CHAPTER
XVIII
THE
DRUSES
The
Druses, as afore stated, are a gnostic sect among the Ismaelite Mahommedans. It
was founded in the tenth century during the reign of the Fatimite Caliph
al-Hakim Biambellalu.
The
founder is usually recognised as Mohammed al Darazi or al Druzi (Nouchtegin ben
Ismail al Bokhari) born near Bokhara cir. 960. He adopted the doctrine then
preached by al-Hakim of the successive reincarnations of the divinity under
human form ' and wrote a treatise in which he established the continuous series
of divine incarnations ending with the statement that the last living
manifestation was al-Hakim, the Caliph of Egypt. So pleased was al-Hakim with
the book that he called Mohammed al-Druzi to him, and gave him great authority
in the conduct of affairs. From that time, al-Hakim who hitherto had been known
as Biambellalu that is " the one governing by the order of God, changed
his name to Biam-Eh meaning " the one governing by his own right. "
He then caused himself to be worshipped as God. The public reading of Mohammed
al-Druzi's book, in one of Cairo's mosques, •caused popular riots and its
author was obliged to Compare with Lamaism.
flee
from Egypt. He took refuge in the mountains of Syria and made many proselytes
by allowing his adepts the use of wine, condoning licentiousness and
encouraging the propagation of ideas tending to the confiscation of property.
Later, he returned to Egypt but was confronted by the power gained by one of
his disciples, Hamza al-Hadi, who had become leader of the Druses there. In the
conflict that ensued, Mohammed al Druzi took up arms against his rival and
adversary and was killed in 1019.
Hamza,
later, went to Syria and Lebanon and preached to the Druses the doctrine of
al-Hakim such as prevailed in Egypt. Hamza was declared the prophet,the Imam of
al-Hakim who, being the divine incarnation, will yet manifest himself to the
Druses, be their Messiah and give them all earthly power. The sect is divided
into three degrees: Profanes, Aspirants and Wise.
The
Druses, from a political point of view, are divided into two parts, the
Djumblatiehs and the Yezbekiehs and religiously they have their own rites,
mysteries, and exoteric and esoteric doctrines. The high initiates or priests
rule the people and through religious fanaticism have reduced the Druses to a
state of theocrasy with all its attendant law of fear and numerous restrictions
upon which theocratic power can alone be edified.
In his
book on Secret Societies, Heckethorn comments on the similarity existing
between the law of the Druses and that of the Jews whereby " to a brother,
perfect truth and confidence are due but it is allowable, nay, a duty, to be
false towards men of another creed. "
Subsequently,
he draws yet another comparison between the Druses and the Freemasons and
mentions the Masonic degrees of " The United Druses " and "
Commanders of Lebanon ".
CHAPTER
XIX
THE
ASSASSINS
The
Judeo-Shi'a sect of the Assassins or Hashishims was founded in 1090 by Hassan
Sabah, a Persian, who had been initiated into Ismailism at Cairo, in the
household of the Fatimite Caliph, al-Mostansir. He was known as " The Old
Man " or rather " The Lord of the Mountain ". His influence in
Egypt having excited the envy of many, he was sent into exile. Caliph
al-Mustansir's " vizir was a Jew named Abu Mansur Sadakah ibn Yussuf
", ' under whose protection Hassan traversed Persia as a missionary,
preaching and making proselytes, and, having seized the fortress of Alamut, on
the borders of Irak and Dilem, which he called the " House of Fortune
", he there established his rule.
The
history of his time is full of his name. Kings in the very centre of Europe
trembled at it; his powerful arm reached everywhere.
According
to Heckethorn, " he reduced the nine degrees into which the adherents of
the Lodge of Cairo were divided to seven, placing himself at the head, with
title of Seydna or Sidna, whence the Spanish Cid, and the Italian Signore. The
term Assassins is a corruption of Hashishim, derived from Hashish (Indian hemp)
with which the chief intoxicated his followers when they entered on some
desperate enterprise.
"
To regulate the seven degrees he composed the Catechism of the Order. The first
degree recommended to the missionary attentively to watch the disposition of
the candidate, before admitting him to the order. The second impressed it upon
him to gain the confidence of the candidate, by flattering his inclinations and
passions ; the third, to involve him in doubts and difficulties by showing him
the absurdity of the Koran the fourth, to exact from him a solemn oath of
fidelity and obedience, with a promise to lay his doubts before his instructor
; and the fifth, to show him that the most famous men of Church and State
belonged to the secret order. The sixth, called ' Confirmation ', enjoined on
the instructor to examine the proselyte concerning the whole preceding course,
and firmly to establish him in it. The seventh finally, called the ' Exposition
of the Allegory ', gave the keys of the sect.
