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the church. We refer to the Catholic Mutual Beneﬁt Association of Canada. It is our ear- nest wish that the above named association should grow and ﬂourish in our midst, until there be a branch in every parish in this diocese.”

MEMBERSHIP, DECEMBER, I905.

Total membership, 20,000; number of branches in Canada, 413; initiated during year, 1,200; died during year, 150.

Membership in each province: Ontario, 10,600; Quebec, 3,000; Nova Scotia, 2,500; New Brunswick, 2,000; Prince Edward Is— land, 1,200; Manitoba, 400; Northwest Ter- ritories. 300; British Columbia, 100.

Initiated in each province in 1905: On- tario, 375; Quebec, 200; Nova Scotia, 275; New Brunswick, 120; Prince Edward Island, 100; Manitoba, 30; Northwest Territories, 50; British Columbia, 15.

Progress in membership: Membership in 1880. 220; 1882, 560; 1884, 1,275; 1886, 1,900; 1888, 3,120; 1890, 5,650; 1892, 8,039; 1893, 8,605; 1894, 10,051; 1895, 10,403; 1896, 11,116; 1897,11,848; 1898, 12.145; 1899, 13403: I900, I4,598; 1901, 15,975; 1902, I7,088; 1903, 18,159; 1904,

19,333; 1905, 20,000- Table showing the amount received on

assessments from the date of organization of the Grand Council, in 1880, to 1895:

1880 ............ 83,249.00

1881 ............ 4,471.04

1882 ............ 9,318.17

1883 ............ 11,365.29

1884 ............ 21,123.24

1885 ............ 24,365.59

1886 ............ 32,388.17

1887 ............ 46,750.24 including Reserve 1888 ............ 55,407.70 “ “ 1889 ............ 69,949.44 “ “ 1890 ............ 100,168.20 “ ”

1891 ............ 122,232.95 " “

PAST AND PRESENT OF

1892 ............ 142,466.03 including Reserve 1893 ............ 100,219.45 “ “ 1894 ............ 125,102.96 “ “ 1895 ............ 153,938.63 “ “ 1896 ............ 175,098.09 “ “ 1897 ............ 198,659.24 “ “ 1898 ............ 210,594.33 “ “ 1899 ............ 179,825.17 “ “ 1900 ............ 212,775.28 “ “ 1901 ............ 216,692.71 “ “ 1902 ............ 238,615.50 “ “ 1903 ............ 254,296.78 " “ 1904 ............ 314,952.80 “ “ 1905 ............ 319,778.70 “ “

Table showing the amount to the credit of the reserve fund. This~ fund was started

July, 1887 : 1887 ......................... s 988.07 1888 .......................... 3,815.32 1889 .......................... 7,277.71 1890 .......................... 12,358.72 1891 .......................... 18,510.16 1892 ........... ' ............... 26,752.15 1883 .......................... 33,408.30 1894 .......................... 40,929.53 1895 .......................... 50,108.07 1896 .......................... 60,501.96 1897 .......................... 72,218.91 1898 .......................... 85,070.33 '1899 .......................... 96,713.06 1900 .......................... 101,436.42 1901 .......................... 124,768.82 1902 ......................... 141,012.41 1903 ......................... 157,653.62 1904 .......................... 178,157.63 1905 ..................... ' ..... 201,016.19

THE CATHOLIC MUTUAL BENEFIT ASSOCIA- TION IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.

Under the grand presidency of O. K. Fraser attempts were repeatedly made by the executive to break ground here in Prince Edward Island by the ﬁrm estab- lishment of at least one vigorous branch of the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association, but owing to the great reserve of Catholics, espe- cially where anything which apeared to be se- cret in the way of association was concerned, the clergy refused its support, and the laity