Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-01-05
OUR FUTURE
Pabsv Read 81 Mar r. B1ozcn
Betoye The AnnuaI Farmers In
stltufe. Tie W0yk 81
tie GfUngt

the Grange.
The future is always fascinating, be-
cause in its anticipation. we enjoy the
things we most long Tor or desire in this
life.
The present only may be ours at least
we are often admonished It's so, but
most of us are faithful to the principles
of our ancestors in the Garden OF Eden,
namely, those things we have not, are
the things we most long to possess.
Those pleasures that are always with
us are not enjoyed like those we look
forward to having some distant time
hence the future holds golden apples
which we mean some day to pluck and
eat. We fail to realize we are daily
plucking them and they are not as
golden as they seemed to be, and often
like the apples of Sodom turn to ashes
on the lips. We only keep our eyes and
thoughts on other golden apples still
beyond our reach-often the forbidden
fruit OF Gods Garden of Eden-and
hope some future day to possess them.
And so in our mad rush to dip into the
future, we forget to take pleasure in the
things about us; forget to pluck and eat
the apples of sweet contentment, and
rest, and peace, and happiness. Some
lives are made up of regrets OF the past,
and dreams for the future. Only few
OF us are content to live the days-on one at
a time as they come and go.
Longfellow says: 'STrust no future,
howe'er pleasant" and while the adj
vice, coming as its does from such un-
improbable authority cannot be gain
said, we must all havea certain amount Of
faith or trust in the future, or there
surely can be no progress. Progress is
built on a foundation of faith. If we
felt there was nothing the future held
in store for us, our progress would in
deed be slow.
IT'S a sad life that has nothing to look
forward to, and fortunately the majority
of mankind is of hopeful nature. We
often hear men and women express
themselves, as nothing to live or hope
for; ready to die; Indifferent to life and
its calls But mark you how quickly
they run for the medicine bottle, or call
the doctor, at the first twinge of pain,
showing they do cling to life and have
hope. vaguely though it may be-
AS farmers, the future means much to
us. No other workmen, perhaps, has
the need of such implicit faith as does
the farmer, when he. plows and sows
and trusts SO much to future conditions
that he may reap.
As American farmers, our mutual in
terest largely center around the greatest
farmers organization in the world, the
Grange, and TIE future welfare of the
Grange is subject of vital Importance
to us all The confidence we feel IN
that future, has been strengthened by
the assured success it has acquired in the
past, and especially the past few years,
showing the growing intelligence OF our
farmers demands such an organized eff
fort, and likewise showing that the I'M
firing work of our faithful leaders has
done much to accomplish this intellec-
tual growth.
Individual members OF the Grange may
be harrow-minded or short-sighted, but
the Grange itself stands for broad COM
prehension of the principles which un-
derlie human industry, and to-day while
our Farmers Institute is in progress at
Mullica Hill, 5000 miles across the con
tinent, on the shores of the genial Pacific,
the National Grange is holding its 3Sth
annual session. a representative body
of able men and women striving earn
estly to accomplish whatever is to the
best interests of thePatrons Of Husbandry.
Worthy Master Aaron Jones says: '"The
Grange will be recorded by the faithful
historian as one of the most potent agen-
cies, contributing to the prosperity of
v1iS GUILTY. HSdliltS btlc NOuiius StoN-
ing out of the greatest civil wars known
to history; fraternalizing the agricul
tural classes from sea to sea, causing har-
mony. good will and fraternal spirit to
prevail, and keeping down sectional jeal-
ousies in our country, with its varied
conditions, and seemingly antagonistic
interests. The work and achievement Of
the Grange will be among the brightest
OF our eountry's history"
With such a record is there any other,
than bright future to look forward to-?
When we consider the size OF the Grange
to-day, and then realize what very
small proportion of the agriculturists of
this country belong to this, their birth
right organization, as we may call it, we
wonder what indeed might be its strength
should all, or even large per cent Of