Tag: Grange Heritage

Meandering Around the Grange Way of Life

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What do you want to be?

By Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist

One of the dichotomies we see in the Grange is a sometimes disconnect between the definition of membership as found in the ritual of the Grange and the everyday life of the Grange.

I suspect that was much less true in the earlier days of the Grange when members more accurately called themselves “Patrons of Husbandry.” (Did you know there was intense resistance to adopting the term “Granger?” Many noted the Grange was a building. Patrons of Husbandry met in that building and it was therefore inaccurate to call members Grangers.)

In a sense, that argument was never resolved. As is often the case, everyday use of the words has changed. Most members now think of themselves as Grangers and would so identify. For one thing, it’s much easier to say “I’m a Granger” than “I’m a Patron of Husbandry.”

At the outset of the First Degree Ritual, the assistant steward announces to the overseer, “…these friends of ours seek initiation into the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, and desire instruction.” Nowhere in the ritual is it said, “They want to become Grangers.” It’s an interesting distinction, particularly when we note the importance of “instruction” throughout all the degrees.

The overseer responds with, “Friends, the Grange is a great fraternity, and the lessons of its ritual are expressed by the use of symbols drawn from the field, the farm, and the farm home.” An overview of the ritual compares the seasons on the farm, and it doesn’t take long to establish that joining this fraternity means being a willing worker. “…there is work for all, and the idler has no place among Patrons of Husbandry.”

The themes of instruction and work continue throughout. I suspect it was “easier” for farmers to follow and understand that. A farmer, by nature of his way of life, is a Patron of Husbandry. The teaching of the degrees is, for the most part, helping the farmer see the connection between his life as a farmer and his life as a member of society.

The lecturer has already explained, “the first and highest object of our Order is ‘to develop a higher manhood and womanhood.'” Nature (agriculture, farming) offers us a plethora of lessons or examples of how to achieve a higher personhood. While a “degree day” may seem long and arduous, it only scratches the surface of the possibilities for a Patron of Husbandry. Or a Granger.

I’m not suggesting that we debate these terms. I am suggesting that, whatever words we use, let’s not forget the simple meaning. “I joined the Grange to become a better person.”

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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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That’s the way to live successfully!

By Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist

When we celebrate the degrees, there’s a natural tendency for us to get tired if they’re all done on the same day. Of course, it wouldn’t make sense, but I’ve occasionally wondered if, once in a while, we should do them in reverse! Whenever I decide to review them, I sometimes do just that—I start with the Fourth!

So let’s do that because there’s one particular section of the Fourth Degree that offers some amazing wisdom and ties some things together. It starts with the candidates receiving this advice from Ceres.

“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.“

And then Pomona admits she probably doesn’t need to say this.

“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.“

Then Flora teaches.

“Let 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. Beautify 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.”

You may find yourself humming the tune “Faith, Hope, and Charity… that’s the way to live successfully…” But we’re not quite finished. The Master is going to add a capstone.

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

There’s, of course, more, but the Master quickly teaches the salutation of the Fourth Degree.

“A Patron places faith in good, nurtures hope, dispenses charity, and is noted for fidelity.”

Do you see the pattern here? One of the often unnoted beauties of Grange Ritual is the way so many things tie together. So let me suggest an idea for you. Ask the Master to allow me to do this as part of our next meeting or you can do it right now all by yourself. Start by standing up. Begin the salutation, “A good patron has faith in God…” Now stop, read, and consider Ceres’ advice. Force yourself to pause and think about Faith. Do the same with Hope, Charity, and Fidelity.

And allow yourself a smile of satisfaction when you realize the power and beauty of the Grange teachings and Grange Way of Life.

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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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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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