HISTORICAL SKETCH
ORDER OF KNIGHTS
TEMPLAR.
AN ADDRESS
The South-Carolina
Encampment, No. 1,
OF KNIGHTS TEMPLARS.
AND THE APPENDANT
ORDERS,
AT CHARLESTON,
S. C. ON MARCH 23rd, A D
THEODORE S. GOURDIN, S.
P. R. S.
COMMANDER.
PUBLISHED BY REQUEST OF THE ENCAMPMENT.
CHARLESTON, S. C.
WALKER
& EVANS
BOOK AND
PRINTERS.
1855
THE GENERAL GRAND
ENCAMPMENT
OF KNIGHTS TEMPLARS,
AND THE APPENDANT
ORDERS
FOR THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA,
THE CONSEVATIONS
OF THE PRINCIPLES OF
TEMPLARY
IN THE NEW WORLD,
THESE REMARKS ARE
RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED
BY THE AUTHOR.
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF
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Proceedings
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for the United States of America, begun and held in
the city of Lexington, Kentucky, on Tuesday, the 13th day of
September, 1853; together with the Constitution: Printed by Lemuel Towers, 1853.
Pamphlet.
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command of the Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Masonic Knights Templar in England
and Wales. August, 1846. London, 1846. (Pamphlet.
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ORDER OF KNIGHTS TEMPLAR.
Brethren:
On the 11th March, 542 years ago, the
last Grand Master of the whole Order of the Temple breathed his last;
and our noble brotherhood ceased publicly to exist as a great religio-military
institution. The anniversary of his martyrdom should ever be held in sacred
remembrance by all Knights Templars, whether they follow the banner of the Cross
and Serpent, that of the Black Eagle, or that of the Blood-red Cross.
Prompted by these holy emotions, your
committee requested me to address you on that occasion. The honorable position
which I hold, in consequence of your partiality, would not permit me to suffer
your desire to pass unheeded.
It having been however, subsequently
deemed expedient to postpone the commemoration of that event, we are assembled,
this evening, for the purpose of paying a proper tribute of respect to the
memory of James de Molay. And, what more suitable tribute of respect can we
offer to the memory of the martyr than to review the career of an Order for
whose sake he languished in a dungeon for more than five years, and for which he
nobly sacrificed his life?
I shall not attempt, at present, to trace
the origin and antiquity of our symbols, nor the connection which exists between
Freemasonry and Templarism. But, I shall endeavor to give, so far as the brief
period allowed me will permit, a historical sketch of our illustrious Order from
its foundation to the present day.
After the capture of Jerusalem (A. D. 1099) by the
Crusaders, “the zeal of pilgrimage blazed forth with increased fierceness.”
Persons of both sexes, the old and the young, hastened to pay their devotions at
the Holy Shrine. The wealthy mortgaged or sold their possessions to lay the
proceeds on the alter of some favorite saint, or to distribute them among the
poor in Eastern lands, hoping thereby to obtain from heaven forgiveness for a
mis-spent life. Many, however, even of the gentler sex, were, from their
poverty, forced to perform the long journey from the West of Europe to the Holy
Land on foot. These were supported, “en route,” by the alms of the opulent
through whose estates they passed.
The Knights
Hugh de Payens, sometimes styled Hugo de Paganis and Geoffry of St. Aldemar or
St. Omer, otherwise called Godfry Adelman who had greatly distinguished
themselves at the siege of Jerusalem, together with seven others, formed a
brotherhood in arms, for the noble purpose of “clearing the highways of infidels
and robbers, and of protecting the pilgrims through the passes and defiles of
the mountains to the Holy City. They called themselves the Poor
Fellow-Soldiers of Jesus Christ. In the Church of the Resurrection, between
the hands of garimont, Patriach of Jerusalem, “they embraced vows of perpetual
chastity, obedience and poverty, after the manner of Monks.” The kind of poverty
adopted by these brethren, was that termed “media.” It “forbade the
possession of individual property, but sanctioned any amount of wealth when
shared by a fraternity in common.”
In consequence
of the services to the Christians performed by the Poor Fellow-Soldiers,
Baldwin II, King of Jerusalem, gave them for a habitation, for hitherto they
seem to have had no fixed place of abode, “the place or royal house to the South
of the Temple of the Lord, vulgarly called the Temple of Solomon,” This place
or royal house was “within the sacred inclosure of the Temple on Mount
Moriah.” The large Court between the Temple of Solomon was also conceded to
them. They were, henceforth, termed The Knighthood of the Temple of Solomon,”
and sometimes, as in the Rule of St. Bernard, “The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of
Jesus Christ and of the Temple of Solomon.”
Such is the
commonly received opinion concerning the origin of the name of our Order. But,
the learned Reghellini has assigned a different reason. “It was,” says he,
“through gratitude for having been admitted to the labors of the mystical
temple, that the Knights Hospitallers” (he should have said, “the Poor
Fellow-Soldiers of Jesus Christ”) “requested of Pope Eugenius II. The
confirmation of the privileges of their Order, and moreover to be particularly
and specially invested with the title of Knights of the Temple, instead
of Knights Hospitallers. Pope Eugenius, believing that this name referred to the
Temple of Jerusalem and to Christ, granted their demand; since then, they have
always been known by the name Knights Templars, or Holy Knights, in
Hebrew, Kadosh.” This may account for the fact, that, in England, in
their oldest records, as well as at the present day, the style or title of
Knights Templar is given with the addition of K. H. It may also explain why the
degrees, in various rites, called Kadosh, are more or less connected with the
history of the Templars. But, be the origin of the term Knights Templar
what it may, our Order has continued to bear that name from the period when it
was first adopted to the present time.
Hugh de Payens
was (A. D. 1118) the first “Master of the Temple.” It was during this year that,
according to a Sweedish Legend, “the rose Croix came from the Easy into Europe,
to propagate the doctrine of Jesus: Three of them founded in Europe, the Order
of Masons of the East,” (our Knight of the Red Cross is probably derived
from this degree,) to serve as a preparatory seminary for those pupils whom they
intended to instruct in the most sublime sciences.” The foundation of the Order
of Rose Croix is attributed to Ormesius or Ormus, a Seraphic Priest of
Alexandria in Egypt, who, with six of his brethren, embraced Christianity at the
solicitation of St. Mark, the Evangelist, A. D. 46. This tradition is perfectly
reconcilable with that of the establishment of the Templars, henceafter to
notice, and with the theory adopted by the Order of the Temple in Paris, which
expressly declares that “the Order of the East gave birth to the Order of the
Temple; that, in ancient Egypt, we find the cradle of the Order of the East.”
Moreover, “the Sweedish brethren,” as Reghellini observes, “have always enjoyed,
in the Order, a very brilliant reputation for their learning: the proof of which
is that all nations have adopted, in the Master’s degree, the distress sign as it was established in the catechism of their symbolic degrees.” But, it
is irreconcilable with that which ascribes the origin of the Rose Croix to the
admission into the Order of St. John of Jerusalem of 27,000 Scottish Masons, who
had aided the Christian Princes during the first crusade. In fact, it is highly
probable that, at this time, the latter Order was not a military institution.
Baldwin, King
of Jerusalem, exerted himself to extend the Order of Templars throughout Europe.
St. Bernard was enlisted in their favor; and he gave them (A. D. 1128) a code,
or set of rules, for their government, which was afterwards confirmed by a Papal
bull. These rules probably fell into disuse at the period when the Order ceased
to be a military institution. They are, however, curious, as tending to show the
peculiar feelings of the age in which they were formed; and are, therefore, well
worthy of the perusal of the student.
