USA > Indiana > History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume I > Part 53
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together on a like occasion in America; and meeting as we do after a long period of business and industrial depression, which unfor- tunately visited our beloved country as well as all parts of the civ- ilized world, the large attendance of delegates, the enthusiasm manifested in our work and the evidence of the growth and healthy progress of our noble order, truly furnish us reason for warm, sin- cere and heartfelt congratulations."
In Mr. Wilhere's report at this convention he shows the remarkable progress which the order had made during the previous eight years, which is as follows: " In 1886 the number of states and territories organized was thirty-one; the number of divisions in good standing was 505, and the number of members 43, 000. After eight years we now have forty-nine states, territories and provinces and the District of Columbia organized; the number of divisions reported is 1,206 and the reported membership is 93, 878, with five states or territories unreported."
On account of their supposed identity with the Ribbon-men and kindred societies, a great number of the clergy were antago- nistical to the Hibernians and opposed their organization in certain localities; but gradually their good work asserted itself and the attitude of the church began to change. On the occasion of the meeting of the archbishops of the United States, in November, 1886, for considering the relations of the church to various socie- ties in this country, Cardinal Gibbons made a personal examination of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and reported that "he saw nothing objectionable in the organization, but saw a great deal that was meritorious and commendable;" and at the conference held by Cardinal Gibbons and the archbishops of the United States in October, 1894, at Philadelphia, they, after carefully studying the character. principles and history of this noble order, unan- imously declared it to be "a most admirable society." There are at present a great many priests and several bishops enrolled as members, who take an active and leading part in the society pro- ceedings, and church and order move along in perfect friendship . and harmony.
At the Omaha convention a ladies' branch of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, known as the Ladies' Auxiliary, was instituted
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to assist in the benevolent work, to promote social relations and advance the interests of the order. At that time was adopted a crude constitution, which has since been perfected, and this branch of the society has met with surprising success, both as to numbers and efforts for good. Many thousands of the best and noblest ladies in the United States have affiliated themselves with this organization and the good they have done is incalculable. Beside their charitable and benevolent work they, in some instances, have accomplished a great deal in the way of elevating and educating themselves by giving literature and music a place in their meetings.
The national convention of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, of 1896, was held in the beautiful city of Detroit, and if the Omaha convention was " magnificent," this one exceeded it. The national chaplain, Bishop Foley of that city, welcomed and received his society brethren with true Irish warm-heartedness, and the blessing which he gave their deliberations was not without fruit, for the proceedings throughout were marked with intelli- gence, industry and harmony, while the visiting delegates and their accompanying friends were delightfully entertained by the gener- ous and cultured citizens. At this convention the national officers and the national chaplain having in charge the fund authorized by the Omaha convention to be collected for the endowment of the Gaelic chair in the new Catholic university, at Washington, made their report, showing that but a small amount of the $50,000 which had been promised remained uncollected, and that amount the convention ordered, should be paid out of the national treas- ury, thus making a permanent fund for the teaching, in that great institution, of the Irish language, history and literature. And what a history! and what a literature! Here may be learned the songs of the ancient bards, and the wisdom of the Brehons. Dr Thomas J. Shahan, D. D., of the Catholic university of Washing- ton, said, in speaking of this action: " When the annals of the decline and fall of the cruel British imperialism of former days shall have been written by some Gaelic Gibbon of the future, when we take up again the Irish annals where the wearied hands of the Four Masters dropped the pen, the name of the Ancient Order of Hibernians will be emblazoned upon one of their bright-
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est pages. What a mighty spectacle, for the world, of the power of Gaelic endurance, and the mighty strength that slumbers in organized manhood, when it flashed across the wires that over 100,000 men of Irish blood have decreed that their mother-tongue shall live, and live, too, in their midst, a well-spring to all time of the holiest and highest suggestions for mankind."
