Jean-Baptiste Willermoz
Encyclopedia
Jean-Baptiste Willermoz (1730–1824) was a French Freemason and Martinist
who played an important role in the establishment of various systems of Masonic high-degrees in his time in both France
and Germany
, (Rhone). He was the oldest of 12 children, he lived mainly in Lyon
. He was the brother of Pierre-Jacques Willermoz, a physician and chemist
who also worked on the Encyclopédie
of Diderot and D'Alembert.
He was a manufacturer of silk and silver at rue des Quatre-Hats, and as a volunteer director of charities, he played an important role in the European freemasonry
of his time. As such he was initiated at the age of 20 and became Venerable Master of his lodge at 22.
As a mystic, passionate about the secret nature of initiation, he contributed to the creation of the Grand Lodge of Regular Masters of Lyon, and became its Grand Master in 1762. The Grand Lodge practiced seven Masonic high-degrees at the time, whereupon he of the time and added the eighth named "Scottish Grand Master, Knights of the Sword and the Rose-Croix." Willermoz founded in 1763, together with his brother Pierre-Jacques, a lodge entitled "Sovereign Chapter of Knights of the Black Eagle Rose+Croix" who was devoted to alchemical research
He was admitted to first grade in the Order of the Eleus Cohens at Versailles
in 1767 on the recommendation of Bacon of Chivalerie and the Marquis de Lusignan. After the death of Martinez de Pasqually in September 1774, he engaged his friend and Choen-brother Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin to write a comprehensive review of the doctrine of the elect Coens, in the form of lessons, called "the Lessons of Lyon" to be held from January 7, 1774 to October 23, 1776. He said in a letter of 1780 to the Prince of Hesse that he was given the rank of Reau-Croix of the Order of Martinez Pasqually
In the 1770s, he gets in contact with Baron von Hund and the German Order of the Strict Templar Observance (SOT) which he joined with the chevalric name Eques ab Eremo and Chancellor of the Chapter of Lyons. It was under his leadership that the "Convent of Gaul, Lyon was held in 1778 that recognized the degrees of Profess and Grand Profess of the Knights Beneficent of the Holy City (CBCS) .
In 1782, Willermoz wrote that there are three kinds of alchemical freemasons:
Due to disagreements within the SOT, Willermoz organized in July 1782 the convent of Wilhelmsbad where 33 delegates attended in Europe and saw to the creation of the Rectified Scottish Rite
There he defend the Martinesism currents place in the rite, through the delegacy of Joseph de Maistre
who sent his famous Memorandum to the Duke of Brunswick, . This was not supported by the other delegates.
Very reserved towards Cagliostro, he thought, after several conversations with him, that he did not promote an "orthodox" Christianity in his eyes. He therefore urged members of the Knights Beneficent not to give any creedance to him, nor to the lodge he founded in 1785 in Paris, the first mother-lodge of the Egyptian rite, whose name was "the Wisdom Triumphant".
Worried about the eventual outbreak of the Revolution, he hid in Ain, in a house belonging to his brother Pierre-Jacques, taking with him his extensive Masonic archive
He was later appointed General of the Department of the Rhone by the Prime Consul on the 1st of June 1800, an office he held for 15 years. He resumed his Masonic activities with a resurgence of the CBCS in 1804, and dedicated himself to this end until his death at age 94, May 29, 1824
Martinism
Martinism is a form of mystical and esoteric Christianity concerned with the fall of the first man, his state of material privation from his divine source, and the process of his return, called 'Reintegration' or illumination....
who played an important role in the establishment of various systems of Masonic high-degrees in his time in both France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Biography
Jean-Baptiste Willermoz was born July 10, 1730 in LyonLyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, (Rhone). He was the oldest of 12 children, he lived mainly in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
. He was the brother of Pierre-Jacques Willermoz, a physician and chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
who also worked on the Encyclopédie
Encyclopédie
Encyclopédie, ou dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers was a general encyclopedia published in France between 1751 and 1772, with later supplements, revised editions, and translations. It was edited by Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d'Alembert...
of Diderot and D'Alembert.
He was a manufacturer of silk and silver at rue des Quatre-Hats, and as a volunteer director of charities, he played an important role in the European freemasonry
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
of his time. As such he was initiated at the age of 20 and became Venerable Master of his lodge at 22.
