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The Inevitable Dossier · Chapter Two · Part 4 of 4

Other Societies & the Chapter’s Conclusion

From coal-burners to Skull and Bones — the minor and major societies history left in the margins, and what the whole chapter finally adds up to.

Some Other Well Known Societies

There are countless numbers of secret societies and I just added some of those who are well known. The idea is to make you aware that secret societies really exists and are highly active.

Carbonari

The secret society named Carbonari (“coal-burners”) was a revolutionary group (or groups) founded in early 19th century, partially responsible for uprisings revolutions in Spain and Italy, in 1820–1848. After 1830 the Italian Carbonari gradually were absorbed by the Risorgimento movement; elsewhere they disappeared. They seemed to have been organized in the fashion of Freemasonry open for Master Masons, broken into small cells scattered across Italy. Idealistically, they sought the creation of a liberal, unified Italy through spontaneous rebellion by the working class, led by university students and intellectuals but also government officials of high rank, officers, and even members of the clergy belonged to it. Also Napoleon the III of France is known to have been a member. The society was condemned by Pope Pius VII the 13th September, 1821, and the society was executed by agents of the “Holy Alliance” between Austria, Prussia and Russia, mastered by the Habsburgs. The movement lost its importance after several conspirators as well as many other liberals had been executed, especially as quarrels broke out among the leaders. The Carbonari’s little revolution however was the beginning of a movement (“Risorgimento”) which later unified Italy and widened the gape between the powerful Roman Church and the newly formed state of Italy. Some say the Carbonari ideals and inspiration was inherited directly from the Illuminati.

Odd Fellows

The brotherhood named “Odd fellow” is today maybe the second largest secret society after Freemasonry. It is only open for men, but has a sister organization for women named “Rebekahs”. The Odd Fellow society is known as “The Three Link Fraternity” which stands for Friendship, Love and Truth. The main focus is to: “To Improve and Elevate the Character of Man”. Some claim to trace Odd Fellowship back to Roman times when members of the Roman Legions in England were called “Fellow Citizens”. However, the earliest printed record of an Odd Fellows Lodge appears in a reference to a lodge meeting at a Globe Tavern in England, in 1748. This lodge was numbered nine, so apparently there were at least nine associated Odd Fellows lodges at that time. Also the Odd Fellows society seems to have relations with ordinary Freemasonry and/or uses same types of rites and rituals. No religious criteria’s needs to be fulfilled and only individuals recommended by existing brothers are accepted. Humanitarian support is a key part of the Order which normally are active locally and nation wide in major needing areas of society. The Order is spread around the Globe and the numbers of Odd fellow members is around 280,000. Headquarter is located in Winston Salem, North Carolina, USA.

Shriner and Grotto

The Shriners (“Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine”) is an Order appendant to Freemasonry. Until 2000, one had to complete the Scottish Rite or York Rite degrees of Masonry to be eligible for Shrine membership, but now any Master Mason can join. Shrine is a men’s fraternity rather than a religion or religious group with more than 500,000 Nobles belonging to 191 Shrine Centers in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Panama. The Mysterious Order of the Veiled Prophet of the Enchanted Realm (known as the “Grotto”) has similar background as the Shrine. Both societies come from Freemasonry and have adopted the Arabic theme. Initiated in the end of 19th century, the biggest difference is that Shriner has no religious direction and Grotto is only open for Islamists.

A.M.O.R.C

The Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis (A.M.O.R.C) recalls themselves to have inherited the secrets of the old, 14th century, Rosenkreuz order. It was during this time that Christian Rosencreuz, after traveling in Asia and Africa, attained many secrets. Rosencreuz was credited for starting the organization (Rose Croix or Rosie Cross). The Rosicrucians remained extremely secretive until the 17th century when two books were published: Fama Fraternitatus laudabilis Ordinis Rosaecrusis (The Report of the Laudable Fraternity of Rosicrucians) and Confessio Fraternitatis (The Confession of the Fraternity). Sir Francis Bacon is considered to be Imperator of the Rosicrucians during the late 16th and early 17th century. Sir Isaac Newton is also said to have been a Rosicrucian. The Rosicrucians are devoted to the pursuit of esoteric wisdom. They combine elements of Egyptian Hermeticism, Gnosticism, Jewish Cabalism, and other occult beliefs and practices.

