The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-04-05

upon the grange meetings. These meet
ings unite the membership in fraternal
bonds, ind this must produce senti-
ments Of mutual regard for and depen-
dence upon each other. Such regard
must brush away antagonisms which
have been produced by differences in re-
ligious views, political affiliations, ma
tionality Of origin, ETC.; must weaken
and destroy such prejudices, and bind
that portion of each community which
belongs to the grange by ties almost as
strong as those which unite the members
ola family. The natural, necessary,
immediate consequence of this must be
to augment the strength Of incentives to
virtue, and weaken the force of temp
tations to vice.
Every Patron will be ambitious to
maintain an honorable standing in his
grange, and will, therefore, observe a
stricter watch over his own conduct;
and every one will, likewise, be anxious
to maintain the good reputation of the
Order, and will, for this reason, be
more careful to influence his associate
members to do only what is right on all
occasions. Thus the standard of NOR
al excellence will be raised to higher
plain.
Again, the cultivation of the intellect
will always be essential to a creditable
discharge Of the duties imposed by the
grange, and thus a powerful incentive
to self-education will constantly operate
upon every Patron and result in a gene
raj intellectual; advancement. And,
furthermore, in order to have time
for mental culture and for enjoying the
the pleasure Of the grange meetings, and,
meanwhile, to maintain that reputation
for the proper management of ones own
affairs which is indispensable for good
standing in or out of the Order, the ne
cessity will continually exist for prompt
ness in dispatching business. Thus, hab-
its Of procrastination will be overcome,
and thriftiness and increased material
prosperity amongst the membership
will follow. Thus It will be seen that
the tendency of this Order is to promote
the general happiness and advance the
social and pecuniary interests of its
members individually, and such has been
its effect.
1T MUST AFFECT THE FUTURE.
With each succeeding generation
which shall grow up under the auspices
of the Order, these habits of morality
and diligence will become more confirm
ed, through the influences continually
surrounding the true Patrons children,
until Vice becomes as odious as it should
be, because it is vicious, and Virtue as
attractiveQs it ought to be, because of
its loneliness. But will not dwell upon
the capability of the Order to promote
the happiness of those who are to sue
coed US on the stage of life. TO my
nina such results are SO palpably neces.
sary, as consequences Of its influence,
that 1 cannot think they have es-
capped your attention or are not appreci-
ated by you. am not only convinced
that this Order will bless the future gen.
erations of man, but that posterity will
honorits founders as true benefactors of
their race, and this conviction ia forced
upon me, let me examine the question in
any light in which it presents itself:
DISCONTINUED MEMBERS.
A few words more and ! will have
done. There are those who belong to
this Order who will not see, or will not
admit, that it has done any good. These
are they who will not lift the world nor
suffer it to be lifted, without opposing
such efforts, I want now to address
myself to them briefly and will begin by
respectfully referring them to the elev-
enth chapter of the gospel of St. Mat
thew, from the first to the fifteenth yer.
SEES inclusive, wherein our Savior taunts
the multitude with their disbelief in St.
John the Baptist. They had gone into
the wilderness to see prophet, yet up
on seeing and hearing him, they could
not appreciate him, although he was
far greater than any prophet. So it is
with you. You came into this Order of
Patrons Of Husbandry expecting TO find
an institution capable Of achieving re