Freemasons And The Knights Templar

I tend to believe that Freemasonry does have a Templar connection, althought due to many different circumstances we may never know what those connections are.

Read "Born in blood" by John J. Robinson.

reply to post by Masonic Light


Origins, influence, many different things have altered and formed Freemasonry over the centuries. Not many of them were spoken of outside the lodge prior to the early 1700's. We dont even know most of what was spoken of inside the lodges prior to the early 1700's...

Originally posted by masonica_esoterica
If you are talking about the Knights Templar degree in the York Rite of Freemasonry, then yes, one has to first be a Master Mason at their Blue Lodge to petition to join any appendant bodies of Freemasonry (York Rite,Scottish Rite,Shriners, etc),however attaining this degree does not give you "power" over any other Freemason, or any individual,it just means that you were interested in speculative Freemasonry,and went through degrees.

And that you may have a penchant for big foofy hats.

It is my understanding that - at least in the U.K. (?) - a Mason isn't considered complete without the Royal Arch degree. Please correct me if I'm wrong on this.

Your pal,
Meat.

Hi,
When I was searching the web on the Knights Tempalr I came across this site and I can see that use are the best people to ask. My question is I know The Knights Templars had a spirtual side to them I am trying to find any rituals, manuscripts or publications around that, can anybody help me.

Kind Regards
Ray

My uncle has been in the Freemasons for decades now and one of his titles is 'Order of the Knights Templar'. He's quite high up in the Masons and he wanted me to join, but I couldn't commit the time needed in your first years, so I never bothered. Kinda wish I did now.

He used to tell me that the freemasons were not a secret society, then when I asked him what they did, he'd say "oh I can't tell you that, but it's not a secret" then laugh. Must have been some kind of IN joke..


So there you go..

Peace..

Originally posted by raymonda38
Hi,
When I was searching the web on the Knights Tempalr I came across this site and I can see that use are the best people to ask. My question is I know The Knights Templars had a spirtual side to them I am trying to find any rituals, manuscripts or publications around that, can anybody help me.

Kind Regards
Ray

Hi Ray,

This site:

www.sacred-texts.com...

has the basic admission of a Knight of the Temple. Interesting reading.

Originally posted by mmmeat
It is my understanding that - at least in the U.K. (?) - a Mason isn't considered complete without the Royal Arch degree. Please correct me if I'm wrong on this.

Nope, dude. 3rd degree is it. Appendant degrees are just that - appendant.

Originally posted by Roark


Nope, dude. 3rd degree is it. Appendant degrees are just that - appendant.

Actually, in the UK, the Royal Arch is considered part of Craft Masonry, and the highest degree. In the USA, the Royal Arch" wasn't considered "appendent" until relatively recently. My Grand Lodge has never ruled on the matter, but mentions the Royal Arch as a degree of Masonry on the official publications.

[edit on 18-1-2008 by Masonic Light]

Originally posted by Roark

Originally posted by mmmeat
It is my understanding that - at least in the U.K. (?) - a Mason isn't considered complete without the Royal Arch degree. Please correct me if I'm wrong on this.

Nope, dude. 3rd degree is it. Appendant degrees are just that - appendant.

...and...

Originally posted by Masonic Light
Actually, in the UK, the Royal Arch is considered part of Craft Masonry, and the highest degree. In the USA, the Royal Arch" wasn't considered "appendent" until relatively recently. My Grand Lodge has never ruled on the matter, but mentions the Royal Arch as a degree of Masonry on the official publications.

So you can see why I asked the question. I know that in the 1813 Act of Union it was said "declared and pronounced that pure Antient Masonry consists of three degrees and no more, viz, those of the Entered Apprentice, the Fellow Craft, and the Master Mason, including the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch" which - according to my math adds up to four degrees, although the use of the word 'including' does kind of throw me.

Then again - and I'm certainly not privy to the ceremony - it's my understanding that the Royal Arch isn't considered a whole separate degree (except in the U.S.(?)), but a completion of the third.

Reference 1 - Pesky Canadian Reference
Reference 2 - U.K. Reference

Maybe you're both right.

Your pal,
Meat.

Thanks Guys your help has been sound

Ray

Originally posted by mmmeat


So you can see why I asked the question. I know that in the 1813 Act of Union it was said "declared and pronounced that pure Antient Masonry consists of three degrees and no more, viz, those of the Entered Apprentice, the Fellow Craft, and the Master Mason, including the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch" which - according to my math adds up to four degrees, although the use of the word 'including' does kind of throw me.

You're right, it *is* confusing, even for Masons. The Antients considered the Royal Arch to be the completion of the Master Mason degree. So even though they are technically two separate degrees, the UGLE recognizes the connection between them, and thus considers the Royal Arch to be the "supreme" grade in Craft Masonry because it completes the cycle of the Ancient Craft Masonry.

well as to the templars and the masonic order, there are numorous theories conserning bothe orginazations , a book that is manditory for all mason enthusiasts is "Born In Blood" by John J Robinson... it is about the theory that the masons decended from templars ... that should shed some light on the issue ... also the lexicon of freemasonry is a good one it is a dictionary of sorts , ahand book for masons, if u will, I also have a theory concerning the masons and the holy grail if any would like to here this re post to this with email or some sort of contact information , and I will discuss this with you ... it is for the open minded... so beware....

Kt’s to fm’s nice thought but in truth probably not, there are a lot of good books on the subject but as most have said they are full of holes.

As a Mason, and a York Rite Mason, I would love there to be an actual connection to the Knights Templar of the Crusades. But as a Mason I can tell you that not even our scholars/researchers can give a definitive answer. We don't know nor do we have any proof. During the time when the French King and Pope crucified the Templars almost all evidence disappeared. Scotland, and even England to some degree, did not follow the rule of the Vatican and there was Templars in that area. It's not completely out of the mind that they traveled there. Centuries went by though from the end of the Templars to the beginning of the Masonic Grand Lodges.

Originally posted by RWPBR
I tend to believe that Freemasonry does have a Templar connection, althought due to many different circumstances we may never know what those connections are.

Read "Born in blood" by John J. Robinson.

Born in Blood is an excellent book. Well researched and written by a non-Mason.

Originally posted by mmmeat
It is my understanding that - at least in the U.K. (?) - a Mason isn't considered complete without the Royal Arch degree. Please correct me if I'm wrong on this.

You are correct.

Originally posted by Roark
Nope, dude. 3rd degree is it. Appendant degrees are just that - appendant.

I know at least that the European Grand Lodges do use some of the American York Rite degrees during the 3-degrees. Much of the York Rite has to do with the Fellowcraft and Master Mason degree.

A good book to read for those interested on the Templars is HOLY BLOOD, HOLY GRAIL.

[edit on 4-1-2009 by KSigMason]

this link describes an interesting question as to why the masonic youth organization job's daughter has young girls wrapping cords around their ritual robes. this ties into the knights templar. very interesting.

read from where link starts to page 201.

books.google.com... ubGjJ&sig=fS0QNsXE32ogt234XtqgPlOfNTE&hl=en&ei=hxP_S4ioOaHMNOehjDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=speculation%20ha s%20abounded%20for%20centuries%20as%20to%20the%20exact&f=false

Originally posted by RWPBR
I tend to believe that Freemasonry does have a Templar connection, althought due to many different circumstances we may never know what those connections are.

Read "Born in blood" by John J. Robinson.

I feel like they can be connected in another sort of way and that is the same way that all fisherman are connected from the first person to ever drop a line and wait on a nibble until now. They are all fisherman.

The question is do the Masons do the same job that the templars did? And if they do there's your connection.

I read that book and it is aso one of my favorite books.