Montgomery County sentinel., 1890-03-21
Our Anniversary.


The present number closes Volume One
of The Waceriy Progress. AS we take pen
to trace the retrospect, what promptings
OF thankfulness, of encouragement, of hope
amounting to certainty, fill our mind One
year ago to.night-on March IL, 1S89-slx
gentlemen met and passed their mutual
pledge that The Waverly Club should live.
For time, its prospects were anything but
cheering. Active opposition had to be lived
down; indifference-a much more power
full foe-had to be measurably overcome;
all manner Of evil prophecies had to be
withstood and disproved. We began with
cut a book, or pcnny's worth of property;
tot day our library numbers 327 books, and
the entire property OF the Club is worth
$500. The membership numbers 81 and
steadily increases A few gentlemen in the
county, and some in Washington, have been
wise enough to contribute money or books.
The literary exercises have been perform
ed almost entirely by the members; several
speakers from abroad having promised and
failed Our brilliant legislator, Col. Kill
gour, and two gentlemen from Washington
form the exceptions. The Club paper has
never failed OF publication, and has excited
interest and appreciation abundantly re-
paying the cost OF It's production. Its edi-
torials have been regularly published in
several newspapers, covering, in circulation,
the entire country, and read by tens of thou
sands. No correct or adequate estimate can
be formed of the beneficial effects upon the
members Whatever attention to personal
improvement, study of models, actual prac-
tice, and free access to a choice library can
do for an individual has been done.
Chief of all subjects, our humble thanks
are due to Almighty God, the giver OF every
good and perfect gift, that it has accorded
with his eternal plans and purposes still to
vouchsaie life 10 every member of the body.
Some have gone down To the very edge of
the dark and chilling food, but He heark
ened to the interceding, pleading prayer,
and called them back to life: "For his good
ness and mercy endureth forever" The
white hairs tarry yet with us; the brave
and strong find work for their hands; and
| the young dream on till the time OF waking.
Taught by the past, it will be well worth
| while to observe several cautions. Perfect
harmony has ensured us success The habit
of virtually deciding all questions before we
| enter upon a session, must be kept up. Else,
some eternally ordained logomachist would
| fire the establishment. We shall do well to
| avoid the raven prophets. Each man will
either help or hurt us. Ii we let u man talk
| yellow jaundice to us we are apt, through
| contact with the bilious, to have our own eyes
engorged TO the detriment of clear vision.
| The narrow minded and the self willed are
always cross.eyed. We need to look straight
ahead, and to see a great way, The old
Scotch had this wise saw Kings chaF is
better than other folks corn" One of the
finest American authors had her early pro
ductions rejected by the publisher Spite
of them, she became famous. Then, they
begged for the scraps OF girlhood days, and
printed every line.
"Seven cities claimed great Homer dead,
Through which the living Homer begged
his bread"
We all know how that thing works in this
fool world. If you want to succeed, why
You must succeed. And no man nor insti
tuition will succeed where complacency is
sues upon partial achievement. Better Il
consider nothing as done while anything
remains to be done.
Let US rise out of self, and look far beyont
the present Let us work not for fame, bu
make humanity cur text. We are laying
foundations on which our successors will
grandly build. We shall reap some COLDER
sheaves; but our chief glory is to live in tn
praises of those who will bless our memory
as founders of The Waverly Club.