The Order soon increased in numbers and in reputation. In consequence of a visit
to Normandy, England and Scotland by Hugh de Payens, (A. D. 1128,) large grants
of land, as well as of money, were made to the Templars. A tradition of this
visit has been preserved, according to Reghellini, as follows:
“Eighty-one Masons, under the conduct of
Garimont, Patriarch of Jerusalem, crossed over into Europe, in 1150,’ “ (the
date is evidently erroneous.) “ ‘ They went to the Bishop of Upsal, who received
them very favorably, and by this means, the Bishop was initiated into the
mysteries brought from the Copts; afterwards they entrusted to him the sacred
depot of these doctrines, rites and mysteries. The Bishop of Upsal took care to
conceal them in the subterranean vault of the tower of the four crowns, which,
at that time, was the treasure-house of the King of Sweeden. Nine of these
Masons, amongst whom was Hugh de Payens, established in Europe the Order of the
Templars; they, afterwards, received from the Bishop of Upsal the depot which
had been confided to him, and which contained the dogmas, mysteries and
doctrines of the Coptic Priests.’ It was by this act, adds Reghellini, “that the
Templars subsequently became the conservations and guardians of the mysteries,
rites and ceremonies brought from the East by the Masons and the Levites of the
true light.”
Hugh of the Temple, as he is sometimes
called, before his departure, established the Order in England, and appointed a
Prior to govern. So great was the enthusiasm in favor of the Templars, which
prevailed in Europe at this time, that the King of Navarre bequeathed his
kingdom to them. But, although most of the barons of Navarre and Arragon
ratified the act, yet the claims of the Templars were afterwards successfully
resisted. The Master, having laid the foundations of our Order, returned to
Jerusalem, where he was received (A. D. 1129) with great distinction, and a
grand council of war was called. But, shortly afterwards he died.
Robert de Craon, surnamed the Burgundian,
son-in-law of Ansehn. Archbishop of Canterbury, succeeded him, A. D. 1136. He
became a Templar after the death of his wife, and “was a valiant and skillful
general.” Zenghis and Noureddin defeated the Templars in several battles, The
latter lost several towns, the principal of which was Edessa. The Pope, having
been applied to for assistance by the Oriental Clergy, commissioned St. Bernard
to preach the second crusade. Everard des Barres or de Barri, who succeeded (A.
D. 1146) the Lord Robert, convened a general Chapter at Paris, where the second
crusade was arranged. Pope Eugenius III. Permitted the Templars to wear the
Red Cross. In 1148, the red-cross banner was first unfurled in the field of
battle, probably at the siege of Damascus. It “was a white standard made of
woolen stuff, having in the center of it the blood-red-cross” the symbol of
martyrdom. Reghellini, however, supposes the origin of this symbol to be of the
highest antiquity. The Master, after the failure of the second crusade, returned
to Paris with king Louis. To recover the province of Antioch, which had been
invaded by the infidels, the Templars could collect only 120 Knights and 1,000
serving brethren. The Master abdicated, and passed the remainder of his life in
the Monastery of Clairvaux.
Bernard de Tremelay, “ a nobleman of an
illustrious family of Burgundy, in France, and a valiant and experienced
soldier,” was elected (A. D. 1151) the Master. The infidels, who had advanced
within sight of Jerusalem, were defeated (A. D. 1152) in a night attack, and
pursued to the Jordan, “five thousand of their number being left dead on the
plain.” The Master and his Knights attempted (A. D. 1153) to take the city of
Ascalon by storm. They penetrated, at dawn of day, through a breach in the wall,
reached the center of the town, were surrounded by the infidels, and slain to a
man.” Their bodied were exposed in triumph from the walls.
Bertrand de Blanquefort, of a noble
family of Guienne, “a pious and God-fearing man,” became the Master, A. D. 1154.
He was captured by the enemy, (A.D.1156,) with Otho, the Marshal, and
eighty-five others, in an ambuscade near, Tiberias. But, “shortly afterwards,
thirty Knights Templars put to flight, slaughtered and captured two
hundred infidels. The Master was liberated (A. D. 1158) at the instance of
Manuel Comnenus, Emperor of Constantinople.
Phillip of Naplous was (A. D. 1167) “the first Master of the temple who had been
born in Palestine. He had been Lord of the fortresses of Krak and Montreal in
Arabia Petræa, and took the vows and the habit of the Order of the Temple after
the death of his wife.” In consequence of the refusal of the Master to invade
Egypt in violation of certain treaties, Gilbert d’Assalit, the Guarduan of the
Hospital, the friend and confident of Ahmaric, King of Jerusalem, armed the
Hospitallers (A. D. 1168) as a great military society, in imitation of the
Templars.”
In 1170, Phillip of Naplous resigned, and
was succeeded by Odo de St. Amand, “ a proud and fiery warrior of undaunted
courage and resolution, having, according to William, Archbishop of tyre, the
fear neither of God nor of man before his eyes.”
In consequence of the unjustifiable
invasion of Egypt, Saladin crossed the desert with 40,000, horse and foot,
ravaged the borders of Palestine, and besieged Gaza, the key of that region
towards Egypt, but was forced by the Templars to retire into the latter country.
The bull of Pope Alexander, omne datum optimum,” confirming the
privileges of the Templars and granting them new ones, was published in England,
in 1172. Among other things, it permits the Templars to admit into their
fraternity “honest and Godly clergymen and priests,” but exacts a probation
of one year; and requires that, on their admission, an oath be
administered, “the book in which these things are contained being placed upon
the altar.” It styles Odo “their Master and Bishop.”
The Templars and the Hospitallers were
the guardians of the true cross the former marched on the right, and the
latter on the left of the sacred emblem.
The punishment inflicted on a Templar for cowardice was to be deprived of his
white mantle and cross, to be cast out from among the brethren, and to be
“compelled to eat on the ground, without a napkin or table cloth, for the space
of one year; and, the dogs, who gather around him and torment him, he is not
permitted to drive away.” But, if truly penitent, he is, at the expiration of
the year, again restored to fellowship in the Order.
In 1172, the Templars conquered the
Assassins, and forced their chief, “the old man of the mountain,” to purchase
peace. In the battle near Ascalon, (Nov. 1, 1177,) in which the infidels were
defeated, Odo, with eighty Knights, broke through the famous guard of
Mamlooks, slew their commander, and forced Saladin to fly, almost naked, on a
fleet dromedary. In the following year, at the battle of Jacob’s Ford, where
there was much hard fighting, the Master of the Hospital having fled, covered
with wounds, and the Count of Tripoli also, the Templars “were all killed or
taken prisoners and the Master Odo de St. Amand fell alive into the hands of the
enemy.” Saladin burned down the fortress, and all the Templars taken in the
place were sawn in two, except the most distinguished.
“Saladin,” says Addison, “offered
Odo de St. Amand his liberty in exchange for freedom of his own nephew, who was
a prisoner in the hands of the Templars; but the Master of the Temple haughtily
replied, that he would never, by his example, encourage any of his Knights to
surrender, that a Templar ought either to vanquish or to die, and that he had
nothing to give for his ransom but his girdle and his knife. The proud spirit of
Odo de St. Amand could but ill-brook confinement; he languished and died in the
dungeons of Damascus.”
In 1179, the Templars were reprimanded by
the general council of the church, the third of Lateran, for exercising or
abusing powers previously granted to them.
Arnold de Torroge or de Troy, “who had
filled some of the chief situations of the Order in Europe” succeeded de St.
