The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-05-11

Isle Of Malta and have contracted the
Malta" fever. Especially when l con-
slider that less than four years ago there
was not a knight of Malta in Lacxa-
wanna county and tonight there are ten
Communicates with over 1900 members
and all thoroughly infected with Malta"
fever, and it has been predicted that
during the next term there will be at
least three, If not more, new command
cries in Lackawanna county.
l have been assigned the subject, "The
| Supreme Grand Commandery."
Starting at Jerusalem in the year 1QlS,
| for the purpose of protecting and admin
| istering to those who had been robbed
and wounded in their annual pilgrmages
to the tomb of Christ, where they be-
lieved they would secure remission of
| their greater sins by worshiping at the
foot of the same. Continuing through the
| dark and bloody years of the Crusaders
from Jerusalem to Cyprus, from Cyprus
to Palestine, from Palestine to Rhodes,
from Rhodes to the Isle of Malta, from
the Isle of Malta being banshed by
| Napoleon) to Scotland, and from Scot
land to the American continent, we have
endeavored to carry out the same prin-
ciple of administering to suffering hu-
manity.
Today we number over 25 900 members
in all parts of the United States, fro m
the north to the south, and the east to
west, being in over seventeen states,
District of Columbia and Canada, Penn
sylvania takes the lead with over 100
loyal and true knights.
| The order is not a political organiZa-
tion. politics not being permitted, having
a disturbing tendency. We are not an
lultra-religious organization, as we recog-
nize the right of all to worship according
to the dictates of his conscience for Ike
Constantine after his vision of the cross
I.
support OF the standard of the cross
and as the Sir Knights OF old rather
than allow the cross and red and black Of
the hospitalers of old (the recognized en-
blem of the Malta of today, to trail in
the dust, we emulate the Sir Knights OF
old by making any sacrifice for their
views.
We are a thoroughly fraternal mill
tary and beneficial order, and are ubli-
gated to the defense of the home, Wild
ows, orphans and INDECENT members, and
give practical illustration of love and
fraternalism in the brotherhood of man
and the practice Of Christian virtues
WHAT THE BAND DID.
Bauer's band played and played
again and even the third time so great
ly was the playing enjoyed. Messrs.
Beynon and Jones, of the quartette,
l.sang a duet.
" Grand Recorder Sir George II. Pierce,
p. s. c., who is much beloved in this
county among the Knights of Malta
having instituted nine of the ten COM
manderies here, was introduced and
applauded to the echo. His address
was on "A Malta Stronghold"
With perfect enunciation and fine ex-
preston, he drew in Imagination q
picture of the entrance of the knights
into this county and the institution
Of the orders. The planting Of. the
standards and the naming Of com,
manderies each with its special sig
nificance, as for instance, Electric City
No. 1T (the firsD, meant brightness
up to-date and hospitable; Anthracite
No. 21l (the second), warmth, power
light and strength, and so on dowr
the list.
The speaker then quickly reviewed
: the hository Of Malta from the day
Of it's inception at Jerusalem by the
, holy monks or Hospitalers of st. Johr
on up to the founding of the order in
Scotland and the chartering of the or
der on the American continent. H'
, said that the Malta standard was the