The Orphans’ Friend.
I
1
FEIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1883.
THAlTKS&IVINa.
Tiierc- ia a tendency in
souii^ minds to dwell upon the
a^ictions aud the depriv.i-
tions to which they have been
subjoi ted., to the : xclaaiou of
though:, about blessings re
ceived. It seems well tiiere-
fore that atteiitim be called
to our positive blessings. It
is proper that the people be
called together steadily for
the purpose of recounting the
mercies of life and of acknowl
edging the agency of the
Great Giver of all goods- in
bestowing these things. Oar
attention is first attracted by
the material blessings God
has given us—our food, rai
ment, shelter,life, iiealth, abil
ity to labor and the success
attending our labors.
Social blessings also have
been given us, we have en--
joyed k: A friendships and
congenial companionships,
abundant and constantly in
creasing educational privileg
es, intercommunications be-
tw'een states and nations, fa
edities for transmitting inteN
lig nee, the interchr.nge of
commodities, a continual ad
vance in utilizing natural
forces for human convenience
and ever increasing enlight
ernxnt It is a matter f r
predound gratitude that we
live in the nineteenth ceutu-
rv and have seen the year of
grace 1883.
Our civil blessings are rut
to be forgotten. A wise and
jiistform of government,which
guarantee freedom of speech
and liberty of conscience, and
protects its citizens in tber pur
suits of peace aud hapi ineas,
is one of the great blessings
v> uched to us in this land.
Domestic tranquillity an
peace with other nations have
j-revailed, and tho different
sections of our own country
have been drawn together in
the ties of friendship and fra
ternity.
Chief of all are our relig
ious privileges. The. work of
God has gone forward. At
no period hay greater activity
characterized the labors ot
the militant church, and per-
haj)3 greater success was .i-ev-.
er realized. Upward and on
ward is tlie watchword of the
various denominations, and
this sentiinent has devt-loped
greater zaal in tho work of
jlissions, Sunday Schools,
church buii'iings Christian ed-
ucati^T) a:.d all the depart*
ments of church work.
We have had ou-. sorrows,
too; losses in some instances,
bereavements, {ifHtctions-
, “How can I give thanks,’’ says
one who has drained the bit
terest cup. God is not un
kind in anything nor does he
make any mistakes “Good
when he gives, supremely
good, nor less wlien he de-
nies.” We .should not desiro
10 undo anything God : as
done. Even our sorrows are,
by tho Divine ajehem}^ trans-
11 uted into bks^'ings.
The l >ast return tliat wo
co; make to the Almight} is
gratitudi. logratitudo is
proverbially mean and Uno.
Giatitudo itself should be
manifested by thanksgivings
and by a proper use of the
blessings received. Has God
given temporal prosperity ?
Let us remember the poor, lot
us not withhold that which,
is due to the cause of Chris.,
in its various claims, let us
be careful not to spend our
substance in the gra ification
of selfish lusts, but rather for
more glorious ends. Has
God given liberty ? Let us
be careful lest it degenerelh
into license. Has he endow'*
fd us with national existence
and given us opportunities for
development f Let us not
be neglectful of these privi
leges, Do we have tho gos
pel and all the blessings per
taining to it? Let us be faith
ful, and use them to our sal
vation and God’s eternal glo-
ry- .
QBAITD LODGES*
As the Grand Lodge of Ma
sons w ill soon assemble, the
following extract, culled from
the works of Mackey, may
prove interesting reading to
the craft.:
The present organization of
Grand Lodges is by no means
coeval with the orgin of our
institution. Every lodge was
originally iudependent; and a
sufficient number of brethren
meeting together, were em
powered to practise all the
rights of masonry without a
warrant of constitution. This
privilege, as Preston remarks,
was inherent in them as indi
viduals. The brethren were
in the custom rf meeting an
nually, at least ns many as
conveniently could, for the
purpose of conference on the
general concerns of the order,
and on this occasion a Grand
Master, or superintendent of
the w’hole fraternity, was us
ually chosen. These meet
ings w'ere not, however, call
ed Grand Lodges, but ‘As
semblies.' This name and
organization are as old as the
fourth century of the Chris
tian e^a; for, in a MS. once
in the possession of Nicholas
Stone, a sculptor under the
celebrated Inigo Jones, it is
staled that ‘St. Albans (who
was martyred in 306) loved
Masons well, and cherished
them much. And he got
them * charter from the king
aud hi 1 counsel, for to hold a
general! counsel and gave itt
to name Assemblie,’ The
privile;ze of attending these
annual assemblies was not re*
strictC'd. as know is, to the
Grand Officers, and Masters,
and Wardens of subordinate
lodges, but constituted one of
the oh^gatory duties of every
Mason Thus, among the
ancient masonic charges, in
possession of the Lodge of
Antiquity, at London, is one
which declares that ‘every
Master and Fellow shall come
to the assemblie, if itt be with-*
in fifty miles of him, and if he
• jave any warning. And if
he have trespassed the craft,
to abide the award of Mas
ters and Fellows.’