The national convention of 1898 was held in Trenton, N. J., the home of Right Reverend Bishop McFaul, through whose medi- ation the two branches of the order were reunited, a division in the ranks having existed since the Cleveland convention in 1884, when a small per centage of the members seceded from the main body and formed a separate organization. The reason for the separa- tion at the Cleveland convention in 1884 was on account of an amendment to the constitution, admitting members to the order who were Irish, or of Irish descent through either parent, instead of both, as the constitution had been prior to that convention.
This reunited convention, as might be expected, was the largest ever held, and the principal labor performed at this great meeting was the revision of the constitution on lines agreeable to the reunited order. This constitution provided for a national organization of the Ladies' auxilary, which had, up to this time, been dependent upon the national organization of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. But the constitution of the auxiliary is to be adopted by this order. It also provided for national, state and county chaplains of the order, and for the organization of a military branch, its companies to be known as Hibernian Rifles or Hibernian Knights.
The officers governing this organization are a national presi- dent, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, chaplain, a directory consisting of four members, and the national vice-president. The present national officers are: John T. Keating, of Chicago, national president; James E. Dolan, of Trenton, vice-president; James O'Sullivan, of Philadelphia, secretary; Patrick T. Moran, of Washington, D. C., treasurer, and P. J. O'Conner, Savannah, Ga., M. J. Burns, Indianapolis, Ind., Patrick O'Neill, Philadel- phia, Pa., and Edward J. Slattery, Massachusetts, are the directors.
This order is pledged in its constitution to the cause of chruch
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and country, and to exercise at all times its influence in the inter- ests of right and justice. The motto of the order is Friendship, Unity and Christian Charity. By Friendship, the Hibernians are taught to regard all their members as one family; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to soothe the unhappy, to sympathize with their misfortunes, to compassionate their miseries; to restore peace to their troubled minds and to elevate their people; by Unity, in combining together for mutual support in sickness and distress and accomplishing the purposes of the order; by Christian Charity, in loving one another and doing unto all men as we would wish thein to do unto us.
Conventions of the order are held biennially. The national, on the second Tuesday in May, at twelve o'clock noon. The rep- resentatives eligible to seats in the national convention are, the national officers and directors, the state president, secretary and treasurer, a county president from each county, together with an additional member in each county for every 1,000 members in good standing, over and above the first 1,000; and the colonel of each regiment.
The state conventions are held within forty days after the adjournment of the national convention, and the following officers are eligible to seats: The state officers, county presidents, the five officers of each division, the colonel of each regiment and the captain of each military company. The state convention may limit the representation from each division to no less than one of the five division officers.
The county convention is held within forty days after the adjournment of the national convention and after the state con- vention, and the following officers are eligible to seats: The county president, the five officers of each division, and the captain of each military company.
The weekly benefits in case of sickness or disability of a mem- ber shall not be less than $5 per week, but shall be limited to thir- teen weeks during any one year. On the death of a member, a sum not less than $50 shall be appropriated to defray funeral expenses.
Each division shall have an employment committee, whose
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duty it shall be to assist all worthy brothers in securing employ- ment, and render the unemployed members such assistance as may be in their power.
In some states the insurance feature of the order has been a great success, but Indiana has never been able, thus far, to suc- cessfully maintian this department.
The Ancient Order of Hibernians is a secret organization- in that it has signs and passwords by which members in good standing are able to recognize one another, and the ritual of the order is approved by the clergy and may at any time be inspected by them.
The Ancient Order of Hibernians was first organized in Indi- ana, as far as can be definitely ascertained, at Knightsville, Clay county, in 1871, under the authority of Capt. Kennedy, of Pitts- burg, by Thomas McGovern, who was the first state delegate. Charles Sheridan was the first state secretary, and John Smith the first state treasurer. In the following year organizations were effected in Marion and Fountain counties, and, in 1873, Putnam was admitted with a division to the state organization. Vigo, Daviess and Tippecanoe followed the next year. During the time from 1871 to 1876 the state and county officers were in close touch with each other and did not think it necessary to incur the expense of a meeting, consequently no state convention was called until the latter year, when they assembled at Greencastle, the counties represented being Clay, Putnam, Tippecanoe, Marion, Daviess and Vigo. The officers elected at this convention were John J. Burke, state delegate; M. J. Ward, state secretary, and Patrick Healy, state treasurer.
