The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-07-07
POPULAR CATHOLIC
 ORDER INCREASING
The Knights of Columbus Have
 an Initiation and Banquet
FORTY NINE CANDIDATES
Father eaffney Delivers an impressive Sermon at St. Paurs church-He Is an Eloquent Priest of
 the Dominican Order.

Columbus. had an initiation yesterday, ann an initiation always brings delega- tions of visiting Knights from many cities and causes stir In local Catholic circles.
 The Knights and the candidates assem- bled in St. Paurs Hall at 10 o'clock in the morning and at 1O;30 moved in pro- cession to St. Pauls church to hear mass and listen to a sermon by the Rev. P. A. Gaffney, O. P. of Memphis The cele- brant of the mass was the Rev J. M. Kellogg of the Josephite college near Montgomery.
 Father Gaffney clad in the white habit of his order, delivered a short dis course, recitlng as his text the Psalm beginning, Behold. how good and how pleasant 1t is for brethren to dwell to- gether in unity"
 He spoke of the mission of the order of Knights of Columbus and of the good it was destined to accomplish for the cause of the Christian religion. The order had it's social side. but it's great work lay in the direction of practical Catholicity. In this age of aggressive unbelef the church, he pointed out. needed just such an organization as the one he was ad- dressing He exhorted the Knights to high Christian living and to be prepared at all times to defend the church from the assaults of organized atheism. They must study the history of the doctrines of the church, he said, so as to be ready to reply to her enemies, which he de- l a1thf Ia pd than ever before.
 Father Gaffney, like all the Dominicans, is strong pulpit orator. He is at once scholarly and practical. and his hearers listened to him with rapt attention
 The choir sang the Kyrie and the Agnus Del, and for an offertory M. J. McCor- mack of Memphis played a violin solo- Muscagnfs 'Intermezzo" his lowing and tone revealing good muscianship. At the conclusion of the mass the congregation sang hymn and then the Knights re- turned to St. Paurs Hall
 The Initiation.
 The initiation took place at Magnolia Hall. The work began early in the af- ternoon and was completed about ' o'clock The Birmingham council con- ferred the first and second degrees, John W. ONeill presiding as grand knight. and the Nashville council, with M T. Bryan presiding grand knight.
 There were forty-nine candidates, and their names follow: William P. Kennedy Charles Roy, T. T. O'Byrne, John w. Deacy, Peter A. Boggan, R. c. Sullivan. Jackson Brandon, w. E. Frawley, Dr. Charles Wheelan, Charles M. Houppert. Bernard Hughes, John M. Haran, J. H. O'Brien, L. J. James, l.. P. James, D. w. Maloney, c. P. Johnson, M. E. Linne- han, Frank J. Sweeney, John McGeever, Hugh Fully, c. A. Fitzgerald. S. J. Schu- bert. Lucien Julien Walker, E. T. OCon- nor, James OConnor, J. P. Lambert Rev. J. NJ Kellogg. John J. Curran. E. B.. Martin, Dennis Carr, John Pearse O,Leary, John F. Harrington, Lewis J.. Brier, Frank c. Mcguire. Thomas P. Kelley, w. F. Cotter. Tuscaloosa; Charles Mcguire, Alabama City; F. Ryan, Ensley; William P. Kennedy, EnsIey; J. L. Brierton, Ensley; J. A. Day, Ensley; James McGovern, Ensley; F. A. McGinty, Pratt City; James R. Middleton, Bessemer; John Dow, Annis- ton; T. M. Brew. Nashville; John B. LaGarde Anniston, and Chris Ghio. | Chattanooga.
 The degree work was said to have been well done and the candidates seem to have been deeply impressed. Several priests were present and they were as enthusiastic over the beauties of the order as the laymen.
 Luncheon was spread in the hall. While the order of Knights of Columbus is not a total agstinence institution nothing stronger than coffee is ever served at any of its meetings or banquets.
 The Banquet.
 At quarter to o'clock the Knights of Columbus had a banquet at the Hillman Covers were laid for two hundred. MT. J. A Blount of Anniston was toastmaster and no man could have acquitted himself better His remarks in calling up the dif- ferent speakers were graceful and fitting, and were often enlivened by natural wit and humor The toasts were:
 "Welcome," John w. oNeill, grand knight.
 Spirit of Chivalry," M. T. Bryan, Nash | vile council.
 | Ht dentleIndn, feV. F. A. Gaffney, Memphis council. Southern Catholicity," James C.4rte.- Cooke, Birmingham council. | "The Present Occasion, Frank P. O Brien. Birmingham council | Before and After Taking" Sterling A. Wood, Birmingham council. Cordial Catholic Mobile,' A. J. Krebs, Birmingham council.
 | Good of the Order" Rev. F. A. I OReilly. Birmingham council. | All the speeches were bright and happy. MT. Bryan was eloquent on chvalry. Father Gaffney gave Shakespeare's and | Newman's and lennysons definitions of gentleman, and added. in the same line. | his own definition, which was as full of truth as it was stimulating; and MT. | Wood made a great hit with his sly hu- nor and his telling allusions to certain | parts of the initiation.
 | The banquet was concluded by the Knights rising and singing My Coun- try. Iris of Thee"
 Linnehan's orchestra supplied the in- strumental music during the evening. Some of the visitors left last night but others will remain for day or two. With the additions yesterday Birming- ham Council has membership of about 150. The order is young but it has spread all over the United States