THE ORDER OF ST. JOHN

Otago Witness, Issue 3818, 17 May 1927, Page 10

THE ORDER OF ST. JOHN

By

W. B. Fisher,

Member of the Venerable Order of St. John. (Fop. the Otago Witness.) IX. PILGRIMAGE TO ACRE.

The pilgrims departed from the HobCity early on the 17th of March, as the itinerary included a visit to Acre, the key of Palestine and famous for its many sieges' during and since the Crusades. Anciently called Ptoiemais, it was later known as St. Jean d’Aere, and became the headquarters of the Knights of St. Jo'hn for about 100 years. During part of this period it is reported that luxury and even license among some of the inhabitants became notoriously apparent, and this had a pernicious influence in various directions. Envy, hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness appear to have been conspicuous at Acre in the thirteenth century, and the Hospitallers and Templars did not hesitate on more than one occasion to unsheathe their swords against one another. Discipline was ignored by the inhabitants, who represented various tribes and divisions. People of some 15 different countries, speaking different languages, and governed by different laws, occupying a distinct quarter of the city, were completely at variance with each other, and rendered allegiance to no definite authority. Yet in contradistinction to this we have the testimony of eminent soldiers and ecclesiastic's portraying the

merits and charitable actions of members of St. John, both individually and collectively, .besides a general consensus in the view that if reformation was essential, the promise of earlier years was still being maintained under most difficult circum-

stances. But to return to the modern pilgrims from England. Within the territory of Zebulon, over 50 miles from Jerusalem, they arrived at the town of Nazareth. It occupies an elevated site about midway between Mount Tabor and Cana. Mary’s Well was visited, and probably the title" “ Jesus of Nazareth ” had its origin

in this locality. It is a town with a population of about 11,000, including 6000 Christians, and the centre of missionary enterprise. Here the pilgrims halted and partook of refreshments. Further on, Mount Carmel came into view, a place five miles west of the Dead Sea, where Nabal, a very wealthy individual in the dim past, acted ungratefully when David lost his way in the bush at Paran. . Journeying towards Haifa (a large town with a population of over 12,000), Jaffa was passed, at which can be seen the rock where the enemies of Christianity desired to hurl its Founder, and further on the spot where Elijah “ with his strong arm ” scattered the priests of Baal. Next the ancient river Kishon was crossed. It is a medium-sized stream having its origin at the foot of Mount- Tabor and winding south through the plain of Jezreel, where the tidings of the death of Saul and his three sons in the battle of Gilboa was announced. In the afternoon the modern pilgrims of St. John reached their destination, and were received by the Mayor of Acre and other prominent- residents. The city, and also the road from Jerusalem, is very different npw from what it was in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, when the route was guarded by Hospitallers and Templars occupying a chain of castles for the defence of pilgrims. Richard Couer de Lion was much in evidence in those days, and with his followers played an important part in the struggles between the Cross and Crescent. Travellers in Palestine then and inter-

mittently for hundreds of years were subjected to great perils from Turcomans,

Bedouins, and other semi-barbarous inhabitants, while pestilence, robbery, and other horrors were restricted through the watchful eyes of the Hospitaller, "Templar, and Holy Sepulchre guardians of the law. The highest authority in the Order of the Holy Sepulchre is the Patriarch of Jerusalem and all Palestine, the present occupant of this venerable office being his Beautitude Damianos, the highest ecclesiastical ruler in Palestine. Four hundred years ago one of his predecessors invested an. Englishman named Willughby with the Order of the Holy Sepulchre. The diploma is in the possession of Lord Middleton, who is a descendant of Willughby, and the writer of this articile was privileged to receive a photographic copy of the patent, written in mediteval Latin, from Lady Middleton.

Shortly after the mayoral reception at Acre, the English pilgrims of St. John embarked for Cyprus.