VOLUME LXVII
October 2021
NUMBER 10
State supplements formerly printed in this magazine can now instead be found online at www.knightstemplar.org/KTnews.
VOLUME LXVII OCTOBER 2021 NUMBER 10 Published monthly as an official publication of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America.
Michael Burke Johnson Grand Master
Contents Grand Master’s Message Grand Master Michael Burke Johnson ............. 4 King Solomon’s Temple Sir Knight J. Jeffrey McClelland, REGC.............. 7 Departure of a Crusader Had Emotion, Although a “Limited Display of Affection” James A. Marples.......................................... 17 Thoughts on Psalm 133 Sir Knight John Simmons............................... 26
Features The Knights Templar Eye Foundation............ 5, 20, 30 Prelate’s Chapel ...................................................... 6 In Memoriam........................................................ 19 Leadership Notes Leadership and Group Dynamics........................... 24 Beauceant News.................................................... 28
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Jeffrey A. Bolstad Grand Captain General and Publisher 325 Trestle Lane Lewistown, MT 59457 Address changes or corrections and all membership activity including deaths should be reported to the recorder of the local Commandery. Please do not report them to the editor. Lawrence E. Tucker Grand Recorder Grand Encampment Office 5909 West Loop South, Suite 495 Bellaire, TX 77401-2402 Phone: (713) 349-8700 Fax: (713) 349-8710 E-mail: larry@gektusa.org Magazine materials and correspondence to the editor should be sent in electronic form to the managing editor whose contact information is shown below. Materials and correspondence concerning the Grand Commandery state supplements should be sent to the respective supplement editor.
John L. Palmer Managing Editor Benjamin Williams Associate Editor Post Office Box 566 Nolensville, TN 37135-0566 Phone: (615) 283-8477 Fax: (615) 283-8476 E-mail: editorknighttemplar@gmail.com
The cover photo is of St. George slaying the dragon in Bethlehem, Israel and was taken by the editor.
Grand Encampment web site: www.knightstemplar.org www.knightstemplar.org/KnightTemplar/archive
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Grand Master’s Message
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reserving the history of the Grand Encampment Knights Templar should be a top priority for the leadership of Grand Encampment. As we enter into the 69th triennium, it has been brought to my attention that our history has not been updated since 1979 when James Morris Ward became most eminent grand master. At the end of the 69th triennium, that will be twenty-seven years of Templar history that will need to be researched and published. History of the Grand Encampment Knights Templar of the United States of America was first authored by Chairman Francis J. Scully, MD and his committee. Book one of Templar History starts from the days of the ancient Templars to the 44th conclave of the modern Templars, the second book was authored by Chairman Lieutenant Colonel Jacob C. Baird and his committee and is the continuation of Templar history from 1949 until 1997. It is now time to write the 3rd volume of Templar history which will end with the 69th triennium. I would like a volunteer to undertake the writing of the third volume of the Grand Encampment Knights Templar of the United States of America book three. He must have knowledge of Templar history and be a proven author. When this new author is found he will be the chairman and, at his own discretion, can select the other members of his committee. Sir Knights, please consider this most important undertaking. While doing some research on the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, I found this impressive short report by Grand Master William C. Gordon 1952-1955. “The order of Christian Knighthood is distinctive in purpose and procedure among strictly Masonic organizations. It is committed to enlistment under the banner of Jesus Christ, the Great Captain of our Salvation. It gives positive and militant allegiance to Him and His teachings. It makes public appearances proudly and unashamedly, in uniforms, with the insignia and banners testifying to its belief and its allegiance. By such appearances and through its avowed objectives, it obeys one of the final injunctions of the Master, ‘Ye shall be my witness.’ It is contended by some that parades or public appearances may soon become relics of the past since they are frowned upon or actually prohibited by the authorities in some communities.” These impressive words touched my heart as they should touch the hearts of all Knights Templar. In the 1955 triennium, while Grand Master Gordon presided, the Knights Templar Eye Foundation was born. Sincerely and Fraternally, Michael B. Johnson, grand master 4
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NEW CONTRIBUTORS TO THE KTEF CLUBS Grand Master’s Club Efren D. Prado................................... CA
David W. Studley............................... CA
Jerry L. Fenimore..............................CO
James H. Bussey................................. FL
Marlin R. Gray....................................IN
Edward A. Condon, Jr.................. MA/RI
Rory A. Hanmer........................... MA/RI
Richard E. Heon.......................... MA/RI
Peter B. Low................................ MA/RI
Dale L. Martensen....................... MA/RI
Thomas M. McClintock............... MA/RI
James I. Ogilvie........................... MA/RI
Mark S. Watson........................... MA/RI
William E. Morrison.......................... MI
Joel R. Porter................................... MN
Joseph M. Barnhill, Jr........................NC
Rodney K. Grindle, Sr........................NC
James V. Caslow............................... OH
John S. Ranck................................... OH
Roger R. Fischer, II............................. PA
Sean M. Tomasic............................... PA
Garland R. Harman............................SC
Ronny D. Powell................................ SC
Jeff J. Carroll...................................... TX
Marvin M. Shoaf............................... VA
Stephen D. Dake............................... WI
Grand Commander’s Club William A. Carter............................... AL
Ray C. Ingram.................................... AL
Jeffery S. Baker.................................. AZ
Ernesto E. Atuel................................ CA
Benjamin P. Minichino.......................FL
Robert L. T. Phillips............................. FL
Bruce A. Reinartsen, Sr.......................FL
James L. Mahan................................. IN
Trasen S. Akers..................................OK
James V. Caslow............................... OH
Susan Thames................................... TN
Aaron T. Shaw................................... TX
Stephen D. Dake................................ WI knight templar
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Prelate’s Apartment by
Reverend Terry L. Plemons right eminent grand prelate of the Grand Encampment Hebrews 9:22 - “God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of Jesus Christ my Lord.”
