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Volume I - Number 1- Section 3 Beth’s Newfangled Family Tree June 2007 April declared Scots Heritage Month in NC! Whereas. April the sixth marks the Six hundred and migrants helped to establish the early development of eighty-seventh anniversary of the signing of the Declara- schools and colleges in this country and help create the tion of Abroath, in which Scotland declared its indepen- framework of our governing bodies. dence from England Whereas fifty-six of the signers of the United States and is one of the pre- Declaration of Independence, and nine of the governors of cursors of the United the original thirteen colonies were of Scottish descent. States Declaration of Whereas the Scots and Scots-Irish have been instru- Independence. mental in the development of American industry, educa- Whereas more tion, medicine and military, in short, much of what makes than 27 million Ameri- the United States of America the great nation that we have cans can trace their become, we respectfully request that the President, roots back to Scotland George W. Bush, issue a Presidential Proclamation des- and the Scottish plan- ignating the month of April as NATIONAL SCOTS, tations in Northern Ire- Clan SCOTS-IRISH HERITAGE MONTH and officially rec- land. Whereas the state ognize the many contributions of the Scots and Scots- Henderson of North Carolina was Irish to American history, culture and society by proclaim- celebrates at the primary destination ing the month of April to be National Scots and Scots- Loch of Scots and Scots- Irish Heritage Month as celebrated in the state of North Norman Irish immigrants and Carolina. Highland this state continues to We the members of the Triad Saint Andrew’s Soci- Games. lead the country in resi- ety, The Triad Highland Games The Scottish Heritage dents of Scottish and Society of the Blue Ridge and the Scottish American Scotch-Irish descent. Military Society, The Catawba Valley Scottish Society, Whereas the Scots The Scottish Heritage Society of Eastern North Carolina, and Scots-Irish cultural The Clan Campbell Society of North America, The Clan identity reflects individualism, a strong work ethic, fam- Murray Society of North America, The Loch Norman ily loyalty, patriotism and their faith in God. Highland Games, Clan Donnachaidh Society, Border Whereas the Scots and Scots-Irish self reliance and History and Reivers Cup and The Triad Fiddlers and their unbending spirit helped to shape the unmistakable Friends Society do hereby declare the month of April 2007 character of this country. to be NATIONAL SCOTS AND SCOTS-IRISH HERI- Whereas education has always played an important TAGE MONTH in the state of North Carolina and the part of Scottish society and the Scots and Scots-Irish im- entire United States of America. Beth‘s Newfangled Family Tree Page 51 The real reason for Rosslyn Chapel Book Review by Bob Ferguson [email protected] “What evidence is there that members of the Me- dieval Order of Knights Templar fled from France The Rosslyn Hoax? Viewing Rosslyn Chapel from and settled in Scotland assisted by Robert the Bruce a new perspective, Robert L.D. Cooper, Lewis [Ma- at the Battle of Bannockburn (1314) and, that as a sonic] Publishing, (England, 2006). reward for their services, he created an ‘underground Last summer a book was organization’ —Free Masonry published in England, which — within which they could hide effectively bursts the bubble their true identify and preserve of the myths, which have their ‘treasure’ and esoteric emerged in the last half-cen- knowledge?” He also addresses tury about the Knights two subsidiary issues: Templar in Scotland, and “What part, if any, did the Rosslyn Chapel. The book St. Clair family at Rosslyn was not available in the Chapel play in the alleged con- United States except by di- tinuance of the Knights Templar rect mail order. It will be (in the guise of being Free Ma- available in paperback be- sons) in Scotland?” ginning in June 2007. And, “Is there any other ex- Because the book effectively annihilates many tant physical evidence which supports any of the Scottish Templar myths, a discussion of the book above?” (Italics the Author’s.) must be prefaced by a description of the author, his In conducting his analysis, Mr. Cooper divides methods and research. the literature into that which is written in accordance The author, Robert L.D. Cooper, is the Curator with “the Academic Approach” and that which is of the Grand Lodge of Scotland Museum and Library. written as “the Popular or Alternative Approach”. He is what would be called a “professional Free Books written under the Academic Approach include Mason”. From the content of his book and his excel- the Templar histories written by Malcolm Barber and lent attention to detail, it is evident that