There are also connections with Freemasonry. A Mason of the 18th grade of the Scottish Masonic rite is named “Knight Rose Croix” and it is known that many high grade Masons of the 18th and 19th century also was members of the RosenKreuz Order. And there are maybe even earlier relations. A lesser known legend in Masonic literature tell about the creation of the Rosicrucian Order as early as year 46 when Ormus and his six followers were converted by one of Jesus disciples, Mark. Thereby early Christianity was mixed with Egyptian mysteries. The founder Christian Rosencreuz may not have been the founder, but instead was initiated and become the Grand Master of an already existing Order. It seems like its history also include Knights Templar and Order of the Christ in Portugal, which also is connected with Freemasonry.

A.M.O.R.C is by many a much appreciated Order and reading about them really give life a deeper thought. World peace and harmony is essential in their view of life. In the first time since 1623, they in 2001 published a manifesto with their views of the world of today. Interesting reading which can be downloaded from their homepage on the net. I would say, in comparison, that A.M.O.R.C is more focused on the inside, the mind, of mankind were Freemasonry is more focused on the outside, the society. But otherwise they seem very alike in terms of rites and secrecy. I haven’t found any proof, but I guess it’s likely that they are linked together on a high level of inside structure. A.M.O.R.C is also one of those huge Orders with numerous thousands of members all over the World. There are no restrictions of Gender, religious direction or else. Some well known members in history: Francis Bacon, René Descartes, Jacob Bohme, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, and Sir Isaac Newton.

Greek Letter Societies

The Greek Letter Societies at US Universities has been operative since 1776. The first was “Phi Beta Kappa” which was settled at William Collage as a secret literary and philosophical society, followed by a second chapter at Harward December 1779 and the third at Yale just four days later. Today there are more that 270 chapters with over a half million members. Phi Beta Kappa (ΦΒΚ) stands for “Philosophia Biou Kubernetes” which translates to “love of wisdom, the guide of life”. The mission is “fostering and recognizing excellence” in undergraduate liberal arts and sciences and to be elected to Phi Beta Kappa remains one of the highest honors a student can receive. Today the society isn’t as secret as it used to be. Elections in some cases are even published in local university papers. Among the elected one can find names like: Condoleezza Rice, Lawrence B. Lindsey, Bill & Hillary Clinton, Francis Ford Coppola, Henry Kissinger, George H.W. Bush, Theodore Roosevelt. And as honorary member’s names like: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter, Isaac Asimov and John D. Rockefeller.

Skull and Bones

The secret order of Skulls and Bones, “Lodge 322” is probably the most discussed secret society in the USA today. Mainly because George W Bush at an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” in February 9 2004 comment the Order as: “so secret I can’t talk about it”. When Tim Russel then asked: “What does that mean for America? The conspiracy theorists are gonna go wild.” Bush replied: “I’m sure they are, I don’t know, I haven’t seen their webpages yet (laughs)”.

The secret society was founded in 1832 by William Huntington Russel and Alphonso Taft, two students who were not admitted into the “Phi Beta Kappa” society at Yale University. William Huntingdon Russell had spent some time studying in Germany and it has been suggested that he was initiated into a secret society while he was there. Some even claim that he was initiated into a continuation of the famous secret order namned “Bavarian Illuminati”. According to rumours there is official material released from Skulls and Bones that supports this theory. It is also suggested that when Bonesmen refer to the order as “Lodge 322” they are acknowledging that they are but a chapter of another secret society.

