Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-08-19
REPoRT'oF THE. GRAND SCRIBE.

| Worthy Brothero:-lt 'is my duty again to pre-
sent report of the important transactions during
the last quarter, with the amount of monies re.
ceived, and from what sources.
Of the 81 Divisions on the Books of this office,
43 have made returns, and IA are still due. From
the 43 Divisions whose returns are received and
filed, the following results appear, viz:
MEMBERSHIP.
Initiated during the quarter, FL
" by dispensation, 1S
Admitted by Card, IA
Whole number enrolled, 29S
Connection dissolved, 81
Withdrawn to join other Divisions, Is
Broke the Pledge, Al
g. =" second time,
Signed over, 16
Expelled, 80
Suspended, 20
Deaths,
Number of members in 43 Divisions, 1924
90 Iadv Visitors in 16 Divisions. AS
" Reps to the Grand Division, 22l
FINANCES.
Receipts of the quarter, S9l3 78
Per centage to the Grand Division, SO 90
Paid for Benefits, Al 15
Paid for current expenses, 247 Oh
Amount on hand, 1855 20
These returns are rather encouraging in the ag-
gregate, and compare we'll with the last, which it
will be remembered was regarded as indicating
healthy, growing condition Of the Order generally.
Besides the organization Of 8 new Divisions
since our last meeting as follows, viz: Buenn
Vista, No. II, by D. G. W. p, G. W. King ;
Broad River, No. Is, by D. G. W. w. C. Beatty ;
Enterprise, No. 19, by D. G. ". P, W. L. N. Aus
tin some Of our old standard Divisions have been
greatly revived, especially Taylor, No. 8, and En-
oree, No. AZ, and number Of them have initiated
more members than usual.
But unfortunately, the news received at this Of
fee is not encouraging from every. direction
Some of our Divisions have slept so long that the
chill of death begins to freeze their extremitics-
others are barely maintaining sickly existence,
and few seem perfectly content to observe the
utmost precision in ''marking time" on the same
old stamping ground, without ever attempting to
march forward.
The following Divisions on the Register have
failed to make returns for the past quarter:
Abbeville, No. 4 Clio No. 6; New Hope, No.
q :. Blackville, No. %; Snow Hill, No. %: An
derson, No. "a; Blackstocks No. %; Cokesbury,
No. 81; Phoenix, No. 80; Tiger River, No. Sc {;
Bethel, No. 81; Greenwood, No. 80; Fort Mill,
No. AZ; Pacolett, No. 81.
Referring to my observations in the last report
submitted at Cheraw, respecting such delinquent
Divisions as persist in omtting to make quarterly
returns, as required by our constitution, forbear
to add anything further on the subject, as the
Grand Division or that occasion did not concur in
my recommendation.
The receipts Of the quarter from all sources
have been S136.04, which appear in detail on the
financial statement herewith submitted, with the
Grand Treasurer's receipt appended for the full
amount. OF this sum S89 95 is the ordinary in
come for per centage, and SAG 09 is derived from
the settlement Of Ledger balances, Charter fees,
Rituals, &C. 1t will be gratifying to the Grand
Division to find on examination that our finances
are in more wholesome condition than usual
that we have means on hand to pay off every claim
against u.s. and respectable surplus will still be
left in the hands of our faithful and sccommoda.
ting Treasurer But it Is proper to add, that this
condition Of our Treasury has been brought about
by rigid systematic economy, amounting almost
to penuriousness.
The Grand Scribe, it is true, has been paid his
petty salary, and the actual expenditures made to
sustain the, Office. But this has not been sufh-
cient to pay clerk hire, to do the necessary work
of the office The other officers have not even
been refunded their travelling expenses, paid in at
tending our quarterly sessions.
/ trust that the Grand Division will not be sat-
isfed, from the present accidental little surplus in
the Treasury, to consider unfavofably a PROPOSE
tion which will probably be made soon to increase
the percentage or per capita tax, due from Subor.
dinate Divisions to this Body; that our future in
come may be put on o footing of responsibility
and efficiency quite above our past experience.
in this connection, ! beg to direct attention
again to the concluding remarks of my last quar-
terly report, submitted at Cheraw. l have an
abiding impression that the Order now requires
great leading bject of our organization. Without
this, even Heaven directed Church enterprises &C.
complish but little, and how can we expect great
success without it!
In the early history of our beloved Order
money was poured into our reasuries-thopsands
and tens of thousands of dollars were collected in
our State. But instead Of using the means thus
collected for the sole purpose of extending the
cause of Temperance and the Order selfshuess
assumed the garb of charity, and speedy distri-
button of the funds on hand followed. Our Order
thus robbed Of its Temperance suuds-lost all of
| its attractions to a host Of camp-followers who
hung loosely upon its skirts-an1ious for nothing
but spoils. Of course, desertions followed by
thousands when enlightened experience reformed
| these H,onstrous abAses.
The Order thus weakened, detected and bank
rupt, could not of course recover immediately
II has, however, regained most of its former
strength, and might very soon rejoice in unprece-
dented success ana power, II our subordinate d.
visions would only raise their weekly dues to q
point sufficiently high toreplenish their exhausted
Treasures 1t is die to expect that the machine
ry of this vast organization, can be kept in good
running condition without money. tits by this
means that the burthens are equalized.
The perpetuity as we'll as the efficiency of this
Institution depends greatly upon the proper regu.
lation of our admirable financial system, and
have, therefore, felt constrained in this, my last
official communication as Grand Scribe, to COM
mend the subject to the grave and earnest con-
sideration of the Order in South Carolina.
But my BRETHREN Withholding our means-eking
out our petty weekly dues reluctantly, is not tho
only obstacle that has been thrown in the way TO
retard our onward march, We do not honor this
cause sufficiently. Instead Of being bold, deter
mined and erultant-we sre tmid, hesitatng and
subdued in our course. Instead of glorying in
the very name of Sons of Temperance, we too
often hang our heads in shame at the slightest
blast of Iersecuton-laugh at the sneers and
pbes of outsiders and feel half inclined like Peter,
to deny our connection With the caase outright,
when adversely exposes it to the rdcule and oon-
! a, kl,ata