Universal Order of Agnostics

Universal Order of Agnostics
Formation	1896-07-31
Headquarters	Newport, Vermont
Supreme Grand Master	Dr. John M. Currier

The Universal Order of Agnostics was an American fraternal order, organised by John M. Currier at Newport, Vermont on 31 July 1896, open exclusively to those "possessed with the requisite amount of learning" and "the right kind of religious views," which, as the name of the order suggests, meant an embrace of agnosticism.

Press Coverage

• Gould, S. C., ed. (April 1905), Universal Order of Agnostics, "Arcane Societies in the United States", Historic Magazine and Notes and Queries 23 (4): 91, https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101064475955;view=1up;seq=110, "The Universal Order of Agnostics was founded July 31, 1896, by Dr. John M. Currier, at Newport, Vt., U.S.A., and who is now its Supreme Grand Master. It is a secret and learned Order, to which no one is admitted unless he is possessed with the requisite amount of learning, and that he gives evidence of the right kind of religious views and is possessed with strong mental attainments and unchangeable habits of thought. There are twenty-one degrees in the Order, and these are divided into three sections, or classes, according to the proficiency the candidate has made in the knowledge required by the Order. The admission fees for the twenty one degrees are $50.00, and there are no dues. For further information, at this time, address the Supreme Grand Master, Newport, Vt." 
• Gould, S. C., ed. (December 1901), "Universal Order of Agnostics", Notes and Queries and Historic Magazine (Manchester, N.H.: S.C. and L.M. Gould) 19 (12): 298, https://books.google.com/books?id=YeIRAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA298&lpg=PA298, "The following excerpt is taken from the address of Dr. John M. Currier, of Newport, Vt., Supreme Grand Master of the Supreme Grand Council of the Learned and Perfect, of the Twenty-First and Last Degree of the Universal Order of Agnostics, delivered at the Quinquennial Congress, July 31, 1901: "All Oulytra are human assumptions; no demonstrations of their existence can be made; much less can the elements of which they are composed be separated and shown. On the contrary, it is not for the Agnostic to assert, or deny their existence. Such beings, in order to exist, must be composed of elementary substances; beings composed of nothing are unthinkable entities. Oulytra, or unanalysed beings, have been assumed to exist in all historic ages of man, unquestioned by some, and proven by none. The philosopher may assert their existence; the unbeliever may deny their existence, but the true Agnostic neither asserts nor denies their existence, and admits his inability to do so.""