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ho is Jesus Christ? People have been asking this question for 2,000 years. People hate Him or love Him, ignore Him or follow Him even to their death. There is something about Him; we cannot escape Him. Jewish, Greek, and Roman historians record there was a man Jesus, but who is He? This is best answered in the cross. It is the cross that directly confronts men and women today. An entire generation is being raised to no longer believe in absolutes, sadly including the cross. We are in need of a great spiritual awakening today. There is only one message that can change the hearts and minds of men and women, the cross. It is the cross that expresses the great love of God toward man. Dr. Billy Graham stated, “The cross is offensive, because it directly confronts the evil that dominates so much of this world,” but who is Christ? Simeon holding the baby Jesus declared to God, “For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,...A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.” John the Baptist declared of Jesus, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” A voice from heaven declared, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Peter said, “Thou are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Pilate asked, “What shall I do then with Jesus, who is called Christ?” Who is Christ to you? How is He reflected in your daily walk, in your conversations, in your love for others, and in your willingness to forgive old grudges? It is in the cross that we come closest to understanding who Jesus is. Suffering, in immeasurable agony, He prayed for God to forgive His executioners. He granted mercy to a thief. He paid a debt He did not owe. He died and rose again. Jesus said of Himself, “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.” Sir Knights, let us walk worthy of our calling. In Christ Love, Sir Knight Terry L. Plemons, REPDC, KGT grand prelate 6
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King Solomon’s Temple By Sir Knight J. Jeffrey McClelland, KCT, REGC
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n researching the two great men der to leave Jesse believing that he had and kings, David and Solomon, I married the slave (Yalḳ., Makiri, ed. Buber, found that much of the available ii. 214; compare also Samuel Laniado’s information shows them to have been “Kele Yaḳar” to I Sam. xvii.). David had similar in many ways. Written records of seven brothers, and he was the youngest. this period in history are very sparse and The supposed son of a slave, David was come to us mainly through the following not educated with Jesse’s other sons but religious books: The Holy Bible (numer- passed his days in the wilderness, pasturous versions), the Torah, the Talmud, and ing sheep (Yalḳ., Makiri, l.c.). the Qur’an. This article will examine their God withdrew his favor from Saul, lives in the following three categories: king of Israel, and sent the prophet First, how each ascended to the throne, Samuel to seek a new king for his people their method of governing, and their re- from the sons of Jesse of Bethlehem. lationship with God; second, the building Seven of Jesse’s sons passed before of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem or, as re- Samuel, but Samuel said, “The Lord has corded in history, Solomon’s Temple; and not chosen these.” He then asked “Are third, the similarities of King David and these all the sons you have?” and Jesse King Solomon. answered, “There is still the youngest, but he is tending the sheep.” David was David’s Ascension to the Throne brought to Samuel, and the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; he is the one.”2 David was born in Bethlehem in the God sent an evil spirit (head aches) territory of the Tribe of Judah. His fa- to torment Israel’s first king, King Saul. ther was named Jesse. His mother is His attendants suggested that he send not named in the Bible, but the Talmud for David, the son of Jesse, “considered identifies her as Nitzevet, daughter of a brave man, a warrior who speaks well Adael.1 David was the son of a man who and is a fine looking man, and God is with died sinless (Shab. 55b). Notwithstanding him.” So Saul sent for David, and David rehis piety, Jesse’s marital life was not un- mained in the service of Saul, and whentroubled. He intended even to liberate his ever the evil spirit from God came upon favorite female slave and marry her, but Saul, David would take his harp and play. his wife frustrated this design by disguis- Then relief would come to Saul, he would ing herself as the slave, and Jesse unwit- feel better, and the evil spirit would leave tingly married her the second time. The him. Saul became so fond of the young result of this union was David, who was man that he selected him as his armor passed off as the son of the slave in or- bearer.
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During the wars with the Philistines, which occupied most of Saul’s reign, David distinguished himself so highly that he attracted the attention of all Israel. Saul recognized that David was intended for a higher mission. This change in David was due to the “holy oil” with which he was anointed, hence Saul became jealous of him, and David refused for this reason to go to battle in the king’s armor (Tan., ed. Buber, iii. 84). When David faced Goliath, he had “Five stones [which] came of themselves to David” (Midr. Sam. xxi.), and when he touched them, they changed into one stone (Zohar, Deut. 272). With them he intended to slay Goliath, for they symbolized God, the “three fathers” of Israel, and Aaron whose descendants, Hophni and Phineas, had been killed shortly before by Goliath (Midr. Sam. l.c.; the Midrash quoted by Ḳimḥi to I Sam. xvii. 40 are somewhat different). Goliath was dressed like a serpent with his scale armor, and he died like a serpent, with a head wound, just as the Philistine god Dagon had his head crushed. As the Psalm says, “all those who worship idols will be like them (Ps. 155:1-8).”3 An earlier passage, 1 Samuel 5:2–7, relates how the ark of Yahweh (God) was captured by the Philistines and taken to Dagon’s temple in Ashdod. The following morning they found the image of Dagon lying prostrate before the ark. They set the image upright, but again on the morning of the following day, they found it prostrate before the ark. David called out to Goliath, “I shall give your flesh to the birds of heaven.” Goliath looked up at the word “birds,” the movement displacing his head-dress, and, at the same moment, the stone flung by David from his sling struck the 8
giant’s exposed forehead (Midrash quoted by ḳimḥi ad loc). David was victorious. The Philistines fled in terror, and the Israelites won a great victory. David cut off the giant’s head and took it to Jerusalem as a warning to the Jebusites who still ruled there.4 Saul asked who the young hero was, and David replied, “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.” (1 Samuel 17:58) Significantly perhaps, Saul is often seen holding a spear, Goliath’s weapon of choice, throughout the rest of I Samuel.5 Saul made David a commander over his armies and gave him his daughter Michal for a wife,10 and the king’s eldest son, Jonathan, became his intimate friend. David and Jonathan formed a covenant that eventually led to David offering the “kindness of God”4,5 to Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth, a cripple, by seating him at David’s own table instead of eradicating Saul’s line.6,7 David was successful in many battles, and the women said, “Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands.” His popularity heightened Saul’s fears. He questioned, “What more can he have but the kingdom?” By various stratagems, the jealous king sought David’s death. Warned by Jonathan, David fled into the wilderness in peril of his life. The priests of Nob, who had innocently aided the fugitive David, had to bear the brunt of the king’s anger, and all but one who escaped to David were executed as traitors. David then placed himself at the head of a band of daring and desperate men. Eager to help his countrymen, he relieved the siege of the city of Keilah, which was threatened by the Philistines, but when Saul, regarding him as a rebel, advanced against him, october 2021
David could make a stand only for a very short time. The facts of David’s early history are in the second Book of Samuel and show a more favorable picture. In the wilderness, David gathered a band of followers and became the champion of the oppressed while evading the pursuit of Saul. After various adventures, during which he magnanimously spared the life of the king, David fled into the land of the Philistines and became a vassal of King Achish of Gath, who assigned to him the city of Ziklag for his home. He accepted Ziklag from the Philistine king Achish of Gath and became its chief but continued secretly to support the Israelites. He ruled there for one year and four months. Achish then marched against Saul, but David was excused from the war on the accusation of the Philistine nobles that his loyalty to their cause could not be trusted. The disastrous battle near the mountains of Gilboa ended the lives of Jonathon and Saul, thus ending the reign of Saul. David mourned their death and then went to Hebron, where he was anointed king over Judah. In the north, Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth attempted to rule the tribes of Israel. War ensued between Ish-Bosheth and David, until Ish-Bosheth was assassinated. The assassins brought forward the head of Ish-Bosheth to David, hoping for reward, but David executed them for their crime against the Lord’s anointed. With the death of the son of Saul, the elders of Israel came to Hebron, and David, thirty years old, was anointed King over Israel and Judah.8 David conquered Jebus, the Jebusite fortress now called Jerusalem, and made it his capital. “Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David along with ceknight templar
