Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1857-07-01

The hSIGHTS IEdPLAR.-lhe BOSTON AF9V-
eLer, having alluded, in very complimentary
manner to the participation of the various ma
sonic bodies in the ceremonies in memory of
their brother, Gen. Warren, "a Knight Tenn
plar" furnishes that paper with the following
brief history of the order-on the ground that
frcemasonry, bowling to the utilitarian spirit of
the age cheerfully opens its historical treasures
to every inquirer:
The knight TenplaT is an order that origjua
ted in 11Is, with nine valiant and pious knights
eminent among the earliest crusaders for their
devotion to the cause ia which the christian
world had embaTked-the rescue Of Judet, and
especially the Holy City from the Saraccns.
The ostcnsible object for the formation of
distinct order Of knishthood, was to protect all
poor and weary pilgrims or their visits to the
holy places. To do this these nine warriors
engaged themselves to life Of chastity and piety
at the tomb of the Saviour, solicited as their
patroness 'the sweet Mother Of God (tG douce
Mere de Dieu,) and took the four VOWS of cfas-
tity, poverty obedience, and TO fight necessarily
in the cause Of pilgrims and the Holy Land
against the hcathen. Their first Grand Master
was Hugh de Payens. Their style, "thc Soldi-
cry of the Temple" or 'Iemplars," (uilttiG
I TSmDH. J grew out Of the fact that that portion
of the palace of King Baldwin Ii. which was
Unsigned to them as their residence, stood close
by the church and convent of the Temple.
The order of Templars became ut once popu-
lar. Their unremitting and unscltish devotion
to such dntics as guarding the pilgrims; their
renown in battle their poverty, caused by an
unreserved liberality for ChristS sake, and the
enthusiasm of the age, drew the first warriors
of Europe into the ranks. For / Oh years, their
history is golden page in that of the world.
In 1872 the order was suppressed by the JOINT
efforts of Pope Clement v. and Philip Debon,
nair, King OF France; and the greater part Oh
their revenues were made over to the hnlghtS.
of St John of Jerusalem, with whom many oil
them affiliated, and since that period they nave
only appeared in union with that order.
At the present time tho Knights Templar, in
connection with that of Malta, are i'll n high
condition of prosperity. In the United states,
they are under general government, stylen
the "Grand Encampmcnt OF the United otaIeS, i
of which the Hon William Blackstone Hub
bard. of Columbus, Ohio, rs Grand Master. Sub
ordinate to this supreme body, which assemblies
triennially, there are eleven Grand Commender-
les, or State Governments, that assemble annn-
ally That of Massachusetts and Rhode Island
is governed by DIR. Daniel HARDWOOD, of this city,
and has ninc subordinate Commentaries, two
of them being located in Boston. In all, there
are 1877 subordinate Commentaries in the Unl-t
ted States embracing an aggregate membership
of nearly 500 knights.
The costume of the Knights Templar is very
rich and beautiful; it is as nearly as possible
that of the chivalrouS warriors of the middle
ages twill call wildly to mind those famous
passages in their career, when side by side they
stood on the battlefield scorning to yield until
lad klssei lis cross 'sIapcu NIT,
and fallen face to foe.
The standing of the Order in this city will be
appreciated, when it is knoGn that it embraces
nearly 500 of the first gentlemen i'll the city,
amongst whom will be found such men as DR..
Winsiow Lewis, Drs narwood, Wilson and
Tucker, Gov Gardner, and men Of that class.
In all Masonic professions it is given particular
ly to the knights TempIar to perform escort
duty, serving in hour of perils as vanguard,
and upon occasions of public rejoicings
guard of honor. May there never be a call for
these valiant and mngnanimous gentlemen to
draw their swords save for purposes of peace
and grace! -