River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-11-27
Work and Workers.
sY J. NJ. SKINNER, P. G. E. S.

BY ]. NJ. SKINNER, P. G. E. S.
There are Templars and Temp
lars. We all know the member of
the lodge who is merely member,
and that is all. He pays his dues
when asked for them and is some
times at lodge. He will attend a
social or anniversary meeting if spe-
c1ally invited, but he never knows
anything regarding the doings of
the lodge, and does not seem to
care what goes on. This is the
member who, if looked after, will
help to swell the lodge returns and
that is all. He does nothing to help
but will remain a member if care
fully watched. If no notice is TAX
en- of him he will certainly drop out.
In all our lodges there are some
members of this description, and
they need careful watching at stated
intervals in order to retain them in
good standing. Are they worth the
needful care to retain them? Yes,
certainly. We want to keep all who
join US. And there is always the
possibility that the quiet and appar-
emily Indifferent member may bios
som out, or develop into fruitful &C.
tivity. By all means keep him. He
never kicks or grumbles, and he
counts one in the army, if nothing
more.
There is another member who is
even better known in the lodge. He
is always on hand, and never misses
an opportunity of unfavorably crit
icising all that goes on. He does
nothing himself, but he is always
ready to grumble. He has fully de-
veloped the unpleasant habit of
constant fault-fnding Instead of
trying to do something our broth
er's presence is a perpetual damper
to others. It seems easy to fall in
to habit of this kind, but exceed
ingly difficult to get out of it. Most
people can tear down; only a few
seem capable of building up. If we
could adopt and enforce a rule that
only those who work should Criti-
else the worker, we would at once
lose many grumb1ers and make it
easier and pleasanter for all who
try to do anything. Fall out grum-
bier; fall in worker!
There is also a familiar figure in
all our lodges who may truly be de-
scribed as the LATE member. He is
a good, faithful, brother, always
ready and willing to work but his
usefulness is greatly hindered by
chronic unpunctuality. He is never
on time. Whether at lodge or COM
mittee we all know our brother may
be relied upon, but he will be late.
Of course there are cases where II
is hardly possible to be on time but
our LATE brother belongs to anoth-
er class with whom it is habit and
not circumstance that delays. If
our brother would realize how
much his usefulness is marred by
keeping others waiting, he would
try to avoid this by being on time.
The member we all like to see in
our lodge is the quiet, steady,
thoughtful, worker. He is always
there. He thinks of the lodge be-
tween sessions, and has everything
ready for the meeting. And a lodge
will speedily tumble to pieces if no.
body thinks of it during the week.
Our faithful member is always a
Good Templar. He knows it is on
ly small portion of our work that
is done in the lodge room, and keeps
up his Good Temp1ary all the week
Woe betide the lodge that has no
such worker in it. 1t cannot last
long, and while it lasts it's life will
be of little real value. A lodge with
out workers is just as helpless and
as careless as the most perfect and
capable machine without some one
to work it. II is workers we need.
We have the best machinery in ex-
istance for promoting Temperance
reform, but we need more workers.
All our work for Temperance, like
mercy, is twice blessed; it blesses
those who work, as we'll as those
for whom we work. Volunteers for
this good work are needed. Who
will step out and be worker? Let
each one who reads these lines in
wardly say: Il will, God helping me
do more work and better work than
l have ever done for this benefcent
cause"