KNIGHTHOOD 358 KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS ship" (1901), and contributed many ar- ticles to magazines. KNIGHTHOOD, ORDER OF, a duly organized and constituted order or body of Knights. They are of two kinds, the first consisting of associations or frater- nities, possessing property and rights of their own, as independent bodies; the second honorary associations established by sovereigns within their own domin- ions. To the first class belong the Knights Templars and Hospitallers; to the second those numerous orders estab- lished in different countries, as the Or- der of the Holy Ghost, the Order of the Golden Fleece, etc., in European coun- tries, and the Orders of the Bath, the Garter, St. Patrick, St. Michael, and St. George, the Thistle, etc., in Great Britain. Each order has its appropriate insignia, generally including ribbon, collar, badge, or jewel and a star. KNIGHTS AND LADIES OP HONOR, a fraternal beneficiary society founded in the United States in 1877. KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, a fra- ternal order, restricted to male members of the Catholic Church, established in New Haven, Conn., in 1882. The pur- poses are declared to be to develop a practical Catholicity among the members, to promote education and charity, and, through an insurance department, to furnish at least temporary financial aid to the families of deceased members. The organizers in 1882, as a Supreme Committee, instituted the first subordin- ate council, San Salvador Council, No. 1, New Haven. From that time on sub- ordinate councils were organized in the different cities and towns throughout Connecticut, and in 1885 the order be- gan to be extended beyond the borders of that state. The order had in force April 1, 1918, insurance certificates of $132,344,151.33, the reserve fund amount- ing to $8,532,967.89. In 1917 the ratio of assets to liabilities was 132.35 per cent. The order is now established in every state and territory of the United States, every province of Canada, in Newfound- land, Alaska, the Philippines, Cuba, Porto Rico, Mexico, the Canal Zone, and Panama. The order has endowed at $50,000 a chair of American History at the Catholic University of America; and fifty perpetual free scholarships at the same institution. It aided in relief work in San Francisco earthquake, Kansas flood, Chelsea fire, Ohio flood and Hali- fax disaster. The organization was especially active during the World War in relief work, both in France and the United States. Its work was under the control of the commission of war activities, of which William J. Mulligan was Chairman. The Over Seas Director was William P. Larkin. The Knights of Columbus organized canteens and huts where the soldiers were able to resort for social and other activities both in the training camps and in France. In the United States 150 such rest stations were maintained, and in France 45. The total number of secretaries amounted to 350. On Sun- days, mass was held in the huts, 100 Chaplains being assigned to the reli- gious phase of the work for the special comfort of the Catholic soldiers. It is worthy of note that on the Jew- ish Sabbath, the Knights of Columbus Huts, both at home and abroad were thrown open to the soldiers of the Jew- ish faith, in order that they might en- joy religious service according to their belief. Befoi'e the close of the war the Cath- olics of the United States had contrib- uted over $50,000,000 a year for the work of the Knights of Columbus. During the first six months of 1918, over $7,000,000 was spent. See Relief, War. The work of lectures to non-Catholics has been taken up with success and was carried to great lengths during the war. The series of lectures delivered by Bishop Keane of Cheyenne, Wyo., in Denver in 1909, inaugurated the work. At Cedar Rapids, la., 85 per cent, of the audience, at the lectures under the aus- pices of the Knights of Columbus, was non-Catholic. The Knights of Columbus were largely instrumental in the erec- tion of a memorial to Christopher Columbus, in the City of Washington, by the United States Government. "Columbus Day" (October 12) was in- stituted largely through the efforts of the order. In August, 1920, a commission sent by the Knights of Columbus un- veiled a statue of Lafayette presented by the order at Metz and presented a jewelled K. C. marshal's baton to Mar- shal Ferdinand Foch. Mr. William P. Larkin, the Over Seas Director, was the orator of this occasion. The total number of lodges in 1921 was 2085-^the total number of members carrying insurance was 203,795. The total number of associate members was 511,078, making a grand total of mem- bers 714,873. The total increase over the previous year in the associate members was 36,- 985, with an increase of all members of 121,725.
