December 2025 Edition

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KNIGHT TEMPLAR WINTER 2025

LODGE OF THE HOLY GRAIL

MEDIEVAL TRIALS GRAND ENCAMPMENT

LETTER TO PRESIDENT LINCOLN 200 YEARS OF TEMPLARY

IN VERMONT

AND NEW HAVEN CONNECTICUT

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KNIGHT TEMPLAR VOLUME LXXI WINTER 2025

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ADDRESS CHANGE OR CHANGE IN MEMBERSHIP Please report all changes in membership to the Grand Recorder:

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The KNIGHT TEMPLAR (USPS 25735) (ISSN 2994-7189 (print); 2994-7170 (online)) is published quarterly in Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter by Laughing Lion LLC, 1100 W Littleton Blvd, Ste 440, Littleton, CO 80120, on behalf of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America. Periodical postage is paid at Denver, CO, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: KNIGHT TEMPLAR MAGAZINE, GRAND ENCAMPMENT OFFICE, 3 SUGAR CREEK CENTER BLVD, STE 410. SUGAR LAND, TX 77478.

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Give us a call @ (317) 462-5467 Or send us an email @ Info@mitchell-fleming.com

www.kthlp.com ONE well established pilgrimage program with over 40 years of experience.

TWO divisions of this program. #1 - KNIGHTS TEMPLAR HOLY LAND PILGRIMAGE FOR CHRISTIAN MINISTERS Our Mission: To send credentialed Christian Ministers on a Biblical study and historical / cultural immersion experience who would not have the opportunity otherwise.

PURPOSE: To strengthen Christian ministry by providing an intensive travel and study program for credentialed ministers in the form of a study pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Our experience tells us how much the opportunity to ‘walk where Jesus walked’ can positively affect the preaching, teaching, and spirituality of Christian ministers. It is our plan to immerse the Pilgrim ministers in the land, the sights, the sounds, the history, and the cultures of the Holy Land, past and present.

Travel groups for February/March of 2026 are already booked and preparing for travel.

The registration process is already open for February of 2027. Price will be finalized in the early months of 2027 but registrations can be received by our Registrar based on the anticipated cost.

LOOKING AHEAD to 2027 Group A, Monday, February 1 – Thursday, February 11, 2027 Group B, Monday, February 15 – Thursday, February 25, 2027

#2 -

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS HOLY LAND PILGRIMAGE for Sir Knights, their Ladies, friends, and guests is open to anyone. Each person is responsible for their own fees and expenses related to the pilgrimage. Each person is responsible for being able to manage their own luggage and follow the itinerary. This pilgrimage is an 11day program that covers as much ground as possible in the touring days (we average 5 – 7 miles of walking many days, often uphill or up steps and on uneven surfaces). This opportunity offers to others the chance to participate in a parallel program and have their faith and depth of belief deepen.

We are ready to add to our registrations for this pilgrimage in the fall of 2026.

November 9 – 19, 2026. Check it out now. We will accept up to 45 registrations.

Use this web address or access the Pilgrimage site from the Grand Encampment site.

www.kthlp.com

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Grand Prelate’s Message Sir Knight Paul Erickson, GCT Grand Prelate of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Luke 2: 7 (ESV)

A

s I sit here preparing this Christmas article for the Knights Templar Magazine, I am mindful that it is Thanksgiving that is on the horizon. We have all been taught since elementary school what the history of thanksgiving is, so there is no need for me to address that here, but let me share with you what I am thankful for.

I'm grateful for my family, my daughters, and the wife who gave them to me. I'm grateful for my parents who gave me life and brought me into this world, and my brothers and sisters who watched me grow and often get in trouble.

But since becoming a Freemason, my family has grown so much, much larger. If you have been around me much, you have heard me talk about how important fellowship is. It is that fellowship that causes my family to grow. You see, I consider all of you part of my family and I am grateful for you as well.

I am also grateful for our Savior who was willing to come here and sacrifice His life so that we might spend eternity with Him. And so, this leads me to my message.

In my Christmas toast to the Grandmaster, I briefly mentioned Joseph and Mary's journey to Bethlehem, to be counted as part of the census. Caesar Augustus required that 6

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all be registered in their own town. It wasn't like today, like going to the DMV where you could simply register in the place where you had moved; you had to go where you were born.

This caused Joseph and Mary to go to the city of David, which was called Bethlehem (literally, the “house of bread,” or “house of life”).

The journey took them from Galilee to the town of Nazareth, Judea, and on to the city of David where Bethlehem was, and where they were registered: perhaps 70 to 90 miles. I can only imagine how difficult a journey that was for Mary, who was pregnant and near term.

They undoubtedly had things to carry with them, but scripture is silent as to whether they were traveling in a camel train of people or simply had to walk alone, just the two of them.

We also don't know if it was the difficulty of the journey that caused her to give birth upon their arrival, but we do know that they couldn't find a decent place to stay. Their idea of a decent place is different than ours. We might be worried about whether we had Internet, cable TV, a hot shower, or a bed. But Mary and Joseph only had a manger to lay the Christ child in. Jesus’ journey wasn't any easy one, but I am grateful it was made!

I think it’s a good thing that Thanksgiving is just a month before Christmas. It gives us time for reflection on what we are truly grateful for. The first Thanksgiving was in autumn 1621, they were grateful for just having survived. Our Savior’s birthday – though we most likely don't celebrate it on the actual day – is the beginning of his journey to us and our salvation.

By the time you read this, Thanksgiving

will have come and gone and hopefully Christmas will only be a few short days away. Braving the elements and the crowds can often be difficult, filled with impatient and angry people.

However, it is still a time filled with opportunity to share with one another and be the person who offers a helping hand to someone in need – maybe just help with a bag, or even just a smile.

As we approach Christmas, I hope all your days are filled with blessings. And as you gather with your friends and families, my prayer is you are filled with joy and good fellowship.

Merry Christmas and blessings to you all,

Paul Paul Erickson, KGC Grand Prelate

40 Miles

Project

https://usagekt.org/40miles/

KNIGHTS of the CAPITAL SK B. Chris Ruli, EPC and Grand Historian of the Grand Commandery of the District of Columbia, presents the official and comprehensive history of the Knights Templar in Washington, D.C. Presented in a beautiful hardcover format with over 70 illustrations, Ruli’s new work is a must-have for any Sir Knight interested in American Templar history.

B. Chris Ruli

Scan code to purchase

KNIGHT TEMPLAR

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CONTRIBUTORS D. Bruce Beardsley is a member of Weston Lodge No. 22 in Littleton, Colorado. His writing focuses on esoteric currents and ancient mystery traditions woven into the fabric of Freemasonry. He explores hidden symbolism, initiatic patterns, and philosophical lineages that connect the Craft to the wisdom of the Hermetic, Platonic, and Near Eastern mystery schools.

CONTE

NEWS

York Rite conference in Baden Baden Germany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Rick Johnson is Eminent Commander at Kings of Kings Commandery No. 12 for Scottsdale York Rite Bodies in Arizona. He was constituted a Knight Templar in 2021. He serves as Hight Priest for Goldwater Chapter No. 18. He also serves as a steward for Scottsdale Lodge No. 43 F. & A. Masons. His interests include Templarism, Rosicrucianism, and Spiritual Freemasonry. He is also a member of various appendant bodies within the York Rite.

Barry Newell is a member of the Social Media Committee for the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar. He is a Past Grand Commander and current Grand Recorder of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Idaho. He is an Army Veteran and currently works as an IT consultant for the Army National Guard. He holds a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Science in International Relations from Boise State University.

Raul A. Pereles, Jr. is the Manager of Learning and Organizational Development at Public Health Solutions in New York City, leading initiatives that strengthen leadership capacity, organizational culture, and workforce effectiveness across mission-driven programs. He is a doctoral candidate in Executive Leadership, with a focus on nonprofit management. He currently serves as Eminent Commander of New Haven Commandery No. 2 in New Haven, Connecticut.

B. Chris Ruli is a historian and author of early American Freemasonry with a focus on the history of Freemasonry in Washington, D.C. He is a member of Columbia Commandery 2 and Potomac Commandery 3 in the District of Columbia. This article is based on research from Ruli’s book, The White House & The Freemasons, available from Macoy Publishing.

Timothy J. Whipple lives in Des Moines, Iowa. He is a past master of Legacy Lodge No. 678 in Des Moines, Iowa, a member of the Scottish Rite and York Rite, and a member of several invitational bodies. He is currently the master of Iowa Research Lodge No. 2. He is a shareholder at the law firm of Ahlers and Cooney, where he practices utility law.

Roland Woodard is presently Most Illustrious Grand Master of Council in Vermont. He was Grand Commander of Vermont in 2023 and 2024 leading the effort to celebrate Vermont’s Grand Commandery 2024 Bicentennial. He is also a past Grand High Priest. He was ably assisted in his article by Kirk C. White, Grand Commander of VT, and William J. Ormerod, Grand Senior Warden. Sir Knight Woodard taught high school Social Studies for forty-five years. He resides in Sheffield, VT.

On the Cover: "SILENT KNIGHT." AI generated image. Chat GPT – 14 DEC 2025 8

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American Academy of Ophthalmology honors Knight Templar Eye Foundation . . . . . . 48

Editor Ben Williams is a Registered Patent Attorney based out of Denver, Colorado.

He’s a Past Department Commander for the Northwest Department and has held many Masonic offices in his home state of Colorado. He’s married to his patient and caring wife, Tiffany, a history teacher. They have a daughter, Adelyn, and a beagle, Warwick.

ENTS Two hundred years of Templary in Vermont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

New Haven Commandery Bicentennial Celebration . . . . . . 19

LODGE OF THE HOLY GRAIL

by Rick Johnson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

GRAND ENCAMPMENT'S LETTER TO PRESIDENT LINCOLN by Chris Ruli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

THE UNSEEN SENTINEL by Bruce Beardsley . . . . 22

SOOB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

ANGLO-SAXON TRIALS by Timothy Whipple . . . . 31 EYE FOUNDATION Grand Masters & Grand Commander’s Clubs . . . . . . . . . . 46 Campaign Chairman's Report . 47

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FROM THE EDITOR

I

t’s a good problem to have: submissions that don’t comply with our submission guidelines. But there are good reasons we have submission guidelines – it makes our lives easier, for sure, but consistency assists others reading your article and researching your sources. If scholarship is a dialogue, then styles define the dialect. So, when submitting articles, please be aware of our submission guidelines.

A frequent problem we encounter is submissions with images inserted into the Word document. This renders the image resolution too low to print.

Microsoft Word is not designed for print-ready files. If you embed an image in the text of a .doc file, Word essentially makes a copy of the file to display in the .doc. It does this for two reasons: 1. so that the image loads in the .doc irrespective of where the original file is located (it doesn’t disappear when you move the original to a separate folder or delete the original); and, 2. to save memory in the .doc file. This is not the same as layout software, which loads a linked file into the finished, printready .pdf file and, as a result, creates a file requiring significantly more memory (more than 20 MB).

Images must be 300 dpi at size to print. Otherwise they will pixelate. Please, take time to understand what this means. It is frustrating – for me as well as you – when we cannot print the pictures you send because they are only screen resolution. Working with undersized images also makes layout much harder. Rather than being able to resize an image to float the text to a boundary, we have to use the text to accommodate the images.

The way to submit images is as separate files, named appropriately. In your .doc submission, be sure to include photo credit and, if you want a caption describing the image contents, include it.

Include people’s names. If you are 10

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going to include titles, don’t use the honorific. For example. “John Doe, Grand Commander,” not “John Doe, Right Eminent Grand Commander.”

Text submissions should be Times New Roman, single spaced, tabbed between paragraphs. Don’t use other fonts. Don’t try to lay out the article in the .doc file. All that will be replaced when the article is laid out for publication. Keeping to these requirements allows us to assign styles quickly to the text consistently and maintain italics and bold that you may have included. If you use another font, such as Calibri or Arial, say, then our styles will not always attach correctly in the text. Again, please understand this: it’s important.

Another frequent problem we seem to have is footnotes or end notes submitted in made up formats. Like most Masonic publications, we use the Quarry Project style – a modified Chicago Style devised for Masonic citations (note, however, we do tend to capitalize Masonic titles unless dealing with the term in the abstract – e.g., “the Worshipful Master addressed the Brethren,” versus “the worshipful masters congregated in the south,” and we include "No." in Lodge and Commandery names, e.g., Telluride Lodge No. 56). If you are unsure about the Quarry Project, you can learn more at https://thequarryproject.com.

Every Masonic writer should be familiar with this. Before you submit an article for consideration, read the Quarry Project guide.

Review our submission guidelines. We’ve published them in this magazine before. If you would like a copy, you can download one at ktmag.org. Or email me at ben@ ktmag.org.

If you’re unsure about a particular citation, default to Chicago Style. There are many resources online, here. Frequent writers should spring for a copy of The Chicago Manual of Style or

subscribe online at chicagomanualofstyle.org. It’s worth it, you will use it a lot.

Here are some examples of Chicago Style citations. First, for a book citation: Author, Book Title, [xth ed.]

(City: Publisher, date), pg.

It should look like this: C. G. Jung, The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious, 2nd ed. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1969), 29.

Subsequent cites to the same reference may be abbreviated, thus: Author, Abbreviated Title, pg. this:

Using the example above, like

Jung, Archetypes, 47.

For a periodical (first note): Author, “Article Title.” Journal Name, no. xx (Issue date): pg.

Journal of Masonic Research and Letters, vol. 65, no. 3 (November 2021): 107.

