Sworn to Secrecy: From Templar Knightd to Freemason

Sworn in Secret: Freemasonry and the Knights Templars by Sanford Holst
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Freemasons, where did they originate? Was it the guilds of stonecutter and worker In medieval Europe who became or evolved into the Freemasons? Or did their practices come from the Templar Knights after they were forcefully disbanded in 1308.? Author Sanford Holst contends that the organization of Freemasons comes from the Templars. Holst has written previous works on the Phoenicians. He includes some of tier history as well as he he seems think there is a link.

Starting off with a battle during Aamerica's war for Independence, George Washington helps an injured brother in need. This was one of the big concepts for both Templars and Freemasons. The Knights Templar were big on this concept as well as secrecy. Starting out during the Crusades with a mission to protect Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land. Hugh De Payens and 8 other Knights set out to the temple of Solomon with the popes permission . Later their ranks word grow as more junior noblemen sought to join this order as opposed to joining a religious order of monks. Most noted for being horse mounted warrior standing against Saracen Infidels, there were also other functions in the organization. The Warriors wore white tunics with a Red Cross . Yet they also had a band of clerics who were well educated, could read , write and balance the books. They wore green with a Red Cross. These are the guys that manage Templar owned estates, managed the money and just about kept the whole thing running.

A perfect fit for the clerical position were the Lebanese Christians who were proficient in languages, master negotiators, and knew how to keep a secret. They learned this from their Phoenician forebears. So it is they were absorbed into the Templar organization. When the Templars were forced to disband thanks to King Philip of France , the Catholic inquisition only caught a small fraction of the Templars. King philip wanted their money, but he did not get a lot of it. The money and the Templars vanished into a secret Underground Railroad .

At first it was thoughts that the surviving Templars morphed into the Masonic Stonecutter guilds and then to Freemason. Holst examines history, looks at group characteristic and explains the various connections between the groups as well as historical trends. He builds a strong case that the Freemason is an organization descended from the Knights Templar .

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