Contrast Between The Old And New Knight Templars

CONTRAST BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW KNIGHT TEMPLARS

BY BRO . JACOB NORTON .

THAT our modern Masonry descended from tho secret Masonic Lodges of the Middle Ages , may bo proved in various ways . Thus , Dr . Plott informs us that tho Masons of his day used to wear white gloves in their Lodges , where they were also " entertained with collations . "

It . cannot be denied that our Masons havo kept up tho old landmarks of white gloves , and collations too , over since 1717 . There is no reason to doubt that whito aprons were

worn by the pre-1717 Masons in their Lodges , and modern Masons do the same . In shorfc , the outfit ; of tho pre-1717 Masons , while in their Lodges , strongly resembled thafc of our modern Masons . The modern Mason is decorated with

trinkets called jewels , and his apron is trimmed with blue ribbon . Exactly when these innovations were introduced I know nofc , but , any how , I very much doubt whether Grand Master Anthony Sayer , or his immediate successors ,

Wore blue trimmed aprons , or any jewels . But bo that as it may , no one can deny a strong family resemblance , as it were , in the Lodge accoutrement of the old Masons aud of the new .

Now , our modern Knight Templars claim direct descent from the old Templars , that is , from the days of Do Molay . But our Boston Knight Templars bear no resemblance whatever to the pictures preserved of the Knight Templars of olden times . For instance , the old Templars in their

Priory used to wear whito mantles , and when on a war tramp , they were mounted on horseback , and were covered from head to foot in armour , having an iron shield on fcho leffc arm , and a spear in the right hand , with a sword hanging on the left side . Bnt our neio Templar , when afc home ,

wears an ordinary suit of clothes , and when on a tramp , or parade , he wears a black tail coat and black trousers , a small three cornered black apron ; he holds a naked

sword in his right hand , with a cocked hat upon his head . Hence , with the exception of a cross on one side of his cocked hat , there is nothing about him to remind one of an old Templar .

But that is not all . The old Templar believed in the Trinity , and in the Viceregency or infallibility of the Pope , he believed in the dogma of the "Real Presence , " he made frequent confessions of his sins , and prayed to the Virgin and to Saints . But Boston Knight Templars

need nofc believe in the Trinity , or in any Catholic dogma . And as to praying to the Virgin and holy Saints , such a prayer was never offered in a Boston Knight Templar Commandery . Indeed , I firmly believe thafc if a Boston K . T . Chaplain had dared to pray to the Virgin in a Boston

Commandery that it would have been the last of hisK . T . Chaplainship . We see now that whether we compare tbe old Templars with the new , from their respective outfits , or their respective religious dogmas , there is not the slightest resemblance letioeen them .

Now , Frater Wm . J . B . Macleod Moore , " Supreme Grand Master [ of the ] Great Priory of Canada , " claims to be more of a Knight Templar than the so-called Knight Templars in the United States are . He does not indeed pretend to believe in the Pope ' s infallibility , nor would he

suffer his Chaplain to pray to the Virgin and Saints in his Priory , and has no objection to Canadian Knight Templars having wives , bufc he insists that every disbeliever in tbe Trinity is disqualified from becoming a Knight Templar . He also calls his place of the Templars' meeting . " Priory "

instead of " Commandery . " And as I have never seen a Canadian Knight Templar , I cannot say whether his outfit for the performance in the Priory resemble more that of the old genuine fighting Templars , or of our United States talking Templars . But one thing I must say in behalf of

Grand Frater Moore , viz ., he either knows more about the actual history of Masonie Tcmplarism than our United States Grand Masters of Templars do , or he is moro fearless in writing the truth about the origin of Masonic Tcmplarism , as the following extracts from Bro . Moore ' s last published " Allocution of 1889 " will show , viz .:

—" To me largo military organisations aro no new si ght , and I can not now feel the same interest in those of an imitative character , more particularly as I have long abandoned the idea that Masonio Military Templary represents ' tbo true Order , ' or thnfc there IA any connection between Tomplary and Masonry , which at one timo I may have supposed .

Contrast Between The Old And New Knight Templars

" Various theories were advanced to prove that Templary was a component purt of 'Free and Accepted Masonry' of the 1717 re . vival , but all have failed to convince , before historic truth and modern criticism , however carefully perversion of truth may be arranged . At this time , in 1 S 73 , a most searching : investigation

waa instituted as to its alleged derivation and connection with ' Freemasonry , ' as woll as to ita direct descent from the old orders of chivalry . It wns then clearly ascertained and declared that Modern Templary was in no way a part of Speculative Freemasonry , bat merely allied to it .

