Notes On The Chivalric Orders Of The Temple And Of Malta, In Canada.

The recent installation of H . R . H . The Prince of Wales , as Grand Master of the United Orders in England , AVales , Ireland , and possessions of the British Empire , and revision of the Statutes , eliminating the prefix " Masonic " and restoring the proper nomenclature of the different officers , & c ,

has materially tended to place the Orders on a correct and proper footing . It is an error to class that of the Temple amongst the Masonic degrees , a classification for Avhich there is no Avarrant . The Order has been from an early period connected with Masonry , but is one of the degrees of pure and ancient Freemasonry . The Christian and Trinitarian character is

a sufficient proof of this . It merely claims to be a revival of the Great Order of the Temple of the Crusades , traditionall y preserved and perpetuated to the present time by its connection Avith the timehonoured Masonic Fraternity . From every marked particular that can be

ascertained , it Avould seem the Order of the Temple , as handed down to us , Avas connected with the " Ilaut or Hautes Grades , " Avhich were first brought out on the continent of Europe , at the beginning of the last century , but had long previously

existed , and the Templar ritualistic ceremonies were most probably introduced into the Speculative system of this high grade Freemasonry by some of the continental members of the " Chivalric Order of the Temple " ( now obsolete ) , Avhich it has been asserted was regularly continued from the

time of the martyrdom of " De Moled . " Freemasonry itself Avas not generally knoAvn until its revival in 1717 , Avhea , getting into the hands of visionary enthusiasts , Avho knowing but little of its true history , in the absence of satisfactory documentary evidenceeagerly sought for and gave

, credence to every idle legend and tradition , as proofs of its genuine antiquity and amalgamation with the old Orders of Knighthood . AVhilst endeavouring to give some insight into the history of the Order and place its present position in a correct

light , it must not be supposed there is a desire on the part of any true Templar to ignore the obligations the Order owes to " Freemasonry proper ' , ' which has so long fostered it . THE HOLV ORDER 01 ? KNIGHTS TEMM . AU PRIEST , OR HOLV AVISDOM , —This Order is

conferred on Knights Templar , and is said to have been instituted in 1686 , and seems properly to be the religious ceremony constituting chaplains of the Order , but in practice is now given to any Knight Templar who may desire it . It is very

little knoAvn , and in Canada is not practised in more than one or tAvo Preceptories . The ceremonies are of a hig hly religious character . NOTE . —Considering the " Rose Croix " and "Kadosh" as strictly Templar degrees ,

the proper arrangement of the United Religious and Military Orders would be as folloivs ( but , of course , this is all out of the question UOAV , but shows the necessity of every Templar progressing to the Kadosh , if possible ) : 1 THE "T EMPLAR , " or reception into

the Order . 2 , —THE " ROSE CROIX , " which teaches the true Temp lar his faith—the greatest and most important truths of Christianity —that through Christ , and by his name only , can he be saved .

3 . —THE " T EMPLAR . PRIEST , " which is merely the religious , as the " Templar is the military grade of the Order . " 4 —THE " KADOSH " is a perpetual remembrance of the constancy , courage and svfferi-ngs of the Templar Knig hts , Avhen

the Order Avas outwardly suppressed . Formerly the idea was revenge upon the instigators of the crime , but is now modified to a Christian spirit . unto perpetual toarfare against the idea that caused the crime , viz ., Priestly tyranny , Kingly oppression , and envy and avarice "

5 . _ -THE " O RDER OP M ALTA keeps m remembrance this once famous Order , and the amalgamation of a portion of the "Templars" Avith the " Knights of St . John . " Strictly speaking , this Order has no connection with the Templars , or any

whatever Avith the leg itimate successors of the Knights of Malta , still existing on the continent of Europe , and in England . The association of the title of the " Order of Malta" with that of the Templars , arose from a confusion of names in styling them

"KniqlUs Templars of St . John of Jerusalem ! ' The ritual is very modern and not derived from the old Chivalric Order . " Craflsmut , Canadian .