The next charter granted
in England to the Masons, as
a body, w'as bestowed by
King Athelstance, in 926,up**
I'u the application of his
brother, Prince Edwin. ‘Ac-
cOidiiigly, Prince Edwin
summoned all the Masons in
the realm to meet him in a
congregation at York, who
came and composed a General
Lodge, of which he was Grand
Master; and having brought
with them all the writings aud
records extant,some in Greek,
some in latin, some in French
and other languages, from the
contents thereof tliat assem
bly did frame the constitution
and charges of an English
lodge.’ » « * *
The first notice that we
have of Freeunisonry in the
United States, is in 1729, in
which year, during the Grand
Maste.ship of the Duke of
Norfolk, Mr. Daniel Cox was
appointed Provincial Grand
Master for New Jersey. I have
not, however,been able to ob
tain any evidence that he ex
ercised his prerogative by the
establishment of lodges in that
province, although it is prob**
able that he did. In tlie year
1733 the ‘St. John’s Grand
Lodge’ was opened in Boston
in consequence of a charter
granted on the application at
several brethren residing in
that city, by,Lord Viscount
Montacute, Grand Mas'ev > I
England. * * * *
These Grand Lodges were,
until the close of the Revolu
tionary War, held under the
authority of Charters granted
either by the Grand Lodge
of England, or that of Scov-
land. But, on the confirma
tion of our political indepen
dence, the brethren, desirous
of a like relief from the thral
dom ot a foreign power, be
gan to organize Grand Lodges
in their respective limits, and
there now exists such bodies
m every State and Territory
la the Union.
THE DOWN GRADE.
[From the Sharlotte ObseiTerl
Col. J J Owen, editor of
the San Jose Mercury, gives
the following photograph of a
class of youug men in ih it
Californian town, accompan
ied with .some wholesome tid*
vice to them. Possibly there
may be other places where a
similar class of young men
may be found, to the heart ot
some one of whom the ques
tion which closes Col- Owen’s
article may find entrance:
‘There are scores of young
men in San Jose--intelligent,
active and really industrious
young men--who are on the
down grade, going straight to
hell by the through Liquor
Line. They are now only
moderate tipplers, though sel
dom without the taint of liq
uor on their breaths. They
are social and convivial
young fellows. 'Phey do not
like the taste of liquor partic
ularly, but because it is tho
custom of young men of their
kind to visit the saloons and
treat each other; and when
they go away on a pic nic,
excursion, or get off together
for an evening, to get them
selves ‘full,’ as they term it,
and have a regular carousal,
and wake up next morning
with a splitting headache.
‘Many of these young men
are clerks and mechanics, with
good situations, who should
practice habits of economy
and thrift, and lay by some
thing of their weekly earnings
as a nest-egg for then- start in
business sometime; or, if they
over expect to raariy^ as most
of them • do, as sometliing
with which to procure a home.
But instead of this they live
up to their lust cent, and of
ten incur debts besides that
they find very difficult to pay.
But the worst feature of the
business is they are cultiva
ting habits of thriftless extrav
agance and dissipation that
will work their utter ruin, and
that in no distant future*
‘These youug men are hale
fellows now, lull of that life
and energy which, if properly
directed, would make them,in
time, the foremost men of
business in the community,
and the best members of so
ciety. But the demons Evil
Habits and III Health are toy-
it.*g with tlu ir morals and their
vitAl.*i; ."nd a few years hence
we sliall find them bloated and
loathsome drunkards, broken
down gamblers or already
dead and rotting in their
graves.
