The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-07-29

Read by w. +. Hodges, before Lafayette
County Grange, Delay, Miss, July s,
1882, and ordered Published in the Pa
tron of Husbandry.
Worthy Master, Brothers and
Sisters: In setting subject of such
magnitude before an educated and
enlightened body it is natural for
man to feel his weakness and in
capacity in presenting it in accord
ance with its Importance. We are
prone to look upon it and pass it
! by as secondary or subordinate to
our baser passions and thus neglect
the present moments as they unfold
themselves so beautifully and invi
tingly to our obscure and unob
serving senses and fail in the end
to reap the harvest of golden apples
that should have been ours had we
accepted them.
Patrons, how do we neglect them?
In multiplicity of ways which |
shall not attempt to answer, but L
will add that many are lost for
which we are not responsible, new
ertbeless the responsibility must be
lie somewhere. l hear some one
asking, where, or upon whom, does
the responsibility rest2 The uni
versal answer should be upon all.
For our education begins, and is
possibly neglected, from the earliest
lispings of the infant as it gesticu-
lates, and, in broken accents, sets
forth its great mirth or extreme
displeasure, which none but the
true and doting mother can COM
prehend. And this causes US to
ask the mothers, Do you take adj
vantage of those early and most
precious opportunities and apply
to the tender bud the proper nour-
ishment, that will develop it into a
strong and vigorous twig? and
while yet a twig, do you watch,
prune and prop it by the training
cords of admonition and counsel,
that its after growth may be rap-
IDLY heightened into a sublime and
useful tree? This done, the basis of
a true education is formed, and
without it few ever reach the top
most branches, upon which grow
the finest fruit. This being the
case, let me ask the mothers to
strive, with renewed energy, to i'm
plant upon the minds of the tender
youth the precious gems of thought,
which none but they can ever do.
| of I'm ~ ha of
and ask the fathers, what they are
doing toward Strengthening and
frightening the growing twig. Do
| hear them answer that they are
doing all they can in assisting the
mothers in preparing for futurity
the hopeful scions committed to
their keeping? Fathers, let me en-
treat you to do this, to watch with
an unwavering eye the many slips
and slides, which if not guarded
by fathers counsel and admoni-
ton, will lead to traps and snares
at whose fall he may see blasted the
hopes of his brightest anticipations.
Let me ask you If you ever lead
your hopeful sons TO the garden of
nature and there point out the
many lessons of wisdom taught by
it's beautiful surroundings, as did
the noble Washington TO his hopes
full George? Does he ever take the
hand of his aspiring daughter,
while musing on the beauties of the
budding spring, and there point to
the chrysalis, whose presence por-
trays nothing put an ugly worm, bat
whose future in few bright sunny
days will rise in subiimest beauty
and with wings of various hues fan
the balmy breeze and sip the
sweetest honey from the morning
flowers.
Now, brother Patrons, If you
have neglected these opportunities,
upon your sons and daughters, the
Grange is an institution the teach
ings of which may in degree sup-
ply those lost opportunities,-for
the Grange is an educational insti-
tuition and supplies lack that has
long been felt by those whose lots
have been cast among the toiliug
masses of .Ticulturists. Let us
then nourish the Grange and keep
it rolling on the high road of pros
perity until its teachings shall reach
the remotest corners of our land,
and its beautiful lessons be inn
planted yon ever mind, and then the
long desired era will begin when
the honest sons of toll will be able
to unfold those beauties to their
sons and daughters and with un-
stinted means and unobstruetcd
progress impart and provide for
them q true education.