Hell Fire Club Secret Society - Sex, Satanism and Secret Societies

The Hellfire Club was a name for several exclusive clubs for high society rakes established in Britain and Ireland in the 18th century, and was more formally or cautiously known as the Order of the Friars of St. Francis of Wycombe. These clubs were rumoured to be the meeting places of "persons of quality" who wished to take part in immoral acts, and the members were often very involved in politics. Neither the activities nor membership of the club are easy to ascertain. The club motto was Fais ce que tu voudras (Do what thou wilt), a philosophy of life associated with François Rabelais' fictional abbey at Thélème and later used by Aleister Crowley.

Throughout history, secret societies have captured the public's attention. They have been the basis for many conspiracy theories mainly based on their tight secrecy. The question still remains today if they really were secret societies set to overtake the world or if they were just bored people who wanted to give the world something to talk about. One of those secret societies was the Hell Fire Club in England.

There has been much speculation about the layout and the design of the Hellfire Caves. Map of the Hellfire Caves with female reproductive system showing the perfect match of the Ovary, Womb, Pubis, Shaft and Testicles. Just a coincidence?

The purpose of this club was to enliven the "dull traditional Sunday" with drinks and rude songs. According to a contemporary satire "Religion is their scorn, foul vice their Pride, The Clergy is their Subject to deride". It is generally assumed that during these rakes' meeting parodies of religious rites were carried out, though these were probably more akin to Blackadder's and Melchett's drinking nights than to the generally imagined Satanic ritual.

The Hell Fire Club was established in the early 1700s by Sir Francis Dashwood. It began as a mockery of religion but became something much more. Dashwood was always at odds with religion and was not quiet about his feelings in that regard. He took many opportunities to mock religion, especially Catholicism. This included the establishment of The Friars of St. Francis of Weycomb (some called it Medmenham which was the name of the abbey the group made its home in) as the Hell Fire Club was originally known as. According to Daniel Pratt Mannix, "The original Hell-Fire Club had been abolished by special order of the Lord High Chancellor, because even in that broadminded time the members had carried things a little too far when they celebrated Mass on the body of a naked girl stretched out on one of the barroom tables." Dashwood recreated the group under the new name but the public kept calling the group The Hell Fire Club. 

Hell Fire Club Secret Society - Sex, Satanism and Secret Societies