The farmers' vindicator. (Jackson, Miss.) 1873-1???, 1876-05-05
THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIETY.
ESSAY READ BEFORE OAKLAND GRANGE
NO. 175 EY MISS s. G. ALLEN.

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subject have selected is, 1.-THE Infu.
ence of Society"
"Tell me aohere you are, and I will
tell you tcho you are," is a time hon.
ored maxim, no less common than
brief and concise. But there are ex-
ceptions to the general rule, for the
tree will only be known by the fruit
it bears, and mankind can only be
known by knowledge of his motives,
which manifest themselves in his
moral, civil and religious conduct, as
well as his sympathies and affiliations.
The good samaritan, and even the
ignorant and humble Christian, may
be found in districts and nations re-
jected as heathens among the great
and wise, and these are exceptions to
the general rule. For, withoutdoubt,
it is manifest that ignorance is the
great evil that debases and degrades,
and wisdom the principal thing that
ennobles and elevates moral and re-
ligious society.
Where knowledge is sought and OBJ
tanned by proper incentives and infu-
ences; where information is impaired
by well informed minds; where the
most refined morals are cultivated, the
errors and delusions of society are cast
out upon well defined principles, and
knowledge assumes its supremacy, and
manifests its practical bearing on moral
principle and action. For truth in
thought and sentiment leads to truth
in action.
The morals of some communities are
better than others, and it will be seen
that the difference is to be traced to
their adherence or departure from the
system of revelation.
Hence the maxim, "Such priest,
such people" Such teaching, such
morals. How important, then, that
practical knowledge of morality and
virtue be cultivated in every commu-
nifty, since the peace and happiness,
or the misery, of society is in proper.
ton to its knowledge or ignorance. A
mere surface view of few primary
works on scieLce constitutes very
limited part Of education, and its bale
full influence is but too perceptible.
The great error that seems to cloud
the minds of most communities and
gives society its apparent retrograding
tendency, may be seen in the great
neglect or disregard of Solomon's wise
admonition, 'Train up child in the
way he should go, and when he is old
he will not depart from it."
The most common mind will not fail |
to see the importance of this subject,
and lament the universal apathy in
the moral teaching of the youth of our
land.
No citizen, however wealthy or how
ever exalted, can escape the evils of
surrounding and depraved ignorance.
Let none suppose themselves in per.
society, surrounded by mental
darkness or immoral mental illumina.
ton.
All have a part to perform-the
richest and the poorest, the mighty
men of the nation, and the feeblest
woman of the land.
Then, Brother and Sister Patrons,
it will be seen that through the moral
influence of our new organization,
which admits woman, with her invisi
BILE influence, to occupy her proper
position in the moral world, and more
wisely and perfectly to WELD her
Archimedean lever, "whose fulcrum
IS childhood, whose length is all time,
whose weight is the world, and whose
sweep is eternity" ;
Thus, by fidelity in our fraternity,
md by patience and perseverance, we
hall have removed the portentious
loud of ignorance and delusion that v
low overshadows our country. Live e
md let live" though a heather max o
m, is a good one. And by our ex- :,
nipple as patriots, philanthropists, and =
IS prudent and pious men and women,
We may actuate those around us to s
'ursue unwaveringly, through every :,
hapge of fortune, the path of recti. =
ude, and become Jealous laborers for
he good of our common country and r.
he welfare of mankind, and thereby
e the means of advancing the cause
f true religion; and as such, our efforts
ill prove no vain delusion, but results
the greatest magnitude will be at
lined through the moral influence
nd teaching of the Order. And thus,
the discharge of our, mental and
Ioral obligations in this important
sk, we shall escape the condemnation A
Heaven and the animadversion of st
Dsterity. or
And the wise statesman in the fu- "
ire may justly apply the language of Ii
L.. Il. 4