It started with a birthday gift
I celebrated a birthday recently, and my wife, who has a gift for gifting, did not disappoint. She bought me a Jacques de Molay fountain pen by David Oscarson.
I’ve been collecting fountain pens for years but had never acquired a David Oscarson pen. Oscarson’s pens are all handmade. They are works of art, and unlike most works of art, this one is fully functional.
I can carry it with me and use it at work. That at least makes me feel less acquisitive, which is always a concern with collecting.
The Templars
But another reason this was the perfect gift was because the pen is designed in honor of Jacques de Molay. Molay was the last Grand Master of the Templars. The Templars were a military order within the Catholic Church. They were formed in the 11th century to protect pilgrims who traveled to the Holy Land to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
The Templars took vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience, meaning they were single, not materialistic, and they were devoted to God. They have always fascinated me: set apart for God yet trained for war—the ultimate oxymoron personified. A poignant reminder of life in a fallen world.
Because they had orders established throughout Europe and were known for their scrupulous integrity, people entrusted them when it came to safeguarding money or transferring it across Europe. As a result, they ended up developing innovative financial methods that became an early form of banking in Europe.
Jacques de Molay’s story
When the king of France, Philip IV, found his country indebted to the Templars after having borrowed heavily to support his wars, he decided to pressure Pope Clement to disband the Templars. When Clement didn’t act quickly enough, Philip had spurious charges drawn up against the Templars and had them arrested all over France.
He then had them tortured, promising they would be absolved and released if they confessed. Most went along, confessing to the false allegations believing they would be released or at least buy enough time to appeal to Clement. Most of the Templars were released or received lighter sentences.
But Philip didn’t release Molay. He held him in prison for nearly 7 years. When Molay saw he was not going to be released, he recanted from the “confession” he made under torture. He recanted knowing it would mean being burned at the stake.
Why Molay matters
Molay matters because truth matters. But truth often comes at a cost. Unfortunately, that cost is often more than most are willing to pay.
It is ironic that the names of those Templars who confessed falsely to save their lives have been forgotten. History, however, remembers Molay.
When one is willing to pay the ultimate cost for truth, we learn something about their character that we are left only to guess about in others and in ourselves.
We know something about the character of Jacques de Molay. We know he valued virtue over his own life.
So now, when I look at the fountain pen my wife bought me, I remember Molay. And it makes me want to stand for the virtue he was willing to die for.
That’s a nice benefit for a fountain pen. GS
