Masonic Antiquities, Documents, &C. Jerusalem Encampment, Manchester.

deduce a pure Templar descent for that rite , from those Knights whom the Archbishop of York , in 1314 , placed in the monasteries of that city and took under his protection . In Germany , the belief in the Templar origin of Masonry was at one time general , and there is a document styling itself , the " Charter of Cologne , " purporting to be signed t othersbMelancthonat an

, amongs , y , assembly in that city on the 24 th June , 1535 . The reader can place whatever faith lie pleases upon this document , copies of which were sent to Britain at the commencement of this century , but we believe more than one of the signatures will bear the test of historical probability . This document states

that" To us it is by no means clear that this association , prior to the " year 1440 , were known by any other name than that of Joanitc " Brethren ; but at that time the fraternity , especially at Valence , in " Flanders , became known by the name of Freemasons , when hospitals " began to bo built by the aid and pecuniary assistance of brethren . " They further state that

they" Are accused of the crime of reviving the Order of the Templars , and " commonly designated by that appellation , as if we had combined and " conspired for the purpose of recovering ( as members of that Order ) its " property and possessions , and avenging the death of the last Grand " Master , who presided over that Order on the posterity of the kings and " princes who were guilt j' oE the crime . "

It then goes on to say that the Order is more ancient than any Order of Knights , and existed in Palestine , Greece , and the Roman Empire , long before the Holy Wars . The Sov . Gd . Com . 33 , informs us that the Constitution of the Freemasons of 1 7 , defines the privileges of the Knight K . D . S . H . With regard to the Order of the Temple in France , they show

a Charter of Transmission from the time of Jacques de Molaymurdered in 1314—endorsed with the names of all their Grand Masters from that period , which , if genuine , would entitle their Grand Masters to the sovereignty of the whole Order ; but some writers , hostile thereto , maintained it to be a forgery . The late Dr . Morison examined the Charta , and asserts that the signature

of the Due de Duras , in 16 S 0 , is genuine . This Charta has been handed down along with certain statutes , adopted at a general assembly , in 1702 ; and whatever may be the opinions ,

as to the authenticity of the Charta , the degrees of initiation , under the Order of the Temple , in France , are essentially the same as our own , divided into two classes , a " superior and inferior militia ; " the latter composed of candidates for the honour of chivalry , and brethren admitted "by favour of the Art ; " and the Order conferred the following degrees on all postulants : —

"Initiate ( E . A . ); Initiate of the Interior ( F . C ); Adept ( M . M . ) ; "Adept of the East ( Red Cross ); Adept of the Black Eagle of " St . John "—these degrees are called the House of Initiation" Perfect Adept of the Pelican" ( Rose Croix)—called the House