Periodical (subsequent note): Author, pg.

It should look like this: Eyer, 110.

Bear in mind that the Knight Templar is not an academic publication. Citations are not always necessary. But that doesn’t mean your submissions should not have bases in proper research. We require a journalistic standard: you need not cite sources, but you must be able to produce them upon request. If you have questions, feel free to reach out. As always, thank you for your submissions – and keep them coming! Don't forget a head shot and a 150 word bio.

For example: S. Eyer, “Numberless Worlds, Infinite Beings.” Philaelthes: The

Window Pains

Ben Williams Editor

by Boondoggle

"But every Thursday, I'm Thrice Illustrious."

© 2026

NEWS

Photo by Barry Newell

YORK RITE JOINT CONFERENCE IN BADEN-BADEN, GERMANY

by Barry Newell

T

he spa city of BadenBaden, nestled at the edge of Germany’s Black Forest, hosted a remarkable gathering of Cryptic Masons and Knights Templar from across Europe, Africa, and the United States.

The multi-day, joint conference brought together Companions and Sir Knights from a wide range of jurisdictions, united by a shared commitment to strengthening and growing the York Rite of Freemasonry.

“We are at a turning point in Europe for the York Rite of Freemasonry,” Sir Knight Monty Glover, Department Commander

for Europe and Africa observed.

The events of the weekend proved him right.

Opening Sessions and a German First Degree The joint conference opened Thursday morning with remarks from Companion Jeff Nelson, Right Puissant Deputy General Grand Master for Europe, and Companion Keith Powell, Right Puissant Deputy General Grand Master, who represented Companion Bill Snyder, Most Puissant General Grand Master

of the General Grand Council. They were followed by Sir Knights Monty Glover, KCT, Right Eminent Department Commander for Europe and Africa, and Jeff A. Bolstad, GCT, Right Eminent Deputy Grand Master, who conveyed greetings on behalf of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar, and Most Eminent Grand Master, Sir Knight David J. Kussman, GCT. Companion Nelson led an open forum that quickly became one of the most energizing portions of the day. Companions and Sir Knights expressed an enthusiastic desire to expand both

the Cryptic Rite and Templary throughout Germany and the wider European jurisdictions. The questions reflected a spirit of optimism and hope for real, sustainable growth.

That afternoon, attendees visited Lodge Badenia for Progress (Freimaurerloge Badenia zum Fortschritt), working under the Grand Lodge of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Germany, within the United Grand Lodges of Germany.

The Lodge conferred the Entered Apprentice degree, providing visitors with an opportunity to witness firsthand the KNIGHT TEMPLAR

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nuanced differences of German Craft Masonry. It was interesting to note how their Wardens and Master took a notably active role in the floor work, particularly during the opening and the conferral itself; and many aspects of the ritual bore a striking resemblance to the Craft Degrees found in the Scottish Rite. The experience proved both educational and fraternal.

The evening concluded with hearty fellowship over dinner at the historic Löwenbräu restaurant, a traditional Bavarian-style restaurant located in the heart of the city.

A Day for the Cryptic Rite Friday was devoted to the Cryptic Masons. The Lady of the

Council’s new officers were then installed, and Harmony Council U.D. of Slovenia was formally instituted by the General Grand Council.

The day ended with dinner at the elegant Casino Baden-Baden.

The Department Conference Saturday marked the Templar portion of the weekend. Sir Knight Monty Glover, KCT, Department Commander, presided over the Department Conference for Europe and Africa.

The Deputy Grand Master offered an opening prayer; roll call was taken; and, remarkably, every Grand Commander of the Department was present.

The central theme of the

The Deputy Grand Master offered an opening prayer; roll call was taken; and, remarkably, every Grand Commander of the Department was present.

Council Award was presented to Dr. Vanessa Soneghet, wife of Companion Dr. Rafael “Rafa” Soneghet, Most Illustrious Past Grand Master of the Grand Council of Brazil. Afterward, a message from Companion Bill Snyder, Most Puissant General Grand Master, who was recovering from surgery, was read to the Companions in attendance.

Delegates received information about the upcoming 2026 Triennial in Washington, D.C., followed by an open session for questions and concerns. Companion Jeff Nelson then invited Sir Knight Monty Glover to answer Templar-related questions, which ranged across several practical issues unique to non-US jurisdictions.

That afternoon, Northern Lights (Nordlicht) Council conferred all three degrees (Royal Master, Select Master, and Super Excellent Master) in German on several worthy candidates. The 12

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session was educational: teaching European leaders what they needed to know about the structure and operations of the Grand Encampment. The Conference culminated in two important milestones: the presentation of a charter to the newly formed Grand Commandery of Serbia, and dispensation to form a new Commandery in Germany called Nordstern (North Star), to be stationed at Gelsenkirchen.

While Grand Encampment officers delivered their presentations, the Orders of the Illustrious Order of the Red Cross and the Order of Malta were conferred on fifteen candidates. Before lunch, the Chamber of Reflection was also conducted, after which the candidates reassembled, and Companion (soon-to-be Sir Knight) Alex Dubrowsky was presented with the Companion of the Temple (COT) in recognition of his outstanding service to the Conference and Masonry at large.

Baden-Baden with the collegiate church (Stiftskirche) central and Black Forest surrounding.

After lunch, the Order of the Temple was conferred with a full cast.

• Sir Knight Jeff A. Bolstad, GCT, REDGM, as Eminent Commander

• Sir Knight David A. Grindle, KCT, REPGC (Idaho) as Senior Warden

• Sir Knight James C. McGee, GCT, REGCG, as Generalissimo

• Sir Knight Monty Glover, KCT, REDC, as Warder.

• Sir Knight Larry E. Tucker, GCT, REGR, as Captain General • Sir Knight Jeff N. Nelson, GCT, MEPGM, as Prelate

• Sir Knight Barry E. Newell, KTCH, KCT, REPGC (Idaho) as Junior Warden

• Sir Knight Sean Gardiner, KCT, REDC (Latin America); Sir Knight Keith Powell, REPGC (Louisiana); and Sir Knight Rafael

Wackenhut, Jürgen – Stock.Adobe.Com

NEWS

Soneghet as the Hermits and Guards.

The ritual was executed beautifully and was one of the highlights of the entire Conference.

Fellowship on the Mountain On Sunday morning , several attendees enjoyed a hike up Merkur mountain, where we enjoyed a well-earned meal with panoramic views of the Black Forest and Rhine Valley. This mountain is named after the Roman god Mercury, and reflects

the region’s ancient heritage, as Roman settlers once used the surrounding area for its healing springs.

The summit and restaurant were accessible to us by the Merkur Funicular Railway (the Merkurbergbahn), a 1,200-meter-long railway that climbs gradients of up to 54%.

International Representation The General Grand Council of Cryptic Masons International and Grand Encampment

of Knights Templar included officers and representatives from Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Idaho, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Alabama, Montana, Texas, Louisiana, North Dakota, Georgia, and Hawaii. International attendees included Companions and Sir Knights from Germany, Portugal, Romania, Togo, Gabon, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Cyprus, Brazil, Austria, France, and Serbia.

A Turning Point The Baden-Baden Joint Conference demonstrated a clear

truth: York Rite Freemasonry in Europe is entering a new era.

With renewed enthusiasm, emerging leadership, and expanding jurisdictions, the foundations are being laid for sustained and meaningful growth of our Order.

The conversations, ritual exemplifications, and international cooperation of the weekend will undoubtedly influence the future of the Cryptic Rite and Templary across Europe and beyond. BadenBaden may well be remembered as the place where the revival began.

KT

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Kovacs –stock.adobe.com

GRAND COMMANDERY OF VERM

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NEWS

MONT CELEBRATES 200 YEARS

Kovacs – Stock.Adobe.Com

by Roland and Carol Woodard

T

he Grand Encampment of Vermont (as it was then styled), was formed on June 17, 1824, at the Rutland Masonic Hall, in Rutland, Vermont, by Vermont Encampment No. 1, chartered at Windsor, February 23, 1821; Green Mountain Encampment No. 2, chartered at Rutland, March 12, 1823; and Mt. Calvary Encampment No. 3, chartered at Middlebury, February 20, 1824.

There were nine members, three from each encampment, along with Sir Henry Fowle, Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America. Sir John Cotton of Vermont Encampment No. 1 acted as President and Sir Joel Clapp of Mt. Calvary Encampment No. 3 was Secretary for the first meeting.

Sir Knight Fowle gave his approval and, with a motion

made by Sir Silas Bowen of Green Mountain Encampment No. 2, the Grand Encampment of Vermont was formed.

Sir Jabesh Hunter of Vermont Encampment No. 1 made a motion to establish a committee to form the encampment’s constitution using one member from each encampment: Sir Hannibal Hodges of Green Mountain Encampment No. 2, Sir John Cotton of Vermont Encampment No. 1, and Sir Joel Clapp of Mt. Calvary Encampment No. 3.

The first officers of the Grand Encampment of Vermont were : Grand Master John Cotton, Deputy Grand Master Silas Bowen, Grand Generalissimo Joel Clapp, Grand Captain General Hannibal Hodges, Grand Prelate Amos Drury, Grand Treasurer Samual Holly, and Grand Recorder Issac Hubbard.

In 2022, Vermont’s Grand

Commander y decided to commemorate its bicentennial year in 2024 but was faced with challenges. With a membership under 250, many of them elderly, and with very little money at their disposal, Grand Commander Roland Woodard set to work. The 2024 Bicentennial year would be led by two Grand Commanders, Sir Knight Roland “Woody” Woodard from January to June and Sir Knight Kirk C. White from June to December. A Bicentennial committee was formed with the Grand Commander as Chair, the Deputy Grand Commander as Deputy Chair and the following committee members were appointed: Sir Knight Joshua Retchless, Sir Knight Ron Leinke, Sir Knight William Ormerod, Sir Knight James Dolan, Sir Knight Jon Hosford, Sir Knight Bruce Howard, and Sir Knight Leon Dion as a Treasurer for the

committee. It was decided that the celebration would take place in conjunction with Vermont’s annual York Rite Sessions in June of 2024.

Via edict, each Commandery in Vermont was directed to organize an event during 2024 to celebrate the Bicentennial. Given the small size of Vermont’s Commanderies, they were encouraged to work together.

To raise money for the Bicentennial, the committee decided to have a Bicentennial coin minted based on an original seal of Vermont’s Grand Commandery.

Sir Knight William Ormerod spearheaded the project while Grand Commander Woody raised money through donations.

The fundraising proved successful, raising around $7,000. It was decided that proceeds from coin sales would go to the Templar Eye Foundation.

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Photo provided by Roland Woodard

The Barre Parade The Bicentennial celebrations kicked off on September 21, 2023, at the Barre Heritage Parade, in Barre, VT. Nine Sir Knights from around the state formed a color guard for the event. This was the first march

by Sir Knights in Vermont in about ten years. The Grand Commander, Deputy Grand Commander, and two Past Grand Commanders participated. It also marked the first public display of the Bicentennial Beauceant, designed and sewn by Lady Lynn Murray, wife of one of the Past Grand Commanders.

The Heritage Parade in Barre, Vermont, September 2023

Photo provided by Roland Woodard

Mount Cavalry No. 1 Bicentennial Dinner Mount Cavalry No. 1 is the only one of the original three commanderies extant. It also celebrated its Bicentennial. On April 23, 2024, they held a celebration with a dinner and presentations. Past Grand Commander James Selleck, who served as Grand Commander in 1990, presented the history of Mount Cavalry. Grand Commander Woody described the significance of the 1824 reproduction uniform he wore for the event. Sir Knight Woody was presented with an antique sash by Mount Cavalry to wear for the remainder of the Bicentennial events.

Sir Knights James Selleck (left) and Woody

As part of the celebration, a bicentennial class was formed with candidates from the six existing commanderies in Vermont. The Grand Master, Most Worshipful Brother Paul C. Mosher, agreed to be the exemplar. In the year leading up to the celebration, the class grew to seventeen brothers who took all their degrees and orders in one year.

The most memorable degree occurred on March 9, 2024, at Barre Council No. 22 when Barre hosted all the candidates for their Council degrees. The Lodge room was filled. Unfortunately, no pictures of the evening survived. The orders of Red Cross, Malta, and first half of Temple were performed at three separate locations around the state.

The Grand Finale came on Friday night, June 7, 2024, at Killington Commandery No. 6, in Rutland. The Knighting of the candidates was the kick-off event of the bicentennial celebration. The Order was performed by an all-star cast of Vermont’s Sir Knights led by Past Grand Commander Sir Bruce Howard. Knighting was performed by Sir Knight Jack M. Harper, Right Eminent Grand Generalissimo of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America.

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Photo provided by Roland Woodard

The Bicentennial Class

The Bicentennial Class Candidates

NEWS

Photo provided by Roland Woodard

Grand Commandery Conclave

Lady Carol receiving the Companion of the Temple

After Vermont’s three York Rite sessions, the annual banquet was held Saturday night, June 7. For her planning efforts and work leading up to the celebration, Lady Carol Woodard was made a Companion of the Temple. The ladies program on Saturday morning included a short talk on the history of education in Vermont and the afternoon featured a costumed actor portraying the Reverend Alexander Twilight, recognized as the first African-American to receive a bachelor’s degree from an American college. Upon his calling to the ministry in 1823, and as headmaster of the school, he built a 3-storey granite school and dormitory which has since become a museum of local history and heritage.

Thirteen Sir Knights and two ladies donned 1824 period costumes.

