Are Templars, freemasons?   

The simple answer is: No.

Are stonemasons, and freemasons, Templars?

some stonemasons of old might have been, if they joined the order, afterall it's members came from all walks of life. Templars when they were still a mighty order and immensly wealthy, they hired the stonemason (not to be confused with todays freemasons), to do their many building projects for them. So in this period stonemasons became a work forse used by the Templars and some of the stonemasons might, after having been in contact with them so much and being impressed with their devotion, taken up the vow of becoming a templar themselves. Hereby creating the first new blend of Stonemason-Templars (*).

How did templars end up "being" freemasons?

After the fall of the Templars in 1312, the Templars had to go underground to stay out of the hands of philip the fair (called so for his self interest in looking beautiful.) So when the Templars went underground, numerous occult organizations tried to get their hands on the immense wealth that philip had failed to get in his possesion, and with this in mind tried to obsorb as many Templars as members into their occult organizations. Useing the Templars hunger for knowledge as bait to lure them in. The first and for most of these organizations, that had the first pick at them, was no less then their former work ex-partners: the (stone)masons!

Note they are no longer called stonemasons! Because by this time the stonemasons had become nothing but a genglemans club. This was due to the fact that brick had become the building block instead of stone. This way many (but not all) Templars became freemasons. (**) 

So to say that all Templars are (free)masons is incorrect, just as much as stating that all (free)masons are Templars! Some Templars may have become (free)masons, as much as some Stonemason may have become Templars. The one is not automaticly the other!

It is believed by many unscholared on the subject, that members of the Knights Templar movement founded the Rosicrucian movement and the Freemasons, but this is not true. There is no evidence acually to proof they founded these too contradicting movements! Both orders believe in dogmas, not found in the Templar rules.

What is the difference?

(*) Stone mason-Templar = a Stone mason who has become a Templar (the combination less known to people. For what ever reason that might be; maybe because Stone mason-Templars were hunted down too by evil king philip IV since they now were considered Templars by him?)

(**) Templar-Stone mason = a Templar who has become a Stone mason. (this would hardly ever have happened since that would mean that a templar would leave his vow and would become an ordinary citizen.

• stonemason - a medieval guilded trade of highly qualified workers, apt at forming stone into building blocks of various shapes and sizes. But when brick became the building method, in the 14th century, their trade slowly died off.
• freemason - a 18th century created gentlemans group, pretending to be the keepers of the "secret" stonemason knowledge, called by them, the "holy" geometry. Supposedly given to them by king Solomon of Israel. They meet in lodges and have secret rituals and act like a religion, which according to them, they recieved from the templars, but their rituals and pagan doctrines they did not get from the templar, but from their own involvement and interest in occultism. If freemasons worship baphomet, then that is still no reason to say that Templars did/do worship baphomet! This is making a wrong conclussion. Templars are followers of Christ as their innicial name tells us: Poor soldiers of Christ!

Where stonemasons not part of the Templars?

Yes stonemasons were part of the Templar workforce, who were hired to do their job of building cathedrals, bridges, towers, walls and forteresses. The templars were their employers and the stonemasons were employees in the service of the templars, but so were farmers, cooks, shephards, blacksmith, accountants, priests, etc etc on the payroll of the templars. Stonemasons may have enjoyed certain privileges because of their usefull skills, but none the less they were a hired labour force, nothing more nothing less! 

(if a stonemason joined the Temple Order he had to live in accordance to the rules of the Templars and would then be know as a Templar and no longer as a stonemason!)

The issue of Chritianity

We all know that Templars were both monks and knights in service of Christ Jesvs, a unique combination for that time. So not only did they have to hold up a knights code of honour, but also did they have to pray and read the bible! They were the military arm of the pope and represented GOD's justice to all evil.

We can not say these things about freemasons or stonemason for that matter, they might be christians, but they might be not at all, because according to their own word, they have recieved the wisdom of the "holy" geometry from King Solomon (who in actual fact had the foreigner Hiram, build it for him). Also the freemason "claim", they were the ones build the great piramids, and IF they so did, then the mason are for sure pagans. Another thing in which templars differ from stone and freemasons.

[freemasonry not christian but pagan]

Where did most Templars go after their persecusion in France?

While some of the northern templars might have gone to Holland or England (and on to Schotland), templars in the east of France might have looked toward Switserland for escape. While most of the templars living in the south of France, their obvious choice would have been Spain and or Portugal, since both Spain and Portugal were still bussy with the reconquista of the Iberian peninsula and could use extra armies to fight their wars against the hated pagan saracens. 

The use of aprons

Do Templars wear Aprons?

No, Templars do not, did not, and never will wear an apron, they wore/wear chainmail, a shield, a helmet and a sword! (those are tools of their trade!)

It was their stonemason workforce (that build the buildings the templars told them to build) that wore aprons, since they were a guild! The stonemasons needed one to put their tools somewhere, while working! similarly, today's carpenters still wear aprons! (see the above image!)

Are Jesuits the new revived Templars?

the simple answer is NO, because if jesuits WERE the revived templars, then they would be CALLED templars! (Jesuits existed during the Templar area)