It would be a mistake to think that the Jesuits took control of the entire Masonic organization in the 1780’s. There is a great degree of autonomy between the various lodges. Hence, we find that when Weishaupt’s Illuminati was accepted by the lodges in the alliance of 1782, this did not necessarily mean that every lodge was suddenly Illuminized—not even all of the lodges in Europe itself.

In fact, this seems to have begun a struggle between two groups for the heart and soul of Masonry. As time passed, it became obvious that it was a struggle between the Jewish/Protestant interests and the Catholic interests, both of whom wanted to harness Masonry for its own purposes. The Jewish influence upon Masonry was by far the earliest. The Catholic-Jesuit influence was brought in primarily in the 1780’s through Weishaupt posing as a rabidly anti-Catholic, anti-Jesuit Mason.

Masonry itself existed in various forms for a long time, but the year 1717 was the beginning of its modern form. Nesta Webster states on p. 103 of Secret Societies and Subversive Movements,

“This was followed in 1717 by the great coup d’ etat when Grand Lodge was founded, and Speculative Masonry, which we now know as Freemasonry, was established on a settled basis with a ritual, rules, and constitution drawn up in due form. It is at this important date that the official history of Freemason begins.”

The first “Constitutions” of the Masonic Order were formulated by Dr. Anderson in 1723. On pages 129 and 130, Webster continues,

“The principle founders of Grand Lodge were, as we have seen, clergymen, both engaged in preaching Christian doctrines at their respective churches. It is surely therefore reasonable to conclude that Freemasonry at the time of its reorganization in 1717 was Deistic only in so far that it invited men to meet together on the common ground of a belief in God. . . . Prayers in the lodges concluded with the name of Christ. These passages were replaced much later by purely Deistic formulas under the Grand Mastership of the free-thinking Duke of Sussex in 1813.”

Freemasonry at its beginning was largely Protestant in its philosophy of religious freedom and of its twin sister, political freedom. These concepts are expressed in the basic principles of democratic government. Protestants joined forces with Jewish interests, since both considered the Roman Church as their common enemy. For this reason, Jewish Cabalism greatly influenced Masonic teachings and ritual, though not as much in Protestant circles per se.

In 1738 Catholics were banned from joining the Masonic Order by Pope Clement XIII in his bull, In Eminenti. Any Catholic who remained a member of the Masonic Order was subject to excommunication (at the Pope’s discretion). Most Catholic Masons chose to ignore the papal bull. This prohibition was repeated in 1751 by Pope Benedict XIV. However, none of the Masonic Catholic monarchs were excommunicated from the Church. The Pope did not want any of them to follow England’s example by forming its own state church.

Webster then tells us on page 149 that in 1743 “French Freemasonry degenerated the most rapidly. The Order was soon invaded by intriguers.” The publication of Anderson’s Constitutions twenty years earlier had stated that Freemasonry was to be non-political. But a secret society such as this was too tempting for political men to ignore its potential as a tool to gain personal power. Among these were Frederick the Great of Prussia, who was initiated into Freemasonry in 1738.

It is only natural, then, that the Jesuit Order would look upon Masonry as a growing Protestant-Jewish power that could ultimately rival that of the Papacy. The Jesuits found their opportunity through Weishaupt’s Illuminati to infiltrate and move up the ranks of Masonry, taking control of the leadership of many lodges. One of Weishaupt’s letters shows his contempt for Protestants who were so easily fooled by Illuminism. It is quoted in Webster’s Secret Societies on pages 218 and 219,

“You cannot imagine what consideration and sensation our Priest’s degree is arousing. The most wonderful thing is that great Protestant and reformed theologians who belong to [Illuminism] still believe that the religious teaching imparted in it contains the true and genuine spirit of the Christian religion. Oh! men, of what cannot you be persuaded? I never thought that I should become the founder of a new religion.”

In other letters, Weishaupt laughs at Arminius, who had become one of his followers. Arminius was the champion of “free will.” Weishaupt called him “an unbearable, obstinate, arrogant, vain fool” (Webster, p. 225). The reason Weishaupt was able to fool Protestant leaders is because he couched Illuminism in the language of the Scriptures and appeared to give honor to Jesus.

