The Knights Templars.

formed the domestic police of the Papacy . They were men of marble hearts , incorruptible fidelity , and unwavering fixedness of purpose . Their awful , yet single-minded , fanaticism bordered on the terribly sublime , for each one was as fully convinced that humanity was a crime when it

endangered immortal souls , as that there was a God in Heaven . Their very discipline , in its fearful rigour , drove out all sentiments of charity . They were the votaries of the haircloth ; their cells resounded with the crack of the scourge , plied with

unmerciful vigour ; their chapels at midnight echoed the cries of the monks as they kept their rapturous vigils , in which they conversed with angels and saw visions ; while their ever-recurring austere and prolonged fasts , Avithered the flesh

from their bones , and made them look but spectres of humanity . To these men were the hapless Templars consigned for examination—to men , whose lives illustrated the maxim , that they who proscribe happiness in themselves , cars not what

misery they inflict upon others—men , vvhom a da , rk and fanatical perversion of religion , made equally ready to lay down their own lives , or take away those of others . But these qualities made them the more popular with many churchmen ;

and the Aobot of Usberg stated that by their means the Church had renewed her youth . True it is , they carried the doctrines of Christ into Asia ; but their ferocious habits in Europe , instead of quelling , only fanned that spirit of

religious freedom in the hearts of the people , which finally led to the Reformation . The manner in which the Templars were tortured , to wring confessions from them , is worthy of some attention . There were various modes of

applying the torture , but the favourites were these -. —The patient was shipped naked , his hands tied behind his back , heavy weights fas . tened to his feet , and the cords with Avhich his hands were bound attached to a pulley . At a

given signal , the victim was hoisted into the air , where he hung suspended by his arms , which being drawn out of their natural position , caused the most excruciating torture . Having in this position suffered for some time , the cord was suddenly

slipped , but before the victim could reach the ground it was checked , and a severe shock given to the frame . A . nofcher mode of torture Avas to fasten the feet of the A ictim in an instrument not unlike stocks , which , holding them by the ancles , prevented the patient from drawing them back .

The Knights Templars.

The soles were then rubbed with some unctuous substance and set before a glowing fire . A board was occasionally placed between them and the fire , and withdrawn at times , in order to increase the pain by intervals of cessation . The heels of

the patient were oftentimes enclosed in an iron frame , which could be tightened by screws , and caused the most excruciating agony . What was regarded as a very mild torture , and only administered to those AVIIO had not strength to undergo

the severer ones , Avas to place round sticks between the fingers , and compress them till the bones cracked . Sometimes the Templars had their teeth drawn , and were oftentimes hung up by clamps fastened in the jaw , until the unfortunate Knights

agreed to confess , or fainted . The use of the torture was a very clumsy mode of getting access to the truth . In certain

circumstances , it might have been excused , where it was absolutely necessary to obtain information regarding conspiracies , but never to force an acknowledgement of guilt . It Avas dangerous , because the innocent , from weakness of body , plead guilty

to crimes which he would have shuddered to hear of committed . When used judicially , torture was always a dubious course , and produced falsehood oftener than truth , as the weakness of the body must in many cases have subdued the strength of

the mind . For this reason , at Athens , only those guilty of high treason were condemned to suffer it , and only when it was a question of discovering the accomplices . At Rome , the birth and dignity of a citizen , and his service in the

militia , prevented torture , except in a charge of high treason . * ( To be continued . )

Association Of German Freemasons.†

ASSOCIATION OF GERMAN FREEMASONS . †

The last issue of the Official Communications of the German Masons' Union , to the principles and scope of which we have repeatedly referred in previous numbers of this MAGAZINE , contains a full report of the annual meeting , held at Hagen , on May 30 th aud 31 st of the present year , from the