[stanlee]

{if $orders[oi].order.payment_method nq 'Credit Card'}

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately it doesn't work.
I replaced the "nq" in the above with "ne" ("nq" turned my location bar into bread crumbs).
The payment method variable simply doesn't get to the order_message.tpl
It's strange, because it works in order_invoice.tpl which is on the same page
below the message, and it's called from the order message template.

I finally gave up on order_message.tpl, and modified the order_invoice.tpl instead, it works fine with this:

{if $order.payment_method eq "Purchase Order"} 
print purchase order text
{elseif $order.payment_method eq "Check / Money Order"} 
print check / money order text
{/if}
no message needed for credit card or paypal payments. 

The invoice page needed some editing anyway, and now my problem is solved. It's been bugging me for a long time.
I'm still wondering why it could not be done in order_message.tpl.....