The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-08-16
THE GRANGF

|
J UNDER A RESOLUTION ASSIGNING sPE-
CIAL WORK TO ITS MEMBERS.
In discharge of the duty assigned to me
| by the County Grange, I come, brethren,
not promising to give you any new light,
or enter into an elaborate discussion of
the principles inculcated by our Order,
but in simple and social way endeavor
to arouse you to action, that you may reap
the advantages and profit by the lessons
taught by the Grange. 1taffords me much
| pleasure to comply with the request of the
| County Grange, as / sincerely trust this
interchange of Lecturers will inaugurate
new era in the history of our Order, and
bring about unity and fraternity among
the Subordinate Oranges and the cultiva-
ton of spirit of brotherly love and kind
ness not heretofore existing. To accom-
plish this much desired unity, let US dis
card every unworthy thought, selfshness,
envy, jealousy, or aught that would disturb
| the harmony and concord, and work truth
fully and zealously to cultivate amity and
| fellowship among the members. Then we
may look for unity, fraternity and co-ope-
ration as the natural outgrowth of friend
ship and confidence These principles
cannot be inculcated by lectures or by
laws: they must come from the heart of
the members and diffused by example.
| The Order of Patrons of Husbandry is yet
in its infancy, and many of us united our
selves with the Order with crude and
mistaken opinions in regard to its objects
and benefits. Too many of US looked only
to its practical and pecunpry benefits,
overlooking entirely its social and intel
lectual advantages. The saving of dollar
| or two absorbed every other consideration.
| Thus was its beauties dwarfed and con-
| tracted, and as natural consequence the
| progress of the Order has been retarded,
giving to our enemies the opportunity to
| ask, "Where are the advantages"
| 1t is true, with ''trade card" we have
| been enabled to buy our goods at less ex-
/ tortionate rates, but alas! we have fallen
far short of the objects and aims contem-
plated by the organization. Too many
think that to simply belong to the Order,
to have taken the degrees, and to under.
stand the ritual, they have done every
thing necessary, and the BENEFITS will fol
low as matter of course. Unfortunate
ly all such are disappointed. To them it
has been sort of ''prize candy" venture;
pop corn and brass jewelry are all they get,
and they are ready to cry, 'humbug!" .
To secure anything of value, we must
pay the price it is intrinsically worth
Knowledge is not intuition, and every
truth of practical value is the result of
experience or of profound study and
thought. No great enterprise has ever
been accomplished without brains Or
muscle or combination of both, Then
let each individual member come squarely
up to the work We must pull our thoughts
out of their accustomed grooves, dvest
ourselves Of that principle of selfishness
that has too long governed us, and labor
for public as well as individual good. The
advantages and benefits resulting to us as
Changers, will have its compromising in
| fluence upon the country at large. Let
| each member "'act zVeH his Part. there all
the honor lies" Let him bring every tai
ent and energy to bear to .beautify and
illustrate the principles of our Order.
Then, indeed, we may look for "better
davs.'' and your Grange be as 'scity that
is set upon a hill, and cannot be hid" -
That Agriculture is the source of all le-
gitimate wealth, none will deny. The
farmer gives food and raiment to the
world. He mines the goidland gives pol
ish. to the diamond, and yet, though this
fact has been patent to the world for
thousands of years, the tiller of the soil
has been regarded as beneath and subor-
dinate to all other vocations. Let us shake
OFF the letters that have SO long bound US,
and claim our birthright as the true nobil-
ity of the soil. We will no longer be
"hewers of wood and drawers of water"
to hucksters and extortioners, We have
taken Rip Van Wrinkle nap upon our
rights Let us arise in our might, like
the strong man refreshed by sleep, throw
/ nm IL l.
that ne dare to be freeI We know that
| that it is difficult task to break up the
customs that have existed for years, or re-
| form the social condition of class that
! have for ages quietly submitted to be held
| in subordinate position. To doit, unity
and combination are necessary. Patience
and zeal will accomplish it. y Then, breth
| rem, prepare for action, and not stand idle
| while this great work is being accom-
plished. Is it not criminals is it not receiving
| benefits under false pretences, unless we
! give our aid and support in developing its
greatest goods? Most assuredly. Every
| thoughtful Granger knows that he is not
entitled to the name or benefits of the Or,
| der while he quietly sits upon the stool of
! do-nothing, operating as a clog to the
| great wheel of progressive reform. Let
us no longer bring reproach upon the Or
der by 0masterly inactivity" but put
brains and zeal into the work, and you
will soon see the Grange become a shi-
ming light in the land. And these little
| one-horse merchants that now make the
Grange theme of jest and ridicule, will
submssiyely bow to its majesty and pow.
er. To accomplish this object, we must
| oo hacL To fret orinciDles. and endeayOr
Ito correct the errors of the past. We must
methodize and systemic upon broader
and more enlarged intellectual basis.
In looking over the field of enquiry, we
find thati the great object, that brought
j the Ordar into eYiStence tn 1Hz0KOUc