The theme for the day was A Return to 1824. An “1824” church service was ministered by Sir Knight Robert Bach as officiant, accompanied by period-appropriate hymns. Subsequently, guests were served an 1824 luncheon, including roast pork and chicken, squash, potatoes, carrots, and other colonial fare.

The afternoon program began with Sir Knight Daniel Nye presenting the founding of the Grand Commandery of Vermont. This was followed by a talk by Past Grand Commander Woody on why Vermont was fourth in the country in forming a Grand Commandery. Brother James Douglas, former Governor of Vermont, and more than fifty-year Mason, gave a speech on the importance of Masonry in Vermont, past and present. Sir Knight Jack Harper, Grand Generalissimo of the Grand Encampment, then spoke on Grand Encampment history in relation to Vermont, in his usual dynamic style.

Photo provided by Roland Woodard

Bicentennial Celebration

The Bicentennial Class and cast for the Knighting

Photo provided by Roland Woodard

The Skit

Sir Knights Emiry Potter, Jon Hosford, and Brother Ethan Woodard

The highlight of the celebration was an entertaining skit, written by Sir Knight Woody, imagining what the presentation of the Charter by the Grand Encampment in 1824 could have been like. Grand Encampment officers participated in the sketch. It was doubtful they knew what they were getting themselves into.

The skit opened with the Grand Recorder and Grand Treasurer finishing the paperwork and discussing what might happen on that auspicious day. A Master Mason, played by Past Grand Commander Woody’s son, arrived and enquired about the events of the day. At the end of the conversation, he expressed doubt that his father would be much of a Mason since he had no leadership skills and talked too much.

The next scene included most of the Vermont Grand Officers discussing their excitement, opinions of the Grand Encampment officers, and what the future might hold for Templary in Vermont.

Continuing with the story, two ladies entered curious about the unfolding events. Lady Barnes (Deputy Grand Commander Barne’s wife)

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This Cast picture also included Sir Knights Daniel Nye and William Ormerod

Photo provided by Roland Woodard

Lady Cynthia Barnes and Lady Carol Woodard Photo provided by Roland Woodard

Photo provided by Roland Woodard

portrayed a widow looking for a husband and mentioned to Lady Cotton how handsome Deputy Grand Master Fowle (played by Sir Knight Jack Harper) was and questioned if he was married. Sir Knight Clapp told her that Deputy Grand Maser was too young for her and that Bro. Loring would be a much better match. The ladies were outraged at the suggestion that Lady Barnes was “too old,” and they stormed out.

The Grand Encampment officers arrived with the Charter. Unfortunately, Sir Knight Harper had to leave before the skit was finished due to an airline reservation change. His part was hastily taken over by Sir Knight Kirk White. A running gag throughout the skit had been Deputy Grand Master Fowle’s (Sir Knight Harper’s) “strange” accent. This led to a hilarious scene where Sir Knight White missed the joke, despite the audience prompting “Texas,” and he performed a good Serbian accent.

It is still not clear why he chose a Serbian accent.

The Charter was presented and read by Grand Master Clinton (Sir Knight Bolstad) in his radio “voice of God” intonation. The audience joined in with an 1824 cheer “Huzzah, Huzzah, Huzzah!” and the cast took a bow. Toasts were given over hard and regular cider in specially made bicentennial mugs and, it should be noted, the crowd started doing “Huzzahs” on their own. Final remarks and thanks were given. Then it was time to head for the follow-up party. KT

Sir Knights Woody, Jeff Bolstad, Kirk White, and John Barnes

The Cast Grand Master Dewitt Clinton of NY – SK Jeffrey Bolstad DGGM Henry Fowle of MA – SK Jack Harper and SK Kirk White Grand Recorder John James Loring of MA – SK John Barnes Grand Commander John Cotton of Windsor, VT – SK Roland Woodard DGM Silas Bowen of Rutland, VT – SK William Ormerod Grand Generalissimo Joel Clap of Middlebury, VT – SK Michael Kiessling Grand CG Hannibal Hodges of Rutland, VT – SK Dan Nye Grand Prelate Amos Drury of Windsor, VT – SK Robert Bach Grand Treasurer John Weeks of Middlebury, VT – SK Jon Hosford Grand Recorder Isaac Hubbard of Windsor or Middlebury, VT – SK Emiry Potter Master Mason – Ethan Woodard Ladies – Cynthia Barnes and Carol Woodard Narrator – SK Kirk White

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KNIGHT TEMPLAR

NEWS

TWO CENTURIES OF FAITH & COURAGE:

By Raul A. Pereles, Jr.

Photos provided by New Haven Commandery No. 2

New Haven Commandery No. 2 Celebrates Its 200th Anniversary

Steven J. Chiappalone, Grand Commander of Connecticut (left) leads a toast to New Haven Commandery No. 2, with Raul A Pereles, Jr., Commander of New Haven Commandery No. 2 Branford, CT – November 1, 2025 New Haven Commandery No. 2, Knights Templar, celebrated its 200th Anniversary Gala at The Woodwinds in Branford, marking two centuries of faith, brotherhood, and courageous service. The formal evening gathered fifty-five distinguished guests, including statewide York Rite and Grand Lodge dignitaries, to honor one of Connecticut’s oldest and most historic Commanderies.

Distinguished Guests and Evening Highlights Among the honored attendees were the Most Worshipful Grand Master Rinaldo F. Magliano Jr., the Most Puissant Grand Master Michael D. Sabia Jr., and the Most Excellent Grand High Priest Jason R. Rieger. Three Eminent Commanders representing St Elmo (Nick Barnes), Cyrene (Michael Messner), and New Haven (Paul Pereles, Jr.) Commanderies joined the celebration, along with Past Eminent Commanders, Grand Commanders, and officers from the Grand Commandery of Connecticut.

The evening began with

welcome remarks from Eminent Commander Raul A. Pereles, Jr., followed by the blessing offered by Sir Knight Edward A. Varjabedian.

The night concluded reverently with the benediction delivered by Sir Knight William E. Weisert, II, whose words of gratitude and faith brought the evening to a thoughtful close.

Guests enjoyed a plated dinner, musical interludes, recognitions, and presentations honoring Grand Officers from neighboring jurisdictions, including the Right Eminent Grand Commander of New Hampshire. The celebration transitioned into photos, toasts, and dancing, a fitting end to a night of fellowship and reflection.

New Haven Commandery No. 2. From left: Albert R.R. Johnson, Generalissimo; Gerado Nero, Captain General; Gerald Calabritto, Treasurer; Willard J. Fleming, Jr., Standard Bearer; Raul A. Pereles Jr., Commander; Sulton Stack, Junior Warden; John McManus, Warder; Rich Zarnetski, Sentinel; Martin Ede, Recorder; Michael Messner, Associate Prelate & Armorer; Scott Atkins, Past Commander

Grand Commandery of Connecticut. From left: Steven J. Chiappalone, Grand Commander; Kenneth D. Roach, Deputy Grand Commander; James Whitaker, Grand Generalissimo; Edward A. Varjabedian, Grand Captain General; Vincent A. Cowie, Grand Recorder; William E. Weisert, Grand Prelate; Christian F. Schunmann, Grand Senior Warden; William E. Bohman, Grand Junior Warden; Michael R. Messner, Grand Sword Bearer; Gary D. Shepard, Grand Warder; Michael D. Sabia, Grand Sentinel; Martin Ede, Grand Historiographer

Historical Foundations: Born in 1825 The roots of New Haven Commandery No. 2 stretch back to 1825, when a group of local Fraters sought to form a Templar encampment in New Haven. At that time, the only Commandery in the state was Washington Commandery, which served New London, Colchester, and Hartford.

Steven J. Chiappalone, Grand Commander (left); Arthur W Stauff, Grand Commander, New Hampshire KNIGHT TEMPLAR

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According to records compiled by Rev. Sir Arthur F. Lewis, Fraters John Barker and William H. Jones petitioned Grand Master DeWitt Clinton for a dispensation, which was granted on November 5, 1825.

The Commandery was formally organized on November 25, 1825, meeting in Doolittle’s Long Room on College Street, New Haven.

The original officers were: Jo hn Barker, Em inent Commander Laban Smith, Generalissimo Nathan Smith, Captain General Rev. Benjamin M. Hil, Prelate Other early members included William H. Jones, Amos Doolittle, John M. Garfield, William H. Ellis, Eli Beecher, Henry Beecher, James Carrington, Nahum Flagg, John Davis, and Frederick Lee. By-laws adopted on February 14, 1826, established administrative procedures and even officer stipends – ten dollars for the Master of Dispatches and fifty cents per degree conferred for the commissary and sentinel. Although the formal charter was not issued until 1851, the General Grand Encampment later confirmed the legitimacy of the New Haven Encampment’s early work, securing its permanent place in Connecticut Templary.

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The Value of Courage In his keynote address, “The Value of Courage,” Eminent Commander Raul A. Pereles, Jr. reflected on the virtue that has defined the Order for centuries.

“Courage isn’t just the absence of fear – it’s the presence of conviction,” he said. “It’s doing what’s right when the world says to stand down.” He reminded those gathered that today’s Knights must be modern Templars – carrying faith, compassion, and moral integrity into their communities rather than swords into battle.

Past Commanders of New Haven Commandery No. 2 (from left): Martin Ede, Michael Messner, Scott Atkins; and Raul A. Pereles, Jr., Commander

A Legacy Renewed As the final toast was raised and Sir Knight William E. Weisert, II, delivered the closing benediction, the assembled Sir Knights reflected on the Commandery’s remarkable journey – from a small encampment in 1825 to a thriving modern body guided by the same faith and principles.

Through prosperity and change New Haven Commandery No. 2 has stood as a symbol of Courage, Faith, and Service.

The 200th Anniversary Gala was more than a celebration – it was a recommitment to the enduring light of Templary in Connecticut, illuminating the path for the next two centuries of Knights who will follow. KT

William E. Weisert, Grand Prelate (left); Raul A. Pereles, Jr,.

Commander of New Haven Commandery No. 2

From left: Michael D. Sabia, Jr., Most Puissant Grand Master; Jason R. Reiger, Grand High Priest; and Rinaldo F. Magliano, Jr., Grand Master

SEE FURTHER

KNIGHT TEMPLAR MAGAZINE COVER PHOTO CONTEST Submit photos to: ben@ktmag.org Get your work featured on the cover of the Knight Templar Magazine.

Read by over 65,000 households nationwide.

Must be 300dpi at 8.5 x 11 with 0.25” bleed People subjects prefered (e.g. portraits) Must be well lit and well composed Templar themed a plus

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THE UNSEEN SENTINEL

Christ Himself described the Spirit as Paraklētos – “one called alongside.”

The term implies both advocacy and intimacy. This is no distant deity but a divine Companion, Counselor, and Defender.

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The Paradox of the Unseen Sentinel

C

hristianity speaks freely of God the Father – the Creator, Lawgiver, Sustainer. It proclaims with passion the redemptive work of God the Son – Teacher, Savior, Sacrifice. Yet when it comes to the Holy Spirit, language falters. He is wind, flame, dove, whisper – a presence sensed more often than seen.

The Holy Spirit is elusive not in power but in form. Like an unseen sentinel, He stands not on ramparts but in the inner chambers of the soul. His absence of physicality is not weakness but mystery – a divine paradox. The Spirit’s very invisibility makes His indwelling all the more profound: He is God not over us, but in us. And in that sacred indwelling, we find the engine of spiritual transformation and the compass of holy knighthood.

The Elusive Persona of the Spirit Scripture never refers to the Spirit as an “it.” He is “He”– a divine person with agency, will, and voice. He teaches, guides, intercedes, and grieves. He is not simply a breath of inspiration but the very breath of God. He is Pneuma Theou – the Spirit of the Lord.

Christ Himself described the Spirit as Paraklētos – “one called alongside.” The term implies both advocacy and intimacy. This is no distant deity but a divine Companion, Counselor, and Defender.

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth.” ( John 14:16–17) He is not less than Christ but another Advocate – equal in essence, united in will.

The triune nature of God is expressed not in hierarchy but in harmony. The Spirit is not a footnote to Pentecost, but a central force in the unfolding of redemption.

RELIGION

The Holy Spirit and the Warrior’s Path Unveiling the Invisible Power of God

by Bruce Beardsley Sent to Empower and Sanctify Freedom Personified

The coming of the Spirit was no afterthought. It was Christ’s climactic gift – His promise before ascension, His power after resurrection. On Pentecost, the Spirit descended not in abstraction but in fire and wind – elemental forces signaling divine presence. Cowards became confessors. Fishermen became founders. The invisible had become undeniable.

The Spirit convicts sin not to condemn but to awaken. He comforts not to placate but to fortify. He empowers not to elevate pride but to equip purpose. He sanctifies the soul not through ritual alone, but through ongoing refinement – refining the base metal of self into the spiritual gold of Christlikeness.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17).

This is not the freedom to do as we please, but the freedom to become who we were meant to be. It is liberty from guilt, from shame, from spiritual inertia. It is emancipation from legalism and license alike.

The Knights Templar, though bound by oath, lived a paradox of freedom. Their cry – Non nobis, Domine – was not resignation but liberation: freedom from self-glory, freedom to glorify Christ alone.

Walking with an Invisible Friend

Internal Transformation: From Creation to Recreation

Modern spiritual teacher Sr. Brittany Harrison calls the Spirit “the best friend we never knew we had.” Her invitation is simple but profound: • Invite Him in each morning.

