The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1875-05-27

on the women OF our CouHliy, INT
meeting of the Grange furnishes sea-
son Of rest aud enjoyment which is an
absolute necessity to the sisters OF the
| Order. In short, the placeef meeting
should be the most pleasant aud at
tractire in the neighborhood. Letthc
beauty of the room, the genial harmo-
ny and spirit of the members, the
beauty and sacredncss Of our ritualist-
ic work, the music, both Instrumental
and vocal, and the social spirit of the
occasion, all tend TO make these gath
erings so attractive, that all should
look forward TO the meetings OF the
Grange with pleasing anticipations.
The first of these internal qualifica-
lions is, that every person who desires
initiation into the Order of Patrons
must come of his own free will and
accord. In some organizations tits con-
sidered meritorious for members to
exert their influence in obtaining APP
plications for admission. But such
course is wholly uncongenial to the
spirit Of our organization. Whoever
seeks fellowship with our fraternity
must first be prepared for it in his
heart. He must naturally be endowed
with the moral qualifications which fit
him for admission into society which
is founded on the purest principles OF
integrity and virtue; but he must
come, too, uninnuenccd by the inter
position Of friends.
1t cannot be denied that this usage
is sometimes violated, and that this
violation has ended in working serious
injury 10 the cause. Those who thus
misconceive The true policy of our in-
stitution should be instructed by their
older and more experienced brethren,
that it is wholly in opposition to our
principles and usages, to exercise amy
kind of influence over the minds OF
others except that Of well regulated
life, that we must not seek but arc to
be sought. We need not now fear that
our institutions will suffer from a de-
iiciemcy of members. Our greater fear
should be that in our rapid growth
less care may be given to the selection
of candidates than the interests and
welfare of the Order demands.
There can be no excuse, therefore,
for persuading candidates; but every
hope of safety in avoiding such prac-
tice.
1t should be remembered that the
candidate who comes to our gates other
than for the love of the cause and from
honest convictions, however worthy
he may otherwise be, violates by so
coming the requirements Of the insti-
tuition on the very threshold, and IN
most cases fails 10 become lmbued
with that jealous attachment to the
Order which is absolutely essential to
the interest of both the individual and
the organization.
The next internal qualification is,
that in making his application, the
candidate must be uninfluenced by
mercenary motives. If the introduce
ton of candidate under the influence
of an undue solicitation, is attended
with an injurious effect, how much
more fatal must be the result when
the influence exerted is of a mean and
ignoble kind, and when the applicant
is urged onward only by the desrad-
ing hope OF pecuniary interests and
personal ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
The saving of money, the learning
how to buy and sell, TO use the results
of accumulated industry to the best
advantage, is a part of the work ofthe
Order, but only a part. The whole
spirit of the Order revolts at the very
idea of an aspirant who seeks its mys'
teries impelled by love OF pecuniary
gain alone, forgetting the higher pur.
poses of truth, fraternity, social cul'
ture and the elevation of humanity.
Those who would make merchan'
disc of the Order, or would prostitute
it to purposes of personal emolument
or who would use its appliances to re-
invigoratc decaying reputation and
gain a prominence either i'll the
Grange or elsewhere, are totally un
worthy of the name of Patrons Of
Husbandry. The time has gone b,
when the Order was struggling fol
existence, and the time has come whcr
it has outlived its slanderers an(
wrought out its reputation and stand
ing. and is classed among the mos
popular institutions of the day. Ant
hence it becomes the duty of every
Patron clearly to inquire whether any
applicant for admission is invited tt
his pursuit by love of truth, favor
able opinion which he has conceived
of the institution, and desire through
its instrumentality of benefiting hi
fellow creatures, as well as himself, oil
whether he comes to our gates under
the degrading influence of persona
and mercenary motives.