TrialIII:  KNIGHTLY WARFARE to test constancy & courage

Before going into battle, Templars always received the sacrament of breadand wine. In a moment you will partake. Melchizedek gave it to Abraham,father of the three desert religions.  Yeshua the Anointed gave it tohis people so they would have something to remember him by.  His doomwas upon him, he knew not yet that it would end in victory.  You don’tknow that either, victory or death faces you.  

Take the eucharist sacrament of bread and wine (or grapejuice).  Closeyour eyes and say the Our Father and Our Lady prayers.

Now form up with your brothers and go forth.  March.  Forward. To the battlefield. Encourage the young members of your troop who mightfeel fear. March on. On-ward. Anticipate.  You know what lies ahead. The blood, blows, pain, sweat – the smell of battle.  See ourcelebrated standard, the Beauceant, going onward before you as you march. It bears our motto: ‘Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo,da gloriam.”  March.  On-ward.  See the words, let them burninto your mind.  

Recite the Templar Hymn below outloud, perhaps playing this YouTube video at the same time.

Non NobisDomine (Templar Hymn)
     by Rudyard Kipling, 1934

Non nobis domine
Not unto us, O Lord!
The Praise or Glory be
Of any deed or word;

For in Thy judgement lies
To crown or bring to nought
All knowledge or device
That Man has reached or wrought.

And we confess our blame –
How all too high we hold
That noise which men call fame
That dross which men call gold.

For these we undergo
Our hot and godless days,
But in our hearts we know
Not unto us the Praise.

O Power by whom we live –
Creator, Judge and Friend,
Upholdingly forgive
Not fail us at the end:

But grant us well to see
In all our piteous ways –
Non nobis domine! –
Not to us the Praise

March on-ward.  Into battle.  Recite the battle prayers of ourOrder as you march on. Hear the words ringing in your mind to the march rhythmof your body, whether on horse or on foot. Recite.  Pray.  Sing. Sing the battle hymns to encourage the fearful, to inspire the veterans. Sing the hymn that we Templars made famous, Onward ChristianSoldiers.

The Templars would’ve sung it in French or Latin.  One night in theearly 1800’s, a nineteenth century schoolmaster used an old crusader hymnas a basis to write the modern English version we all know.  Pleasesing it now (Old audio version with historical notation) or sing with the choir while viewing some Templar art with this YouTube video.

There is another famous Christian soldiers hymn.  It is called the CrusadersHymn – otherwise known asFairest LordJesus. (old audio version, plus historical mention) or sing with this YouTube video. The words were supposedly written by Jesuit priests. Legends saysit was sung by German crusaders on the long way to the Holy Land whereuponthe Templars heard of it and took up singing it as they marched toward thebattlefield.

Other battle hymns, in case you want more:  On To Victory,Where the Crossis Leading and this beautiful, haunting song in a YouTube video with more Templar art.

And now listen to this hymn and read the words.  This hymn is ancient,pre-dating the Templars by 300 years! Old audio version of Be Thou MyVision. They may very well have known it, if someone translated the ancientIrish for them, that is. The words are most appropriate.  Ireland waskeeper of the Wisdom after the fall of Rome, intellectuals, sages and mysticsall went to Ireland to escape violent Europe.  Charlemagne sent toIreland for tutors to come educate his sons.  This hymn was writtenin Ireland during that era.

Move on to the next Trial.