The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-11
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR.

3 knIVhfq TpmnlQr VhIch
takes place on Tuesday next promises 70 be one OF
the most imposing displays ever witnessed i'm Phia
dephla There viii be about three thousand men in
line, representing encampments in different sectons
OF the country. Boston sends 300, New York 500:
Hartford Connecticut, $50, and delegates have for,
merely In the number Of men who will appear that
the demonstration viii assume Importance, the
strangers VINO come to take part In the anniversary
will be representative OF all sections ali trades
professions, and pursuits in life. 1t therefore be-
hooves us to give them welcome which win carry
with 1t goodwill and hearty greeting. The visiting
knights come to do honor to St johns Commandery
Commandery should be thus selected is due to- the
TACT that to IT belongs the credit OF having organized
in pennsylvania and kept alive the order from 1918
until the present day. A sketch OF the Order its
principles, and the organization of St Johns Com
mandery NO will not be uninteresting even to per-
sons outside OF the enCampment
The tenets Of the order OF Knights Templar, in
common with those OF other Masonic Orders, are
Only those who have passed through the Blue lodge
and Chapter degrees as Freemasons eligible as
knights. The Knight remplar is by virtue of his
knighthood Knight Of the Red Cross and Knight
of Malta.
The original Knights, of whom there were only
four bound themselves each TO the other for mutual
support and were required to keep the road clear
HOm JOppa TO Jerusalem. These few the
nucleus OF Almighty order that soon spread through
out ChristendOm and had power to dictate dynasties
and control thrones. Peter the Hermit was
Knight Templar, and the page Of history is em-
blazoned with the name Of those Knights who won
fame and names in the Crusades. At first the
Knights Templar refused all close alliance with any
other body. Throughout their whole career amidst
prosperity and adyersity they stood aloof from all
0ther associations Thls continued until the Infamous
Philip sought to become the assassin of the Order,
and when the martyr James De Molay laid down his
life in defense OF the integrity and holiness OF its
principles Then it was that the order was induced
to seek shelter and countenance of the Masonic
body.
The history proper Of the Templar Order may be
briefly stated, the authority being approved history
published by order Of the Grand Commandery. 1t
was established in 1ltS suppressed in 1912 by Gle
ment and Philip the Fair King OF France. After
this the Tempars and Knight Iospitallers of St. John
Jerusalem iupOrnnrotad nj no hO1 In
1921 they took up their residence in Cyprus, and
afterwards went to Rhodes, and took the name of
Knights OF Rhodes In 1880 the Emperor Charles
OF Spain conferred on them the Island OF Malta, and
hence they received the name of Knights Of Malta,
OF the Order OF st. John OF Jerusalem. When re-
siding on the Island Of Malta they established their
Preceptories throughout Europe, and from all the
three conclaves i'm Ireland, Scotland and England,
| the Knights Of Pennsylvania may be said to trace
their origin. After the Revolutionary war the breth
Ten commenced the work OF resuscitatlng the order
| Masonic Temparsm having been first
| established in Pennsylvania by the first Grand
| Encampment, which met in Philadelphia on the 18th
Of May, 1884, this State and city is entitled to the
honor OF having introduced the Orders of Christian
| Knghthood into the United States deriving her
work from the English, Scottish, and Irish rituals,
the former OF which have used the same ritual since
| 1901 The convention which assembled in Philadel-
| pha, May 12 1871, had delegates from Nos and
of Philadelphia, No, of Harrisburg, and No. of
Carlisle Iwhere respective organizations took place
solidated No. /, and on the sth OF June 1S19 St
Johns Commandery, No. A. had issued to it char
yer, whlch was accepted, and the Commandery orga-
| fore he fifty years of age on Tuesday next. The
charter of the Commandery, which has done much
Order, is as follows: 1--WE, the Most Eminent Sir
William McCorkle,, General Grand Master Of the
Pennsylvania Grand Encampment of Knights Tenn
| plar and the appendant Orders"
| "7b all trRona Il may concern.
ye that the said most Eminent Sir S
virtue of the powers and authorities in vested do hereby
Rnshs ssheh p BSTBt %e
Kelly, Generalissmo, and John d. Ferguson, Captain
q
in the city Philadelphia the Commonwealth of Pa,
nd the
city OF With full adequate powers a o to
confer the Orders knights of Malta and Knights of the
and members forever: Provided nevertheless, that the
Kelly, GeneraIissimo, and John D. Ferguson. Captain
members, pay respect said Grand Encampment
the regulations thereof otherwise this Charter be
Given under our hand and the seal of our Grand
this s6 day o june sf in ho gear
OF our Lord one eight hundred and nineteen and
Oi (signed) S%er ven WILLIAM MoooRKLE
"Attest-GEoRGE A. BAKER, Grand Recorder"
There were difficulties IN the Order subsequently in
regard to questions of jurisdiction; and finally, in
1924, st. Johns llncampment, No. 4, philadelphia;
No D. UniOn and No. 6, De Molay, of Reading, estab
| lshed Grand Encampment.
This is a brief outline of the Order. According to
| report made to the Grand EnCampment of Penn
sylvania, it is said with reference to the cardinal
| virtues of a Knight Tempar:-"A Knight, by his
obligation, is required TO UiOlGte his obligation,
he must he faithful to his every engagement; but
should Knight prove faithless to his engagement
and his obligation, the personal stigma remains
indelibly fixed upon his character, and in ancient
times mo after good conduct or valor could retrieve
it, Fidelity was one Of the chief virtues next to
this virtue was Justice, or settled determination
to prevent or redress injuries by whomsoever perpe
trated.' Upon these two virtues Tempar Masonry
may be said to be erected. Destroy them, and the
beautiful structure which is erected thereon must
fall and perish sustain and cultivate them and we
will find in our asylums no Sir Knight who will not
be an honor to the institution, possessing that char
acter which Templar Masonry confers, and with
whose fame, fortune and honor we find our heart
strings entWined and for whom, and for the widow
and orphan, and the holy institutions Of sacred re-
ligion, we may, If called upon, bare the blade and
do better than the deeds OF chivalry-even those OF
Justice Fortitude, and Mercy"
This extract gives clear exposition OF the aims OF
the order The bonds OF unity in this Christian
organization to-day Identical with those that gave
strength power, and glory to the beted knights In
the long years of war against the Saracens; and
while in this Christian age their objects are more
diffuse, and while the Order maintains its existence
in modified form, its benevolence and grandeur of
humanity shed its benign influence throughout the
| world. Quiet and un0btrusive, the Templar OF
charities extended with heroism no less sublime,
because unYaunted, than that which gave the halo OF
| glory and TenOwn TO his iustrious founders. AT the
bedside OF the sick, at the grave OF the dead assuag
ing the grief of the widow drying the tears OF the
| orphan, maintaining the good name OF a brother,
healing discOrd in families in communities, in ma
tons not in panopy and steel culrass with lance Ill
rest and VlZOr down, but with quiet step ana out
stretched hand, striving against the pryatlons OF
weak humanity, doing the work OF the Master, he
wends his pilgrimage. "In hoe SigIlO Uinces' is his
watChWoTd, the Holy Cross his emblem, and He who
died to save sinners his guide and his example
At the organization of ST. Johns Commandery
Sir stephen =. BaTbrter was Eminent Grand Master
and continued in office until May 49, 1921, when h(
was succeeded by Sir George Russell. From tina
time until the present there Is unbroken recorC
of officers, showing that the organization Of st