Johnson county branch was organized in 1877, and the con- vention that year was held at Indianapolis, at which the state offi- cers elected were: P. H. McNelis, state delegate; Jeremiah Collins, state secretary, and John Landes, state treasurer.
The next convention was held at Indianapolis, where P. H. McNelis was re-elected state delegate; John Rail, state secretary, and John Landes, state treasurer. Brazil had the convention in 1879, and P. H. McNelis was again re-elected state delegate; P. B. O'Reilly, state secretary, and Peter Ingolsby, state treasurer. The convention in 1880 went to Madison, where John Byrnes was (624)
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elected state delegate; William Broderick, state secretary, and John Murphy, state treasurer, and in 1881, to Terre Haute, where John Byrnes was re-elected state delegate; William Broderick, state sec- retary, and J. H. Meany chosen for state secretary.
At the convention held at Washington, in 1882, it was decided to hold the conventions biennially. The following officers were elected: J. F. O'Reilly, state delegate; J. C. Lavelle, state secre- tary, and Frank Cannon, state treasurer. The first biennial con- vention was held at Indianapolis in 1884. The order had been slowly but steadily growing, and more enthusiasm was being man- ifested at those state meetings, and their organization was becoming more perfect and their power for good enhanced. The following offi- cers were elected: J. W. McGreevy, state delegate; J. H. Meany, state secretary, and Thomas Kerins, state treasurer.
At the next convention, which was held at Richmond in 1886, the same officers were re-elected. At this meeting the subject of an insurance branch in the order was discussed and referred to the succeeding convention, which was held at Evansville in 1888. Here the insurance feature was acted upon favorably and the mutual plan adopted. According to the state delegate's report, the mem- bership of the order had increased 450 in the two years preceding, the whole number of counties in the state, organized, was fifteen, and the number of divisions, twenty. The officers elected at this convention were: Thomas McQuade, state delegate; John F. O'Reilly, state secretary, and Peter Kline, state treasurer.
The fourth biennial and fifteenth state convention of the Ancient Order of Hibernians assembled at South Bend in 1890, where all the proceedings were carried on very harmoniously and the same officers were unanimously re-elected. An increase of 168 in membership during the last two years was reported and the com- Inittee on the standing of the order said that, after a careful exami- nation of the reports of the secretary and treasurer of the state, they found the society to be in a flourishing condition, and this notwithstanding they had done a great deal in the matter of charity.
At the next state convention, which was held at New Albany in 1892, the state delegate announced that the insurance feature
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had been, by the consent of the members insured, "abandoned. " The membership at this time was 1, 183, an increase of 257 since the last report. The following state officers were elected: M. D. Fansler, state delegate; S. J. Hannagan, state secretary, and Pat- rick Manley, state treasurer. Peru having been decided upon as the place for holding the next state convention, it was accordingly held there in 1894, and according to State Delegate Fansler's report it was the largest convention of Hibernians ever held in Indiana. The increase in the order's membership since the last convention was more than 700, with thirty-two counties organized. The election resulted in unanimously choosing the same president and secretary. Treasurer Manley, on account of ill-health, refused to be a candidate, and John W. O'Hara was elected to fill that place.
