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Investiture
An
investiture ceremony took place at 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 11th, 2003 at St.
Joseph's Episcopal Church in McDonough, GA.
The Scottish Knights Templar, an 885-year-old religious and military
Order, knighted Dr. James Galt-Brown, a history professor from Tifton, GA,
in this ceremony. This ceremony was the very first of its kind in the
State of Georgia. Along with his investiture, Dr. Galt-Brown was
formally admitted to the Order's Priory of the Holy Angels, which is the priory
for the United States.
The Order also has priories, or chapters, in the United Kingdom, Canada,
Lebanon, Pakistan, and New Zealand, and is affiliated with other Templar
priories in France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Italy, Australia, and
Russia.
Once a papal Order, the Scottish Knights Templar are today an ecumenical Order,
with members from all of the major Christian churches.
The principle aims of the Order are to perform works of charity for the poor,
and to defend persecuted Christians in foreign lands. Our efforts
have been especially focused on obtaining the freedom of Rev. Parvez Masih, a
Pakistani pastor now on trial for his life in Sialkot, Pakistan, for insulting
the Prophet Mohammed.
The investiture ceremony was a historic event, and should greatly appeal to
those with an interest in history. The ceremony itself dates back to
1118 A.D. An oath of fealty is administered to new knights which
dates to 1317 A.D. As a final note, Episcopalians owe much to the
Scottish Knights Templar, as knights who honored that oath fought and died for
the right of Episcopalians and Catholics to worship freely in the Scottish
highlands.
Dr. James H. Galt-Brown |
Chev. Daniel T. Lang places the mantle about the shoulders of Chev. Dr. James H. Galt-Brown.
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Chev. James R. Reese (Grand Prior) uses the ceremonial sword to create a new knight, Chev. Dr. James H. Galt-Brown.
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