As a mystic, passionate about the secret nature of initiation, he contributed to the creation of the Grand Lodge of Regular Masters of Lyon, and became its Grand Master in 1762. The Grand Lodge practiced seven Masonic high-degrees at the time, whereupon he of the time and added the eighth named "Scottish Grand Master, Knights of the Sword and the Rose-Croix." Willermoz founded in 1763, together with his brother Pierre-Jacques, a lodge entitled "Sovereign Chapter of Knights of the Black Eagle Rose+Croix" who was devoted to alchemical research
He was admitted to first grade in the Order of the Eleus Cohens at Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
in 1767 on the recommendation of Bacon of Chivalerie and the Marquis de Lusignan. After the death of Martinez de Pasqually in September 1774, he engaged his friend and Choen-brother Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin to write a comprehensive review of the doctrine of the elect Coens, in the form of lessons, called "the Lessons of Lyon" to be held from January 7, 1774 to October 23, 1776. He said in a letter of 1780 to the Prince of Hesse that he was given the rank of Reau-Croix of the Order of Martinez Pasqually
In the 1770s, he gets in contact with Baron von Hund and the German Order of the Strict Templar Observance (SOT) which he joined with the chevalric name Eques ab Eremo and Chancellor of the Chapter of Lyons. It was under his leadership that the "Convent of Gaul, Lyon was held in 1778 that recognized the degrees of Profess and Grand Profess of the Knights Beneficent of the Holy City (CBCS) .
In 1782, Willermoz wrote that there are three kinds of alchemical freemasons:
- Those who think that the purpose of Masonry to make the Philosopher's StonePhilosopher's stoneThe philosopher's stone is a legendary alchemical substance said to be capable of turning base metals into gold or silver. It was also sometimes believed to be an elixir of life, useful for rejuvenation and possibly for achieving immortality. For many centuries, it was the most sought-after goal...
. - Those who search for the PanaceaPanaceaIn Greek mythology, Panacea was a goddess of healing. She was the daughter of Asclepius and Epione. Panacea and her five sisters each performed a facet of Apollo's art: Panacea was the goddess of cures, Iaso was the goddess of recuperation, Hygieia was the goddess of disease prevention, Aceso was...
. - Those who search for the Science of Great WorkGreat WorkThe term Great Work is a term used in Hermeticism and in certain occult traditions and religions such as Thelema.-In Hermeticism:...
by which man would find the wisdom and practices of early Christianity (of which he himself took part)
Due to disagreements within the SOT, Willermoz organized in July 1782 the convent of Wilhelmsbad where 33 delegates attended in Europe and saw to the creation of the Rectified Scottish Rite
Rectified Scottish Rite
The Rectified Scottish Rite is a Christian Masonic rite founded in Lyon in 1778.- Origins of this Rite :The Rite was mainly elaborated by Jean-Baptiste Willermoz. This famous Mason reformed the French branch of the Templar Strict Observance at the Congress of Gauls in 1778, including some items...
There he defend the Martinesism currents place in the rite, through the delegacy of Joseph de Maistre
Joseph de Maistre
Joseph-Marie, comte de Maistre was a French-speaking Savoyard philosopher, writer, lawyer, and diplomat. He defended hierarchical societies and a monarchical State in the period immediately following the French Revolution...
who sent his famous Memorandum to the Duke of Brunswick, . This was not supported by the other delegates.
Very reserved towards Cagliostro, he thought, after several conversations with him, that he did not promote an "orthodox" Christianity in his eyes. He therefore urged members of the Knights Beneficent not to give any creedance to him, nor to the lodge he founded in 1785 in Paris, the first mother-lodge of the Egyptian rite, whose name was "the Wisdom Triumphant".
Worried about the eventual outbreak of the Revolution, he hid in Ain, in a house belonging to his brother Pierre-Jacques, taking with him his extensive Masonic archive
He was later appointed General of the Department of the Rhone by the Prime Consul on the 1st of June 1800, an office he held for 15 years. He resumed his Masonic activities with a resurgence of the CBCS in 1804, and dedicated himself to this end until his death at age 94, May 29, 1824
Bibliographic Resources
Stuart, Trevor The Life and Work of Jean-Baptiste Willermoz, 1730-1824 Septentrione Books 2007Other authoritative works in this area
- Pierre Chevallier, Histoire de la franc-maçonnerie française, 3 volumes, Fayard, 1974
- Jean-Marc Vivenza, Le Martinisme, l'enseignement secret des maîtres : Martinès de Pasqually, Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin et Jean-Baptiste Willermoz fondateur du Rite Ecossais Rectifié, Le Mercure Dauphinois, 2005.