Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-12-13
Letter from Malta.
BY REV. L. W. PARKER.
STEAMER ''NoRTH TINE,
Sea. Oct n, |

coal, everything is arranged for coallng
quickly. so that six hours only were al
lowed us for sightseeing. As soon as We
landed on the shore the natives gathered
around us, ready to aid us in any way that
would accomodate us, and pay them. We
selected only guide, and asked to be
shown the Gorernor's Palace This is a
very large building erected by the Grand
Masters of the ''Order of ST. Johp,' more
than three. hundred years ago. The
knights of ST. John" were an Order
formed in 1885, in Jerusalem. Their OBJ
ject at first was to erect hospitals and
care for the sick pilgrims who visited the
holy sepulchre. As the Mohammedans
were great prosecutors of the Christians
in Palestine, this order was afterwards
about 1l25-re-cast on aG{,litary model,
in order to wage war in defense of chris
tianity and the Knights became renowned
all over chriStendom for their kindness in
their hospitals, and their resolute bravery
in war They were, however, driven from
Palestine by the Mosem, and from each
place where they sought a home, until in
1880 they obtained a grant of the island
of Malta, and became Governors there
and built up the city with its beautiful
harbor and strong Notifications. While
the other nations were being made what
they are to-day, these energetic Knights
were preparing Malta TO be what it is
the grand connecting link between Europe
and Asia
The Palace that we visited was built
for the Grand Masters of these Knights
and contains at present very much the
furniture that was used by them. Even
the old carriage in which they rode stands
in the hall in a very dilapidated condi-
ton. Entering the building We were first
conducted to the picture gallery, where We
saw the pictures Of the great men Of the
order painted by the best artists Of those
times. We then cutcred the council
chamber, where the walls were covered
with what appeared to be beautiful paint
ings, but which on examination proved to
be magnificent Goberlin tapestry wrought
with the needle. The pictures of men,
birds and beasts thus wrought we're very
perfect indeed. We also visited the
drawing-room with its furniture, carpets
&c, much as wher used by the order
The Armory Is 30 it. long surrounded by
all kinds Of arms and coats OF mail used
and worn by those brave warriors Ir
this large room and surrounding the halls
leading to it were strange looking images
of soldiers clothed with coats Of steel,
holding a weapon of some kind in one
hand and shield in the other When We
returned from the Palace We each took a
seat IN tie cid carriage used by those
Masters long before New England was
settled at all From there wo went to a
hotel for breakfast, and were served much
in European style except that while We
ate, onr landlord interested himself and
disturbed Us by trying to sell Us some nice
Maltese lace and jewelry. After visiting
the market street, and seeing much and
and buying little of the renowned Nal.
tese lace, We were guided to St. Johns
church This church was erected about
, the year 1850, and Its interior is magnif
2 cent beyond description. The main room
, which We enter through the hall is very
large and very high the roof being Al
oval arch beautifully decorated with pie
e lures. These pictures in the arch over
5 head have become much obiterated by
time, and they are now having them re
: newed by the best artists. The man il
p charge who explained to US these pic
lures, said that E23, 900, or S115,0 900 haC
e been appropriated for renewing these pic
rures. | think | never looked on anything
more beautiful than the part where thi
work is already completed. In the from
e of the main room is a large altar on which
are silver candlesticks, five and six fee
high and proportionally large. The space
| behind the altar extends back sixty fee
/. and yet does not seem out of proportion
to the main body of the church. w
- turned from the large room through high
! open arches to smaller chapcls about 81
r feet square arranged on either side of tn
large room the entire length. These wer
e also connected with one another by higl
broad arches, and were all ornamentec
! with magnificent paintings. One felt il
passing through these chapels and Will
. gazing at the arched roof of the churcI
that all the scenes described in scripture
were re-enacted here-especially all tn
>, scenes in the life of our Savior Thes
S chapcIs represent the different nations VIII
r were represented in the order of knights
: There is a Spanish chapel German, POr
tuguese, French, Italian, Irish, &c. L
t the chapel near the large altar is a chape
It altar of solid silver, which must have cos
more than any dozen farms in Vermont
In the chapel answering to this one on tn
u u other side of the church altar there wa
! formerly another altar of pure gold 9
G the same dimensions as the silver one
e When Napoleon visited Malta he coulC
y not withstand the temptation of so muc
sacred gold, hence took down the altar an
> other valuable ornaments and sent them 0
board vessel for France. The silve
d altar had been painted black and escaped
The vessel with her valuable cargo
= said never TO have reached France, so tina
G the golden altar ornaments the bottom {
is the sea. The Maltese will never forgiv
J. this act of Napoleon, but every visitor
told the story of this wrong. The foo
:, of this church is formed by four hurdre
, marble stones covered by inscriptions
memory of the noble deeds of fou
e hundred Knight, who are said to be il
l tered here. From the chapel by tn
: golden altar We descend into vault c
r. chapel in which are tombs of solid ston
in the centre of which place for a cofi
was cut and some of the most noted {
rs the "Grand Masters" are thus inferred
IS solid rock. The whole church exhibite