The Irish standard., 1905-06-03
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS.
Over 600 Were Present at the Initia
ton Exercises Tuesday.


ton Exercises Tuesday
One Of the largest meetings OF the
knights OF Columbus yet held, here
or elsewhere, took place at Elks' hall,
this city last Tuesday afternoon un-
der the auspices of Hennepin Council
No. 435, loyalty assisted by Council
39S of st. Paul. In honor of the occa-
sion in which the candidates were
given the work of the order, Knights
of Columbus assembled from all parts
of the Northwest to participate in the
ceremony and it's attendant celebra-
ton. The day will go down in Knights
of Columbus annals as mark in their
career that can be recalled with the
sincerest pride as the most meMora-
BILE day in their history. 1t was the
sixth anniversary OF the founding OF
Hennepin Council, and st. Paul Coun-
Gil did itself proud in helping to make
the event one never to be forgotten.
Elaborate preparations had been mat.e
for multitude OF visitors, but the
number who responded exceeded the
most Sanguine expectation. In the
afternoon the initiatory services were
administered to class of 1876 by the
celebrated Davenport, Iowa, team,
headed by r. ]. Fitzpatrick of Du.
buque and E. ]. Stackhouse of Daven.
port. 1t was the unqualified opinion of
| all the Knights present that the work
of the team could not have been sur
passed in it's impressiveness and gran
deur. Immediately after the ceremo-
nies incident to the exemplificatiOn
| work were over the Knights left the
hall and repaired to the West hotel.
The large area of the main dining
| room had been gridironed with tables,
and before everyone present was seat
ed it was found to be necessary to
| equip more tables in the anterooms OF
! the main hall. All counted, there
were SIS persons at the table, which
stands as the highest attendance OF
any banquet ever held in the West
hotel At intervals along the tables
| candles were burning in sets OF
three adding to the decorative
effect of the brilliantly lighted
room. The menu cards were hand
somely embossed bearing raised
medallion portrait OF Columbus
planting the cross and the flag OF
Spain on the soil of the New World.
Below this the emblem of the orde!
in colors was engrossed Musical So
lections were given during the ban
quet by the quartet of both cities. In
| terspersed with the courses a program
was rendered by the West hotel or
chestra. John f. Gehan Of st. Paul
sang several particularly fine solos
and he was forced to respond to en-
| cores. After the invocation, which was
delivered by the Rev. j. +. Dolphin
the first address was made by the
toastmaster of the evening, the Rev. }
NJ Cleary, grand knight of HenneplI
county. He took as his topic, "Ameri
can Catholics" in which he touched
upon the question of race suicide. Ht
averred that the Catholic church iT
it's unalterable stand against divorce
has wrought more good in this line
than any other factor. AS did every
one of the speakers, he dwelt upoI
good citizenship and the duties owet
by the men of the country as whole
for that which is best and good in pub
lie affairs. He gave brief outline o
the history of the Catholic religion II
America from the landing of Colum
bus down to the present time. HI
spoke of the part which adherents t.
that faith had taken in the educationa
and commercial life Of this countr
since it's formation.