dar trees, carpenters, and masons who built David a house.” David brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, intending to build a temple. God, speaking to the prophet Nathan, forbade it, saying that the temple must wait for a future generation, but God made a covenant with David, promising that he would establish the house of David eternally, saying “Your throne shall be established forever.” David’s piety was so great that his prayers were able to bring things from heaven down to earth (Ḥag. 12b). It was one of his dearest wishes to build the Temple. God said, however, that the Temple would be indestructible if built by David, but that it was His (God’s) design that it should be destroyed as punishment for Israel’s sins, hence David could not build it (Pesḳ. R. 2; ed. Friedmann, p. 7). David’s thoughts were so entirely directed to good that he was among the few pious ones over whom evil inclinations (“yeẓer ha-ra’”) had no power (B. B. 17a), and his sin with Bath-sheba happened only as an example to show the power of repentance (‘Ab. Zarah 4b, 5a). Some Talmudic authorities even assert that David did not commit adultery for, at that time, all women obtained letters of divorce from their husbands who went to war, to use in case the latter should die on the field. Similarly, David must not be blamed for Uriah’s death, since the latter had committed a capital offense in refusing to obey the king’s command (II Sam. xl. 8, 9; Shab. 56a; Ḳid. 43a). Another basis for David’s innocence of the charge of violating the sixth commandment is that there are multiple translations of the sixth commandment. The Hebrew words חצרת אלare variously translated as “thou shalt not kill” or 9
“thou shalt not murder.” Older Protestant translations of the Bible, those based on the Vulgate and Roman Catholic translations, usually render it as “Thou shalt not kill,” whereas Jewish and newer Protestant versions tend to use “You shall not murder.” There is controversy as to which translation is more faithful, and both forms are quoted in support of many opposing ethical standpoints. The Vulgate (Latin) translation has Non occides, i.e. “Thou shalt not kill.” English translations using “kill” include the King James (Authorized) (1611) [although note Matthew 19:18 “do no murder,” following the Vulgate non homicidium facies], the American Standard (1901) and Revised Standard (American Protestant, 1952) Versions. Almost all Roman Catholic translations, including the Douay-Rheims Bible (1609/1752), the New American Bible (1970), the New Jerusalem Bible (1985), and the Christian Community Bible (1986) have “kill.” Martin Luther (German, 1534) also uses töten (kill). Protestant translations using “murder” include the New International Version (American, 1978), New American Standard Bible (American, 1971), New English Bible (British Protestant, 1970), and the New King James (American, 1982), New Revised Standard (American, 1989) and English Standard (American Protestant, 2001) Versions. Jewish translations almost all use “murder,” including the Jewish Publication Society of America Version (1917), the Judaica Press tanach (1963) and the Living Torah (1981). A Jewish exception to this pattern is the Artscroll or Stone Edition tanach (1996). The Old Testament’s examples of killings sanctioned by God are often cited in defense of the view that “murder” is 10
a more accurate translation. Additionally, the Hebrew word for “kill” is (harog), while the Hebrew word for “murder” is (retzach) , which is found in the Ten Commandments (lo tirtzach). In the fullness of the Old Testament, Exodus 20:13 is abundantly evidenced as prohibiting unjust killing rather than a universal injunction against all killing, as retzach is never used in reference to the slaying of animals nor the taking of life in war, while its most frequent use is in reference to involuntary manslaughter and, secondarily, for murderers. In various biblical passages, David is referred to as “the favorite of the songs of Israel,”11 the one who soothed Saul with music,12 and the founder of Temple singing.13,14 A Psalms scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls (11QPsa) attributes 3600 tehilim (songs of praise) plus other compositions to David.14 Seventy-three of the 150 Psalms in the Bible are attributed to David.15 Solomon’s Ascension to the Throne Solomon (Hebrew: , Modern Šəlomo or Šlomo Tiberian Šəlōmōh, Arabic: Sulaymān) was, according to the Hebrew Bible, a king of Israel. In the Qur’an he is described as a prophet. The biblical accounts identify Solomon as the son of David.1 He is also called Jedidiah in 2 Samuel 12:25. The name Solomon means “peaceful” or “complete” from the Hebrew Shelomoh (Arabic Sulaiman). The name given by God to Solomon in the Bible is Jedidiah, meaning “loved by God” (2 Samuel 12:25), and some scholars have conjectured that Solomon is a “king name” taken either when he assumed the throne or upon his death. Solomon’s october 2021
case is one of the few in the Bible where Evidently, this applied even to a woman the name given by God does not stay who had shared the bed of an old king. with the person. David’s general, Joab, was killed in Solomon’s father was David, king of accord with David’s deathbed request the United Kingdom of Israel. Bathsheba to Solomon, because he had killed genwas his mother. Solomon had many sib- erals Abner and Amasa (2 Samuel 20:8lings including Amnon, who was killed 13; 1 Kings 2:5). David’s priest, Abiathar, on the order of their half-brother, Absa- was exiled by Solomon, because he had lom, for raping Absolom’s sister, Tamar. sided with rival Adonijah. Abiathar was a (2 Samuel 13:1-29) Absalom was killed in descendent of Eli, which had important the Battle of Ephraim Wood, and Adoni- prophetic significance. (1 Kings 2:27)10 jah, who had tried to usurp the throne, Shimei who was also to be killed accordwas put to death. (1 Kings 2:13-25). ing to David’s deathbed request, was not Solomon became king after the death but rather was confined to Jerusalem and of his father, David. According to the bibli- killed three years later when he went to cal book of 1 Kings, when David was “old Gath to retrieve some runaway servants, and advanced in years...he could not get in part because he had cursed David warm.”9 “So they sought for a beautiful when Absalom, David’s son, rebelled young woman throughout all the terri- against David. (1 Kings 2:1-46) tory of Israel and found Abishag the ShuDuring Solomon’s long reign of forty nammite and brought her to the king.”9 years, the Hebrew monarchy gained its While David was in this state, Adoni- highest splendor. This period has been jah, his fourth son, acted to have himself called the “Augustan Age” of the Jewdeclared king, since he was heir-appar- ish annals. In a single year, he collected ent to the throne after the death of his tribute amounting to 666 talents of gold, elder brothers, Amnon and Absalom. according to 1 Kings 10:13. Bathsheba, a wife of David and SoloThe first half of his reign was by far mon’s mother, along with the prophet the best and more prosperous; the latter Nathan induced David to proclaim Solo- half was darkened by his idolatries. Acmon king. Adonijah fled and took refuge cording to the scribes, this was caused by at the altar, and received pardon for his his intermarriages. According to 1 Kings conduct from Solomon on the condition 11:3, he had 700 wives and 300 concuthat he show himself “a worthy man” (1 bines. As soon as he had settled himself Kings 1:5-53). in his kingdom and arranged the affairs Adonijah asked to marry Abishag of his extensive empire, he entered into the Shunammite, but Solomon denied an alliance with Egypt by a marriage with authorization for such an engagement, the daughter of the Pharaoh. although Bathsheba now pleaded on That Solomon’s wisdom was GodAdonijah’s behalf. He was then seized given is very important to various Juand put to death (1 Kings 2:13-25). As deo-Christian beliefs. The biblical Book made clear in the earlier story of Ab- of Proverbs, written by Solomon, is a salom’s rebellion, to have sex with the dogmatic guideline for morality and King’s wife or concubine was in this so- manners in many Jewish and Christian ciety tantamount to claiming the throne. denominations. It is widely believed that knight templar
