The motto and hymn of the Temple Society

1. A 'motto' is a description (word, phrase, sentence) chosen by a person or organisation to express their guiding principle in dealing with all matters, large or small.

2. The Temple Society has chosen as its motto the words by Jesus recorded in Matthew 6:33,

"Set your mind on God's Kingdom and his justice before everything else, and all the rest will come to you as well."

Another version reads,

"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness….."

In the Gospel of Matthew those words form part of the comprehensive 'Sermon on the Mount'.

3. Setting one's mind on 'his (God's) justice' means doing what God requires of us, being the kind of person God would like us to be. Our conscience will tell us what is required to deal justly with any matter.

4. Templers consider that seeking to be a worthy spiritual temple of God in practical daily life can best be done by striving for the principal aim Jesus put before his followers. This is the guiding principle chosen by the Temple Society as its motto and aim.

Templers believe that compared to this aim all other things are secondary.

5. A 'hymn' is a song in praise or in honour of God. It is usual for congregations to sing hymns during divine service in churches and other places of worship.

6. The hymn of the Temple Society, also called the 'Templer hymn', was written in 1855 by Christoph Hoffmann, the spiritual leader of the founders of the Temple Society.

7. The Templer hymn is based on the motto of the Temple Society. The words of the motto and their meaning constitute the theme that runs through the entire hymn.

8. The German text of the Templer hymn was translated into English in 1979 by Mrs Helga Uhlherr, nee Hoffmann, a great-granddaughter of Christoph Hoffmann.

Her English translation was first published in 1980 in the Temple Society Australia's small hymnbook. The opening words of the English translation are 'Seek ye first of all God's Kingdom'.

9. The Templer hymn issues a challenge to make a commitment, and by active personal involvement follow the way Jesus demonstrated through his life and death.

It makes a strong appeal to hear Jesus' message, to change our attitude and mend our ways. It encourages us to answer the call of Jesus; to set our mind on God's Kingdom and his justice before everything else.

10. By advocating that the commandments of Jesus be obeyed with heart and mind, the Templer hymn reflects the Templer view that heart and head are essential parts of one complete, harmonious whole.

In contrast to the tendency in our time which sees conflict between the head and heart, between intellect and faith, the hymn offers a decidedly constructive approach to religion and life.