The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1875-03-03
MARCH.
THE DANGERS AND DUTIES
OF THE HOUR.

Our noble Order has now reach
ed perio3 in It's development in
which no danger from the direct
attacks Of hostile forces outside its
gates need be apprehended. We
are too strong in numbers, and
too we'll fortified in the truthfulness
Of our principles and the justice Of
our cause, to fear even the most
formidable combinations ofour foes.
Our dangers are now internal and
our duties lie in watchfully guard
Ing against them.
Our first and greatest danger is
internal discord. This our ene-
mics, who see.the ..uselessness Of an
open attack...upon our serried lines,
will be active enough in secretly To-
menting. If we are so unwise as
to play into their hands we are
lost.
Our growth has been unprecc-
entedly rapid. An immense body
OF men and women, hitherto compar-
atively isolated, and totally unac-
customed to cooperative action,
have been drawn together into an
organization, wisely planned and
admirable in its design; but ne
cessarily imperfect in its working
parts, as everything Of the kind
must be in the beginning. In con-
sequence, there will be more or
less disappointment and dissatis-
faction, and q disposition, on the
part of some, to complain Of, and
perhaos resist the edicts Of State
and National Oranges. Local and
personal jealousies, unless vigi-
lantly guarded against, will also
bring matters of discord into our
ranks. Wisdom and prudence
alone can save us from disaster
in this direction.
The most solemn obligations bind
Us in fraternal relations with each
other throughout the whole Order.
and fidelity is the crowning virtue
Of the Patron. To guard our
selves against the elements Of dis
cord, we have but to bear these
obligations in mind, cultivate faith,
hope and charity, practice forbear-
ance,and exercise patience, trusting
to time to remedy what seem to US
imperfections and wrongs. Let
these principles be constantly in
culcated in every Grange, and what
ever differences may arise, there
will be 10 discord.
4 second source Of lurkin e
danger may be found in the polit-
icul and semi-political questions
which agitate the country. These
questions often come up in such
disguises that, unless we are ex-
ceedingly careful, We shall find our
selves, as an organization, invol7-
ed in the complications Of party
strife, in spite Of our Constitution
and our Declaration Of Purposes.
Blothers hang up conspicuously in
every Grange this warning
BEWARE cF POLITICS AND PoLITI-
CLANS
We are making war upon Rings
and Monopolies outside Of our gates.
We must not forget that human ma
ture is the same within the Order
as elsewhere, and that while We
are crushing combinations that are
swindling and expressing us, there
may be danger that designing men,
who have found their way within
The gates, will try to subvert the |
organization to the furtherance of
their own personal ends, by crea-
ting Offices and inaugTatirg move
ments calculated to give themselves !
position and cmolument at the ex-
pensc Of the fraternity. We hope
therear not many such false friends |
among US, but if there be any, they !
should be watched. !
Another danger to which We are
exposed, comes fir % m presence
amongus Of we'll meaning and able: ),
but somewhat visionary and I'M
practical members, who will earn
estly urge upc~ the Order the un-
dertaking Of various enterprises not
properly within its scope, and
whose prosecution would lead to
yexatious complications and ul-
innate rain. There are many
things too, for which. though per-
fectly legitimate as Grange work,
the time has not arrived. We
must not attempt too much, but
''nake haste slowly" We have
a great deal to do, at present, in
the way Of perfecting our organi-
ization and discipline. Without