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Solomon also wrote the biblical book of is able to judge this thy so great a peoEcclesiastes in which there is an estab- ple?” Pleased with his non-materialistic lished sense of absurdity of man’s feeble wish, God told him that not only would accomplishments. Here Solomon attacks he receive a foundation in epistemolthe vanity of human actions and the im- ogy greater than any other man but also portance of a relationship with God that great wealth, power, and prosperity. many religions embrace. According to the Rabbinical literature, The Book of Proverbs is a book of the on account of his modest request for Tanakh or Old Testament. It is a collection wisdom only, Solomon was rewarded of moral and philosophical maxims on a with riches and an unprecedentedly glowide range of subjects presented in a po- rious realm, which extended over the etic form. This book sets forth a philoso- upper world inhabited by the angels and phy of practical life and is a compilation over the whole of the terrestrial globe and adaptation of common sayings. It is with all its inhabitants, including all the clear that the author of the book gath- beasts, fowl, and reptiles, as well as the ered and recast many proverbs which demons and spirits. His control over the sprang from human experience in pre- demons, spirits, and animals augmented ceding ages and had come to him through his splendor, the demons bringing him time. He also elaborated many new ones precious stones and water from distant from the material of his own experience. countries to irrigate his exotic plants. There is strong evidence that some of The beasts and fowl, of their own accord, the proverbs were adapted from earlier entered the kitchen of Solomon’s palace Egyptian wisdom literature. It is also pos- so that they might be used as food for sible that the Book of Proverbs developed him, and extravagant meals for him were somewhat over time, with future editors prepared daily by each of his 700 wives adding more as they went along. and 300 concubines, with the thought King Solomon’s ideas are also essen- that perhaps the king would feast that tial to Christian Anarchism and Chris- day in her house. tian Pacifism. King Solomon surroundA magic ring called the “Seal of Soloed himself with all the luxuries and the mon” was supposedly given to Solomon, external grandeur of a monarch of that and gave him power over demons. The day. His government prospered. He en- magical symbol is said to have been the tered into an alliance with Hiram I, King Seal of Solomon which made it work. It of Tyre, who in many ways assisted him is now better known as the Star of David. as he had his father, King David, in nu- Asmodeus, king of demons, according to merous undertakings. the classical Rabbis, was captured by usIn 1 Kings 3:5-14, there is written an ing the ring and was forced to remain in account of an encounter between the Solomon’s service. newly crowned Solomon and the God of the Kingdom of Israel in which he The Temple offered Solomon anything he wanted. Solomon asked for “an understanding Before his death, King David amassed heart to judge thy people, that I may materials in great abundance for the discern between good and bad: for who building of the temple on the summit 12
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of Mount Moriah (1 Chronicles 22:14; the form of a business transaction as the 29:4; 2 Chronicles 3:1), where he had cost was that of giving control of the Galpurchased a threshing floor from Arau- ilean district, which consisted of twenty nah the Jebusite (2 Sam. 24:21 et seq.), Hebrew villages, to King Hiram I. on which he offered sacrifice. According to tradition, Solomon also David amassed large amounts of provided a sufficient water supply for gold and silver with which to build the the temple by hewing in the rocky hill temple. The biblical account reports that vast cisterns, into which water was conthis amounted to 100,000 talents (3,000 veyed by channels from the “pools” near tons) of gold (an amount exceeding the Bethlehem. One of these cisterns, the current annual global production) and “great sea,” was capable of containing 1,000,000 talents (30,000 tons) of silver. three million gallons. The overflow was The Moabites paid tribute to David led off by a conduit to the Kidron. that was held for use in the Temple’s These accounts in the Bible are also construction. David took gold shields the basis for much of the history of Freefrom Hadadezer and bronze from his cit- masonry, which uses the construction of ies after defeating him. Toi of Hamath the Temple as a backdrop and metaphor heard of David’s conquest of Hadadezer for moral instruction. and sent tribute to David for delivering According to tradition, in all these his nation from Hadadezer. The bronze preparatory undertakings, a space of taken from the conquest was used in the about three years was occupied. Now building of Solomon’s Temple, particu- the process of the erection of the great larly in casting the sea of bronze, which building began, under the direction of sat on the back of twelve bulls, which skilled Tyrian builders and workmen, in represented the sea of nations born by the fourth year of Solomon’s reign. The the twelve tribes of Israel.16 building followed the Phoenician model, The Bible states that, in the beginning which makes the Bible’s description an of his reign, King Solomon set about imple- important source for historians regardmenting his father’s plans and prepared ing the lay-out of Phoenician temples, additional materials for the building. and vice versa. From subterranean quarries at JeruAccording to biblical tradition, many salem, he obtained huge blocks of stone thousands of laborers and skilled artisans for the foundations and walls of the were employed in the work. Stones of temple. These stones were prepared for huge dimension, prepared in the quarries their places in the building under the underneath the city (1 Kings 5:17, 18) were eye of Tyrian master-builders. According gradually placed on the massive walls and to this account, Solomon also entered closely fitted together without any mortar into a compact with Hiram I, king of between, until the whole structure was Tyre, for the supply of whatever else was completed. The building was sixty cubits needed for the work, particularly tim- (twenty-seven meters) long, twenty cubits ber from the forests of Lebanon, which (nine meters) wide, and twenty-five (in the was brought in great rafts by the sea to Greek text) or thirty (in the Hebrew) cubits Joppa and then was dragged to Jerusa- (fourteen meters) high. lem (1 Kings 5). This arrangement was in At length, in the autumn of the knight templar
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eleventh year of his reign, seven and a half years after it had been begun, the temple was completed. For thirteen years it stood on the summit of Moriah, silent and unused. The reasons for this strange delay in its consecration are unknown. At the close of these thirteen years, preparations for the dedication of the temple were made. Thus the temple was dedicated at the autumnal new year festival or in the month of Tishai. According to biblical tradition, the Ark of the Covenant was solemnly brought from the tent in which David had deposited it to the place prepared for it in the temple. Then Solomon ascended a platform which had been erected for him, in the sight of all the people and lifting up his hands to heaven, poured out his heart to God in prayer (1 Kings 8; 2 Chr. 6, 7). The feast of dedication, which lasted seven days, followed by the feast of tabernacles, marked a new era in the history of Israel. On the eighth day of the feast of tabernacles, Solomon dismissed the vast assemblage of the people. King David’s greatest dream had become his son’s greatest accomplishment. King David had consolidated the kingdoms, vanquished any immediate threats to it from without and within, made alliances to protect it, and amassed materials for the construction of The Holy Temple. These accomplishments made it possible for King Solomon to devote his energies to the construction of The Holy Temple. King David’s planned legacy had indeed become King Solomon’s heritage and legacy. Similarities Solomon appears in the Qur’an and 14
is called Sulayman. The Qur’an refers to Solomon as the son of David, as a prophet, and as a great ruler, imparted by God with tremendous wisdom, favor, and mystical powers. Solomon was said to have under his rule, not only people but also hosts of invisible beings (i.e., Jinn), and like his father, David, Solomon is said to have understood the language of the animals and seen some of the hidden glory in the world that was not accessible to common human beings. Surah 27:15 “And, indeed, We (Deity) granted [true] knowledge unto David and Solomon [as well]; and both were wont to say: ‘All praise is due to God, who has [thus] favored us above many of His believing servants!’ [In this insight] Solomon was [truly] David’s heir; and he would say: ‘O you people! We have been taught the speech of the birds, and have been given [in abundance] of all [good] things: this, behold, is indeed a manifest favor [from God]!’” Surah 34:12 “And unto Solomon [We made subservient] the wind, its morning course [covered the distance of] a month’s journey and its evening course, a month¹s journey, and We caused a mountain of molten copper to flow at his behest; and [even] among the invisible beings there were some that had [been constrained] to labor for him by his Sustainer¹s leave and whichever of them deviated from our command, him would we let taste suffering through a blazing flame. They made for him whatever he wished of sanctuaries, and statues, and basins as [large as] great watering-troughs, and cauldrons firmly anchored.” David and Solomon shared a close one-on-one relationship with God. Both were, upon repentance, always forgiven for their sins and transgresoctober 2021
sions. Both were poets, authors, cunning diplomats, and talented musicians. David authored the book of Psalms and Solomon the Song of Songs and the book of Ecclesiastes.
