The Fiancee Of Asmodeus.

THE FIANCEE OF ASMODEUS .

A Story of a Great Imposture . THE following translation from the French " Le Temps , " sent us by a valued contributor , will be read with interest . Although , we have already published many of its points its reproduction here is opportune , as it gives a brief outline of

the rise , progress and fall of this now famous attack upon our Order , while it further supplies details of some items which had not hitherto been fully described : BAYLE once wrote that no matter what assertion was made against the Jesuits , it was always sure to be accepted by someone . It is the same in our time in all that concerns

Freemasonry , the occult sciences , satamsm , magic—black or white , and other things real or supposed . Once on this subject an author may gather together the most foolish stories and he will never pass the limits of human credulity .

We have had a lively demonstration of this about three years ago by the publication of a work (!) in two large volumes , each of eight hundred pages , entitled " The Devil in the Nineteenth Century , or the statements of a Witness . "

This Witness , who presented himself as a former Doctor in the Mercantile Marine , had been affiliated to Freemasonry of both tbe old and new Worlds , and had attained the highest rauk . Being happily returned to the Catholic faith he had received the frightful confidences of another converted Mason , a

certain Carbuccia , whom he had met in the course of his voyages , but of whom we have no other particulars , as this poor Carbuccia , having incurred no less than fifty condemnations to death pronounced by various Lodges , naturally did not care to leave bis address .

The Doctor commenced his revelations by utilising the tales of Carbuccia , who had been honoured by some visits from Lucifer . He endeavoured to confound the Devil and all his works and pay obedience to Pope Leo XIII , and one can imagine the fantastic droleries , the cabalistic inventions which enrich

these " statements of a Witness . " Without shrinking , the Doctor ' s subscribers swallowed all this humbug , of which the sequel was always to be continued in our next number ; it is thus that we possess the authentic history of Miss Diana Vaughan , who was born in America of protestant parents , the

Grand Mistress of the Order , a Disciple of Lucifer of High Mark , and the fiancee of the Demon Asmodeus . This connection enabled her to perform miracles , as it is stated that an unhappy Freemason , who had expressed himself with too little respect with regard to her , had the misfortune to

have his head twisted in such a manner that his face looked over his back , in which painful situation he had to remain for a period of three weeks , until the day when Miss Diana Vaughan , who alone had the power to cure him , arrived from America , and turned his head straight . In the face of such a punishment one

is obliged to have the greatest reserve , especially as Miss Diana is under the protection of the legionaries of Asmodeus , to the number of 93 , 324 , to be exact , and hence it is that so many good Catholics have accepted the stories of this Disciple of Lucifer .

And there is hardly any other reason to explain the ingenuity of certain ecclesiastics , and of several religious parties who believe still in this young American , in her betrothal Co Asmodeus , the Demon of Wantoness , and in her conversion , as it is affirmed that Diana has been converted . This fact of course

could not be wanting , but she was converted slowly , as it was necessary to recount the various phases , the steps of this conversion , the state of her soul , & c , in a certain number of supplementary pamphlets , which were followed by the " Memoires" of the Ex-Palladiste , the " New Eucharist , " & c , & c , & c .

We had also the pleasure to make the acquaintance of another American , Sophie Walder , who does not know whether she is the enemy or friend of Diana Vaughan . Sophie is the Daughter of Lucifer , and we learn with interest that this other Palladiste was betrothed to the Demon Bitru , who is not a devil

of slight importance , as he is the ambassador of Lucifer to France , president of the Perfect Council of Nineteen , for the administration and discipline of French Demons , which sits once a week on every Friday night . And Sophie Walder , wife of Bitru , is , since 29 th September 1896 , the mother of a daughter ,

who will , in her turn , become the mother of the Antichrist . Do you doubt it ? If so you cannot have read the Book of Apadno , the Lueiferian Bible , written by Lucifer ' s own hand , and religiously preserved in manuscript at Charlestown , bun which is well known to the authors of these revelations .

