Telegram-herald., 1889-10-06

EMINENT SIR KNIGHT NHRoN NJ. PARKER
l. was about the year lils that a
knight Of Burgundy, Hugh de Paganis.
bound himself and eight comrades by
VOW 20 guard the public roads leading
10 Jerusalem, protect Christian pill
g-ims and 20 hight lor the King OF
Heaven" Statutes of the new order Of
knights Of the Temple were drawn up.
and II grew rapidly throughout Europe.
1t became conspicuous In the crusades,
and for the next century It's career is
record OF war and rRpine, of bravery
and treachery, OF self-denial and muir
der, OF religious fervor and cruelty that
would shame Pagan Indian. Defeat
and victory followed each other hotly.
II received the homage of princes and
dictated the policy of kings. Every
whore Saladin found the herce Tenn
plars in his front, each man sworn
never to turn his back on less than four
OF the ''infdels."
They wore, as now, the white mantle
and the red cross. They must attend
mass. according TO the early form.
Meat could be eaten thrice a week.
Holy Writ was read aloud during meals
"Brethre were TO eat by couples, each
keeping an eye on his fellow 10 see that
he did not (eat too much Noo practice
an undue austerity." This rule was not
adopted by the modern Knights who
are VIGOROUSLY good feeders; nor was
that other, Brethren are eXhorted 10
shun the kiss OF every woman, whether
maid or widow, mother, aunt or sister"
Our variety is somewhat more liberal
than this.
The old fellows who took these acetic
vows gradually weakened till in gen
GRAFTON or two they began 10 kiss their
aunts and sisters, and in another gen
Grafton or two they varied the menu by
kissing other fellows aunts and
sisters, and in half century
and more they got TO be real convivisi
blossomed into hard cases who scrupled
at nothing. They became rich, ar
rogant. sleepy and luxurious, and they
saved up other peoples money, and
rested while others toiled, and warmed
themselves over the register while
others sawed the wood. Jerusalem
flashed across their minds at ftfsl per-
iods, but they found that they could
stand a good deal of quail on toast at
seaside resorts. Their aTmor grew
heavy. They became bloated bond
holders and paid the debts OF kings.
Finally both Church and State got jeal-
Gus and cOvetous and resolved 10 break
them up and get their wealth. The
conspiracy began by charging them by
every crime forbidden by the Decalogue
except putting ties on . railroad track,
continued by inviting confessions
through tho use Of thum bscrews and
boiling oil. and by occasional augers
for eyes. and ended by dissolving all
the COmmanGcries, stealing all OF the
money. and burning az the stake all the
grand masters who happened 10 be
handy This was in the good old year
Of 1912, a century before Columbus
father was born.
The Knights Templnrs Of America to-
day ought TO be eVCrlastingly grateful
that they are not either personally or
officially descended from the unwashed
Knights Templars OF old. who grew rich
without work. who butchercd 1000 uris-
oners at Acre as a. religious diversion
and whose path for more than a century
was a vivid trail OF blood.
They still affect absurd paraphcrnalia.
probably because mystery has proved 20
he attractive. Behind these symbols"
are claimed 20 lie awful secrets: but I
suppose that the primary object Of the
Templsrs. as of other orders. IS 70 cat
in pleasant company. travel on cut
rates. and spend money in having q
good time. ". A. CRoFFUT.