The Origin of Freemasonry and Knights Templar ... - Lodge Prudentia

FREEMASONRY AND KNIGHTS TEMPLAR4. Those who claim an independent origin, andrepudiate alike the authority of Larmenius, of Aumontand of Beaujeu. ^Of the last class, or the Templars who recognizedthe authority of neither of the leaders who have beenmentioned, there were two subdivisions, the Scotchand the English ;for it isonly in Scotland and Englandthat this independent Templarism found a foothold.The English Masonic Templars are most probablyderived from that body called the "BaldwynEncampment" of Bristol, or from some one of theco-ordinate Encampments of London, Bath, Yorkand Salisbury, which it is claimed were formed by1the members of the Preceptory, which had long existedat Bristol, and who, on the dissolution of theirOrder, are supposed to have united with the Masonicfraternity. The Baldwyn Encampment claimsto have existed from "time immemorial"an indefiniteperiod but we can trace it back far enoughto give it a priority over all other English Encampments.2From this division of the Templars, repudiatingall connections with Larmenius, with Aumont,or any other of the self-constituted leaders,but tracing its origin to the independent action ofKnights who fled for security and for perpetuityinto the body of Masonry, are we, I think, says Dr.Mackey, justly entitled to derive the Templars ofthe United States. Just at what time Commanderieswere organized in this country, there is noSee Commandery, page in. third and fourth paragraphs.12See Baldwyn Encampment, in Supplement.