Because Jesus often spoke in parables, Weishaupt and others took this to mean that Jesus had organized a secret society with secret doctrines—and that His disciples were revolutionaries trying to overthrow the Roman Empire. They interpret Jesus according to their own character and carnal motives, which is the opposite of the truth.

The parables Jesus taught can easily be interpreted if anyone simply knows the Old Testament, for they are extensions of the Old Testament story. There is no deception, no need to switch meanings. The only reason Jesus did not explain the parables to the general public was because the people would have believed what He said (Matt. 13:15)—and then they would not have crucified Him at the appointed time. Jesus knew that the Scriptures prophesied of His death in His first coming, and so He did not campaign to become Judah’s King.

The American Revolution (1776-1800)

Illuminism had great influence upon America’s founders through the Masonic lodges where many of them were members. Thus, when they spoke of “God,” their meaning has been debated. Some of them, like Samuel Adams and his cousin, John, meant it in the Protestant sense. Others, like Franklin and Jefferson, meant it more in a Masonic sense. This did not mean that they were atheists or even Deists in the modern sense. But it is safe to say that they were influenced by Masonic thinking.

Weishaupt himself had little direct influence on America’s founders. However, Weishaupt’s boss, the Jesuit General Lorenzo Ricci had great influence.

Catholic influence in America (other than the early Spanish conquerors) began with the establishment of Maryland in 1634. A few years earlier, in 1625 the British Secretary of State under King Charles Stuart, converted to Catholicism. His name was George Calvert. Because it was not appropriate for him to remain in high position under a Calvinist monarch, he resigned his post.

King Charles soon needed money, so he carved territory out of northern Virginia and granted it to Calvert. His title was Lord Baltimore. He died soon afterward, so the charter was given to his son, Cecilius Calvert.

The first two ships set sail on Nov. 22, 1633 to establish the first Catholic settlement in Maryland, supposedly named after Queen Mary, but actually in honor of Mary Magdalene. Cecilius’ brother, Leonard Calvert, was its first governor. The two ships, the Ark and the Dove, were spiritually directed by Andrew White, a Jesuit priest. Andrew White became known as “the Apostle to Maryland.” Many years later, the President’s residence was called the “White” House, secretly in his honor.

The American Revolution cannot be understood apart from its European context—the Jesuit Order’s suppression on July 21, 1773. A month later, on August 17, Jesuit General Lorenzo Ricci met with John Mattingly of Maryland and Cardinal Giovanni Braschi, the Apostolic Treasurer for the Pope. Braschi had been educated by the Jesuits and was General Ricci’s close friend. The next year, Braschi was elected Pope Pius VI.

When Pope Clement XIV died in 1774, Cardinal Braschi—as Apostolic Treasurer—was the acting Pope until a permanent Pope could be elected. Thus, he had in his hands control of the entire wealth and power of the Vatican as soon as his predecessor died Sept. 22, 1774.

All of this simply meant that General Lorenzo Ricci had a close ally and friend in the Vatican, not only in the ailing Pope but also in his successor. Yet Ricci was put under arrest on Aug. 17, 1773 and moved to the Castel Sant’Angelo. This prison had a tunnel connecting it to the Vatican, so Ricci continued to enjoy direct access to his good friend, the Pope, during his “imprisonment.”

Ricci remained “imprisoned” until Nov. 24, 1775, when his death was announced. No successor was appointed, of course. But neither is there particular reason to suppose that Ricci had really died. F. Tupper Saussy’s book, Rulers of Evil, makes a rather strong case that Ricci was sent to America, where he was known anonymously as “The Professor.” Descriptions of him match Lorenzo Ricci.

