Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-08-12
HOLD ANNUAL PICNIC
Sumner and Seville Farmers
Club Have Big Out Door
Meeting.
: JuDGE sEARL's ADDRESS
S.e.ks Strongly for Law enforcement
and Individual Uprightness.-Many
Old Pioneers Present.

The Seville and Sumner Farmers
Club held it's annual picnic at Eiwen'
Thursday, Aug. 9th. About 400 wsie
IN attendance and very en)oyao's
day was had by everyone. 49,
These picnics are occasions lot ths
gathering together OF the farmers VI
these two townships, and this year
picnic was no exception to the ruie'
Held in a quiet leafy grove under
cloudless sky, il was hohoay ioi
those seeking a quiet days outing
Old friends met and discussed the
questions of the day and reveied IN
old time recollections. And through
out Il all a note of JOY and gladness
aoated touching lightly here ana
there and wearing a charm OF content
over everything.
A. noon baskets loaded full OF gooo
things TO eat made their appearance
and all sat down under the trees lot
genuine basket lunch.
After lunch exercises were held on
The platform which had been erected
nearby. President Pitt presided over
the affair and in his speech OF wei
come spoke as follows:
Friends and neighbors, Ladies ana
gentlemen: Again we have assem-
bled together for our annual August
Farmers Picnic.
While il is. and has been the custom
for generations, to extend geneLai
welcome at public gatherings, at TINS
time and place, it seems 10 me al
most unnecessary, to say TO you, that
vou are welcome Your committee
IN nrooram. however, did not look at
Il in lust that way, which accounts for
NV anpearance at this time. Webster
defines the word welcome as KIND
reception or salutation. received with
Cladn IS. Grateful pleasing, to salute
or entertain kindly
Manv centuries ago the prodigal
son was made welcome by the Kliiins
of the fatted calf. While we nave
killed no fatted calf for this OCCASION
I think YOU will agree With me. tnat
times and conditions have changed
since then, in the place OF the calves
running with the cows and getting iat
as in prodigal days, this twentieth
century has brought us the cream
seoarator. whereby we get the rat
+he calves get what is left and speak
inc in general way the cali IS not
always in prime condition for killing.
This is about the only reason have
10 offer YOU for not having a tatted
calf for this occasion But we have
something much better to give you,
which is a generous and hearty wei
come.
am a believer in gatherings OF
this kind It does one good occas-
s;onlv 70 60 into the woods, comune
with mother nature, listen to the
rustling leaves, and the song OF birds
care not how grand mansion
anyone NAV have, nor how well 1t
NAV be filled with the choicest of art
treasures. and everything that money
can purchase. there are times winch
come TO all OF us when we want TO
get away from things that are aru-
6cial. when TO camp on the bank OF a
beautiful river, or lake. or Gimp some
wooded hillside. where the pine air
and unclouded sky gives us more
satisfaction and pleasure than all OF
the society fads in christendom.
Success and happiness do not al
ways depend upon how much we have
gathered together, but rather in dong
good to others. If we can so live
while here, and feel as the time ap-
proaches when we are to go away
that we have helped to smooth some
of the rough places for our brother
who has been less fortunate than our
selves. then we have not lived IN VAIN.
I now extend TO you the key to the
city OF Elwell 1t is yours for this
dav. Go where it pleases you best.
Have good time Do unto others
as YOU would they should do unto
YOU. and as the sun sinks out OF sight
behind the wood capped summit at
Riverdale return the KEY to the Lord
Mayor Of the city. and remember we
extend 10 YOU one and all, sincere
and kindly welcome.
The program of exercises was as
follows Music by Elwcll band; in
vocation by Mrs Allis. song by club
choir: address of welcome by Mr. Pitt;
recitation by Bernice Small recita-
ton bv Mrs. Smith: address of day by
Judge Kelley Searle; music by Area
da club: recitation by Mrs. F. Glow;
song by the club
Judge Searle's address was a
stirring appeal for law enforcement
and better conditions but most OF all,
for individual uprightness Of charac-
ter and correct living. He spoke as
follows: The hope Of the nation to-
day lies in the farmer and the citizen
of the small rural village ! say this
in no disparagement to our larger
cities but because il is true. Only a
year or two ago the citizens Of Grand
Rapids voted for Sunday theaters
despite the fact there are state laws
forbidding this very thing. In Sag
r inaw, the Mayor refused to re-appoint
police commissioner because the
latter stood for enforcement OF the
saloon laws on Sunday. In Detroit
sabbath breaking is winked at by
the officials because the majority OF
the people have come 10 do as they
please on Sunday. II is these condi-
tions that are making il a crying need
for the men of the rural districts 70
rise and insist that the laws be OBJ
served When a disregard for the
sabbath creeps in the foundation OF