Knights of Columbus

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

a fraternal order, restricted to male members of the Catholic Church, established in New Haven, Conn., in 1882. The purposes are declared to be to develop a practical Catholicity among the members, to promote education and charity, and, through an insurance department, to aid furnish at least temporary financial ary to the families of deceased members. censed m The organizers in 1882, as a Supreme , as a S Committee, instituted the first subordinhe first se ate council, San Salvador Council, No. dor Coun 1, New Haven. From that time on subchat time ordinate councils were organized in the organized different cities and towns throughout owns thre Connecticut, and in 1885 the order be- 85 the or gan to be extended beyond the borders of and the bor that state. The order had in force rhadi April 1, 1918, insurance certificates of ce certific $132,344,151.33, the reserve fund amounterve fund ing to $8,532,967.89. In 1917 the ratio 132.35 per In 1917 of assets to liabilities was was 132 cent. The order is now established in every cablished state and territory of the United States, the every province of Canada, in Newfound land, Alaska, the Philippines, Cuba, Canal Zone, and Porto Rico, Mexico, the endowed at Canal Panama. The order has has $50,000 a chair of American History at erica the Catholic University of America; and at the fifty perpetual free scholarships work boln same institution. It aided in relief Kansas Eded in to in San Francisco earthquake, flood, Chelsea fire, Ohio flood and Halifax disaster. The organization was especially active 18 especi during the World War in relief work, both in France and the United States. id the United States. or the control of the Its work was under the control of the activities, of which commission of war activities, of which Chairman. William J. Mulligan was an was Chairman. The Over Seas Director was William irector was William P. Larkin. Columbus crganized The Knights of Columbus organized canteens and huts where the soldiers where the soldiers were able to resort for social and other for social and other activities both in the training camps States the training camps and in France. In the United in the United States 150 such rest stations were maintained, number of ons were maintained, and in France 45. The total The total number of secretaries amounted to 350. On Sunbed to 350. On Sundays, mass was held in the huts, 100 held in the huts, 100 Chaplains being assigned to the relispecial assigned to the religious phase of the work for the work for the special tholic soldiers. comfort of the Catholic soldiers. note that on the Jew- It is worthy of note that on the Jew- Knights of Columbus ish Sabbath, the Knights of Columbus were Huts, both at home and abroad the Jewme and abroad were thrown open to the soldiers of e soldiers of the Jewish faith, in order that they might enthat they might enjoy religious service according to their ice according to their belief. Before the close of the war the Cathof the war the Catholics of the United States had contribd States had contributed over $50,000,000 a year for the 1,000 a year for the work of the Knights of Columbus. , nights of Columbus. During the first six months of 1918 six months of 1918, over $7,000,000 was spent. as spent. See RELIEF, WAR. The work of lectures to non-Catholics tures to non-Catholics has been taken up with success and was with success and 'was carried to great lengths during the war. engths during the war. The series of lectures delivered by ectures delivered by Bishop Keane of Cheyenne, Wyo., in Cheyenne, Wyo., in Denver in 1909, inaugurated the work. Inaugurated the work. Ia., 85 per cent. of the At Cedar Rapids, Ia., 85 per cent. of the audience, at the lectures under the auswas ectures under the auspices of the Knights of Columbus, Thts of Columbus, was non-Catholic. The Knights of Columbus Knights of Columbus were largely instrumental in the erec- Christopher rumental in the erecmemorial to orial to Christopher tion of a Columbus, in the City of Washington, City of Washington, by the United States Government. States Government. (October 12) was in- "Columbus Day" (October 12) was inthe stituted largely through the efforts of rough the efforts of the order. In August, 1920, a commission un- 1920, a commission sent by the Knights of Columbus presented chts of Columbus unveiled a statue of Lafayette Lafayette presented by the order at Metz and presented a to Mar- Metz and presented a jewelled K. C. marshal's baton P. hal's baton to Marshal Ferdinand Foch. Mr. William the Mr. William P. Larkin, the Over Seas Director, was Director, was the orator of this occasion. ion. ber of lodges in 1921 The total number of lodges in 1921 members was 2085-the total number of tal number of members carrying insurance was 203,795. The was was 208,795. The total number of associate members meme members was 511,078, making a grand total of total of members 714,873. The total increase over the previous ,over the previous year in the associate members was 36 ciate members wan 36, 985, with an increase of all members of e of all members of 121,725. labor organization in the United States, founded in Philadelphia in 1869. It is to be distinguished from trades-unions as embracing all classes and kinds of labor, and extending, through its local assemblies, over the whole country. The first general assembly was held in 1878. In 1886 there were 730,000; in 1886 and 1887, however, the system of "boycotting" having been introduced, the business of the country was greatly disturbed, and since then the strength of the organization declined. At the convention of 1888 the total was admitted to have fallen below 500,000; and dissensions have since further weakened the body. It is estimated that the membership now (1920) is less than 100,000.