ORDER OF ST. JOHN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 167, 15 July 1918, Page 7

ORDER OF ST. JOHN.

PARADE AND INSPECTION. ■The St. John John Ambulance Brigade keld its annual church parade at St. Matthew's Chtrreh yesterday' 1 afternoon. The total number of all ranks on parade waa 91, including two men's divisions of the Auckland and National Reserve, repreeentatives of the women's nursing division from Auckland, Onehunga, Epsom, Devonport, Grafton, and the National Keserve. The parade was under the control of llr. C. J. Tunks, assistant comsnissioner, Mr. F. J. Hutchinspn, corps superintendent, and Mrs. Smith, lady superintendent. Their Excellencies the Governor-Gen-eral and the Countess of Liverpool, who sire Knight of Grace and La-dy of Grace respectively of the Order of Jerusalem, Attended the church service. A sermon preached by the Anglican Bishop of Auckland (Dr. Averill) made reference to the c-o-operation of the Order and the Bed Cross organisa- " tion as a very fitting combination, for the Red Cross work was the natural development of the philanthropic ideals of the ancient Order of St. John. The capture of Jerusalem, the ancient home of the Order, by the British forces had ieen the greatest blow to Turkish prestige during the war, for Jerusalem had Bot been taken by a Christian nation I since 1099, and even then it was only field for SS years, when it was recaptured sry Saladin. The future of Jerusalem "would *c the concern of the whole Order, ttho should pray that it might not again iafl into the hands of the Turks, whose rule at the best 'was one of robbery and oppression.' He believed that Jerusalem I •was yet to be the centre of a great i World mission, and possibly the rallying ! point of the great United Church of God. j After the service the brigade was injected by the Governor-General. j