Tag: Grange Heritage

Meandering Around the Grange Way of Life

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Bright and happy homes

By Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist

“The teachings of our order would make the farmer’s home the brightest and happiest place on earth.”

Lecturer to the Candidates during the Fourth Degree

That’s an ambitious promise. The previous sentence includes “…to make it not the home of the body only, but of the soul.” Wow. Without engaging in profound theology and philosophy, many traditions suggest that the soul is the non-material essence of a person or a living being. At least one source calls it “personhood.” So the Grange makes a big promise.

The lecturer promises that Grange teaching has the power to make our homes the “brightest and happiest place on earth.” Farmers who are close to nature have a distinct advantage on this point, but one does not need to be a farmer to love and learn from the lessons nature offers. But one does need to have the opportunity to pay attention. It’s not magic. Effort is required on the part of the teacher and the learner.

Unfortunately, degree days have become a diminishing opportunity. We could have a healthy discussion on that point, but let’s focus on the content of “the teachings of our order” and explore its delivery. I have suggested and lobbied for some creativity in making our teaching available. Would we not enjoy and benefit from some teaching that would make our members’ home the brightest and happiest place on earth for both our bodies and our souls?

The National Grange Heirloom Program is one attempt. In short, it offers snippets of various Grange Lessons (ritual and de-grees) monthly. Several Granges have taken to printing and hanging them on the walls of the Grange Hall. Another small step forward would be to make them available for members to hang in their homes or put them up with a magnet on the refrigerator.

One of the things to love about the Grange Way of Life is that it IS a way of life. It’s not a meeting we attend once a month or a building we go to occasionally. As we develop an understanding of it, it “fits” in many places. Remembering that we are a family organization, imagine what happens if we, as a family, adopted the slogan and a family slogan.

“In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, charity.”

I’ll bet our homes would be happier if we discussed essentials and non-essentials with charity. But that’s just one example. Let’s not forget we have a tremendous opportunity to dig deeper into Grange teaching, both as individuals and as an order.

Since we’re talking about the lecturer, this could be a challenge for lecturers, but anyone can accept the challenge of making the teachings of the Grange readily available to members, old and new. One obvious possibility is to make a teaching part of eve-ry program. (Or start simply by using the Heirloom for the month.) Many people are familiar with devotional booklets offered by religious publishers. Following that example, can we offer something similar to members? Daily may be too ambitious, but perhaps a weekly or monthly quotation from what used to be called “the little blue book.” I have been lobbying for a simple form of “Grange Orientation” as a way of sharing some of the traditional teachings. Actually, it could take many forms. The key is that we preserve the traditional lessons of the Grange in a way that is useful and relevant in today’s society.

In our home, we have at least one discussion every month about “what are we taking to Grange (for potluck).” Let’s give some thought to what we will be bringing home. (And I’m not referring to potluck leftovers!) The Grange can help us make our home a brighter and happier place.

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Any degree or ritual quotations are from the forty-seventh edition of the 2023 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.

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Meandering Around the Grange Way of Life

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Are we stuck in traffic?

By Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist

Seth Godin recently penned a post (Listening to organizational decline) about getting stale and fading away. He listed some of the comments one might hear as it happens. While he’s talking about “for profit” companies, it doesn’t take too much imagination to apply them to the Grange. Come to think of it, it doesn’t take too much imagination to apply them to individuals.

There might be a reason I have been having a lot of conversations recently about aging. One that I found particularly interesting was with someone twenty years younger than me. I was both amused and troubled by his perspective. I was amused by our difference in age. I was troubled by his desire to “slow down” and do less. Tempting as it was, I did not ask if he was considering getting stale and fading away. I wanted to hear a desire to do different, not less.

I confess that I’m often tempted to do less. As another friend suggests, we are playing in the fourth quarter of the game of life. That means different objectives and strategies are often appropriate. But it’s important to choose wisely. The comment that Seth offers as evidence of getting stale and fading away is, “No one will notice.” Every Grange has members who have faded away. And we have far too many Granges that have faded away.

“I’m really tired tonight, and it’s cold. I think I’ll skip the meeting. No one will notice.” We can even “upgrade” that to “Let’s cancel tonight’s meeting. It’s really cold, it might snow, and we don’t have much business. No one will notice.” Adding the justification that “no one will notice” serves as a sign that we are hearing organizational decline.

It’s always easier to do less. And it’s not too difficult to find a reason or excuse that makes sense. “No one will notice. We don’t have the money. We’re getting by. People don’t care. People aren’t interested. It’s not in the new manual…”

By command of the Worthy Master, I proclaim this Grange opened in ample form for promoting the welfare of our country and of mankind, and for advancing the interests, elevating the characters, and increasing the influence of all Patrons of Husbandry by properly transacting our business and by exemplifying our principles in Faith, in Hope, in Charity and with Fidelity.

Overseer’s Proclamation when opening a meeting.

Can it be that no one will notice if we stop doing that? The issue is not any one specific thing. There are times when it probably makes sense to cancel (or miss) a meeting. The question before us is whether or not we are an organization in decline. T.S. Eliot raised this sad question regarding the world itself in 1925 with the last line of his famous poem “The Hollow Men.”

