The Knights Templars.

THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS .

LONDON , SATURDAY , DECEMBER 28 , 1867 .

By AXTHOJSY ONEAL HATE . { Continued from page 485 . ) CHAPTER " SI . —continual . The sun was setting in the west , the bells of the

chapels of the Holy City were proclaiming the hour of vespers , Avhen the vast array of Saladin appeared before Jerusalem , ancl encamped upon the hills Avhicli surrounded it . With loud shouts the Musselmen rent the air as they gazed upon

"El Kods , " or the Holy City . The green and yellow banners of Mahomet fluttered over the bleak and desert eminences AA'hich girt Jerusalem , while the emblems of the various Arab chiefs flaunted in defiance upon the breeze . The walls

of Jerusalem were covered AA'ith . warriors , Avhose armour reflected back , in party-coloured tints , tlie rays of the setting sun . What a strange spectacle did these tAvo enemies ' at this hour present ! Within Jerusalem , the Christians knelt at the

various shrines to worship the Divine Trinity , to call upon God their Father , Christ their Redeemer , and the Holy Ghost their Comforter , for aid . For once went up , in all the ' , fervour of despair , the prayers of a people Tor help , to that throne from

Avhence help alone could come , and mingling with these prayers came the deep-toned voices of the monks , the sweet strains of the nuns , and the silvery chimings of the bells , as they chanted the evening office . Without the Avails , the shrill cry

of the muezzins called tlie faithful to prayer , and through the dark vallies and over the rugged eminences swept the prolonged shout , — "There is but one God , and iMahomefc is his prophet . " The Musselmen were Avound up to the highest

pitch of excitement , as they gazed upon the longlost sister of Medina and Mecca , upon the Mosque of Omar , ancl the spot from Avhence Mahomet ascended into heaven .

That very night , Saladin again summoned the Christians to surrender the city ; but they answered , that , " please God , the Holy City should not be surrendered , " and prepared to make a vigorous resistance . They chose as commander

the veteran soldier , Balian cVIbelin , Avhose experience and virtues inspired them Avith confidence and respect . He at once set about repairing the

fortifications , ancl training the new defenders of Jerusalem . The religious Orders placed themselves at his commands , and materially aided in the defence . Officers were , however , Avanting , and to supply this deficiency , Balian knighted fifty of the worthiest citizens . All Christians capable of bearing * arms hastened to enrol themselves as

soldiers , and swore to lay down their lives m defence of the Holy City . Money Avas scarce amonk them , so they despoiled the churches * ancl the people , terrified at the presence of Saladin , beheld without scandal the precious metal whicli

coA'ered the Holy Sepulchre converted into coin . The next morning Saladin commenced the attack , Avith loud brayings of horns ancl clan gin gs of drums . The terrified females ancl children

rushed to the churches for protection , Avhile the men repaired to the walls to repel the attacks of the Musselmen . The beseiged stoutly resisted all attacks , and made several desperate sorties , in Avhich they bore in one hand a lance or sword , ancl

in the other a shovel filled with dust , which they cast in the faces of the Saracens , A great number of Christians received the palm of martyrdom , ancl ascended , say the chroniclers , to the Heavenly Jerusalem ] while the Mahometan historians tell

how many Musselmen fell beneath the swords of their enemies , and went to dwell on the banks of the river-which waters Paradise . For fifteen days Saladin attacked the city , unsuccessfully , on the

western side . Every assault Avas repulsed , ancl the infidel were slain in myriads . The people of Jerusalem , encouraged by this success , were indefatigable in conducting the defence—the monks and canons , the bishops ancl priests , took up arms

in defence of the holy places , and mingled on the battlements Avith the other Christian soldiers . Saladin , however , stationed a band of archers on a neighbouring height , who were so numerous and expert , that the Christians dared not appear on

the Avails . Radolph , Abbot of Coggleshale , AA * 1 IO has left behind him a chronicle of these events , was one of the defenders of the Holy City , and writes of the Saracen bowmen : — " Their arroAvs

fell as thick as hail upon the battlements , so that no one could lift a finger above the Avails without being maimed . So great , indeed , Avas the number of the wounded , that it was as much as all the doctors of the city and of the hospital could do to

extract the weapons from their bodies . The face of the narrator of these events was lacerated Avith an arrow , which pierced through his nose ; the