‘God pity the young wom
an who marries one ofthomi
There is before her a life of
such unutterable wretched
ness as no pen can describe.
Her only ray of hope is in tho
possible strength of s.onl that
will enable her to rise up in
her womanhood, ere it bo toi)
late, and c .st adrift the wort i
less vagabond who would
drag her and her (hildren
down to everlasting despair.
‘And yet there isn’t one of
these young men who might
not, if he would, break loos •
from his evil associatioiis,
throw off the stiaight-jacket
that the demon of drink aud
dissipation is weaving around
his limb.'^, and go forth to a
noble and manly life.
‘If they only knew the mis
ery in store for them—the ag
ony of soul,—the physical
tortue, if they could realize
the degradation and shame
they are bringing upon othors,
as well as themselves—the
rcalding tears that will bo
shed in their behalf—tho
breaking*hearts, the blighted
lives —and all because of their
unworthiness, it would seeai
that the}' would sooner thrust
thedr right hand into molton
iron, and h Id it there until
only the charred bones r*.i-
miin, then raise it to their
Ups beaming a draught of
that subtle poisou that at last
‘bitoth like a seipent and
sti geth like an adder.’
Ts there one of this class,
who may read these lines,
who has enough manhood
left to try?’
A BEUTIFUL TRIBUTE TO A
WIFE.
Sir James Mackintosh, the
historian,was married in early
life, before he had, attained
fortune '■ r fame, to Miss Cath
erine Stuart, a young Scotch
lady, distinguished more for
the excellence of her cliarac
ter than for Ijer personal
charms. After eight years of
a happy wedded life, during
which she became the moih-
er of tbr^e children, she died.
A few days after her death,
the bereaved husband wrote
to a friend, depicting the char
acter of his wife in the follow
ing terms :
“1 was guided (he observes)
in Qiy ‘choice only by blind
affection of my youth. 1 found
an intelligent companion and
a tender friend, a prudent
monitress, the most faithful of
wives, and a'mother as ten
der as children ever had the
misfortune to lose. 1 met a
woman, who by the tentler
management of my weakness
es gradually corrf'cted tho
most pernicious of them. She
became prudent from ^ffec-
lion; and^tbough of the mofct
generous nature, she was
taught frugality and economy
by her love for me. During the
most critical period in my file
she preserved o der in my
affairs, from the care of which
she relieved me. She gently
reclaimed me from dissipation;
she propped my weak and ir
resolute naiurt; she urged my
indolence to all the ea^artions
that have been useful ami
creditable to me and she was
perpetually at hand to ad
monish my heedlessne.'is or
improvidence. To her I owe
whatever I am; to her what
ever I shall be. In her so
licitude for my interest she
never for a imnoent forgot m}
f eliiigs or luv' character
Evcii ill heroccassionaily re
sentment, for vvhich I hut loo
often vavn her cause, (would
to God 1 could recall those
m©meots!)8he had no sullen -
ness noracrimonv. Her feel
ings were warm and impet-*
uouSj but she was placable,
tender and constanr Such
was she whom I lost; and 1
have lost her wdien herlexcel-
lent natural sense was rajiidly
improving, after eight ^eais’
struggle and iislress liad
bound u.^ fiiSt together, and
moulded our tempers to each
other; when a knowledge of
her worth had refined my
youthful love into friendship
and before age had deprived
it of much of its 'ulginal ar
dor I lost her, also! the^
choice of my youth, the
partner of my misfortunes,at
a moment when 1 had the
prospect of her sharing ruy
bettm* days.’—Home Journal.
The Indian Stimmsr.of Life.