Each year one of the responsibilities of the fifteen seniors is to select fifteen new junior members to replace them. This is called being “tapped” (selected) for the society. For a year, Bones members meet at least weekly and conducting self-analysis, reveal secrets and confront critique towards each others. The aims are to create long term bounds between them as they leave the university, to be used to accomplish the secret ideas of the order among us others. Membership for each year was up to 1985 official material held in the Yale University archives. Material that covered members elected into the order between 1833 and 1985, with some additional years. A closer look at historical elections shows that elections are done within families prior to election of suitible individuals.

In public the order exist as the corporate name “Russell Trust Association”, which for example owns the “Deer Island” located in the St. Lawrence River between Canada and the United States. The Island serves as a getaway for present members as their official statement of the Island says: “to promote the social intercourse of its members, and to provide for them facilities for recreation and social enjoyment; and to this end, to purchase, hold and convey any property, real or personal, which may be necessary or convenient therefor; to maintain a Club House for the use and benefit of its members; and to adopt by-laws and generally to exercise all the usual powers of corporations not prohibited by said statues”.

Some well known members are: George H.W Bush, John Kerry, George W. Bush, William Howard Taft, Russell W. Davenport and Winston Lord.

Cut and pasted from the May/June 2006 issue of the Yale Alumni Magazine:

“A recently discovered letter to F. Trubee Davison ’18 from Winter Mead ’19 seems to confirm the rumor that Skull and Bones members plundered the grave of the Apache warrior Geronimo and brought his skull to their ‘Tomb’ in New Haven. The letter begins with a discussion of new members: ‘Knights’ (initiates), including Charles C. Haffner Jr. ’19, had visited Mead to give ‘dope’ (information) about possible candidates. Mead also mentions that Parker B. Allen ’19 had been initiated at Saumur, France. The rest of the letter speculates on the whereabouts of Haffner’s Army unit.”

Propaganda Due

The Italian Freemason lodge “Propaganda Due” was founded in 1877 as a Lodge for visiting members unable to attend their own Lodges. In the mid 1960s it only had 14 permanent members, but when Licio Gelli took over he rapidly expanded the membership to over 1000 within a year. Gelli is in the past also known for being involved in the “Black Shirt” expeditionary forces sent by Mussolini to Spain in support to Francisco Franco, and subsequently became a liaison officer between the Italian Black shirt government and Hitler’s Third Reich. The lodge became the target of considerable attention in mid 1980’s. It was the collapse of Banco Ambrosiano (one of Milan’s principal banks), and the suspicious 1982 death of its president Roberto Calvi in London, which initiated the attention. He had fled Italy after the bank went bankrupt under his chairmanship with debts of between 700 million and 1.5 billion dollars. Much of the money had been siphoned off via the Vatican Bank, the Istituto per le Opere Religiose (IOR). Calvi’s body was found hanging beneath Black friars Bridge in London (allegedly a Masonic significant location) in June 1982. The cause of death was initially ruled as suicide but was later prosecuted as a murder.

Calvi’s connections with the Worshipful Master Licio Gelli became a particular focus of press and police attention, and caused the lodge to be discovered. A list of adherents was found by the police in Gelli’s house in Arezzo in March 1981, containing over 900 names, among which were very important state officers, a few politicians, and a number of military officers, many of them enrolled in the Italian secret services. Notably, the former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was on the list, although he had not yet entered elective politics at the time. A document was also found in the possession of Licio Gelli titled “Piano di Rinascita Democratica” (Democratic Rebirth Plan) which amounted to a declaration of the lodge’s intent; essentially, Gelli’s objectives were to form a new political and economical elite to lead Italy towards a more authoritarian form of democracy, in an anti-communist perspective.

