Expatiation On The Mysteries Of Masonry In Malling Abbey Lodge, No. 1,063.

Christian church , and the unity of many mem-. Tbers in one body . Again , in the ancient ecclestical ritual was a . direction , which even now remains in the English . church , that at the close of the daily service

first three collects , and then five prayers should -be used . Sometimes , as we all know , an extra collect is ordered , as in Lent and Advent . This would make the number four instead of three ; . and to obviate this substitution of an even for an

. odd number , it was formerly directed that in such cases a fifth collect should always be used . " The characteristic number of the P . O . degree is five . The signification of this number is thus . . given by Saint Augustin , Bishop of Hippo : — " In

the number five is to be perceived the continence of the five senses of the jlesh . For to many cometh . corruption through the eyes , to many through the . ear , to many through illicit smelling , to many

. through sinful tasting , [ to many through adul-. teries . " The number is therefore appropriate to a degree in which the characteristic mathematical fio-ure . denotes morality .

The number five also signifies the moral law , . delivered by Moses in five books . It has , besides , . other meanings . ( To be continued . )

The Knights Templars.

THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS .

By ANTHONY ONEAL HAVE . CHAPTER V . ( Continued from page 247 . ) 'GRAND MASTER , ROBERT OF BURGUNDY , EVERARD

DE BAKEI , AND BERNARD DE TRENELLEPE . The Second Crusade . —The Beauseant . —Siege of Damascus . — Christians defeated . —Failure of Second Crusade . Siege of Ascalon . —Slaughter of Templars , A . D . 1139 —1154 . Robert of Burgundy was elected Grand Master

upon the death of Hugo de Payens . He was a widower , having joined the Order upon the death of his wife , a daughter of Anselm , Archbishop of Canterbury . ( See William of Tyre and Anselm ' s ¦ epistles . )

The Latin power , supreme for fifty years , was now about to suffer a series of attacks , which finally led to the downfall of the Christians in , and their expulsion from , the Holy Land . Careless and contemning the Mussulmen as inferior to . themselves in valour , the Christians plunged into

dissipation , from which they were suddenly aroused by the news of the capture of Edessa , by Emad-Eddin-Zenghi , Emir of Aleppo and Mosul , a courageous warrior and an experienced leader , who attacked the city while its effeminate prince was

revelling on the other side of the Euphrates , and after a siege of eighteen days carried it by storm , and put the inhabitants to the sword . The war , so long silent , burst forth with fresh vigour , and the Musselmen , burning to wipe out former

defeats , aud to revenge the deaths of their kinsmen , kept the Christians in a state of alarm by incessant attacks . The Templars were overwhelmed and their numbers decimated by the Musselmen hordes , and the kingdom of Jerusalem

tottered to its fall . At length so critical became the affairs of the Christians , that deputies were sent to Europe to beseech the Pope for help , and Eugenius for that purpose commissioned St . Bernard to preach a new Crusade .

The news of this outbreak ou the part of the Infidels filled Europe with rage and pious indignation , and under the stirring language of St .

Bernard , who travelled through France and Germany , a great host was gathered together . The task deputed him by the Pope he executed with as memorable success as did Peter the Hermit while summoning his legions to the First

Crusade . Fields , towns , cities , and castles were in many places almost depopulated , their inhabitants flocking to the East , nine-tenths of theoi never returning to Europe . He wrote to Pope Eugenius that the villages and the castles were

deserted , and there were none left " but widows and orphans , whose husbands are parents are still living . " Robert of Burgundy died in 1146 , and in the

year 114-7 , at Easter , a Chapter General was held at Paris , for the purpose of electing- his successor . Everard de Barri , Grand Prior of France , was raised to the Mastership . This meeting is a celebrated one , for Pope Eugenius III ., who had

come to Paris to consult with Louis VII . as to the new Crusade , honoured it with his presence , accompanied by the king . On this occasion the Pope added to their costume the Ruddy Cross of Martyrdom , and conferred upon them the

important privilege of having mass said once a year in places lying under interdict . The red cross was worn on their habits and mantles , on the left side of the breast over the heart , whence the names which they -were frequently known by , of "Red