Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1905-06-20
ORIGIN OF THE CLUB
Tradition HAS IT THAT ADAM USED
THE F,nSr BIG STICK.

1t is a far cry from The unwrought
club with which primitive man chased
his breakfast around stump to me
baton Of a field marshal. Yet from the
cave mans bludgeon to the symbol OF
forceful power the stick has risen
through a consistent evolution, during
which it has never ceased to play an
important part in human affairs.
Tradition asserts that after Adam
had partaken of the forbidden fruit
the beasts, which had heretofore been
subservient to his will, rebelied. Adam
called for assistance upon the Creator,
who straightway babe him fashion
himself a stick and use it upon the
first animal which disputed his au-
thority. For a time the subject AMI
mails eyed the weapon with instructive
awe. but at last the lion, holder than
the rest. attacked Adam singly ana
was promptly beaten to earth as a re-
ward for his temerity. Thus Adam re-
gained his lost sovereignty over the
dumb creatures.
The particular stick with which our
common ancestor thus secured mans
domain over the beasts was not des-
tined to loss or decay for many cen-
turtles, according to tradition. 1t was
handed down through the descendants
of Enoch until it was presented by
Jacob to Joseph when visiting Egypt.
At the death of Joseph the stick fell
into the hands of Jethro, whose daugh-
ter, Zipporah, Moses married. with
her dowry the great leader received the
staff of his ancestors, and so highly
did he prize it that ne ordered it to
be buried with him.
This staff of Moses was the symbol
Of temporal power, while the ROD OIL
Aaron was the emblem of spiritual
authority. Later in history we find
this duel symbolism of the stick in the
hands of kings and in the form OF the
scepter representing the temporal ana
in the hands OF the priests as the Gro
zier standing for the spiritual.
For centuries the stick, in some form
or other, was the only weapon of war.
Though mortal conflict between men IS
as old as the human race, it IL dls-
puted point whether Minus, the founder
of the Assyrian empire, or BeuS nrst
introduced formal war into the world.
1t is related of the former, however,
that he originated and taught to his
followers the art of tipping their sticks
with pointed heads of stone and bone.
With these weapons, so much more
deadly than the unshod cubs OF other
tribes, the Assyrians were able to over
run the ncighboring nations and sub
jugate them.
The shepherd kings carried a long
stick armed with lance head as mark
of their high command, and the early
Greeks gave the name Of ''sceptreD 10
the lance tipped with iron. In those
primitive days, when physical might
made political right, the chiefs OF the
people had to be always on the alert
to protect themselves against assas-
sinat on, and the lance o" scepter was
ever ut hand to protect the crown. Wit
ness the case of Saul, who had his
lance ut the table with him when he at
tempted to strike his son Jonathan,
ana when Davil entered his tent on
ano h9r occasion Sauls lance was at
tie foot of hi; bed ready for immediate
use.
Among the Babylonians it was obllg-
atory for fathers Of families to carry
sticks, many of which were deliberately
carved with peculiar emblems i'll ac-
corlance with their various social posi-
lions. In certain forms it was the dis
tinctive mark OF their principal dignita-
ries. Among the Romans the stick was
consnicrous in all religious ceremonies,
and in the hands of the lictori as we'll
as of the centurions, it represented
chastisement as we'll as justice. The
lictorS. armed with sticks, always pre-
coded senator's in the streets and public
places. clearing the way for their au-
gust patrons by such Il lavish use of
their slaves that today's childish ex-
preston of getting Il good licking at
the hands of parent or pcdagogue may
be distinctly traced to those early myr-
midons of tyranny.
The stick or wand may be found rep
resented in the hands of both dcities
and heroes. Ceres has spear in one
hand ana an ear of corn in the other.
Bacchus has his thyrSCs and Mercury
the ca1uceus presented to him by -Apol-
10, while Achilles is represented with
the spear which, according to Homer,
none but he could wicld."
The Roman consuls and senators
adopted Il wand of ivory as mark of
their authority. ana it is related that Il
blow of one of these wands prccpitat-
ed general massacre of the senators,
When the Gauls. under Brennus, enter
Ell Rome they found the consulS AMI
senators seated i'll state, each holding
his wand in his hand. For the moment
they paused in admiration of 50 much
dignity. but one among t';cm, teirS &c
ticient in the organ Of vcneration pre-
4 -.