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Article DU PELERIN, OR THE PROFESSION. ← Page 2 of 6 →
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Du Pelerin, Or The Profession.
several subordinate priests , clad in their peculiar white cassocks , with the red cross on their breasts , occupied appropriate places near the altar . All were ready marshalled for the ceremony ; and the prefatory prayer of the prelate , imploring the guidance of divine grace in the duty in which they were about to be engaged , announced the commencement of the initiatory rites . When all had said "Amen" to the priest , a silver bell was heard to ring , with a prolonged and portentous
vibration , apparently proceeding from under the archway or pillars of the aisle , and the clanging sound of an iron door closing violently afterwards directed the attention of all present to the spot . There was a pause , for an instant , of profound silence , —when the figure of a Knight-preceptor of the Order was seen gravely advancing , with the point of his sword depressed . Having approached within a respectful distance of the Grand Master , and signified the trace of the cross on his forehead , the preceptor humbly craved to be heard by the Master and council assembled .
What would our Brother , Reginald , have of us or of our magisterial assistants ? Our worthy Brother has but to speak his thoughts , which , we doubt not , are always such as ought to appertain to our holy calling and profession , as the servants and soldiers of Christ and of his Temple . " " High and venerable Odo , by the grace of God our Order ' s Master ] it is written in the Book of His Word— ' There is more joy in heaven sinner that
over one repenteth , than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance . ' Even so may it be matter of congratulation to this Order , to rescue a single penitent from the world of perdition . A secular aspirant to the sacred principles of our Fraternity , sincerely , I trust , desires to renounce the world and its lusts , and to be admitted into your holy convent ; and through me he presents his petition and prayer . Such most gracious Master is the matter of addressand i humbl
my ; y wait your commands thereupon . " Without arising from his seat the Grand Master spoke : — ' ' Know ye , noble sirs , and reverend Brethren , aught against this young disciple and novice of our worthy Brother , the Preceptor ; or are ye advised of any impediment whatever , why he should be excluded from participation with our holy Brotherhood and Society ? Your silence speaks approval of the aspirant . Brother Preceptor , depart and interrogate the candidate—closel y as to the steadfastness and sincerity of his faith and his desires—even as it is written— ' Try ye the spirits whether they he of God . ' Our two magisterial assistants will attend
you . The individual who formed the object of these solemn injunctions and inquiries , was a young Norman gentleman of equestrian ' descent , who had lately arrived in Palestine . From misfortune , and the vicissitudes of the times , his family had fallen into comparative dissolution ; and the father of Du Pelerin ( for that was his name ) had left him little else but his good sword to win for him honour and estate . This , had there been other
no reason , was enough to have prompted him to set forth on adventures , and proffer his services where they would be best appreciated , or where they would tend most to his glory or good . But another motive , no less potent , had impelled him to seek for chivalrous employment , if not for power and wealth , in the distracted and distant kingdom of Jerusalem . One there was among the maidens of Normandy whom the youthful Du Pelerin had devotedly loved , and by whom he was beloved again . Companions together
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Du Pelerin, Or The Profession.
several subordinate priests , clad in their peculiar white cassocks , with the red cross on their breasts , occupied appropriate places near the altar . All were ready marshalled for the ceremony ; and the prefatory prayer of the prelate , imploring the guidance of divine grace in the duty in which they were about to be engaged , announced the commencement of the initiatory rites . When all had said "Amen" to the priest , a silver bell was heard to ring , with a prolonged and portentous
vibration , apparently proceeding from under the archway or pillars of the aisle , and the clanging sound of an iron door closing violently afterwards directed the attention of all present to the spot . There was a pause , for an instant , of profound silence , —when the figure of a Knight-preceptor of the Order was seen gravely advancing , with the point of his sword depressed . Having approached within a respectful distance of the Grand Master , and signified the trace of the cross on his forehead , the preceptor humbly craved to be heard by the Master and council assembled .
What would our Brother , Reginald , have of us or of our magisterial assistants ? Our worthy Brother has but to speak his thoughts , which , we doubt not , are always such as ought to appertain to our holy calling and profession , as the servants and soldiers of Christ and of his Temple . " " High and venerable Odo , by the grace of God our Order ' s Master ] it is written in the Book of His Word— ' There is more joy in heaven sinner that
over one repenteth , than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance . ' Even so may it be matter of congratulation to this Order , to rescue a single penitent from the world of perdition . A secular aspirant to the sacred principles of our Fraternity , sincerely , I trust , desires to renounce the world and its lusts , and to be admitted into your holy convent ; and through me he presents his petition and prayer . Such most gracious Master is the matter of addressand i humbl
my ; y wait your commands thereupon . " Without arising from his seat the Grand Master spoke : — ' ' Know ye , noble sirs , and reverend Brethren , aught against this young disciple and novice of our worthy Brother , the Preceptor ; or are ye advised of any impediment whatever , why he should be excluded from participation with our holy Brotherhood and Society ? Your silence speaks approval of the aspirant . Brother Preceptor , depart and interrogate the candidate—closel y as to the steadfastness and sincerity of his faith and his desires—even as it is written— ' Try ye the spirits whether they he of God . ' Our two magisterial assistants will attend
you . The individual who formed the object of these solemn injunctions and inquiries , was a young Norman gentleman of equestrian ' descent , who had lately arrived in Palestine . From misfortune , and the vicissitudes of the times , his family had fallen into comparative dissolution ; and the father of Du Pelerin ( for that was his name ) had left him little else but his good sword to win for him honour and estate . This , had there been other
no reason , was enough to have prompted him to set forth on adventures , and proffer his services where they would be best appreciated , or where they would tend most to his glory or good . But another motive , no less potent , had impelled him to seek for chivalrous employment , if not for power and wealth , in the distracted and distant kingdom of Jerusalem . One there was among the maidens of Normandy whom the youthful Du Pelerin had devotedly loved , and by whom he was beloved again . Companions together