 A CAPSULE CHRONICLE of TEMPLARY Published by Grand Encampment, KT, USA www.knightstemplar.org/ [Description of Chivalric Orders]
Many are the historical accounts of the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Jesus Christ, or Knights of the Temple - or, more commonly, Knights Templar. Even more numerous are the histories of the Crusades, mostly factual but some of them leavened with fiction. This is an informal commentary on highlights of the two subjects. They are intertwined because Christian fervor of the 11 th century and the Crusades which grew from that fervor form the background of the original Knights Templar. If you stop to think about it, I believe you will agree that the most remarkable thing was the spontaneous decision throughout Europe and England - an overwhelming commitment by divers peoples, of different languages, of different customs, different dress and manners - to wage a "Holy War" against the Moslems, take Jerusalem from their hands and make it a Christian possession. Without newspapers, without radio or television, this spirit of Christian unification swept the land and brought about the Crusades. There was a personal as well as a spiritual reason for enlisting under the banner of the Cross to do battle against the Infidels. These Christians, some recently weaned from paganism, needed physical evidence to bolster their faith. They needed reassurance - to touch, to inspect; they needed to visit in person and examine with their own eyes the relics in the city made sacred by the presence of Christ a thousand years earlier. For those Christians, the pinnacle of religious accomplishment was a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. This city so revered by these 11 th century Christians was in the possession of the Moslems, followers' of Mohammed, and they quite matched the Christians in fanaticism. And although many pilgrims made the arduous journey to Jerusalem without serious harm, large numbers of others never reached that shrine - and of those who did, some never returned. Harassment, robbery and murder grew as the century progressed. Then, seemingly in one simultaneous upheaval of spirit- ual indignation, this mixture of people - made up of weavers and scholars, farmers and wives, bishops and soldiers, freemen and serfs - united in a Crusade to seize the Holy Land from the Saracen. This they did. On July 15, 1099, the First Crusade brought about the fall of Jerusalem. As Historian C. G. Addison says in his 1842 account: "The Holy City, half a mile square, flowed with the blood of its defenders. Its streets - only lanes in width as compared with those of modern cities, for such is the Oriental manner - were piled with their bodies. " The battle was savage. Neither sex nor age was considered. No quarter was given. The brutality of that day was a characteristic of the whole succession of religious wars - practiced alike by those who fought under the banner of the Cross and those who battled under the sign of the Crescent. Jerusalem fell. The Holy City belonged to the Crusaders and all Christendom rejoiced. In Europe and England, the zeal of pilgrimage soared anew. Crowds of men and women, of boys and girls, pressed forward to the sacred city - only to fmd that although Jerusalem was in Christian hands, the Moslems still controlled Palestine. The highways and byways leading to Jerusalem were unprotected. The ferocity of the Moslems seemed to increase with the fall of the city, and mutilated bodies and bleached bones of pilgrims soon became a common sight along the roadways. To add to the vulnerability of the pilgrims, thousands of the Crusaders, their primary objective accomplished, returned to their own lands leaving the countryside to the Moslems uncontested. This was the circumstance that set the stage for Templary, A small band of Crusaders remaining after the eonquest recognized the plight of the pilgrims and bound themselves in a holy Brotherhood in arms, embracing a solemn compact, as Addison describes it, to aid one another in clearing the highways and in protecting the pilgrims through the passes and defiles of the mountains to the Holy City. In 1118 A.D., nineteen years after the successful Crusade, these Poor FellowSoldiers of Jesus Christ, as they termed themselves, were officially recognized and sanctioned and were given for their headquarters a building on Mount Moriah, the site of the former Temple of King Solomon. Consequently, they became known as the Knights of the Temple, or Knights Templar. This was the era of chivalric ascendency. Much as outstanding athletes receive the hero-worship and admiration of the public today, so did those Knights of old capture the hearts - and the wealth - of the public of their period. Their fame spread like wildfire. Rulers hastened to be identified with Knights Templar and • to present gold and property to the Order. King Richard the Lion-Hearted was a prime example of the attraction exerted by the Crusader Knights. As Winston Churchill wrote in his History of the English Speaking Peoples, ''This task seemed made for him. It appealed to every need of his nature ... to charge as a king at the head of knightly squadrons in a cause at once glorious to man and especially acceptable to God ... " Richard in a reign of 10 years spent only a few months in England. This did little for his country, except impoverish it, but it did illustrate the appeal of the knightly warfare in the near East. It is a matter of history that the warriors who fought for Christianity as Knights Templar had their vicissitudes - with more downs than ups on the battlefield through the centuries. However, their wealth and their prestige reo mained undiminished. On the contrary their treasury became too large to escape the notice of some fmancially embarrassed rulers - especially Philip the Fair of France. He with Pope Clement (whom Philip pretty well influenced) arranged for a Convocation of the Grand Master of Knights Templar, Jacques DeMolay, and his officers at Paris. It was this Grand Master's dedication and integrity that influenced the members of the Frank S. Land movement, six centuries later, to adopt the name, DeMolay, for their