Recommended Books on Secret
Organizations
Click
on a book title below to view a description and place an order.
International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and
fraternal Orders (Alan Axelrod, Roger Hicks)
The Dark Side of Freemasonry (Ed Decker)
Ancient Mystic Rites (Charles Webster Leadbeater)
The Secret Teachings of All Ages: An Encyclopedic
Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic, and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy
(Manly P. Hall)
The Golden Dawn: A Complete Course in Practical
Ceremonial Magic/Four Volumes in One (Israel Regardie, Cris Monnastre, Carl
Llewellyn Weschcke)
What You Should Know About the Golden Dawn (Israel
Regardie, Christopher Hyatt)
The Occult Conspiracy: Secret Societies - Their
Influence and Power in World History (Michael Howard)
A History of Secret Societies (Arkon Daraul)
Secret Societies (George L. Hunt)
Secret Societies and Subversive Movements (Nesta
H. Webster)
The Second Messiah: Templars, the Turin Shroud and
the Great Secret of Freemasonry (Christopher Knight, Robert Lomas)
Brotherhood of the Rosy Cross (Waite)
Rosy Cross: Its Teachings (R. Swinburne
Clymer)
The
Deadly Deception : Freemasonry Exposed by One of Its Top Leaders
by Tom McKenney, Jim Shaw
Foucault's Pendulum (Umberto Eco)
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List of Secret Organizations - An Historical Perspective
Catholic Knights
- Catholic Knights of America is a fraternal benefit society for Catholics.
Druids - This is the United Ancient Order of Druids. It was founded in
London in 1781. Pure paganism, they are founded on reason and sound morality. They imply
that their religion is older and superior to Christianity. The greatest of all Druid
teachers was Merlin. His Seven Precepts are considered the moral way to live a life: (1)
Labor diligently to acquire knowledge for it is power; (2) When in authority decide
reasonably, for thine authority may cease; (3) Bear with fortitude the ills of life,
remembering that no mortal sorrow is perpetual; (4) Love virtue-for it bringeth peace; (5)
Abhor vice-for it bringeth evil upon it; (6) Obey those in authority in all just things,
that virtue may be exalted; and (7) Cultivate the social virtues, so shalt thou be beloved
by all men.
Elks
(Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks) - The Elks would probably never have existed if
the New York state legislature did not pass a law in 1866 which closed all the saloons on
Sunday. A group of sociable actors met on Sundays in their "drinking
society" which they called the Jolly Cork. They later changed their name.
The order was founded on February 16, 1868. There is some Masonic influence.
The BPOE used to be limited to white male citizens of the U.S. who believe in the
existence of God.
Foresters -
Over the years, the Foresters had split into several branches: The Independent Order
of Foresters, Catholic Order of Foresters, and Ancient Order of Foresters. The
Ancient Order of Foresters claims to have begun in 1798, but historical records show its
beginning as 1813. For its secret ritual, the Foresters used the legends of Robin
Hood, Friar Tuck, Little John, and the Merrie Men.
Freemasonry - Freemasonry
is the largest international secret society. Legendary Masonry goes back to the building
of King Solomon's temple when Hiram Abiff, a mason, is said to have chosen death rather
than reveal the secret Masonic word. The realistic beginnings of modern Freemasonry can be
found in the crafts of working masons in medieval times. They adapted a system of signs
and passwords which served the purpose of a union card. Twelve American Presidents have
been Freemasons: Washington, Jackson, Monroe, Polk, A. Johnson, Garfield, McKinley, T.
Roosevelt, Taft, Harding, F.D.R., and Truman. Others believed to be, or have been
Freemasons: Ben Franklin, Charles Lindbergh, John Pershing, Robert J. Dole, Rev.
Jesse Jackson, Mark Twain, and Cy Young.
Grotto
- This is the Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm. Master Masons may
join this organization. It imitates the Shrine. The ritual is supposedly founded on a very
ancient Persian manuscript that was discovered in a secret vault in one of the sacred
temples of Teheran, the City of Mystery.
Hermetic
Order of the Golden Dawn - This order formed in England at the end of the 19th
century. Members believed it was possible to control the forces of nature with magic.