Sir Knight Jeffrey McClelland is past grand commander of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Virginia and can be contacted at Jeff.of.Jamaica@outlook.com.
Notes 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.
Talmud Tractate Bava Batra 91a BibleGateway.com: Search for a Bible passage in over thirty-five languages and fifty versions Peter J. Leithart, A Son to Me: An Exposition of 1 & 2 Samuel, p.100, Canon Press (July 1, 2003), 307 pages, ISBN 978-1885767998 2 Samuel 5 2 Samuel 9 Peter J. Leithart, A Son to Me, p 208-09, Canon Press, (2003). See David and Jonathan. There is debate among some scholars on whether this relationship might have been platonic, romantic or sexual. Boswell, John. Same-sex Unions in Premodern Europe. New York: Vintage, 1994; Martti Nissinen, Homoeroticism in the Biblical World, Minneapolis, 1998; When Heroes Love: The Ambiguity of Eros in the Stories of Gilgamesh and David (New York & Chichester, Columbia University Press, 2005); Homosexuality and Liminality in the Gilgamesh and Samuel (Amsterdam, Hakkert, 2007); Gagnon, The Bible and Homosexual Practice. Texts and Hermeneutics (Nashville, Abingdon Press, 2001); Markus Zehnder, “Observations on the Relationship Between David and Jonathan and the Debate on Homosexuality”, Westminster Theological Journal 69 (2007) Nevertheless, the biblical narrative depicts their relationship favorably. 2 Samuel 3:13-16 I Kings Peter J. Leithart, A House for My Name, 164, Canon Press, 2000. ISBN 978-1885767-169-1 1 Samuel 16:17-23 2 Chronicles 23:18 Nehemiah 12:24, 36, 45-46 Introduction to Psalms (pp. 1280, 1281), The Jewish Study Bible, Tanakh Translation. Berlin, Adele; Brettler, Marc Zvi; Fishbane, Michael, eds. Jewish Publication Society, New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195297512 “David” and “Psalms, Book of,” New Bible Dictionary, second edition, 1982. Douglas, J.D. (organizing editor), Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale Press. ISBN 0842346678 2 Samuel 8:7 Peter J. Leithart, A Son to Me, p. 207, Canon Press, (2003)
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References •
Kirsch, Jonathan (2000) King David: the real life of the man who ruled Israel. Ballantine. ISBN 0-345-43275-4.
•
See also the entry “David” in Easton’s Bible Dictionary.
•
Dever, William G. (2001) What did the Bible writers know and when did they know it? William B. Eerdmans Publ. Co., Cambridge UK.
•
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com
•
BibleGateway.com: Search for a Bible passage in over 35 languages and 50 versions
•
Picking Abraham and Choosing David, Christopher Heard, Associate Professor of Religion at Pepperdine University. See also Israeli journalist Daniel Gavron’s King David and Jerusalem - Myth and Reality for a useful overview
• The Holy Bible, versions: the Vulgate (Latin; King James (Authorised) (1611), American Standard (1901), Revised Standard (American Protestant, 1952), the Douay-Rheims Bible (1609/1752), the New American Bible (1970), the New Jerusalem Bible (1985), the Christian Community Bible (1986), the Martin Luther (German, 1534), New International Version (American, 1978), New American Standard Bible (American, 1971), New English Bible (British Protestant, 1970), New King James (American, 1982), New Revised Standard (American, 1989), English Standard (American Protestant, 2001), Jewish Publication Society of America Version (1917), Judaica Press tanach (1963), Living Torah (1981), Artscroll or Stone Edition tanach (1996). •
Wikipedia.com
•
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=82&letter=D#ixzz0Xi91Bkyq
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Departure of a Crusader Had Emotion, Although a “Limited Display of Affection” by James A. Marples
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ost ordinary people in the 21st Century regard Crusaders as many men who clamored for the attention of the wives and children they left behind. In truth, the earliest Crusaders were celibate warrior monks without wives or children. However, they left behind, mothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, and young cousins. Furthermore, The Templar Rule (rule of conduct) was largely based on the Cistercian Rule among monks within the Catholic Church when originally sanctioned by the pope. The Templar Rule was very strict. The ancient Knights were required to live austere lives. They could have meat only three times per week with the exception of special holidays, since eating meat was then associated with corruption of the body. Fur and fancy clothes were forbidden. Pointy-toed shoes were forbidden, because they were associated with pagans. At the top of the prioritylist was chastity. A Knight Templar was sworn to never kiss or press his lips to the lips or skin of any female, not even his own sister or his mother. That prohibition also extended to not kissing widows. That wasn’t intended to be cruel or indifferent. It was to remind the Knight that his service was to live up to his vows of celibacy and to focus his warrior spirit toward preserving the Christian way of life without worldly distraction. The
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Templars were literally on a mission, and self-discipline was a key component toward victory against a sometimes overwhelming enemy force. Thus, displays of emotion were not just unseemly but thought to sway a Knight’s pinpoint focus on protecting pilgrims and defeating enemies with overwhelming force. The Templar Rule was intended to mandate that the Knights were not to concern themselves with the faces of virgins, female friends, or relatives so as to steer clear of female temptation. As a side product, since the Knights had many difficult days of fighting Saracens, it was also to instill that while combat in the name of preserving Christianity was acceptable, it was forbidden to pillage, plunder, or rape any female, even if a foe. It is almost unbelievable to think that The Templar Rule was expanded from the original seventy-two rules, drawnup at the Council of Troyes to over 700 rules or codes covering almost every imaginable mode of acceptable conduct. All monies from tithes and properties, all gold or possessions of any sort belonged to the order as a whole. Everything was held communally without any wealth held in the hands of an individual. If a Templar was given a gift as reward for some service, he had to turn it over to the grand master. If some small gift of remembrance was given to a Knight by 17
his family, he had to have the grand master’s permission to keep it. He couldn’t even trade something to another Knight without getting permission beforehand. If a Knight was given money to spend to buy something for the community, he had to account for every penny spent and not have any money on his person when he died, or he was refused burial in consecrated-ground. To say that the rules were strictly observed would be an understatement. Thus, this rigid regimen helped propel the Knights Templar to the power and prestige they held for several centuries. Initially, there were four ranks of the order; the Knights who were equipped like the heavy cavalry of the Middle Ages, the sergeants who formed as the light cavalry, and two ranks of non-fighting 18