Paul affirms that believers are “sealed with the promised Holy Spirit” (Eph. 1:13). In the ancient world, seals conferred ownership, authenticity, and protection. In the Spirit, we are marked as Christ’s own – no longer mere creatures, but new creations (2 Cor. 5:17).

The Church Fathers likened the Spirit to a divine Sculptor, chiseling away ego, pride, and vice to reveal the Imago Dei within. He produces not mere behavior modification but spiritual metamorphosis. The fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23) are not traits to mimic but realities to embody – evidence of divine occupation.

• Retreat to the soul’s inner chapel.

• Ask His guidance before speaking or acting.

• Learn from Scripture and saints who walked before.

These practices echo the pre-battle disciplines of the Templars: kneeling before every conflict, invoking the Spirit’s strength before their own. It is the inner enlistment that wins outer battles.

More Than a Feeling

A Harmonious Balance of Word & Spirit

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In a culture often addicted to the spectacular, the Spirit is easily mistaken for an emotional crescendo. Yet Scripture teaches that He most often comes in stillness, in “a gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:12).

True Spirit-led life is marked not by emotional fireworks but by daily faithfulness.

It’s obedience in obscurity. It’s courage in quiet decisions. The Spirit’s most profound work is often uncelebrated but eternally significant.

Tears and tremors are not proof of His presence; fruit and faithfulness are.

In medieval times, Templars balanced the sword with the Psalter. In our time, we must balance the Word and the Spirit. Scripture is the breath-script of the Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16); the Spirit is the illuminator of Scripture ( John 16:13).

Doctrine without the Spirit becomes dry orthodoxy. Spirit without doctrine becomes dangerous zeal. Only together can they form a living fire – ordered, powerful, and pure.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

2 Cor. 3:17

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emphasized “studious purification,” reflecting an inner transmutation of base instincts into spiritual nobility – a Christianized form of esoteric transformation.

The Spirit in Everyday Life The Spirit is not confined to cathedrals or conclaves. He breathes through boardrooms and battlefields, kitchens and classrooms.

He whispers before hard conversations. He prompts acts of quiet mercy. He stops us mid-sentence and mid-step for purposes we may only later understand.

These are not accidents – they are Spirit-moments. They are the invisible fingerprints of grace.

• Saint-Templar Archetypes: St. Bernard of Clairvaux: Mystic and mentor, author of Liber ad Milites Templi, he cast the knight’s sword as a sanctified instrument.

St. George: Archetypal dragon-slayer, symbolizing the Spirit’s power to overcome evil.

St. Catherine of Alexandria: Patron of wisdom and virtue, embodying Spirit-filled intellectual and sacrificial strength.

Spiritual Sight: Discernment Beyond the Surface

In the Trenches: The Spirit in Battlefield Reality

Jesus promised the Spirit would “guide you into all truth” ( John 16:13). Paul prayed that “the eyes of your heart may be enlightened” (Eph. 1:18). This is not just intellectual insight – it is spiritual discernment.

The Spirit grants us the ability to see motive behind action, eternity behind immediacy, and God’s hand behind apparent chaos.

It is vision sharpened not by intellect alone, but by intimacy with God.

The battlefield is a crucible for belief. The Templars entered each engagement not simply with confidence in tactics but with a conviction that “the battle belongs to the Lord” (1 Sam. 17:47). Their courage was rooted in Spirit-born assurance—bold yet humble, fierce yet faithful.

The lion and the lamb walked side by side.

Templar Ritual Echoes of the Spirit

The Great Invitation: A Spiritual Summons

Templar life was saturated with Spirit symbolism: • Spiritual Armor in Battle: Mantles of white symbolized purity; weapons symbolized the armor of Ephesians 6 – shield of faith, sword of the Spirit. Their warfare was spiritual as much as physical.

The Spirit’s invitation is not reserved for mystics or monastics—it is for every believer, every day.

Ask yourself: Have I yielded to Christ? If so, am I sealed by His Spirit?

Do I acknowledge Him daily, before battle and after?

• Pre-Battle Psalms: Chronicles confirm the Templars recited Psalms – especially Psalms 113/114 – before combat, not as superstition but supplication for divine empowerment.

Am I rooted in Scripture and spiritual fellowship?

Do I walk in humility, authenticity, and bold grace?

• Pentecost Knighting: Knighting ceremonies at Pentecost symbolized the Spirit’s anointing, echoing the apostles’ own commissioning.

A Spirit-led life shrinks the self and magnifies Christ.

• Spiritual Alchemy: The Temple Rule 24

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• Chant and Mystical Vibration: Templar chants, rooted in Gregorian tradition, were not just music but spiritual resonance – designed to awaken spiritual awareness.

For two millennia, saints and sinners alike have testified to the Spirit’s quiet power.

He rarely shouts. He convicts rather than condemns. He waits at the threshold of the soul until invited – and once within, He reshapes it from foundation to crown.

The Spirit works not in headlines, but in heartlines. He transforms not for applause, but for eternity.

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A Quiet, Powerful Presence

• Lectio Divina: Through the Cistercian influence of Bernard, Templars practiced sacred reading: lectio, meditatio, oratio, contemplation – a meditative dance with the Spirit.

RELIGION

Knighthood and the Spirit: Sword of Truth and Shield of Faith Today’s Knights Templar – spiritually or symbolically – are heirs of a double legacy. The white mantle signifies purity of purpose; the red cross, sacrificial calling. To don these is to embrace not just heritage, but responsibility.

The Spirit equips us for both inward sanctity and outward service. He grants discernment to recognize injustice, courage to confront it, and grace to redeem it.

Final Reflections: The Spirit’s Sword & Shield for Today’s Knight • He is not merely a force – but the personal breath of the Creator.

• He indwells, seals, and sustains the believer.

• He transforms us from the inside out.

• He empowers us to speak, serve, and endure.

• He grants us spiritual sight, spiritual liberty, spiritual fire.

To know the Holy Spirit is to recognize the Sentinel within – the One who walks with us through shadow and light.

D on y o ur ma ntl e . Ta ke up your cross. Walk in the Spirit : Not with noise – but with truth.

Not with spectacle – but with transformation.

He is the silent Sentinel, the unseen Warrior, the gentle Wind guiding you into eternal victory. KT

Citations Efficacy of Holy Spirit / armor metaphor – opusangelorum.org Knights Templar history, papal endorsements – Wikipedia – Knights Templar Psalms recited before battle – Reddit r/Shadowrun Pentecost knighting correlation – Reddit r/MedievalHistory Lectio Divina history and Bernard’s emphasis – Wikipedia – Lectio Divina Templar spiritual mysticism, chanting, energy alchemy, armor of God – knightstemplarorder.org Bernard’s Liber ad Milites Templi de laude novae militiae – Wikipedia Mystical foundations & rules, Bernard’s Liber ad Milites – eastghost.com Knights’ battle mindset, reliance on God’s strength – sacred-texts.com

Jesus promised the Spirit would “guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). Paul prayed that “the eyes of your heart may be enlightened” (Eph. 1:18). This is not just intellectual insight – it is spiritual discernment.

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KNIGHT TEMPLAR

HISTORY

THE TEMPLARS AND THE PRESIDENT A brief history of the Grand Encampment’s Letter to Abraham Lincoln

by Chris Ruli

A Past Grand Master of the District of Columbia, French was no stranger to Lincoln or his administration. The President appointed French to serve as Commissioner of Public Buildings in 1861 – charged with the upkeep and maintenance of the government’s federal buildings during and after the Civil War.

T

he Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., is home to historically significant documents related to our country’s history. This public research institution also maintains many items of fraternal interest including photographs, masonic-themed prints, artifacts, correspondence, and even diaries by prominent Masons.

While working on The White House & The Freemasons several years ago, the author stumbled upon one such item of both American and Masonic historical interest – a letter written by a committee of the Knights Templar to the President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. The story of how this letter got to Mr. Lincoln is as peculiar as the letter itself.

At first glance the two-page letter is simple and plain. It lacks the frills or ornate aesthetic that one may find in invitations and programs produced by commanderies or grand commanderies of the time. The letter is signed

by Grand Master of the Grand Encampment, Benjamin B. French; Grand Treasurer, John W. Simons of New York; and Past

Grand Masters Kent Jarvis (Ohio), William Thrall (Ohio), Herman Ely (Ohio), Solomon Bayless (Indiana), and Ezra L. Stevens of Columbia Commandery No. 2 in Washington, D.C. A Past Grand Master of the District of Columbia, French was no stranger to Lincoln or his administration. The President appointed French to serve as Commissioner of Public Buildings in 1861 – charged with the upkeep and maintenance of the government’s federal buildings during and after the Civil War. Following Lincoln’s assassination, President Andrew Johnson kept French in the role until Congressional Democrats abolished the Commissioner’s office entirely, shifting much of the former responsibility to the Architect of the Capitol.

Nevertheless, French’s letter to Lincoln is a remarkable piece of Masonic prose framed in a public context: Washington, D.C. June 2, 1864 The joint committee, representing the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States, and the Grand Commanderies

of Ohio, Indiana, and New York, and subordinates in the District of Columbia, having satisfactorily and fraternally adjusted matters of difference concerning the administration of the affairs of the Order of Masonic Knights Templar, feel called upon to give expression to the feelings suggested by the scene of their labors – the Capital of the United States – and the circumstances which, affecting our whole country, of necessity affect them, therefore: Resolved, That for ourselves, and in behalf of the Order we have the honor to represent, we declare our uncompromising loyalty to our country and our undying devotion to the inseparable union of the States composing it.

Resolved, That we earnestly look forward to the time where the storm of war shall have passed away, when the misguided of our brethren shall have trampled under foot, the dread heresy that now blinds them, and when they with us shall again hail the starry banner of the Republic as the rich legacy of the fathers and the inviolable panoply of every

American citizen.

Resolved, That as Templars we should extend the point of mercy to a fallen foe, we stand ready to open the way of reconciliation, when reason shall again have resumed her throne and fealty and allegiance to the government of our whole country shall be acknowledged and acted upon by all our fellowcitizens.

What is perhaps most remarkable about the letter is its omission in the Grand Encampment’s proceedings. In his Grand Master’s address in 1864, French skipped the letter and its composition altogether, although he does allude to the individuals in his letter in a different context. It is through his private diary, however, later donated to the Library of Congress archives, that we find more detail.

French welcomed the committee to Washington in early June to settle Masonic affairs between the Grand Encampment and the Grand Commandery of Ohio. As is customary in Washington, French invited the committee members to attend a Templar

LEFT: Sir Knight Benjamin French, Grand Master of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar (1859-1865)

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conclave while in town, dine with him at the popular Willard Hotel, arranged for a group photograph to be taken at Alexander Gardner’s studio, and leveraged his professional office to secure visits to the Treasury Department and the White House. In advance of their call to the President, French and committee drafted their letter and most likely presented the resolutions to Lincoln during their visit. French’s diary is presented here in full: June, 6, 1864 The meeting, in this city, of a joint committee of the Grand Encampment of the U.S. and the Grand Commandery of Ohio . . . It consisted of General Kent Jarvis, Hon. William B. Thrall, and Herman Ely, Esq. of the Grand Commandery of Ohio and John W. Simons, Esq. Sol. D. Bayless Esq. and Ezra L. Stevens, Esq. on the part of the Grand Encampment of the United States. On Tuesday, the members of the committee began to arrive and of course called immediately 28

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on me, and I devoted myself to them . . . . On Wednesday the entire committee met at 10 a.m. at my office, and organized by electing me chairman, and St. Knight Ely Secretary. We spent all the morning upon the business of the meeting . . . at 4 [p.m.] our committee meeting was resumed and we held on till 7 when we adjourned until 10 a.m.

Thursday morning, at which time we again met and completed our labors.

At 5 p.m. the committee dined with me, and at 8 we went to [Columbia] commandery where I conferred the orders on a candidate . . . in full uniform, and there was a handsome attendance.

On Friday morning at 10 o’clock, I accompanied the committee to the President’s and introduced them to him.

Then we went to the Treasury Department and made some calls there, then to [Alexander] Gardner’s photography gallery and were photographed in a

group, then I went with the others to Willards [Hotel] where we all dined with General Garvis.

At 5 p.m. we separated and I came home.

When examining the “Lincoln resolutions,” French’s diary, and the Grand Encampment’s proceedings in full context, we find that this extraordinary letter had been part of a greater story that helps us understand life in Civil War America and how Benjamin B. French, a Grand Master of the Grand Encampment and prominent Washingtonian, welcomed his Templar colleagues to Washington.

French brought his colleagues together to settle differences between Masonic bodies. With their mission complete, they drafted a statement of support and later presented these resolutions to the President, who had been dealing with his own issues of “national difference.”

While we may not know all the answers related to the letter’s

provenance, the Lincoln Resolutions serve as an enduring example of how Templars engaged with the public and what they believed their contributions could be.

Furthermore, it is a very good example of how a single Masonic-themed letter or artifact may have significance beyond the object’s intended purpose.

Masonic historians must seek out and rely on different sources to uncover new or different perspectives. Thus, history sometimes requires us to extend beyond preservation or organization, but into investigation where we can find something new about our subjects, ourselves, or the Masons who came before us. KT

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KNIGHT TEMPLAR A.I. Generated. Murda– stock.adobe..com

FEATURE

ANGLO SAXON TRIALS AND THE 21ST DEGREE OF THE ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE

A.I. Generated, Mruda – .stock.adobe.com

By Timothy J. Whipple

Introduction

I

n the Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction, the twenty-first degree presents a dramatic demonstration of faith, knightly virtue and moral courage, but the degree is also a reasonably accurate portrayal of a medieval Anglo-Saxon trial.1 The central drama of the degree – the contest 1

The degree of “Noachite or Prussian Knight” is an old one, but early versions of the ritual are substantially different in form and content from the version in use after Pike’s revisions.

