Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1870-08-19
Origin aud History Of the Order
Of knights TemplaH

g5S Very little is known by the general public
d OF this, the highest order of masonry, and a
Ssketoh Of the origin and history Of the Sir
4 knights will be road with interest:
The Order of the Temple first originated
on account Of the Crusades Nine valiant
and pious knights formed an association, uni
ting the characters of monk and knight, de-
voting themselves to life Of piety and chas-
tity at the tomb of our Saviour, and employing
their swords in the protection Of pilgrims on
their visit to the Holy shrine. Their re-
solution accorded with the spirit of the Cru
sades, aud gained them the appreciation of
their king, Baldwin H., and the PATRIARCH
In tho latters presence they took three VOWS
Of chastity, poverty, and obedience, and
fourth to fight inocssantly in the cause of pill.
grims to the Holy Land against tho hoathen.
They bound themselves to live according to
the rules of tho cannons at St. Augustine,
and elected rs first master Hugh de Payons.
In ll19 they were assigned quarters in the
temple and called Militia Templi and Temp
lars. In 1l20, Fulk, Count of Anjou, on
pilgrimage to Jerusalem to offer VOWS at the
Holy Shrine, impressed with their sincerity,
joined the society, and upon his return home
remitted thirty pounds of silver annually,
which example was soon followed by many
other noble princes of tho West
For niue years tho Templars lived in pow
erty and gave all presents received toward
ameliorating the condition of tho pilgrims,
wore only such clothing as the hand of charity
bestowed, and though constantly engaged in
fighting tho infdel, were so poor that Hugh
do Paynes and his friend, Godfrey of St.
Omer, both rode the same war.horse In
ll28 the order was confirmed by the Council
of Troyes, and white mantle prescribed as
their habit to distinguish them from the
knights of st. John or HosptalIers Of Jerusa-
lem, an order differing from the Templars on
ly in their mission, theirs being to minister
10 the sick. In TAG the Tcmplars were Or
dered to wear constantly exposed on their
breasts red cross, as symbol of martyrdom,
and to carry banner bearing the humble in
scription "Mon mobis Domino, sed non,tne
tuo da gloriun, !" ("Not to US, 0 Lord, not
to us, but to Thy name give the gory!")
Hugh de Paycns also added new rule, that
no knight should be admitted to the order ex-
oept he first settle all feuds and amend his
life. Now began the Templar's SUCCESS
Valuable gifts camo flowing in from all sides.
In 1929, 800 knights from the noblcst fam-
lies of Europe enrolled themselves under the
Templars' banner and followed Hugh de
Payens to the Holy Land.
From this time forward their history forms
a prominent part Of the Crusaders, and is
familiar to most readers. Wherever the bat.
tle ragged fiercest, or swords Of Saracen threat
ened Christian, there was found a Templar
to avert the blow. In the latter part of tho
twelfth century the order became dcmoraizcd
by excess of wealth obtained in successful
wars against the heather. Their annual in
come in 1175 is stated by Dugdale to have
been S20,000,000. The Christian power be-
gan to decline in the East, Saladin prepared
to recover Jerusalem, and found discord in
the Christian camp. The fight came--the
terrible battle of Hittin-where the Templars
and Hospitallers fought with desperation,
where blood flowed like water, and 10000
Christians laid down their lives. A jealousy
new arose between the Templars and Hospi
'tallers; which terminated ia open war; This
jealousy was finally suppressed in agreat mea.
sure by the Pope and tho respective Grand
Masters.
The Turks soon after drove the whole
Christian force from Palestine. The Tenn
pIar held out to the last, taking refuge with
thor families, in the fortress of St. Jean Aore.
Here they had terrible battle, which result
ed in the almost entire extinction of the or
der. Scarce ten knights survived this con-
fict, and they, with the remnants of the Hos
pitallers and other orders, took refuge in
Cyprus. Here they elected James De Lolay,
an estimable Knight, master. Their mum.
bers, wealth and power again increased, till
they excited the envy of Phillip the Fair,
King Of France, who is termed by Mills, in
the history of the Crusados, ''the monster of
the age" Phillip by various articles, eleva-
ted Clement w., to the Office of Popo, and
these two determined to degrade the order
and crush it out Of existence. De Molay was
spmmoned to the presence Of Pope Clement
at Paris, ostensibly to consult with reference
to another crusade, but the real purpose was
soon made manifest. A list of absurd charg-
es were pfeferred ngainst the order, and on
October 18th, 1907, De Molay and all TEN.
plars were arrested under the most treacher-
ous circumstances, and cast into prison
,ssTheir real erime," says Mills, "was their
wealth. They were subjected to mock
trial, tortured, condemned, and many Of them
burned at the stake, fifty four Of them at one
time In Paris. Pope Clement assembled the
caYdihals and rrelates in secret eonsistory at
Venice, and goon after, on his own authority.
Issued d; bull abolishing the order. De Mo'ay
was burned OF the stake on March 18th, 1914.
and with hifn,ib was supposed, perished the
order ;s but notwithstanding the efforts Of the
King and Pope, the order was not extermina-
tda De Molay, IL anticipation Of his fate,