The Washington times., 1894-10-07


Their humble origin, their sudden stride TO
power, their terrible and disastrous sufTerings
Of a few centuries ago, have the strangest vi
sissitude and deepest coloring of romance.
They arose somewhere about 110S and were
crushed in little more than two centuries after
hat date. Their creators were nine pious
and valiant knights, who formed themselves
into body uniting monkhood, and whose ex- /
elusive object was in t hose earliest years of
the Christian dominion in Syria to protect
and defend the various pilgrims who then be
gan to hasten TO the more sacred spots Of the
HOLY Land. Their numbers soon increased
and with these their wealth and power.
1t was natural from the very constitution
Of the order that they should have acted
conspicuous part through the whole Of the
crusades. They were the offspring Of the
profoundest spirit Of that movement and sus-
tained it with unequaled bravery and success. /
They performed prodigious acts of yalor.
The standard Of the Temple floated high above
every deadly onset, and the cry Of 'Beauseant'
was the infdels' most dreaded herald to
hades. When the Saracens recovered Pales-
tine the Templars retreated last. They lin
gered on the scene, as if with some fatal pre-
sentiment that when they quilted it their days
we're numbered.
The extraordinary influence they had ac-
1uired, the unheard Of privileges conceded to
chem in every part Of Christendom, were
based on a delusion which they then saw scat
tered into air. Still there was in them the
material for a desperate struggle, and for
this they prepared. With sort Of instinct Of
tear they signalized their return by some i'm
mediate assertions Of hitherto unquestiOned
power In this they were i'll advised. Set
ling aside the temptation 10 plunder in their
vast possessions. il was hardly 10 be expected,
the crusades once ended. that any exhibition
Of such power. with its energies disengaSed
from immediate strife and ready for profits Of
temporal ambition. should not arouse the in
slant persecution Of the princes OF Europe.
And il fell upon them too suddenly, with an
aim too well directed and too terrible a con-
eentration of hostile forces. for the possibility
Of effective resistance. The very nature ara
position Of their order had isolated them from
anything Of public or popular sympathy-the
only thing that could have saved them.
The Ostensible charges were OF two kinds;
moral deprayity and religious heresy, but
the lOathsOme proceedings TO support them
proved little beyond the heroism and con-
stancy Of the gallant and unfortunate men.
The moral dcpravity may here have existed
but was certainly not proved; therefore lUdC-
ment should pass by the rules OF temple law
for the Iemplars. The religious heresy was
In some sort established. but by means 50
Rbominable and by powers afterward declared
so hereto themselves that rational men have
been at no Joss in thinking all punishment on
that score horribly disproportioned ana iniqui-
uOus.
HOW THEY FOUGHT.
An eve witness Of the conduct Of the Tenn
plars in the field has left the record that they
were always foremost in the fight and the last
in retreat, that they proceeded 10 battle with
the greatest order. silence and circum-
spection and carefully att ended TO the COM
mauds Of their master. When the signal to
engage had been given by their chief. and
the trumpets Of the order sounded 10 the
charge then. saws he. ''theg humbly sang
the psalm of David. Non nobis: non nobis
Domino sed nomini tUs da gloriam,' (Not unto
Us. not unto Us, o Lord but, unto thy name
give the praise.) and placing their lsnces in
rest they either break the enemy's line or
die. il any one OF them had by chance turned
back or bore himself less manfully than he
ought the white mantle the emblem Of their
order was ANONYMOUSLY stripped of his
shoulders. the cross worn by the fraternity
was taken away from him and he
cast out from the fellowship Of the brethren:
ne was llCQ tOMptliel 10 etll on lue ground
without a napkin or tableclOth for the space
OF one year. and it was not permitted that
the dogs who gathered round him and tor
mented him should be driven away AT the
expiration Of the year If the offender was
truely penitent the master and the brethren
restored TO him the military girdle and his
pristine habit and cross and received him
again into the fellowship and community OF
the brethren. The Iemplars did indeed prac-
tice the observance OF stern religion living
IN humble obedience to their master. without
property and spending nearly al The days of
their lives under tents IN the open fields.
Shortly alter his ascension TO power William
de Montsenat. preceptor Of Antioch, being
"desirous of extending the Christian terrific
ries. to the honor and glory Of Jesus Christ.
besieged q fortress OF the infidels in the neigh
bOrhOod OF Antioch. He refused 10 retreat
before a superior force. and was surrounded
and overwhelmed. A hundred Knights of the
Temple and 800 cr0ss-bowmen were slain.
together with many secular warriors and a
large number Of foot soldiers. The balcainfer
or standard bearer, on this occasion was an
English Knight Templar named Reginald
d 'Argentin, who performed prodigies OF valOr.
BE was disabled and covered with wounds
vet he unnincbincly bore the beauseant. or
war banner, alOit with his bleeding arms into
the thickest Of the fight. until he at last fell
dead upon a heap Of his slaughtered com
rades. The preceptor Of Antioch, before he
was siam, sent sixteen lnndels 10 hell
AyENGING COMRADES.
As soon as the Knights Templari in England
heard Of the disaster they sent in conjunction
with the Hospitallers instant succor 10 their
brethren. The Templars and the Hospital
lers eagerly prepared to avenge the blood Of
their brethren SO CALAMITY poured forth in
the cause Of Christ. The HospitaIIers ap-
pointed Brother Theodore. their prior. a
most valiant soldier, 10 lead band OF knights
and stipcndiary troops with an immense
treas Hre. 10 the succCr OF the Holy Land. Hav-
ing made their arrangements they all started
from the house Of the Hospitallers at Clerk
enwell, in London. and passed through the
city with spears held aloft shields displayed
and banners advanced. They marched in
splendid pomp TO the bridge and sought a
blessing from all who crowded TO see them
pass. The brothers. indeed. uncovered, bowed
their heads from side TO side. and recon-
mended themselves to the prayers of ali.
The picture has a sad reverse. Witness
this scene from the records Of their persecu-
ton.
Days and weeks were consumed in the ex-
animation and thirty-six Templars persisted
in the hands of their tormentors, maintaining
with mistaken consistency to the very last the
entire innocence Of their order Many of
them lost the use Of their feet from the appli-
cation Of the torture of fire, which was in
ficted in the following manner: Their legs
were fastened in an iron frame and the soles
OF their feet were creased over with fat or
butter. They were then placed before the fire
and screen was drawn backwards and for