Order. The Convocation was held, but Grand Master DeMolay and his officers nevet left - at least not with their lives. In 1314 Jacques DeMolay was burned at the stake for alleged heresy and dozens of other accusations; all Knight Templar wealth was seized, and Templary "moved underground." Some have written that after the death of Grand Master DeMolay there was an unbroken succession of Grand Masters and a constant Templar organization without a lapse. This is difficult to believe and it is even more difficult to read the many treatises written to support or disprove the theory. To simplify the story without attempting to elaborate or quote various researchers, all we know is that when Templary emerged in the early 1700's it was a part of Freemasonry. It exists today as the top ranking Order in the York Rite - the branch of the family that requires membership in a Chapter of Royal Arch Masons - and, in some jurisdictions, membership in a Council of Royal and Select Masters. The Chapters and Councils are identified with, and their ritualistic work based upon, the Old Testament. In Templary, the transition is made from the Old to the New Testament - to Christian belief and practice, to symbolic emulation of the sacrificial spirit of the Knights of the Temple when they took their solemn vow more than eight and a half centuries ago. There are two major roads to Masonic teaching after the Symbolic (or Blue) Lodge - the York Rite and the Scottish Rite. The York Rite is the older and, as noted, is climaxed by the Order of Christian Knighthood. The governing Knight Templar body is the sovereign Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the U.SA. There are similar governing bodies, usually called Priories, of Knights Templar in Canada, in England and Wales, in Scotland, and in Switzerland. The Scottish Kite - atvtaea into two sovereign Supreme Councils in the United States, the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction and the Southern Jurisdiction - has Degrees identified by numbers. The York Rite Degrees and Orders are designated by name. In the United States history records that Templary was a Masonic Degree or Order shortly after the middle of the 18th century. Paul Revere was a Knight Templar, by the way - so were numerous others of our nation's founding fathers. In 1816, the various individual bodies of Templars - after some years of effort toward this goal - met in New York City to band themselves together under a sovereign national administration, the General Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America. Later the "General" was omitted and the sovereign body became the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the U .. S.A. Dewitt Clinton, of Erie Canal fame - a leading statesman and administrator became the first Grand Master. He served until his death in 1828. A number of leaders followed thru the intervening period of more than a century and a half some of national fame - all motivated by a praiseworthy dedication to Christian Masonry. Templary survived the anti-Masonic period in the 19th century - it survived the Civil War, when Brother fought Brother and Knight Templar fought Knight Templar with equal belief in the justice of their cause. It prospered generation after generation, thru booms and. depressions, from the days of the stagecoach and the canal barge to the age of space travel. It is a neighborhood type of Masonry. You find the Cornmanderies of Knights Templar - 1600 of them - in communities throughout the nation - and beyond. They are bodies which help to support the Masonic Temple in your home towns. They meet in those Temples and their dues and assessments (with those from other bodies) help keep the Temples in repair for meetings of Symbolic Lodges - and, in many instances, for other groups such as DeMolay Chapters. Christian fraternalism has its cycles. It waxes and wanes but never disappears. Directly or indirectly, it makes its views and influences felt in towns and cities, and in civic organizations, throughout the country. It will continue to advance. If you will pardon the paraphrase, TEMPLARY IS ON THE GROW!! Grand Encampment, KT, USA www.knightstemplar.org/ The Commandery of Knights Templar The fourth, and last, of the York Rite Bodies of Masonry, Commanderies of Knights Templar serves as the crowning glory in completing the Christian Path towards Masonic Light. This is the only recognized Masonic Body that has religious connotations, since it is based on the Christian Religion and virtues. As a consequence, while not all Masons will become Knight Templars, every Christian Mason should to complete his Masonic journey. Today's Knight Templar is a man dedicated to the living Christ, and the defense of the virtues contained in the practices observed by all true Christians. In the Commandery, there are three 'degrees' or steps, which are called Orders. These are The Illustrious Order of the Red Cross, The Mediterranean Pass and Order of Malta and The Order of the Temple; after the Orders of Knighthood and Chivalry as known in Europe before the reformation. Hence, we are called Chivalric Masonry. The Commandery orders represent a new direction of Masonic thought and experience, in that they no longer refer to Ancient Craft Masonry, but to ideals and practices of chivalry and Christianity. The first Commandery order, the Illustrious Order of the Red Cross, presents the story of the Jewish Prince, Zerubbabel, and his efforts to secure permission of the Persian King Darius to rebuild the second temple at Jerusalem. The next order, Knight of Malta, is a complete departure from Masonry based on the Old Testament and is the first Christian order. Here, the candidate represents a knightly warrior of the Crusades prior to his departure for the Holy Land. The last order is that of Knight Templar, the crowning glory of the York Rite system. Again, in this totally Christian order, the candidate represents a knightly postulant who desires to unite with a Commandery of Knights Templar during the era of the Crusades. After several trials to test his faith, courage, and humility, achieving his desire rewards him. Let us consider these orders in more detail.