This mysterious person, unnamed in history books, had a profound effect upon America’s Founding Fathers. It was he who suggested using the British East India flag as the first American flag. George Washington first hoisted this flag on Jan. 2, 1776, months before the Declaration of Independence was written. When the British officers saw the flag, they cheered and saluted, thinking that it meant surrender. Instead, it meant that the American Revolution was to be fought under the flag of a Jesuit-owned company. Saussy writes on p. 168,

“And now, in 1773, the East India Company was governed by Freemasons, whose Grand Mason since 1772 was the ninth Lord Petre (his mastery would continue until 1777). Related to the Stourtons, Norolks, and Arundells, the Petre family (pronounced “Peter”) was highly esteemed by the Society of Jesus. It was the Petres who, back in the sixteenth century, bankrolled the original Jesuit missions to England.

“The East India Company’s most powerful political attaché was Robert Petty, Lord Shelbourne. We recall Shelbourne as ‘The Jesuit of Berkeley Square’ who worked in 1763 with Lord Bute to conclude the French and Indian Wars with the Treaty of Paris…”

It is amazing that America’s Revolutionary War was fought under the flag of the East India Company owned by Jesuit Freemasons. But this is not so strange when we consider the fact that Britain was Protestant, and therefore an enemy of the Jesuits. The Jesuits wanted to weaken Britain by depriving her of her American colonies.

Secondly, America received help from Catholic France, who also wanted to weaken Britain, since the two nations seemed to be in a perpetual economic war. It is not very likely that the Catholic Church would have supported an American revolution without attempting at the same time to Catholicize the new nation. It was impossible to make each person convert to Catholicism, of course, but it was quite possible to gain control of its legal system.

The Federal City: Washington D.C.

The highest point in Washington D.C. was called Jenkins Point. In the 1790’s it was owned by Daniel Carroll—brother of Catholic Bishop John Carroll. David Ovason tells us, “that in earlier times the hill had been called Rome” (The Secret Architecture of our National Capital, pp. 8). He continues, pp. 8, 9,

“Indeed, the story might easily be taken for the stuff of myth were it not supported by a long manuscript in the Maryland State Archives, at Annapolis. The deed, dated June 5, 1663, is in the name of Francis Pope, and sets out the basis for a survey of a strip of land called Rome, bounded by the inlet called Tiber.”

Symbolism is very important to secret societies, even to the Jesuits. This is why Pope’s land (called “Rome”) was used to build our nation’s capital, Washington D.C. It was to assert the Roman Catholic Church’s claim upon America, which they still maintain on the grounds that Columbus claimed this new land for the Church. (By the way, Columbus never even saw the mainland in America. He discovered some islands in the Caribbean Sea.)

The layout for Washington D.C. was entrusted to a French Masonic engineer named Pierre-Charles L'Enfant. He got the job at the suggestion of Roman Catholic bishop John Carroll. Saussy points out that L'Enfant laid out the main city streets in the shape of an upside down five-pointed star of Baphomet, the symbol of the goat. The White House was constructed at the goat's mouth. The two ears on the sides were marked by Mt. Vernon Place and Washington Circle. The horns were marked by Logan Circle and Dupont Circle.

In surveying and laying out the new city, L'Enfant numbered the city blocks. The 600 series runs from Q Street North through the Capitol grounds down to the mouth of James Creek. On page 228 Saussy tells us,

“All the numbers between 600 and 900 are assigned to blocks within this swath—except for the number 666. That number is missing from the map. It must have been secretly affixed to the only unnumbered section of blocks in the 600 series. That section, we find, includes the Capitol grounds that once were called ‘Rome’.”

Saussy’s viewpoint is perhaps a bit darker than the architects intended for it to be. This Baphomet symbol was certainly used in satanic groups, but the meaning of the pentagram depends upon who interprets it. If we interpret it according to the Masonic-Catholic intent, it should be seen more in astrological terms than satanic. The five-pointed star was a symbol of the constellation Virgo. The designer’s intent was clearly to portray the federal city as the beautiful Virgin, Virgo.

George Washington’s proclamation of March 30, 1791 ordered that the new city’s sections should begin with a stone marker at Jones Point. This marker became the foundation stone for Washington D.C. It was laid in the ground at 3:30 p.m. on April 15, 1791. This was officially the beginning of the building of Washington D.C. The Freemasons chose that precise day and time, because, as David Ovason tells us on page 49,

“At exactly 3:30 p.m., Jupiter, the most beneficial planet in the skies, began to rise over the horizon. It was in 23 degrees of Virgo. . . .

