ial mind after
examining all these movements, is inevitably: Are they of any real
importance? Can a few hundreds, or even thousands, of men and women,
drawn largely by curiosity or want of occupation into societies of which
the very names are hardly known to the general public, exercise any
influence on the world at large? It would certainly be an error to
overestimate the power that each of these societies individually can
wield; to do so would be, in fact, to play into the hands of the
leaders, whose plan, from Weishaupt onwards, has always been to
represent themselves as directing the destinies of the universe. This
claim to power is the bait laid for neophytes, who are made to believe
that "the Order will one day rule the world." But, whilst recognizing
the folly of this pretension, we should be mistaken in underrating their
importance, for the reason that they provide evidence of a larger
organization in the background. The Stella Matutina may be only an
obscure Fraternity, even the Theosophical Society with all its
ramifications[729] may not be of great importance in itself, but will
anyone with a knowledge of European affairs seriously maintain that the
Grand Orient is a small or unimportant organization? And have we not
seen that investigations into the smaller secret societies frequently
lead back to this greater masonic power? Secret societies are of
importance, because they are, moreover, symptomatic, and also because,
although the work actually carried out in their lodges or councils may
be of a trivial character, they are able by the power of association and
the collective force they generate to influence public opinion and to
float ideas in the outside world which may have far-reaching
consequences.

At any rate, the fact that they exist finally disposes of the contention
that secret societies of a subversive and even of an abominable kind are
things of the past. These amazing cults, these strange perverted rites
which we associate with the dark ages, are going on around us to-day.
Illuminism, Cabalism, and even Satanism are still realities. In 1908
Monsieur Copin Albancelli stated that circumstances had afforded him the
proof that--

certain Masonic societies exist which are Satanic, not in the sense
that the devil comes to preside at their meetings, as that romancer
of a Leo Taxil pretended, but in that their initiates profess the
cult of Lucifer. They adore him as the true God, and