National Republican., 1876-09-18
SONS OF IoNAuAR.
Ninth Anniversary Celebration-An Interest
ing Time,

Ninth Anniversary Celebrstion-An Interest
ing Time.
The Sons of Jonadab, the 'iron-clad" tenn
perance Order, celebrated its ninth anniversary
on Saturday night at the hall of Pioneer Coun-
Gil, No. 1, the parent Council of the Order.
Nine years ago seven gentlemen met and
took upon themselves a solemn pledge to ab-
stain from the use, manufacture and sale of
intoxicating liquors for life, and an agreement
was made then, and subsequently incorporated
in the constitution of the Order, that any
member who violated his obligation should be
expelled and never again be eligible for men,
bership. From that day to the present the
Order has grown, not with mushroom vigor,
the result of temporary enthusiasm, but by
steady, healthy accession to its members oil
men convinced of the error of their ways and
resolved to lead new and better life, until
the little band OF seven that met in private
parlor and took that pledge has grown to
number fifteen hundred, scattered all over the
United States and Territories, like good seed,
from which every now and then, here and
there, the spriDging up OF new council OIL the
Order is reported.
1t is not to be supposed that all who took
the iron clad pledge have kept 1t. Human ma
ture is too weak, human appetite too strong
| and temptations too numerous to permit such
a result; but it is safe to say that of those who
| have violated their obligations there is not
one that does not bitterly regret ever having
| done so. 1t has been customary for all the
Councils to unite with the senior in celebrat-
| ing the anniversary of the Order to which so
many owe their present happiness and pros
perity, but this year the elder Council took
/ upon itself the part of host and invited the
other Councils and sojourning brethren to an
entertainment that had been prepared for
| them. Saturday being the regular meeting
| night of Pioneer Council, No. l, the members
met as usual in large numbers and proceeded
with their regular business, including the initia-
tion OF several new members.
At $50 O'Clock Grand Worthy Chief W. G..
Perry, accompanied by the Grand Chief and
twenty three members of the Grand Council
in full regalia, entered the council chamber
and was received with the customary honors.
The anniversary exercises followed. These
consisted of an opening address by Past Soy
ereign Chief S. c. Mills, one of the original
seven, who briefly reviewed the rise and pro-
gress of the Order, congratulating the men,
bers on the great good that had been accom-
plished, and pointing out the immense field
open before them in which to labor. An
original poem, written for the occasion by Past
Chief r. C. Gill; read by Past Grand Chief
W. 81. Norton. Interesting and cheering re-
marks were made by Sovereign Patriarch W.
II. Young, humorous recitation was given by
Brother Taylo and remarks were made by
Past Chief J. W. Thompson, D. w. Bruce and
others, after which those present were invited
into an adjoining hall, where bounteous re-
past was spread, to which ample justice was
done. Hot coffee supplied the place of Red
eye, Forty-rod, Tanglefoot, Sure-death and
other branls of the poison. Songs were sung,
toasts drunk, speeches made and good time
had generally, the Jonadabs again demon
strating that mental bewilderment is not es-
sential to harmonious enjoyment.
The inner man being fully satisfied, the
company again returned to the regular meet
ing hall, when, after spending some time in
social intercourse, those present assembled
around the altar and renewed their solemn
VOWS for life of total abstinence from all that
can intoxicate. Who of those who so solemnly
renewed their pledge will be among the outs
at the next anniversary? Let us hope not one.