Jupiter, called the King’s Planet, was considered to be the planet for a number of ancient capital cities, including Jerusalem and Rome. It signified rulership, because it was named after the Roman god, Jupiter, the King of the gods. Ovason continues,

“By this means, the zodiacal power of Virgo, which was called in later Masonic circles ‘the Beautiful Virgin,’ was able to stamp her benign influence on the building of the federal city. Was this one of the contributing reasons why many astrologers have insisted that Washington D.C. is ruled by zodiacal Virgo?

“It is quite clear that the ceremonial placing of the stone related to more than merely the founding of the federal district; it was somehow linked to the future destiny of America itself.”

Ovason concludes on pages 65 and 66 by saying,

“The chances of the correspondence being mere coincidence are so remote that we must assume that whoever was directing the planning of Washington D.C., not only had a considerable knowledge of astrology, but had a vested interest in emphasizing the role of the sign Virgo.

“Time and time again, as we study the Masonic involvement in the building of this city, through almost two centuries, we shall see emphasis placed on this sign Virgo.”

Thus, Washington D.C. was represented as Virgo, the Virgin, dominated by Jupiter (Rome). From that point on, virtually all of the buildings in the nation’s capital, as well as the art buildings and statues, were dedicated or established on days when Virgo was prominent. To the Freemasons, Virgo represented the Egyptian goddess, Isis. To the average Catholic, Virgo represented the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus. To the elements within the Roman Catholic Church, Virgo was Mary Magdalene, the supposed mother of Jesus Junior—said to be the progenitor of the Merovingian line of French kings. This is the subject of the recent book, The Da Vinci Code as well as the 2001 movie, “Revelations.” And, of course, it appears in the recent movie series, “The Matrix.”

Most Roman Catholics do not realize that many powerful occult forces in the Roman Church have labored to put Mary Magdalene above Mary, the mother of Jesus. It was not always this way, but powerful forces in the Church silently made the change over the years. All of the Notre Dame churches in the world are dedicated to Mary Magdalene, not to Mary, mother of Jesus.

In the original L’Enfant design for Washington D.C., he specified that the President’s house, the Capitol building, and the Washington Monument should be constructed to form a right triangle—in the shape of a Masonic square. All of these buildings were dedicated on days featuring Virgo. Ovason says on p. 255, 256,

“The White House cornerstone was laid at noon on October 13, 1792. The Moon and the Dragon’s Head were in Virgo.

“The Capitol cornerstone was laid by George Washington on September 18, 1793. At that time, the Sun, Mercury, and the Dragon’s Head were in Virgo.

“The Washington Monument foundation stone was laid at noon on July 4, 1848. The Moon and the Dragon’s Head were in Virgo.”

The “Dragon’s Head” is not the head of Draco. It is the point. . .

“. . . where the Moon intersects the path of the Sun. The term relates to an early phase of astrology when it was believed that the circuit of the Earth’s satellite [Moon] was the invisible body of a stellar dragon.”

“In terms of the triangulation of the plan for Washington D.C., this means that the corners of the L’Enfant triangle were symbolically fixed into the Earth when this beneficial point—the solar-lunar meeting point—was in Virgo.

“This same triangulation is reflected in the stars gathered within and around the constellation Virgo.”

L’Enfant carefully planned for the federal city to manifest the star pattern formed by three stars (all of the first magnitude) surrounding Virgo. They are: Arcturus, Spica, and Regulus. These form almost a perfect right angled triangle with Virgo inside the triangle.

The White House represents Arcturus, the guardian star, supposed to confer renown and prosperity.

The Capitol represents Regulus, the “Little King.” It shows that Congress is King, ruling from the Capitol, the place of power and command.

The Washington Monument represents Spica. On star maps, Spica is in the wheat ear held by Virgo, and so it represents future growth, nourishment, wealth, renown, and advancement.

