us oration that for
the first time we find Freemasonry traced to the Crusades:

At the time of the Crusades in Palestine many princes, lords, and
citizens associated themselves, and vowed to restore the Temple of
the Christians in the Holy Land, and to employ themselves in
bringing back their architecture to its first institution. They
agreed upon several ancient signs and symbolic words drawn from the
well of religion in order to recognize themselves amongst the
heathens and Saracens. These signs and words were only communicated
to those who promised solemnly, and even sometimes at the foot of
the altar, never to reveal them. This sacred promise was therefore
not an execrable oath, as it has been called, but a respectable
bond to unite Christians of all nationalities into one
confraternity. Some time afterwards our Order formed an intimate
union with the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. From that time our
Lodges took the name of Lodges of St. John.[366]

This speech of Ramsay's has raised a storm of controversy amongst
Freemasons because it contains a very decided hint of a connexion
between Templarism and Freemasonry. Mr. Tuckett, in the paper referred
to above, points out that only the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem are
here mentioned,[367] but Ramsay distinctly speaks of "our Order" forming
a union with the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, and we know that the
Templars did eventually form such a union. The fact that Ramsay does not
mention the Templars by name admits of a very plausible explanation. It
must be remembered that, as Mr. Gould has shown, a copy of the oration
was enclosed by Ramsay in his letter to Cardinal Fleury appealing for
royal protection to be extended to Freemasonry; it is therefore hardly
likely that he would have proclaimed a connexion between the Order he
was anxious to present in the most favourable light and one which had
formerly been suppressed by King and Pope. Moreover, if the Charter of
Larmenius is to be believed, the newly elected Grand Master of the
Temple was the Duc de Bourbon, who had already incurred the Cardinal's
displeasure. Obviously, therefore, Templar influence was kept in the
background. This is not to imply bad faith on the part of Ramsay, who
doubtless held the Order of Templars to be wholly praiseworthy; but he
could not expect the King or Cardinal to share his view, and therefore
held it more p