The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1892-10-27

|
new member or members are to
installed. An idea of the full scol
| of the work of the Gideons can /
gathered from it. The document rur
in this wise:
| You are about to enter an organize
ton that depends more upon the yea
hdelity and devotion of its member
than upon their number. 1t is boun
together by a solemn compact i
which each member joins in a pledg
of secrecy and loyalty as strong as ca
be expressed in language. The objec
IS to secure small band, devoted +
the cause Of humanity, the member
OF which can be depended on to &C
together in any emergency, iorsakin,
every other cause and defending th
principles of this band with their live
If need he. We read in Gods wore
as follows: "And the Lord said unto
Gideon, the people that are with thee
are too many for me to give the
Mldlantes into their hands, lest Irae
vaunt themselves against me, saving
mine own hands hath saved me. Now
therefore, go to, proclaim in the ears
of the people, saying whosoever is
fearful and afraid let him return and
depart early for Mount Gilead. And
there returned of the people twenty
and one thousand, and there remained
ten thousand.
From these verses of divine writ we
learn that the most important under
taking does not require tine greatest mum
Der but does require devotion, courage
and strict obedience. If, therefore,
you lack in devotion, or falter in
courage, or do not yield full and com :
plete obedience, you are at liberty to
turn back with the twenty and two
thousand who were rejected in the for
nation of Gods band. After full
consideration of this offer do you desire
to proceed?
If the answer be yes, then proceed.
Place yourself in this position and re-
peat after me as follows: (Here the
pledge given above.)
You are on the threshold of one of
the purest and strongest organizations
ever formed. We will pause a moment
that you may appreciate the full i'm
port OF this obligation. 1t demands a
surrender of all partisan allegiance to
any party, and full and complete obe-
dience, even to the sacrifice of life.
If you hesitate for one moment there
is now last opportunity to turn back.
Will you go with us7
If the answer be yes, then proceed.
The people are in bondage and they
cry for deliverance, as Israel did 5000
years ago. Just as they were driven
from their homes, driven to resort in
caves and mountain Businesses through
fear of the Midianites, SO now are the
people forced to yield their inheritance
to satiale the greed ofmonopoly. There
is now pending revolution which,
unless checked, will astound the world
corporate and money power on the
one hand and struggling humanity
On the other. The masses have been
patient and forbearing, while the vota-
ries of money have been arrogant and
proud.
Has not God spoken truly in these
words: "And they have said in their
hearts, my power and the might of
nine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
But thou shalt remember the Lord thv
God ; for it is He that giveth thee
power to get wealth, that he may
his covenant which he sware
into thy fathers, as it is this day, and
t shall be. If thou do at all forget
he Lord thy God and walk after other
,ods and serve them and worship
hem, l testify against thee this day
hat ye shall surely perish. AS the
lations which the Lord destroyed
'efore your face, SO shall We perish, be-
ause ye would not be obedient unto
he voice of the Lord thy God"
Duet. vii, 1890
This forcibly teaches us that God
as covenant with his people and
hat if they break the covenant they
hall surely perish. The formation of
his band dates back to the deliverance
f Israel, and as God in His wisdom
nd mercy chose only 800 from the
ast army of Gideon to overcome the
,ighty host of the Midianites, so has
lis been formed from the vast multi
lde of toilers that the peoples in
erltance may be peaceably and .
uietly wrested from the money power
nd forever protected from its greed. /
AS God chose only 800 to redeem
'rael, demanding of Gideon that
ach should be honest, faithful, true
I'D devoted, SO may we be successful if
e follow out this divine precept and
A vast multitude can only
= controlled by having a few acting
one man; for just as Gideon in
'ded the camps of the Midianites
nder protection ofsecrecy and silence,
} must we go forth to fight our bat
es. We must quietly band our
Ives together and invade the camps
monopoly. With the information
Z can gain and knowledge of their
eakness and vulnerability, we will
: enabled to successfully overcome
Iem.
More depends on the fidelity of this
md than on great numbers. This
900 whose purity of purpose and
of selfish ambition and
:eierment is so firmly established that
either the riches Of Croesus nor the
ngdoms of the world can move them,
i'll succeed. 1
The G shall be the superior Office.
each Congressional district, and
all have full power to call meetings !