PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.

the Maritime Poultry Association, and Mari- time Stock Breeders’ Association; honorary president of the Anti-Tubercolosis Society; and president of the Provincial Temperance Alliance. He is a regular and specially prized contributor to the different periodicals in which these associations and their work are interested. Regularly his pen is employed in assisting the religious and secular press and

higher publications in Canada and the United States.

“Father Burke,” writes the editor of “Distinguished Canadians,” “is possessed of a lovable personality; is generous and hos- pitable to a fault; and always ready to relieve the distress of his fellowman, without class or creed distinction. He is an eloquent and thoughtful speaker, a wielder of a pen known all over Canada for its chaste and forcible English, and is the possessor, to a remarkable degree, of that enthusiasm which makes whatever he touches succeed.” The presence of a clergyman of Dr. Burke’s ability and business experience on the executive of the C. M. B. A. without doubt greatly increases

241

the confidence of all in the association and makes for its extension and prosperity throughout the dominion.

From all these circumstances with what confidence can the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association go forward in its work. There is no Catholic fraternal society doing busi- ness in the dominion today that has such a warm place in the hearts of the people a? this association. There is none in which the great mass of the people have such un- bounded confidence, or for which they enter- tain greater respect. There is none upon which the Catholic hierarchy and clergy of Canada bestow such marks of especial favor. They have watched its career; it has pleased them; and to mark their approval they have joined the association. No words of theirs could speak higher praise than these, their actions. Those are the signs, these the land- marks that herald the glorious work that is being done and the dignified eminence to which the Catholic Mutual Benefit Associa-

tion has attained in Canada and from which it is still aspiring.

THE BENEVOLENT IRISH SOCIETY.

BY PETER McCoun'r

From the earliest arrival of immigrants on Prince Edward Island there were some among them who came from Ireland; but it was only about the beginning of the last century that a considerable number settled in Charlottetown. From 1800 to 1825 ar- rivals steadily continued, and at the latter date they formed a fair proportion of the population. The greater part of those who came up to that time settled in and around Charlottetown; but in a few years after— wards large numbers arrived and settled 'in

16

nearly all parts of the country, and it was largely from among those settlers and their descendants that the ranks of the Benevo— lent Irish Society were recruited from time to time.

To the Irishmen who first settled in Charlottetown belongs the credit of having founded' the Benevolent Irish Society. As a rule they were a well educated class of peo- ple, with cultured manners, intense love of country, unswerving loyalty to the British crown, and a spirit of philanthropy which