Templar Edification

'Born in Blood: The Lost Secrets of Freemasonry' by John J. Robinson In the book Born in Blood The Lost Secrets of Freemasonry by John J. Robinson, the Knights Templar didn't directly become Freemasons, but their legacy shaped the craft through a wild and violent chain of events. The Templars, founded in 1119, were warrior-monks protecting Christian pilgrims in Jerusalem. By the 1300s, they were controlling vast wealth from banking and trade. King Philip IV of France, drowning in debt to them, saw a chance to seize their assets. In 1307, he convinced Pope Clement V to accuse the Templars of heresy - spitting on the cross, worshipping idols, even sodomy. Grand Master Jacques de Molay was and many other Templars were arrested Friday October 13th, 1307 and he was burned at the stake March 18th, 1314, and the order was crushed. The book argues many Templars survived the purge, going underground to avoid execution. He claims they fled to places like Scotland, blending into local...

By: Eric Thiem In April’s education on the history of Cryptic Council, a small portion of the article mentioned degrees that were initiated in a Council of Cryptic Masons that were no longer performed. One of those, the Knights of the Round Table was discussed in detail and presented in the August 2025 Beauseant and Buckler. I decided to delve into another of the “Dead Degrees,” the Order of the Garter and determine if I could uncover the history of this degree. A garter is a functional piece, or band of clothing of an elastic nature designed to hold up another piece of clothing, usually a stocking or a shirt sleeve (1) . They were typically tied to the stocking just below the knee. With advances in modern clothing, they have lost their use as a functional piece of clothing. The history of a garter being a functional piece of clothing dates back to at least the Middle Ages, if not earlier. For most of history, they have been associated with a bridal tradition; symbolizing luck at the c...

Compiled by SK Ray Hayward, REPGC 2012-2013 1. All commanderies used to be known as encampments. 2. The name of the famous High Priest of Egypt, Imhotep, means “He who comes in Peace.” 3. Knights Templar used to wear aprons. They were triangular and had a metal skull and crossbones on it. When that was phased out, the whole uniform became the apron. 4. The first person knighted as Masonic Knights Templar in the Colonies was Capt. William Davis, August 1769, followed by Paul Revere, December 1769, and Joseph Warren, May 1770. 5. Knights Templar originally carried daggers in addition to their swords. These were hung at the end of the baldric. 6. Minnesota produced one Grandmaster of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar, Charles N. Orr. 1943-1946. ATC Pierson served as Grand Junior Warden of the Grand Encampment. 7. Knights Templar vote yes with their sword arm, their right, and no with their bridle arm, their left. 8. Our swords reflect alchemical refinement and transmutation. We go f...