Tag: Grange Heritage

Nature’s Lessons Are There for the Taking

“Brothers and Sisters, my tribute is the seed corn. Have FAITH. Faith in the spring of the year and the springtime of life. Even as little children have faith in their parents, so should we have faith in the Great Provider. We prepare our fields and plant the seed having faith in its resurrection.” (Ceres’ charge to the candidates in the Fourth Degree.)

“I need not prompt you to nurture HOPE. Hope is the heavenly light that gilds our labors. Were we deprived of that source of consolation, life would indeed be dreary. When you see the blossoms open in the early summer, hope is there for the luscious fruit. The labors of the Husbandman and Matron encourage hope at every turn. Let the fruit blossoms be to you an emblem of hope.” (Pomona’s charge to the candidates in the Fourth Degree.)

“Let the flowers be to you an emblem of CHARITY. In kind words and deeds dispense charity, as freely as flowers do their perfume, and as generously as they cover all God’s footstool. Beautiful and adorn your homes with flowers. The home that is thus made fragrant and cheerful is prepared to be the abode of sweeter affections and more radiant virtues.” (Flora’s charge to the candidates in the Fourth Degree.)

As spring of 2022 unfolds, these three charges seem to have a special meaning and application for “Husbandmen and Matrons.” Or, perhaps more accurately, for everyone. As I pondered these three chargers, I found myself thinking it would be interesting to have the words on signs or painted rocks placed in our yards.

Even if we do not plant them ourselves, we have faith that seeds will become plants. Faith is not far removed from hope. Spring is perhaps the season of hope. Seeds become plants. Many of those plants develop buds that become flowers. And many of those flowers become fruit. How many times does this simple miracle take place each spring? We’ve come to depend on those miracles. We should also appreciate them.

”Resurrection” is an interesting word that I suspect Ceres chose quite intentionally. It means “rising from the dead” or “restoring to life.” I suppose we could debate whether or not a seed is “alive,” but we plant them in the sure hope that life will result. How amazing it is that all of the instructions and fundamental parts necessary are contained in that little seed.

If a tiny seed can create such life, how much can we create and accomplish?

We can certainly dispense charity. Flora’s suggestion recognizes the miracles we can be if we dispense charity as “freely as flowers do their perfume.” When we make our homes more fragrant and cheerful, we also make the world more fragrant and cheerful—not only with flowers but with the charity evidenced by our kind words and deeds.

“A good Patron places faith in God, nurtures hope, dispenses charity, and is noted for fidelity.” This salutation is included in the Master’s charge to the candidates and drives home previous lessons.

“Let the agate be to you an emblem of FIDELITY. May your principles… be as firmly impressed as the lasting colors in the stone, and may our friendship be as firm as the stone itself.”

Whether you are working in the garden or simply gazing out the window, nature’s lessons are there for the taking. Have faith, nurture hope, dispense charity, and be noted for fidelity. A tiny seed contributes much to our world. You can do the same.

Any degree or ritual quotations are from the forty-sixth edition of the 2013 Subordinate Grange Manual or the most recent edition of the Pomona Grange Manual. The views and opinions expressed in “Exploring Traditions” are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official doctrine and policy of the Grange. Information about the book “Exploring Traditions—Celebrating the Grange Way of Life” can be found at http://abbotvillagepress.com, on Mr. Boomsma’s Amazon Author Page, or by contacting the author.

Barn Raising

Most would probably agree that the “Grange Way of Life” includes a healthy dose of “helpfulness.” Historically, the Grange served as a way for farmers to help each other achieve things both politically and practically. Of course, we are no longer limited to farmers and, in a sense, the emphasis on community is ultimately evidence of the Granger’s desire to be helpful.

Indeed, one of the challenges we face as an organization is the change in the definition of community. In the earliest days of the Grange, the farmers often were the community. Our communities are often defined differently in today’s world.

An oft-cited example of “community” is Amish barn-raisings. Amish friends and neighbors come together to help build a barn. A very practical need is fulfilled in a manner that brings the Amish community together. The work combines socializing with a practical goal. The goal is often accomplished efficiently—often a significant portion of a large barn is built in a single day.

Recently, however, a barn-raising resulted in a near tragedy. In the typical post and beam construction, the walls of the barn are built on the ground and then pushed into place manually by all of the builders using various length poles. You can perhaps well imagine the amount of precision involved in achieving this raising of the massive and heavy walls into place. During one such raising, a momentary distraction by some caused a loss of momentum and the wall came crashing down. Fortunately, no one was injured.

The idea of a barn-raising is certainly a wonderful example of people coming together to help each other and the amazing possibilities created by a strong sense of community. But this accident is also an example of how easily and quickly it is possible to lose that unity and sense of purpose. I have no idea how many Amish it takes to raise a wall into place. But if some become distracted, lose sight of the goal, and stop contributing, there is a danger of failure instead of success.

I don’t know of any Granges that have raised barns. (But I’m willing to bet many Grange Halls were built by the members.) But we do take on projects that are about helping each other and are similar we combine socializing with getting the work done. Certainly, those projects involve planning and require leadership. (Most barn-raisings are planned and led by one or two Amish “engineers.”) When we are undertaking projects, we should be demonstrating the Grange Way of Life. When it’s time to “raise the walls,” we need to keep looking up and pushing.

Any degree or ritual quotations are from the forty-sixth edition of the 2013 Subordinate Grange Manual or the most recent edition of the Pomona Grange Manual. The views and opinions expressed in “Exploring Traditions” are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official doctrine and policy of the Grange. Information about the book “Exploring Traditions—Celebrating the Grange Way of Life” can be found at http://abbotvillagepress.com, on Mr. Boomsma’s Amazon Author Page, or by contacting the author.