This order consists of two sections: (1) Zerubbabel's (the candidate) admission to the Jewish Council at Jerusalem, in which he is invested with permission and authority to travel to Babylon and attempt to obtain leave from King Darius to stop the enemies of the Jews from hindering their progress in building the Temple, as well as to recover the holy vessels of the Temple which were taken as booty to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar when he destroyed the First Temple. Zerubbabel is also given a sword to defend him; a sash to remind him of his cause; and a password to get him by Jewish sentinels on his journey. Unfortunately, he is captured and made prisoner upon reaching the domains of King Darius. (2) At the court of Darius, Zerubbabel renews his earlier friendship with the king, and is granted a position in the royal household. He then participates in a friendly contest with other nobles of the realm regarding the question: " Which is greater? The strength of wine? The power of the king? Or the influence of woman?" Zerubbabel contends for the latter, and adds an additional factor: The force of truth. After delivering his declamation on women and concluding in favor of truth above all, Zerubbabel is declared the winner of the contest and is granted his desires by the king. To perpetuate the occasion, Darius creates a new order, the Illustrious Order of the Red Cross, and after an obligation, makes Zerubbabel its first member. Next follow the signs, grips, and words as well as a historical lecture. The body is called a Council. The cornerstone of this order is the all-important attribute of truth, and the importance of keeping one's word. It foreshadows the words of Jesus: "I am the Way, the TRUTH, and the Life."
This Order actually consists of two: The Order of St. Paul, or the Mediterranean Pass, which is a preparatory order, and the Order of Malta itself. The Order of Malta must be conferred in either full or short form. The full form is quite elaborate and beautiful but, alas, is not conferred by many Commanderies. The short form is but a summary of the lessons taught in the full form, and this is what I will describe here. The Order of St. Paul is based on the story of Paul's shipwreck on the island of Melita (Malta). The candidate represents a knight about to depart for the Crusades in the Holy Land. He receives sustenance, both spiritual and physical, to prepare him for the ardors of his journey. The Order of Malta is a suitable preparation for the Order of the Temple, in that it provides the candidate with additional New Testament instruction, particularly in the eight Beatitudes. The symbol of the order is the Maltese cross, symbolic of the Beatitudes and the eight languages, which once were spoken by its members. The candidate is created a Knight of Malta and invested with words and signs specific to the Order. The body is called a Priory.
This Order begins with the candidate, a Knight of Malta, who, after soul-searching reflection and suitable answers to certain questions, seeks to unite with a Commandery of Knights Templar. To test his faith, his directed to perform a certain number of years of pilgrimage. Being full of zeal and wishing to accomplish more useful deeds, he requests and is granted remission. He assumes a most solemn obligation, and then is obligated to a certain number of years of knightly warfare, as a test of his courage and constancy. Having satisfactorily performed these, he is admitted to the Asylum of the Knights Templar, where he is a participant in certain memorial exercises to KS, HKofT, GMHA, and Simon of Cyrene. Accompanying these exercises is a reading of New Testament scripture and an inspirational slide presentation. He is then required to perform a time of penance in token of his humility. Following this, he seals his membership in the Order in the most solemn, impressive and binding manner, and is duly dubbed a member of the Valiant and Magnanimous Order of the Temple. Again, he receives certain signs, grips, and words, as well as an explanation of the important accoutrements of Templary, the Grand Standard, Baldric, Beauceant, Sword, and Spur. The body is called a Commandery. The relevance of this sublime Order to the Christian Mason can scarcely be overstressed. It provides a vivid connection between the Craft and Christianity. Especially relevant and meaningful is the address given by the Prelate during the course of the ceremonies. A Knight Templar Commandery has 12 officers, in order of rank: Eminent Commander, Generalissimo, Captain General, Recorder, Treasurer, Prelate, Sr. Warden, Jr. Warden, Standard Bearer, Sword Bearer, Warder, and Sentinel. Some jurisdictions also have a Marshal. Members are styled "Sir Knight". At least 9 Knights must be present to open a Commandery. Commanderies usually meet monthly. The state governing body is the Grand Commandery. The national body, to which Grand Commanderies must belong, is the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America. |
Order of the Red Cross
Order of Malta
Order of the Temple