Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-12-17

sciiins Pct, nd, a uls;sirsly for the sdvsnes-
nsns Of the oscer. To-day ve mum bis
sh.sses He has isksn the higher deg zee.
Iired tie rssi,Iy swelling hasss. sa1
u,tee the Great Master 10 s,in faithful Ia
ether f-les. Abs<ns In body. he 10 erer
pe s~us With ~. ard his devotion and help
fas o, Iris Rsmaia o. sweet iscenss to cneef
and sRsnsfhen- A. years pass ve shAil
sss mere Asd more h5w true vxs bic ap3fs-
citation Of the order, Asd hov loyal bis
eaorss for rs advsnc-mers- A se gather
on this fss,ivs occasiap, let Us net fergss
that fzithfu. sister, vho. nndsf tne weight
Of heavy ioss, nouns the eompsFion Of
many yeafs Les .ympsshy sed s6ecsion
be txss nd "A her In these dark days. and -
brothers ard sisters msy We all, ny tender
so.ici rds, soften the load upon her heart.
Whiis tns year 1880 vas marked by the
activity Of the StAss Grange ,fiesrs. 1891
N iss be not. d for its ieseslvtsy. Last year,
master, lecturer, Deputies, all we're ~erk-
ing publicly ard privatsiy- This year eut
little pao ie labor hss been ATTEMPTED nd
though numbers nay have been msiataiaed.
ve are all consci Us VI . want Of activity,
mssifsG 10 irregular meetings ard saalIsr
sEtendsnee.
AZ . result Of the year, | dod have
given shi,sy-eight days time, vi.itirg tven-
ty e Chs suoorttpAss g'snses and six Po-
monas, aud speaking II three tosns shsre
70 gYarsa was In ex,s ence. sseuring, with
County Deputy X gers, and oshsf,. sixistn
names d AfYossc, and. following the ear
rect e6oris Of Bro. Fesnsld Of Sseo, plant.
ing, with the assistance Of members of Cor
nish Grange, . live, Working branch Of the
order at East Psrsop I'D, which nov uum-
befs more than hfty ID. moers, and 10 we'll
established. The total sxpense Afd salary
for these services amount b. e7s IS
Franklin county, which .hou!d contain
. score or more OF live working oranges,
blessed - II 10 in 90 many Ways. doss not
seem to take Kindly to the o,dsr, and save
In few sectioos the interest 10 70. vhai it
shruid be. At Nev Sharon the grange. so
lsng dormant, vas revived sso years ago,
and 10 no~ mAbir rapid strides to the front.
doiog coed work. Al North jay 10 smother.
we'll established, and making its fieuce
feh. The others were reported TO me as
wanting life sd energy.
The addresses Of the worthy master and
secretary tell the story Of numerical
strength, but, bfolbers ard sisters, this is
not enough. An organization IL not strong
simply because II counis It's members b. the
thousands. Ii ie In its life and energy on,y
what thole members make Is The re-
spousibility for successful srsDgs work
sta not upon any or oil Off ,ers, but upon
the individual member Who is called to be .
ps,ron. This means more thsn taking de-
gress, signing he constitution, or attendiog
the harves, fessts ACTIVITY In grange
work 10 demanded II we would BE- patrons,
indeed. Tomorrow, next year, this will be
more fully manifest than today. What,
then. is to be the character Of cur vorkf
Protection for he farm homes may we'll
be our rslyipg cry, - patrons. because
this 10 the corner stone Of the order Ac'
cepting this, there issues forth At once the
demand for more knowledge That cry
must be intelligent to be answered. We
are daily brought in contact with living
serces, not de-d m .teriAl, and to use these
intelligen,ls, making Of thsm willing ser
wants, there must be growth la koowiedgs
10 unlock the hidden treasures stored for
our blessing, God gave US the key; but he
placed il In the brain, where, - we deive
and dig into the mysteries OF life in plant.
sbrub b aud animal, we shall oil the While be
subdairg the earth, and csnsing 1t to bring
forth more sbuudsntiy. A knowledge Of
the .cie nee Of agriculture. .thep,i necessary,
n,t - . sciencs but IS truth, to be worked
ou. upon the farms.
The grange is = social organisation and
only in the strengthening Of fra,ernsl rel.'
uous can is fad its true and enduring posi-
ton. The possible Influence Of our active
grange work needs be ioj cited into the so
cisl fabric of todsy that false standards
may be correets d. purer ideals planted. and
q tfuer and healthier atmoeI h-re insured
Bro heYs and sisters to he patron one NUT
be well rounded in his manhood or wnmsn.
hood and 10 the cultivation, ard enrichirg,
10 the pturi z sad training necessary for
this, we may come unto Q knorietRs OF
the spirit Of the obligations taken and the
possib liiies of the order. To these must
we commit ourselves more faithfully and
untiringly in the future. Into ersrgs work
~e must enter with greater zeal, with
nobitr purpose, ffeer from sc fsh1ess and
with only one standard before US that
Of symmetrical, perfected manhood and
~omanhood. l beg Of you to th-ov yeu'
whole II fisence for better work next year
than has been possible this. that you open
YOUR hearts to the you9g snd draw them in-
to the rele, where, sarmed by yoar ear
res,ness and faishiulness they may sdd
their enthusiasm, and together you may
usher in batter prscticss and surer results
than have yet been secured.
Do not allow The order to suffer for Jour
presence and your sdo,ts. Be patrons not
me embsrs sbd seek to come unto knovl-
edge Of the true worth of the order. re-
joice that The grange has never rccupird
questionable position upon the temperance
q isstien, bu, that its direct and Indirect
influence has been always manifest for &C
trizty and total abstinence. At the same
time, in view Of the present statu. Of the
problem before the pnblic and the evident
drift ia the larger towns, st lsass. towards .
license sentiment. II beho- yes the order 70
take Q more ssrsssive position. and push
the warfare sgsipst fhi, great evil. arousisg
the pa'r lus every where ~ the absolute nee
essitv Of active ef1fys phich will result IN
greater interest, and . more earnest spirit
Of self control We cannot measure she
good, possible tn the individual, especially
Ihe young, il the live th1usht Of the order
IL c. ntered on this problem,
The coming year will give Us greater
opportunities shsn ever before to prove the
worth Of orssnized effort A political cam
paign is 30 be fought, snd We who directly
represent The farms. have 3 dutY to per-
form. A legislature is to be chosen, and
arss Of sill must the individual members
thereof be men who will yield nothing CT
true devotion to ssyicul urs snd sgficuisu-si
interests. recognizing the great fact that
upon its gro ovth and re,manence. the pr
peiity Of eli classes depends. The possible
benefits Of the free delivery system ex
tended over the farms, and securing dsiiy
mail to all. without the hesvy burden ct
expense attending . visi. TO the post office,
are beyond computation. and therefore
should be secured. l suggest that subordi-
nsfe oranges petition their senstors and
Representatives in Co.. g,ess for the pro.
posed extension, and thus secure the sdvsn-
tsgss 1t the earliest possible moment
Another subject Of vital Importance, and
calling for careful Investigation, one bear
ing directly upon the market vslue Of the
farms, is that Of country roads. Present
systems are defestive. Money is bsiog
90 .qasndered at rate not realized. Relief
must be obtsined in order that every dollar
appropriated may be sconanioaliy expend-
ed, and more permanent and improved roads
and rosd.i3es Insured.
Upon these lines must our EFFORTS c,n-
tiuue to b. cen,ered. They open the door
to fsithfcl service, which will be followed