BACK TO THE CRUSADERS

Taranaki Daily News, 1 June 1934, Page 9

BACK TO THE CRUSADERS

GENESIS OF ORDER OF ST. JOHN. USEFUL WORK IN TARANAKI. The Order of St. John of Jerusalem has its roots in ancient history. One hundred and fifty years before the birth of Christ, John Horcanus, of the tribe of Maccabees, founded a hospital for pilgrims to the Temple of Solomon. That is the earliest record of a Hospital of Jerusalem. Its site is unknown. In the year 1010 a hospital established by Charlemagne for pilgrims to the Holy Sepulchre was destroyed by a Caliph whose name, curiously enough, was El. Hazim, which means “The Doctor.” The hospital was rebuilt on the same site by some merchants of Amalfi in 1023 and it was there, some years later, that Brother Gerard, the founder of the Order, came on the scene. On July 15, 1099, the Crusaders entered Jerusalem. Colonel King, in his official history, wrote: “If one day more than another may be regarded as the birthday of the Order, it is surely July 15, 1099, when the Holy City was once more in Christian hands.” But it was not until 1113 that “Pope Paschal II took the hospital under his protection, exempted it from the payment of titles, confirmed its endowments and granted it the privilege of electing its own Superior.” In order more fully to understand the history of the Order and its founder it is necessary to imagine the stirring days of the First Crusade. In 1099, one of the noblest representatives •of medieval chivalry, Godfrey de Bouillon, rescued Jerusalem from the hands of the infidel and placed the Holy City under Christian rule. He found the little hospital for Christian pilgrims in charge of a humble and devoted Brother Gerard, and dedicated to St. John the Baptist. The good monk, had taken many of the wounded Christian soldiers into his care. Duke Godfrey gave the hospital his patronage. It became famous, many gifts were bestowed upon it, and Brother Gerard resolved to make it the home of a new community to which the name of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem was given. It was around this hospital that the

Order of St. John developed and although in later years the knights became one of the greatest military organisations in Christendom, they still main-, tained and developed the humanitarian side of their work, as their name, Knight Hospitaller, denotes. In 1187 Saladin drove the Christians from Jerusalem, and after sojourning at Acre and Cyprus the Order of .St. John became established at Rhodes. For over 200 years the knights, in their island fortress, withstood the forces of Islam, and by their stubborn defence helped to stem the tide of Mohammedan invasion that threatened to overwhelm Europe. In 1480 the Turks determined to subjugate this bulwark of Christendom, but after a long and fierce conflict they were defeated by the knights. In 1522, however, the knights were compelled to leave Rhodes, after a siege lasting six months, and after some years of wandering they settled down at Malta. Notwithstanding a fierce Turkish attack on this island in 1565, the knights remained at Malta for about 400 years. During

this 'period they became a powerful naval force, their large fleet being engaged in attacking the pirates of the Mediterranean. Nevertheless during the whole of their existence, the knights gave special attention to the maintenance of a large hospital at the convent of the Order. However prominent the military duties of the hospitallers might be, they never allowed the original duties of relieving human suffering to lapse, nor the spirit of Christian charity " to be forgotten by them. Towards the end of their stay at Malta the Knights of St. John gradually lost their influence in the Mediterranean and they were dispersed by Napoleon in 1798. ENGLISH BRANCH REVIVED. Early in the nineteenth century, the English branch of , the .Order (which came into existence in 1130, but had been dormant since the Reformation) was revived, and in 1888 the status of the Order was confirmed by . Queen Victoria, who granted a new charter that to-day controls the work of the English Grand Priory and its departments. - . Such is the great background of history from which the St. John Ambulance Association and the St. John Ambulance Brigade have been evolved. Never, surely, had a good cause more inspiring memories to draw upon. Although it was not until 1877 that the St John Ambulance Association officially came into existence as a department of the Order of St. John, much interest I had been shown in ambulance work • before that year, and many members enrolled in the British National Aid Society formed during the Franco-Ger-man War. Following the advent of the St. John Ambulance Association there was a great advance in first aid work, the ambulance instruction classes of the association being specially popular. In 1879 the first manual of ambulance instruction was published and arrangements were made for candidates who had obtained the certificate to maintain their efficiency by passing annual reexamination; medallions being awarded candidates who had twice undergone an annual re-examination. Even this was not sufficient for the ambulance enthusiasts the association was training, and so in various parts of the country men formed themselves into ambulance corps, ambulance stations were maintained at various exhibitions,

and valuable work was accomplished by ; these pioneers on public occasions. The ! work of these independent corps of ambulance workers was gradually coordinated, and the result was the formation of the St. John Ambulance Brigade. The rise and progress of first aid was one of the features of the last centupr. It rapidly spread throughout the British Empire. Many of the large towns in New Zealand formed ambulance associations, and in 1899 a branch was formed at New Plymouth. From its inception the local ambulance association has* continued to give instruction in, first aid and home nursing, many hundreds of persons having qualified in one or both subjects. Much useful work has been accomplished by members, especially in manning the hand litter used some years ago for the removal of the sick and injured to the hospital, and during the epidemic of 1918. In order ,to be of further service to the public it was decided to form a nursing and ambulance division.. Although at first it was difficult to* enrol members who could give the time so necessary for the work, the membership gradually increased until to-day the black and white uniformed men are a familiar sight at all local gatherings, such as sports meetings. The activities of the division extend over practically all North- Taranaki and much useful work is being done. In 1932 a junior home nursing division (girls) and ambulance (boys) was formed, members entering enthusiastically into the work. These divisions should prove excellent feeders for the senior divisions; and instruction in the work should prove an asset to the young people. In reviewing the work of the ambulance division for the past year it is interesting to note that 763 cases were treated on public duty, many of these being <. c a serious nature. A large number of persons requiring first aid were treatc 1 by the members while not officially on duty.