Yeats, the poet, and Aleister Crowley were members. Crowley supposedly accomplished the
ability to become invisible. Israel Regardie was one of the most important figures in the
Golden Dawn. He published many of the rituals and magical material. It is the synthesis of
mythical and magical ideas that were adapted from numerous sources such as: Fama
Fraternitatis, Egyptian Book of the Dead, Cornelius Agrippa, Tycho Brahe, and John Dee. It
was conceived to be composed of three degrees, each of which corresponds to an entire
order. The First Degree and Order is the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The Second
Degree and Order is the Ordo Rosae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis. Aleister Crowley was an early
adept in the Second Degree. The Third is the Ordo Argentei Astri.
Hibernians (Ancient Order
of Hibernians) - The AOH was organized in the United States on May 4, 1836 in New York
City. The founding of the AOH has been placed as early as 1565 in Ireland.
However, the latter date has not been substantiated. The AOH has been a Catholic
organization which provides benefits (e.g., relief, burial, sick) to their members.
John F. Kennedy became a member in 1947.
Illuminati - The
Illuminati was first seen in the 15th century by occultists proclaiming to have wisdom
from a higher source. Illuminati means, "Intellectually inspired." The secret
society became strong in 18th century Germany. It adopted many different grades of
Freemasonry. It claimed to be a blend of philanthropy and mysticism. Goethe was a member
of the Bavarian Illuminati. They placed the fear of Masons and Jews within the extreme
right wing political camps. Conspiracies were spun about the forces of order, bureaucracy,
and repression. People soon realized that espionage was their main focus, then the French
Revolution arrived and changed the country. The only people who mention the Illuminati
anymore is the John Birch Society.
Job's Daughters -
Teenage girls who are related to Master Masons can apply for membership in Job's
Daughters. Mrs. Ethel T. W. Mick was the founder. The emblems of the Order are
the white dove, urn of incense, lilies of the valley, and horn of plenty.
Knights
of the Golden Eagle - Founded by John E. Burbage of Baltimore, Maryland in 1873.
There were three degrees: Pilgrim, Knight, and Crusader. Combination of secret
society and religious movement (Evangelical Protestant). The order offered sick and
funeral benefits. The individual who shot President McKinley was
supposedly a member of the Cleveland Lodge.
Knights
of Columbus - This is the world's largest organization of Catholic men and their
families. It was founded in 1882. They looked to the Masonic Lodge for its model. They use
passwords, signs, and grips. They take pride in providing insurance policies to members.
There are currently about 11,000 councils internationally.
Knights of
Malta - Introduced into the U.S.A. in 1870. This order welcomed all Protestants
and were aggressively anti-Catholic. The Knights of Malta is not the same as the
Order of Knights of Malta which forms one of the degrees of the York rite of Freemasonry.
Knights of Pythias
- The Order of Knights of Pythias was founded in 1864. They claim to promote friendship
among men and to help relieve people's suffering. It bases its rituals on the story of
Damon and Pythias. It borrowed elements from the Masons and Red Men. Today there are about
2000 lodges in the USA and Canada. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was initiated into the Knights of Pythias in 1936 in a special
ceremony in the diplomatic reception room of the white house.
Knights
Templar - Originally, these people were members of a religious military order founded
by the Crusaders in Jerusalem about 1118. Also known as The Order of the Poor Knights of
the Temple of Solomon. They wore a white tunic with a red cross on the front (sounds
familiar). They were not allowed any association with women and were also Roman Catholic.
Some believe that the Templars, at one time, possessed the Shroud of Turin. In 1314, the
Master of the Temple of Solomon (Jacques de Molay) was executed. Some feel that the
Templars disbanded at this time while others believe they went to Scotland and began the
first of the Ancient Scottish Rite of Masons. Today they are a part of the Masonic order.
The Knights Templar is equal to the 32nd degree Mason and gives them the opportunity to
join the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
Ku Klux Klan - The
society was organized at Pulaski, Giles County, Tennessee, in June, 1866. It was
originally designed as a diversion for young men, to help relieve the dulness immediately
following the Civil War. It had been reported that the decision for a name occurred during
the society's second meeting. The founder's wished to use the name "Kukloi" from
the Greek word kuklos, meaning a band or circle. Someone else in the group suggested Ku
Klux, and Klan was added to complete the alliteration.
Modern
Woodmen of America - Joseph Root began the Modern Woodmen around 1883. It was
primarily an insurance society with certain lodge features. Root had been associated
with the Masons, Knights of Pythias, Odd Fellows, and others. His intentions of this
new order was to bring together Jews and Gentiles, Catholics and Protestants, and
agnostics and atheists.
