The Huntington argus. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1872-1905, 1872-09-14
CHARGE To THE KNIGHTS,

~ "a i<hhh's AHN oAhAu
Test Tournament, held at Huntington,
September 9th, lSs2 Published by re-
quest of the Knights:
SIR KNIGHTS: You are the represen-
tatives OF an ancient and honored order
An order in which vaor, gallantry and re-
Iigion were strangely blended-exercising
Tor centuries AN influence on the opinions.
manners and customs OF men developing
some of the most remarkable features o.
the worlds history in which may be
found great auxiliary occasion of mod
ern civilization.
The great principles OF knight errantry
may Toe traced to the decline OF the Ro
man Empire and found in the customs Of
the Gothic nations. With the death OF
he Emperor Aurelius tyranny eclipSel the
light o, day, and darkness plucking ,a.
stars from Heaven, threw her sombre pal
over the bier of nature.
The dark ages came on lks a mighty
deluge, rolling its deathlike and turbulent
waters, spreading ignorance and supersti-
uon over the land.
Then the age OF chivalry commenced
and knight errantry knew its origin, hay
ing Tor its purpose the preservation of
lNlls'na lOT It's emu lllt
-ubjugatiou of the powerful and the pro
| lection ui the weak But its origin a. u
, fixed institution can he traced, definitely.
30 the eleventh century, when il began To
flourish in It's purity and spendor And
| under the influence OF the chivary OF that
age the Crusaders marched to the Holy
Land to avenge the wrongs ofthe Christian
reared the banner OF lmmanuel over
ii Ia I,,l.
| bore back the buried treasures OF the
East, TO sparkle in the crown of the civil
| ization that was to follow.
Thus in looking down the stream OF
| time, we see the order OF Knighthood
TOW Nering above the blackness and gloom
of the dark ages-the members Of its or
der uniting their hands across the avenues
| OF centuries. and passing down the torch
OF science, liberty and religion Tor the en-
lightenment and improvement of man
kind. During the eighteenth century the
order began to fade away before the al.
vance OF civilization and with the rising
sun OF the nineteenth, friendless youth
rose above the turbulent waves of faction.
bore the golden lilies OF France across
the snow crowned Alps, or planted his
banner in the land OF the Moor. aud in
Eif'ii- NlNN tblNbNlrN W hil EtflS anu tie
nominations Of religion. making con
science the only guide TO gospel truth.
abolished the last vestige OF the Feudal
system.
since then it has been The theme Of ro,
nance and song, and the Wild exploits OF
those romantic Knights whose memory
you celebrate to-day-whose deeds like
stars struggling through midnight gloom.
lighted up the night oi the dark ages. viii
illumine the pages of history. until EN-
p,res shall hae passed away and citie-
like Pompel, are buried in their tombs OF
lava.
The most distinguished feature Of
knight-errantry seems TO have been ro-
mantle spirit oi adventure love of arn-
and Tor the rewards of vaor. AN eagernes.
to succor the distressed and avenge the
wronged, prompted hv hugh sentiment
OF honor and religion, together with q
pure devotion and respectful attachment
for fair women, who SAYS Hallan
taught the Knights the art Of religion
and love, aud enjoined in return that the
motto Of each should be the love Of God
and the Ladies. ~ single duty TO be per-
formed above all Others IN time OF war
the knights were At tie post Of duty viii.
their sovereign-in time oi peace the,
graced HE court with their presence. or
traver-ed the country in quest NJ adven-
ure, enforcing rights, or hlfllns the
VOWS o. religion and love
But the feature OF Knighthooi that
most interests W., il the Tournament. with
which the knights aud princes cheered
their leisure At these the knights 40
peared ~ the most splendid costume. with