Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-09-02
THURSDAY MORNING, Aug. 1S, 1857.

THURSDAY MORNING. aug. 10, 1901.
Grand Division met pursuant to recess
taken.
Officers present as at previous evening
session, except that G.. W. p. Charles P.
Jones appeared and took the chair, and Rev
Dr. Cummings acting as CIR. Chaplain.
G. d. opened in due form.
Minutes Of hast evening session read and
approved.
The G.. w. P. read his Communication
to the G. D. asfollows:
The requisite constitutional number of
members Of Subordinate Divisions having
petitioned me to call session of the G., d.
at this place, have done SO. The Divis-
ions in this region being so far from the
center of the Stateand the places at which
the G.. d. has held its ann ual sessions, and
the means Of travel being slow and not the
most pleasant, / deemed it right and for
the good Of the Order-to bring this body
to their doors 1t is sincerely hoped that
this session will give an impetus to our
cause in the hill country, which will speed
the day Of our final triumph. Let us wise
" improve the occasion and go out with
increased desires and renewed zeal and Wig
or to do the great work that Providence
has assigned US,
Since the last annual session of the G..
D. the Order has been generally revived
throughout our jurisdiction. A number of
new Divisions have been organized; a
number of old ones, that had ceased to
work, revived; aceessions, in some cases
very large accessions, added to many. The
tide is still coming in. All classes of So
ciety, especially the middle class, the hon.
est yeomanry, the bone and sinew Of the
land, are becoming more convinced of the
blighting cause of intemperance, of the po
litical, as well as its moral and physical evil
and that the Sons of Temperance is the
only human organization to stay this curse
in its desolating course, to prevent the
youth of the land from being decoyed away
and destroyed, and to disenthrall and saw
the thousands who are dying daily arount
us. Hence they are turning to our 'circlt
of honor and asking admission into ou
ark of safety. Let us meet them with {
Brothers hand aud brothers welcome,
and wheel these forces into line, and pres
onward until we plant our banner upon tn
.enemy's citadel. But the work is hardl,
begun, work that must be done mainl.
by Us and if we are recreant to our trust
all is lost. Much may be done by holdinI
public meetings, by popular addresses, b.
circulating tracts, Temperance papers, &c
Therefore recommend that public meeting
be held if possible, once in each quarter
or at least annually.
In June last, the National Division he'll
its annual session in the city Of Providence
A large majority o the G. d. in the U.
were represented, the Canadas, New Bruins
wick and Nova Scotia. The sessions wer
harmonious and the members were anima
ted with earnestzeal and hope. Encoul
aging reports of the success and prospect
of fthe Order were received from every qua
ter. A new ritual was adopted compose
mostly Of the old ones almost entirely il
deed of our first ritual 1t is as near Del
fection and as well adapted to the wants
the Order as any thing, perhaps, that h
man wisdom can devise. tits hoped tn
it will meet the wishes of all and be foun
to be powerful instrumentality in t
successful workings of the Order. 1t
now going through the press and will
ready for delivery in &. few days. All ne
Divisions will be supplied with it, and eal
next year, or sooner, if they wish it, 0
ones, at more nominal cost and then
will be the only one of the Order. u
formity in this regard is very important,
not absolutely essential.
I earnestly recommend to your AEpral
consideration, with the view to its lncre
ed circulation, our Organ, the Spirit Of
Age. It has been the palladium Of {
Order and an unsetting sun in the dark
days of our history, when the assaults
the foe threatened to sweep us from