The Lamar register., 1922-04-19

ism, COUlu not lOHy De TtSiSteu anu Ill
1896 the Crusade started. On July
18th, 1899, under Godfrey dc Bouillon
the Commander of the First Division
of the Crusaders, Jerusalem was cap
tured, the victory was won and the
polluting infidels driven from the holy
tomb and the Moslem crescent made
to trail beneath the floating standard
of the Cross. Then came the pilgrims
in increased numbers, of both sexes,
all ages and conditions in life.
The i-fidels had indeed been driven
out of Jerusalem, but not out of Pale
stine. The lofty mountains bordering
on the sea-coast were infested by
bands of Mussusmans, who maintain
ed themselves in various castles and
strongholds, from whence they issued
forth upon the high roads, cut off the
communication between Jerusalem and
the sea-ports, and revenged them
selves for the loss of the Holy city
by the indiscrimate pillage of all trav-
lut
over, making rapid incursions from be-
yond the Jordan, frequently kept a
desultory and irregular warfare in the
plains; and the pilgrims, consequent
ly, were alike exposed to almost daily
hostility, to plunder and death.
To alleviate the dangers and dis
tresses in which they were exposed,
to guard the honor of the sanity vir-
gins and matrons and to protect the
gray hairs of the venerable pilgrims,
nine noble knights, led by the stall
ward Hugh de Payens Knight of
Burgundy, who had greatly distin-
guished themselves at the siege and
capture of Jerusalem, formed holy
brotherhood in arms, and entered into
a solemn compact to aid one another
in c'aring the highways, and in pro-
tecting the pilgrims through the passes
and defiles OF the mountains to the
Holy City.
These nine Knights renounced the
world and its pleasures, and in the
Holy Church of the Resurrection, in
the year lib, in the presence Of Arm
ulph, Patriarch of Jerusalem, they en-
braced vows of perpetual chastity,
obedience and poverty, after the man.
ner of monks. They elected as their
first Master that true Knight Hugh
de Payens. Uniting in themselves the
two most popular qualities of the age,
Devotion and Valor, and exercising
them in the most popular Of all en-
terprises, they speedily acquired a IA
nous reputation. They rendered val
liant services and in the year Ills
quarters were assigned them at Jeru-
salem in the palace Of the kings. This
palace was also known as the Temple
of Solomon, and from It they derived
the name of Knights OF the Temple
or Knights Templar. Thus was found
ed the order Of the Ancient Knight
Templars, whose motto was "the de-
fense Of innocent maidens, destitute
widows, helpless orphans and the
Christian religion"
1t was not long until their fame
spread throughout Europe, and the
scions of noble houses eagerly sought
to enlist themselves under the banners
of so distinguished an Order. The or
ganization increased rapidly until they
were at the head of military orders.
The military prowess, the order and
disciplise maintained, and their forti-
tude under most trying circumstances,
led Louis VII of France to recognize
his entire army after the pattern set
by them. Many possessions were be-
slowed on the order and it became, in
rank and influence second to none.
Their gifts were enormous. and their
possessions yielded revenues exceed
ing the income of kings.
From this time on, the history of
the Knight Templars is a history of
the succeeding crusaders of which
there were seven.
Nearly one hundred years later, af-
ter series of disasterous conflicts, the
Templars were driven from the soil
of Asia, and were never again able
to gain foothold. Notwithstanding