men; the farmers who were entrusted with the administration of temporals, and the chaplains who alone were invested with sacerdotal orders to minister to the spiritual needs of the members. Anyone who is even remotely familiar with Templar history knows that the Knights remained steadfast until death. Even when Jacques deMolay was burned at the stake, he exhibited almost no emotion until the very end. When beatings wouldn’t initially elicit a false confession of alleged sins, the beatings got worse until he said practically anything his oppressors wanted, feeling it would spare his life. He was wrong. It was the French King Philip IV, the so-called Philip the Fair, who was the main instigator of DeMolay being burnt at the stake. If a person reads history october 2021
recently released within the last dozen ing of modern military forces including years from The Vatican, it is now ac- the Special Forces of the United States, knowledged that the then Pope Clement such as Navy SEALs and members of the V merely went along with King Philip’s Green Berets. It takes ultra-discipline to ideas. Furthermore, his successor, Pope be part of an elite fighting force. John XII, was a much more fair-minded This evolution of history is why the man and actually absolved DeMolay of Masonic Order of Malta and the Masonany supposed offenses. Pope John XII ic Order of the Temple are effectively was related to the counts of Tusculum, merged to reflect that vital part of hisand he was also a member of the power- tory. Modern Knights are free to show ful Roman family of Theophlact. He was emotion. However, remembering our stern and condemned for worldly ways. solemn vows, promises, pledges, and He nevertheless began the transition of obligations is still a good thing to do with bestowing many of the possessions of a serious and committed heart, mind, the disbanded Knights Templar to their and attitude. parallel chivalric Order of the Knights of St. John, also known as the Knights of Malta, whose aim was also to protect Sir Knight James Marples is a life pilgrims traveling to and from The Holy member of Mt. Olivet Commandery Land and also to care for the poor, sick, 12 in Wichita, Kansas, and currently and infirm. The Templars may have been resides in Texas. He can be contacted somewhat emotional, but theirs was not at rosehillks@yahoo.com or 1300 a lot different from the regimental train- Greenbriar Drive, Longview, TX 75604. Sources and Recommended Readings - “The Templar Rule” --- As adapted for publication by History (dot) com. - “Knights Templar” by New Advent, The Catholic Encyclopedia. - Mackey’s Encyclopedia of Freemasonry and Its Kindred Sciences by Bro. and Dr Albert G. Mackey, M.D., 33º and a Knight Templar. Keywords: Knight Templar history. - “Living in a Templar World” Biographies and Memoirs. 2019 edition. - History of the Templar and other Chivalric Orders by Hans von Ritter. 1903 Edition.
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Walter Ronald McKenzie, Sr. Kansas Grand Commander 2012 Born: August 12, 1938 Died July 18, 2021
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Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. 54th Voluntary Campaign News Release
Greetings Sir Knights of the Grand Encampment May Christ’s grace, mercy and peace be with you all.
It is indeed an honor to address each of you today as chairman for the 54th annual Knights Templar Eye Foundation Voluntary Campaign. Before we kick off this 54th Campaign, we owe Sir Knight R. Thomas Starr, KCT a big thank you for his work on a successful 53rd Annual Campaign. Sir Knight Starr worked diligently through one of the toughest times in United States history, and the results show that. Remember that he did not do it alone; it was done with your support. As we emerge from the COVID pandemic and begin to put normality back into our lives, let us not forget the Knights Templar Eye Foundation. For over fifty years, the Sir Knights of the Grand Encampment have supported this noble cause through their generous donations. The Knights Templar Eye Foundation was incorporated in 1956 and is a charity sponsored by the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar. At the end of 2010, the Foundation shifted its focus and adopted a new mission statement, “To improve vision through research, education, and supporting access to care.” Those who have attended the department conferences have been treated to presentations showing the many latest accomplishments made possible through the grants provided from the Foundation. If you have not been able to in the past, please make it a priority to take in one of those presentations at a department conference this year, you will not regret going. During the year, I will bring updates about the Campaign to you through articles in the Knight Templar magazine. Look for them. The gift of sight is so precious; marching together, we can make a difference, helping not only the world to see but also very possibly one of our own. Onward Christian Solders In His Service,
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Lon W. Kvasager, KCT R.E.P.D.C – North Central Department chairman, 54th Annual Voluntary Campaign
october 2021
LIMITED TIME OFFER
For a donation of $100 or more. Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery
Dear Sir Knights, In support of the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. and its mission “to improve vision through research, education, and supporting access to care” a collectible YETI Tumbler specially made for and with the Foundations etched logo on the front is now available to all Sir Knights. The YETI Rambler 20oz Tumbler will keep your drinks as cold (or hot) as you would like. With stainless steel construction, double-wall vacuum insulation, and no sweat design, they’re perfect for an on-the-move person. Plus they’re dishwasher safe. The special Tumbler is available for a limited time for a donation of $100 or more to the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. but please note this is a Tumbler promotion and is entirely separate from any other programs the Foundation offers.
Minimum amount of $100.00
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Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. Sword of Merit Presentation
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Sword of Merit was presented to Sir Knight James Bussey, member of Palm Beach Commandery 18 at the 4th Annual Charity Ball of the Grand Commandery of Alabama in Montgomery, Alabama, on July 17th. This sword was in recognition of Sir Knight Bussey donating a total of $25,000 over the past two years to receive twenty-five Grand Master Clubs. The Knights Templar Eye Foundation automatically recognizes this great accomplishment by awarding a Sword of Merit. Presentation was made by Sir Knight James C. McGee, right eminent southeast department commander and grand recorder of Alabama. Assisting in the presentation was Sir Knight Winston Each, right eminent grand commander of Alabama, and Sir Knight Tommy Bassett, Alabama chairman of the Knights Templar Eye Foundation.
