Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-07-14
For the Spirit Of tfe Age.
ADDRESS

For the Spirit Of TIP Age.
ADDRESS
Of J. A. JONES, ESQ, Z. d. @. p, on
takipa ihe ekesiy asnEF- z IL lscostgh-
tan Divisicn, No. 1872, Sonl N e5sper-
ance, Hampton, "a, Apra lh, 1858.
PUBLISHED BY REoUEh.
BRoTHERs In assuming be duties of
this office, which by your Kindness you
have conferred upon me, | c3not let the
opportunity pass, without re- prning you
my sincere thanks, and heggitE the indul-
gence of few remarks whie / respect
fully and in kindness submit fiji your con-
sideration.
I shall endeavor to dischare the duties
of the office with an eye singh to the adj
vancement and prosperity of kur glorious
Order, and in accordance with hy diligent-
ly studied views of the constitution and
and Bylaws by which you ad are to
be governed. In order then that l may
the more successfully perfor1 this task;
| beg and shall expect your ail and coop
Grafton, without which | can do nothing,
and the office indeed but become such on
ly in name.
| shall kindly strive to advise strict
observance of the rules of ord,r, and there
by arrest if l can that loose and irregular
method we have of doing the business of
the Division, which has tendency great
ly to retard, rather than impel its progress
onward to that perfection which we would
have it acquire, and which weEndividually
so much wish for. Without orders such
as becomes the dignity of our Order, it
presents a scene at once subVersive of the
high and noble objects for which it was Or
ganized ; it fails in the accomplishment of
that good, which we so much desire to
witness, and for which we meet and labor.
The practice which we have of moving
about the floor of the Hall, and indulging
in conversation while the business of the
Division is being transacted, has tenden-
cy to prolong our meetings, and oft times
bring them to speedy close. leaving the
business unfinished ;or If ifAaaisssed, done in
so hurried and irregular q manner as to
entirely divest our record of system or ar
rangement, and thereby create disorder or
confusion upon its pages, which of neces-
sity must present avery uneven and multi
lated appearance. Ws are times when
a little pleasantly is able, and when
such things may be ind,, d in with pro-
priety; but those times should never be
when matters of importance demand our
consideration. We should ever be watch
full of the interests of our Order, and at
tentive to its demands, lest some opportu-
nifty pass to US, Of doing good and advanc-
ing It's prosperity. Our strict and undivi-
ded attention to business can only accom-
plish this. We meet for lofty and holy
, purposes; our objects are high and emo
bling, we come together for the purpose of
devising means and plans as best we may,
for the promotion Of a'cause next only to
that of mans salvation beyond this vale
I of tears )" cause, which in my humble
opinion is far out-reaching in its accom-
+ plishments, even more than its most san
. guine friends ever anticipated or dreamed
s Of Let US then endeayor to transact the
q business of our Division in such manner
as will present the appearance of order or
e system If We will work right it will not
take us long to do this; let our motto be
I business when we come to the Division
e Room, and acting upon it and carrying it
out, our proceedings will progress rapidly
: aud regularly, and we shall present an ap,
pearance at once becoming the dignity ot
= our Order.
# Our rules of proceedings are simple and
beautiful, and taking them up in the order
0 they are laid down for us, by giving oul
! attention to business, wewill soon discharge
: all we have to transact and put an end te
: that restlessness on the part of brother
d to leave the Hall before the Division for
@ mally closes This practice has often beer
' the source of much regret to me anC
J. while have much lamented it, yet | mus
r confess that | have not been very mucl
J. surprised that it should be SO. 'Tis tru
3 that we only meet once during the week
S and while it appears strange that we canno
,e devote few hours quietly and patiently t
the interests or our Order, on the night
Or set apart for its meetings, yet the metho
n we have of doing the business of the ol
IS, der is in a great degree the sole cause
ID Let us remedy it let us when we procee
Id to business, perform that business; an
ne then after we shall have accomplished a
j. we have to-do, am sure we will hay
D. sufficient time to employ ourselves by il
ch dulging in whatever conversation or plea
1d antry our fancies may suggest under th
. circumstances by which weare surrounde
es We do not meet here, Brothers, to spen
th idle hours, or to while away the tin
nd which NAV perhaps hang heavily upon OF
hit shoulders; but motives higher than the
i'm summon US to the Division Room; v
nd meet here to work, to work in the gre
a cause of our country's reformation and I
ew demption from the influence of an e,
ear more deadly than the malaria which fos
S over the Pontine marshes of Italy = mo
np- fatal than the direly breezes which W;
uld the poison of the Bohon Upas of Java
am We meet here to Interchange our vie
lite, upon this subject as to the best and m,
lro- efficient means of accomplishing the gr,