Amand, A. D. 1180. In the list of Baron Hund, he is styled “the Chief Preceptor
of the Order,” and is regarded, not as a Grand Master, but, as having
temporarily directed the Order during the imprisonment of the Grand Master. De
St. Amand.
The affairs of the Latin Christians were,
at this period, in a deplorable situation. Saladin encamped near Tiberias, and
extended his ravages into every part of Palestine;” but, after he had burnt
Naplous, and depopulated the whole country, he was compelled to retreat to
Damascus. A truce was agreed upon (A. D. 1184) for four years, in consideration
of the payment of a large sum of money by the Christians. The Master of the
Temple, who had undertaken a journey to Europe, to obtain assistance from Henry
II of England, sickened and died (A. D. 1185) at Verona. The annual income of
the Order of Europe, has been roughly estimated at six millions sterling. At
this period, the Temple at London was often used as “a storehouse of Treasure.”
General de Riderfort was made Grand
Master in 1185. In consequence of the severity with which he ruled the nobles,
and of his having raised to the throne of Jerusalem, Sibylla, mother of Baldwin
V. and her husband Guy de Lusignan, great dissension was produced at a time when
union was most needed. At the battle near the brook Kishon, (A. D. 1187) the
Grand Master, with two Knights, alone, escaped. On the 4th July,
1187, the great battle of Tiberias, which decided the fate of Jerusalem, was
fought. All the Templars who were made prisoners, except the Grand Master, were
decapitated by order of Saladin. Jerusalem surrendered (Oct. 2, 1187) to the
infidels, after a siege of twelve days. The seat of our Order was transferred to
Antioch. Tyre was successfully defended against Saladin. The Grand Master was
released from captivity, (A. D. 1188,) eleven of the most important cities and
castles having been given as a ransom. De Riderfort pieced with arrows, fell, at
the siege of Acre, (4th Oct. 1189,) at the head of Knights.
He was succeeded (A. D. 1189) by brother
Walter. During the first year of the siege of Acre, 100,000 Christians are
computed to have perished; and among them, the Patriarch Heraclius. In 1191, the
third crusade was preached by William Archbishop of Tyre; and Richard Cœur de
Lion, and King Phillip Augustus, of France, arrived in the bay of Acre.
Robert de Sable or Sabloil, “a valiant
Knight of the Order, who had commanded a division of the English fleet on the
voyage out,” succeeded (A. D. 1191) Walter, who had died. Secular Knights were,
at this time, permitted to wear the red cross while fighting in the
ranks. During the march to Ascalon, the Templars usually led the van of the
army, and it is recorded that there were among them some who would march calmly
on with “ten darts sticking in heir backs.” The great battle of Ramleh
was (A. D. 1191) gained by the Templars; and the city of Gaza, was, also,
captured by them. Though forced (A. D. 1192) to abandon the expedition to
Jerusalem, yet a treaty was made whereby the Christians were permitted to visit
that city as pilgrims, and “Tyre, Acre, and Jaffa, with all the sea-coast
between them, were yielded to the Latins.”
King Richard Cœur de Lion, in the guise of a Templar, left the Holly
Land, 25 Oct. 1192.
The Templars, in England, owned large
possessions. About this period, three Encampments, termed Encampments of
Baldwin, are said to have been established at Bristol, Bath, and York. These
three Encampments have survived all the other original Encampments in that
country. Those at Bath and York were in existence in the early part of the
present century; while that at Bristol is still in active operation. Brother
Richard John Bridges enjoyed, in 1853, the distinguished honor of being the
Eminent Commander of this ancient and venerable body, which is probably, the
oldest Encampment of Knights Templars in the world.
Gilbert Horal or Erail, who had
previously filled the office of Grand Preceptor of France; was elected Grand
Master in 1195. Many strong fortifications were erected; the most celebrated of
which was the Pilgrim’s Castle, which was completed. It could contain a garrison
of 4,000 men.
Phillip Duplesseis or De Plesseis
succeeded, (A. D. 1201,) to the Grand Mastership. King John of England, who
conferred several large grants and many privileges on the Order, frequently
resided at the Temple in London. He was a resident there when he resigned
England and Ireland “to his Lord Pope Innocent the Third,” and when compelled to
sign “Magna Charta.”
In 1217, William de Chartres became Grand
Master. The power of the infidels was never so low as at this time. The Grand
Master died, at the siege of Damietta, of a pestilence which prevailed in the
Christian camp; and was succeeded (A. D. 1218) by “the veteran warrior” Peter de
Montaigu, Grand Preceptor of Spain. He was compelled (A. D. 1222) to surrender
Damietta to the infidels, together with the prisoners in Tyre and Acre, and
obtained in return “the wood of the true Cross,” and the Christian
prisoners at Cairo and Damascus; whereupon the Sultan granted a truce for eight
years. In consequence of the complaints of Henry III. Of England, the Pope
issued (A.D. 1223) his bull “De Insolentia Templariorum Reprimenda;” but these
difficulties were soon reconciled.
Hermann de Perigod succeeded (A. D. 1236)
to the office of Grand Master. His administration “is celebrated for the treaty
entered into with the infidels, whereby the holy city was again surrendered to
the Christians” (A. D. 1242). In 1243, the Templars rebuilt the ‘formidable
castle of Saphet. The Grand Master was slain in a great battle (A. D. 1243) near
Gaza, with the Carizmians, a pastoral tribe of tartans, which lasted two days;
and from which only 33 Templars and 26 Hospitallers escaped. Pope Innocent IV.
Ordered a new crusade to be preached; but very little assistance was obtained.
The Templars were, in consequence of a
temporary alliance with the Syrians to oppose the Sultan of Egypt, accused (A.
D. 1244) by Frederick II., King of Jerusalem, of receiving the Syrian Sultans
and their trains with pompous alacrity within the gates of the houses of the
Temple, and of suffering them to perform within them their superstitious rites
and ceremonies with invocations of Mahomet, and to indulge in secular delights.
If the Templars were at that time, as many suppose, Free-masons, it may be that
they admitted, during a truce, to some of their meetings those Syrians
who were also Masons; but it cannot be credited that the Syrians, while there,
were permitted to invoke Mahomet; and the discipline of the Temple was too
severe to suffer either the brethren or their guests to indulge in secular
delights.
William de Sonnae, “a veteran warrior,”
was (A. D. 1245) elected Grand Master. He summoned the brethren in the Western
preceptories to Palestine. The Carizmians were (A. D., 1247) annihilated. The
Grand Master presented to Henry III. “a magnificent crystal vase containing a
portion of the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Templars, with Louis IX. Of
France, took Damietta in 1240. In 1250, the Grand Master, in a battle at a ford
across the Tanitic branch of the Nile, on Shrove-Tuesday, lost one eye, but cut
his way through the enemy, accompanied by only two Knights; but, on the first
Friday in Lent, De Sonnac lost his other eye and life. Reginald de Vichier,
Grand Marshall, was made (A. D. 1252) grand Master. King Louis, after his
release from captivity, assisted the Templars in putting Palestine in a
defensible state. It was usual, at this time, for the Knights sumptuously to
entertain foreign ambassadors, and even kings, at their houses.
Thomas Berard was elected Grand Master in
1256. The Holy Land was in a miserable condition. It had been invaded (1262) by
Bibars, or Benocdar, Sultan of Egypt, with an army of 30,000 cavalry. After
several years’ warfare, the infidels took all the strongholds of the Christians,
with the exception of the Pilgrim’s Castle and Acre. Benocdar, on the
capitulation of the Castle of Saphet, (A. D. 1266,) put the whole garrison to
death, because they refused to embrace Mahometanism. But, Edward, Prince of
Wales, (afterwards King Henry III.,) in 1268, drove the infidels back to Egypt;
and a ten years’ truce was agreed upon. King Henry III. Was a great benefactor
to the Templars.”