The history and development of the degree, including historical versions of the ritual, are discussed in several recent works

by Arturo DeHoyos and others published by the Supreme Council. For more information, consult the section on Further Reading at the end of this article.

between Adolf the Saxon and his nemesis, Count Reinfred – may be the closest thing in Masonry to Hollywood courtroom dramas such as A Few Good Men.

The Setting The setting for the degree is a secret German tribunal known as the Vehmgerichte or the “Holy Vehm.” While the existence of these tribunals has been documented historically, they were highly secretive affairs and not that much is known with certainty about how they operated. Some of what is recorded may be no more than legend. For example, their meetings were supposed to have been held in the open air and at night.

They seem to have been more a secret society or a band of vigilantes than a formal court. Their

authority was a function of local custom and tradition, and their membership and proceedings were secret. Those accused were often tried in abstentia and the sentences were carried out like revenge killings or vigilante justice. By tradition, or perhaps by legend, it is said that the courts were founded by Charlemagne, the Frankish king, to provide rough justice in Saxon Germany.

A Vehmic Court was composed of Freischoffen, or “Free Judges.” Any uninitiated intruders on the proceedings were supposedly killed on the spot. The Westphalian archives contain records referring to the initials S.S.G.G which are thought to stand for the German words Stock, Stein, Gras, Grein meaning “stick, stone, grass, and woe,” but the true significance of the words within the court’s

proceedings is not now known.

Albert Pike, the Southern Jurisdiction’s great ritual composer, was clearly taken with the legends and mystery surrounding the “Holy Vehm.” In his Legenda for degrees 19 through 30, Pike includes a “History of the VehmGericht” which he excerpted from “Kolrausch’s ‘History of German[y].’” The description of the tribunal in that selection clearly inspired the setting and some of the drama of the degree. The version of the degree included in Pike’s Magnum Opus focuses on a “Prussian” legend as opposed to the Noachite legend found in earlier iterations of the degree. Pike’s revised version in the Magnum Opus introduces the characters of Adolph the Saxon and Count Reinfred, sets forth the essentials of the dispute KNIGHT TEMPLAR

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between them, and, in the lecture of the degree, describes some of the legendary history associated with the Holy Vehm.

These Prussian elements still appear in the contemporary degree.

For example, in the middle of the trial, when Adolph the Saxon calls himself “a free judge” and claims to have “proved” himself by “Stock and Stein, by Gras and Grein,” he is identifying himself as a member of this legendary secret society. As such, he has a right to appear at an otherwise secret proceeding, and he is giving the secret German words as his proof of membership.

Some Masonic writers believe these Vehmic courts had some affinities with the practices of Masonry, particularly because of

Courts and Lawsuits in a Feudal Society Today, we have a mature and fully developed legal system. We have courts and trials, judges and juries, plaintiffs and defendants, civil cases and criminal cases, oaths, witnesses, and rules of evidence. Medieval justice had all these same elements, but in their embryonic forms. One of the keys to understanding the twenty-first degree is to be able to recognize these ancient judicial elements and then compare them to modern concepts that are more familiar.

For example, consider “the court” that serves as the setting of the degree. In our society, a court

all derive from the Latin word feodum which meant a heritable property right, primarily in land, although any kind of property, if held in exchange for obligations of service, was said to be held “in fee.”

Feudalism was a way of organizing society in which several reciprocal legal and military obligations were directly connected to the possession of land.

Today, we simply buy and sell land, generally free of obligations.

However, in medieval England, lands (and their revenues) were granted on the condition that they be used to provide legal and military service to the lord who granted them. With the right to possess the land came the contractual obligation of service to the

At the very center of feudal society was land.

The economic system, the legal system, military service, social class, even personal freedom, were all inextricably tied to the possession of land. the initiations of the judges, the secret nature of the proceedings, the use of passwords and fearsome punishments for oath-breaking.

What is known about these tribunals certainly creates fertile ground for a Masonic degree.

But as with other degrees in Freemasonry, the setting is just one part of the degree. The degree also incorporates medieval AngloSaxon legal procedures which may have been connected historically to their ancient origins in Germany.

R.F. Gould in his monumental History of Freemasonry opines that the Vehmic Courts differed “in no essential character from the summary jurisdiction exercised in the townships and hundreds of Anglo-Saxon England.” In other words, while set in Germany, the degree portrays several key elements of a Medieval AngloSaxon trial. Fortunately, a lot more is known about Anglo-Saxon legal proceedings than about the shadowy proceedings of the secret Vehmic Courts.

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is entirely a public institution, one of the sovereign functions of a government whose structure is clearly defined and whose powers are established in a constitution. In the early Middle Ages, society was structured differently; institutions had yet to be clearly defined, and custom or tradition provided a source of authority.

The Structure of Feudalism Understanding the workings of a medieval court also requires understanding the organization of feudal society because the two were closely linked. At the very center of feudal society was land.

The economic system, the legal system, military service, social class, even personal freedom, were all inextricably tied to the possession of land. Not the free ownership of land, but its possession according to certain requirements and conditions.

The words fealty, fief, fiefdom, fee, and the word feudal itself

lord.

But the Lord also had obligations to the person “holding” the land (the tenant). As long as the tenant fulfilled the obligations, he had a right to possession of the estate. In theory, at least, it can be described roughly as a pyramid.

At the top was the King (in his sovereign capacity), who actually “owned” all of the land in the realm. Everyone else, known as vassals, “held” their land subject to his rule.

The King granted huge estates to his direct vassals, a class of lords who “held” their lands “per baroniam.” That is, they were granted the right to possession of the lands in exchange for a pledge of fealty or loyalty to the King and a pledge to provide military aid and legal service, if called upon. If a vassal violated his pledge of loyalty (such as by committing treason) his lands might be forfeit and revert to the King, leaving the vassal’s heir without an estate.

The vassal, who possessed or

held the land, was a tenant. The right of the vassal to possess the land is called a tenure. The words tenure and tenant both derive from the Latin verb tenere, meaning “to hold.” Those lords holding lands directly from the King “per baroniam” came to be called barons or tenants-in-chief.

The estates controlled by a lord or a knight were called a manor and the lands he occupied

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with his family and retainers were his demesne which is a Norman French word that means “belonging to a lord.”

The barons could possess the lands themselves or grant them to other vassals under terms of fealty and military service. This was called “subinfeudation.” Which, in concept, is similar to a “sub-lease.”

Usually, the lord both retained some of the lands for himself and

granted the rest to other vassals.

The vassals with military obligations to the barons were what we know as knights. A knight’s lands were occupied by peasants and serfs who had obligations to farm the lands or work in the knight’s mills. In turn, the knight provided the peasants military protection.

The knight in turn used his share of what the peasants and serfs produced to meet his obliga-

tions to the baron. The obligation of a knight to provide military service, men, or money to the lord who had granted him the fief came to be called “the Knight’s Fee.” If the knight’s fief or fiefdom was a good one, it produced more revenue than the amount of the fee owed to the baron.

The knights owed duties to and were owed obligations from their superiors (the barons), but

they also had duties to and were owed obligations from their inferiors, the peasants and serfs who possessed and worked the knights’ lands. Some peasants or serfs were “free” in that the tenure they held didn’t force them to remain on the estate. Unfree peasants were bound to remain on the land they held.

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Private Justice in Baronial Courts and Church Courts In the early Middle Ages, particularly in Anglo-Saxon England, before the Norman invasion, justice was not exclusively a public function as we know it today but was instead more of a private function.

A baron had the obligation, as tenant-in-chief, to hold a “court” for purposes of resolving disputes between the vassals, peasants, and serfs who occupied his lands. Typically, such disputes pertained to either the possession of lands or to the obligations arising from that possession. That is, the power to hear a case was ultimately connected to the land and its feudal relationships, not necessarily to the type of claim or even the location.

To make it even more complicated, there were also Ecclesiastical

A person who was harmed or maimed by another person could make a claim in the lord’s court or before the local shire courts.

Justice in the manor court might be compensation to the victim or punishment of the offender, but fundamentally it was a dispute between two tenants, heard in the baron’s court by his vassal lords. It was only later that certain wrong acts came to be seen as a breach of the “king’s peace” and therefore a public crime, rather than just a wrong against another person.

The twenty-first degree, despite its Vehmic trappings, takes place in a manor court. When the Lieutenant Commander announces that, “All who demand justice may draw near,” he is performing one of the services that a baron, as a tenant-in-chief,

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Because the Medieval Church as an institution held a quarter or more of all the land in England, it was as much a part of the feudal hierarchy as any other vassal.

Courts operated by the Church.

Because the Medieval Church as an institution held a quarter or more of all the land in England, it was as much a part of the feudal hierarchy as any other vassal.

Church officials could also hold titles and lands from the king in their individual capacity, separate and apart from their holy office.

The Church also claimed bodily jurisdiction over Christians everywhere in regard to matters connected to the faith, and it had courts and inquisitions to resolve disputes and punish offenders.

The king also had royal courts, but in the early Middle Ages, he did not claim jurisdiction over very many types of cases.

Before the king’s courts expanded their reach, there was no concept of a public crime, that is, an offense against the state or the sovereign.

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owed to the king. The Lieutenant Commander’s duty is to convene a manor court or a “court baron” in order to dispense justice among his vassals. Typically, bringing a suit to such a court was not free, making the right to hold such a court potentially a lucrative one.

A baron’s court would have been open to anyone with a claim against one of his vassals, tenants, peasants, or serfs because they have a feudal relationship to the baron.

Typically, the claims coming to a manor court involved disputes over the possession of lands in that manor. For example, if one vassal had taken possession of lands from another by force, or if the heirs of a dead vassal were fighting over his estate, then the baron, who was the social superior of those vassals, was called upon to resolve the dispute.

In the twenty-first degree,

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when Adolph the Saxon appears before the court and demands “doom and judgment of Count Reinfred,” he is publicly announcing his claim against one of the Lieutenant Commander’s vassal lords. And Adolph has a claim that involves lands, which are presumably in the feudal hierarchy beneath the Lieutenant Commander, but which he has granted to others to hold on condition of performing legal and military service. Adolph has therefore brought his claim to the right place, and it becomes the Lieutenant Commander’s duty to decide who has the right to possess the lands in question.

Thus, in modern terms, we would say “the court has jurisdiction and the venue is proper.”

Adolph’s Case Against Reinfred Today, a lawsuit is started in much the same way as Adolph starts his: by filing a complaint with the court and making alle-

gations about what the defendant has done. The plaintiff ’s complaint and the defendant’s response are called the pleadings. Their purpose is to set out the factual basis of the complaint, so the court can determine whether it should hear the case.

In Anglo-Saxon England, courts used a primitive version of a pleadings process. The plaintiff stated his claim; but before the defendant was asked to respond, the plaintiff had to make some initial showing of proof, at least enough to satisfy the court that he wasn’t simply making the story up. Such a requirement makes some sense. After all, it’s not fair to make someone defend a lawsuit if there is no basis to believe the claim is true.

Sometimes, the initial proof was fairly easy or even self-evident. For example, if the plaintiff had been injured, maimed, or wounded, he could simply exhibit his injury. In such cases, while there might be an argument about

who actually wounded the plaintiff, there was no disputing that he was in fact wounded. Everyone could see it. In other cases, it was a little more difficult. For example, if the claim was for an unpaid debt, the plaintiff could call one or two “complaint-witnesses” to swear that he was telling the truth. These witnesses, unlike witnesses today, did not testify to the existence of the debt. Instead they merely stated their belief that the plaintiff was a truthful person. They were thus more like character witnesses than fact witnesses.

When making a complaint, the plaintiff was allowed to choose who his complaint-witnesses were, which at first seems unfair given the likelihood of their lying on his behalf. However, the defendant was allowed to question these complaint-witnesses, and if their statements did not agree in all respects, the defendant might win without the issue ever proceeding to trial. In fact, very early in AngloSaxon England, it was enough for

the defendant to simply deny the claim and swear to his own innocence to win a case.

In cases where the claim involved a deed or a conveyance of an interest in land, the plaintiff could produce a document to establish that the claim was not made up. In such a case, the document had to have a party’s physical seal on it. A document with a seal impressed in wax was strong evidence that the conveyance was authentic. In an era when most people were not literate, it was better evidence than a signature.

All of these methods were used not to “win” the case, but rather to show that a trial was even proper.

This requirement of initial proof was called “producing a suit.”

In the twenty-first degree, because Adolph is making the claim, he is acting as the plaintiff in the case. He makes his claim by describing for the court the details of what happened to him and to his lands. But if he can’t corroborate his story in some way, there KNIGHT TEMPLAR

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won’t be a trial at all. This is why the Lieutenant Commander asks Adolph what proof he has that the charge is true. Just as in an Anglo-Saxon trial, the Lieutenant Commander makes Adolph show enough evidence to be confident that the whole tale isn’t just made up. He must, in other words, “produce a suit.” Unfortunately, Adolph has no witnesses to help corroborate his story – but he does have a document that relates to the conveyance of his estates. This is why Adolph asks that the parchment be produced for the court.

While its contents don’t support his case, the document at least demonstrates that the two men have a dispute that needs to be settled, making a trial proper.

