Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-09-07
KNIGHTS OF ST. JOHN AND MALTA.
Opening OF the Annual oouvooatiop, Tues
day Morning.

Blue, beueck1ng MOTEL ana STORE ana
public building, concrete evidence to
the National Association of Municipal
Electricians of the warmth of the city's
reception, carries also to the Chapter |
General of America, Knights of ST.
John and Malta, which began Tuesday
morning in Eden Hall a three days
ton is happy to entertain the knights
whose watohworls are Unity"
Peace" Concord" and whose his
tory goes back to Palestine, Rhodes,
Cyprus and Malta 1t was:
Established at Jerusalem, A. D., 104S.
introduced in America, November
30th, 1870
Incorporated in New York, March
14th, 1888 And is a fraternal, mill
thry and beneficial order.
1t has been about IL years since tho
Chapter General of America, Knights
OF st. John and Malta, convened In
this city. The Chapter General was
then in its youth and comparatively
small. IL returns to Wilmington with
the pride of strength as displayed in an
endowment membership of about 7 1000,
and total of fraternal and endowment
members of $4,000 to 10000. In Will
mington are five encampments and
several hundred members. This order
has had subordinate bodies on this
continent for a little less than 30 years,
and for about five years Of that time
was under the supervision Of the chief
body of the organization which has its
headquarters in Scotland. This is the
25th annual convention Of the Ameri-
can Chapter General.
Although settled here for less than
30 years, the order Of knights of st.
John and Malta is one OF the oldest
orders in existence. Its history is thus
| set forth: - ttH.
HISTORY OF KNIGHTS OF ST. JOHN AND
MALTA. ~.
sin the days of the Crusade there
were several great Chivalric Military
Orders; the most celebrated among
them were the knights of ST. John and
the Knight Templars. The order of St.
John was established as a Hospitaller
| Order at Jerusalem in l046. About the
year 11l8 the order was reorganized on
a military basis. Driven from Jerusa-
lem at the end Of the crusade, in 1891,
it migrated to Cyprus, from thence in
1901 to Rhodes, whore it sustained two
celebrated sieges; soiourned at Castro,
Amalii and Rome from 1922 to 1880,
and possessed the Isle of Malta from
1880 to 1913. The order was divided
into eight languages or nationalitins,
one of them being the English, which
was divided into three grand priories,
viz: English, Irish and Scotch.
Through the latter the order came to
America in November, 1870, when the
first encampment in America, St.
Johns, No. "A, G. r.. s., now No. l,
G. r. A., was instituted. In olden
times the head OF the order was elected
for life, and his title was the Grand
Master" His assistants were formed
into a general chapter, or Chapter Gen,
eral. The knights wore over their usua
garments crimson surcoat embellished
before and behind with broad white
cross of eight points. 1t time Of peace
the dress of ceremony was long black
mantle. upon which the same cross Of
white linen was sewed.
THE OBJECTS OF THE ORDER.
J The order seeks to perpetuate in the
Nineteenth Century principles equally
enduring as the historic achievements
of their fraters Of the orusades.
a The solemn obligations of his recep
tion bind the novice to the constan
exercise of the duties Of fraternity
, The order is Christian, but.pot sec
tartan, and practical benevolence is en-
| Outraged and systemized by means o
the endowment and sick and funera
} benefits. 1t is governed by CONT
] mental grand body styled tho 'Chapte
General of America" composed of it
} own officers, representative from subor
dinate bodies, styled 'Encampments, ,
, PAST grand commanders, grand priors
district deputies and past commanders
In each State the order is under tn
] supervision Of grand prior. For pru
dental reasons the Chapter Genera
$ was on March 14th, 1883, Incorporates
5 as beneficial association under tn
: laws of the Sttae of New York. TIL
temporal affairs of the order are man
s aged by board of seven consisting Q
the grard commander, grand chancel
: lor, grand amoner, grand medical OK
S aminer and three grand trustees, whic
q meet regularly every month at the cit
of New York. There are encampment
S in different States of the Union and i
. Canada.
n The secret rites and ceremonies {
u the order are pronounced by those VIII
0 are familiar with the rites of otht
il orders to be most beautiful. Ther
are three ancient primary grades {
orders, viz: Knights of Justice, Hos
pitaller and Priesthood, together wit
l. the appendant Order of Knights of til
"a Red Cross and Sepulchre.
n AS in the ancient order, the s
:. knights are encouraged to perfet
u themselves in military drill. III
!, handsome; uniform of tie order is
!, most attractive feature, though its pu
chase is entirely optional.
i. The endowment department was o
!. ganized under authority from the Sta
~ of New York to issue certificates as
I charitable or beneficial association
ii CORPORATION. The endowment enabl
40 mon of moderate means to provide II
\, !, their families in case Of the death
y the bread winner. After careful med
cal examination certificates are issue,
- which entitle the beneticiaries of cor
! panions dying in good standing in IL
:, endowment to participate in the endoN
ar ment fund to the extent Of $500
= $4,000 The laws governing the @
no dowment department also provide +
4 the payment, to the member, of Il
al al face value OF his certificate in the eve
n of his becoming permanently total
;, disabled through accident or otherwis
provision is also made for old age, ben
fits upon reaching the age of 20 year
While the object Of the endowment d
partment is to protect the widows al
m orphans of deceased companions it al
ot protects the companion against 81
H. effect of those misfortunes which re
A. der him physically unable to help hii
I'M self In sickness a companion is help
al il necessary, and at death, immedia
M relief is extended to the widow or 9th
In beneficiary TO defray funeral expense
l r. Af Sc IAt,