Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Knight Templar, Past And Present: His Mission And Its Modern Objects.
THE KNIGHT TEMPLAR , PAST AND PRESENT : HIS MISSION AND ITS MODERN OBJECTS .
( Continued from paye 159 ) . And now I come to one of the saddest chapters in history—that which records fche oppression and final suppression of this noble Order , and the tragic drama tbat brought ifc to a close . The facts are few and simple , and have been thus briefly summarised from Eaynouard *; Von Hammer t ; Vertot % ; and Wilcke § . When the
Knights left Jerusalem ( 1291 ) , they established their Grand Priory in the Island of Cyprus . There the Grand Master resided , with a host ever ready for warfare against the Saracen . James Bernard Molay , of Burgundy , when Grand Master ( 1294 ) , began an intellectual regeneration of the order , which drew upon him and it the suspicions of the secular clergy and the jealousy of
Princes . In the quarrels between Philip the Fair and Pope Boniface VIII . the order took part against the king . In consequence of this , Clement V ., Philip ' s friend , under the pretext of consultations for a new crusade , and for a union of the Templars with the Knights of Saint John , summoned , 1306 , the Grand Master Molay , with sixty knights , to France . After
their arrival , these and all the other Kni ghts were suddenly arrested , October 13 , 1307 , by the king ' s soldiers . Philip seized upon the estates of the order , removed his court into the temple ( the residence of the Grand Master in Paris ) , and ordered the trial of the knights to be commenced without delay , by his confessor , AVilliam of Paris , inquisitor , and Archbishop of Sens . He endeavoured to
justify this arbitrary procedure by horrible crimes and heresies of which the order had been accused . Historical records represent the accusers as some expelled Templars , who calumniated the order at the instigation of its enemies . The charge of apostacy from the Catholic faith could not be substantiated . The other allegationssuch as
, that they worshipped the devil , practised sorcery , adored Baphomea , condemned the sacrament , neglected confession , and practised unnatural vices , were , according to the general opinion of historians , down to the present day , malicious representations or absurd calumnies .
By means of the most horrid tortures , confessions of crimes which had never been committed were extorted from the prisoners . Overcome by long captivity and torment , many Templars confessed whatever their inquisitors wished , since a persevering denial of the crimes with which they were charged was punished with death . Clement V . at first opposed this arbitary
treatment of an order which was amenable only to the church ; but Phillip soon prevailed on him to join in its suppression . _ Two Cardinals were sent to take part in the examinations at Paris ; aud other clergymen were united to tho courts of inquisition in the province , in order to impart a more legal appearance fco the procedure . Though little was in fact proved against the Templars ,
the Archbishop of Sens , dared , in 1310 , to burn alive fifty-four knights , who had denied every crime of which they were accused . Charles of Sicily and Provence iraitiated the example of Philip , and shared the booty with the Pope . In England , Spain , Portugal , Italy , and Germany , the Templars were arrested , but almost universally acquitted . The inquisitions at Salamanca , and at Mentz ( 1310 ) , also resulted in the justification of
the Order . Nevertheless , the Pope , at the council of Vienne , in Dauphiny , solemnly abolished the order by a bull of March 2 , 1312 , nofc in the legal way , but by papal authority ( per provisionis potlus quam condemnationis vium . ) The members of the order , according to this bull , were to be punished with mildness , when they confessed
the crimes imputed to them ; but those who persevered in denying them were to be condemned to death . Among the latter were the Grand Master , Molay , and Guide , the Grand Prior of Normandy , who were burnt alive at Paris , March 13 , 1314 , after they had cited , according to tradition , Philip and Clement to appear before the judgment-seat of God within a year . The
pope , in fact , died April 19 , in the same year , and the kins ; November 29 . " Between the brilliant past of the Soldiers of the Cross and the Masonic degree of the Knig ht Templar , lies an admirable subject for historical investigation . Although in possession of some valuable material , I will leave fco M . E . Past Prior Wilson , or other learned
members of the Priory , the duty of enlightening us on this section of fche subject hereatter From remarks previously made , it it will be noticed that Scotland never persecuted the great Military Brotherhood ; and , hence , it has happened that Scotland justly claims the high honour of preserving and perpetuating this peculiar association- A new phase of