The Burden of Proof in AngloSaxon Trials Historically, only if the plaintiff had cleared the initial hurdle of producing a suit, could the issue proceed to a trial. Back then, the proof at trial was largely one-sided, 36

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unlike today where both parties present their own competing evidence. In fact, an Anglo-Saxon trial did not involve evidence as we are familiar with the term today, and there was no jury to make findings of fact. Juries eventually developed out of the early witness system, but they came later. Instead of a plaintiff ’s case and a defendant’s case, there were complicated rules for deciding which party had the right to “go to the proof.” Today, carrying the burden of proof is not an advantage, but in Anglo-Saxon trials, having the proof was a privilege, and oftentimes it determined whether or not the plaintiff won the case.

In the twenty-first degree, both Adolph and Reinfred insist they are telling the truth. There is a document, but it doesn’t actually resolve the impasse because the charge is that the document itself has been forged. Thus, while there is enough evidence to establish the dispute, there is not enough evidence to call one side or the other the winner. A trial of some sort is necessary in

order to determine which party is telling the truth. After each man insists he is right, the Lieutenant Commander determines that the “word” of each man is equal to the other. For that reason, he requires Adolph to “prove” the charges.

In other words, Adolph has the burden and is the one who must “go to the proof.” Which, in the twenty-first degree, leaves Adolph with few good options.

Though the parchment contains the names of men who supposedly witnessed its signing, those men are not available to be questioned as to what happened.

In fact, the only witness present who can speak to the parchment is the defendant, Count Reinfred.

And while Adolph does question him about it, the Count’s lies cannot be disproved because there are no other witnesses. Based on the lack of witnesses, it seems that Adolph’s case is unwinnable.

Nonetheless, Adolph stands by his charge which, in this context, is a courageous act because if he loses, Adolph will be punished as a false accuser.

Medieval Modes of Trial Medieval law provided one notable option that modern litigants don’t have. In the Middle Ages, there was generally a belief that when humans were unable to discern it, God would intervene on the side of the person telling the truth. So in Europe, a number of trial methods were developed to determine the winning side.

Different trial modes were used at various times for various kinds of claims, but generally there were four types: (1) trial by witnesses; (2) trial by oath; (3) trial by ordeal; and (4) trial by battle. The twenty-first degree is true to these modes of trial. In order to settle the matter, Adolph demands “trial by oath and the three-fold ordeal.”2 By demand2

Note that choosing two modes of trial simultaneously is not necessarily an accurate portrayal of medieval legal procedure, but there are dramatic and symbolic reasons for doing so.

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HISTORY ing a trial by oath and by ordeal, Adolph is invoking God, the ultimate judge, as the final arbiter of the truth. He has no evidence, but his trust is in God. Adolph’s choice here might seem puzzling given what is at stake, but he has no witnesses for his side; he clearly can’t choose a trial by witnesses. Theoretically, Adolph could choose a trial by battle. However, Reinfred would clearly prefer that, presumably because he is the better warrior.

Perhaps one of the reasons the Anglo-Saxons did not use the trial by battle (though the Franks and Normans did) was that God had a funny way of favoring the stronger and better equipped fighter.

Besides his faith in God, it may be that Adolph avoids a trial by battle because he doesn’t like his chances against Reinfred. Because he is not able to win his case by either a trial by witnesses or a trial by battle, Adolph chooses the other two options, and the degree incorporates both of these modes of trial.

The Trial by Oath The first point to be made about a trial by oath is that it should be distinguished from the requirement to “produce a suit.”

The proof needed in order to bring a lawsuit is different than the method of determining who wins it. In Adolph’s case, the parchment is proof enough that there is actually a dispute about the possession of Adolph’s lands. The trial itself determines who wins the case.

A trial by oath is much as it sounds. After making his demand for trial by oath, Adolph swears on a sword and “unto God” that his charge is true. Historically, in addition to the oaths of the parties, an Anglo-Saxon trial by oath would have included a number of “oath-helpers” also known as compurgators. Again, as with witnesses who testified at the complaint stage, the function of these oath-helpers was to swear an oath that they believed the party was telling the truth.

Depending on the location of the trial and the claims, the party carrying the burden of proof was required to find a certain number of friends or neighbors willing to swear that he was telling the truth.

This could be as few as four or as many as thirty-six.

The old case books often document a party being required to defend himself “twelve handed,” which means with his own oath and with the help of eleven other compurgators. Some legal historians believe there is a connection between the use of compurgators and the development of the jury.

As the old Anglo-Saxon practice of using oath-helpers declined in popularity, it was defendants who most often “made their law” or “waged their law” with compurgators as a defense against the plaintiff ’s claims of debt or as a defense to allegations of crime.

While this may seem to us a pretty low bar, one far too ripe for false testimony, it must be remembered that in the Middle Ages oaths were taken more seriously than they are today. It was widely believed that to swear a false oath risked bringing down the wrath of God and endangered one’s very soul. Who would lie if the safety of their immortal soul depended on telling the truth? This belief applied not just to a party’s oath but to the compurgators’ oaths as well.

The Oath of Purification The term compurgator is derived from two Latin words: the first is the prefix com which means “together with” and the second is the verb purgare which means “to purify.” The idea was that a defendant could “purge” or “purify” himself of the allegations through the process of swearing the oath, with the assistance of his “oath-helpers.”

This idea of purifying yourself by refuting charges with an oath is also present in the twenty-first degree. After Adolph has sworn his oath, the Lieutenant Commander KNIGHT TEMPLAR

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Historical Ordeals When, in the degree, the court allows an ordeal by appealing to “the elements,” it takes a significant departure from actual medieval trials by ordeal.

Historically, there were several different kinds of ordeals.

There was the ordeal of fire, in which the accused was forced to carry a hot iron bar for nine feet.

For a minor crime, the weight of the iron bar was one pound.

For major crimes, the bar was three pounds and was sometimes referred to as the triple ordeal.

There was the ordeal of hot water, in which the accused was forced to retrieve an object from the bottom of a cauldron filled with boiling water, hot oil, or molten lead. After either the hot iron or the hot water ordeal, the injury was bandaged and checked by a priest three days later. If it showed signs of healing, the accused was proclaimed innocent. If it was festering, he was guilty. There 38

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asks Reinfred if he will take “the oath of purification.” And Reinfred takes the oath, swearing to God that the charges against him are false. At that point, with both men having sworn, their oaths are equal to each other, so Adolph again demands a trial by ordeal.

Reinfred objects, claiming that his oath of purification alone ought to be sufficient to clear him of all charges. He is saying that he has successfully made his case in his own defense by swearing the oath.

The Lieutenant Commander then explains to Adolph that his own oath will not be enough to triumph over Reinfred’s purifying oath and that the legal procedures of the court require three witnesses in order to “destroy” Reinfred’s oath. To which Adolph simply stands by his request for a trial by ordeal. In the degree, the Knight of Chancery steps in to remind the Lieutenant Commander that the “wager of battle” and the “trial by ordeal” are not obsolete and that both are “an appeal to God” as the final dispenser of justice.

He c ke th o rn , Cha r l e s William. The Secret Societies of All Ages and Countries. (United Kingdom: R. Bentley and son, 1875).

Gould, Robert Freke. The History of Freemasonry. (United Kingdom: Thomas C. Jack, 1882).

Morris, Charles. Historical Tales: German. (United Kingdom: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1908).

Pike, Albert. Legenda XIX-XXX. (Supreme Council Southern Jurisdiction, reprinted 1964).

Thayer, James B., "The Older Modes of Trial," Harvard Law Review, May 15, 1891, vol. 5, no.

2 (May 15, 1891): 45-70.

Adams, George Burton, "Private Jurisdiction in England: A Theoretical Reconstruction," The American Historical Review, vol.

23, issue 3, (April 1918): 596–602.

was the ordeal of cold water, where the accused was bound and thrown into a pool of cold water.

If he floated to the surface, he was guilty. If he sank to the bottom, he was innocent. Presumably, those who sank were retrieved before drowning. And finally there was the ordeal of the host, which was reserved for priests. It involved swallowing a piece of consecrated bread, sometimes with a feather or another object baked in. If the priest choked, he was guilty. If not, he was innocent.

The trial by ordeal in the twenty-first degree uses none of these historical ordeals. Instead, it uses brass rods, fire, incense, and water in reference to alchemical symbols, a topic beyond the scope of this article which seeks merely to identify the Anglo-Saxon trial elements that appear in the degree.

KT

Further Reading De Hoyos, Arturo and S. Brent Morris. The Most Secret Mysteries of the High Degrees of Masonry Unveiled. (United States: Lewis Masonic Publishers, Limited, 2011).

De Hoyos, Arturo. Masonic Formulas and Rituals: Transcribed

by Albert Pike in 1854 And 1855.

(United States: Supreme Council, The/Thirty Three Degrees, 2011).

De Hoyos, Arturo and Alain Bernheim. Freemasonry’s Royal Secret: The Jamaican Francken Manuscript of the High Degrees.

(United States: Supreme Council, The/Thirty Three Degrees, 2014).

De Hoyos, Arturo and Albert Pike. Albert Pike’s Magnum Opus: A History and Facsimile Edition of Pike’s First Revision of the Scottish Rite’s Rituals, 4°-32°. (United States: Scottish Rite Research Society, 2017).

Lewis, William Draper, "The Anglo-Saxon Law Suit," The American Law Register and Review, 42, no. 11 (1894): 769–77.

Adams, George Burton.

"Anglo-Saxon Feudalism." The American Historical Review 7, no.

1 (1901): 11–35.

Ford, S., "Anglo-Saxon Trials," 3 St. Louis L. Rev. 093 (1918).

Thomas, Edward A., "Oaths in Legal Proceedings," The North American Review 135, no. 310 (1882): 220–29.

Gross, Charles, "Modes of Trial in the Mediæval Boroughs of England," Harvard Law Review, vol. 15, no. 9 (1902): 691–706.

Chas. T. Coleman, "Origin and Development of Trial by Jury," Virginia Law Review 6, no.

2 (1919): 77–86.

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THE SECRET LODGE OF THE HOLY GRAIL

by Rick Johnson

Elliott & Fry- - National Portrait Gallery St Martin's Place London

P

Occultist and author, Arthur Waite (1857-1942). Bromide print, made in the 1930s.

rominent Freemason Arthur Edward Waite wrote The Secret Church of the Holy Graal, primarily concerned with the five changes of the Holy Grail which he called the Institution of the Hallows.

According to Merriam Webster’s Dictionary the word hallow means holy or to set apart as holy.

The five changes were the Cup, the Spear or Lance, the Plate, the Stone, and the Child.

The changes were prominent in the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round table.

Though these stories were legends, they were symbolic of Christian knighthood. Symbolism of the Holy Grail is useful to contextualize and associate Templar virtues.

The number five is significant in the Christian faith in myriad ways. For example, there are the five wounds of Christ. There are five beads in the primary chaplet of the Catholic Rosary (and five groups of ten in the loop).

In Arthurian stories, five knights predominate, Percival (Youth), Gawain (Manhood), Bors (Maturity), Lancelot (Worldliness), and Galahad (Spirituality). Additionally, there are five various castles.

There is the Castle of Marvels, the Castle of Adventure, the Castle

of Camelot, the Castle of Joyous Garde, and the Castle of Corbenic.

Each of these represented one of the Hallows – symbolic references of the Grail, but not the Grail itself. Another interesting fact is that J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter novels, commented that her father was a Freemason and thought about the word Hallows when writing the Potter books. Incidentally, the last Harry Potter book is called The Deathly Hallows. Some have argued that the Harry Potter novels are a retelling of the Arthurian legend.

Some of these hallows are inferable in Freemasonry generally and the York Rite in particular. For example, there are five libations in the Order of the Temple where the mason partakes in five drinks of wine from the hallows of the cup.

It symbolic of the miracle of Jesus changing water to wine. Water may be said to be the simplest substance compared to the fermentation of grapes and wine.

This ceremony is directly symbolic of the five changes, whereby the Mason finds the Holy Grail. Similarly, in the Fellow Craft degree, in the blue lodge, there are the five orders of architecture, starting from the simplest form to KNIGHT TEMPLAR

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Public Domain

AI generated image of the Holy Grail.

ABOVE: Pamela Colman Smith (1878-1951), around 1912. Smith drew and painted the cards of the now famous Rider-Waite-Smith deck, commissioned by Waite. She wasn't well compensated for her work. Until recently, the deck was almost universally referred to as the Rider-Waite deck. Smith is increasingly credited for her work; the deck is now largely listed as the Rider-Waite-Smith deck.

BELOW: Smith's iconic image of the Magician, (left) the first of the major arcana of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, and (right) the Magician (or "juggler") in the Jean Noblet Marseilles pattern.

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the most complex.

The changing of water to wine was one of the miracles performed

by Jesus. However, the fermentation of wine can also be seen as an alchemical process of change.

Symbolic alchemy is arguably a useful system encoding personal growth. Rosicrucianism, a related mystery tradition to Freemasonry, also dealt with alchemy in its founding document, The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosencreautz.

Of the five hallows, four may be easier to apprehend. The Cup, the Plate, the Stone, and the Spear may correspond with the four elements, water, earth, fire, and air.

Likewise, they can be associated with the suits of the minor arcana in the Tarot. Incidentally, Freemason Arthur E. Waite was one of the creators of the most popular Tarot deck in use today, the Rider-WaiteSmith deck (artwork by Pamela “Pixie” Colman Smith). The four classical elements can be associated to the four hallows and suits in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck as follows: earth, the plate, or pentacles; air, lance or sword; water, cups; and fire, or wands, with the philosopher’s stone of fire.