In this way, the so-called “federal triangle” was meant to bring to earth the heavenly triangle of stars surrounding Virgo. In fact, L’Enfant originally designed this to be a perfect right-angel triangle, but the Washington Monument was ultimately constructed to one side, because, they said, the foundations were not secure enough to place it in the location drawn up by L’Enfant. Thus, the federal triangle was no longer a perfect Masonic square (right angle).

However, in moving the Monument to one side, it became a near-perfect representation of the actual location of the three stars mentioned above. These stars nearly form a right triangle, but not quite. Spica is two degrees too far south to make it a perfect right triangle. In constructing the Monument slightly off center, they made the federal triangle reflect the precise positions of the three stars!

The Mall between the Washington Monument and the Capitol was meant to portray the ecliptic—that is, the path of the Sun through the Zodiac (that is, the constellations). Constitution Avenue, which runs parallel to the Mall, has zodiacs on either side of it. The Dirkson Building on the east end of the Capitol grounds contains 12 zodiacs. On the other end of Constitution Avenue there are 3 more zodiacs. The idea was to portray the ecliptic path as America’s path—that we would follow the Constitution (avenue), rather than the laws of hereditary kings.

The Nation’s Capitol

The foundation stone for the nation’s Capitol building in Washington D.C. was laid on Sept. 18, 1793. Once again, David Ovason tells us on page 88, 89,

“On that day, the Sun was in 24 degrees of Virgo, and thus reflected the Virgoan nature of the new city. However, by pure coincidence, the new planet Georgium Sidus [the original name of the planet Uranus, discovered in 1781, and named for English King George III], with its detested name, was exactly on the fixed star Regulus, the ‘little king’ star of the constellation Leo. . .

“The Masonic astronomers had chosen the day of foundation for the city with great wisdom, for, as the ceremony was enacted, Georgium Sidus lowered in the west and disappeared from sight. As the planet fell into oblivion, beyond the view of those in the federal city, the Sun remained in the sky, set in the zodiacal sign Virgo—a triumphant symbol of the city which was being founded as the new adminis-trative center, to replace that of George III. Symbolically speaking, Virgo was in ascendancy, while the power of King George was in decline.

“This curious arrangement of planets, with its exceptional power of symbolism, was not exactly unique, but it was extremely rare. Because, in geocentric terms, Uranus was such a slow-moving planet, a similar configuration had not been manifest in the heavens since 1708; it would not repeat until 1877. The Masons could not have chosen a more symbolically auspicious date for their all-important ceremony had they been able to manipulate the stars themselves.”

But why did these men establish the nation’s capitol and the city itself according to specific signs in Virgo? It is because they believed that “as in heaven above, so in earth below.” In their way of thinking, they could establish conditions on earth and influence earthly events by aligning them with the heavens.

They wanted—for a variety of reasons—to make America to represent Virgo under Jupiter’s rule. Their error is in thinking that they can manipulate God into doing their own will, instead of submitting to His will. They believe that in laying the foundation stones of the city and these buildings they can influence heaven to work out His will in the earth according to their understanding of the heavenly signs. In other words, it is their way of bringing heaven down to earth, or manifesting heaven in earth.

The Bible does tell us in Gen. 1:14 that the stars (constellations) are “for signs and for seasons, and for days and years.” Furthermore, astrologers were not the ones who named the constellations or the stars. Psalm 147:4 and Isaiah 40:26 tell us that God gave them their names. They were named, in essence, to give us our first Bible. They foretold the birth of Jesus by a Virgin (Virgo), His death on the Cross (Libra), Christ’s conflict with the Serpent (Scorpio), His triumph (Sagittarius), His sufferings (Capricorn), the outpouring of the Spirit (Aquarius), the blessings delayed during the Pentecostal Age (Pisces), the blessings finally given (Aries), the Messiah’s rule (Taurus), the coming Prince (Gemini), His redeemed possessions—church and overcomers (Cancer), and finally the Messiah’s triumph and rule (Leo).

