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Greville Watson 2011
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Knights Templar
(Freemasonry) |
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The full title of this order is The United Religious, Military and Masonic Order of the Temple and of St John of Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes and Malta. Knights Templar is an international philanthropic Masonic order affiliated with Freemasonry. In some countries it forms part of the York Rite, while in others it is a separate order on its own. In the mid 1700s the Freemasons began to incorporate symbols and traditions of the medieval Knights Templar. The original medieval Order of Knights Templar was established after the First Crusade, and existed from approximately 1118 to 1312. There is no known historical evidence to link the medieval Knights Templar and Masonic Templarism, nor do the Masonic Knights Templar organisations claim any such direct link to the original medieval Templar organisation. |
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Description
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Membership of the Order is open to Master Masons of Christian faith (in some jurisdictions, the order is also open to those of other faiths who are willing to swear to defend the Christian faith) and who have been exalted into a Holy Royal Arch Chapter. Some jurisdictions also require membership in a Cryptic Masons Council, although this is optional in others. As in all Masonic organisations, membership requires that the candidate be of sound moral character, have an exemplary reputation, and believe in a Supreme Being. The Knights Templar have the additional requirement that the candidate be a professing Christian. |
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