New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-14
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR IN A SHOWER.
MOTHER IN ISRAEL" WARNS THEM NOT TO
BE so TENnEp ON n1r1,1 d oil 1-,,Es


MOTHER IN ISRAEL" WARNS THEM NOT TO
BE so TENDER OF THEIR PLUMEs
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: 1t is with pain and surprise that read
Of the flight Of the noble Sir Knights from the gentle
dows of a SIMMER shower. while on their pilgrimage
to Saratoga, to wrest what they can from the heather
there. especially in the line Of lbaons. Not only
did they turn and fee from the ranks, trailing the Red
Cross but they fed for shelter to the outsreohed avn
ings Of the vulgar grocery. Think of IT. plumed
knight-unwittlngy tits true-wlth the consecrsted
sword, touching an honest huckster while seeking
dry spot beneath his apple-stand. Would the Occur
de Leon have don thls1 Would Godfrey Adelmsn or
the other mighty pilgrim warriors have thus degraded
knighthood. MOI 1 am sure they would. like the
Templar Nehemiah, exclaim al am doing q great
work, so that l cannot come down."
Evidently our knights arc made OF baser matter
"Use doth breed habit in man, and like the milk
mans horse who. forgetting his high promotion TO the
sllvered harness Of the carriage, turned to all the
familiar gates and halted brave knights. dubbed
from the ranks of the livery stable and bake shop
would naturally. at the approach of storm, beat
retreat to their native element Of peanut-stald
Like "Tatnai and Letharbozna" l viii write a
letter and ask: Where poor defenceless women
to look for help when lnghthood Is degraded We
must don the plume and helmet and go fight, crying
the women as we'll the men-with the crusaders OF
old-'Tis the will of God" Each year we invited
at the rate OF 81 for each lady but henceOrh we 60
on our own recognzance No more sops to Cerberus
The question is often asked: 81 In what way
Is Knight Templary related to Masonry" The
history is This: In Ills there were nine Jealous
Christians who banded themselves together to clear the
highways OF syria OF indes and robbers, and TO pro-
tect pilgrims TO the Holy City through the dangerous
mountain passes These nine expanded into the order
of the Knights Of the Temple of the Holy sepuchre Of
Jerusalem which after 200 years crushed by Pope
Clement V and King Philip the Fair. Some OF the
members found refuge in Sweden, some in France
Others ned to Scotland. 1t has been from this last
that Temulary as practscd In this country and Eng
land hos descended. The Scottish monarch protecteu
the Sir Knights and allowed them to pepetuate ther
order under the cover Of Masonry which at that tmo
entoyed the care Of its row bitterest enemy, the
Church of Rome.
As centuries rolled on the Order Of the Temple once
more nourshed, and raised its head, but mlhdIu Oh
the Obligation to the Masonic craft the descendants
of those knights who sought refuge on Scottish soil
have since permitted to serve under the banner
~ the cross who have not previously proved ther
fidelity as Arch Masons.
There is really much that is interesting IN the study
of the craft and If its members were possessed oi
little more the fraternity wouln enjoy
better reputation among sensible people OF both sexes
The idea OK terrible with which the wives SIS
IA entirely mythical and the eminent writer Stone
savs "Tre essential secrets nothing more than the
signs CRIBS passwords etc, essential to the preservar
ton of ne society from the inroads OF lmpostoiS 10
pether With certain symbolical emblems, the technicA
terms a2pertaining to which served rs sort OF uni
verssl language by which the members could dlstn-
n is an easy thing If TO take the time 70
become bright Mason" one who Is more thoroughy
learned than nne-tentls Of the craft. IneIe aIe
VOLUMES by enthusiastic writer's, there are the text
hooks of the fraternity all b. their own bright ugnts
Tb trouble is the women either do not 10 be In
formed or they undervalue the knowledge II wouId
tive them for doing as mother / knew, VINO SO
fully equipped her for the initiation that after te
third degree he declared that he would save MS money
and take his degrees from his mother who not Only
tanght him all he learned in the lodge-rooH. but was
much better informed than any Master Mason nc ever
met. , >, 90. ,oA,,. Aaeor,
the ranks as was witnessed at Saratoga on Monday we
will catch up the ensign, IL matters not whether It Is
th4 lamb or the monitorial cock, and bear II away
from YOU This Is why have obeyed the injunction
given in Isaiah Will verse l. ,, ~ or.r,
Mt Vernon, Sept 1, 1891.