The convention of 1896 opened with gloom in the beautiful city of Terre Haute, as Secretary Hannagan convened the dele- gates, announcing the death of their beloved president, Michael D. Fansler. Mr. Fansler was in life a brilliant lawyer of Logans- port, but his friends or his charities were not confined to the local- ity of his residence. His wit, his geniality and his sympathy made him a favorite wherever he was known, and his intelligence and sincerity placed him in many responsible positions, which he always filled with credit to himself and profit to those whom he served. Ex-President Thomas McQuade, was called to the chair. The need of a vice-president was now felt, and the by-laws were revised so as to provide for one. Among the resolutions adopted were one of respect and condolence on account of the death of two worthy and prominent members-Ex-State Treasurer Patrick M. Manley and State President Michael D. Fansler-and one,"of sympathy for the struggling Cubans, urging the United States to accord Cuba belligerent rights. At this meeting M. J. Burns. was elected state president; B. A. Coll, state vice-president; M. J. O'Brien, state secretary, and J. W. O'Hara, re-elected state-treas- urer. At the national convention held at Detroit, soon after,, M. J. Burns, was elected to the office of national director, and, he having resigned as state president, J. W. O'Hara was chosen to fill this vacancy, and B. A. Coll to fill the office of state treasurer (626)
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thus made vacant, and Edward O'Neill was made state vice- president.
The convention of 1898 assembled at Fort Wayne on the 19th of April. At this convention the office of state vice-president was abolished in accordance with the decision of Bishop McFaul, of Trenton, N. J., through whose efforts the dissenting body of the national organization was reunited to the main body. This decision was made in order to grant representation in the national convention, on an equal basis, the dissenters not having the office of vice-president in their state organization.
A company of the Hibernian rifles had been formed, in Fort Wayne, under the authority of State Military Organizer William J. Walsh, and these brave young fellows, who had just tendered their services to the government, in case of war with Spain, which now seemed imminent, received the endorsement and encourage- ment of the convention, which also passed resolutions of loyalty to the United States and sympathy for the Cubans.
The manifested good will of Bishop Rademacher towards the convention and his blessing had a most happy effect on the dele- gates, and the proceedings were very pleasantly conducted through- out. The incumbent officers were re-elected, and Rev. M. J. Byrne, of Fort Wayne, was chosen the first state chaplain.
The Ladies' auxiliary, which was first organized at Terre Haute just prior to the state convention held there in 1896, has been growing steadily, and. under the wise and active leadership of Mrs. P. H. McNelis, the future promises much.
Indiana's contribution to the Gælic chair was $1, 107.50. The funds of the order are kept in the treasury of the local divisions, who control its disbursement. The expenses of the national officers are paid by contributions from the local divisions for the pass- words, signs, etc., which are issued by the national officers. The expenses of the state board are paid by a per capita assessment upon the members of the organization in the state. The only salaried officer on the state board is the state secretary, who receives but $50 per year, a very small compensation for the amount and character of the work done by that officer.
The qualifications for membership in the order are that the
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applicant shall be Irish or of Irish descent through either parent; a practical Catholic, not less than eighteen, or over forty-five years of age, and in good health. Persons over forty-five may become honorary members of the order, but are not entitled to any benefits for sickness or death.
The constitution of the order makes it compulsory for mem- bers to receive holy communion within the Easter time of each year.
St. Patrick's day is a national holiday, to be celebrated as a majority of the county board may think proper.
The order in the state of Indiana disburses through its local divisions about $12,000 per year for sick benefits and other chari- ties, and has on hand about $12,000, and in America the order dis- burses about $500,000 per annum in charities, and has money and property amounting to more than $1,000,000.
The order is incorporated under the state laws of Indiana as a state organization, and under the state laws of Pennsylvania as a national organization.
The publishers are indebted for the above very able historical sketch of the Ancient Order of Hibernians to John W. O'Hara, state president of the order, and trust it will be received in the same spirit in which it is presented-that of Friendship, Unity and Christian Charity.
THE CATHOLIC KNIGHTS OF AMERICA.
The history of the Catholic Knights of America, in Indiana, covers a period of over twenty years, and the order numbers among its members both the right reverend bishops of the two dioceses of Indiana, scores of the reverend clergy and hundreds of the foremost laymen of the Catholic church.