You think this testimony not very satisfactory ? Beware the legions of Bitru—he commands seventy legions—will work you all kinds of misfortune . And why should you refuse to believe , since Miss Diana Vaughan affirms it , and can produce

The Fiancee Of Asmodeus.

references , some letters from Cardinal Parocehi , the word of M . Leo Taxil , and articles of the " Semain Keligieuse" of Coutances .. Can you push your scepticism so far as to doubt the existence of Miss Diana Vaughan ? This is what the members of

the anti-Masonic Congress held at Trent last year have done , and who still wait for the promised proof . At this moment the author of " the Devil in the Nineteenth Century " finishes by declaring quite frankly that-he-has . wilfully mystified his readers ; but that does not disperse the faith of some . " But if it pleases me to be beaten , " says the wife of Sganarelle .

Among the more determined believers there is a desire to have some less shady proofs of the existence of Diana , and now M . Margiotta publicly affirms that M . Leo Taxil and himself were the concoctors of this new imposture . But proofs ! still

cry the credulous , will you expose Diana to the vengeance of the Sects ? Proofs ! says the mysterious Diana , well you shall have them complete . Only I cannot produce my certificate of birth , the registers are so badly kept in Kentucky . But I will come , I will show myself , I will speak .

PAKT II . THB DENOUEMENT . An enormous gathering assembled in the large Hall of the Geographical Society ( Paris ) on 20 th April 1897 , to see Miss Diana Vaughan , the fiancee of the Demon Asmodeus , the converted Palladiste , & c , to prove her existence and her identity to the most incredulous . The programme of the conference bore the following note : *

Twelve years under the Banner of the Church . —M . Leo Taxil having been put on trial on the subject of Miss Diana Vaughan , and having stated his determination to renounce the &_ ti-M *_ -. oa \ c straggle , Miss Yangha-n has permitted him to make such declarations which concern him personally . M . Leo Taxil will show why and how his retreat is not a desertion .

This item of the programme is the only one that has been given . But with what amplitude has it been executed ! Formerly , M . Gabriel Jogand illustrated the pseudonym of Leo Taxil by a long series of anti-clerical publications directed against the Catholic Church , its dogmas , its priests , and by several romances in which irreligion was united to a revolting obscenity .

Disowned by honest and enlightened Freemasons , who would not make common cause with the writer , Leo Taxil felt himself suddenly touched by Grace : He announced solemnly and loudly his conversion , retired to a convent , and resolved henceforth to consecrate the fertility of his imagination to the defence of the Church .

It was an event in the political world . There is more joy in heaven for one sinner who repents than for ten just men who persevere . The repentance was welcomed with a joyousness almost as loud as had been his conversion , and then Leo Taxil , anxious to repair the evil he had done , commenced the publication of numerous works in which he pretended to unveil the secrets and mysteries of Freemasonry .

As a noviciate his zeal received from the clergy the greatest encouragement , and among the highest dignitaries of the Church , even at the Vatican , Taxil found his readers , friends and patrons . He was honoured with episcopal letters , and was received in

audience by the Pope Leo XIII . He took for a motto a passage in the " Humanum Genus , " "In the first place snatch from Freemasonry the mask which covers it , and make it see itself as it is . "

There was not in Catholicism a more fervent , more ardent or more impassioned disciple . He became a Father of the Church , a theologian , and the priestly ranks congratulated themselves upon having such a valiant recruit in their regiment , an auxiliary the more precious on account of his profound knowledge of the secrets of Freemasonry . He would unmask them all : the

Lodges , the' triangles , the satanism , the palladism , Diana Vaughan , Sophie Walder , and a thousand other things . In the convents the good sisters thanked God for having permitted this conversion , and prayed that Diana might be converted in her turn . These supplications were heard favourably—Diana was converted .

But did Diana exist at all ? She was stated to have shown herself in Paris , and in London , but only to two or three privileged persons . She wrote and telegraphed from all the capitals of Europe , to numerous correspondents—but was this sufficient proof ? At the anti-Masonic Congress of Trent , held in September 189 t 5 , which was presided over by the Prince

Lowenstein , the representative of Cardinal Kreinentz , archbishop of Cologne , made a lively attack on the fantastic stories told by a convert whom no one had seen . " Who is she ? " he asked . " When was she converted ? Who has baptised her ? Why this mystery ? " For himself he affirmed his conviction that it was all an imposture , which its authors hoped , after seeing the Catholics fall into the trap , to cover them with ridicule .

But at a following meeting the Abbe de Bessonies , of the Paris clergy , presented a report supporting the existence of Diana , upon the statements of witnesses—not otherwise