The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-04-24
REVMR.BR00MFIELD
TALKS TEMPLERS
Sermon Preached
at the NJ. p. Temple
Last Night.

80 ~
his church, the NJ. P. Temple. was very
large and Mr.. BroomHeld was excep-
tionally apt in his remarks. Among
other things he said:
Your earliest history as knights
of Templar dates back to the year
#1119, and among your founders the
names of Hugo OF PaBans, and Godfrey
of st. Omer, are most prominent. Your
order was born in fulfill a three.fold
purpose. First, to guard the public
roads, and protect pilgrims journey.
ing 10 the tomb Of Christ in the Holy
City. Second, to forsake worldly
chivalry, seeking the favor of Christ
rather than that OF men. Third. 10
fight with a pure mind for the SUI
preme and true King.
"Tha,5this triple purpose was strict.
IS adhered To Is clearly set forth IN
the early history OF your order. A
Knight understood chivalry 20 mean
srlf.sacriiice. and knighthoOd to mean
cOnsccratiOn to a high aud holy pnr-
pose. He was regarded as being half
soldier and hnlf.pricst. holiness unto
the Lord was his motto. Often he
heard the statement, You who desire
10 become a knight must pursue a new
course of life. DevouIly you must
watch in prayer. and avoid the sins OF
pride and idlcness. You must defend
the church and widows. and orphans,
and with noble boldness protect the
people
"'rhe highest glory OF each belted
knight was TO be known as a true
servant Of the Jesus Christ. To be a
Knight he must he a Christian initial.
ed hy holy baptism into the church OF
Jesus Christ.
80 rapid was the growth OF the or.
.ganization that within thirty years OF
Its birth we find Conrad lie, En-
peror OF Germany. spending Easter in
the Castle OF the Knights on Mount
Moriah, famous as the place of the
Offering up OF Isaac.
"Its growth during the first 300
years was phenomenal. Riches and
power accumulated rapidly. In the
carly days OF the fourteenth century,
however, the order incurred the jeal.
GUS and lispleasure of Philip the Fair,
King Of France, and Clement ". pope
or Rome Great persecution arose.
and martyrdom vas rampant. Fire
and guillotine. and dungeon. and SELF
.ure. accompanied the dispersion OF the
knights aud their property.
This was followed with an inter.
rcgnum of 400 years. The veil OF ST.
lencc covers the period.
"When in the early days OF the eigh'
tecnth century Templarfsm once more
appears q notable transition. has been
made from medieval to modern Tep'
plarlsm; from Roman Catholic pat.
ronaCe to the defense OF Protestism.
In this transition there has come a
rcintcrprctation. a SpiritualtZattng OF
the original triple purposes of the or.
der.
Yours is the privilege today OF
guarding the highways OF character,
along which the pilgrims to the New
Jerusalem are %iourneytng. What a
blessing to any community would a To-
cal ~commandery of knights Tcnlplar
be whose avowed purpose and daily
practice Is 10 make the path OF life
safer for boys and girls, and men and
women?
"Templarism was born in n roman
tic age, with its W type OF chtvairy.
You live IN the most practical age OF
the worlds history. demanding a chlV'
airy OF spiritual deeds.
"You are still needed to defend the
supreme and true king against the as
saults OF materialism, and modern
skepticism.
.'Yours IL n big task. and big tasks
require big capital. The capital you
need MS Knights Templar is brought
10 your attention this Easter day. It
Is the experience of the power that
brought again your Lord from the
dead, Il is to know Him and the
power Of His resurrection. That this
will do for YOU in limited at In the
great resurrection that Is going on at
present in nature. Think of the inf
mite weight taxing the genius OF mai
to handle, that nature will lift in
crops and fruits and forests ere the
harvest days come again. This pic
ture In nature is but dim starlight as
COMPARED with what the blazing sun
Of Ills resurrection will do through
YOU.
"We are reminded OF the same truth
in tho realm of Art. II paint and brush
and canvas under the touch of a
Raphael can produce a Sistine Ma.
donna; Is marble and mallet and CHS
cl under the touch of a Phidias can
produce n Pallas Athene; IL an alpha
hot Of twenty-six letters touched by the
genius OF a Shakespeare can produce
an immortal drama; Il an octave OF
eight notes re.aranged by a Mozart
can produce n matchless oratorio; and
II the ten numerals touched by the
genius OF a Newton or Copericus can
unlock for us the secrets of the uni
verse; then l ask you in all sincerity,
what can tho divine Investment in you
in body, mind and spirit. produce,
when touched by the power that
brought again our Lord from the dead,
and gave him a seat at Gods right
hand? Language is helpless to an
swer. Your battle cry is stimulating
In Hoe Signo Xinces,-and reminds us
that the cross is for the saving OF the
individual and the crown is for the
saving OF the community. Sing again
your two battle hymns-'Non nobis,
Domini. non nobis. sed nomini tue ad
glorlam'-Not unto us. o Lord, not
unto us. but unto thy name be the
glory; the 'Exsurgat Deus-Let God
arise and let His enemies be scatter.
ed. 1t Is said that Robert the Bruce
- -. 80. a.