Notes On The Chivalric Orders Of The Temple And Of Malta, In Canada.

of its chivalry , should be Freemasons , should be Master Masons of ab least tivo years' standing , as also Royal Arch Masons . The union bet . Aveen the Templars and the Kni ghts of St . John appears to have taken

place in Scotland , immediately after the outward suppression of the Templars in 1313 . In that country the Order Avas not dissolved , but united with that of St . John ( aftenvards known as the Kni ghts of Malta ) , and continued until the period of

the Reformation ; since that time in connection with the Masonic fraternity . The two Orders have been designated as the ( combined ) " Orders of Knights Templars and of St . John of Jerusalem , Palestine , Rhodesand Malta . " The assumption of

, the name " Palestine " is accounted for , as the Templars and Kni ghts of St . John resided there for many years . " Rhodes " and "Malta , " from the Knights of St . John ha-ving possessions and residing in those islands .

The Templars for many years conferred Avithin the body of their encampments or Preceptories the Degrees known as tlie " Rose Croix , " now the 18 ° of the " Ancient and Accepted Rite , " and the "Kadosh , " the 30 ° of the same Rite . Some years since these Grades Avere

surrendered by the greater number of the Preceptories to the A . and A . Mte ; on its establishment in England , but are still retained by some of the most ancient of the bodies of English Templars . An examination into the ceremonial and ritual

of these two grades of 18 ° and 30 ° , will clearly show that they are properly "Templar grades instituted for specific reasons , connected ivith the order of The Temple , and that as a part of the A . and A . Rite they are quite out of laceand

p , have therein no significance whatever . It must be a subject of regret to every Templar that these grades Avere ever needle » sly and improperly surrendered . The Tenqfiar ceremonial is the reception of a Novice into the Order . The Hose

Croix teaches the great fundamental truths of Christianity by symbolizing as it does the crucifixion , descent into " Hades , ' and glorious ascension of our Lord . The " Kadosh " is a grade instituted to keep in perpetual remembrance the violent oppression and outward suppresiou of the Order , and the martyrdom and sufferings

of " Jacques de Molai , " the Grand Master , and a number of his Kni ghts , in Paris . AVe Avill IIOAV , in a feAV words , explain the reason why the Papal power and nearly all the Monarehs of Christendom united to , if possible , totally extinguish this Order , as the ordinary reasons attributed to

"Philip le Bel of France , " and Pope Clement , Avith the other authors of their overthroAv , will not suffice entirely to account for their catastrophe . AVhen the Holy Land was lost and abandoned the Templars returned to their wealthy

European Preceptories—the Order Avasno longer of use as a Military bod )' , and it Avas felt their day was past—between them and " King Philip " a bitter and undying hatred had been engendered by numerous acts of arrogance and insubordination against his

authority , as they claimed an authority and jurisdiction independent of kings ; and it cannot be denied they had deA'iated from the original purpose of their institution , rendering themselves unfit depositors of that Avealth Avhich had been bequeathed to

them for purposes Avidely different from those to which , during the last years of their existence , they had appropriated it .

In the second place , the Templars taught within their most secret conclaves the doctrine of the " Gnostics , " and that the Papal poAver Avas a false and dangerous assumption of authority over the minds and conscience * of men , and that very many of the dogmas of Rome Avere but

gross and childish superstitions . Hence , by the union of their Templar and spiritual power , this Order , th & i Avas felt by both King and Pope to be highly dangerous to the perpetuation of their despotism over the souls as well as the bodies of mankindAvas

, ruthlessly attempted to be utterly destroyed . As late as 17 7 6 , the J esuitshaving d isco vered that the Templar Order was in some continental countries continuing its operations under the designation of the "Kadosh , " Avarned the governments of all Eoman

Catholic countries against the latter Order , and caused it to be proscribed as dangerous and antagonistic to the doctrine of the Church of Rome . Thus in a few Avords we have given the real reason Avhy the Order of the Temple was hi 1313 , and has been since , as at the present moment , under the ban of the Roman Pontiff ,