Member-only story
In 1738, Pope Clement XII condemned Freemasonry. This rather riled some Catholic members, particularly Klemens August of Bavaria, who decided to found the Order of the Pug, or Mops-Orden in German, a secret association for Catholics whose popularity spread rapidly through Holland, Belgium, and France.
Some initially thought the group to be involved in black magic, a type of satanic cult using a dog as its object of worship. Instead, it appears to be an elitist joke of sorts, taking the rites and rituals of the masons and turning them into parlour games. The first break from tradition was their induction of women into the order, with the exception of the Grand Master’s role which was for life. Added to membership, the ladies were permitted other managerial responsibilities, including the post of Grand Mistress whose service lasted for six months.
New members were subjected to similar rituals as masonic lodges with a few quirky adaptations. Firstly, the candidate had to scratch at the door to be admitted into the ceremony. After a purposeful wait, they were then obliged to bark at the door. When they were finally admitted, the candidate was blindfolded, made to wear and collar and lead and walked around the room nine times while members, or mops as they called themselves, howled and clanked swords, sticks, chains, and shovels…