The order was first organized in Nashville, Tenn. It is reported that when "Catholic Nashville " was under the gifted spiritual direction of the good and wise Bishop P. A. Feehan, now archbishop of Chicago, that he, on many occasions, warned his people personally, and through the pastors of his diocese, that they beware of affiliating with non-Catholic societies. He warned them that any society imposing oaths and secrecy as an obligation (628)
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of membership and prescribing ritualistic ceremonies, at meetings and burials, was prohibited to the Catholics of his diocese.
After one of his stirring exhortations to his people to shun these associations, there was present, amongst his hearers, James J. McLaughlin, a prominent citizen recognized as a zealous Cath- olic and who at the time was active and energetic as a Knight of Honor. After the services, Mr. McLaughlin at ouce sought two of his neighbors, D. N. Burke and John Broderick, both fellow- Catholics, and both Knights of Honor. He explained to them his impressive experiences of the morning, and insisted that a further continuance of their membership in the Knights of Honor would be irreconcilable with pract cal Catholicity, and that, as he could not incur the censure of his church, he must end his connection with the Knights of Honor. His sincerity, and the force of the argument, coupled with their warm admiration and devoted friend- ship to him, at once influenced his two friends to yield their con- currence with his convictions. Mr. Mclaughlin then told his friends that he did not see why, with proper religious safe-guards, the admirable temporal features of the Knights of Honor could not be made available to Roman Catholics, and that it was his determi- nation to make an effort to accomplish it. He then and there suggested the features for organizing a Catholic society, based upon the plan of the Knights of Honor, as to all material requirements, eliminating every objectionable provision of the laws which had invited the antagonism of the bishop, and, in lieu thereof, inserting specially emphatic Catholic essentials to membership.
The first formal meeting at which the order of the Catholic Knights of America was organized, though this title was not the one then selected, was convened on the 23d day of April, 1877. Between that and the 29th of May, 1877, a number of meetings were held, but on the latter date the committee on charter, consti- tution and laws, submitted its report, which was adopted, subject to the bishop's approval. The charter was granted by the county court of Davidson county, Tenn. The name of the society at first agreed upon, and which was chosen at this meeting, was the order of United Catholics. The constitution and laws, as reported and adopted, were a reprint of those of the Knights of Honor, then in
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force, omitting every feature which could in any manner be con- strued as an infringement of the pivotal purpose of the founders to have the organization removed from any contingency of antagonism with Catholic requirements, and inserting as the order's foundation stone "practical Catholicity," as the essential prerequisite to mem- bership.
At a meeting held on June 5. 1877, in addition to the regular business, the name was changed to Nashville branch No. I, United order of Catholics. At the meeting on June 12th, the adoption of the name as selected by the previous meeting was reconsidered, and a committee of five was appointed to select and recommend a name to the meeting. The committee withdrew, and shortly afterwards submitted to the meeting the Catholic Knights of Honor as the name of the order. The report of the committee was adopted, and the name by them recommended was agreed to. The committee previously appointed to wait upon Bishop Fee- han, to secure his approval, stated that as now the constitution and laws had been prepared, submitted to and adopted by the meeting, subject to the bishop's approval, they had arranged to wait upon him for that purpose and would be pre- pared to report at the next meeting the results of their labor. Influenced by the inspiration of his devoted American citizenship, and his consciousness of the indisputable truth that all true sons of the Catholic church, enjoying the favor of citizenship, yield to none in flinchless loyalty and patriotic devotion to country, Bishop Feehan selected Catholic Knights of America as the name of the order, and, with this change, he extended his cordial approval to its objects and purposes, assuring the committee of his hearty co-opera ion and promising an early visit to the branch meeting.
To James J. McLaughlin is unquestionably due the honor and credit of founding the order of the Catholic Knights of America, and it was but a fitting tribute and merited to his untiring efforts that he should have been made the unanimous choice as the first president.
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