The Knights Templars.

THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS .

By ANTHONY ONEAL HAYE . CHAPTER Ill . —fOontinued . J ( Continued from page 209 . ) GRAND MASTER , ¦ HUGO DE PAYENS . The Seal of the Order . —The King sends two Templars to Europe to obtain confirmation of their rule hy the Tope . - —Be Payens , loith five companions , folloios . — St .

Bernard ' s epistle in praise of the Templars . —Council of Troyes . — -Bide confirmed . — - A . D . 1118—1128 . " And now let us pass to the soldiery of God and examine their conduct in field and in convent ; for there will we find a great contrast between the warriors of Christ and Heaven and the warriors of

the Devil and of Hell . The soldiers of Christ go and come at a sign from their Master . They wear "fche clothing * which He gives them , and ask neither food nor clothing from any one else . They live cheerfully and temperately together , without wives

and children , and , that nothing may be wanting for evangelical perfection , without property , in one house , endeavouring to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace , so that one heart and one soul would appear to dwell in them all .

They never sit idle , or go about gaping after news . When they are resting from warfare against the Infidels , a thing which rarely occurs , not to eat the bread of idleness , they employ themselves in repairing their clothes and arms , or do something which the command of the Master or the common

need enjoins . There is with them no respect of persons . The best , not the noblest , are the most highly regarded . They endeavour to anticipate one another in respect , and to lighten each other ' s "burdens . No unseemly word or light mockery ,

no murmur or immoderate laughter is let to pass unreproved , if any one should allow himself to indulge in such . They avoid games of chess and tables . They are averse to the chase , and equally so to hawking , in which others so much delight .

They hate all jugglers and mountebanks , all wanton songs and plays , as vanities and follies of this world . They cut their hair in obedience to these words of the Apostle , " It is not seemly in a man to have long hair . " No one ever sees them dressed

out . They are seldom ever washed . They are mostly fco be seen with disordered hair , and covered with dust , brown from their corslets and the heat of the sun . When they go forth to war , they arm themselves within with faith , without with iron ,

but never adorn themselves with gold , wishing to excite fear in the enemy , and not the desire of 'booty . They delight in horses which are strong

and swift , not in such as are handsomely marked and richly caparisoned , wishing to inspire terror rather than admiration . They go not impetuously into battle , but with care and foresight , peacefully , as the true children of Israel . But so soon as the

fight has begun , then they rush without delay upon their foes , esteeming them but as sheep , and know no fear , even though they should be few , relying upon the aid of the Lord of Sabaoth . Hence one of them has often put a thousand , and

two of them ten thousand , to flight . * Thus they are in union strange , at the same time gentler than Iambs , and grimmer than lions , so that one may doubt whether to call them monks or Knights . But both names suit them , for theirs is the

mildness of the monk and the valour of the Kni ght . What remains to be said but that this is the Lord ' s doing , and that it is wonderful in our eyes ? Such are they whom God has chosen out of the bravest in Israel , that , watchful and true , they may guard the Holy Sepulchre , armed with swords and well skilled in war .

" ¦ They dwell together at a place in Jerusalem called ' The Temple , ' which , in point of extent and magnificence , cannot rival the world-renowned Temple of Solomon , but in glory it is not inferior . The beauty of the one consisted in its gorgeous

adornment , in its gold and in its silver , in its hewn stone , and in its variety of woods , all of which are but corrupt things . The beauty of this other cousisteth in the holy life , the goodly conversation , the godly devotion and pious actions of its inmates . The one raised admiration in the hearts of the

beholder from its varied outward beauties , but this one is revered for its many virtues and sacred works , which becometh the holiness of the House of Jehovah , who delighteth not in the works of man's hand , in polished stones or curiously-carved

woods , but in holy life , regarding upright conduct of more account than painted walls . The face of this Temple sparkles not with gems but with armour , and the wall is covered with many shields instead of golden chapiters . Bridle , saddle , and

spear have taken the places of the ancient candelabrinm , censer , and laver , which shows that the same fiery zeal animates these soldiers as burned in the breast of their great Captain , when , moved with anger , He entered the Temple , and , with his