civilisation has dispelled much of the illusive surroundings of the Mediasval Knight , and favourably-concurring circumstances have brought the order within the protective circle of Freemasonry . AVhat then is the mission —or rather what are the complex duties and functions —of the Knight Templar at the present day ? They may be briefly recapitulated under six heads . Firstly ,
our association helps to complete the cycle of Masonic Mysteries ; secondly , ifcs very existence is the vindication of a great historical fact ; thirdly , we aim at a higher chivalry than did our ancient brethren ; fourthly , we have an intellectual Islamism to resist ; fifthly , we have a most hallowed temple to protect ; and , lastly , our travail as Templarsthrough the arduous duties of life ,
, will enable us to win the crown of immortality . I invite you to a few minutes' consideration of each point . 1 . —Freemasonry , or ( to use a popular expression ) Blue Masonry , is a sublime deism , based on a recognition of the immortality of the Soul , and the individual
responsibility of every creature to his Creator . Jew and Gentile , Mohammedan and Parsee , all who acknowledge and adore the Great Architect of the Universe , can range under its banner . This is its grand mission —to bring a multitude of antagonisms—such as variety of race , contrariety of religious opinion , and peculiarity of national habits—into harmony and good fellowship on
ifcs tessalfced level pavement . But why should Masonry , if it is , as it is said to be , a comprehensive theosophy and system of morals , be limited to this ? Why should she not open in her mystic shrine a door leading to chambers where those , who are intellectually and conscientiously compelled to acknowledge a wider theology , may meet , commune and assist each other ? Why
should her allegorical formulas be the exclusive possession of those who cannot , or will not , recognise a Trinity in Unity ? We , Knights of the Temple , under Masonic auspices , have a grand mission to fulfil , in preserving and maintaining this privilege for all who believe in the unity and distinct personalty of the Father , the Wordand the Holy Spirit . Is there not ,
, moreover , an intellectual symmetry in Masonry , thus raising a mystic shrine for the great divisions of spiritual worshippers—Arians ( of every hue , including Gnostics ) and Trinitarians ? 2 , —Our being thus associated in arms togetheralthough the arms are now only symbolic—is in itself a
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Knight Templar, Past And Present: His Mission And Its Modern Objects.
THE KNIGHT TEMPLAR , PAST AND PRESENT : HIS MISSION AND ITS MODERN OBJECTS .
( Continued from paye 159 ) . And now I come to one of the saddest chapters in history—that which records fche oppression and final suppression of this noble Order , and the tragic drama tbat brought ifc to a close . The facts are few and simple , and have been thus briefly summarised from Eaynouard *; Von Hammer t ; Vertot % ; and Wilcke § . When the
Knights left Jerusalem ( 1291 ) , they established their Grand Priory in the Island of Cyprus . There the Grand Master resided , with a host ever ready for warfare against the Saracen . James Bernard Molay , of Burgundy , when Grand Master ( 1294 ) , began an intellectual regeneration of the order , which drew upon him and it the suspicions of the secular clergy and the jealousy of
Princes . In the quarrels between Philip the Fair and Pope Boniface VIII . the order took part against the king . In consequence of this , Clement V ., Philip ' s friend , under the pretext of consultations for a new crusade , and for a union of the Templars with the Knights of Saint John , summoned , 1306 , the Grand Master Molay , with sixty knights , to France . After
their arrival , these and all the other Kni ghts were suddenly arrested , October 13 , 1307 , by the king ' s soldiers . Philip seized upon the estates of the order , removed his court into the temple ( the residence of the Grand Master in Paris ) , and ordered the trial of the knights to be commenced without delay , by his confessor , AVilliam of Paris , inquisitor , and Archbishop of Sens . He endeavoured to
justify this arbitrary procedure by horrible crimes and heresies of which the order had been accused . Historical records represent the accusers as some expelled Templars , who calumniated the order at the instigation of its enemies . The charge of apostacy from the Catholic faith could not be substantiated . The other allegationssuch as
, that they worshipped the devil , practised sorcery , adored Baphomea , condemned the sacrament , neglected confession , and practised unnatural vices , were , according to the general opinion of historians , down to the present day , malicious representations or absurd calumnies .