"
The followers were divided into two great hosts, ' self-sacrificers ' and '
aspirants '. The first, despising fatigues, dangers, and tortures, joyfully
gave their lives whenever it pleased the master, who required them either to
protect himself or to carry out his mandates of death. "
According
to the legend " the man selected by the lord to perform the dangerous
exploit was first made drunk, and in this state carried into a beautiful valley
where he was, on waking, surrounded by lovely sylph-like women who made him
believe he was in Elysium ; but ere he wearied or became satiated with love and
wine, he was once more made drunk, and in this state carried back to his own
home. When his services were required, he was again sent for by the lord, who
told him that he had once permitted him to enjoy paradise, and if he would do
his bidding he could luxuriate in the same delights for the rest of his life.
The
dupe, believing that his master had the power to do all this, was ready to
commit whatever crime was required of him. "
"
Several Christian princes were suspected of conniving at the deeds of the
Assassins. Richard of England is one of them ; and it has been the loyal task
of English writers to free him from the charge of having instigated the murder
of Conrad of Montf errat. . . There also existed for a long time a rumour that
Richard had attempted the life of the King of France through Hassan and his
Assassins. The nephew of Barbarossa, Frederick II, was excommunicated by
Innocent II for having caused the Duke of Bavaria to be slain by the Assassins
; and Frederick II, in a letter to the King of Bohemia, accuses the Duke of
Austria of having by similar agents attempted his life. "
The
corruption of the Order of The Templars which brought about its downfall has
been imputed by most historians to this sect which was suppressed in 1256, when
the Mongolians, led by Prince Hulagu, attacked and overthrew them.
CHAPTER
XX
THE
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR
The
first Knights Templar Order, founded in 1118 by Hugh de Payens, had 13 degrees.
So has its modern successor; these are : —
BLUE
DEGREES
1.
Entered Apprentice.
2.
Fellow Craft.
3.
Master Mason.
CHAPTER
DEGREES
4. Mark
Mason.
5. Past
Master.
6. Most
Excellent Master.
7. Royal
Arch.
8. Royal
Master.
9.
Select Master.
10.
Super Excellent Master.
1 1 .
Knights of the Red Cross
12.
Knights Templar.
13.
Knights of Malta.
It is
chronicled that several of the founders of the Templar Order were initiates in
the sect of The Assassins.
Blanchard,
writing of it, says : —
"
During the middle ages, the most eminent warriors and noblemen of Europe
entered its ranks. The Knights of the Temple became the bulwark of the Holy
Land against the Saracens. France, England and other countries formed
associations (Priories) of Templar Knights, each with its own Grand Master and
other officers. Such great wealth was accumulated in the treasuries of the
order that in the year 1185 its annual income represented a sum equal to thirty
millions of dollars. The Templars were bankers and loaned money on their own
terms. But wealth and prosperity naturally led to licentiousness, neglect of
Templar law and in the end destruction. " '
Having
embraced Gnosticism while in Palestine, and in touch with the sect of the
Assassins, the Templar order degenerated, and some of its members, under the
influence of that sect, were said to practice Phallicism or sex-worship and
Satanism and to venerate " The Baphomet ", the idol of the
Luciferians. The crime of Sodomy was a rite of Templar initiation.
It is here
interesting to note that the Phallus holds the lowest rank in Brahmin theology
for, in countries where the people are virtually enslaved by superstition, this
kind of heresy is useful to the ruling classes.
Morris
thus summarizes the fall of the Templars. " In the year 1307, the Grand
Master of the order, Jacques de Molay, was arrested in Paris with sixty of his
knights and imprisoned upon charges of idolatry and other crimes. Shortly
afterward, all the Knights Templar in France were put in prison in Paris. May
12,
1310, fifty-four of them were burnt alive. March
18,
1314, the Grand Master, with three of his most eminent officers, suffered in
like manner. The great possessions of the order were now confiscated and the
society suppressed both by the Pope and the leading monarchs of Europe. "
2
In
England, the Knights Templar were dissolved in the reign of Edward II, and
after the grant of their properties to the Knights Hospitallers, these in their
turn were dissolved by Henry VIII.
After
the death of Molay, the Knights Templar found a protector in King Dinis II of
Portugal who reformed the order in 1317, under the name Knights of Christ.
A
complete bibliography of literature both in print and in manuscript, dealing
with the subject of the Knights Templar has been compiled by M. Dessubre and
the student is referred to his book : Bibliographie de I Ordre des Templiers.
CHAPTER
XXI
KNIGHTS
OF MALTA
The
Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, or Hospitallers of St. John, afterward called
Knights of Rhodes and finally Knights of Malta, were founded about the
commencement of the Crusades, as a military and religious order.
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