William de Beaujeu was elected Grand
Master on the 13th May, 1273. The Pope endeavored to get another
crusade, but he “died in the midst of his exertions, and with him expired all
the hopes of effectual assistance from Europe.” In 1291, the fortress of Margat
and city of Tripoli were taken by the infidels; and in the third year from the
recommencement of the war, the Christians possessed only Acre and the Pilgrim’s
Castle. On the 4th of April, in the same year, Acre was besieged by
the infidels under the Sultan Khalil, with 60,000 horse and 140,000 foot,
while the place was defended by a garrison of only 12,000 men, under the command
of the Grand Master, “exclusive of the forces of the Temple and the Hospital,
and a body of 500 foot and 200 horses, under the command of the King of Cyprus.”
The defence of Acre by the Templars, during a siege of six weeks, is one of the
most heroic acts on record in the annals of history.
After the death of De Beaujeu, who was
“struck down by the darts and the
arrows of the enemy” on the 18th May, 1291, the three hundred
knights who had fought their way to the Temple, appointed Theobald de Gaudini
Grand Master. He, however, with a few companions, the treasure of the Order and
the ornaments of the Church, on the night of the 19th May, escaped
through a secret postern, and arrived safely in Cyprus. The rest of the knights
were buried beneath the ruins of the large tower called “The Tower of the
Master,” when it fell, victims to their resolution to protect, at all hazards,
the Christian women from insult and violation by the ruthless infidels, and to
their zealous devotion to the religion of the Cross.
With the destruction of the strong city
of Acre, the power of the Latin Church in the East was extinguished. Limisso in
Cyprus became the chief seat of the Order.
James de Molay, Preceptor of England, was
chosen Grand Master, by a general Chapter of the Fraternity, in 1297. A French
writer, an enemy of our Order, thus describes him: “Molay was the younger
brother of one of the most distinguished houses of the ‘Comte’ of Burgundy. His
elder brother possessed, in that country, a large property, and had a high
position. From his youth, Molay had been a member of the Order; in it, he had
acquired a great reputation; he had passed through all the degrees, and had
become a Grand Prior. He was a lord of true merit, brave, of high intellect, of
a mild and amiable character; his morals were pure, and his conduct without
reproach. He had always appeared with distinction at the Court of France, and
had been fortunate enough to merit the favour of the king, who, in 1297, had
selected him to hold at the baptismal font M. Robert, his fourth son. He was
still held in such high esteem, when all the lords of the Court, who were yet
ignorant of the hatred of the king, and his fatal determination against the
Order, concerning which he preserved the most profound secrecy, aided in the
election of Molay, even believing that they were affording a pleasure to that
prince.”
In 1302, the Grand Master endeavourer to
recover Palestine, but “was defeated by the Sultan of Egypt, with the loss of
one hundred and twenty of his brethren.”
We now come to the dark page in the
history of our Order. I would that I could pass it by unnoticed! The zeal for
the crusades had cooled. Large possessions had, from time to time, during the
holy wars, been granted in most of the European States to the Templars. The
Order had grown rich and powerful. The nobles had become impoverished by the
pious liberality of their ancestors. The exchequers of the princes of Europe
were nearly exhausted. Christendom had no longer any use for her valiant
defenders. She became jealous of them. Disputes arose between the clergy and the
Order; and the Pope was compelled, on several occasions, to interfere in behalf
of the latter. The Templars had gained the hatred of Phillip the Fair, a
talented but needy and avaricious prince, whom Dante justly terms “the curse
of France.” During the difficulties between him and Boniface VIII., the
Templars espoused the cause of the latter. Moreover, his Majesty, on a certain
occasion, caused coin to be issued below the legitimate standard. A rebellion
ensued, and the Templars, whose rents were immense, were supposed to be
the principle instigators of the existing disaffection. Phillip determined to be
revenged; and he was not long in finding an opportunity. A creature was obtained
well suited to his purpose. The evidence of the condemned criminal, given to
obtain the royal pardon, was of the kind termed “hearsay;” but it was
corroborated by that of two apostates, who had been expelled from the Order, and
condemned to imprisonment for life for their crimes. Phillip treasured up the
precious information, thus obtained. He well knew how to make use of it at the
proper time.
desire, previously
pledged himself on the holy sacrament to perform a condition, of
which he was then
ignorant, became the tool of a crafty and vindictive monarch. The
Templars were condemned
without a hearing. The Order, whose members for one
hundred and seventy
years had shed their blood and lavished their treasure in defence of
the Cross, against the
Crescent, was declared heretical. The knights, who had solemnly
sworn never to fly in
the presence of three enemies, if they be infidels, were
denounced as heretics
and apostates. They were accused of the blackest crimes, of
crimes at the mere
thought of which every upright man must shudder of crimes
subversive of religion,
government and social organization of crimes contrary to the
physical and
psychological laws whereby the Grand Architect governs the universe, and
which are, therefore,
impossible.
In one night (13th October,
1307) all the Templars in the French dominions were
simultaneously arrested
and thrown into prison. The rack and the torture were
unsparingly applied.
Some confessed all the horrible crimes and absurdities imputed to
them, in hopes of
obtaining pardon. Most of these, on being restored to liberty, withdrew
their confessions, and
solemnly declared that the excessive torments to which they had
been subjected alone
induced them to make acknowledgements which they knew to be
false. They were
treated as relapsed heretics, and were cast into the flames. Those who
persisted in denying
the guilt of the Order were subjected to the torture. Neither age nor
rank could save them.
Many died under it. Some languished in loathsome dungeons for
many years, and
perished from neglect, disease and starvation. Others, of more robust
frames, were, in time,
restored to liberty, to wander about the world, with mutilated
limbs, to earn their
bread as best they might.
All this was done in a Christian country,
by a Christian king, and by the Vicegerent of
God on earth! All this
was done in the name of him who hath said, Love your enemies,
bless them that curse
you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which
despitefully use you,
and persecute you,”
The rest of Christendom were not tardy in
following the pious example set forth by his
Christian majesty,
Phillip the Fair, and Clement v. But, the other sovereigns of Europe
were rather more
merciful. They were satisfied with attaining the rank of robbers,
without aspiring to
that of murderers also; for, be it said to their honor, if honor they
deserved, that “in no
place situate beyond the influence of the King of France and his
creature, the Pope, was
a single Templar condemned to death.
The last scene in this
dreadful tragedy was yet to be enacted. The four most noble victims
were reserved for the
last. James de Molay, the Grand Master, Guy, the Grand
Preceptor, Hugh de
Peralt or Peraldes, the Visitor General, and Bazile de
Menoncourt, who had returned from the
East (1307) when summoned by the Pope, and who
had languished in
prison for five years and a half, were (11th March, 1313,) led out to
a scaffold
which had been erected
in front of Notre-Dame, publicly to avow confessions which the Grand-
Master had declared
were forged. The confessions were read, their assent was requires. Two
were silent, and were
condemned to be incarcerated for life. “But, the Grand-Master, raising
his arms bound with
chains towards heaven, and advancing to the edge of the scaffold, declared
in a loud voice, that
to say that which was untrue was a crime, both in the sight of God and man.
