The San Francisco call., 1904-09-04

rumors affecting their orthodoxy and
the loyalty of the order, and the secret
rites and black art practiced at their
secret meetings. Credence was given
to the charges that the neophyte spat
upon the crucifx. disovowed his belief
in Christ. and worshiped idols. The
Templar's pride, arrogance and luxury
soon rendered him an object Of dislike
to those who were willing or possessed
the power to accomplish his fall. The
members of the order being scattered
in their various preceptories and not
being able to read Alright the signs Of
the times were in a condition to be-
come an easy prey to an avaricious
and unscrupulous prince.
Such was Philip the Fair Of France,
who planned to add to his treasury the
immense wealth of the preceptories
which were located within his king
dom. To his wishes Pope Clement V
gave ready consent, and in June, 1906
the grand master was summoned by
the Pope, at the instigation of Philip.
to meet him in Paris on matters of
Importance to the order. De Molay.
the grand master. obeyed, and with
a large amount of treasure and a re-
tinue of knights, hastened to Paris,
By promises and excuses the grand
master was delayed in the French
capital for nearly year. and then,
on October f3, 1907. the grand master
and every Templar in France was ar
rested and thrust into prison.
Cruelty, injustice and the tortures
of the Inquisition marked all the pro-
ceedings of the examination. The
charges which were preferred could
not, even in that age. be substantiated.
but the judgment had been rendered
before the trial. and during the follow
ing seven years the Templars were
driven from their homes, imprisoned
for life or burned at the stake. The
Pope. who had received the honors
and vows Of these valiant Knights. exc
cuted the orders of his master, Philip
of France, and saw with fear and
trembling an order which was created
and which existed for the glory of his
church disappear in the smoke which
arose from the funeral pyre or vanish
in the noisome dungeon where life and
liberty were lost.
With the destruction of the Templars
in France other nations made attacks
on the order, coniscating its estates,
imprisoning or driving away the Temp
lars and virtually blotting out the ex-
istence of the order. The knights, flee
ing from their priories, sought refuge
wherever a friendly. harbor could be
found Quite number made their
way to Scotland. as In that land the
Templars had suffered no persecution.
and while there Joined or united with
the Order of st. John of Jerusalem,
upon which the confiscated lands Of the
Templars had been bestowed. Some
followed the fortunes and placed them
selves under the protection Of Charles
Edward the Pretender, who became, or
was styled, grand master, and to this
circumstance some of the degrees in
the Scottish Rite probably owe their
existence. Some members Of the order
took refuge in religious houses and
others retired to private life, but in
all cases the Templars retained the old
religious training, with continued
fidelity to the principles of the order,
and won esteem and good will in what
ever station they were placed.
1t has been suggested that no direct
authority or title can be traced from
the old order to the present one, which
is so potential in the United States
but there seems to be authentic evil
dence that the existence of the order
never disappeared. So great and so
powerful an organization as Templar-
ism could never have died without
leaving it's traces and its influence on
the existing conditions of society at
that time and in the subsequent ages.
The knights of the Temple became
affiliated with the knights Of ST. John.
and, without doubt, members OF these
orders at times received the degrees Of
Freemasohry. In such cases they
proved valuable members and at all
times aided the cause with their coun-
..sel, purse and sword. Part of the
/ present authority for the existence of
the order comes from the English
priories in Bristol, Bath, York, Sails
bury and London. The persecution of
the Templars in England was never
severe. although these priories. except
the two first named, were broken up
and their members dispersed.
The Encampment OF Baldwin at
Bristol continued it's organization. ac-
| cepted the doctrines of the established
| church. and from time to time created
knights of the Temple and of ST. John.
| The claims of this encampment appear
| TO be well founded, and it's continual
tion from the time when the property
| of the order was sequestered to the
present day can hardly be questioned.
Without doubt the English and Ameri-
! can Templars can trace their authority
and origin to the Ealdwyn Encamp-
rnent and to the independent action OF
the knights of the Temple and Of st.
John while in Scotland.
The knightly life was religious life
and true knighthood was never known
until the church and the faith Of
Christ were established upon the earth
The term of probation Of the knight
was emblematical of the life of the Re-
deemer, triumphing over the faults Of
sinful nature and finding new strength
for faith. purity and devotion
Half soldier and half monk was his
characteristic, and the fulfllment Of
every Christian duty and the practice
of Christian virtue was the rule and
motive of his actions. Life was con-
sacrafad hv rravpr and sacrifice and