PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.

from the High Court of Prince Edward Island. The report of the supreme chief ranger gave the membership as 80,000 and the accumulated funds as $1,346,426.58. Prince Edward Island had 776 members at this time.

In 1896 the Parliament of Canada amended the act of incorporation, giving the Order permission to grant policies up to five thousand dollars, allowing a deposit of one hundred thousand dollars with the Govern- ment, granting a license to do business, and providing for inspection by the Government superintendent of insurance. This gave the Order much prestige, and many men, promi- nent in business and professional life, joined the ranks. Among these worthy of mention were Sir Wilfred Laurier, Hon. G. W. Ross, and others.

The next meeting of the Supreme Court was held in Toronto in August, 1898. Mr. F. S. Jost, of Charlottetown, represented Prince Edward Island. The Temple Build- ing, the finest office and lodge-room building in Canada, had been built by the supreme chief ranger, acting under instructions from the Supreme Court. The building was

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opened during the meeting of the Supreme Court with much ceremony. The member- ship had increased to 135,962, and the sur- plus funds to $2,856,613.68. At this meet— ing women were admitted to beneficiary membership in courts exclusively for women, to be called Companion Courts.

The next meeting of the Supreme Court was held at Los Angeles, Cal., in April, 1902. John M. Clark represented the High Court of Prince Edward Island. At this meeting the supreme chief ranger made reference in his report to the death of the founder of the Order, Colonel A. B. Cald- well, who had died on the 16th of January, 1901, aged seventy-three years, and to the death of President McKinley, who was a member of the Order. The report referred also to the Union Trust Company, practically . owned by the I. O. F., the sufficiency of the rates of the Order, and the extension of the society in Australia and other distant lands. The membership had increased to 191, 677, being a gain in four years of 66,992 mem- bers. The accumulated funds had increased to $5,303,979.46. The principal officers were again at this session unanimously re—elected.

SONS OF ENGLAND BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

BY W. H. F. GILL.

The Sons of England Benevolent So- ciety was formed in the year 1874 for the purpose of uniting Englishmen and their descendants together for their mutual bene- fit and support. Other nationalities had so united themselves together and formed kin- dred associations, and had by their advice and more substantial means aided and as- sisted their members. An Englishman’s heart is as warm and true to his countrymen

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as are the hearts of those claiming a different nationality. History proves this fact, and whilst all honor their friends of other na- tionalities for their good work, Englishmen claim the same privilege of uniting together those of their own blood for their moral, mental and social advancement, for assisting each other in times of sickness, need and death; for rendering pecuniary and benefi- cial aid to the widows and orphans of de-