The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-10-18
The Knights TempIars.

The Knights TempIars were religious
and military order established in Palestine
in 111S, by knight of the family of the
Counts Of Champagne, Hugo dc Pains, in
concert with eight other knights who had
followed Godfrey DE Eouilon to the land
OF the Saracens. The object of their being
instituted was to defend the Holy Land ;
and they spent the whole Of their lives in
bearing arms against intidelS, providing
for the safety Of roads, and sheltering pill.
grims from the insults of robbers.
Their chief was styled "Grand Master, y
and his rank was equal to that of prince
among kings. Their other leading dgni
taries were g Preceptors," or Grand Pri
Ors, Visitors" and Commanders"
They were called Brother Soldiers oil
the Temple" Knights of the Temple,
and "TempIars," in consequence of theil
first patron, Baldwin H., King of JeruSa
lem, giving them for their residence the
southern par: of his palace, which VAS
built on the ruins of the old TEN lie 0
King Solomon.
Their institution. ten years after they
had been established, was approved by
the Council OF Troyes, who gave permiS>.
ion to the members Of the order to wear a
white robe with red cross .
The ceremony Of uakinga member was
very peculiar.
When Knight was to be received into
the order, the Chapter assembled general
ly in the night, in a church. The person
who WIS to DC admitted waited without.
Two brothers were sent to him by the
President of the Chapter, three times, tn
ask what he wanted After his answers,
he was brought in. Immediately on en-
tering, he dropped on his knees, and ask
ed three times for bread, water and his
admission into the order. The Chief Of
the Chapter then acquainted him, in the
following terms, with the obligations to
which he would be subjected
"YUu are about to undertake important
duties. You will be exposed to consider
able suffering and danger You mus
keep awake when you would sleep; heaI
fatigue when you would rest; suffer hun
ger and thirst when you would eat ans
drink and 60 to one country when yo,
would stay in another. Win you subm
to this!"
After receiving his reply, the PreSidcn
asked him the following questions: IL
he was Knight? was sound Of body? wa
married, or engaged TO be married he
lOnged to any other order ? had any debt
which he could not pay, either himself o
through his friends :"
The candidate, having replied satSfac
'-~ tori1y, took the three ordinary oaths &
- Poverty. Chastity, and Obedience, an
the following one in addition: =" Swea
to devote my speech, strength and life, il
defense Of belief in the ouly one God an
the Mysteries Of the Faith. promiS
submission and obedience to the Gran
Master Of the Order. Every time he re
quires it OF me, will go beyond the sea
to battle. will lend succor against inf
del kings and princes; before three enc
mics | will not flee. but single-hande
fight them, miScreants if they be-"
Thereupon he received the mantle G
the order, and the brothers gave him tn
brothcrly kiss.
With respect to their religions duties
the Knights Templars, had every mornin
and evening, to hear the Office of tn
Church read through, to fast at the thrc
principal meals on Mondays and Wcdnes
days, as well as on Fridays aud Saturday.
to worship the Cross soemnly three time
year; to receive the communion tire
. d1freS venr; 10 6e present at mass Tire
times week, and finally, to go begin
three times week.
The standard under which the Templar
marched against the enemy was nance
Beauseant. 1t was parted by black an
white cross, and on it were these words
"Non nobis, Domino, non nobis, sed nom
mi Tue Tia gloriam; ; which means, No
to us, 0 Lord, not to US, but to Thy nam
give the glory"
At the commencement Of their insttu
ton the Knights were so poor, they ha'
only one horse between two; SO, in orde
perpetuatc the memory Of such poverty
the adopted for the seal of their order, on
horse mounted by two Knights, with thi
inscription: "Sigllum Militum Christi
1.-THE Seal Of the Soldiers Of Christ"