THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 1908. WORTHY WORKERS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9166, 14 August 1908, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 1908. WORTHY WORKERS.

It is a far cry from 1048 down to the present day, but nevertheless the St. John Ambulance Association, of which there is a branch in Masterton, that is flourishing and doing good work, must be regarded as having had its real origin in the year mentioned. The Knights of St. John, or Hospitalers of St. John, were a celebrated military religious order, established at the commencement of the Crusades to the Holy Land. As early as 1048 some merchants from Amalfi, Naples, established a church at Jerusalem, and built a monastery, which they dedicated to John the Baptist. It was the duty of the monks, who were called brothers of St. John, or Hospitalers, to take care of the poor and sick, and in general to assist pilgrims. In the course of time the order became great and powerful, and though history reveals that the conduct of some of the members, at times, was anything but what it should have been, yet the order flourished for many years, and performed a grent deal of good work, by which the whole Christian world was benefited, and benefited not merely

physically, but spiritually as well. ; The brave deeds and noble sacrifices ; of the Knights of St. John have again | and again in past centuries stimulated both men and women to perform similar acts of heroism, and the spirit that moved those brave knights of old is actuating the members of i the St. John Ambulance Association to-day. We read in history that the Order of St. John is to be rpgarded as extinct a hundred years ago, but the outwai-d and visible sign is of small importance in comparison with the inward and spiritual grace, and we are right in saying that the Order lives now with as much, if not greater force, than it did in the brave days of old. The mission of the Knights of St. John was that of mercy. In peace these knights wore a long black mantle; a gold cros3 of eight points, enamelled white; in war they wore a red jacket or tabard, charged with a full white cross. In the troublous times, when the Order was instituted, it was naturally part of the duty of the knights to fight; indeed, the very existence and maintenance of their errand of mercy depended upon their capacity in arms. Here is an instance of history presenting us with a magnificent tableau, even more, a beautiful allegory, of the militant Christian. But we have departed somewhat from the object of this article, which is really to draw attention to the good work being accomplished by the local branch of the Ambulance Association, and the visit to Masterton, in connection therewith, of His Excellency the Governor. On Wednesday next the Governor will present certificates to members of the Men's Ambulance Division and Ladies' Nursing Guild. The Governor will be entertained in the afternoon at the Exchange Buildings, and in the evening a demonstration will be given in the Town Hall, when all sorts of accidents will be treated under First Aid rules. The demonstration should prove exceptionally interesting, as it is understood that the Masterton branch of the Association is most efficient, and it may be remarked, in passing, that it comprises no lass than fifty-seven members -twenty-four men and thirty-three ladies. The Masterton Division has a most worthy object in view.and it is greatly to be' hoped that the end desired will be attained. The aim in question is to procure a district nurse to attend to the poor and deserving in cases of need, free of charge. There is more often need for such services than the average person probably thinks. Medical .testimony is to the effect that cases frequently occur where a nurse is absolutely necessary, but the family are too poor to procure one.

"To take care of the poor and the sick," that is virtually the motto of St. John Ambulance Association. The cost of procuring the services of a competent, certificated nurse, who would be a kind of "Sister of Mercy," would be about £l5O a year, or, at any rate, it would be necessary to provide £IOO as a retaining fee. A further advantage that would accrue from appointing a district nurse is, we understand, that the members of the Nursing Guild would act under the district nurse's instructions. There are other matters connected with the Misterton Division that call for comment and commendation, and \vc shall refer to them at an early date. In conclusion, on the present occasion, we would point out that the local division are endeavouring to make themselves as efficient and as thoroughly useful as they possibly can. They are working most enthusiastically, and are, perhaps, displaying more energy than any other similar divisian in the Dominion. The sympathy and practical help of the general public are lequired to maintain the progress of the movement, and both should be ungrudgingly rendered.