The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-11-19

My appearance before You on this occasion
| Is somewhat novel as well as embarrassing
inasmuch as | am the mouthpiece of ii
Chas. VI. Erwin, q rand Commander knight
Iempiar OF Mississippi, who few day
since, received a courteous and eordia
invitation to visit Holly Springs Comman
derry to participate with them in the beau
tlful baptismal ceremonies just witnessed
be present at other interesting work In tn,
Commandery, and deliver short addres
ON the history and duties of Knights Tenn
lar, the last of which he has assigned t.
me.
The duty is novel in this, that my posi-
ton properly in the Commandery should b.
in the northeast corner, as the younges
Knight therein, in Templar experience
and naught else, Sir Knights, but the fac
that had had a foretaste of Holly Spring
hospitality and have been the grateful
recipient of her refined generosity. coult
have induced me to accompany our Gran,
Commander and attempt my present per
torrance. So you Will discover, my friends
that my motive IN coming among You is
selfish one, but | trust in that same gener
Gus kindness for which you are so justly
famed, for a full pardon. And now, ii
knights, adopting the subject upon which
you indicatfd EY op Ms.2.Aa rs. pleased to hear
myself briefly fearing however that / ear
neither instruct, entertain or amuse so in
telligent an audience as | now have tn,
the honor of addressing.
The history and duties of X nights Temp
lar was written upon the same page. The
institution had its origin in the necesstie.
of the times. We learn that in the begin
ming of the eleventh century the Christian.
began to experience that holy vcneratior
for their Saviour that they longed 10 look
tho 4 his and a I, Il
singly and in companies from the various
Countries of Europe, on foot and in caravan
through winters SNOW and summers sun
over deserts bare and mountains bleak
rivers wide and rough ways, beset with
many dangers incident to the times and
mode of travel, the aged and youthful
male and female, robust and intirm, noble
and peasant, alike wendell their way To the
holy land and gathered about the tomb of
Christ The Arabs having captured Pales-
tine, the dangers that now beset the poor
pilgrims were eminently increased. The
tales of their suffering infamed the minds
of all Christendom and hence the war OF
"Crusades," with which all readers of his
tory. and romance are familiar. We are
told, that to protect the pious pilgrims from
plumber and death, nine noble Knights,
who had previously distinguished them
selves at the siege of Jerusalem, united
into a brotherhood, and bound themselves
in solemn compact to aid one another in
clearing the highways OF infdels and rob
bers, and in protecting the pilgrims
through the passes and detiles of the noun
tains to the Holy City. This was the be-
ginning of Knighthood, and it soon became
a wealthy and powerful organization, draw
into its ranks, as it has everidOne, the brave,
kind and charitable of all times and coun-
ri Tho scholar with his Y,bilNspr,h.-
the Christian with his charity and zeal, and
the soldier with his proves, have each con
tributed TO the strength and stability of
the institution, and each alike have ever
been ready to "wield the sword in defense
of innocent maidens, destitute widows,
helpless orphans and the Christian re-
ligion." The Brotherhood as first establish
ed was called, ''Poor fellow Soldiers of Christ
and of the Temple of Solomon" and were
recognized and patroniZed by Baldwin, King
of Jerusalem, who in Ills gave Thorn for Il
dwelling a part of the church which had
been built by the Emperor Justinian, with
in the site on which the Temple of Solomon
had been erected, on Mount Moriah. Soon
after this they undertook the further duty
not only of protecting the poor pilgrims, but
of defending the Kingdom of Jerusalem and
the whole Eastern Church from the attacks
of the infields, They were patronzed by the
Pope, and received membership and valua-
BILE contributions of money and land from
many of the noble and leading men of Eu-
rope. st. Bernard prescribed a white man
tie as their dress, to which Pope Eugene
some years afterward added the Red Cross
as a symbol of martyrdom. There were
three degrees or orders in the Temple-that
of Knights, Priests and serving Brethren.
The first were all men of-noble birth. The
Priests were admitted to the order by the
Bull of Pope Alexander. The last came in
through personal and pecuniary influence.
The presiding officer was called Grand Mas
ter, who resided at Jerusalem his duty re-
quiring him to always be in the Holy Land.
They kept up a continual war with the In
fidels till about the beginning of the l4th
century; when, having become very veal
thy and powerful, they fell prey to those
accompanying qualities-luxury and pride
and finally, through the avarice Of Phillip
the Fair, and weakness and perfidy of Pope
Clement the 9Th, they received a blow from
which they never recovered. Jacques de
Molay, the 18th Grand Master, and some
sixty Knights were burned at the stake,
having been invited to visit the Pope in
Paris, ostensibly to consult with him on bus
mess important to the order, where they
were betrayed, arrested, imprisoned and af-
ter a mock trial, publicly burned. But, our
Grand Master, anticipating his fate, appoin-
ted his successor in Office, and from that time
to the present, there has been an unnter-
rupted succession of Grand Masters.
To continue, Sir Knights, to trace the
history Of our Order from that day to this.
in all it's varied forms, would be tedious.
Yet, suffice il to say, from the days Of the
Crusades to the present moment, it has NUM-
bered in it's ranks in almost every subordin-
ate Commandery, a Hugh de Paynes, a
Jacques de Molay, Richard of the Lion
Heart" an Ivanhoe, and perhaps a Bots dc
Gilbert.
Its deeds have been those of Love, Mercy
Charity and Benevolence, coupled when
necessary, with heroic acts of noble daring
and glorious selfsacrifce for human good
To-day we have in America nearly 90,
900 Knights Templar, and though, when
seen by the public eye, We march beneath
gay and rich banners, with nodding plumes
and belted swords, yet it should be remem'
bered, that when we place our hands upon
our hits, we clasp the cross, and thus the
weapon of warfare is subordinated to the
symbol of the crucifxion.
Now, Sir Knights, when we come to con
slider, as individuals, of our duties, WE
should remember that cit is not by grea
deeds alone that good is to be done, but by
the daily virtues of life" Our privat,
daily mingling in business and in the socia
circle as well as in the asylum and on par
ade, should evidence to the world that W,
are in deed and in truth Knights Templar-
that we not only wear the outer apparel 0
purity and martrydom, but that we beal
the cross as well as wear its symbol-tha
we are worthy followers of the "poor fell
low soldiers of Christ and of the Temple q
Solomon"
But, Sir Knights, need not exhort vol
of the Holly Springs Commandery, nor neec
you look TO our ancient brethren for lesson
of duty, or ransaek the Orient for inspira
tion to incite to brave performance ofknight
ly deeds, for within your own ranks yol
have had, in the person of our late Pas
Grand Captain-General, Sir Harvey w
Walter, an equal to Jacques de Aolay, fol
the latter-and | say it with reverence
manifested no loftier character, no purel
life or sublimer death than did that grand
old man, who so beautifully exemplifed the
words of ST. John, that, "Greater love hath
no man than that a man lay down his life
forh frsaf,d >, IL Ill 4,