The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1900-02-28
THE GRANGE AND YOUNG
PEOPLE
PAPER READ by HARRY LuRKINs or DE
cATuR BEFORE THE COUNTY GRANGE.


very much different in their character
When We take tho degree, not only younl
people-but all as well-we observe
form, an order and a system. Perhaps
some would say you may get form, al
order and system in any order. That
is very true, but the form person get
in the most of the orders is simply foru
Of moulding, a form of discipline that w
may pass from one degree to another
But "A form in the Grange is only repe
| tition of the form on farm.
When you pass in through the outsid,
gate OF the Grange farm (as we will cal
| it, it is the same as man passing frou
the government highway through the
gate of the fence that encloses his farm
home. As you then pass into the ante.
room, SO we pass into our houses to pre-
pare for our duties. From the ante-roon
to the main hall, so we from our dwell
ings pass into the fields The first degree
our spring, the second degree our sum
mer, the third degree our autumn ano
the fourth degree our winter. The feast
our Thanksgiving and holidays. Their
the year is ended and we have been the
master, the overseer and the assistants
and we have had the chaplain's blessing
in making it successful year.
The young people of the farm enter the
Grange and are familiar with its form
and feel at home and among their own
class, and the form of passing from one
degree to another is not foreign to them
and does not take their minds from their
usual routine of work, but rather tells
them in an intelligent way what to do
each day, adding an interest to the
work.
The Grange is farm that belongs to
its members. Each has an equal acre
age and shall reap the harvest, which is
an intellectual product, if each one puts
his shoulder to the wheel and does his
part.
If any young person wishes to pass
beyond the fourth degree into higher
one, it is the same as if he were getting a
start in the world and then advancing in
the way of improvement.
The young people who live on the farm
who do not belong to the Grange, pass
their hours and days and sometimes
week after week without seeing anyone
outside of the family. They do not know
what the outside world is doing If they
chance to take goodly number of papers,
they do not get them until everything
has passed and are not benefited 10y be-
ing able to take part in them. So they
live within themselves. | suppose that
is all right if that is the height of their
ambition, simply to live and accumulate
that which will be of no use unless they
know how to use it. The most of US to-
day do not believe in being simply good,
but in being good for something.
The people who sit on the manufac-
turer's bench, the people who travel
among the different classes every few
those who work behind the merchants
counters do not find it so difficult to be-
come part of which they represent, be-
cause they are in contact with public
opinion and ideas every day, and they
understand that it is for their own inter
fellows and people as whole. So it is
with the young people of the farm. III
they want to be of any account in the
vicinity in which they live, and enjoy the
privileges that are extended for all, they
must get into the order which represents
their class and stand up for the rights
that class should have, as compared with
those of other occupations.
A great many young people say: 81
know we should all belong to the Grange
If we are always going to farm it, but |
had rather follow some some other oc-
cupation because everybody looks down
on the country people" That is not
true, worthy patrons. Country people in
this vicinity are not looked down upon,
and some day the country people will be
the ruling class of our country. And as
to occupations, agriculture is the first
and noblest of all occupations, it is the
only one directly instituted by our Gre
ator. God caused every tree and plant
to spring forth that they might be
pleasant for our sight and bear fruit for
food He intended that the springing
seed should teach us to increase in good
ness, and the growing trees to inspire
US for higher and broader knowledge.
The young man who leaves the farm
field for the merchants desk, or the law
yer's OF doctors office, thinking thereby
to dignity or ennoble his toll, makes
sad mistake. He passes the step from
independence to vassalage. He barters
a natural for an artificial pursuit, and he
must be the slave of the caprice of GUS
toners, and the chicane of trade, either
to support himself or to acquire for
tune. The more artificial a mans pursuit,
the more debasing is it morally and
To test it, contrast the mer-
chants clerk with the pillow boy. The
former may have the most exterior pol
ish but the latter, under his rough out
side, possesses the true stamina. He is
the freer, franker, happier and nobler
man. Would that young men might
judge of the dignity of labor by its use-
fitness, rather than 10y the superficial
gloss it wears. Therefore, we never
see mans nobility in his kid gloves and