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Jean-Baptiste Willermoz
The Elected officials Coëns
Since 1765, the masonic course of
Jean-Baptiste Willermoz takes a watershed, when it is allowed in the order of
the Knights elected Masons Coëns of the universe. This order, founded by
Martinès de Pasqually about 1754, is presented in the form of “a true
freemasonry”, contrary to the masonry of its time, which it judges “apocryphal
book”. It is true that at that time, masonry presents contradictory faces. On a
side, it is primarily a festive institution, where the society life is
cultivated and where the banquets and the festivals tend to take more place than
the rites. On another side, it gives birth, certainly, with a flowering of high
ranks, but the latter cultivate a not very coherent esotericism.
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The order of the
Elected officials Coëns is a system of high ranks organized around
specific doctrines, that of rehabilitation. It is characterized by ritual
complexes concerned with the divine magic: the theurgy. In 1766, little
time after its entry in this order, Jean-Baptiste Willermoz meets the
Large Sovereign and founder of the Order, Martinès de Pasqually. It
becomes one of its most dedicated disciples and arrives at the most rank,
that of Réau-Croix. It is devoted with constancy to the theurgy and the
many periods of prayers day labourers recommended by the Large Sovereign
of the Order. |
Jean-Baptiste Willermoz is allured by the lesson of
the Order; he is however somewhat disappointed by the capacities of organizer of
his leader. Indeed, the order of the Elected officials Coëns is still in
gestation, and Martinès de Pasqually does not finish any writing payments,
ritual and instructions intended for the operation of the cabins. Its departure
for Haiti does not support the things. Indeed, it embarks on May 5, 1772 bound
for Saint-Domingue to solve a problem of heritage. The Elected officials Lyons
Coëns continue to work while following its instructions. The secretary of
Martinès de Pasqually, Louis-Claude of Saint Martin's day, comes to settle some
time at Jean-Baptiste Willermoz. It is there, at the end of the year 1773 and
during the following year, which he writes its first book, Of the errors and
the truth. The work will be published in 1775 by an elected official Coën
of the city making occupation of printer-bookseller, Jean-Andre Perishes-Duluc.
Martinès de Pasqually dies in Haiti on September 20, 1774, following a bad
fever. Deprived of its founder, the Order declines and will be soon tiny room to
the sleep.
The Strict Templier Observance
Jean-Baptiste Willermoz enters then
the second part of his esoteric life. This period, which extends from 1773 to
1782, began the year preceding death by the founder from the Elected officials
Coëns by a contact with the baron Karl von Hund (1722-1776). This last is the
founder of a masonic rite asserting Templier affiliation: the Strict
Observance Templier (S.O.T). This order - which dominates German freemasonry
then - fact of masonry “the order of the continued Temple”. It cultivates the
chivalrous spirit: when a new member is received with the S.O.T., it takes a
name of a knight. Thus, in 1774, Willermoz ab Eremo becomes Eques
(Eques, “Latin knight”). Very quickly, the Lyons Martinists - i.e. the
disciples who revolve in the entourage of Martinès de Pasqually - follow
Jean-Baptiste Willermoz while joining with the S.O.T.
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This order is then in full change,
because among its members, but many wonder about the legitimacy of its
Templiers affiliation. Jean-Baptiste Willermoz, helped by the former
elected officials Coëns, soon affirms himself like a reformer of the
Strict Templier Observance. Succeeding in gaining the confidence of
both leader of the Order, the duke of Brunswick (Eques a Victori)
and Charles de Hesse Cassel (Eques a Leone Resurgent), it
organizes in Lyon, in November 1778, one of the most famous general
assemblies of Freemasons: the general assembly of Freemasons of
Gaules. It is on this occasion that he is adopted by the Order the
doctrines of Martinès de Pasqually (without its theurgy). In 1782, for
better devoting itself to its masonic activities, he decides to sell
his drapery business.
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In August of the same year
the general assembly of Freemasons of Wilhelmsbad of the Strict Templier
Observance takes place. During this important meeting, one attends a retreat of
the claims templiers. From now on, the Order is placed in a “afiliation of
spirit” drawing its sources in the eternal knighthood, the “Ordre saint” to
which all the true orders, whatever their name would be attached, and whose
templiers are only one branch. The Order then changes its name for that of
Beneficial Knights of the Holy City. It also is described as Rite (or Mode)
Scottish rectified (R.E.R.) (3).
3. On the history of this kind, see FORESTER,
Rene, Freemasonry Templier and occultist to the 18th and 19th centuries,
foreword, addenda and index of Antoine Faivre, introduction of Alec
MELLOR, Paris-Leuwen, Sapwood, 1970. Antoine FAIVRE inserted in appendix the
complete text of the “secret Instruction of Grand Profès”.
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