SOLEMN AFFIRMATION
PREAMBLE
+ In the Name of God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen!
The Lutheran Orange Order of Knights Templar is a LOYAL & conservative Orthodox Lutheran Christian Chivalric Order. We were founded on St. Patrick's Day, March 17th, 2007 as The Independent Loyal Orange Association. Our name was amended to The Lutheran Orange Order of Knights Templar, in 2008, to better express what we have continued to be from our foundation. We redress a crying need in our Orange Tradition, for we have returned to the uncompromising integrity of our Evangelical Protestant Christian & Franco-British American Heritage. Moreover, we oppose Freemasonry and all Anti-Christian Lodgery, as well as all other False Religion. We are not a "Lodge", nor are we a "Secret Society", nor is membership by Oaths. Our membership is by Subscription, with Donations and Investiture following. As Poor Fellow Knights & Dames of Christ and the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem -- we are structured as Preceptories, under a Grand Preceptory -- our only Grand Master being Christ Himself. Various offices serve our Order as needed. But we have only one rank for adult members (age 12 and over) -- Knight/Dame. Children join the Order under their parent's membership, as Squires/Damsels.
Firstly, our Order honours Our God and Only Saviour, Jesus Christ. Under God, our Order also honours all true Christian Crusaders, especially the Knights Templar, who have ever fought against the Aggression and Tyranny of the Mohammedan Infidels. Moreover, we honour the Dutch King William III of Orange, who upon being elected to the British Throne (the Glorious Revolution of 1688, and the founding of the original Loyal Orange Association in England) -- was an instrument of the Lord in securing Responsible Constitutional Government Under God (Romans 13:1-6). Good King "Billy" defended our Protestant Faith, God's Law in the Civic Use, and our Civil Liberties under God's Law. King William's Royal Colours were Orange & Purple -- hence our colour usage of orange & purple -- with red, white, and blue. The "Hillbillies" of America's Appalachian Mountains are so named because of their Franco-British (Ulster Scots, English, & French Huguenot) cultural heritage & loyalties. Orange institutions are found in the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland, the British Commonwealth Countries, the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands, France, Africa, the United States, and other nations.
We are dedicated to promoting our conservative Protestant Christian Heritage; our British American Cultural Heritage; the British Loyalist and Unionist Cause; Responsible Constitutional Government Under God; Good Relations Between the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, and all Mankind; and Patriotism. We are Pro-Life, Pro-Family, and Pro-Creationist -- in loving service to Persecuted Christians and all the Needy under God. Thus, we specifically affirm and promote the following:
THE SIX PRECEPTS
1.) That the 66 Books of the Old & New Testaments which constitute the Holy Bible are the infallible, inerrant, & verbally inspired Word of God. God's Word is the Formal Principle -- the absolute Ruling Rule & Plenary Norm of faith, practice, and all things -- Divinely Preserved in the Masoretic Hebrew & Byzantine Greek TEXTUS RECEPTUS of Christ's One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church (as found in Luther's Bible, the King James Version, & other God-honoured texts of Reformation heritage). Christ's Church also reads the Fourteen Books of the Apocrypha -- they are derived from, in harmony with, and subordinate to the Holy Bible.
2.) The three ancient Christian Symbols of Faith: the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed -- as well as the Unaltered Augsburg Confession of 1530 (the Primary Reformation Symbol), and the other Orthodox Lutheran Symbols of the Orthodox Lutheran Alliance. Vitally important are such Biblical doctrines upheld in these aforementioned Symbols as the following:
God the Holy Trinity; Man's Total Depravity; Christ's Perfect Humanity & Divinity; Christ's Universal Atonement; Justification by Grace through Faith in Christ alone -- the Material Principle (Romans 1:16-17 & Galatians 2:16-21); God's Word of Law & Gospel; the Holy Ghost & the Means of Grace (i.e., God's Word and the Sacraments of the Gospel); as well as Predestination and Final Perseverance to Eternal Life alone. God's Word and the aforementioned Symbols are also expressed in the five Reformation "Solas" -- that we are saved through Faith Alone, by Grace Alone, by Christ Alone, by God's Word Alone, and all to the Glory of God Alone.
The aforementioned Orthodox Lutheran Christian Symbols are a Pure Exposition And True Summary of God's Word in regard to the Christian Faith -- and the Protestant Reformers had a most reverent regard for them.
3.) We reject and condemn all Infidelity (Unbelief), Apostasy, Heresy, Error, and Immorality ancient & modern (Ephesians 5:11).
4.) We affirm and promote the properly distinct roles, functions, and cooperation between the Divine Institution of Christ's Church and the Divine Institution of the State Under God. We reject & condemn all False Ecumenical relations, and all Anti-Christian Political Parties & Anti-Christian influence in Civil Government.
5.) Remembering and practicing the Biblical virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity -- we shall ever promote good relations as law-abiding Protestant Christian citizens, as we lovingly relate to all people. God would have all men to repent and believe the Gospel -- to be saved and enjoy eternal life in Christ Jesus. We are called to be Poor Knights and Dames of Christ, ever engaged in His Holy Crusade to refer precious souls to the Lord -- by His Word of Law and Gospel. Thus, we shall keep every Lord's Day and all Christian Festivals holy -- by ever resorting to God's Word and the Sacraments of the Gospel as the Means of Grace. While we gladly display the Red Cross of St. George on White as our flag & coat of arms -- and vest in our chivalric regalia of solemn black & white habits, orange & purple ribbon collars, and the Holy Crucifix -- our most basic ornament is prayerfully devout and holy lives in God's service, with a firm trust in our Lord and only Saviour Jesus Christ. Likewise our parades, preceptory chapters, and other assemblies shall be opportunities for us to give glory to the Lord -- and thank God for our good heritage.
With this in mind, all postulants for this Order shall be members in good standing of a local conservative Orthodox Lutheran Christian congregation -- for at least one year before joining the Lutheran Orange Order of Knights Templar as members. Moreover, all postulants and members, if married -- shall be married to a conservative Orthodox Lutheran Christian spouse, with all their children in their minority being conservative Orthodox Lutheran Christians. Postulants shall submit full contact and biographical information (including Name, Address, Telephone Numbers, Dates of Birth & Baptism, References, etc.) as requested, pending background verification, prior to Subscription. The Cyber Preceptory shall exist for subscribed members-at-large, as defined in the Rule (i.e., the By-Laws). All members shall abide by this Solemn Affirmation; the Rule; and the good order of the Preceptory, the Grand Preceptory, and the Officers of the Lutheran Orange Order of Knights Templar under God.
6.) Without Compromise or False Ecumenism, we are Truly & FRATERNALLY Ecumenical in carefully defined ways with all conservative Protestant Christians. Our cooperation and promotion includes Acceptable Prayer unto God; our Protestant Christian Heritage; our Franco-British American Heritage; the Christian American Revolution; the Franco-British Loyalist Cause; Responsible Constitutional Government Under God (ranging in form from Constitutional Monarchy to Constitutional Republic); Pro-Life, Pro-Family, and Pro-Creationist Causes; Education; Patriotism; Assisting Persecuted Christians; Helping The Needy; as well as other areas of Christian and Civic Life in which the Lutheran Orange Order of Knights Templar is engaged. We invite all conservative Protestant Christian individuals, married couples, and families to join us.
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for an Orange Website in the United Kingdom, which will reveal our respective differences -- as well as our agreements!
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