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The Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. Presentation of Two Golden Chalices
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Milford Commandery 11 from the Grand Commandery of Mass/RI Continues Annual Support
une 22, 2021 – Members of Milford Commandery 11 located in Milford, Massachusetts, concluded the Templar year with the presentation of two Golden Chalices to Sir Knights Richard G. Bernheart and Michael E. Hampton, each a right eminent past grand commander, in a ceremony open to family and guests. Milford Commandery 11 procures Golden Chalices through the Knights Templar Eye Foundation in the name of its members who served as grand commanders. Sir Knight Bernheart was made an honorary grand commander of Knights Templar of Massachusetts and Rhode Island in 2018. Sir Knight Hampton affiliated with Milford Commandery 11 in 2015 after serving as grand commander of Knights Templar of Oklahoma, since which time he has been an invaluable member of Milford Commandery 11 and its uniform store. These two Golden Chalices were in addition to five memberships to the Grand Master’s Club procured by the Milford Commandery Uniform Store on behalf of five members of Milford Commandery 11. The volunteers staffing the Milford Commandery Uniform Store assemble and ship summer uniforms and related clothing throughout the United States and abroad. Available profits are donated to the Knights Templar Eye Foundation annually. Since 2016, the Milford Commandery Uniform Store has donated approximately $60,000 to the Knights Templar Eye Foundation from these efforts and over $160,000 since its inception. (From left to right) Sir Knight Richard Bernheart, past grand commander of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Massachusetts and Rhode Island; Sir Knight William Eltzroth, past grand commander of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Massachusetts and Rhode Island; Sir Knight Jon Edward Hollister, past commander of Milford Commandery 11, and Sir Knight Michael Hampton, past grand commander of the Grand Commandery of Oklahoma.
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Leadership Notes Leadership and Group Dynamics
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he term “group dynamics” was coined in the early 1940s by Kurt Lewin, a social psychologist. It refers to the roles and behaviors that people take on when they work in a group. As leaders, it is our role to realize how the group is operating and to make sure that we have the correct people working together. When we have positive group activity, projects get done effectively. The group begins to build on itself, and each participant enhances the other team members. When the group is not working well together, it is up to us, as leaders, to analyze the group dynamics and fix the problem. There can be several reasons that teams go awry. If you find that one person is overly critical of another’s ideas, it will cause other group members to be less willing to share their thoughts. This will disrupt the workings of the team, and projects will become stagnant and unaccomplished. So, what traits can lead to poor group dynamics? 1.
Weak leadership If the appointed leader is not properly equipped to lead, the result may be a lack of direction in the group with the team not focusing on the right priorities. This can also lead to infighting between team members.
2.
Disruptions from team members We have all seen this too many times, where no matter what idea is brought up, there is someone on the team that will disagree with everything or be extremely critical of others in the group, so that no consensus is ever achieved.
3.
Apprehension If team members feel that they are being judged harshly by others in the group, the result will be a lack of communications within the team. They hold back and will not share their opinions.
So how do we combat these issues? As leaders, it is our job to “know our team,” their plusses and minuses. We need to guide them and help develop them without micromanaging them. We need to tackle problems as soon as we see them. We need to act quickly to curb a behavior we are seeing that is negatively impacting the team and, at the same time, provide feedback to the person impacting the team. The use of team-building exercises will also help to develop the team and give everyone a chance to get to know one another. Share the lessons that you have learned. This will show that you care about the team and want them to be successful. Also help the team understand the roles and responsibilities of each team mem24
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ber. Help them work to their strengths, so that each member will be successful and want to share his thoughts and ideas. Finally, focus on the communications. Open communication is central to a good team dynamic. Be as clear as possible with the message. Paint the picture and get the group’s buy in. Once everyone is on the same page, the group can move forward. Communicate any changes to the project or status so that the team can move in the right direction. This is part of the York Rite Leadership 201 curriculum. In the course, we also investigate effective ways to get our organizations active. We look at what our members value and why they join. Many new members have predisposed ideas of what they believe Masonry is and what it has to offer. It is our job as leaders to learn what their values are and what their idea of the fraternity is. By fulfilling their values and beliefs we can make them active members who will participate in our labors. If we do not fulfill their values, they will just become dues paying members and will not participate in our activities. An example of this would be esoteric masonry. If that is what a new brother is expecting, then we as leaders have to offer those types of lessons to keep them engaged. As leaders we must have varying programs that appeal to the values of all our members to keep them all engaged and active. If you want to learn more about leadership principles, join the York Rite Leadership Training Program. Visit the website at YorkRiteLeadership.org for more information and to register for the program. Sir Knight Charles D. O’Neill York Rite Leadership Faculty
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Thoughts on Psalm 133 By Sir Knight John Simmons
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ennessee Freemasonry uses Psalm 133 as one of the opening charges. Some states use it as the circumambulation scripture for the Entered Apprentice degree. We hear it so often that we may not think about its imagery and meaning. King James Version
English Standard Version
A Song of Degrees of David.
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head,that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.
