Much mystery surrounds the Knights Templars. After the first crusade in 1099, in which Jerusalem was captured, many Christian pilgrims began traveling to the “Holy Place” as they had referred to Jerusalem.Situated in the Holy Land was the Temple Mount, which was believed to have been built directly above King Solomon’s Temple. Jerusalem was under strict control and thus relatively safe, however much of the land adjourning it was not. Bandits abounded and many times pilgrims were routinely captured, robbed and slaughtered as they journeyed from Jaffa to the Holy Land.
About 1119, two veterans of the First Crusade, Hugues de Payens and a relative, Godfrey de Saint-Omer formed a monastic order for the protection of these loyal travelers.
The crusaders thus took the name “Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon”, or Templar Knights. Being true to their name, the nine knights had very few financial resources, thus they relied on donations to survive. Emphasizing their poverty, their emblem became that of two knights riding on a single horse.
Suddenly, after their first sojourn to the Temple Mount and returning to Europe, the Templars suddenly began gaining wealth and prestige. Within a very short time the Knights Templars had become the wealthiest group in Europe, if not the world. Legend has it they found something in the basement of King Solomon’s Temple, some secret or treasure whereby they gained knowledge that allowed them to acquire this tremendous fortune.
They soon became wealthier than most governments and attracted the envy and wrath of the French pope, who had been henceforth their ally and supporter. The church, having fallen on hard times, needed money. The pope therefore began to scheme a way in which to acquire the fortunes of the knights.
Soon false moral and ethical charges were levied against the Templars, thereby most were rounded up and executed on Friday 13th,1307. Hence Friday 13th has been designated as a day of bad luck ever since.
Some were able to escape to Scotland and points beyond. Legend has it, some may have even found their way to North America and settled in what is now up state New York,and possibly some traveling as far west as Minnesota.
This is entirely possible, as they had knowledge of the world not accessible by the common man and would have been able to make the trek across the Atlantic Ocean. Suppose the most knowledgeable settled in upstate New York and buried their “treasure” somewhere in the forests.
Moving ahead 500 years, there enters a spiritual young man seeking enlightenment. Following directions from his God, this young man, after much prayer and meditation, was found worthy, and thence uncovers some gold plates near Palmyra in the forests of New York. Following directions from God and Jesus, Joseph Smith goes on to found the Mormon Church, joins the Masonic Lodge and becomes one of the great spiritual leaders of modern time.
The gold plates contained the Book of Mormon, which according to Joseph Smith was written in “Reformed Egyptian”. Along with the Book of Mormon were two stones which enabled Smith to decipher the plates.The locals believed the treasure had been buried by Indians whom they thought were one of the lost tribes of Israel.
Perhaps the Knights Templars did actually find this treasure in Temple Mount,used the knowledge to gain their fame and wealth, and in the ensuing years made their way to upper New York and thus buried the plates to only to be discovered in some future generation by one who would be able to carry on the work. The Templars would have actually migrated from Jerusalem, so there could be some credence to the legend.
Many believe the United States is the “City on a Hill”, the “New Jerusalem” That “Bourne” from whence no traveler returns. In the same general area a Jewish Rabbi once attempted to establish a Jewish State in upstate New York, near Niagara Falls.
Who knows, maybe it all ties in together. There are no coincidences in life.
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by Gary Wonning