This is the true biblical meaning of the constellations as God intended them to be interpreted. Men interpreted these signs later according to their own minds, developing new and corrupted religions. These signs degenerated into what became known as Astrology, as men rebelled against God. In their rebellion, they thought that they could manipulate God into doing what they wanted Him to do. And so, instead of allowing the signs to speak for themselves, they began to regulate their actions (like laying foundation stones) according to the heavenly signs. They thought that by doing this, they could, in essence, force God’s blessing upon their endeavors, regardless of their character or their personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

The basic assumption in Astrology is that one does not need to know God personally, nor does one need to align one’s character with Jesus Christ. All one needs to do is to intellectually study the stars and planets, along with their symbolism—and then align one’s life accordingly. Thus, it is no longer faith, but knowledge that is the key to life.

The Greek word for knowledge is gnosis. It is the word forming the basis of the religion of Gnosticism, founded by Simon Magus. We spoke of this religion in FFI #181 and #182.

The Mystery religions of Greece, Egypt, and other places form the background of the Masonic religion as well. This is by their own admission. While there are many Christian principles incorporated in Masonry—influenced by the many Christians who had a role in shaping its belief system—these lodges have focused more on attaining lost or secret knowledge, rather than on faith in Jesus Christ. Of course, there are always individual exceptions to this, for God has true believers everywhere.

To return to the topic of the buildings in Washington D.C., it is clear that the Masonic knowledge of Astrology is portrayed everywhere. They made the city represent on earth the heavenly constellation, Virgo. Furthermore, the city was founded when Jupiter, the King’s Planet, was rising above the horizon in Virgo.

Jupiter signifies those who wanted to rule America. Masonic philosophy largely incorporated the Protestant view that men ought to have the freedom to think, to express their divergent views, and to believe according to the dictates of their conscience. And so, America grew strong and inventive in accordance with that freedom.

But as always, human nature is such that men desire power over others. And so, America’s freedoms have been eroded over the years even as men of different groups have fought each other for political, judicial, and economic control of America. Each group thinks of itself as divinely called to rule the earth, whether they are Jewish interests, Masonic interests, or Roman Catholic interests (or others).

These men all want to rule as Jupiter, not realizing that the Bible name for Jupiter is Zadok. Zadok was the high priest under Solomon who replaced the last of the line of Eli (1 Kings 2:35). Just as Eli represents the priesthood under the anointing of Pentecost, so also Zadok represents the new priesthood of the overcomers who will rule with Christ in the age of Solomon—the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 1:26 says that in that day Jerusalem will be called “the city of Zadok (righteousness).” One could also read this to mean, “the city of Jupiter,” for that was the Hebrew name of the planet.

Though men compete for earthly rule, God will indeed transform America (and all other nations) into a Virgin, and they will indeed be ruled by Zadok—the Melchizedek Order. These true rulers will be in submission to Christ, not to unknown “wise masters,” and not to political religious leaders from Rome or any other men.

God has always used men, both good and bad, for His purposes. The wisdom of the wise is foolishness with God, even as wise men think that God’s ways are foolishness (1 Cor. 1:18-27). The irony of the situation is that these “wise” men of the world laid the foundation stones of Washington D.C. with the idea that they were called as Jupiter to rule over America, the Virgin. But God’s plan is to place the true Zadok company (Melchizedek Order) into position of ruling the earth as priests (Rev. 5:10; 20:6).

These will be people who have the character of Jesus Christ, not those who possess the knowledge of the stars. In regard to God’s definition of authority, Jesus told His disciples in Matt. 20:25-28,

²⁵ But Jesus called them to Himself, and said, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles [“nations”] lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. ²⁶ It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; ²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

No one—not even a Christian believer—is going to rule over others unless they have the character of Jesus Christ. Oppressive servants will not rule (Luke 12:42-48). God’s definition of authority is different from men’s. If any man thinks he has authority in any area, he should view it as divine authorization to be a servant in that area. That is the real meaning of Zadok (Jupiter) when viewed as a biblical sign. Thus, when the Masons established Washington under the influence of Jupiter, they actually did portray the will of God—just not quite what they had in mind.