By means of the most horrid tortures , confessions of crimes which had never been committed were extorted from the prisoners . Overcome by long captivity and torment , many Templars confessed whatever their inquisitors wished , since a persevering denial of the crimes with which they were charged was punished with death . Clement V . at first opposed this arbitary
treatment of an order which was amenable only to the church ; but Phillip soon prevailed on him to join in its suppression . _ Two Cardinals were sent to take part in the examinations at Paris ; aud other clergymen were united to tho courts of inquisition in the province , in order to impart a more legal appearance fco the procedure . Though little was in fact proved against the Templars ,
the Archbishop of Sens , dared , in 1310 , to burn alive fifty-four knights , who had denied every crime of which they were accused . Charles of Sicily and Provence iraitiated the example of Philip , and shared the booty with the Pope . In England , Spain , Portugal , Italy , and Germany , the Templars were arrested , but almost universally acquitted . The inquisitions at Salamanca , and at Mentz ( 1310 ) , also resulted in the justification of
the Order . Nevertheless , the Pope , at the council of Vienne , in Dauphiny , solemnly abolished the order by a bull of March 2 , 1312 , nofc in the legal way , but by papal authority ( per provisionis potlus quam condemnationis vium . ) The members of the order , according to this bull , were to be punished with mildness , when they confessed
the crimes imputed to them ; but those who persevered in denying them were to be condemned to death . Among the latter were the Grand Master , Molay , and Guide , the Grand Prior of Normandy , who were burnt alive at Paris , March 13 , 1314 , after they had cited , according to tradition , Philip and Clement to appear before the judgment-seat of God within a year . The
pope , in fact , died April 19 , in the same year , and the kins ; November 29 . " Between the brilliant past of the Soldiers of the Cross and the Masonic degree of the Knig ht Templar , lies an admirable subject for historical investigation . Although in possession of some valuable material , I will leave fco M . E . Past Prior Wilson , or other learned
members of the Priory , the duty of enlightening us on this section of fche subject hereatter From remarks previously made , it it will be noticed that Scotland never persecuted the great Military Brotherhood ; and , hence , it has happened that Scotland justly claims the high honour of preserving and perpetuating this peculiar association- A new phase of
civilisation has dispelled much of the illusive surroundings of the Mediasval Knight , and favourably-concurring circumstances have brought the order within the protective circle of Freemasonry . AVhat then is the mission —or rather what are the complex duties and functions —of the Knight Templar at the present day ? They may be briefly recapitulated under six heads . Firstly ,
our association helps to complete the cycle of Masonic Mysteries ; secondly , ifcs very existence is the vindication of a great historical fact ; thirdly , we aim at a higher chivalry than did our ancient brethren ; fourthly , we have an intellectual Islamism to resist ; fifthly , we have a most hallowed temple to protect ; and , lastly , our travail as Templarsthrough the arduous duties of life ,
, will enable us to win the crown of immortality . I invite you to a few minutes' consideration of each point . 1 . —Freemasonry , or ( to use a popular expression ) Blue Masonry , is a sublime deism , based on a recognition of the immortality of the Soul , and the individual
responsibility of every creature to his Creator . Jew and Gentile , Mohammedan and Parsee , all who acknowledge and adore the Great Architect of the Universe , can range under its banner . This is its grand mission —to bring a multitude of antagonisms—such as variety of race , contrariety of religious opinion , and peculiarity of national habits—into harmony and good fellowship on
ifcs tessalfced level pavement . But why should Masonry , if it is , as it is said to be , a comprehensive theosophy and system of morals , be limited to this ? Why should she not open in her mystic shrine a door leading to chambers where those , who are intellectually and conscientiously compelled to acknowledge a wider theology , may meet , commune and assist each other ? Why
should her allegorical formulas be the exclusive possession of those who cannot , or will not , recognise a Trinity in Unity ? We , Knights of the Temple , under Masonic auspices , have a grand mission to fulfil , in preserving and maintaining this privilege for all who believe in the unity and distinct personalty of the Father , the Wordand the Holy Spirit . Is there not ,
, moreover , an intellectual symmetry in Masonry , thus raising a mystic shrine for the great divisions of spiritual worshippers—Arians ( of every hue , including Gnostics ) and Trinitarians ? 2 , —Our being thus associated in arms togetheralthough the arms are now only symbolic—is in itself a