Editing Templers (Radical Pietist sect) (section)

==History==
Christoph Hoffmann met Georg David Hardegg (1812–1879) in 1849. They became friends and partners, and in 1853, Hardegg embraced Hoffmann's dream of a [[Christian state]]. Initially, the Templer Movement/Temple Society was called the "Friends of Jerusalem<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-03-22 |title=The Screwy History of the Modern Knights Templer - History |url=https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/history/articles/knights-templer-palestine-robert-rockaway |access-date=2026-02-15 |website=Tablet Magazine |language=en}}</ref>." In 1855, Hoffmann announced in the ''Sentinel'' that the group aimed to establish a way of life based on God's word. He also stated that the global conversion to unite God's people would occur only after Jesus's [[second coming]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sparey Fox |first=Carolyn |title=Seeking a State of Heaven |publisher=George Ronald |location=Oxford |publication-date=2018 |pages=53}}</ref>

In 1856, Hoffmann and Hardegg moved with their families and other "Friends of Jerusalem" to the Kirschenhardthof, which had previously been part of a large estate in Hochberg, near [[Ludwigsburg]]. Here they built a thriving community, suffered a devastating [[typhoid fever]] epidemic, began planning their move to Palestine, and changed their name to the Temple Society.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Hoffmann|first=Christoph|title=Jerusalem Journey.|publisher=|year=|isbn=|location=|pages=106}}</ref>

While the [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] state church in [[Württemberg]] condemned and fought the Templers as [[Apostasy in Christianity|apostates]], the Prussian Protestant position was somewhat milder. Their settlement in the [[Holy Land]] found a warm support through Wilhelm Hoffmann (1806–1873), who was no apostate from the official church, like his younger brother Christoph. Through Wilhelm, Hoffmann was able to meet with [[Frederick William IV of Prussia]] in Berlin, but despite Frederick's initial suggestion that he might "send a commission to assist the Templer Society", he was reported to have told Wilhelm, "it is unthinkable that I should identify myself with these people". Despite this setback Hoffmann wrote, "we have not given up hope for the recovery of the King of Prussia", but unfortunately Frederick had become unwell, and his "illness prevented him from offering any support to the Templers."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sparey Fox |first=Carolyn |title=Seeking a State of Heaven |publisher=George Ronald |location=Oxford |publication-date=2018 |pages=60–61}}</ref>

Unperturbed by objections from the [[Prussian Union of Churches|Evangelical State Church]] and the Catholic sector, and the resignation of some members from the Society, Hoffmann and Hardegg left for a fact-finding trip to Palestine on 9 February 1858, along with agriculturist J. Bubeck. They arrived in Jaffa on 14 March 1858 and spent time visiting [[Jerusalem]], Bethlehem, [[Beersheba]],  [[Nazareth]], [[Acre, Israel|Acco]], [[Haifa]] (Caifa at this time), and [[Tiberias]] before returning home.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hoffmann |first=Christopher |title=Jerusalem Journey |publisher=Maria-Paulus-Foundation |location=Stuttgart |publication-date=1969 |pages=123}}</ref>

On 6 August 1868, Hoffmann, Hardegg, their families and a group of fellow Templers left Germany for Palestine, landing in Haifa on 30 October, having made the decision not only to "stipulate the number of Templers and the timing of their migration to Palestine, but also which professions and skills were required".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sauer |first=Paul |title=The Holy Land Called |publisher=Temple Society Australia |location=Melbourne |publication-date=1991 |pages=49}}</ref> They had already come to the conclusion that basing themselves in Jerusalem would not be practical, planning to settle nearby, close to [[Nazareth]], but during their journey they were advised that Haifa would be more suitable, due to its good harbour and climate.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hoffmann |first=Christopher |title=Jerusalem Journey |publisher=Maria-Paulus-Foundation |location=Stuttgart |publication-date=1968 |pages=136}}</ref>