The Templar Orders in Freemasonry

Seal of the Knights Templar showing two knights sharing one horse

Having regard to the fact that Emblematic Freemasonry, as it is known and practiced today, arose from an Operative Guild and development from certain London Lodges which prior to the year 1717 had their titles in the past of the Guild and recognized its Old Charges, it would seem outside the reasonable likelihood of things that less than 40 years after the foundation of the Premier Grand Lodge of England that Knightly Orders should begin to be heard of developing under the aegis of the Craft, their titles in some cases being borrowed from the old institutions of Christian Chivalry. But, this did occur, and the inventions were so successful that they multiplied on every side, from 1754 to the threshold of the French Revolution.

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The United Religious, Military and Masonic Orders of the Temple and of St John of Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes and Malta, in England and Wales and Provinces Overseas. This is the rather long title used outside of the United States of America of two Masonic orders known widely to-day as the Knight Templar Order and the Malta Order. The former derives its inspiration from the original military order known as The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon founded in 1118, for the express purpose of protecting pilgrims on their journey from the coast to Jerusalem to worship at the Holy Sepulchre (and which became known as the Knights of the Temple or, simply, the Knights Templar).

The latter derives its inspiration from the order known as the Hospitallers of St John given ecclesiastical sanction by Pope Paschall II in 1113 and dedicated to providing succour and aid, particularly medical aid, to pilgrims and later assuming a military role as well, almost rivalling that of the Templars. In fact, the Hospitallers claimed descent (at least spiritually and possibly actually) from a Latin hospice founded in Jerusalem by Pope Gregory I in about AD 603. The most obvious question to arise is whether there is any connection between those two religious and military orders and the two

The origins of both Masonic orders are shrouded in the mists of time and any historical link between the original orders and the present day must be regarded as not proven. With each passing year, more historic fact is uncovered and there can now be no doubt at all that when the military order of Knights Templar was suppressed in 1307 by the activities in France of King Philip IV (known as Philip Le Bel or The Fair) and Pope Clement V, some knights escaped to and settled on the west coast of Scotland. Indeed there is a fascinating and persistent but unproven legend that a force of ex-Templars made a pivotal (but seemingly in cognito) intervention in the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 and in so doing swung the battle in favor of Robert Bruce. The knights who settled in Scotland no doubt became absorbed by marriage into the fabric of local Scottish society and their blood lines and moral influence may well have continued into later generations, even if they themselves no longer formed any identifiable group or body as such.

The first reliable evidence of a Knight Templar Masonic ritual being practiced is in France in 1740 and shortly afterwards it was ‘exported’ to England via the then main trade routes. By 1772 a Knight Templar Rite was being worked in Bristol, England and by 1780 in York. In 1791 a national organization was formed called the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar for England and Wales. ‘Encampment’ was the name then used by Masonic Knights Templar rather than ‘lodge’ and has now been replaced by ‘preceptory’. Not all encampments in England and Wales joined but those that did demonstrate the passage of this Masonic order from the continent.

The reason behind the foundation of these Masonic orders was that until 1723 all freemasons had to be Christian Trinitarians (believing in the Father, Son and Holy Ghost). In 1723 freemasonry was declared open to all ‘good men and true who were not atheists or irreligious libertines’ so it remained necessary to believe in a Supreme Being but not necessary to be a Christian Trinitarian. Pope Clement XII found this unacceptable and in 1738 published a Papal Bull known as In Eminenti Apostolatus Specular, which excommunicated all those who were either freemasons or assisted them unless they renounced their freemasonry. This was particularly painful in France where both freemasonry and the influence of the Pope were widespread and naturally freemasons looked for a way of pursuing their Masonic interests but avoiding the dire consequences. It was in this atmosphere that it is thought the Knight Templar Order (and most probably the Malta Order) was established.

In order to become a Knight Templar freemason, a candidate must be a member of both the Craft and Royal Arch and must also be a Christian Trinitarian. To become a Knight of Malta he must first be a Knight Templar. Both Masonic orders (although separate) are to-day united and administered centrally from London. Each preceptory comprises both a preceptory of Knights Templar and a Priory of Knights of Malta. The dress for and the ceremonies of each order are different and their separate histories are maintained.

It is easy to see why the model of the original Templars and Hospitallers was adopted. They were themselves Christian orders and of high standing with the Papal authorities (until the Templars allegedly ‘lost their way’ and duly suffered the consequences). The new Masonic orders were Christian Trinitarian and taught the well known and widely accepted virtues of faith, humility, courage both mental and physical, constancy and loyalty, honor and the like. Consequently, they achieved the desired result of proving acceptable to the Papal authorities and began to flourish. They still do to-day well over 250 years later, which is testimony to the enduring qualities of those ethics and values set out.

In the two centuries of their formal existence the Knights Templar served under 23 Grand Masters. It is Jacques de Molay however, whom is best known with the possible exception of the orders founder, Hughes de Payens. Jacques de Molay (1244-1314) was born in an area called Vitrey, Department of Haute Saone, France. In 1265 at the age of twenty-one, he joined the Knights Templar and rose through the ranks quite quickly. In 1298, de Molay was named Grand Master of the Knights Templar, a position of power and prestige. However, he was unable to lead the Templars through the inquisitions made against them and on March 18th, 1314 de Molay was taken to an island on the Siene and burned along with Geoffrey de Charney the Preceptor of Normandy.

The Masonic youth group the Order of DeMolay was founded by Frank S. Land on March 2, 1919. During the next few years, however, the date of March 18, the date in the past that had witnessed the death of DeMolay, came to be the date more frequently used. The Order, base their teachings on Seven Cardinal Virtues: Brotherly Love, Reverence for Sacred Things, Courtesy, Comradeship, Fidelity, Cleanness and Patriotism.

*** article sent via Sunday 8/24/08 11:58 AM email by Comp Allan Miller.

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