Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-12-22
Sons Of Temperance.

Officers and Members of the g. d.


Of North Carolina
The year has made its rapid circuit, ant
this closing evening Of lovely Autumn
finds us here around our consecrated altar
to exchange kindly greetings, to retrospec
the past and devise plans for prosecutin,
IN the future, the war against intemper
ance
Let our first duty be, to offer our pro
found thanks TO God for lis mercics oye
us, and for any success that he has exten
ded to our labors in the philanthropic cause
IN which we are engaged. Let us feel anC
confess that without His aid and blessing
we can never succeed but with His ac
1--WE are sure to triumph"
AS Grand Worthy Patriarch, have moi
accomplished for our cause all that de-
sired or hoped, still have no reflections tc
cast upon myself, as / have done the bes
couldin the circumstances thrown around
me. My vacation was mostly consumed
by my attendance upon the National Di.
vision, which met at very distant point
and at time when travelling was render
ed both difficult and dangerous, in conse
qucnce Of the terrible flood that swep
over and Inundated much of the great
Mississippi valley. should otherwise have
visited many of the Divisions, especially
in the western part of our territory. The
correspondence Of my office has been quite
laborious, but none Of the communication:
arc Of character requiring action from the
Grand Division, except perhaps one from
former member of Division in Meek
lenburg county, which / will lay before the
committee on Appeals. | am sorry to
find that the duty imposed by the G. D.
upon ID. &. II. Patriarchs in regard to the
statistics of lntemperance, has been wnor-
" neglected BY them. Following the ex-
ample OF my worthy predecessor, allowed
the Divisions to nominate, and the Grand
Scribe TO issue commissions in my name
to these officers hence the, were nearly
all strangers to me. | am now convinced
that this is not the correct method of ap
pointment. To keep the matter in his owr
hands, issue the commissions ard keep {
list Of the names and address Of so many
deputies, would give the Grand Worth!
Patriarch some labor, and be tax boil
upon his time and purse, but am wei
convinced, that he can not fully meet hi
responsibilities without it. If l had re
tanned the list, and known the men shoul
have removed every Deputy for neglect {
this duty, ,ea'iy enough in the year to hav
appointed others but | did not discovC
my error in season to correct it, and henC
nothing has been done in the premises.
commend this matter to my successor, AT
trust that in his hands the work require
N by the Grand Division will be performC
L. his Deputies.
VIE report of the Grand Scribe will fu
ly senbeiorc you the condition OF our b
loved Order in this jurisdiction at the pI
sent time.
Some new Divisions have been chaTtt
ed but many others have ceased workir
so that / fear We have not progressed {
ring the year. In studying the subject
have reached the conclusion that one
the prominent hindrauces to our succC
is the lack of cooperation on the part
the ministry and church members of {
State and country. While the clergy
nearly all denominations arc temperau
men in principle and practice, they are
erting but little, il indeed any influence
favor Of their own principles. How
ministers, and how few prominent chu
members arc acting with the Sons of L,
perance! This is loss which we
scarcely estimate. The labor of keep
up the Divisions is left to few, and Z
erallv Young men. We must secure
aid and labors of the church, or our
gress must 5e slow. 1t would be suppc
that TO win this class of our fellow citizer
mean the ministry, to such cause, &C
not be difficult, but experience sugg
that this is an error. We must not
nounce the ministry as enemies; this IS
true but we must overcome their pref
ces aud secure their aid. Let us earnC
and atfectionately ask the ministry to
MS their influence if we can fully sc
II, a new era will dawn upon our caus
Through the ministry we may reach
interest many other influential men,
thus build up our Divisions. Brethr
commend this matter to your atten
not only here, but in your respective
visions. The condition Of our Tract
aud the sneccss of this scheme naugu,
at our last annual communication, you
learn from the report OF the able con
tee managing this important entcrpri
Here is a, powerful instrumentality
press, which should be brought into
service. am sorry to learn that for
months tla-increasc of subscribers I
excellent Organ, the Spirit of the Ag
not kept pace with the first months {
wear, or even with the discontinuanC
This is an alarming fact, and a st
things that must not be continued.
Age is among-the oldest and the bes
perance papers published. 1t is dec