Historical information

Prerequisite for the Gareth Award: Attaining 4th Class Merit badge; 3rd Class Merit badge and Efficiency Awards for Interest, Service and Special.

The Methodist Order of Knights was the official youth organisation of the Methodist Church of Australasia. It originated in Hurstville, NSW, on the 4th October 1914 by the then Mr and later Rev Alex Bray. Alex Bray was a Sunday School teacher and spoke to his class of the Knights of the Round Table. In 1917 the Order of Knights was officially recognised by the Sunday School Dept of the NSW Methodist Conference. Courts spread thoroughout Australia. In 1927 the High Court of NSW called for designs for a badge and in 1929 the General Conference of the Methodist Church of Australasia recognised the Order as an approved Organisation. In 1938 the Senior Section was organised into Degrees of Sincerity, Service and Sacrifice; the Junior Section into Pages' Degree with advancement to Esquire. In 1954 the Junior Section was reorganised into two groups: Pages 8 to 11 years and Esquires 12 to 15 years.

The Knight's Motto: "Live Pure, Speak True, Right Wrong, Follow Christ the King, else wherefore born?"

Courts of the Order: General Conference Department of the Christian Education - General Court - Provincial High Court - District Court - Local Court - Senior Court - Intermediate Court - Junior Court .

Regalia: All members of the Intermediate and Senior Courts wore regalia consisting of a cloth shield superimposed by a cross of light and dark blue ribbons, and supported by a cloth collar. Esquire and Degree of Sincerity regalia: White collar and white shield. Degree of Service regalia: Green collar and shield. Degree of Sacrifice: Scarlet collar and shield. District Court regalia: Blue collar and gold shield. High Court regalia: Gold collar and purple sheild. General Court regalia: Purple collar and shield. Officers of the local courts wore their symbols as part of their regalia.

Physical description

MOK244.1 & MOK244.2 Yellow coloured cover Methodist Order of Knights efficiency awards handbook for the Junior Efficiency, Gareth, award. The book has typed, unnumbered pages and a sketch of a youth with billy cans on the cover. The book is held together with three staples and the binding is of adhesive fabric.