‘I do,’ said he,
confess my guilt, which consists in having to my shame and dishonour, suffered
myself, through the
pain of torture and the fear of death, to give utterance to falsehoods,
imputing scandalous
sins and inequities to an illustrious Order, which hath nobly served the
cause of Christianity.
I disdain to seek a wretched and disgraceful existence be engrafting
another lie upon the
original falsehood.’ He was here interrupted by the Provost and his Officers,
and Guy, the
Grand-Preceptor, having commenced with a strong asseverations of his innocence,
they were both hurried
back to prison.”
King Phillip, having
been informed of what had occurred, ordered their instant execution. At
four o’clock of the
same day, they were conducted to the “Isle de la Cite,” where a funeral pile
was in procession of
erection, near the spot where now stands the equestrian statue of Henri
IV. While the pile was being
completed, the Grand Master, after having again solemnly declared the innocence
of his brethren, invoked the benignant Father of the Universe as follows:
“Permit us, O God! To remember the
torments which Jesus Christ suffered to ransom us, and to imitate the example
which he set us in enduring, without a murmur, the persecutions and the tortures
which injustice and blindness prepared for him. Pardon, O my God! The false
accusations which has caused the total destruction of the Order of which
Providence appointed me the head. And, if thou wilt deign to hear the
supplication which we now offer thee, grant that the deceived world may, at some
future day, better know those who have endeavourer to live for thee. We hope to
receive, from thy goodness and mercy, the reward for the torments and the death
which we are about to suffer, to enjoy thy divine presence in the realms of
bliss.”
The King’s myrmidons, fearful of an insurrection among the population, hurried
them off to the stake; and bound them fast. Their bodies were slowly consumed by
small charcoal fires kindled under their feet. They endured this hellish torture
with the utmost fortitude and resignation, without cries or groans, imploring
the mercy of God and maintaining the innocence and purity of their beloved Order
to the last. At length, De Molay, when his body was almost consumed, having yet
command of his tongue, looking at the crowd before him, exclaimed:
“You who behold us perishing in the
flames, shall decide on our innocence! I summon Pope Clement V. to appear in
forty days, and Phillip the Fair in twelve months before the just and
terrible throne of the ever living God, to render an account of the blood which
they have unjustly and wickedly shed!”
The fires burned lower, and lower, and in
time became extinguished! The mortal parts of James de Molay and Guy had been
reduced to ashes, their spirits had returned to their Creator!
The prediction of the martyr was
accomplished. The Pope and the King both died within the time prescribed.
Moreover, “history attests that all those who were foremost in the persecution
of the Templars came to an untimely and miserable death.”
Thus perished the Grand Master and Grand
Preceptor of the Templars. Their enemies thought that they had destroyed the
Order forever. But the Eagle of St. John was merely scorched and not killed!
From the ashes of the martyrs have risen other valiant Knights, who, clad in the
armor of Integrity, and armed with the sword of Knowledge, have waged, are still
waging, and will ever wage eternal war against the three ancient enemies of the
human race, Falsehood, Fanaticism, and Superstition! May “the will
of God” be accomplished!
The Knights Templars, after the death of
De Molay, seem to have had no common head. Their possessions confiscated, their
leaders incarcerated for life, or put to death, the brethren persecuted in every
way, the survivors of that once powerful Order were compelled, for the sake of
concealment, to leave their homes, cast off the garb of the Temple, and to
mingle again with the world.
Some endeavoured, alone and unaided,
secretly to preserve their beloved Order, according to the rules by which, in
its day of glory, it was governed. Some sought refuge in the Society of Free and
Accepted Masons, in order that they might there enjoy, with impunity, the
religious dogmas which they had brought with them from the East, the liberal
sentiments of the Johannite Christians, the pure doctrines of the primitive
Christian Church. Others were forced, when a portion of their lands were granted
to the Knights Hospitallers to enter the preceptories of that Order. It was
probably in commemoration of this latter circumstance that the so-called degree
of Knights of Malta was introduced into our Encampments. This degree, as it has
been erroneously termed, for it consists of nothing but a few insignificant
signs and passwords, and three passages of Scripture, has nothing to do with
Free-Masonry. The Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, sometimes called the Knights
Hospitallers and the Knights of Malta, were not Freemasons. On the contrary,
they see to have been inimical to Freemasonry, for, in 1740, the Grand Master of
the Order of Malta caused the bull of Clement XI. To be published in that
island, and forbid the meetings of the Freemasons. On this occasion several
knights and many citizens left the island. And, in 1741, the inquisition pursued
the Freemasons at Malta. The Grand Master proscribed their assemblies under
severe penalties, and six knights were banished from the island, in perpetuity,
for having assisted at a meeting. In fact, unlike the Templars, they had not
even a secret form of reception. Reghellini says that he was unable to procure a
copy of the secret ritual of Knights of Malta. The reason is obvious, there is
none!
From ignorance of the true causes which
forced some of the Templars to enter the Order of Malta, has risen the highly
reprehensible practice of dubbing the candidate “a Knight of the Most
valiant and Magnanimous Order of knights Templars and Knights of Malta of the
Order of St. John of Jerusalem.” It is an absurdity to create a man, at one and
the same time, a Knight of two Orders which had nothing in common, and never
sympathized with each other. By doing so, our Commanders imitate the example of
those who used every exertion to annihilate the Templars. The candidate should
be “dubbed a Knight of the Most Valiant and magnanimous Order of Knights
Templars, and instructed in secrets of Malta.”
This was expression used in The
South-Carolina Encampment of Knights Templars No. 1, in 1823, and I have no
doubt that it could be traced back to the period when that body was first
organized, if our old records had not been destroyed. Common sense teaches that
it is the correct one!
It seems, from our traditions,
that, after the death of De Molay, in 1313, the Brethren of the Temple were
divided into, at least, four parties, viz:
1st. The Templars in Portugal
and Italy, who were afterwards known as Knights of the Order of Christ.
2nd.
Those who recognized Peter d’Aumout as the successor of De Molay.
3rd.
Those who asserted that John Larmenius was the successor of De Molay.
4th. Those
Knights who did not acknowledge the authority of either Larmenius or of
D’Aumont.
As we claim to be the descendants of the
fourth party, I shall refer to the first three very briefly.
1st. The Order of Christ. Upon
the suppression of the Order of Templars in Portugal, their estates
were given to this equestrian militia. The name of the Order was changed to that
of the Order of Christ. The Templars in Portugal suffered comparatively little
persecution, and the Order of Christ, since its foundation in 1317, has always
been protected by the sovereigns of that country, and also by the Popes of Rome.
Their costume is “a long and ample black mantle, turned up with ermine,
and thereupon the crosses.” Their motto: “Christiana Militia.” Thory says that “
a Portuguese Mason founded at Paris, in 1807, in a Lodge, a Chapter of this
Order; he applied the formulas of reception to those of Freemasonry. It was the
Templar system. He pretended to have received from Portugal the power to create
Knights.” The Order of Christ of Italy was the same Order, except that Pope John
XXII. Reserved the right of nominating those members called Pontifical Knights.
2d. The D’Aumont Templars. They are professors of the system of Strict
Observance, a system which is said by its opponents to have been
organized in Prussia by Baron Hund who acquired a knowledge of its doctrines in
the Chapter of Clermont, at Paris, of which he was a member about 1754. I
believe that it is exclusively adopted in Germany, and is followed in Sweden.
They produce a long list of Grand Masters, who are said to have succeeded
DeMolay, the first of whom is Peter D’Armont, who is said to have been elected,
in an island of Scotland, on the 27th December, 1313. It is believed
in Sweden that the Grand Chapter at Stockholm possesses the last will and
testament of DeMolay, and that Beaujean, his nephew, collected his ashes,
interred them, and erected a monument with a suitable inscription.
