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pals of the order, attended by twenty other templars, armed, and in their regular habits.

The count declared that he was not come to do violence to any body, but having heard of the bull against his order, came to insist that the appeal which they made from that decree to the next council and successor of Clement, should be received, read, and published. This he pressed so warmly, that the archbishop, not thinking it proper to refuse men whom he saw armed, complied. He sent the appeal afterwards to the pope, who ordered him to have it examined in a council of his province. Accordingly a synod was called, and after a lengthy trial, and various formalities which were then observed, the templars of that province were declared innocent of the crimes charged upon them.

Although the templars were thus declared innocent, it does not appear that either their possessions or their government, as a distinct order, were restored; but that their estates in the German empire were divided between the knights of Malta and the Teutonic knights; to the first of which orders, many knights templars afterwards joined themselves. This appears altogether probable from the following circumstance, viz. It is unquestionable, that the habit of the knights iemplars was originally white; but we now observe they distinguish themselves by the same colour as the knights of Malta, viz. black; which change cannot be accounted for in any other way than by an union with the knights of that order.

I shall close these preliminary remarks, by the following observations drawn from the erudite pen of the author of the spirit of Masonry; the reader will be constrained to observe that he entertains the same opinions we have expressed in the introductory parts of this history.--See page (278)

Soon after the progress of christianity in England, all Europe was inflamed with the cry and madness of an enthusiastic monk, who prompted the zealots in religion to the holy war; in which, for the purpose of recovering the holy city and Judea out of the hands of infidels, armed legions of saints, devotees, and enthusiasts, in tens of thousands, poured forth from every state of Europe, to waste their blood and treasure, in a purpose as barren and unprofitable as impolitic.

It was deemed necessary that those who took up the ensign of the cross in this enterprise, should form into such societies as might secure them from spics and treacheries:

and that each might know his companion and brother labour. er, as well in the dark as by day. As it was with Jeptha's army at the passes of Jordan, so also was it requisite in these expeditions that certain signs, signals, watch-words, and pass-words should be known amongst them; for the armies consisted of various nations and various languages.

No project or device could answer the purposes of the crusaders better than masonry:-the maxims and ceremo nials attending the Master's order had been previously established, and were materially necessary on that expedition; for as the Mahomedans were also worshippers of the Deity, and as the enterprizers were seeking a country where the masons were in the time of Solomon, called into an association, and where some remains would certainly be found of the mysteries and wisdom of the ancients and of our predecessors. Such degrees of masonry as extended only to the acknowledgment of their being servants of the God of nature, would not have distinguished them from those they had to encounter, had they not assumed the symbols of the christian faith.

All the learning of Europe in those times, as in the ages of antiquity, was possessed by the religious;-they had ac quired the wisdom of the ancients, and the original knowledge which was in the beginning, and now is, THE TRUTH;-many of them had been initiated into the mys, teries of masonry; they were the projectors of this enterprize, and as Solomon in the building of the temple, introduced orders and regulations for the conduct of the work, which his wisdom had been enriched with from the learning of the sages of antiquity, so that no confusion should happen during its progress, and so that the rank and office of each fellow labourer might be distinguished and ascertained beyond the possibility of deceit; in like manner the priests projecting the crusades, being possessed of the mysteries of masonry, the knowledge of the ancients, and of the universal language which survived the confusion of Shinar, revived the orders and regulations of Solomon, and initiat ed the legions therein who followed them to the Holy Land; -hence that secresy which attended the crusades.

Amongst other evidence which authorises me in the conjecture that masons went to the holy wars, is the doctrine of that order of masons called the HIGHER ORDER.

I am induced to believe that order was of Scottish extraction; separate nations might be distinguished by some sepa

rate order, as they were by singular ensigns: but be that as it may, it fully proves to me that masons were crusaders.

