Orthodox Jews base their religious practices entirely on the Cabala. They celebrate their coming

triumph, the Feast of Tabernacles, which is defined in the Zohar as the period when they triumph

over all the peoples of the world. "That is why during this feast we seize the loulab and carry it

as a trophy to show that we have conquered all the other people (the populace)" (Toldoth Noah

63b).

In his definitive work, "The Magical Mason," W. Wynn Westcott, the founder of the Hermetic

Order of the Golden Dawn in England, traces the origins of the Freemasons back to the Essenes

in Jerusalem; Pharisaic Jews, the practitioners of the most strict Judaism; the ancient Mysteries

of Egypt and Greece; the Vehm-Gerichte of Westphalia in Germany; the trade guilds of the

Middle Ages; the Roman Collegia; the French Compagnons; and the Rosicrucians. Westcott

points out that the cornerstone of the Capitol of Rome has the keystone mark of "the Overseers,"

a sacred group. The Royal Arch has an altar of white stone in the form of a double cube; it is

engraved with "the Sacred Name." He says that the Mysteries, from which all Masonic ritual is

derived, were intended to end the fear of death in the initiate, by re-enacting the descent into

Hades, and thus finding the great first cause of all things revealed to the initiate. Westcott claims

that the famous Black Stone in the Sacred Mosque at Mecca is also part of this ritual. There is

also the Sacred Stone placed beneath the Throne of England, which is said to have been the

Stone of Jacob in Biblical times.

From such ancient symbols of power came the Masonic motto, "Per me reges regnant," "through

me kings reign." By controlling kings, the Masons exercised their power from behind the

scenes. If the kings were overthrown by revolutions (which were often of organized by the

Freemasons themselves), the kings might be beheaded, but the instigators behind the throne

would be forewarned and escape unscathed. They would then continue to reign through the next

chosen leader, usually designated by their inner councils.