The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1915-08-07


benefits of modern society should
be the things to receive our consid-
grafton, as the societies go hand in
hand with all other institutions of
learning to moraliZe and elevate the
race. We should seize the oppOrtun-
ity that comes within our grasp for
advancement along moral, intellect
ual and financial lines.
The Improved Industrial Order of
Wise Men was established and or
gani2ed for the purpose of drawing
out and developing these latent prin-
cipleS and virtues in our people
which are fundamental in civic and
Christian advancement; yea, they are
indeed the very foundation upon
which the structure of the Nation
Is built, the very life-blood of any
Commonwealth, race or institution.
Out Of this order the founders there
of hope to see the Negroes through
out the eXpanse Of this country con-
centrated and consecrated upon and
to the principles of unity, for it
cannot be too oft repeated that lin
unity there is strength" The foun-
ders have dreamed of a collosal force
and power, the constituent parts of
which are the Negroes OF our land
possessing itself of every possible
advantage: storming every citadel
occupied by any and every kind of
legitimate enterprise, indutry or
commercial attainment and capturing
each and all of these in the name OF
a race yet thirsting and longing for
them and for all of their untainted
attributes as parts of its life and
activities; cautiously and yet per-
sistently moving on and on until
in every nook and Granny OF the
race full fruition of the conquest
may be seen in numberless enter
rr'ses, complete in every detail:
thousands of artisans trained and
apprenticed in these enterprises:
countless boys and girls with honor
able and profitable employment, and
the heart and soul of the race ded-
icated to the God of the Universe
and to the never dying truthc and
principles of the lowly Christ.
This society does not seek to rise
and wax strong at the expense OF
the church and the Christian relig-
ion. IL does not aim to become so
arrogant as to fTown down those
basic truths upon which every good
and ennobling thing must necessarily
rcst,-the truths upon which the
Christian faith is founded: the truths
upon which any civilized nation
would endure. must certainly be
founded. We do not for moment
say to the race Of which we are a
rart; be more fervent in..-.pport of
this order than you arf I'of the
church. We are not of At prop
aganda who say that the are too
many churches and not Ell gh bus
mess enterprises, because - realize
that good. honest. and ! ing en-
tcrprise is composed of ako1 and
honest Christian people, ), I'd that
the church is the great foo'ory In
which the raw material is Diverted
into the finished and stro, fabric
tnat finally goes into the mar Ng and
eyelopment of those incidspts Of
life, business enterprises, which are
parts of the higher life in the great
scheme of national and racial growth.
Let it be understood, however. that
business activities and completeness
are but parts or the essentials of
lite, while the church which repre-
ents the great One who preached
the salvation of the soul and the
preservation OF life for all time is
the source at which life is made,
rather than a mere incident to life.
Our society would be mere COM
plement to the church. And while
there is nothing in the rules and
the regulations of the society pro-
nibiting the sinner from becoming
n member, yet the society knowing
the ideals of the God-fear;ng man
and conscious of the vigor and
riuhteous Efforts that will pervade
anv movement with which he is
aligned would certainly exult in a
membership roll showing major
ity Of IFS members followers of the
lowly one of Nazareth.
Those who are classed as sinners