Ears Of Wheat From A Cornucopia.

the Grand Lodge of Scotland ; and notwithstanding his having retired from that post , he recently evinced his continued interest in Masonic matters hj his attendance at the installation of Bro . the Harl of Dalhousie as Grand Master Mason , and by 'being present at the banquet which followed .

The Knights Templars.

THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS .

By ANTHONY ONEAL HAYE . ( Continued from page 430 ) . BOOK III . —CHAPTER III .

GEAND MASTER —PHILIP DE PLESSIS . War with the King of Armenia ; Innocent III . ; Fifth , Crusade . War with Coradin- The miraculous image of the Virgin . First public censure of the Templars , Heath of Almeric . Marriage of de Brienns and Queen , of Jerusalem . Death of the Queen . Sissth Crusade . Attack on Moutti Tabor . Affairs in England , 1201 , 1217 .

Gilbert Gralius was succeeded in the Grand Mastership by Philip de Plessis in 1201 . * Shortly after his election he found himself engaged in war with Leon I ., King of Armenia , Avho had seized the Castle of Gaston which belonged to the Order .

Previous negotiations between the Templars and Leon had resulted in nothing , but when de Plessis became Grand Master he demanded peremptorily the surrender of the Castle , and this not being complied with he resorted to arms , Leon Avas

defeated , driven out of Antioch , compelled to give up Gaston , and sue for peace . Negotiations followed , aud the matter was referred to the Pope . Before a settlement of the question could be

obtained from Rome hostilities were renewed . The Count of Tripoli and the nepheAv of Leon laid rival claims to the principality of Antioch , and flew to arms to decide the question . Leon aided his nephew , and , in face of his treaty with the

Templars , again seized upon Gaston , whereupon the Knights ranged themselves under the banner of the Count of Tripoli . Leon thereupon wrote to the Pope , complaining bitterly of the Templars , who , he maintained , had , contrary to their oath , and

the spirit of the Institution , made war against a Christian prince . The Templars retorted that they had a perfect right to make war in self defence , and when so unjustly attacked , and might use force to recover a possession which had been given them

by Christians , for the purpose of defending and protecting them from the attacks of the Infidel . The Pope sided with the Templars and wrote the King of Armenia reprehending his conduct . The Templars , Innocent wrote , of whom Leon

complained , Avould cease to attack him so soon as he ceased to molest them . That it Avas perfectly lawful to meet force by force , and that such Christians as were not in holy orders , might do so without committing sin . That many wise persons

were clearly of opinion that they might defend themselves by arms against his Majesty Avhen he had done them wrong . The Templars had had a perfect rig ht to defend Antioch against his attacks , because the greater part of the city belonged to them . " We have been assured , " continued the

Pope , " by many of their Knights , that they received from Pope Alexander , one of our predecessors , permission to defend themselves by arms in case of necessity and declare that if we do not accord to them the same right they will Avithdraw

from Palestine . You know that they are brave , powerful , and capable of doing you great injury . Weigh well , therefore , the charitable advice that we give you , since we are animated by no other motive than of providing for your OAVII Avelfare . " *

As we have already said the throne of St . Peter was noAV occupied by one of the most talented men , who have ever borne the proud title of Pope . t Innocent III . at the early age of thirty-three was raised to the tiara . His youth had been spent in

retirement and study . When informed of his elevation to the Papal chair he shed tears , but when once Pope , he appeared in a new character , and instead of being retiring and diffident , he displayed all the inflexible obstinacy and ambition of

of a Gregory . He resolved to become the supreme of Christendom , in temporal , as Avell as in religious matters . He founded the Mendicant Order of Friars , and the terrible Inquisition . He devoted himself to the sending forth of a UBAV body of

crusaders , and ordered all his gold and silver plate to be melted down to defray the expense , and would not permit any vessels , but such as Avere formed of wood and clay to be used at his table , while the crusade lasted .

The fifth crusade Avas preached by the celebrated Fulk de Neuilly , who less enthusiastic than Peter the Hermit and with little of the eloquence