Mysterious and insular associations are a phenomenon as old as the pyramids. People have formed clandestine organizations, with idiosyncratic rules, rites and practices that have attracted the wealthy, respected, and powerful. From Freemasons and Knights Templar, to Sons of Liberty, Black Hand, and Skull and Bones, these groups have been religious, political, nefarious or just plain silly, and now this special edition from LIFE unlocks the door to these secretive worlds. From those organizations that were hidden behind the Founding Fathers that helped shape the course of history to those that have dabbled in the occult, this beautifully illustrated edition takes you deep inside these fascinating organizations.

For centuries, humans have had a fascination with secret societies. Some societies that are hundreds of years old - like the Illuminati and the Freemasons - are still relevant today. Or, at least, they are thought to be. But why? After all this time, why do people still care about things like that? Whatever it is, Inside Secret Societies gets to the bottom of it. We're taking the oath to reveal some of the more secretive of the secret societies, as well as some of the less secretive ones. Packed with plenty of minutiae and little known facts, this will be popular addition to those into manifestos.

Secrets, Lies, Privilege, and Power. An in-depth look at the hidden force and the inner workings of secret societies! Claims and counter-claims. Accusations and allegations. NSA spying and suppressed evidence. Cover-ups and threats. Documented connections and intrigue. Suggestions of a New World Order. Are we to believe the coincidences are mere chance? Might the paranoid be on to something? Who really holds the levers of power? History admonishes us to be vigilant of hidden plots and nefarious agendas of governments and the powerful. Exposing their deep reach into the operations of today's world, Secret Societies: The Complete Guide to Histories, Rites, and Rituals is packed with details on nearly 200 organizations, their histories, founding members, backgrounds, and suspected conspiracies. It uncovers and probes the hidden agendas of these secret cabals. Along the way, it debunks myths and presents the evidence on an invisible world of influence. Powerful cliques, their plots, and their chilling affects are examined, including ... the Illuminati the Freemasons the Bilderberg Group MKUltra Skull and Bones Ordo Templi Orientis FEMA Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn the Knights Templar Ku Klux Klan La Cosa Nostra Rosicrucian Order Crotona Fellowship Council on Foreign Relations Montauk Project World Bankers the Secret Government extraterrestrial invaders and many, many more. With more than 140 photos and other graphics, Secret Societies is richly illustrated, and its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness. For skeptics and theorists alike, this thoroughly researched reference overflows with fascinating information to make readers think about—and possibly reconsider—the state of the nation and the world!

The greatest success of the Bavarian Illuminati conspiracy was the French Revolution of 1789. The profound impact of that Revolution is felt to this day in the political destinies of billions of people worldwide. The Illuminati had declared war against Church and State a decade earlier and worked feverishly to spread their new gospel of Liberty and Reason. Although the Order was officially suppressed on the eve of the Revolution, its efforts do not appear to have been in vain. The recruiting program of Illuminati founder Adam Weishaupt was focused on attracting the powerful and influential government ministers, educators, the press, authors and philosophers, booksellers and publishers, even religious leaders open to agnostic or atheist views. Many such men belonged to the masonic lodges of Germany, Austria, and France. The wider masonic network offered Weishaupt a respectable vehicle by which he was able to propagate his clandestine doctrines. What message does the triumph of these secret societies carry for the modern world? English historian Una Birch attempts to answer this question from the point of view of the early twentieth century. Writing just a hundred years after the event, her closeness in time, and sympathy for the Revolution, offer a unique perspective to the modern reader. Editor James Wasserman adds a contemporary perspective that takes into account the events of the twentieth century that occurred after Ms. Birch wrote. He has also added a guide to the history and personalities of the French Revolution to help clarify the text. * Reveals the secret activities of the Bavarian Illuminati and the Freemasons in organizing the French Revolution. * Traces the influence of the mysterious Illuminati agent, the Comte de Saint Germain, as he traveled through the courts and cities of Europe. * Offers a unique perspective on the Revolution by an author who supported the Illuminati war against tyranny and superstition, yet does not shrink from examining the darker side of that event.

Following in the footsteps of her bestselling "Secrets & Mysteries of the World," Browne now writes about the clandestine realm of secret societies and their impact on daily life.

An overview of how esoteric brotherhoods have shaped history • Examines the secret chronology and clandestine causes of seminal world events • Shows how secret societies feed into one another, and how they have worked together For thousands of years secret societies--guardians of ancient esoteric wisdom--have exercised a strong and often crucial influence on the destiny of nations. Though largely ignored by orthodox historians, the Freemasons, Knights Templar, and Rosicrucians affected the course of the French and American Revolutions as well as the overthrow of the medieval feudal order. Inevitably, the true ideals and esoteric practices of these societies have, at times, been perverted by self-serving individuals. The Nazis and the Bolsheviks, British security forces, the founding fathers of America, and the Vatican have all justified their actions--for good or for ill--by claiming the mystic ideals of secret societies. Michael Howard explores these connections, tracing their effects in politics and statecraft from the time of ancient Egypt up to the present. He sheds light on the influence of secret societies on governments and in the lives of many well-known figures, including Frederick the Great, John Dee, Francis Bacon, Benjamin Franklin, Comte de Cagliostro, Helena Blavatsky, Rasputin, and Woodrow Wilson. He contends that the recent formation of the European Union was directed by an umbrella group of secret societies and reveals that though secret societies have been persecuted throughout history, they have survived and continue to operate powerfully in world affairs today.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1882.

This is a balanced in-dept study-manual on one of the most volatile subjects of this generation: Spiritual warfare. It covers everything you need to know about demonic activities and how to respond to them. It is one of Dr. Olowosoyo's best gift to this generation.