The Templar Reception.

hood in any particular , you expose yourself to be banished from the house . From which guilt may God preserve you . Now , good brother , take notice of what we are about to say to you . You promise to God , and to our blessed Lady , that all the days of your life , you will bo obedient to the Grand Master , Dom T . and to every commander over you : The candidate shall reply : Yes , sire , with the help of God . Do you further promise to God , and to our blessed Lady Maria , that , through the course of your life , you will preserve a chnste habit of body . The candidate shall say : Yes , sire , please God .

Do you moreover promise to God , and to our blessed Lady Maria , that you will observe all the good customs and regulations of our house ; those which at present prevail in it , or hereafter may be established by the Grand Master and discreet members of the Order ? The candidate shall say : Yes , sire , with the help of God . Do you further promise to God , and to our blessed Lady Maria , that during

the course of your life you will assist , with all the energy and faculties that God has given you , for the conquest of the Holy land of Jerusalem , and that you will help to preserve those parts of it which are in possession of the Christians , with all your power and faculties ? The candidate shall say : Yes , sire , please God . Do you further promise to God and the blessed Lady Mariathat you will

, never contribute to alter this Order in any manner whatever , unless by consent of the Grand Master , and the whole body of our brethren , who alone possess the power ? The candidate shall reply : Yes , sire , please God .

And further , do you promise to God , and our blessed Lady Maria , that you will never remain in any p lace with Christians who may desert or alter any of these articles , and that yon will not in any manner contribute thereto , by force or by counsel . The candidate shall reply : Yes , sire , please God . Then the President shall say : And wein the presence of Godof the blessed Lady Maria , of our Master

, , , St . Peter of Rome , and of our father and apostle , and of all our brethren of the Temple , do receive and admit you to all the privileges and benefits of the house , which have been granted ever since its foundation , or may be granted till it shall bo no more . And we shall grant hospitalit y to your father and mother , and all those of your language whom yon wish to entertain . In like manner you must participate with us all the benefits which are or may bo in

your power . And we promise you . bread and firing , and the poor clothing of the house , and trouble , and labour , and toils in abundance .... Then the Grand Master , or President , shall take the cloak and place it over his shoulders and shall embrace him . Then the father chaplain shall chant the followinp' nsalm : .. 0

_ ^—Fcce quwm hoiium , and the prayer to the Holy Ghost , Veni Spiritus Sancte ; then each of the brethren shall recite the Lord's prayer , and the sponsor of the candidate shall raise him up and embrace him , as also the cha ] nains . The sponsor shall then p lace him on a seat before him , and say to him : My good brother , our Grand Master has accomplished your desire , by admitting you and your friends into such fine company as that of the Knights of the Temple .

You are therefore to be very cautious never to do any act which might expose yon to be cast out : from which God preserve you . We shall explain to you some of the things respecting the house and the habit afterwards , etc . No brother of the temple , although he be a gentleman , can ever be received as a Knight Templar , unless he has been a nobleman previous to his reception in the order ; because having once received the habit ho can never become a kni ght , or wear the white cloak ; From this are excepted archbishops and partriarchs .