The Seekers by Heather Graham

Author:Heather Graham
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MIRA Books
Published: 2019-05-21T15:39:59+00:00

* * *

“Modern Satanism, from what I’ve managed to find, began with men like Anton LaVey,” Joe said as he drove. The scenery they passed was exquisite. Rolling land so green it looked like velvet beneath the sun. Occasionally an old barn with pastureland surrounding it. Hills that rose to be captured by rich trees, their leaves as saturated as the grass.

“But the original Hebrew word for Satan came from a word that meant opposed. Really, some form of Satanism has been practiced all around throughout history. As time went on, pagan religions became mixed up with Christianity, and witchcraft—pagan healing and appreciation of nature, to modern wiccans—became just as mixed up with Satanism. Since those medieval times—say, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, societies against the rigor of religion began to form, such as the Hellfire Club.”

She glanced over at him. “Those were widespread,” she agreed, “but the name often refers to Sir Francis Dashwood’s Order of the Friars of Sir Francis of Wycombe. It was set up for elite members of society who loved to take part in the most immoral acts. It was also believed to be related to a secret society known as the Order of the Second Circle.”

“You read what I read,” Joe said.

“I’ve read a lot through the years. Let’s see, the first official Hellfire Club was in London, founded by Philip, Duke of Wharton, and then others were set up around England and Ireland. According to sources I read, while the devil was the president of the Wharton’s club, the members weren’t really devil worshippers—just impious rakes. They accepted women, and since women weren’t allowed in taverns at the time, they met in houses. Anyway, Wharton’s club was disbanded in 1721 when George I put out a bill against ‘impieties.’ It was really a bill to get rid of the Hellfire Club.”

“Ah, but rich boys will be rich and elite boys,” Joe said, “and they still cropped up. Such as Dashwood’s club, which became so infamous. And when they kind of fell out, clubs still existed over in Ireland.”

Keri, smiling, nodded. “Thanks to Dashwood’s nephew, the Phoenix Society rose. You can actually visit the Hellfire Caves in Wycombe where Dashwood’s group met. There are still rumors of such clubs all over the place, but in most, the image of Satan is used to show disregard for the teachings of religion, rather than as something truly worshipped. Ben Franklin was a member, by the way. At that time, Dashwood’s club was called the Monks of Medmenham Abbey.”

“Franklin was a rascal, all right,” Joe said, “and yet, the only man to sign the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Paris and the United States Constitution. I’ll bet you knew that,” he added, glancing over at her.

“I didn’t, but I did know that he was an incredibly free thinker, that he believed adamantly in the rights of men, and that he was a terrible womanizer and even an adulterer—but the way I see it, that was between him and his wife.

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