This psalm is based on a practical idea: a family living together in unity. Such unity was important in a culture where extended families lived and worked together, and strife in the family was a serious threat. It was so important that Abram was willing to separate from his nephew Lot, giving him the choice of the best land, to keep peace in the family (Genesis 13:8-9). Jesus gave a stern warning about family strife, saying that we are not even to speak badly about our brothers (Matthew 5:21-26). Brotherly love is one of the virtues that Peter commanded the early Christians to add to their faith (2 Peter 1:7). This psalm is called a song of “ascents.” This means that it was sung by pilgrims
as they went up to Jerusalem to worship. This would certainly include the three great pilgrim feasts of Passover, the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), and the Feast of Booths (Deuteronomy 16:16). The psalmist extends the idea of family unity to the unity of the worshiping community, the family formed by God. Again, peace and harmony among the worshipers was a practical necessity. Certainly the worship that the pilgrims were going up to offer would be enhanced by unity and marred by disunity and strife. As Masons, we apply the psalm to our own unity as Masonic brothers, both within the Lodge and without. The psalmist uses two different but related images to illustrate the blessing
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of unity, one ritual and one natural: the anointing oil and the dew of Hermon. God commanded Moses to prepare a special anointing oil, mixed with spices, and to use it to anoint Aaron and his sons, as well as the tabernacle and the holy vessels (Exodus 30:22-33). It was to be used for no other purpose. It must have smelled wonderful. The oil was poured on the head of the high priest and was sprinkled on all the priests along with the sacrificial blood (Leviticus 8:12, 30). In secular use, the oil was a sign of welcome to a traveler. A host would pour oil on the head of a visitor to honor him and refresh him after his trip (Luke 7:46). This again would be a sign of unity and brotherly love. The psalmist’s comparison of brotherly unity with the anointing of the high priest suggests that there is a sacred aspect to our unity as brothers. Masonry is about fellowship and brotherly love but is about more. Brotherly love is related to holiness, even to our relationship to God. Saint John the Evangelist wrote: If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. (1 John 4:20) The psalmist uses another metaphor: the dew of Hermon. Mount Hermon was in the far north of Israel, and its dew was heavy. In a land where rain came only a few times in the year, dew was an important, welcome, and refreshing source of moisture. Brotherly love and unity is as refreshing as the dew. Even though Mount Hermon was far from Jerusalem, the psalmist regarded its dew as falling knight templar
there symbolically to refresh the worshipers who had come there from afar and who worshiped in unity. The two metaphors both speak of God’s abundant blessing. It is interesting that this song of “ascents” mentions “descents” three times. The oil flowed down from Aaron’s head to his beard. It was so abundant that it even ran down onto his collar. The Hebrew says it ran down onto the “mouth” of his garments, suggesting the collar. The dew of Hermon was so abundant that it could be regarded as extending even to Zion. Perhaps this suggests that the worshipers had come from afar, bringing their unity with them. The idea seems to be that as we ascend to worship God, he sends down his abundant blessings on us. There is even a surprising culmination to this poem on brotherly unity. In Zion, God commands the ultimate blessing. We are amazed that what started as an encouragement to brotherly love and unity ends up speaking of eternal life. Perhaps Zion here can represent any place of brotherly unity. The mention of everlasting life shows that Masonry is a pointer to something beyond itself, something beyond mere fellowship. It can be a training ground for the brotherly love that is part of a right relationship with God, a relationship that leads to eternal life. Sir Knight John Simmons is past commander of Park Avenue Commandery 31 in Memphis, Tennessee and of Bloomington Commandery 63 in Bloomington, Indiana. He currently resides in Tennessee and can be contacted at drjwsimmons@yahoo.com. 27
Homecoming
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october 2021
(Mrs. Charles M.) Susan Thames Supreme Worthy President Social Order of the Beauceant 2021 – 2022
(Mrs. Charles M.) Susan Thames was installed as
supreme worthy president at the Centennial Session of the Supreme Assembly in Kingsport, Tennessee, on October 1, 2021. She has the honor to visit each chartered Assembly during her tenure and will preside at the 102nd Annual Supreme Assembly in Atlanta, Georgia on September 26-30, 2022. Mrs. Thames (pronounced Thāmz) resides in the small town of Rogersville, Tennessee. She is an eighteen-year member of Kingsport Assembly, 244, Social Order of the Beauceant in Kingsport, Tennessee, where she advanced through the line before serving as president in 2007 and again in 2017. While her father, Reverend Billy C. Carroll, was a Master Mason and mother, Marie B. Carroll, an active member in the Order of the Eastern Star, Mrs. Thames did not have an interest in the Masonic organizations until she married her Sir Knight, Charles M. Thames, in 2001. Since then, she has traveled extensively with him as he has served in many capacities, but some of their favorite times were during his service as right eminent grand commander of Knights Templar of the Grand Commandery of Tennessee in 2013. Aside from serving Supreme Assembly as supreme outer guard in 2011 and supreme marshal in 2016, Mrs. Thames has served The Grand Chapter of Tennessee Order of the Eastern Star as grand representative to Puerto Rico (2012-14) and grand organist (2019-2021). She was elected as supreme worthy preceptress in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in September of 2017 and has progressed through the Supreme line accordingly. Mrs. Thames was born in the tiny town of Bean Station, Tennessee, and acquired her Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education and ten years later a Master’s Degree in curriculum and instruction—both from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her blood proudly flows Volunteer Orange! She was a teacher in grades K-5 for thirty-three years at Rogersville City School. However, her greatest achievement, other than accepting Jesus as her Savior, has been that of “Mom” to her daughter, Emily Sauceman. She and Chuck share three daughters, two sons-in-law, a granddaughter, and foster grandchildren. Mrs. Thames begins as president in a new century of faith, loyalty, and love and is looking forward to celebrating her “Sisters in all Seasons” across the country, while encouraging continued support for the Knights Templar Eye Foundation. knight templar
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Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. How to join the Grand Commander’s or the Grand Master’s Clubs
Any individual may send a check in the amount of $100 or more specified for the purpose of beginning a Grand Commander’s Club membership and made payable to the Knights Templar Eye Foundation. This initial contribution will begin your Grand Commander’s Club membership. In addition, members of the Grand Commander’s Club pledge to make annual contributions of $100 or more. Once contributions total $1,000, the individual is enrolled in the Grand Master’s Club. Membership is open to individuals only, and Commandery Credit is given for participation.
Qualified Charitable Distributions Can Yield Big Tax Savings
Congress has now made the qualified charitable distribution (QCD) option permanent for those who wish to make direct contributions from their IRA to charity. The tax law allows individuals required to make minimum distributions due to age to transfer up to $100,000 a year from their IRA to a qualified charity. This distribution counts toward their required minimum distribution but isn’t added to their adjusted gross income the way a normal IRA distribution is. This can provide a tax savings of up to 40% depending upon an individual’s tax situation. Please discuss with your tax professional whether this option could benefit you in your charitable and retirement planning.
Planned Giving – Create a Charitable Legacy
Your Foundation now has a full web site dedicated to Planned Giving which you can access from our web site, shown at the bottom of this page. So if you’re thinking of ways to make a lasting legacy for yourself please check out the tab on the home page that says “Planned Giving”. Leaving your mark on the future is so simple with a gift in your will. To leave a gift in your Will or Trust it is as easy as asking your attorney to include a sentence that says: I bequeath (lump sum) or ( % ) of my estate to: Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. (address shown below) Knights Templar Eye Foundation Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. 3201 Cross Timbers Road 1033 Long Prairie Road, Suite 5 Bldg. 4, Suite 300 Flower Mound, TX 75022 Flower Mound, TX 75028
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Telephone: 214-888-0220 Fax: 214-888-0230 Email: manager@ktef.us
www.ktef.org www.knightstemplar.org/ktef/
may 2021 2020 may october
We publish articles from a variety of sources and points of view. The opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policy of the Grand Encampment, the Knight Templar magazine, or the Editorial Review Board.
Milford CoMMandery no.11 Complete
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knight templar
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The mission of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar, U.S.A. is to provide every Christian Freemason the opportunity to extend his Masonic journey through the chivalric experience. NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Knightstown, IN Permit No. 8
Templary continues to be the most prestigious Masonic organization. We are a group of men proud to wear the uniform of the cross who share a common faith, mind, and spirit. Through the practice of Christian virtues, we testify to the world that we are leaders in our community and fraternity. This demonstrates our commitment to uphold a standard of excellence within Freemasonry.
Knight Templar 5909 West Loop South, Suite 495 Bellaire, TX 77401-2402
