that it was the “ravings of a Bedlamite.”

John Adams wrote Jefferson years later and remarked, in a letter dated June 30, 1813, “You certainly never felt the terrorism excited by Genet, in 1793 . . . when ten thousand people in the streets of Philadelphia, day after day threatened to drag Washington out of his house, and effect a revolution . . . nothing but a [miracle] . . . could have saved the United States from a fatal revolution of government.”

John Quincy Adams, probably the best educated and best prepared U.S. President, also said, in referring to these “democratic clubs” setup by Genet that they were “so perfectly affiliated with the Parisian Jacobins that their origin from a common parent cannot possibly be mistaken.”

After Robison’s and Barruel’s works came out several Churchmen and Pastors became aware of the danger and began a preaching campaign. One pastor, Jedediah Morse, warned in a Jeremiad preached in 1798 that:

practically all of the civil and ecclesiastical establishments of Europe have already been shaken to their foundations by this terrible organization; the French Revolution itself is doubtless to be traced to its machinations; the successes of the French armies are to be explained on the same ground. The Jacobins are nothing more nor less than the open manifestation of the hidden system of the Illuminati. The Order has its branches established and its emissaries at work in America. The affiliated Jacobin Societies in America have doubtless had as the object of their establishment the propagation of the principles of the Illuminated mother club in France . . . I hold it as a duty, my brethren, which I owe to God, to the cause of religion, to my country and to you, at this time, to declare to you, thus honestly and faithfully, these truths. My only aim is to awaken you and myself a due attention, at this alarming period, to our dearest interests. As a faithful watchman I would give you the warning of the present danger.

Timothy Dwight, President of Yale University, also warned of the danger and influence of the Illuminati in a political sermon given on July 4th, 1798 entitled, “The Duty of Americans, at the Present Crisis.” Harvard President Joseph Willard, a while after warned of the danger writing that the Illuminati was “secretly striving to undermine all our ancient institutions, civil and sacred.”

While the Illuminati and all of its permutations is just one arm of a much bigger conspiracy, and there are other secret combinations of various sorts active in the world, such as the Mafia, Yakuza, various gangs, etc., this particular secret combination deserves more study. Especially because of the influence of the Illuminati on early America, and its continued influence down to the present day. In fact, the Illuminati and its effects upon early America is probably one of the most neglected areas in all of U.S. history. It ought to be an area of great study.

 Steven Montgomery is a happily married, fifty-four year old father of four (2 natural sons, 1 step-son, 1 step-daughter) and is an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Steve has taught at a private secondary school, is a published journalist, and now operates (on an occasional basis) the Perfect Law of Liberty website.

Comments (4)

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Paul Chappell said:

I have read Robison's work and highly recommend it. If you can get past the obviously anti-Christian elements, another look at the Jacobins and their sources can be seen in "Holy Blood, Holy Grail", and its sequel, "The Messianic Legacy." Ignore the chapters on the Saviour, and focus on the history, in the first book, and the investigation in the second book. Particularly, the last few chapters of the second group shows how many of these evil groups are connected today. Very interesting.

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July 16, 2008
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least of these said:

	There is another book concerning secret combinations written by an SDA minister who got the impression from the bible that there was such a thing. It is titled "Illuminati 666". I agree that a knowledge, to some extent, would allow one some insight into the Lord's preparation and work in these days. Thank you for a fine article, I was surprised to see an article on this subject published.
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July 16, 2008
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Steven Montgomery said:

Thanks to both "Paul Chappell" and "least of these" for their commentary. To Paul, I should probably get around to reading "Holy Blood, Holy Grail," some time soon--if just for fun. To least of these, I hope to publish an article soon on the "Mark of the Beast" and "666." Watch for it. My hope is that is it will prove to be interesting, thought-provoking, maybe controversial (to some), and perhaps paradigm busting.

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July 17, 2008
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Derek P. Moore said:

Illuminati infiltration of the Mormon church dates back to Joseph Smith, Jr.'s very day. Yale University (another early target of Illuminati infiltration) and John C. Bennett are the earliest links I've found to Illuminism in Mormonism. John C. Bennett became involved with Joseph Smith in the Nauvoo-era of the church, if I remember correctly. He was mayor of Nauvoo before Joseph Smith, and he was councilor to Joseph for a time, etc. After the succession crisis, John C. Bennett attempted to return to Mormonism through James J. Strang, who was up in Voree, Wisconsin, with his faction of the members of the Church. James J. Strang used a letter from Joseph Smith, Jr., to justify his ascendancy to the presidency of the Church. The letter purportedly appointed Strang as Smith's successor. The letter survives at Yale University. Recent forensics prove that the second page of the letter, in which Strang is named successor, is a forgery. John C. Bennett's time as a councilor to Strang was as rocky as was his relationship with Smith, but in that time he founded a lodge of the Illuminati in Voree and crowned Strang "king" in the lodge of that distinction. Joseph Smith, Jr., wasn't so much a chump to associate himself with John C. Bennett, as some might presume. I think Joseph Smith was smarter than that, and that he was in-the-know, and that he was trying to keep his greatest enemies as close to him as possible. I think there is especial genius in positioning Brigham Young as the president of the Twelve, as Brigham had great standing and pull with the Masonic orders (especially in Iowa).

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August 04, 2008 | url
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