Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-08-16

Cross Of christ--eGcaped TIE deerada-
ton OF being seized upon by designing
men as a pretext to infiame the hlind
enthusiasm OF their followers. ana
| the basest ends. Did not goynething
| Of this contribute 10 the v,ry sud-
| den change in the heart Of cnnstantin.
| the Roman Emperor. and lead him Ia
! substitute the cross OF tie Eazarone
! for the eagles upon the standards of an
army whose soldiers wef" 50 rapidly
| embracing the new religion:
The Crusades Of Europe were o.
Z gotten Of the same spirit ~ religious
enthusiasm Of which we are speaking
| Their leaders appealed to II the better
10 arouse the military. as well as tho
/ religious. ardor Of Europe to its IN.
/ tensest heat, and. by this means. for.
/ ward their selfish plans. More than
! once. were they successful in the very
moment Of greatest peril. because des.
pair lent increasing force to their wild
enthusiasm. At length the banners Of
| the West waved over the walls az
! Jerusalem. rescued from TIE Infdels AZ
80 great an expenditure Of treasure
/ and of life. But the enemy had not
been driven entirely from Palestine
for the lofty mountains bordering
! upon the coast We're held by warlike
I bands which made attacks upon the
/ highways. and 50 cut of communIca.
\ ton with the sea- The pilgrims who
came from all parts Of Europe to visit
the sepulture Of their Lord. found
their journey hitler beset by many
dangers. Nine noble gentlemen who
! mad distinguished themselves at the
| siege and capture Of Jerusalem. en-
+. tered into solemn compact to aid
each other to keep these highways
] clear and to protect the pilgrims on
! their way 10 the sacred city.
That they We're melted 10 this by
/ love Of arms as well as by a zeal for
| religion. Is plainly evidenced BY the
! fact that they styled themselves THE
I Poor Soldiers Of Jesus They were
\ speedily recognized throughout the
4 kingdom of Jerusalem and the Romish
/ church. as power for good In the
! year Ills. Baldwin H.. king of Jerusa-
/ lem, who seems to have taken De-
/ culiar interest in the new order as
1 signed TO them certain apartments
I within the sacred enclosure Of the
\ temple on Mount Moriah. II is a fact
4 beyond cavil that this monarch was a
warm friend 10 the brotherhood and
Y supplied their necessities. in part at
\ least. from his own revenues.
| From this time their numbers and
I influence increased. and they added to
! their original design that of protect
! ing the entire kingdom of their royal
| patron. and. in fact. the whole
! Eastern Church from the encroach.
ments Of the Saracen. They We're then
/ termed The knighthood of the Tenn
/ PIE Of solomon" These knights elect
I "a one Of their number-Huges de
/ Payens-as their chief. to whom they
\ gave the title Of The Master Of the
| Temple" From this circumstance 1t
I has commonly been supposed that he
was the founder Of the order.
/ The reputation and spirit of this So
| Ciety spread into Europe. and many of
I the gentry. princes and mobiles of
/ England. France and Germany be-
! came connected with it. SO fourishing
/ did il become that in the year 1les.
I the Pope. by special enactment.
\ promulgated for their use code of
rules and regulations which had been
arranged by Saint Bernard.
In spite of the many vicissitudes
through which il has passed, this IL
lustrious order has existed until the
present day. Notwithstanding the
violent prosecutions to which il has
been subject. consequent upon the
ma Vaccinations of Philip le BEL and
Po1e Clement. it continued to survive,
if not TO flourish. 1t is true that, in part
NJ least. they may have failed to ac-
| Complish their original design. and the
sepulture Of their Lord has fallen into
the hands of the Mussulman. hnt when
driven from city to city. the found
everywhere an opportunity 10 defend
the innocent and oppose the wrong
Jaques de Molay in anticipation of the
martvrdom which he afterwards en-
durad. appointed his successor in
~ &c.
From that day to this there has been
an uninterrupted succession of grand
masters to preside over the order ana
to lead the knights. As years rolled
on. and clouds far more ominous gain
cred above the order. they united
with their ancient brethren in arms,
the Knights Of Malta. Their history
all the way along. has been re-
markable and eventful one. Fearless
in battle. undaunted amid the greatest
peril. they sounded their war-cry ana
made their severest attacks upon their
enemies. "Beauseant" was their war
cry and also the name of their BAN
ner.
This banner was divided along Inc
ccntre-the upper half being black ana
the lower. white-which was to SIGNIFY
that they We're fair and favorapie :"
the friends of their cause, Dut uarh
and terrible to their enemies Ing
idea is an Oriental one: the two coiors'
being used in the East with the saliie
significance. as 2. q. in their friendly
salutation. May your day be white:
The d-Beauseant-was not ohis
their battle cry and the name OF thei.
tt,a