Provincial Sub-Prior's Statement
V.E.Kt. Brian M. Kimberley P.Gt.Reg. Provincial Sub-Prior
Why Join the Knights Templar ?
You are now a Master Mason and a Royal Arch Companion, and are now qualified Masonically to join the Order and degree of a Knight Templar. The full title of our Order may seem a little overwhelming but it is :
"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".
The Order is Administered from Mark Masons Hall, 86 St. James's Street, London, SW1A 1PL, and is headed, like other Orders, by a Grand Master. It is referred to as "Great Priory".
You are now a Master Mason and a Royal Arch Companion, and are now qualified Masonically to join the Order and degree of a Knight Templar. The full title of our Order may seem a little overwhelming but it is :
"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".
The Order is Administered from Mark Masons Hall, 86 St. James's Street, London, SW1A 1PL, and is headed, like other Orders, by a Grand Master. It is referred to as "Great Priory".
History
The Original military Order of Knights Templar was formed in 1119, at the time of the Crusades for the defence of Pilgrims travelling to the Holy Land from attacks by the Saracens, Members took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and were given quarters in Jerusalem, thought to be on the site of King Solomon's Temple, from which they derived their name. In time the Order became wealthy, and its riches excited the greed of King Phillip of France, who directed Pope Clement V to summon the Grand Master of the Order before him. Jacques de Molay came from Cyprus, and in 1340 he and 140 Templars were seizedand thrown into prison. The Order was charged with the blackest of crimes, its property confiscated and given to the Hospitallers and a Papal Bull suppressed the Order in 1312. The history of modern Templars, and indeed the Order has been lost in obscurity but does not in any way form part of the practice of the original Knight Templars. Traces of the modern Order have been found back to 1769 and appeared in Massachusetts, USA by an Irish Lodge connected to the 29th Regiment stationed in Boston. The association with Ireland and Scotland was dissolved in 1895; both now have their own Great Priory. The principle qualification needed to join: To profess the Trinitarian Christian faith as the ceremony of Installation of a Knight and all meetings are conducted on the Gospel of St John 1, and the precepts of the Order are founded on the book of Ephesians Chapter 6.