3d. The Larmenius Templars state that James DeMolay, foreseeing the evils which
threaten the Order, designated for his successor Brother John Mark Larmenius, of
Jerusalem, whom he invested with the plenitude of
Patriarchal Apostolic power. This last Grand Master transmitted the
sovereign power to Brother Thibault, of Alexandria, in 1324.” The Order of the
Temple in Paris profess to produce the charter of transmission signed by
Larmenius and the other Grand masters who succeeded him, down to the present
day. They also pretend to possess the original statues of the year of the Order
587, in manuscript, and several relics which formerly belonged to the martyrs. A
troop of these Templars was sent out to Greece, in 1826, to fight against the
Turks, as in days of yore.
Many intelligent brethren have denied the
truth of the legends of D’Aumont, of Beaujeu, and of Larmenius, and the
authenticity f these relics, while others, equally as intelligent, have, after
careful examination, pronounced them to be authentic. High minded, honorable and
learned brethren are to be found in the ranks of either party. Others assert
that De Molay appointed “four Grand Chiefs of the Order, in Europe: in
the North, in the South, in the East and in the West, at Stockholm, Paris,
Naples, and Edinburgh.” But without, however, presuming to decide these mooted
points, I would suggest that it is immaterial whether De Molay appointed
one successor or a dozen. According to the Rules of the Order, then of force,
the office of Grand Master was an elective one; and, therefore, no one appointed
by De Molay could lawfully claim to be the Grand Master, unless
recognized as such by the Order at large.
4th.
The Templars who did not recognize the authority of either D’Aumont, Larmenius
or Beaujean, may be divided into two classes: the Scotch and the English.
1st. The Scotch Templars.
These may again be subdivided into two classes: 1st. Those who fought
for Robert Bruce; 2d. Those who entered the Order of Knights Hospitallers.1st.
Those who fought for Bruce: The Templars in Scotland were compelled to join
Bruce, in consequence of the hostility of King Edward, who had debarred them
from taking refuge either in England or Ireland, and who attempted to force
them, as he had done their brethren in those countries, to enter the
preceptories of Knights of St. John. In consequence of the assistance rendered
him at the battle of Bannockburn, by the Scotch Masons, King Robert Bruce
created, 24th June, (1314,) the Order of St. Andrew du Chardon, to
which was afterwards united that of Heredom (II.D.M.) He reserved to himself to
his successors forever the title of Grand Master; and founded the Royal Lodge of
the Order of H. D. M., at Kilwinning. He also granted a charter of lands to
Walter de Cliffton, the Grand Master of the Templars, for the assistance which
they rendered him on that occasion. But, it is said that these Scotch Templars
were, in consequence of their having assisted Bruce, and of having joined the
Order of H. R. D. m., expelled, in 1324, by Larmenius, who invented different
signs and words to exclude them from the Order of which he was the chief. It is
supposed that the “Ancient and Accepted Rite,” probably, sprung from this Royal
Order. The preservation of a remnant of the Templars in Scotland is chiefly to
be attributed to the wars between Robert Bruce and Edward of England. The 25
degrees of Heredom were practised at York, in 1784, by the “College of Heredom
Templars, being No. 1, under the Constitutions of the Ancient Lodge at York,
South of the river Trent, sitting at York.” In 1785, the Order of H. R. D.
M. resumed its functions at Edinburgh. The presiding officer was styled
Wisdom. The body at Edinburgh established a Chapter at Rouen in 1786. On the
4th January, 1787, a Chapter of Harodim was opened at London;
but I know not whether this was a branch of the Royal Order. About the beginning
of the present century there was a Consistory at Hull, and another at Grimsby.
For the manner in which the Ancient and
Accepted Rite was introduced into North America, I refer you to the Report of
the Committee of the Supreme Council of the 33rd degree, at
Charleston, S. C. dated 4th Dec. 1802.
Rebold states that the Grand Lodge of
Heredom of Kilwinning united itself, in 1807, with all its subordinates, to the
Grand Lodge of St. John of Edinburgh.
2d.
Those who entered the Order of Knights Hospitallers. It is clear that in
Scotland, as well as in England and Ireland, some of the Templars entered the
Order of the Knights of St. John. The Knights of both Orders resided amicably in
the same preceptories as far back as the end of the fourteenth or the beginning
of the fifteenth centuries; and continued to do so until the Reformation. Some
of their lands, however, were not in common. Many of both Orders, at the
Reformation, embraced Protestantism, and fraternization with the Freemasons. The
Preceptor in Scotland, having become a Protestant, resigned the whole property,
both of the Hospital and the Temple, and received the same from the Crown, under
the title of Lord Torphichen. The Roman Catholic Knights placed themselves under
David Seaton. The Grand Master Viscount Dundee was slain at Killikrankie. Prince
Charles Edward Stuart, who was admitted at Holyrood, Sept. 24, 1745, became the
Grand Master. At his death, Mr. Oliphant, of Bachiltar, succeeded him. He died
in 1795.
It is supposed, however, that we are
chiefly indebted to the Masonic branch of the Order for the preservation
of the ceremonies employed at a reception. The Sterling Ancient Lodge
conferred the degrees of Royal Arch, Red Cross or Ark, the Sepulchre,
Knights of Malta, and Knights Templar, until the beginning of the
last century, when two Lodges were formed. The Ancient Lodge joined the Grand
Lodge of Scotland in 1736, and the new one called the Royal Arch, in 1739, when
another division took place. And these degrees were conferred in an Encampment
until 1811, when the Supreme Encampment of Masonic Knights Templars were formed
in Scotland. Several Encampments in Scotland, however, obtained, about 1795,
charters from Ireland, with the privilege of conferring the Royal Arch degrees,
though the Encampments in the latter country were merely private bodies.
2d. The English Templars. The Encampments
in England and in the United States of America are, with the exception of the
Encampment of Observance, all supposed to owe their origin to the three original
Encampments of Baldwin, at Bristol, Bath, and York already mentioned. “In
England and Ireland,” says the Rev. Dr. Oliver, “as the Conciliæ Magnae
Britanicæ shew, the Templars were put down, and the Knights compelled to enter
the preceptories of their opponents, the Knights of St. John, as dependants.”
Their lands were confiscated, and were given to the latter Order. But, in
treating of the manner in which a remnant of our Order was preserved in England,
I must avail myself of information kindly furnished me by an eminent brother who
resides in Bristol. It would be gross injustice to him to use any other language
than his own. He writes as follows:
“The Order of Knights Templars has
existed in Bristol from time immemorial. The Templars held large possessions in
this ancient city, and, with their House or Preceptory, and the men of the
Temple, are mentioned in many old charters and documents. The Temple church and
Parish of Temple point out the locality of their residence. About fifty years
ago, an active and respected member of the Craft, Brother Henry Smith, now
deceased, introduced, from France, three degrees of the Ancient and Accepted
Rite, which, with the degree of the R. C., long before that time connected with
the Knights Templars, were united into an order or community, called the Royal
Orders of Knighthood. These were the degrees of the Knights of the Nine Elect,
the 9th degree of the Ancient and Accepted Rite, the Knights Grand
Architects of Kilwinning, the 14th degree of that Rite, and the
Knights of the East, Sword and Eagle answering to the 15th degree,
and, with the Knights R. C. or 18th degree, were, together with the
Order of the Knights Templars, held and practised under one authority. In our
oldest records the style or title of Knights Templars is given, with the
addition of K-H., but that degree was, as far as I know, never given, and even
the meaning of the title had fallen into oblivion.
