Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1907-08-15

the wisdom of the sagest of philoso-
piers; it contains the biographies of
the godliest of men; it contains the
teachings of Christ, the purest ethics
in the history of the world; but dear
er than all, it contains the plan of
salvation, the redemption of man and
the assurances Of immortality after
death.
We cherish virtue therefore as
cardinal principle of our brotherhood,
believing that it is necessary for
nebler citizenship, and that by follow
ing her benign influences our days
will be gladdened with the fullness of
our Gods rich promises and peace
abide with us forevermore.
Is that all? No, my brethren, the
jewel of liberty shines resplendent in
the crown of our brotherhood and is
| another cardinal principle of our great
| order AS the North star is to the
mariner, guiding his ship Alright
through the night across the trackless
| waste of mighty waters, so has the
star of liberty beckoned to men and
guided them through the ages towards
| the goal of a larger freedom. 1t was
| this star that our pioneer fathers saw
and followed from white Albion's
shore and the shores Of all contf-
mental Europe to build new homes in
| the waste of the American continent.
It was this star that set them nobly
to the task of conquering the savage
tribes that denizened the forest fast
nesses, leveling the ancient woods,
building homes, establishing govern
hn w
inherit to-day in plenty and peace. 1t
was this star that kept alive the fires
of courage in the hearts of the men
who followed Washington, Putnam,
Green and others through the stormy
days of the Revolution and won signal
victories at Bunker Hill, Guilford
Court House and Yorktown. 1t was
| this star that inspired the Declara-
| tion of American independence and
the establishment of American institu-
tions; and the same star to-day is
shining it's influence into the hearts
of the oppressed people of Russia, in
| spring them and setting them to the
task of striking from their limbs for
ever the clanking chains of bondage
which have held them in servitude
through march of centuries. The same
star hung over the fortunes of the
Southern cross, and God, in His wis
dom, through the arbitrament of war,
decreed that human slavery, save for
crime, should be driven from soil
dedicated to freedom forever, and
| Southern arms went down in defeat
in obedience to His larger purpose.
My brothers, that same star is in
fuencing US to-day. We boast of our
freedom and strut in the glory of our
pride. But this message I bring to
you've are not free, nor will we ever
be, SO long as ignorance raises his
hideous head and holds enthralled the
minds OF our people.
| Mr.. Blair, in discussing our free
school system. has this to say:
| "The first indispensable thing is the
power to think, and whatever people
has that power, and the most of it,
will be most free. Virtue results
from it, because virtue is the child
must be instructed by intelligence.
/ The common school, then, is the basis
j OF freedom, and the system is an alb
solute condition precedent to the
spread and perpetuity of republican
institutions throughout the country
and the world. Ignorance is slavery.
No matter what are the existing
forms of government, ignorance will
reduce them to one form of despotism
as surely as gravity will bring the
stone to the earth and keep it there.
/ knowledge is liberty, and no matter
what the forms of government, knowl-
edge generally diffused will carry lib
erty, life and power to all men, and
establish universal freedom so long,
and only so long, as the people are
universally made capable of it's exer-
else by universal intelligence"
From this we deduce that the com.
mon school system is the foundation
of our country,s full freedom and uni
versal knowledge, the keystone in the
arch of her perpetuity and glory. To
this realization the minds of our peo
pie are turning as never before in
the history Of our State, and demand
ing an enlargement of our free school
system, whatever the cost; recogniz
ing that in the minds of our children
is stored the greatest wealth of ou1
State and nation and the safety and
, pcrpetuity OF our republic.
Il So to-day appeal to the friends o1
education everywhere to unite and
, shoulder to shoulder march on to the
: strains of our battle hymn, my coun
try, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty
AS Americans. we have met othe1
enemies of our country on every bat
tie field; as Americans we have never
| suffered defeat; and as Americans We
will, by the grace of God, in the full
, of our country, of our governmental
| institutions, of our society, and of ou1
homes and fresides, and drive hin
! | haforo 0r,r nj ho~ fro,r