Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-11-09
G. W. Patriarch's 5 Report.

IherecurrenfCu ut an0therd annual cOnvoca- K
tion Of your body, reminds us that we should
first of all, return our heartfelt thanks to
the God Of Heaven for having bestowed so
many unmcrited blessings upon US during
the year that has gone for having spared
urlivcs while the destroyiugangclhas been
abg9lA IN the land, scourg'ng many regions
Of tAo Republic with the vengeance Of an
offended pity. While myriads Of graves
have been dug, aud unnumbered homes
have been barcft Of their inmates in other
portions of our common country, the pesti
lcnr3 has plseaaus by, and the year that has
gone hlsbsen flrus 70 yearof happiness and
prose- rity Then let us return 10 the ey-
orltsting God the alteration of grateful
heirts. and knowing thss He alone is able
tobtsss our present assembling, let Us in-
woke His presence and aid in our delibera-
tions, 50 that oar present meeting may be
for lis glory MI for the welfare Of our fel-
low mcn.
Daring the past year, our Order in this
State has been advancing with sure and
steady steps towards the accomplishment
of its high and glorious destiny. 1t has
warned the waulcrer, soothcd the sufferer,
fed the hungry, clothed the naked, bafrien-
ded tie poor, eonsDlad the diseonsolate,
wiped away the tears of orphanage, hushed
the sighs Of the widow and she'd halo Of
purest happiness around many hearth
Stone over which tho blackwing of intem-
pcr1nco has long rested, shedding from be-
meath It's poisonous shade the fearful mil
dow of temporal and eternal death. The
- I L.. H. g., II 90
brands from the eternal burnings,' the
prayers Of wives aud widows, Of helpless
childhood and infrm age the prayers of
the drunkard's victim and the drunkard's 5
child, have assembled to the Throne Of Hea-
ven, pleading for blessings upon our cause;
aud no one who believes that the God of
Christians is a God who hears and answers
prayer, can doubt the efficacy Of such pray
Crs as those.
So far a3 the general prosperity of the
Order Is concerned, | believe, from the
numerous reports that have come up to me
from all portions Of the State, that the Or
der is constantly advancing in the strength
Of its moral influence Still am panied
to say, that many Divisions have surrender.
od their charters This fact might induce a
casualobseryer to believe that we are losing
strength, butI do not sorogard it. | believe
the Order Of Sons of Temperance is now in
compaglbly stronger than at any previous
meeting of the Grand Division not numeri-
cally, but physically and morally. The best
aud purest citizens of every town, village,
hamlet and country neighborhood, are now
identified with us; If in some places we
:. / 4 Il
members, we have in their stead gained
Que member whose influence and moral pow
or is worth more to our cause than ten ot
those who lacked the moral firmness and
virtuous resolution TO enable them to stanc
up to their professions like indcpenden
men in the face Of the fierce opposition 0
those who oppose the boneGceut efforts o
our Order.
There is but little of an official ma
turc that | have to lay before you. TIL
fate of the Memorial presented by tn
friends of humanity to our last General As
sembly, is well known to you all. Commen
upon il by me, at this time, is unnecessary
inasmuch us the whole subject will b
fullydiscu5scl during our present meeting
II is, however, lamentabls fact, tina
North Carolina has so far degGnerated, tina
her legal representatives, viii unceremon
ously kick respectable petition, signed b
thousands fthgTcoustituents, out of door
without so much as giving it hearing
But has the fate ofour Memorial weakenc
our cause? VIII not the just indignato
of the fraaman Of the State be aroused
more energetic and decisive action in Fl
turel These are questions that the unr
vealel events Of futurity must answer.
| found it out Of my power to attend I'll
meeting Of the National Division, Mt Chic
% last June owing to pressure Of prof:
sionll "A oil sial business; but North Ca
oliua was well aal ably represented the
by President Deems, my Worthy Assoc
ate believe that but little was done q
feoting the Order atlarga but few chang
We're made in the constitution of SuborC
mite Divisions, which, | conceive to be {
evidence Of Increasing wisdom in the s
premo Legislature of the Order While
many chlugcs are made annually in o.
constitution, confusion and misapprehe
sion must inevitably continue. was
ways sensible of this fact, but never 50 fl
ly 50 as during the year past, in which
have received AMI answered many lette
relating to difficulties that have arisen
Divisions whore some Of the members Ia
zellously claimed that the constitute
should be observed and enforced as tn
had it printed, while others have contend
that the National Division had made amen
ments abr5glting the clauses III their o,
published constitution, about which tn
were coulcnliug. So long as such nuu
rous alterations are annually made, th
can be no harmony in Subordinate Div
ions without they have a new constitut
published every year, Immediately at
the Session of the National Division, q
this, most Of our Divisions are unable to
owing to the serious inroads it would mi
upon their treasures. would recomme
therefore that you take some action on
subject, BY which the National Divis
may be made more fully aware of the
uicou5 tendency Of such numerous and
auent alterations in our constitution.
The most important change made at
last Session of the National Division, il
regard to the dues Of Subordinate Diyisi
10 the Grand Division. The dues are !
assessed per capita, upon the memb
whereas they were formerly assessed bya
centago upon the receipts. This cha
will induce Divisions to be more promp