In the lifo of a good mru
there is an Indian Summer more
beautiful than that of the aea-'
sons; richer, tunnier, and naore
sublime than the moat glorious
Indian Summer the world ever
knew—it ia the Indian Summer
of the soul. When the glow of
youth has departed, when the
warmth of mid tie ago is gone
and tho buds and blossoms “are
changing to the sere ai d yellow
leaf; wheU the mind of the good
man,still vigorous, relaxes its la
bors, and the memorioe of a well
spent life gush forth from their
secret fountains, enriching, re
joicing aud fertilizing;-ti'^on the
trustful resignation of the
Christian sheds around a sweet
and holy warmth, and* tho^ -^oul
assuming a heavenly lustro. is uo
longer restricted to th© ^narrow
confines of business, but soars
far ; eyond. the winter of hoary
age, and dwells jieacefully and
liappily upon the. bright spring
summer which await within tne
gates of Paradise evermore.
THE forgiveness’ tf INJU
RIES.
If a man commits an offense
against us, misrepresents us, in-
suits U3, injures ns in any way,
what are we to dcr ? Brood over
it ? That is what some Chris
tian p oplc nearly always do. It
is wonderful what care they
take to got all the pdn ami suf-
ferin' out of an often o thoy
can. They might have brushed
it away at once and have dosie
with it; but,no, the hasty, bit
ter word, the selfish act, they
lay upon their memory; and they
will not forget it, wh.'itover els©
they forget. * * * jf ^ man
injures you, do not brvjod over
it. Nor mu«t you talk about it
to everybody you meet.—What
is your motive for speaking about
the injury ? Do you want to
get your friends to take sides
with you aga nts the oftender
You ought to want
to make the offender
himself take sides with you
against the oftense. The more
.people know of the wrong, and
the stronger the feeling you can
create against tho wrong-doer,
the harder you make it for him
to ackn -wiedge his fault.—J{.
JV. Bair, in ‘‘Good Words.’*
A great Nation withnoLangai^^
Until ours, there never had been'a
great nation wiili one .language, with
out dialects. In England, hardly lar
ger than the state of New York, a
Yorkshireinan can hardly talk with a
man from Cornwall, while in our coun
try live thonsand^mil- s change not'the
souiidof a word. We 'owe it to INoali
Webst'r. His dictionaries and his sixty
midionsof spelling books have educated
four^generations. Only two men have
stood on the new world whose fame is
sure to last—Columbus, its discoverer,
and Washington, its savior. Webster
is, aiuV.will be'it^'Jgreat teacher; and
these three rr ake our trinity of fame.
Of his greatDiclionary—said to be, in
the quantity of matter it contains tin',
largest volume publishe !.—aptly has it
been suggested ithat “Every farmer
should give his sons twoorthree square
yards of ground, well prepared, with
the avails of which they may buy it.
Every mechanic shouM put a receiving
box in some'con picuoas i)lace in the
house, to catch stray pennies for the
like purpose,” thiis furnishing the
whole family wltli an ‘ever present and
rMiable schoolmajter.
A. LAI^DSS, Jr
DEALER IN
Dry Doods,
Clothing',
SHOES,
IHahs,
GENT’S
Bill
Millinery, &c
Oxford, N. G , Nov. 15.
Haviogjust returned from
a second trip North, and hav-
injT secured great bargains in
a great many goods, I will of
fer thorn to my customers ac
cordingly. My stock is unu*.
sually large. Call and see at
once.
A. LANDIS.
Bargains,
GREAT BARGAINS!
My entire stock of Ladies’, Misses
and Ohildren’s
TT A T-Pt
WILL BE SOLD WITHOUT RE-
GAED TO COST! i
and secure great bar
gains at aud below cost on
Whole Stock.
HAl’S ! 25c., oOo., 75c. and $1.00
fhatci'-st double tliat price.
Don’t fail to call. CASH ONLY.
Nothing charged at the prices
named. , These goods
must and shall he .sold.'
—ALSO--
My whole stock of ^
JERSEY JACKETS!
$2.25 each, wliicii is prime New
York cost.
A. LANDIS.
ALSO REDUCED PRICES
On Dolmans,
Cloaks and Jackets.
ALSO
AT REDUCED PRICES:
Blankets, Tweeds and
Cassimeres
AT GREATLY REDUCED
PRICES.
GREAT BARGAINS AAD
Attractive Styles in
CHRISTMAS
GOODS,
In China, Glass and
Plated Ware.
A. LANDIS