Wisconsin Afro-American., 1892-08-13

~'NAJ Will SoNClhCd SOSlCly lHCy are IlS DSSt
motive power. The strength, the industry
and the civilization of nations all depend
upon individual character The very founda-
tons of civil authority rest upon it, and so is
it with society, character should be the
foundation. No person will do the society
any good that is organized for the purpose
of building up character, if they do not re-
spect character.
If the object is intellectual enlightenment,
you must seek for those who are lovers of
wisdom-men and women who are seeking,
thirsting, rushing, pushing, and burning the
midnight oil desire to obtain the wonderful
prize of knowledge.
Bacon has said: knowledge is power"
Addison has written: acknowledge is indeed
that which, next to virtue, truly and essen
TALLY raises one man above another"
Langford has written: "The only jewel
which will not decay is knowledge" Daniel
Webster has written: knowledge is the
only fountain both of the love and the prin-
ciples of human liberty" And Shakespeare
has said: Ignorance is the curse of God;
knowledge the wing wherewith we fly to
| heaven
Now, if you wish a power that will lift
your society up, if you desire this precious
jewel, these wings of heaven and wonderful
fountain, you must have members that are
fond of knowledge, for if any join who are
not Intellectually inclined, your debates on
history, philosophy, music, science, botany
and other intellectual topics will be tigers to
them, and you will cause them sorrow in
stead of doing them good.
Third But in organizing a society we
should not look for perfection in each mem
ber We should remember that all have
faults no man is born without faults Mr..
Spurgeon, the great English preacher, has
said: ''He who boasts of being perfect, is
perfect in folly. have been a good deal
up and down in the world, and | never did
see either perfect horse or a perfect man. "
One member may have the fault of Peter
the Evangelist, always ready to speak
whether he is right or wrong. The other
members should bear with him, remembering
that that is his fault You no doubt will
find time in the society when he will strike
the nail on the head. He will speak word
Just in season to do good. Solomon has said
"a word spoken in season is like apples OF
gold set in pitchers of silver" You may
have one in the society like doubling Thom-
as, doubling every undertaking, Just because
he cannot see through it. Let him alone,
you will have use for him some day. The
society may put on too much steam. AL
might say, let it go, but doubling Thomas
He may hold the society back from the leaE
to destruction long enough for the question
to be reconsidered and the change may be
for the best. Bear with him.
Fourth. But remember, with all of oul
faults, these elements should be in each
member-love for every member of the so
ciety. Some of the old Romans have said
Let man not love himself more than hi.
neighbor" "Happy and thrice happy are
, they who enjoy an uninterrupted union, anc
whose love, unbroken by any complaints
shall not dissolve until the last day"
"If YOU wish to be loved, love-" These
are the words of Cicero, Horace and Seneca
And the grand old apostle, John, has taught
''I.ittle children, love ye one another" 81
allow me to say, each member must love anC
be loved. This should be the mortar that
society should build with so as to hold th'
building together
Another element is courtesy. By this
mean politeness, mannerly, gentlemanly
ladylike. A gentleman or lady will alway
: respect every one, and they will be especial,
Il courteous towards the chairman, who is thu
| head or soul of the society. All OF tn
; other officers should be respected, for the,
i are the eyes, arms and feet of the society
I, Every member should be respected, for the,
are the life of the society. And as you in
; lure one, you injure to some extent all OF tn
y society. So we should have this element
q Be courteous. Each member should be sym
y natbetic-each one should sympathize, fee
u for every member of the society when the
Is are taking part in any exercise. II they d
:. not do as we'll as you think they ought to dc
d don't criticize, don't laugh, don't get up an
r 90 out, don't pinch the one that is slttn
: next to you. Remember he or she is
IS member of your society, and 1t is your dut
Is to sympathize with them.
Is Every member should have the spirit c
1t work-be good soldier, be ready tor dut
5 when called upon. Remember the executlv
o committee is simply executing the Powe
e delegated to them. When they call upo
e YOU. be ready to take part. Don't say yo
have not got the time, or find some one else
3 Remember the society is like state or M
y ton. 1t is what its members make 1t; the
d each member should have this element.
N Each member should also be just to all an
I truthful. A society built out Of men an
Il women with these elements will stand tf
~ storms of passion for ages, and do wonde
er full good work in the community-sociall,
i'd morally, intellectually and financially.
es PRAYER is that we might have in this socle
- such members, from the president down
the humblest member of the body, and IN
OF the object of each be sociability. intellectu
l:Lto,n,a,, h;oh character building.