It is alleged that the P2 lodge was responsible for the ‘Italicus’ train bombing of 1974, in which 12 people were killed. Then Prime Minister Arnaldo Forlani was forced to resign, and Giovanni Spadolini of the Republican Party (PRI) was then appointed, leading a center-left coalition. Spadolini was the first Italian prime minister not belonging to the Democrazia Cristiana (“Christian Democrats”) party. The lodge was then examined by a special commission of the Italian Parliament, directed by Tina Anselmi of the Democrazia Cristiana. The conclusion of the commission was that it was a secret criminal organization, even if no proof was found of specific crimes committed. Allegations of surreptitious international relationships, mainly with Argentina (Gelli repeatedly suggested he was a close friend of Juan Peron) and with some people suspected of belonging to the American Central Intelligence Agency were also partly confirmed; but soon a political debate overtook the legal level of the analysis.

As late as April 18, 2005, City of London police charged four people with connections to Calvi’s murder. These were Flavio Carboni, his ex-girlfriend Manuela Kleinzig and Pippo Calo and Ernesto Diotallevi.

Orange Order

The protestant fraternal “Order of Orange” based in Ulster and Western Scotland has members all over the world. The history of the Order began in Loughgall, Ireland in 1795 after the Freemason, James Wilson, called upon the Masons for help to defend Protestants during disturbance in Benburb in June 1794. However, the Masons refused. James then left Masonry and prophesied that he “would light a star… which would eclipse them forever”.

Today most Europeans hear about the Orange Order 24th of June each year, when they used their “right” to march anywhere on the “Queen’s highway” upholding the principles of the “Glorious Revolution”. The march creates headlines as it almost every year conflicts with Police, Catholics and/or others who see it as provocative.

A List of Some Other Known Secret Societies

(Source: Wikipedia, “Secret societies”, as it stood on Aug 18, 2005.)

Business, International or Non-Governmental Organizations

Student Societies

Fraternal Organizations

Criminal Organizations

Historical Secret Societies

Revolutionary or Underground Organizations

Alleged Secret Societies

Chapter Conclusion

My direct conclusion is that the history of persecution, religious or else, has made secrecy a way of surviving.

Secret Societies Are Complex

If I would try to wrap everything together I would say that it’s possible that many of the different secret societies in fact are related with each others and serve with different purposes – such as to ensure moral stability, law and order, forming leaders, understanding the mind, fund research and education, support society, etc. Thinking of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle and their Greek/Athenian views of leadership create a bigger meaning in the importance of secret societies. Socrates was executed by his own so beloved democracy and his biggest admirer, Plato, preferred a republic were extra skilled individuals were selected (“Tapped”) as/or to become elite. This to ensure a democracy did not evolve into an unconstrained majority that could act as a tyrant during difficult periods.

Secret Societies and Democracy — Hand in Hand?

A closer look at democracy of today, from smaller groups up to country leadership, makes me feel that Plato’s insight still is correct. Those of us who have been leaders of groups over at least 50–100 people know the frustration when it isn’t possible to satisfy everybody. Multiply this with the number of individuals, companies, political engaged, media in a country plus the learning from repeating history, one must understand that it’s easier to be in an opposing situation than being the responsible leader. Depending on mental and political maturity on both sides will decide the future in such a situation. In many cases, which we all can see in the world today, this ends in both political and militant conflicts.

I feel that it’s VERY likely that our modern western society has evolved into a mixture of those old Greeks ideas were we are rolling out democracy, but as we do not fully trust it, we also supply a special selected elite which easily can be used. This does not have to mean that democracy is put aside. With PR, sponsorship, funding and social networks its rather easy to use democracy practices to place special selected individuals in the elite.

Drop the “State-in-the-State” Scenario!

I feel it’s very likely that secret societies play a major role in this segment. But as I’ve said before; Even if this may glow as the perfect “state-in-the-state” scenario, do not make that scenario as your own belief! Not yet. This would be as wrong as to make a similar parallel between the Church and the need of faith.

The Origins to Modern Legends

Regarding the origins of Freemasonry and the relation with the knight’s templar and the legends of today, I would say:

OK, don’t map anything to a conspiracy yet, even if you are closer to understanding things now. There is a lot more to understand before one can make analysis on why and how society has evolved into what we live in today and our own part of the creation of it. Keep on reading…