It has been frequently remarked in the preceding part of this work, that no religious test is required of those who would become masons that all true Noachidas are fit candidates, namely alt those who by their lives and conversations, prove that they entertain a belief in one Almighty power, the Author of Nature, the Creator of the Heavens and all things visible and invisible; hence the virtuous Jew, and Mahomedan* find a more hearty welcome among real masons that the "stupid Atheist and the abandoned Libertine," or even the professed Deist. But in this and the suc ceeding degress, a barrier is placed inaccessible to any but the professed Christian at least. If any other than the followers of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" for the remis sion of the sins of the whole human race are found within the lines of our Encampment, they should be considered as spies-Or as "robbers who have not entered in at the door, but climbed up some other way."

The following passages may be considered as constituting the foundation of this order, and should be occasionally recited.

"The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, who is God over all-blessed for evermore." "Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, all power is given unto me, both in Heaven and in earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo! I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

"Jesus said to his disciples, as my Father has sent me, even so send I you. And when he had thus said, he breathed on them, and said unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost; whose-soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whose-soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain from the foundation. of the world, and who hath redeemed us to God by his blood; to receive all glory, honour and dominion.

"If there be therefore any consolation in Christ; if any comfort of love; if any fellowship of the spirit; if any bowels and mercies; fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord; of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife, or vain glory; but in

*We have enjoyed more real satisfaction than can be easily expressed, in an interchange of sentiment with Mahomedans, and in one instance with a native of one of the Philipine Islands—all of whom made themselves perfectly intelligible to us by the only universal language-Masonry.

Compiler.

lowliness of mind let each other esteem others better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Whereof God hath also highly exalted him, and given him a name, which is above every name; that, at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess, that JESUS CHRIST is the LORD, to the glory of God the FATHER.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, &c.

1. There are three that bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one. "Praise our God, O ye holy angels! Praise the incomprehensible unity in Trinity, O ye happy saints!

Praise him, O ye faithful, departed in his grace! Praise him, O ye living, who subsist by his mercy!

Praise him in the vast immensity of his power; praise him in the admirable wisdom of his providence.

"Praise him for the blessed effects of his redeeming Son! . Praise him in the infinitude of all his attributes.

Be thou for ever thine own first praise, O most glorious TRIUNE God! And to all the felicities thou essentially possesseth, may every creature say, Amen. Glory be to the Father, &c. As it was, &c.

ANTIPHON.

"To thee the eternal Father, made by none;-to thee the uncreated Son, begotten by the Father;-to thee the blessed Spirit, proceeding from the Father and the Son;-one holy consubstantial, and undivided Trinity, be ascribed all power, and wisdom, and goodness, now, in time, and throughout eternity. Allelujah, Amen.

Versicle.-Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth;

Response.-Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory. Aallelujah, Amen.

The arrangement of an Encampment of Knights.

The throne is situated in the east; above is suspended the arms of the grand patron, between a banner of the emblems of the order, and another of the arms of the grand master.

On the right of the throne the deputy grand master; and past grand master; or in subordinate encampments the past grand commander.

On the left the grand prelate and grand chancellor.

The grand treasurer on the right, and the grand register on the left in front.

The knights, who are entitled to seats above the standards, are so arranged as that there shall be an equal number on each side the throne. Over the stall of each is a banner of arms or emblems.-Next on each side is a standard bearer with a banner of sky blue silk, on which is a cross of Malta, in silver, with the motto, "The will of God."

Next below the standards two experts, one bearing a spear and shield, and the other a battle axe. Next to them the sword bearer, and cross bearer; then the knights not in office, concluding with the two stewards, each with his staff.

In the south west the senior warden; in the north west the junior warden.

In the west between the wardens a stall for the initiate, supported by the master of ceremonies and a herald.

Aprons.

White, with a black border; or black, with a white border. The flap black, and a skull and cross bones embroidered in silver thereon.

Dress.

A full suit of black, with a rapier and military hat; a broad black ribbon on the right shoulder, across the body to the left side, ornamented with a silver star opposite to the left breast, having seven points; the grand master or commander, a star of nine points; in the centre of the star, a cross and serpent of gold, surrounded by a circle, on which is engraved or enamelled "In hoc signo vinces."

The following passages of scripture are occasionally rehearsed in encampments of knights templars.

James i. 1-10, 26, 27. "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are

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