Additionally, the masonic perfect ashlar is sometimes compared to a cubical stone, or a double cubic altar. A cubical stone is referenced in the Royal Arch degree (as relayed by the Excellent High Priest in the lecture

portion, “[t]he ark was placed on the Masonic Stone of Foundation which, Masonic tradition says, was a perfect cube, whose color was white, and on which were inscribed in precious stones, the characters composing the Great and Sacred Name . . .”), and in Mathers’s translation of the Grand Invocation of Solomon (the “cubical stone of Yesod”).

The stone is also alluded to in the Knight of the Rose Croix Herodom of the Eighteenth Degree of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. The Scottish Rite, though not the official Templar order of Freemasonry, has many of the trappings of a Templar organization in the degrees of the Kadosh and Consistory.

The lance or sword corresponds to air and the templar sword. It also corresponds to the heart. As the sword of the Holy Spirit pierces the stony heart of the transgressor. The plate goes hand in hand with the cup, five libations of the Templars, bread of communion, last supper, and feast of the Pascal lamb.

Returning to five, it is often said that the quintessence is the fifth element, which corresponds to the last of the major hallows, the child.

It’s difficult to determine where a child would be in the modern Masonic ritual or higher Templar Orders. One suggestion might be that it represents the

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The Lance of Longinus, the Holy Lance, sometimes called the Spear of Destiny, as imaged by Artificial Intelligence. The Holy Lance was said be the weapon used to pierce Christ's side during the crucifixion.

Paschal Lamb. The lamb is referenced three times in the Knight of the Rose Croix degree. The lamb is also a part of other degrees of the York Rite. Moreover, the Entered Apprentice Mason receives a lambskin or white leather apron as an emblem of innocence, purity, and the badge of a Mason.

Additionally, the wife of Jacob, the beauty of the Torah, was Rachel, whose name literally means ewe, a female sheep, also symbolizing innocence and purity. In the Biblical book Genesis, Rachel gives birth to Joseph and Benjamin, after Jacob had become Israel. Joseph was the joy of Israel. His descendants are the line of Jesse and, thus, the line of Jesus. Christ, as the lamb of God, is presaged by Rachel (and her physical beauty) to foreshadow the divine plan of salvation offered to mankind in Christ. Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin, foreshadowing the tribulation, and crucifixion of Christ.

In Kabbalah, Tiphereth, a central sefira on the Tree of Life, literally represents beauty and equilibrium, the middle pillar’s central point or Christ center.

The white in the Templar colors black, red, and white corresponds with the color of the lamb. Though Emmanuel doesn’t mean child directedly, the Prophet Isaiah uses this name when prophesizing about the divine child. Exploring

how the modern Knight Templar ritual uses various names for Christ the Redeemer may help understand the last hallows of the grail, the Child.

Martinism is another order historically allied to Freemasonry, with some Templar and Rosicrucian influences; Martinist teachings emphasize the pentragrammaton, or the five lettered name for God. Heavily influenced by Jakob Böhme, Martinism employs a fabricated divine name by including the Hebrew letter ‫( ש‬shin) (which kabbalistically symbolizes fire) to the four-lettered Tetragrammaton (‫ )הוהי‬which becomes ‫הו ש הי‬, a pronunciation of which can be rendered as Yeshua (essentially, Jesus). (However, Jesus in the Bible is not spelled this way, but: ‫( ַעּוׁשֵי‬Yeshua), a short form of ‫( עושוהי‬Yehoshua, meaning “God who saves”).

As John the Baptist said, “I baptize you with water but the one who will come after me will baptize you with fire”(here, symbolized by the letter ‫( ש‬shin)).

The Tetragrammaton itself is not without Christian significance since God told Moses he is ‫הֶיְהֶא‬ ‫“( רֶׁשֲא הֶיְהֶא‬I am that I am”), and Jesus relates himself to the “I am” with seven attributions of the “I am” found in the Gospel of John.

For example, “I am the Resurrection and the Life” ( John 11:25),

and “I am the Good Shepard” ( John 10: 11 and 14).

Masonic author, Albert Pike, also gave the Tetragrammaton a Christian interpretation when he wrote that the third of the four letters, Vav, related to “the Son” (graphically representing the yud descending into the world and, comprising the number six, representing the first cube and the perfect number: 23= 6; 1+2+3 = 6; and 1x2x3=6). Additionally, Rosicrucian’s often used a four lettered Latin acronym to symbolize Christ, INRI (Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum), which in English translates to: “Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews” ( John 19:19).

Another lesser known hallows is the Holy Sepulcher. Not much is known about this hallows but there is an organization within the Red Cross of Constantine, a York Rite invitational body, named the Order of the Holy Sepulcher.

Arguably, these hallows of the Arthurian legends are alluded to in Freemasonry, the Knights Templar, and various higher degrees of other orders and rites in or related to Freemasonry. These allegories continue to be useful in presenting universal themes to the world to be contemplated and decoded by initiates through the ages. KT

Work Cited Fortune, Dion, Margaret Lumley Brown, and Gareth Knight. 2006. The Arthurian Formula.

The Society of the Inner Light.

“J K Rowling Discusses Harry Potter and the Masonic Connection /G\.” BBC News. https://www.facebook.com/bricksmasons/ videos/565476957118021/ King James Bible. (2019). Genesis 29-30; John 6:1-15:5. Christian Art Publishers. (Original work published 1769).

Pike, Albert (2022). Esoterika. Scottish Rite Research Society (Original work published 2008, manuscript found 1886).

Simoun Victor Redoblado, “Straight Outta Camelot: 10 ‘Harry Potter’ Details That Parallel The Legend Of King Arthur,” The Collider, March 27, 2022, https://collider.com/harry-potter-parallel-legend-of-king-arthur/.

Rowling, J.K. 2007. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Arthur A. Levine Books.

Rev. Sir Knight Frederick Shade,. “The Quest for the Holy Grail and the Modern Knight Templar,” Knight Templar, August 1, 2014.

Waite, Arthur. 2014. The Secret Church of the Holy Graal. First Rate Publishers (Original work published 1909).

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BEAUCEANT

in Bullet

Annual Supreme Assembly Social Order of the Beauceant

T

he 104th Annual Supreme Assembly of the Social Order of the Beauceant was held September 21–26, 2025, in Omaha, Nebraska, at the Hilton Omaha Hotel. Members from across the country gathered in friendship and purpose, representing 28 Assemblies nationwide.

The week was filled with fun, fellowship, and dedicated work by the Supreme Officers and

Committees. It was a time to celebrate our shared values of Faith, Loyalty, and Love while reflecting on another year of sisterhood and service.

The installation of the 2025–2026 Supreme Officers on Friday marked the culmination of a memorable week and the beginning of a new year for the Order.

KT

Seeing the Vision

Supporting the Knights Templar Eye Foundation

I

n 1957, the Social Order of the Beauceant proudly adopted the Knig hts Templar Eye Foundation as our official charity. Since that time, through the heartfelt and steadfast generosity of our members, our Order has contributed over $3.5 million to support the Foundation’s vital work in preserving and restoring pediatric sight.

This past year, Supreme Worthy President (Mrs. David) Wynn Evans added a touch of creativity and fun to her fundraising efforts—encouraging members

44

KNIGHT TEMPLAR

to “see the vision” by wearing whimsical glasses (be sure to visit the SOOB website for photos!).

At the annual banquet, she and her distinguished guests—Right Eminent Grand Captain General and KTEF Liaison to Beauceant, Sir Knight James McGee, and Most Eminent Grand Master, Sir Knight David J. Kussman—all donned cheerful daisy glasses as she proudly presented yet another generous check on behalf of the Social Order of the Beauceant. KT

SOOB

Supreme Worthy President 2025-2026

M

rs. Darr yl R .)

Michele Burt was installed as the 105th Supreme Worthy President and will preside over the 105th Supreme Assembly in Mesa,

Arizona, in September 2026.

She is the daughter of Sir Knight John and Velma Kleinfelder and the wife of Sir Knight Darryl R. Burt. With him they have one son, Christopher Ethan Burt, who is a student at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas.

Mrs. Burt started her career in banking in 1993 where she was an Operations Supervisor before resigning in 2007 to become a stay-at-home mother. In 2020, she returned to work as a bookkeeper for a small business. In 2024, she became the Accounting Manager for an internet-based, womanowned playground supply business.

She was initiated into the Order on March 9, 2002, during an official visit by Mrs. Buxton,

PSWP to Melrose Assembly No. 204. She presided in 2007 as Worthy President of Melrose Assembly No. 204. She was appointed as Supreme Assistant Marshall for her mother Mrs. John A. Kleinfelder, PSWP, in 20082009. She was elected as Supreme Treasurer in 2010 and served until 2021, when she was granted the title of Supreme Treasurer Emeritus. Mrs. Burt is also a Past Matron and twenty-five-year member of the Order of the Eastern Star.

She will continue to promote our chosen philanthropy, The Knights Templar Eye Foundation.

She encourages each assembly to continue to collect dollar bills with the K, E, and F Federal Reserve District Seals and donations for $25 “Faith”, $50 “Loyalty”, $100

“Love” certificates, and to purchase a Cross and Crown brooch for $250.

Mrs. Burt will travel the United States to visit each assembly. Her motto is "Sisters Stand Together."

“I am here to serve and assist our Assemblies in exemplifying our ritual and I am receptive to any calls for assistance,” Mrs. Burt says. KT

Supreme Officers Social Order of the Beauceant 2025-2026

Front Row: (Mrs. Jeffery L.) Jannath Wright, Supreme Marshal; (Mrs. Thomas R.) Lynda Derby, PSWP, Supreme Recorder; (Mrs. James) Donna McGee, Supreme Second Vice President; (Mrs. David) Wynn Evans, Supreme Most Worthy Oracle; (Mrs. Darryl R.) Michele Burt, Supreme Worthy President; (Mrs. Daniel) Erim Marr, Supreme First Vice President; (Mrs. Mark) Lauren Ralston, Supreme Preceptress; (Mrs. James) Norma Burkett, Supreme Treasurer; (Mrs. Michael L.) Susie Cohen, Supreme Assistant Marshal. Back Row: (Mrs. Dan) Joyce Cogley, Supreme Inner Guard; (Mrs. Timothy E.) Irene Libby, Supreme Mistress of the Wardrobe; (Mrs. Andrew) Abigail Mosley, Supreme Standard Bearer; (Mrs. Peter H.) Anne Johnson, Supreme Historian; (Mrs. Hardy) Dorothy Nevill, Supreme Director of Music; (Mrs. Ryan) Patricia Nelle, Supreme Chaplain; Ms. Barbara Lang, Supreme Courier; (Mrs. James) Karen Baughman, Supreme Color Bearer; (Mrs. Marty) Cindy Curbo, Supreme Daughter of the Household; Ms. Melisa Stoltz, Supreme Outer Guard.

KNIGHT TEMPLAR

45

GRAND MASTER’S CLUBS AUGUST 2025 AL William J. Burfitt Jr. AL Jeffrey S. Greene AL Roger K. Harrison AL Michael Kozlik AL Wayne E. Sirmon CA Brandon M. Cook CA Ara Maloyan CA Michael J. Sekera CA Krassimir T. Tzvetanov DC Roger E. Cundiff DC Robb C. Mitchell FL Robert D. Sever IN Mark A. Elder MA/RI Richard W. Van Doren MI Christopher DeVriendt MT James D. Orestad NV Joseph R. Miller NJ Richard W. Westergaard NM John R. Adams NY Richard Tirado NC Louis E. Lamphear NC James B. Steele NC Jerry C. Wood, Jr. ND Dale V. Sandstrom OH David K. Huff OH Ronald M. Wilson OK Gerald K. Hornung PA Roger R. Fischer, II PA Nathaniel D. Hackenburg PA John Hampton PA Brenden R. Hunter PA Bruce K. Kelley SC Randolph H. Harley SC Byron E. Honbarger

TN Gregory R. Austin TX Charles E. Campbell TX Roy D. Wollard VT Pierre N. Letourneau VA Craig A. Cox VA Shelton S. Mackey, III VA Matthew J. Vepraskas WA Arne C. Hansen WI Pete Sterzinger

SEPTEMBER 2025 CA Larry C. Taylor CO Grover L. Sardeson CT John A. Amarilios DC Roger E. Cundiff FL Johann R. Kohler FL Richard A. Vogt IL Richard J. Stewart IL Enrique J. Unanue IA Douglas R. Clabaugh KS Edward L. Freeman LA William J. Surls MD Charles A. Beckhardt, Jr. MD Dennis A. Brekhus MD Robert D. Goldsborough MI James D. Rutherford MI Mark Walters MN Joel R. Porter MS John B. McKelvy MO James R. Fiete NE Valmen Ryckman NJ Louis W. Eggert, III NJ Charles E. Taylor, Jr. NC Louis E. Lamphear OK John L. Logan PA Louis W. Eggert, III

PA Brenden R. Hunter PA Adam C. Hyde PA Christopher D. Reed Philippines Pravin T. Sharma SC James S. Harrison, Jr. SC Hoyt B. Palmer SC Ronny D. Powell SC Tony G. Stone SD Stephen M. Butterfield TN Steven G. Young TX Charles E. Campbell UT Jason C. Varner VA Joseph B. Hale WA Charles R. Davis WA Harold B. Hobbs WV Darren E. Eyler WI Richard J. Rausch WY Jon C. Rowe

