Historical information

Court Astolat was chosen as the name for the Benalla Mehtodist Order of Knights in 1939. It is manor/castle in Arthurian legend where Sir Lancelot spent the night. The story of the naming of the Court is explained in E3112.73.

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

Blue card covered booklet with nine typed pages. The cover has blue and silver text and an image of a MOK knight and the Order of Knights symbol. The inside covers contain a list of Past Knight Commanders and Past Bishops and the Officers for 1959-60 or Court Astolat No 31. The pages have blue text and include a greeting from Mervyn F Redman, General Grand Commander; the story of Court Astolat, No 31 and the proceedings for Saturday 2nd May 1959, Sunday 3 May, the banquet programme and the theme hymn for Court Astolat's jubilee.