Large Sash w/ 3 Badges: from South Africa, Boer War connection? Masonic No Cross No Crown

I'm researching this item that just came in. It is a large Sash (6'+ in length, 6" in width) that has 3 badges attached. It was obtained by the owners of our store when they were in South Africa, and it was claimed to have a connection with the Boer War.

The bottom badge is captioned No Cross No Crown, and the only reference I can find is to a Masonic item. I haven't been able to find out anything about the other 2 badges. None appear to be marked on their back side, but I haven't unpinned them yet to fully check for marks.

Does anyone know what this is, or recognize the badges? Thank you in advance! ... Dave

 

I've checked the backs a bit further and don't see any maker marks. The badges are sewn on, so I'm not inclined to fully remove them. They don't have pin backs, the top and bottom badge have simple stiff wires that protrude -- I'll post a picture in a few minutes.

 

Here are partial backs of two of them:

 

Here's a fairly thorough investigation of the phrase "No cross, No crown."

http://recycledknowledge.blogspot.com/2006/05/no-cross-no-crown.html

 

I grew up with "No cross, no crown" as a Christian motto meaning no sacrifice/tribulations, no heavenly glory and in a secular manner as to exercise "No pain, no gain" - "If you don't take pains you won't achieve anything," The thought of it meaning "Don't discuss religion or politics" never entered my head. I think I have heard the reference to Romans: 5 when Paul's speaks of "...we glory in tribulations..."

>...No Cross No Crown, .... Masonic item.<

I wouldn't be surprised at all of it being a Masonic emblem/symbol. This phrase became popular with William Penn's treatise/book No Cross, No Crown that he wrote in the 1660s while in prison. He was imprisoned in The Tower of London several times for his faith. The book is considered a Christian classic. My gut feeling is Masonic related sash/baldric ornaments. Their sashes, specifically the Knights Templar ones, have various emblems or/and badges with crowns, crosses, wreathes or combinations of all 3; however, haven't seen one before with red. Their sashes are wider in black or dark green velvet. I don't know what the ITOT represents, possibly one particular chapter - possibly in South Africa?? Many other fraternal orders also use crosses, crowns and wreath symbols. Nowwwww I wouldn't rule out military related either because the British, of which South Africa was under during the Boer War, use all sorts of crowns and crosses in their military regalia also. Sorry, I don't have more help for you.

--- Susan

 

Found it! The cross, wreath and "No Cross, No Crown" is a Salvation Army symbol. Gee, I should have guess sooner for that motto is on a "S" shaped banner across the wreath.

http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/174874931/SALVATION_ARMY_NO_CROSS_NO_CROWN.html

Several Salvation Army badges/emblems have a "S" wrapped around a cross. This particular badge might have been worn by a Boer War Salvation Army Chaplain??? The crown badge looks similar, but not identical, to Great Britain's WWI warrant officers' insignias; however their badges had a wreath around the crown.

http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/1612...our_Badge_Crown_in_Laurel_Wreath_no_lugs.html

http://www.samilitaria.com/SAM/inde...ticle&id=4888:4888&catid=4:militaria&Itemid=8

--- Susan

 

Late to the party what with catching up and having the cursor freeze in midsentence constantly. Salvation Army was my first thought upon seeing the picture.

 

Welcome back, Baker! Did the weather bother your trip to where, NC? What confuses me on these badges/ornaments/whatever is their relationship to each other to be all attached to the same sash. I feel the crown may be a warrant officer 2nd Class military badge/medal.

http://www.samilitaria.com/SAM/inde...ticle&id=4889:4889&catid=4:militaria&Itemid=8

The crown and Salvation Army thingy may both be from the same era like the Boar or WWI Wars, both doubt they were worn by the same person at the same time. They both may be British related also. The ITTO emblem has me stumped. The only ITTO I could come up with was the International Tropical Timber Organization, which certainly doesn't fit in with the other.

--- Susan

 

Does not look at all Salvation Army to me (half my family are officers going back into the 1870s). Among other things, officers (ministers) do not wear vestments, but military-style uniforms; the SA motto is "Blood and Fire", and their coat of arms looks like so:



Methinks the Zairiean seller was speaking from ignorance.

 

Oh good grief. Nobody googled "No Cross No Crown IOTT" before posting?

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Independent-Order-of-True-Templars/130412274650?fref=nf

 

Blame jetlag.

Not to mention that I am having serious computer issues this morning with posting here .

 

Of course I Googled "No Cross No Crown." How did you think I found an exact identical badge including the wreath that was called Salvation Army? First of all I came up with a cabinet card showing a Salvation Army worker wearing a shirt reading "No Cross No Crown" then there was a link to the exact same identical badge, medal, as the OP's that was IDed as Salvation Army. Of course there isn't any assurance that it was Salvation Army, but seeing the motto on 2 supposedly Salvation Army related items and knowing present day Salvation Army badges have an "S" wrapped around a cross in the same fashion, I thought reporting the findings was necessary. You might say I jumped to conclusion, but as I didn't see any Masonic/KT, badges like this one in my many many Google searches, I thought Salvation Army was a distinct possibility.

4th pic up from the bottom:
https://cabinetcardgallery.wordpress.com/category/salvation-army/

From the link I found reply #6 above:


6rivets, The Independent Order of True Templars fraternal order you found fits right in with the OP's noting the owners were of South Africa for The Ind. Order of True Templars is of South Africa. That other emblem of ITTO or IOTT is no doubt for the same fraternal order. Good Find!

--- Susan

 

I think??? this organization started out in the US as the The Independent Order of Good Templars (IOGT) in 1861 as a Temperance Society. In South Africa it is known now as The Independent Order of True Templars (IOTT) according to the following website.

http://www.slideshare.net/Bantsijang/independent-order-of-true-templars

Lookie here, following is a link to inductees into the the Independent Order of True Tempars in South Africa holding red sashes with the same IOTT and crown emblems!

http://africanreporter.co.za/24786/grand-true-templars-inducted/

--- Susan

 

Nice find. I tried the same with ITTO, but didn't think to change the order of the letters. Thank you for catching it! ... Dave

 

Greetings to all. I am Siyanda Makhubo, Grand True Youth Strategic and Communications Secretary.

If you would like to gather more information about the IOTT, Kindly send me an email via: siyandamakhubo@yahoo.com and I'll be happy to assist...

No Cross No Crown

 

That's cool, but it seems we got it covered......

 

The Independent Order of True Templars is a Christian institution established on Biblical principles and teachings. Refer to Prov 20:1; 23: 29-30; Lev 10:8-11; Dan 1:8-15 and to many other texts in order to understand that, basically, the Order of True Templars was established to fight against Alcohol abuse. Alcohol abuse brings destruction to family life let alone individual life that gets stripped of humaneness (UBUNTU). The result is gross sinning in the community of God’s people.

It was the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ even on the Cross on Calvary that many felt and believed that He died for us. It is sin that caused the death of Christ on the Cross. “But God shows His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

Jesus Christ the Son of God stood for all that is good and fought against sin. He died on the Cross, was buried and on the third day He rose from the dead. He conquered death and ascended into Heaven where He sitteth on the Right Hand of the Father, the Almighty Living God.

 

I guess we didn't have it completely covered....