The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1890-04-17

Mysterious. imposing, and sacred
were the rites by which. candidates
were admitted TO this order, reeog-
niEing the fact that quality and
numbers constitute tbs strength OF
this order. Long aud toilsome was
the pilgrimage, mean the gaib, and
poor the fare Of the candidate. His
very soul was searched by peuance,
trial aud vigil, aud only In the garb
Of q penitent could he win his way
to even tue outer court. Every.
thing was dsns to test his character
and worth before being admitted In
the name Of God to an inheritance
OF good work.
When the Roman Poutif became
the tool OF . vile king remplari,m
fell. 'Tis true the Knights Templar
became proud sud naughty. 'ris
probable Ihst they prscticed other
than christian mysteries, AMI in-
dulged In free thought speculatlons.
The most enlightened body OF men,
made sksptical by the tyranny and
corruption OF the church, with
much knowledge Of men and science
were made skePticAl 10y the Tyranny
and corruption of the church. tn.
church herself. was too greedy Of tenn
POral power to successfully curb the
vaulIIng ambition Of her children.
We grant all that the facts warrant,
aud yet affirm that impartial his
tory justifies u In affirming that
TeIuplaTisn fell, not by the weight
Of its crimes, but by the cupidlty OF
treacherous foe. As q famous
historian has said: "Templarism
fell a victim to plot rs mysterious
aud as treacherous as sny that has
| disgTsced the annals oil mankind"
In its fall Templarism displayed the
virtues that have been the wonder
| aud admiration OF all succeeding
times. The Templars lived entirely
| to the mseIves. They Stunned s1-
ciety and repealed sympathy. They
were disliked as q dark aud naughty
association. The secular mobiles re-
garded the priests ~ their Interiors.
The Templars were priests aud
were hated By the mobiles as men of
religious vows aping humanity.
They were hated by the priests ~
mobiles. They made no friends
among the people. They were con-
deinned by universal feeling before
any open charge was brought
against them. This order was broken
up by n rejected candidate, who
Iusled for its wealth. Philip, King
of France, was the most unpriuci.
pied Of men. He stuck nj no
baseHess or atrOclty TO gain his end.
He debased the crown, pillaged the
church, oppressed the people. tor
tured the Jews aud Impoverished
the nobility. He bounded one Pope
TO his grave, and lifted to the papal
chair the hasest and greedie-t of
Prelaies a. Pope Clement the Fifth,
but first eNscted frum him a solemn
oath to work mis- will on the Tenn
pIars, should he fail to gain admission
10 the order. This monster Philip
first prayed weekly for admission as
q brother Of the order Of the Tenn
plars. lie would wear the red cross,
aud obey their Cody laws. min
| fiuenctd by policy or fear he was
scOrnfulIy rejected.
No enemy H. so bitter, no maligneT
so fiendishly INSCRIPTIONS a. re-
jected candidate. II was this To-
lectsd Philip who charged the Tom
plars with being guilty of all crimes
!, was with great difficulty that hr
! rung from his tool Pope Clement
reluctant consent to HH assault on
| the communicates Of the Templars
lie u was who threw James DE
MOlay, aud all the Knights Tenn
plars In France, into prison. lie
starved them in foul cells, and in
fiicted upon them the most exgui-
site Of fortunes. He burned fifty of
them, but could not wiring from
one of them the secrets OF the order.
The Odious process Of pxtPTmina-
ton, under the forms of law, In all
iands-are not these things recorded
in.the annals Of Of history: The in
famous Phillip aud his base tool
Pope Clement grssPcd the reward
Of their guilt. but DID not long sur.
vive to enjoy the gains Of their
guilt.
The ancient order Of Templars fell,
but from its ashes arose that which
can never die. The spirit aud forms
OF TemplariSm lie, openly espous.
ing its Masonic connections. The
two orders of which I have spoken
have been united with = common
purpose Of Offending what IL etrr-
nal aud vital In the Christian z. lig-
ion, the protection Of the Innocent,
aud the service OF the poor.
Our orders must ever retain and
maintain their distinctive, religious
and benevolent character. Our
asylum il a temple; our ceremonies,
symbols aud rites are christian In
aim aud character.
There are two methods Of teach
Ing truth. aud inTorciug duties The
first il by clear, exact aud logical
statement by preaching and teach
lug. This Is the best method when
new truths are TO he impaired, or
unfamiliar duties are 10 Le IuIOrced
The second method Is to teach
truths aud Inforce duties by symbols
and ritual ceremonies, aud this Is
the best method where old truths
aud duties are to be reinforced, for
symbols appeal powerfully to the
affections through the Imagination. /
The christian orders of Kuighthood
stand for the truths and duties as
old and familiar As the gospels. |
These we seek TO endeAf, aud make |
effective by forms and Observances. /
We do not enterpre! Ia doginatlc
phrase the gospel in whose defence
We are enlisted. We do hot teach |
or preach, but hold aluft the symbols |
Of our faith, symbols that time and |
broadening thought Interpret anew.
Each Knight IL free to interpret |
them as grandly rs he may, n long |
a. he cherishes reverence for God, |
appreciation Of the gospel Of Christ,
aud Is helpful aud courteous 10 his |
brethren.
BY this method, by ~ uhbols that |
speak to savage and civilized alike /
Ia each In his own language, and by |
Titualistie eerem Onies that fire the |
imagination and enlist the affsc-
tiOns Of all, We preserve the
unity Of the truth la the bonds of
peace, we avoid all dogmAtisms that
divide. We are thus In nearer accord 1
with the methods Of the Catholic
church which sxaets observance to
forms rather than confessions OF
belief. Aud, yet, we are perfectly
testHnt In our private interpretn-
tions. Hence we embrace In our
order every phase OF christian
thought, because we adhere to the
essentials of religion a. expressed In
fact, myth, and symbol, and do not
suffer ourselves to be disturbed by
But there IL danger
now, g. always, that the very pomp
and splendor Of our ceremonies viii
90 charm aud bewitch our senses,
that we shall be ObliyIOus Of and
Indifferent TO the moral simplicity
Of the spiritual character OF our faith,
that gives to this order all of soul,
life aud power, IL has. A rlonster
fn0ra farFfhfa a nd hasNrttnsiva shan . 1