[H] Michael Germanus (a Latinization of "_Der deutsche Michel_," the personification of the German nation, analogous to the English "John Bull" and the American "Brother Jonathan") is the pseudonym of a priest, Parson Künzle, of Feldkirch, in the Tyrolese Voralberg.
Bitru's proclamation of Sophia Sapho as the prospective great-grandmother of the incarnate antichrist is given in full. It was dictated in Latin by Bitru at a meeting of Freemasons in Italy, and written down by Luigi Revello, and bears the devil's signature, composed of Satanic signs and symbols, darts, sword, cords, lightning, bugle-horn, trident, and crowing cock.
This climax of absurdity ought to have served to expose the trickery and trumpery of the whole affair, but it produced the very opposite effect. Dr. Germanus refers to "Bitru's sign-manual as highly interesting," and characterizes "the documentary evidence as thoroughly convincing"; those who refuse to recognize the truth in the face of such positive proof he accuses of imitating the ostrich and willfully shutting their eyes to the light.[I]
[I] A photographic reproduction of this document is given in Diana Vaughan's biography of the Italian statesman Crispi, which contains numerous illustrations and portraits of Crispi, Mazzini, Lemmi, Garibaldi, Giordano Bruno, and other "Palladists," or Masonic worshipers of Satan. The original French title of the book is "Le 33e .:. Crispi. Un Palladiste Homme d'État démasqué. Biographie documentée du Héros depuis sa Naissance jusqu' à sa deuxième Mort. Par Miss Diana Vaughan."
The salvation of Diana Vaughan is described as due to her intense admiration for Joan of Arc, a feeling which was ardently fostered by the priests with whom she chanced to come in contact. One day, as she was attended by Asmodeus, Astaroth, Beelzebub, and Moloch, incarnate in "the counterfeit presentment" of fine gentlemen, she obeyed a sudden and irresistible impulse to invoke the Maid of Orleans, when these devils were immediately stripped of their disguise, and stood before her in their true character as imps of hell, with hoofs and horns, and emitted an intolerable stench. No sooner did they perceive that they were unmasked than they vanished with a fearful howl. This miracle made a deep impression upon her, and led to her conversion. She took refuge in a Parisian cloister, and, after severe penance and proper instruction, was received into the bosom of the Catholic Church. During this period of penitential seclusion she wrote her Memoirs, which produced an immense sensation in clerical circles, and were pronounced by a high ecclesiastical dignitary to be "worth more than their weight in gold."