Moose (Loyal Order of
Moose) - The Moose Lodge was founded in 1888. Around the beginning of the 20th
century, the Moose found themselves in a membership slump. The order was in dire
straights until James J. Davis began working for the Moose and enrolling thousands of new
members. He was responsible for pulling the Moose out of a major membership
slump. The Moose Lodge was responsible for providing sick benefits and a small death
benefit to its members. There was even a city for dependents of deceased Moose and
for the aged called Mooseheart, which was in Illinois. Mooseheart is still in
existance.
National Ancient Order of Hibernians - The
Ancient Order of Hibernians was organized on May 4, 1836 in New York City. However,
its founding has been placed as early as 1565 in Ireland. In 16th century Ireland,
the Catholic priest was a hunted man. To protect the priesthood and preserve the
practice of their religion, certain Irishmen formed themselves into groups of Ribbonmen,
the forerunners of the Hibernians. Members were required to be of Irish birth or
descent. They had their secrecy and passwords. JFK joined the Order in 1947.
National
Grange (Order of the Patrons of Husbandry)
- The founder of the Grange, Oliver Hudson Kelley, was
asked by President Andrew Johnson to tour the South to see what steps could be taken to
rehabilitate the war devastated rural areas. Kelley, a Freemason himself, proposed that a
new secret society dedicated to the advancement of rural life would help serve this
purpose. The Order was founded in Fredonia, New York, in 1867. The Masonic fraternity was
its model, but it was open to both men and women. From the beginning, meetings of the
Granges were not only ritualistic but educational. In some respects, the Grange resembles
a typical secret society.
Odd Fellows -
This is the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows. The first recorded Lodge of Odd Fellows began in England in 1745.
Historically, this organization was started to help fellow members find employment when
out of work. They were known as the poor man's Masonry. The initiate must believe in the
Supreme Being.
Order of Owls - This order was founded in 1904 by John
W. Talbot in South Bend, Indiana. Their main purpose was "To assist each other
in business, to help each other in obtaining employment, to assist the widows and orphans
of our brothers, to give mutual aid to our brothers in any way that they may need, and
assemble for mutual pleasure and entertainment." The Owls did not have any
religiousness. Their local lodge was called a "nest" and they have the
usual secret ritual, grips, and passwords. Their national headquarters was in
Hartford, Connecticut.
P.E.O.
Sisterhood - There is an unusual degree of secrecy regarding the P.E.O., their name,
and rituals. It is not for certain, but their initials are thought to stand for
Protect Each Other. The P.E.O. Sisterhood is considered a woman's secret society
with it's main purposes as social and educational. It was was founded in 1869 in
Iowa.
Red
Men (Improved Order of Red Men) - This order claimed to be the oldest secret society
of purely American origin. However, it was actually founded in Baltimore, Maryland
in 1834. A Society of Red Men was founded in 1813, but the Improved Order of Red Men
sought to distance itself from the Society of Red Men due to its known love of the
"fire water." Indian nomenclature was established in the Improved Order.
Local tribes met in wigwams and initiated palefaces into their secrets upon payment
of wampum. The Improved order was modeled after the Independent Order of Odd Fellows
and used the legend of Hiram Abiff (of Masonic legend) - which became its third degree.
Rosicrucians-The Rosicrucians state that their order
began in 14th century Europe. 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 17 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 is the Rosicrucian
Fellowship and AMORC (Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis).
Shrine-The Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine limits membership to
Masons who have achieved the 32nd degree of the Scottish rite or the Knights Templar of
the York rite but is not associated with Freemasonry. The shrine was invented as a fun
drinking society in 1870. Later, the Shriners decided to install a humanitarian aspect to
their organization. In 1920, it was proposed that they would establish a hospital to care
for crippled children. Shriners are also recognized for wearing the red fez.
United Order
of the Golden Cross- The order was founded by Dr. J. H.
Morgan in New England in 1876. It consisted of men and women who agreed to abstain from
alcoholic beverages. It was organized by Freemasons who wanted to form an economical and
safe method of providing life insurance to its members. Its strength lied in New England
but was also located in New York, District of Columbia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana.
It claimed to be one (if not the first) of the societies to admit women on an equal rank
as men.
Woodmen (Modern Woodmen of
America) - This order was founded in 1883. The chief symbols were the beetle,
ax, and wedge. Local lodges were called Camps and members were known as Neighbors.
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