134 THREE KINGDOMS. 



permanent and self-supporting- society; and not at all as 

 a transient class. Let everything 1 be done with an eye 

 to perpetuity. Let the officers be such persons as are 

 least likely to be called away; i. e-, residents in the town 

 rather than visitors, principals of schools rather than 

 assistants or pupils, persons of steady character and en- 

 durance rather than those of vacillating 1 and fitful dis- 

 position. Let property be acquired by the chapter as 

 such. A library, a cabinet, a room, a building 1 , all tend 

 to stability. Again, let there be such a system of en- 

 listing desirable members from time to time, especially 

 from the entering classes of schools and colleges, as 

 shall render the chapter continually able to sustain the 

 loss of any who may be obliged to withdraw. 



With regard to the third cause of loss, decreasirg 

 interest, the remedy is twofold. In the first place, by 

 way of prevention, only such should be received into the 

 society as give reasonable promise of perseverance. It is 

 not usually those who are most easily roused to excited 

 enthusiasm who make the most steadfast workers. 

 Choose, rather, those who feel their need of knowl- 

 edge, and are willing to work patiently and persistently 

 to acquire it. Having, then, carefully organized, the 

 utmost care should be taken to have the offices dis- 

 tributed with absolute fairness. Those who are most 

 earnestly zealous for the prosperity of the work, com- 

 monly care least about the honors, but should be willing 

 to accept them if offered. The next essential thing is to 

 keep every member at work, not by compulsion, but by 

 providing an abundance of congenial occupation, and 

 by generously recognizing and applauding every faith- 

 ful effort. It is also indispensable that every member 

 be kept fully informed of the condition and progress 

 of the Agassiz Association at large, and be led to take 