“A candidate for admission into any o9ne
of the five degrees before mentioned, must be a Royal Arch Mason. He may
however, take any one of the five degrees first, which may happen to be about to
be given, at the time he seeks admission, as one general payment to be fund of
the United Orders, entitles him to admission to all. An attempt was made to
enforce the proper progression through the five degrees, but failed.
“Nothing is known here of the Order of the Temple of
Paris, but that is the real source of the present Grand Conclave of England, the
late Grand Master, the Duke of Sussex, having been created at Paris in that
body.
“I will shortly endeavour to explain the
difference between the Encampment of Baldwyn and the Grand Conclave.
“The Duke of Sussex having been installed
a Knight Templar at Paris, I believe by Sir Sydney Smith, then Grand Master, was
created Grand Master of the Knights Templars in England. From some cause or
other, he never would countenance the Christian degrees connected with Masonry,
and would not permit a badge of one of these degrees to be worn in a Craft
Lodge. In London, of course, he ruled supreme, and the meetings of Knights
Templars there, if they continued at all, were degraded to the mere level of
public house meetings. A true descendant of the Knights of St. John of the
Hospital was held, with all circumstances of ribaldry, at St. John’s Gate,
Clerkenwell, and the degrees conferred at a weekly convivial meeting for the sum
of 5s. On the death of the Duke of Sussex, it was resolved to rescue the Order
from its degraded position, and the Grand Conclave of England was formed, some
of the officers of the Duke of Sussex’s original Encampment, which he held once,
and I believe once only, being the alive.
“In the meantime, of the three original
Encampments of England, the genuine representative of the old Knights of the
Temple, two had expired, those of Bath and York, leaving Bristol the sole relic
of the Order, with the exception of those Encampments which had been created in
various parts of the country, not holding under any legitimate authority, but
raised by Knights who had, I believe, without exception, been created in the
Encampment of Baldwyn, at Bristol.
“Under these circumstances, the Knights
of Baldwyn felt that their place was at the head of the Order, and though
willing, for the common good, to submit to the authority of Col. Tynte, or duly
elected Grand Master, they could not yield precedence to the Encampment of
Observance, (the original Encampment of the Duke of Sussex,) derived from a
foreign and spurious source, the so-called Order of the Temple in Paris, nor
could they consent to forego the privileges which they held from an immemorial
period, or to permit their ancient and well-established ceremonies, costumes and
laws to be revised by persons for whose knowledge and judgment they entertained
a very reasonable and well-grounded want of respect. The Encampment of Baldwyn,
therefore, refused to send representatives to the Grand Conclave of England, or
to acknowledge its authority in Bristol, until such time as its claims should be
treated with the consideration it is believed they deserve. I am, however, in
hope that an arrangement will shortly be effected, and all the Templars in
England united under one head.”
While we approve of the noble conduct of
the Encampment of Baldwyn, and trust that it may soon attain the eminent
position to which it is entitled as the sole surviving preserver of our ancient
mysteries in England, during many ceremonies of trial and adversity, we heartily
concur in the wish expressed by our gifted brother, may more! We wish that all
the Templars in the world were united under one Grand Master! Then would we
form, as in days of yore, one noble brotherhood, united by the sacred tie of
love, sustained by the hallowed remembrance of the past, and sworn to propagate
the knowledge of Truth, and to protect mankind from the direful attacks of
mental darkness, deception and tyranny.
I have been unable to ascertain at which
period, by what authority, and under what particular circumstances, the first
Encampment was established in our country. But, during the latter part of the
past century and the beginning of the present, several attempts were made to
form a General Grand Encampment for the United States, which seem to have
failed. And, the present general Grand Encampment was not formed until the 21st
June, 1816, at New York, which DeWitt Clinton was elected Grand Master. That
body has continued gradually to increase in strength from that time until the
present. There were, in 1853, under its jurisdiction the Grand Encampment of
eight States, besides thirty-nine subordinate Encampments dispersed throughout
twenty other States. It may be said to be now securely seated in the affections
of the Knights Templars throughout the greater part of this vast republic; and,
while under the auspices of its distinguished and enthusiastic Grand Master, the
Hon. William B. Hubbard, of Columbus, Ohio, assisted by his efficient corps of
officers, it is destined to extend the pure doctrines of our Order to the most
remote parts of our common country.
In conclusion, a few remarks concerning
the Order in our own State may not be inappropriate.
The
South-Carolina Encampment, No. 1,
of Knights Templars and the Appendant Orders was established in 1780, as is
evident from the old seal in our archives. But, it does not appear from what
source our ancestors derived their first charter, all of our records previous to
Nov. 7th, 1823, having been lost or consumed by fire. It is clear,
however, that this Encampment was in active operation in 1803, and continued so
until long after the date of our oldest record, for, on December 29th,
1824, it was “Resolved that, in consideration of the long and faithful services
of our Most Eminet Past Grand Commander, Francis Sylvester Curtis, who
regularly paid his arrears to this Encampment for more than twenty years, he
is considered a life-member of this Encampment, and that his life-membership
take date from November, 1823.” In a “list of various Masonic degrees,” in
Cole’s Ahiman Rezon, extracted from a publication in 1816, the Knight of the
Red Cross is termed the 9th degree, the Knight of Malta
the 10th, and the Knight Templar the 13th; and they
are said to be conferred in the Sublime Grand Lodges in Charleston, S. C., in
the city of New-York, and in Newport, R. I. On November 7th, 1823,
our Encampment, which was then regularly working at Sir Knight Roche’s Asylum,
under the Command of the M. E. Sir Moses Holbrook, M. D., Grand Commander,
received “the authority from the G. G. E.” to work. At the following
meeting, (Nov. 15,) Moses Holbrook was re-elected to the office which he then
held. John Barker was elected an honorary member, January 16th, 1824.
It was, at this time, the practice to introduce the candidates separately in
both degrees. On January 18th, 1824, James Eyland was created a
Templar. The Encampment met, January 30th, 1824, at Sir Knights H. G.
Street’s Asylum, and the meetings, which had hitherto taken place on every
Friday evening, were changed, February 15, 1824, to the last Wednesday in each
month; and the last Wednesday in November was fixed for the annual election.
March 31st, 1824, our Encampment “voted to recommend our Ill. Sir
John Barker to be Grand Visitor for the Southern States.”
A charter was granted at Boston, June 24th,
1824, by the m. E. and M. W. Henry Fowle, Deputy General Grand Master of the G.
G. Encampment of the United States of America, countersigned by John G. Loring
G. G. Recorder to Benjamin Thomas Ehmore, and eleven others, to form, open and
hold Columbia Encampment No. 2. Brother
Ehmore was appointed the first Grand Commander, E. H. Maxey, Generalissmo, and
John Bryce, Captain General. The charter is in the archives of Richland Lodge
No. 39, A\F\M\, at Columbia, S. C., with some “rough
sketches of their meetings,” which were held in the hall of that Lodge.
“Since writing the above,” observes the
Rev’d. Brother to whom I am indebted for this information, “I am able only to
add that the number of members increased to 30 or more, their meetings continued
about four years, and, from some cause or causes not remembered, it ceased to
exist as a body, and I cannot find, at present, any other record than above
alluded to.”
February 23rd, 1825, the
Encampment was informed that the three first officers had, in accordance with a
previous resolution giving them discretionary power in that matter, recommended
Georgetown Encampment to the G. G. Encampment for a charter. It was then
determined to remove our Encampment to Sir Kn’t. S. Seyle’s Asylum. It seems,
from this circumstance, that there was no Grand Encampment in our State at that
time.
