The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1923-06-22

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the use Of pilgrims and was dedicated
to st. John. To meet various require
ments, the hospital was organized and
an order instituted, consisting Of &C.
clesiastics, to administer TO the spir-
itual wants Of the pilgrims, lay broth
ers for secular duty, and knights for
defense and protection.
Knights of Malta.
After the capture Of Jerusalem by
the Saracens, Crusaders from all
Kingdoms of Christendom FASTENED
eastward and the knights of st. JOHN,
then installed at Acre, added mem
bers Of many n~ationalities TO their
number. In 1852 the pope granted
the title Of grand master 10 the head
Of the knights.
For general convenience, the order
ing to the principal languages spoken
by its members. The sections Of the
order were the 'Langues" of Prov
ence, Auvergne, France, Italy, Aragon,
Catalonia, Navarro, England, Ger
many, CASTLE, Leon and Portugal. The
Langue d'Angleterre was dissolved in
1910 at the Reformation. An AnglO-Ba.
varian Langue was reinstated in the
Eighteenth century.
Each Langue had It's own head
quarters, or "Auberge," and those
built at Malta are monuments of archi-
tectural beauty. They are now used
chiefly as government offices and dur-
ing the World war were scenes of in
tense activity.
The order removed from Acre TO
Cyprus and thence to Rhodes, where
its headquarters remained until the
islands fall, in 1922. The old bond
between Rhodes and Malta was com
memOrated by the pope, who gave the
bishop of Malta the title Of archbishop
Of Rhodes.
In 1865 the Turkish fleets made q
powerful attack on Malta, but were
finally defeated by Grand Master La
Vallette, who bGilt the city of Val
letta in memory Of the victory. The
Cathedral of st. John, in Valletta, was
also built as a burial place for the
grand masters, the remains Of those
previously inferred in the Chapel Of
Fort st. Angelo being transferred.
Seized by Napoleon.
In 1893 the wheel of Fate again
brought Malta into prominence. Ma
poleon, profted by the temporary alb
Sence of the British feet from the
Mediterranean, seized the island on
his way to Egypt. He expelled all
members Of the order, c~onfiscating
their property and also that Of the
church.
1t is related that the solid silver
gates of the Sacramento Chapel Of
the Cathedral Of st. John were hastily
painted over, In the hope Of escaping
notice, but in vain. They were, how
ever, redeemed at a great price, togeth-
err with the II silver statues of the
Apostles.
After NapoleOn's departure a gov
rnO was appointed to rule on behalf
OF the French republic. Soon after
ward the British fleet returned and
won the Battle Of the Nile over the
French. Then the Maltese arose
against the French garrison, which
was b%lockaded by the British. After
a gallant defense, lasting two years.
the garrison finally was forced by
famine TO surrender.
After peace came Britain proposed
to restore the island to the Order of
st. John, but the piteous appeals Of
the Maltese at last prevailed and NAL
tn became Incorporated into the Brit
ish empire.
Year in. year out, fresh trade has
flowed through Malta, Mt last secure
from every foe. The ships of the
world soon thronged It's harbors. The
change from sail to steam nccessitat-
ed the provision of greater d0ckyard
facilities for the British fleet I'm the
Mediterranean, and millions of dollars
have since been spent in Malta for
this purpose, bringing employment
and trade to the Maltese such as they
had never known before.
The opening Of the Suez canal
brought still further prosperity, while
the increased size Of warships neces-
STATED further new docks and work
shops, providing still more employ
ment for the skillful and industrious
inhabitants Of this island.