The Hawaiian gazette., 1872-03-27

In HIS, Tho order 6rst settled in London. not
here where We are now standing. on the banks Of
the Thames, but near OldbOurne. as it was then
called, our present Holborn, on the site Of the
/ present southampton buildings. Here. more
/ than a century ago, when the ground was dug M.
were discovered the remains Of the original Tenn
pie Church, built in a circular form. like the
church the Knights reared Afterwards on their
new site. and which still remains as the entrance
chapel to the present Temple Church. Ten years
aher their settlement in London. Hugh de Pa.
ganis. the founder Of the order. visited England
with four fellow knights. IN order to recruit his
small band Of followers. and to create throughout
Christendom an interest in his new society He
returned to Jerusalem with three hundred com.
panions, who had devoted themselves to the de-
Tense Of the Cross. Before he len this country
he placed remplar, designated the Prior Of the
Temple at the head OF the order in London. with
supreme power over all the precepiories through
out the Kingdom. From this time. for half
century onward the Knights Of the Temple nobly
carried out The glorious purpose for which they
they fought with all that heroic ehivalry which has
lent such lustre to their name. and left en- many
wellremembered feld the mangled remains of
hundreds Of their brotherhood At last the end
drew near. On the banks Of the river Jordan. a
river so associated with all that thew held most
dear, in the year ll79. they me, the mighty hosts
Of Saracens, led by the renowned Saladin in per.
son and, aiter n terrific and prolonged struggle.
the crescent waved victorious over the Cross
On that day the fate Of Jerusalem was sealed
although it was not finally taken until llss.
Before its final fall, the venerable Heraclius. pa
triareh Of Jerusalem, came over 10 England to
make one last and vain effort. as il proved. 10
obtain sufficient help still to preserve the sacred
capital Of Palestine. He offered the crown OF
Jerusalem to Henry IL. if he would only come
over and assist in its defense. But it was not TO
be, and Heaclius returned in disgust 10 the HOLY
Land, IN time to share in the feeling Of bitter
shame and remorse that pervaded the Christian
warriors when they had to forsake the land they
had so long defended with their blood. Jerusa-
lem had fallen The Holy Land was trodden
under foot by the exultaot in6del The object
of their mission was gone, and the order could
hardly find resting place wherein to rally its
broken and decimated band Of followers Yet.
in this evil hour, on the morrow OF their great
defeat, when the sun Of their glory seemed set
forever, they were more to be envied far more to
be admired. than when, in after years, their gor-
geous palaces and rich domains we're to be found
scattered in countless numbers throughout every
country in ChristendOm. But We must return for
a moment to the history Of their order in London.
When Heraelius visited England il lls4. the
Tempars bad removed from their old precep;ory
IN Holborn to their new buildings in Fleet Street.
'n the site of the present Inner Temple The
renerable Archbishop eoHseerated their new
'hurch for them, as well as that belonging to the
Hospital OF the Knights of St John, Of Clerk
'nwel Tbe.ehurch was dedicated to the Blessed
irgin. and built after the model Of the Church
It the Holy Sepuehre at Jerusalem. As have
ready stated it still remains to remind Us OF the
Iappiest period in the history Of this famous
Around this consecrsted building
be Order raised It's new PFeceptory. and here
hey lived for many years according TO the strict
lles laid down for them by St Bernard. Before
nteriDg the fraternity. each member had 10 de-
lare that he had already been a knight that he
Ias neither married nor betrothed, that be bad /
ever taken VOWS in any other Order, and that
e was free from debt and in sound health
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