I find the following entry:
“LA FAYETTE.”
“The members of South-Carolina
Encampment, No. 1, were summoned to meet at Sir H. G. Street’s, on the 16th
of March, 1825, to wait on General La Fayette, agreeably to a previous
arrangement with him. The following officers and members attended precisely at
half-past 2 o’clock.”
In consequence of a gap in the minutes
from this time until 26th January, 1827, we are unable to
obtain further information concerning this highly interesting meeting. On the 18th
September, 1826, the Grand Encampment of the State of South-Carolina was
represented in the G. G. Encampment, at New-York, by Sir John Barker, proxy for
M. E. Moses Holbrook, Grand Master, and Sir William H. Jones, proxy for the M.
E. Sir William E. Lathrop, G. Capt. Gen’l.; and the Committee, to whom were
“referred the proceedings of the officers of the G. G. Encampment since the last
meeting,” (16th Sept., 1819,) reported, “That there have been
established, with the approbation of the G. G. Officers, Grand Encampment in the
following States, to wit: New Hampshire, Vermont, Virginia, North-Carolina,
South-Carolina, and Georgia.”
Beaufort Encampment
was established during this year. Four or five years afterwards it ceased to
exist. Its records were destroyed by fire.
Jos. McCosh, now an I. G. of the 33d.,
resigned November 28, 1827. He was the Recorder, November 7, 1823. During the
year 1828, Sir James Eyland was Grand Commander. There were many resignations;
and, on December 31, it was resolved to dispense with refreshments, in order to
lessen the expense of the room, as much as possible. On 24th June,
1829, a motion was introduced to meet in future at the Grand Lodge Room in
Meeting-street; and, on December 30th, a Committee was appointed to
ascertain the terms of the Grand Lodge.
In 1829, the Grand Encampment of
South-Carolina was represented in the G. G. Encampment by Sir James Eyland, G.
Master, who was that year elected G. G. Capt. General; and in 1832, he was
elected G. G. Generalissimo.
At this time, the meetings of our
Encampment were very badly attended. On May 12th, 1830, there was no
quorum, nor at the next meeting, October 11, 1830, so the Encampment was
adjourned to the stated meeting in December. We find the following note:
“I certify that no quorum ever after
assembled, I met one or two only after the above note of an attempted meeting.
Sir J. W. Rouse handed me over the books and papers all for me to deliver up to
this Encampment, sometime in 1832, with a letter of resignation at the same
time. The Books and Papers of the Grand Encampment of S. C. and all were flooded
when Sir John May’s workshop was burned. I received the remains in January,
1840.
(Sign.)
MOSES HOLBROOK, P. Gr.
Commander.
Past Gr. M. of Gr. Encampment of South-Carolina.
(J. W. Rouse died 23d April, 1834.)
In 1835, resolutions of respect for the
memory of Sir James Eyland were adopted by the G. G. Encampment. Sir Joe; R.
Poinsett was elected G. G. Capt. G., but it does not appear that he was present.
The record of the G. G. Encampment does not shew any representation from the G.
Encampment of South-Carolina subsequent to 1829.
On the 14th October, 1841,
seven of the former members of South-Carolina Encampment,
among whom was the Grand Commander, J. S. Burges, met at Rame’s hall, in
Meeting-street,
for the purpose of reviving it, after its long nap of 11 years, 7 months and 5
days.
On 27th January, 1842, it was
Resolved that the degree of Red Cross should be conferred on Sir Kn’t Benjamin
Greer, on his paying $5. with the condition of his becoming a member of this
Encampment, he having received the other degrees before n Europe.”
Sir J. K. Stapleton, D. G. G. Master, 17th
May, 1843, issued his dispensation to our Encampment to continue its labours, it
having lost its warrant by fire; but this instrument seems not to have been
brought to the notice of the Encampment until the 19th October, 1843,
by Rev. A. Case, the G. G. In 1844, the G. C., Sir A. Case, represented
South-Carolina Encampment, in the G. G. Encampment, and, during this session, a
charter was ordered to that Encampment free of charge, in consequence of the
loss by fire of a former one. This charter was reported at the meeting on
March 15, 1845, by the G. G., to have been received. On February 9, 1853, Joseph
Hunter, P. D. G. M., Savannah, Ga., was made a K. R. C. and K. T., and, in
token of respect, his fees were returned to him, and he was elected a life
member.
In 1853, M\E\A. G. Mackey, as proxy for the G. C.,
represented our Encampment in the G. G. E; and was elected G. G. Warder.
During the year 1854, our Encampment
lost, by the death of M. E. Sir Baker, P. G. C., one of the best officers which
it has ever had. Those who knew him, as his brethren did, must ever fondly
cherish his memory!
On 24th November, 1854, the
Encampment passed a vote of thanks to the Grand Lodge for having recollected our
Order when they repainted the Hall. The Recorder reported that we number 32
members, two of whom are life members.
On the 27th December, 1854,
the Encampment acted as an escort to the Grand Lodge on the occasion of the
celebration of the centennial anniversary of the formation of a Prov. Grand
Lodge in South-Carolina.
The South-Carolina Encampment is
the only one now in existence in this state.
I have, thus, my brethren! Endeavored to
afford you a historical outline of the Order of Knights Templar, concluding with
a short notice of Templary in South-Carolina. For an account of the military
exploits of the Templars, I am much indebted to the valuable work of C. G.
Addison, Esq., of the Inner Temple. But, Addison was not a Masonic Templar. His
work is, therefore, imperfect in many respects. The true history of our Order
can be written by none but a Freemason. I am not aware that this has ever been
done. You may imagine, then, the difficulties which I have had to encounter,
especially in attempting to trace the history of our Order subsequent to the
death of DeMolay. From a mass of traditions existing in different countries, and
of confused, and oftentimes contradictory, statements by various authors, I have
had to collate, arrange and digest, rejecting some and adopting those only which
I deemed worthy of credit. I lacked facts supported be dates. I have,
too, in many instances, sought for “more light,” without being able to obtain
it. Under these disadvantageous circumstances, there must, necessarily, be many
errors and deficiencies in this production. I pray you, therefore, to be lenient
in your criticism.
The History of our Order remains yet to
be written. But it cannot be attempted by an American, alone and unaided. In
fact, it cannot be written at all in this country; for we have not the
materials. But this great work can and ought to be undertaken by the Templars of
the United States. Let, therefore, the General Grand Encampment take this matter
under their special protection, let them impose, for two years, a
capitation tax of $2 per annum on each Templar under their jurisdiction, and the
mighty work will be accomplished. Let them select a Brother who, from his great
learning and his through knowledge of the principal modern languages, as well as
the dead, is fully qualified for the work; let them send him to Europe, for two
years, to ransack the immense libraries which have, in many places, been
accumulating for ages; let them devote one half of the amount of money so raised
to compensate this Brother for his personal services, and let the balance be
appropriated to defraying his necessary traveling expense, and to procuring rare
works, and copies of old manuscripts and medals which tend to throw light on
this subject. Then would a history be written worthy of our illustrious Order,
and the distinguished body which governs it in this country! The author of such
a work would earn for himself an immortal reputation, and each individual
Brother who contributed his mite would enjoy the delightful consciousness that
the Masonic world was, in a measure, indebted to him for a work which would
prove the great desideratum of the age.
(Special Thanks to Dr. Glenys A. Waldman, Ph. D. and “The Masonic Library and
Museum of Pennsylvania” for a copy of this important paper.)