" The argument brought forward , that the Templar degrees formed a part of the original plan of Speculative Freemasonry of the revival , is a mistake baaed upon ' Anachronisms , ' as they all refer to

periods long after the invention of additional degrees of the Templar System . Tho error of adopting theso degrees at all has been dia . tinctly pointed ont by modern Masonio investigation of the most reliable authority .

"As a purely Christian society allied to Freemasonry , military evolutions nnd displays aro quite out of place , of no benefit , and questionable buth in policy and utility . " The reformed degree ' Kadoah , ' [ or ] Holy—whioh gave rise to the modern Templar degrees , was originally one of vengeance and hatred

against the oppressors of the Templar Order , viz ., the Papacy and the Royal House of France , now changed to preserve the recollection of the persecution and dispersion of the Templars and the suffering of its members : but it must be recollected that all those Templar degrees , nnder tho mask of Freemasonry , are but fabrications of the last century .

" Tho comments so frequently indulged in by Masonio writers ou the great antiquity of ' Freemasonry , ' has led to the common mistake and belief that it alludes to the symbolic system of the present day , whereas it refers only to the ancient operative stoue Masons—speculative Freemasonry being comparatively modern .

"After tho dispersion of the Members [ or Templars ] an unsupported tradition relates that many of them joined the Masonic Lodge at' Sterling , ' which gave rise to tho Knightly Order becoming incorporated with Masonry ; the present Scottish ritual is very similar to that of Canada , derived from the ancient Templars , founded upon the Benedictine canons .

"In its present form , United States Templary can have no pretension to be considered as representing the old Order , hence the mistake of associating the degrees of the two countries as meaning one and the same . " The purely Masonio Templar system oan be compared to little

else than what might be called ' a frantic effort after tho real thing , with a sort of photograph of it to start upon , ' but which in many in . stances has degenerated into a burlesque of tho original idea , howover well ' got up' and enjoyable a public dramatic military spectacle , bnt it is not Templary .

" To speak of Templary as an order of Freemasonry , is simply ridiculous . Tho order of tho Templo existed for centuries apart from Freemasonry , withont any known connection , further than that the old Knight TVtv . plars employe . ! craft workm-in . [ Yes , thor nl--o employed craft tailors , shnemnkcrs , carpenter ? , blacksmiths , & c ., & c ,

and what of it ?] and onr Grand Lodges of Freemasonry consider the Templar dogmas as glaring innovations up jn Symbolic Masonry . Thia is clearly shown in a pamphlet printed in London so far back as 1796 ,

called ' Freemasonry , or a word to the wise , being a vindication of the science as practised by the Grand Lodgo of England . ' Templary therefore in the Empire is only recognised as ' quasi Masonic , ' from being allied to it as an additional degree for about a century past . "

I must here add that our Masonic Templars may ho divided into three classes . Firsfc are the very pious ones . These believe that it is a virtne to deceive and lie for fche purpose of propping up religion . Hence , they zealously defend every lying legend which serves their purpose ,

and fiercely abuse every honest man who opposes their Jesuitical scheme . Second are the indifferent ones . These are totally ignorant of Masouic history , and they care not whether the legends are true or false ; they like the title

of " Sir Knight ; " they are proud of parading in the streets with their cocked hats on ; and they like to havo a jolly good time . From that class all the new humbugging associations called Masonic receive their recruits . Tbe

third clnss is not large . Thoso know very well that Tcmplarism is a fraud , and privately they will admit tbo fact , but , politician like , they lack either conscience or courage , or both , to make known their ideas publicly . Here , however , for the first timo in tho history of Masonic

Tcmplarism , I found a truly pious Grand Master of Knig ht Templars , who not only knows tho true history of Masonic Tcmplarism , bufc who is also conscientious enough to tell tho truth . And I yincorely believe that Bro . Mooro ha 3 rendered great service to the Craffc thereby , for he gave a

lesson to pions zealots that lying , even for the purpose ol bolstering up religion , is wrong , aud if they should continue to persist in lying , it must eventually bring them and their religion , too , into contempt . But still

I am sorry to say that Bro . Moore did not go far enough-It seems tbat old prejudices still cling to his imag ination , for while ho was outspoken and candid when treating of United States Teniplurism , ho , in a certain