he is immi- Stephen Howarth. These books are said to follow nently qualified to write on both the subject of the historic or academic guidelines, and are based upon Free Masons and the Knights Templar. The book dis- established factual material and writings. The Popu- cusses and analyses the popular myths surrounding lar or Alternative Approach is also described as be- the origin of Free Masonry and its relationship to the ing speculative. It includes books written by Michael Knights Templar from a Scottish perspective. He Baigent et al., Lawrence Gardner and Andrew does not mince word. Specifically, the book exam- Sinclair. Having read a number of books by the au- ines the following question: thors in the two categories this reviewer finds little Continued on page 53 Page 52 Beth‘s Newfangled Family Tree - June 2007 , Vol. I No. 1 Rosslyn, Continued from page 52 dispute in the Mr. Cooper’s categorization. Further, Mr. Cooper then goes on to describe the methods by which the authors in the Popular or Alternative ap- proach distort facts. As with his discussion of the Scottish myths about Free Masonry and the Knights Templar, Mr. Cooper’s discussion is well reasoned and thorough. In order to establish that the Scottish Free Ma- sons were not an outgrowth of the Knights Templar, it was necessary for Mr. Cooper to establish that there is little possibility, if any, that the Templars sailed from New Rochelle to Scotland just prior to their arrest on October 13, 1307. He does this very effec- tively. Mr. Cooper is clearly a student of Medieval Scottish history. With this knowledge and hundreds of references, many of the primary references or chronicles, he demonstrates how improbable it would be for the Templars to have sailed to Argyle. Mr. Cooper points out how unlikely it would be that the Templars hid between their arrival in 1307 and their sudden appearance with white tunics em- blazoned with Templar crosses at the Battle of Bannockburn. They could not of hid because the An interesting carving on the roof at Rosslyn. Pope had called for their arrest by December of 1307 Knights Templar. The Chapel was built by William and many of the Scots were devout Catholics. Oth- St. Clair for two specific purposes: ers were Bruce’s enemies. Either of these group 1. The saying of prayers for the souls of the would have announce their presence and called for family (past and present) their arrest. In addition, Mr. Cooper specifically ad- 2. A permanent place of burial for members dresses the points set forth by Baigent and Leigh that of the family. many have come to rely on in The Temple and the For several hundred years these continued to be Lodge regarding the grave slabs at Kilmartin, and the sole purposes for Rosslyn Chapel. Mr. Cooper the cross Kilmory in southern Argyle. Mr. Cooper describes in detail, and with supporting sources, the points how the arguments of Baigent and Leigh that fact that there is no treasure, sacred papers, Holy these are Templar artifacts are superficial and incon- Grail, or Arc of the Covenant in the vault under sistent with the customs and practices of the times. Rosslyn Chapel. In terms of the continuation of the Knights Mr. Cooper also describes how it was impossible Templar beyond Bannockburn Mr. Cooper specifi- for William St. Clair to be invested as a Free Mason cally addresses the tunic with a Templar cross alleg- Grand Master in 1446. At that time there were no edly found on Bonnie Dundee after the Battle of Free Masons, only stone masons. And there is no Killicrankie by examining the myth’s original source. record of such investiture or any continuing record. His conclusion effectively discredits it. William St. Clair did become the first Grand Master Regarding Rosslyn Chapel, Mr. Cooper estab- of the Grand Lodge of Scotland in 1736. But even lishes that it has no relation to Free Masons or the this was done with a little chicanery. Continued on page 53 Continued con page 54 Beth‘s Newfangled Family Tree Page 53 Up among the scaffolding over the roof of Rosslyn Chapel where there are puzzles in stone every- where and symbolic carvings covering every inch of the building. Rosslyn, Continued from page 53 vaults other than caskets. This is because Mr. Coo- per looks only at existing evidence and criticizes The book is a “must-read” for anyone who wants those who draw conclusions form the absence of to take a realistic look at the myths that surround the facts. Basically, his is correct. But there is one area Knights Templar in Scotland. After you have finished where his argument fails. That is where no fact ex- the book, you must read Archie McKerracher’s ists where one would be expected. This does not Bruce’s Secret Weapon, The Scots Magazine, June prove the fact, but it creates an inference.

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