A secret society was founded on May 1, 1776, by Adam Weishaupt, who was the Professor of Canon Law at the University of Ingolstadt. Its founder at first called it the Order of the Perfectibilists; but he subsequently gave it the name by which it is now universally known, the Illuminati. Its professed object was, was to attain the highest possible degree of morality and virtue, and to lay the foundation for the reformation of the world by the association of good men to oppose the progress of moral evil.
In its internal organization the Order of Illuminati was divided into three great classes, namely,
- 1. The Nursery;
- 2. Symbolic Freemasonry; and
- 3. The Mysteries; each of which was subdivided into several Degrees, making ten in all, as in the following table:
1. Nursery. After a ceremony of preparation it began:
1. Novice.
2. Minerval.
3 Illuminatus Minor.
II. Symbolic Freemasonry.
The first three Degrees were communicated without any exact respect to the divisions. and then the candidate proceeded:
4 Illuminates Major, or Scottish Novice.
5 Illuminates Diligent, or Scottish Knight.
III. The Mysteries.
This class was subdivided into the Lesser and the Greater Mysteries.
The Lesser Mysteries were:
6. Presbyter, Priest, or Epops.
7. Prince, or Regent.
The Greater Mysteries were:
8 Magus.
9 Rex, or King.
The Order was at first very popular and enrolled no less than two thousand names upon its registers, among whom were some of the most distinguished men of Germany. It extended rapidly into other countries, and its l/odges were to be found in France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Hungary, and Italy. The original design of Illuminism was undoubtedly the elevation of the human race. Knigge, who was one of its most prominent working members, and the author of several of its Degrees, was a religious man, and would never have united with it had its object been, as has been charged, to abolish Christianity. But it cannot be denied, that in process of time abuses had crept into the Institution and that by the influence of unworthy men the system became corrupted; yet the coarse accusations of such writers as Barruel and Robinson are known to be exaggerated, and some of them altogether false.
1. Novice.
2. Minerval.
3 Illuminatus Minor.
II. Symbolic Freemasonry.
The first three Degrees were communicated without any exact respect to the divisions. and then the candidate proceeded:
4 Illuminates Major, or Scottish Novice.
5 Illuminates Diligent, or Scottish Knight.
III. The Mysteries.
This class was subdivided into the Lesser and the Greater Mysteries.
The Lesser Mysteries were:
6. Presbyter, Priest, or Epops.
7. Prince, or Regent.
The Greater Mysteries were:
8 Magus.
9 Rex, or King.
The Order was at first very popular and enrolled no less than two thousand names upon its registers, among whom were some of the most distinguished men of Germany. It extended rapidly into other countries, and its l/odges were to be found in France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Hungary, and Italy. The original design of Illuminism was undoubtedly the elevation of the human race. Knigge, who was one of its most prominent working members, and the author of several of its Degrees, was a religious man, and would never have united with it had its object been, as has been charged, to abolish Christianity. But it cannot be denied, that in process of time abuses had crept into the Institution and that by the influence of unworthy men the system became corrupted; yet the coarse accusations of such writers as Barruel and Robinson are known to be exaggerated, and some of them altogether false.