OCTOBER 2024 AZ Fred M. Lohman CA Joseph L. Andre CA Roger S. Ross CA Charles I. Strohl CO Richard E. Surroz DC Roger E. Cundiff DC Mark A. Wright FL Philip R. Catchpole FL Rodger L. Craig, Sr. FL Robert H. Eisenhardt FL Paul W. Friend FL William F. Haft, Jr. FL Luis A. Moran Sr. GA Christopher D. Gabor GA James G. Mashburn GA Nathan L. Mason

GRAND COMMANDER’S CLUBS AUGUST 2025 AL Richard A. Giovane AL Jeffrey S. Greene CA Brandon M. Cook CT Mark S. Agnew DC Robb C. Mitchell FL Robert D. Sever IN Mark A. Elder MI Christopher DeVriendt MN James A. Henderson MS John B. McKelvy NJ Richard W. Westergaard NY Carl Turner OH James K. Lawson OH Frank C. Sundquist OH Ronald M. Wilson SC Julian M. Bevel 46

KNIGHT TEMPLAR

TX Charles E. Campbell VT Pierre N. Letourneau VA Craig A. Cox VA Dennis M. Haas

SEPTEMBER 2025 AL Michael Kozlik CA George L. Masson CA Michael J. Sekera IL Enrique J. Unanue KS Patrick C. Carr MD Dennis A. Brekhus MD James E. Simmons MO James E. Ashby NY Clive O. Sang OK John L. Logan PA William L. Bookwalter

PA Adam C. Hyde PA Bruce K. Kelley PA Dustin L. Rinehart TX Charles E. Campbell VT Warren H. Whitney VA Joseph B. Hale VA Howard J. Snowdon WA James E. Nero WA James E.B. Panek WI Richard J. Rausch

OCTOBER 2025 CO Joseph D. Edwards FL Paul W. Friend FL Edward L. Smallwood IL Robert J. Littrell

IL Marshall E. Ninmer IN Joe F. Gust IN Philip G. Hampton IN Raymond A. Sipe KS John C. Weibel ME Robert M. Wright MD Robert B. Lumbert MA/RI Randall C. Oxley MN Roberto S. Gardiner MN Eric J. Thiem NJ Alfred C. Laubsch, Jr. NJ Richard W. Westergaard NY David A. Hardy NY Richard Tirado NC Louis E. Lamphear NC James B. Steele NC Steven A. Wilson ND Gregory B. Taylor OH Eugene N. Bitler OH James K. Lawson PA Brenden R. Hunter PA Bruce K. Kelley PA Mark G. Mattern PA Bruce A. Robinson SD Ronald R. Hammer TN Howard K.J. Akard TN James H. Huggins TX Robert B. Cook TX Douglas J. Van Griner VA Craig A. Cox VA David E. Rush WA Craig W. Bruner WA Joshua L. Coutts WA Daniel C. Echo WA Robert W. Guild WA Jeffrey T. Harden WA Ian C. Hyde WA James D. Newman

WA Gerry A. O’Brien WA Michael J. Riley WA Brandon Rouge WA Dean L. Willard WV Charles F. Wimer WY James L. Sturdevant

IN Philip G. Hampton PA George Chiaverini KY Duncan A. Taylor PA Bruce K. Kelley ME Paul D. Hamilton SC Ronny D. Powell MD Robert B. Lumbert UT Jason C. Varner MA/RI Matthew A. VA Craig A. Cox Niedermeier VA Hans S. Pawlisch MN Scott R. Boehning VA Alan K. Webster MN John C. Fair WA Charles R. Davis MN Roberto S. Gardiner MN Joel R. Porter MS John B. McKelvy NJ Richard W. Westergaard NM Ronald P. Graham NC Steven A. Wilson OH Erick D. Felt OH Mark G. Giannaris OH Art Moore

KTEF

Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc.

58th Voluntary Campaign CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN'S REPORT

by Richard Jernigan

Bring the Light!

“The people living in darkness have seen a great light; and those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Matthew 4:16 (NIV)

W

hat a blessing it is to serve in this position. Very rewarding. Almost every month I hear from a Sir Knight that they have joined the Grand Master’s Club, have reached a new level in their Crusader’s Cross, have become a Life Sponsor, Associate Patron, or Patron to the Knights Templar Eye Foundation. Most of the time their contributions started by joining the Grand Commander’s Club.

Never heard of it?

Look at your copy of the-latest Knights Templar Eye Foundation Booklet on page 8 – also this booklet can be found on KTEF. org. There you will find an explanation of all the rewards programs the Foundation offers. With as little as a $100 donation and a commitment to donate $100 per year for the next nine years you can become a member of the Grand Commander’s Club. If you don’t know how to get started, contact your State Voluntary Campaign Coordinator. He will be able to explain it all, put you on the right path, and help you bring Light to those that sit in darkness.

Another honor you can receive is becoming a Sight

Crusader. Anyone that designates the KTEF in their will and notifies the Eye Foundation of this, will be designated a Sight Crusader. Their motto is “Helping Others to See.” One of the many missions Jesus Christ taught us to follow while He ministered here on Earth, restoring sight was one of His greatest miracles. It is our job to carry on His miracles while He ministers to us from Heaven.

Recently I attended the Grand Chapter and Council Annual Meeting in Waco, Texas.

Several Brothers came up to me and mentioned they had seen my articles in this publication, and it inspired them to make contributions. This is a great reward for being the National Chairman.

While it does warm my heart to hear such things, it is not me that deserves any credit. It is the Sir Knights of the Grand Encampment.

You donate, you promote, you encourage, you inspire me and others to do more. Your work during the last campaign left me speechless (something no one from Texas has ever seen before).

I was also asked to come speak at a Commandery and tell them what

the Eye Foundation is and how it works. What it is, that shocked me.

Being so close to it we often assume everyone knows what we know.

That is a mistake. Never assume.

I suggest this: once a year, have a short five-to-ten-minute talk about the Eye Foundation. Again, I encourage you to show one of the videos found on the website.

Let us never allow a Sir Knight to go through his time and never give him a glimpse into one of the greatest Charity organizations ever, The Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. It is ours. We own it. We are it. It creates miracles. Be a part of it in any way you can.

I have been very depressed over the last few months. Almost to the point of retiring from my positions within Freemasonry – all of them. But the kind words, the actions, the generosity of the Sir Knights and Masons touched my heart and pulled me out of my selfpity. You whispered good council in my ear, and you supported a falling brother, just as we all swore to do. I am eternally grateful for that.

Right now, I am writing this on December 23rd. Two days before Christmas. I am filled with the Christmas Spirit, and it is

thanks to you. I am very late with this article because of my previous doubts and misgivings. Your confidence and love have brought me back. I apologize for my less than enthusiastic attitude in the last few months and ask for your forgiveness. Working together we can overcome all things. Praising God and putting Him in control is the one thing in life we all need.

And it is truly all we need.

In His and your service,

Richard Jernigan, PGC of Texas Chairman, Voluntary Campaign

KNIGHT TEMPLAR

47

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY “We honor the Knights Templar Eye Foundation for decades of dedication to saving vision. Your generosity has advanced research, supported patients, and transformed lives worldwide. Thank you for your steadfast commitment to preserving sight.”

– Pablo Argüeso, PhD, Professor, Dept. of Ophthalmology and Director of the Tufts Center for Vision Research; and M. Reza Vagefi, MD, Chair, Dept. of Ophthalmology at Tufts University School of Medicine and Director, New England Eye Center.

“Thank you, Christie and all the Knights, for your ongoing commitment to pediatric eye care.” – Dr. Ruth D. Williams, MD

“KTEF, your commitment to pediatric ophthalmology at the level of individuals, organizations, education, and even recruitment of future pediatric ophthalmologists [is] jaw-dropping.

“We are extremely grateful for [the Knights Templar’s] Christie, your ongoing contributions to AAPOS [American immense generosity over the years . . . Your partnership with Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus] are the Academy has enabled the protection of sight and empow- legendary. The two of you together have combined to transform erment of lives of many senior Americans, many children in our profession for the betterment of kids for generations to come. our nation, and now, adults in the U.S. who could not afford Thank you!” – Drs. David Hunter and Connie West care on their own.” – Peter and Fiora Lum “We’d like to extend our sincere gratitude to Dr. Morse and “Thank you for your visionary and unwavering dedication the Knights Templar Eye Foundation. Your support and to preserving sight. We applaud your profound impact on eye dedication has had a profound impact, enabling world-class health, especially for the underserved.” – Laura C. Fine, MD. education for ophthalmologists and directly improving the “We extend our deepest gratitude to the Knights Templar vision and lives of their patients.” – The Academy Executive Team Eye Foundation for their unwavering commitment to vision care and their profound impact on our community . . . The foundation’s legacy of compassion and service continues to shine brightly, inspiring us to reach further and serve better.

On behalf of John A. Moran Eye Center and the community we serve, thank you for being a true beacon of light.” – John A. Moran Eye Center

“Outstanding! That is the best way to describe the unwavering support of the Knights Templar Eye Foundation and the historic support they’ve provided to vision care and the ophthalmic community. On behalf of Wagner Kapoor Institute, thank you for your three tremendous decades of helping preserve vision for the patients we serve.” – Alan L. Wagner, MD.

“I extend our deepest gratitude to the Sir Knights of the “Christie and the Knights Templar – I think of them as a duo Knights Templar Eye Foundation for your unwaverand the good they have done for kids.” – Bill Rich ing support and dedication to saving sight. Your years of “To the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, our deepest grat- commitment have helped drive discovery, innovation, and itude for the support you have given to eye research, and the patient care that continue to change lives around the world.” motivation and enthusiasm you have inspired in our young – Shahzad Milan, MD, Chair, Dept. of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Michigan. scientists, at Stanford and beyond.” – Faculty and Trainees at the Spencer Center for Vision Research, Byers Eye Institute, Stanford “Many congratulations and “We extend our gratitude University profound thanks for all you to the Knights Templar Eye “Thank you to the Knights Templar Eye Foundation for your have done to make this a better Foundation. As a pillar in the years of commitment ending pediatric eye disease.” – Montefiore world. All of us at DMEI fight against childhood blindextend our greatest good will ness, their dedication and Einstein Dept. of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Bronx, NY. and ardent admiration!” – R. generosity allow young inves“We thank the Sir Knights for the close partnership with Michael Siatkowski, MD, MBA tigators to pursue impactful the Academy and foundation for patient care around the research.” – Kresge Eye Institute. world.” – The Academy Foundation Team 48

KNIGHT TEMPLAR

KTEF

HONORS KTEF AND Dr CHRISTIE MORSE MD Leadership and Commitment to Improving Vision

Laura Greco-Check, CMP– American Academy of Ophthalmology

by Ben Williams

Representatives of the KTEF Board with Dr. Christie Morse, MD, (from left) Sir Knights David Dryer, David Goodwin, and Ben Williams, pictured at the AAO's Illuminate, an event that recognized the KTEF and Dr. Morse for decades of service to pediatric ophthalmology

E

ach year the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) recognizes distinguished partners for their role in forwarding vision research and patient care. This year, the AAO recognized the KTEF for its decades of support.

KTEF’s first support for AAO began in 1995, with a $2.25 million gift. The donation went to EyeCare America®, a public service for eligible adults to receive eye exams.

Among other programs supported by the KTEF, the KTEF was instrumental in AAO’s ONE® Network, an online education center bringing expertise and data to practitioners worldwide. The KTEF Pediatric Ophthalmology Education Center was initiated in 2014, with a $1 million gift. Part of the AAO’s ONE® Network, the Education Center is a free online resource vital for practitioners

around the world who otherwise would be without access to stateof-the-art educational materials, including surgical videos detailing operations and methodology, training modules, and simulations.

According to similarweb.com, a web tracker, AAO’s ONE® Network receives around 1.5 to 2 million visitors each month.

KTEF gave $2 million to create the KTEF Ophthalmologic Research Fund, supporting development of AAO’s IRIS® Registry, a coordinated online repository for research and field-wide review and collaboration. IRIS (which stands for “Intelligent Research in Sight”) is the nation’s first comprehensive eye disease clinical registry. It is a centralized database of eye disease incidences and results of their treatments. A vital resource for collaboration and shared expertise, IRIS® unites academic pursuit and centralizes knowledge, and exper-

tise, to catalyze discovery.

In 2022, the KTEF gave a $5 million gift to develop the KTEF Pediatric Ophthalmology VR Simulation Program. This simulator helps train diagnostic and surgical procedures such as retinopathy of prematurity (a leading cause of preventable childhood blindness), providing hands-on tactile feedback in virtual space.

Diagnosis and surgery in the eye require years of practice. This hands-on simulator aims to get more specialists into the field, sooner.

“We couldn’t be shaping the future of pediatric ophthalmology without KTEF’s support, and we’re incredibly grateful for your generosity,” said Dr. Faruk Örge, MD, AAO Pediatric Ophthalmology Education Center Executive Editor.

“Year after year, the dedication of the Sir Knights inspires us

all,” said Dr. Stephen D. McLeod, MD, AAO Chief Executive Officer. “Their vision and generosity ensure better care for today’s patients and brighter possibilities for tomorrow’s.”

The KTEF shared its recognition with Dr. Christie L. Morse, MD, a longtime supporter of the KTEF and its work. Dr. Morse is a pediatric ophthalmologist who runs a private practice based on direct patient care, treating children. She is a leader in the field. KT

KNIGHT TEMPLAR

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email the editor: ben@ktmag.org