In the Compasses and the Cross, Stephen Dafoe, the author of Nobly Born: An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar, traces the origins and evolution of the Masonic Knights Templar from their beginnings in the middle of the eighteenth century to its present form. Through the course of the book, Dafoe draws on his knowledge of the history of the original Order as well as that of the modern Masonic variant. Individual chapters will examine the various myths connecting the Templars and Freemasonry put forth by eighteenth and nineteenth century Freemasons including James Anderson, Andrew Michael Ramsay and Baron von Hund, as well as Scottish Freemasons such as William Alexander Lawrie and the Chevalier James Burnes. In addition to separating historical fact from masonic tradition, Dafoe also chronicles the differences in Masonic Templarism as it exists in Britain and the Dominion with that of the United States. An excellent and thought provoking addition to the existing information on the Knights Templar which will be essential reading for all Masons and general readers with an interest in this subject area.

The present book is an effort to understand the role of masonry in the introduction of freedom of worship in Mexico. With erudition, the author leads us through the stages ending with the victory of the liberal republic, headed by Benito Juárez, and the establishment thereby of freedom of worship, which made possible the insertion of American protestant missions in Mexico. Many Protestants brought not only their faith, but Freemasonry as well. - Dr. Adolfo García de la Sienra Guajardo Director del Instituto de Filosofía - Universidad Veracruzana, México Presidente de la Sociedad Iberoamericana de Metodología Económica This is a scholarly study, well documented, analyzing one of the most controversial themes in the history of Mexico. In the work of Sara Frahm, Masonry ceases being mysterious, and is revealed as one of the strong components that shaped 19th century Mexico - María Eugenia Vázquez Semadeni, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of History, UCLA.

Explores how animals are able to navigate around the world with accuracy.

Barbara Frale gives us an explosive, exhaustively researched history of the medieval world’s most powerful military order, the Templars. At its height, the Order of the Knights Templar rivaled the kingdoms of Europe in military might, economic power, and political influence. For 700 years, the tragic demise of this society of warrior-monks amid accusations of heresy has been plagued by controversy, in part because the transcript of their trial by the Inquisition—which held the key to the truth—had vanished. Templar historian Barbara Frale happened to be studying a document at the Vatican Secret Archives when she suddenly realized that it was none other than the long-lost transcript! It revealed that Pope Clement V had absolved the order of all charges of heresy. The Templars chronicles the spectacular rise and fall of the organization against a sweeping backdrop of war, religious fervor, and the struggle for dominance, and finally lifts the centuries-old cloak of mystery surrounding one of the world’s most intriguing secret societies.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1874.