The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-01-08

Extending his greetings and best
wishes for a Happy and. Prosperous
New Year, the State Secretary Of
Pennsylvania in circular sent out to
the members of the Ancient Order of
Hibernians gives some valuable and
timely suggestions to the officers of
his own state which are we'll worthy
Of the serious attention of all division
officers throughout the country. 1--WE
are all hoping and planning, but
neither hoping nor planning will re-
suit in progress unless we also ear
nestly work." declares Mr.. O'Dea.
Too many of us accept the will for
the deed. At this time of the year we
greet each other with good wishes,
utter a few pleasant words or friend.
ly phrase-and deem that our duty
to ourselves and to others is DONE
This is fallacy which deceives only
those who are impractical. No man
of substantial intelligence gives un-
due importance to words, neglecting
the performance of the duty. All the
words in the world will not fulfill the
hopes of the New Year if they are not
followed by hard work.
There is no substitute for earnest
ness. Upon earnestness Hibernlan-
ism-and everything else worth while
has been built. Without earnest
ness our Order-and everything on
earth-will wither away and be for.
gotten. If there be one quality which
ought to distinguish the Ancient Or
der of Hibernians from other organi-
cations it is this virtue of earnest
ness. There has always been work
for Hibernians to do. In other days
it was perilous work-bloody work
work of life or death, and work for
Cod and country that no other
hands could do. Today it is work
of the intellect, as much as work of
the intellect, as much as work Of
the hand, that holds Hibernianism
ogether.
This work-this Hibernian work
cannot be done without honest, cour-
ageous earnestness. It requires as
much courage to do Hibernian's
duty now as it ever did-almost as
much as it did to stand in line under
the old flag at Benburb-almost as
much as it did to fight for our coun.
trys flag at Charlottesville. 1t re.
Quires almost as much sincerity to
boldly do the work put into our lives
in these Stonemen days as it did for
the old martyrs who refused to be
terrorized into apologizing for their
faith. There is something of the sol.
dfer and the martyr in every man
and there must be something of the
hero in every 1rishman, when the in
Vulnerable multitude of our slain an
cestors is contemplated. We have in
herited their blood, and it is but nat
ural that we should be capable of so
acting as to be worthy of passing on
the work to which they were faithful
unto death.
The earnest and the honest man will
look facts squarely in the face. He
will not fool himself nor try to fool
others. Yet many men who try to be
earnest and honest, also fall into the
error-the dangerous error-of prom
ising to do tomorrow the duty that
should be done today. Thus they pile
up difficulties for themselves. They
become procrastinators. They run
into debt to themselves. Then they
run into debt to others.
1t is folly for man to neglect his
private business. 1t is unfaithfulness
for division officer to neglect his of.
fetal duties. This kind of unfaithful.
ness brings trouble upon his asso-
ciates. He begins by forgetting pa.
pers and books-leaving them at home
when they should be brought to the
division meeting. He falls into the
habit of postponing the payments OF
the assessments due to county, state
and national organizations. He drifts
into debt by his own negligence-or
rather, he drags his division into debt
This is the test of efficiency. Deb:
does not burden capable officials. II
is never pleaded as an excuse by ear
nest officers. Yet, where it is permit
ted to become a burden-where it II
| a bad habit-it clogs the progress o.
the Order. 1t hangs like dark clout
i over the future and discourages thos,
who would otherwise be sanguine ant
energetic. There is only one remed!
for debt. That remedy is-PAY IT
Debt arises from procrastination. l
is an overdue account. 1t is negli
gence run to seed-which will grov
into weeds of trouble. It 10 not alon
the officers who are responsible 70