This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but a whimper.

T.S. Eliot

Seth concludes his post with the analogy that we are often not simply sitting in traffic; we are the traffic.” You’ve probably heard the version, “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.” Regardless of how we express it, these are some things for us to consider as we start a new calendar year. Maybe it’s time to do some things that will get noticed. Perhaps it’s time to “…open in ample form for promoting the welfare of our country and of mankind, and for advancing the interests, elevating the characters, and increasing the influence of all Patrons of Husbandry by properly transacting our business and by exemplifying our principles in faith, in hope, in charity and with fidelity.” People will notice!

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Any degree or ritual quotations are from the forty-seventh edition of the 2023 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.

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Meandering Around the Grange Way of Life

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All is secure!

By Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist

If we are inclined to doubt that the Grange is about a way of life, we might simply pay close attention to the things we say and do somewhat automatically. In one of my teaching assignments, I am responsible for “locking up” the building when I finish. This includes “walking the building” to ensure lights are off, and no one remains inside. Once I’m outside, I “report in” by texting the person in charge. I usually text “All is secure.” In my mind, the words “Worthy Master” accompany my message of assurance.

I then call home to report my progress. I’ll admit that I am on occasion tempted to announce at the beginning of the call, “The labors of the day are complete.”

While the language of the Grange can readily become part of our lives, an occasional pause and reminder to make sure we are living the Grange way of life can be worthwhile. The language helps us. “Let us be quiet, peaceful citizens…” I often stop right there. I like the word “peaceful.” Merriam-Webster defines it as “untroubled by conflict, agitation, or commotion” and offers as synonyms “quiet” and “tranquil.” Those are some tall orders in today’s society, which seems filled with conflict, agitation, and commotion.

The way we end our meetings is meant to ensure “all is secure,” but it goes beyond closing the Bible and implement case to include the assurances offered by the Grange Way of Life. We are also reminded that we “place faith in God, nurture hope, dispense charity, and are noted for fidelity.” These are the qualities that drive us to “add dignity to labor, and in our dealings with our fellow men be honest, be just and fear not. We must avoid intemperance in eating, drinking, and language, also in work and recreation, and whatever we do, strive to do well.”

I can imagine leaving a Grange meeting years ago, riding home and unhitching the horse, and achieving another “all is secure” at home and in the barn. The animals are settled in for the night. The labors of the day are complete. All is secure. The farm and home are quiet and tranquil. The world we are in is at peace.

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Any degree or ritual quotations are from the forty-seventh edition of the 2023 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.

Meandering Around the Grange Way of Life

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Fragments of Life

By Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist

“…reap for the mind as well as for the body. Natural history is replete with both the wonderful and beautiful, and its study enables us the better to carry out the principles we inculcate of Faith, Hope, and Charity. Cultivate an observing mind. It is delightful to acquire knowledge, and much more so to diffuse it. It is sad to think that any human soul should fail to perceive the beauty that everywhere abounds. Nature preaches to us forever in tones of love, and writes truth in all colors, on manuscripts illuminated with stars and flowers.

‘Be faithful, be hopeful, be charitable,’ is the constant song Nature sings, through warbling birds and whispering pines, through roaring waves and howling winds. As Harvesters and Gleaners of this wisdom, teach others how beautiful, how angelic, seems every fragment of life which is earnest and true.

Lecturer to candidates, Lessons of the First Degree

One of the joys of rural living is found in what the Lecturer describes as “fragments of life.” We can often hear warbling birds, whispering pines, roaring waves, and howling winds.

Hearing those may be different than listening to them. Even in the country, we are often overwhelmed by the noise created by competing “fragments of life.” We scroll through social media posts and hear the television or radio calling to us in the background. There is no shortage of things to give our attention.

A gleaner gathers crops or produce left behind after the harvest. As a child, I remember families occasionally being invited to a local potato farm to “glean” potatoes the harvester had missed. The work was hard but enjoyable, and friendly competition was fostered. We came home dirty but bearing a sense of accomplishment.

The lecturer reminds the candidate to “reap for the mind as well as the body.” Just prior to this lesson, the Master noted, “…gather only the good seed. Our associations in life are the fields in which we reap.” A long-standing truism comes to mind: “You are known by the company you keep.”

It’s not a stretch to suggest the lecturer reminds the candidates to be mindful. “Nature preaches to us forever in tones of love, and writes truth in all colors, on manuscripts illuminated with stars and flowers.” It’s a lot harder to find love and truth on a computer or smartphone screen.

I’m not condemning technology, but the Grange Way of Life suggests we keep things in perspective. When we harvest for the mind, we must deliberately consider which fields we harvest and glean. If our purpose is to “inculcate” the principles of Faith, Hope, and Charity, nature is “replete with both the wonderful and beautiful.”

Maybe it’s time to sit in the yard or go for a walk. “Cultivate an observing mind.” It might also be a good idea to take someone with you. Leave the phone at home. Let nature preach. Listen.

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Any degree or ritual quotations are from the forty-seventh edition of the 2023 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.