The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-07-11

nuu WlutD, mas never Oeeu tOunu. CnatIly "ntcN
10 said in holy writ, that covereh multitude of
sins; charity for brethren in the hour of sick
ness and want; charity to fly to snccour and Ia
save. Fidelity To each other; ever keeping in
mind " that in union there is strength" Ii We
are cemented together BY these hallowed alliances
prosperity will crown our laburs, and we shall see
this Order flourish. We shall see this Hall filled
with good snen and true. And we shall have en-.
rolled amongst us, Cough, q Marshall and ma
ny other noble minds.
Sons Of Temperance, scarce three years rolled
by since some fifteen or sixteen persuns met TO
geiher in one of the Northern cities and founded
ms Order; large streams are said To- flow from
httie iUuntains. Such has been the case in regard
10 the increase and spread of this Order. From
the North and from the South, from the East and
from the West, the cry is still they come. They
come mighty host; an army on whose banners
are inscribed in letters Of ndelible hue 0,cn
oith the custom Of using ardent spirits as a
beverage, shake off The chains forged by The fy~
rant fashion, and be Freemen.
We have for our object the welfare OF the whole
human race, and conquer we must yet great as
our object is, we have much to contend against
First we are met by some, who call themselves
christians, who profess to he following the exam
pie Of Him, who came 10 save ruined world
yet when they see us raising an arm 10 save, be-
cause we do not go clothed with the robe of reli
gion. they say our labor is vain, and that we are
arraying ourselves against religion. They know
us not, tor we are the hand maids Of religion; for
make all men, true and genuine Sons of Temper.
ance, and the work of the ministers is already half
accomplished. Secondly, we are told by some,
mat we are secret society, and that secrecy is
criminal. Is not the very law of nature secret
Who can unravel the secret, how man is sus-
pended to the earth in all its revolutions on is
axis, and still feel himself erect. 1.-The wind
lIsteth, but thou canst not tell whittier il comeih
or whence il goeth." To condemn us on the
ground of secrecy, would not only condemn man.
but the great Maker of this universe would be
brought into judgement. IT'S true, we have oar
password and our Emblems. but the only secret
we have, is to prevent imposition we have con.
neoted with the cause of Temperance. Charity
and we are compelled 10 have fund, from which
this charity must flow we must, therefore, have
an organized body, with certain stipulated dues,
for the creation of this fund and TO prevent those
who have no claim upon this fund from imposing
upon us, we have a certain password Is there
no secrets in Heaven? Yes, and you must have
password 10 enter there. Justice, the outside SEN
i!nel, will demand password, and that word will
be clean sober heart Where then is the crime
OF our having our passwords away with such falla-
cy Another class say, claim to he benevolent
institution, yet we are selfish in henevolence
10 those would say, give us the means and we
VIII extend our charity TO all, but until our funds
are such, we must extend it only to those. who
are of our own household true Son of Tenn
perance cannot be selfish he must be philanthro-
plst; the sympathes of his nature are as expan
sive as the broad arch Of Heaven, and there is no
bound to The benevolence Of his heart, he cannot
shut his ears against the orphans cry, nor against
the anguish Ot WIDOWS disconsolate heart; and
when the mantle of death is about 10 fall on some
brother, and all the tender ties that bind his spirit
10 EARTH are about 10 be severed furever, then is
he seen pouring on the soothing tears of sympa
thy, and closing those eyes. that once shOne so
bright, and made the hearts of ali that knew him
glad.
When | look around this Hall my heart swels
with pride to see myself surrounded BY brethren
ut different Orders, yet happily associated togeth-
er, for one great and glorious object the ameIiora
ton of the whole human family here we have
met on one common platform, standing shoulder to
shoulder, aiding and assisting each other in a
great moral reformation. in forming band of
brothers, whose object is only to save man from
the evils of intemperance, but TO aid, comfort and
relieve each other in the hour of afflicon 10 give
a more stable and solid foundation To the TeInper
ance cause to elevate each other in the scale of
our moral being, and to erect an asylum Cor all
who are convinced of tie evils to which they
have been bound, and are willing to flee from the
dangers and temptations which beset them on the
right hand and on the left. An asylum under
whose doors are guarded by an outside sentinel
whose name is Fidelity, and by an inside senti
mel, whose shield are inscribed in letters of
god-Total Abstinence.
Go on then Sons of Temperance Go on then
Rechabites in your work of love pile stone upon
stone, Ibud high as Heaven. The monument YOU
have begun, for under its portals, the bleeding
cause OF suffering humanity will fly for rescue,
and when you shall have finished your work. the
nf tie
spread her golden wings and cry aloud Fly TO
seeks its Halls, for within are Peace Love and
SOberness. Go on then / say brethren, remember
God is your strength, Temperance your shield
and the salvation of man your weapon of defence.
and when you have finished your laburs here,
your dying moments will be- made happy BIZ the
cheering recollection that you have done your
duty, and then may the Great Grand WORTHY
Patriarch above receive you all into that TempIe
not made with hands eternal in The Heavens
Members of Howard Division, TO you wish 10
address few words, you have met here to niph.
to commemorate another anniversary, let us look
back upon the past, and review our conduct have
all and each Of us conducted ourselves as
becometb Sens of Temperance, has there been no
Ill feeling existing amongst us have none of us
been actuated by selfish motives, have we com
piled with all the acquisitions of our Order. |
fear not; for there has been plainly shown luke
warmness, want Of energy on The part of many
who claim to belong to this Order, some have
visited us SO seldom, that they are almost los,
when they enter these doors, others refuse to take
upon themselves any Of the labor of CONDUCTING
The business of the Division, they saw il is ton
much trouble 10 such hope it will be too much
trouble to receive the benefits another class saw
" do not like TO be confined one evening in The
week" and thus we are sometimes, with scarce
members enough present, TO transact business
This is not in the spirit of our Order, had tho
originators Of this institution thus have acted
think you, that al this day, there could be muster
ed such host as are to be found broad cast over
this land. No. you might have cried aloud
" where are they" and echo alone would have