Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-06-06
Has Been Enjoyed by the
Knights Of Columbus.
Rapid Growth Of Order During
Past II Months Is Shown
Al Annual Convention Of The Order 10
Session al New Haven.

New Haven, ocIl. June o
The national convention of the
knights Of Columbus today began its
deliberations on matters affecting the
welfare of the order and it's members.
disposing of the routine matters of or
ganization and taking up for decision
a number of questions which had come
over from the Los Angeles convention
of last year. The convention opened
after the delegates had attended Il
Pontifical Mass in st. Johns church at
which Cardinal Gibbons presided. Be
| sides the cardinal there were present
Bishop 1'ierney of Hartford. the ceie
| brant; Bishop Beaver of Springfield.
and Bishop Michaud of Burlington, Vt.
and about 100 of the best known atho-
| lie churcnmcn in the state besides
| many from other places.
The sermon was by the Rev. j. J. Nc
Coy of Worcester. and was an appeal
for a higher citizenship.
The church services lasted nearly
three hours. Afterwards the visiting
| clergy were entertained at lunch by
Rev Father Coyle. the rector ut the
adjacent parochial school
The delegates returned t. their hall
| and, after a short interval. were called
to order hy Supreme knight Edward l..
| Hearn.
| After cordially welcoming the dole
gates. Mr.. Hearn took up business mat
ters of the order and pointed out that
an error in counting votes cast for four
members of the board of doctors at
| Los Angeles last year. gave an election
| to state Deputy Dennis p. Lucey OF
| New York. whereas count after the
l
ton instead of Daniel Callahan. state
deputy of Virginia.
The hoard of directors felt that it had
no right to interfere or correct the
wrong. said Mr. Hearn, but individual
ly the members believed that a NOM
| Der elected to membership on the
| board. should not be deprived of his
seat. The national advocate, in an opn-
| ion. recommended that the error could
| be corrected only by rcconvcninE the
| original convention. The matter, there
| fore is left to the present convention
| for consideration. Mr.. Hearn referred
| to the resent convention for Considera-
| ton. Mr.. Hearn referred to the san
| francisco catastrophe and to the re-
| sponsc of the members of the order to
! the appeals of California brethren for
| dSS1SidECc. Inc direct fOli1lbut IONS
| from subordinate councils at present
amount to $4,000
| A recommendation was made for fur
Their legislation i'm addition to the laws
| adopted by the national council of
1904. The law as it now stands prohib-
l its the issue of appeals for aid or as
| siStdnce. first. by any member or
| council to any member or council with
| in its own state or jurisdiction. with
out the approval of the state deputy;
| secondly, by any member or council to
| any member or council outside his own
| state or jurisdiction without the APP
| proved Of the board Of directors. en-
my Judgment" said Mr.. Hearn. this
| BODY should go further and lay down
positive laws declaring the purpose for
| which appeals may be circulated. Dur
ing the past year. he said. requests for
aid had come from many parts of the
| world.
In referring to tho memorial service
| of the order. he said that the service
as at present included in the ritual.
| contains. in the judgment of many
| critics. certain objectionable charac-
| teristics. "It is the opinion Of many"
he said. that this memorial form
| should be abolished entirely and | 50
recommend to this council, recommend
ing that in lieu Of the memorial ser
| vice the order shall set apart Feb. %
| in each year as = day upon which all
councils shall have Requiem Masses
| sung for the rcpose of the souls Of the
| departed brothers"
| OF the progress made during the year
| Mr.. IIeGrn said: "In territory where
| the order has already secured a footing
our growth has not Jagged. Every juris-
| diction has exhibited a gain. the oldest
| state. Connecticut, having shown
| great re-awakening during 1905. In
stead Of rcceding we have made a
| steady advance. In Canada our pro-
gress has been very satisfactory"
Mr.. Hearn dealt at length upon the
matter of level system of rates and
quoted largely from the report of the
actuary and national physician on the
| subject.
| while the growth i'm membership
has been very gratifying. the increase
in financial strength and integrity has
been even more So The total surplus is
S.611 o12.75. invested in first-class So
curities. Since our last convention our
insured membership has increased from
| 7f'ool 70 oIffo. ana our associates from
S3.Ic1 to 1O2.S60. We have added 10S new
councils and have planted the banner
of Columbianism in Mexico. British Co
lumbia. Manitoba. Manila and in the
Maritime Provinces
i. In conclusion Mr.. Hearn said that the
growth OF the order seemed to point to
the advisability of forming councils in
! foreign countries.
The committee on credentials reportoI
thls AFTERNOON that out OF total Of IL
delegates entitled to seats in the con-