The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-26
PRE-EMINENCE OF CHARITY.
A Discourse delivered ON tho Odd Fell
lows National THANKSGIVING, by the
Rev. n. A. Fernley, at the Nazareth M.

A Discourse delivered ON the Odd Fell
lows National Thanksgiving, by the
Rev. n. A. Fernley, at the Nazareth M.
Il. Church.
"No,O d6ideh taith, hope. charity, these three,
bt the greatest CJHeSe is chdrity-l Cor. xiii, l3
The speakers exordium was a carefully pre-
pared exhibition OF the circumstances and con-
National and miraculous gifts have been
greatly overvalued, and been the prolific cause
of divisions and heart-burnings in the early
Church. To antidote or correct these, the
inspired Apostle proceeds to point out more
excellent way" and to show the vast superb
tyrdom, faith, hope and every other Christian
grace.
royal purple degree OF grace, the keystone to
virtues arch, and the finishing link to religions
golden chain.
The reverend gentleman then proceeded to
define the term ChuTitU
This is confessedly bad translation made by
Wicklihe, who, following the vulgate ChdritdS,
gives us charity" and in this he is followed
by the authorized translation. This merely
conveys the IDEA of almsgiving, etc. Modern
translators and commentators agree that the
word ChdTftGs can be only properly expressed
the paternity of God and the yfrater7iIy of man,
prompting the heart upIUard towards the
Father of all, and otttlodrd towards universal
man. Love is the fulfilling of the law which is
called the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as ye
would that they should do unto you." Without
this everything, however baptized or called, is
nothing but sounding brass or tinking GYM
balls. rms love as principle will manifest
AS the self-loving or unloving and avaricious
man is known by his groVelling, mean,
sordid look and spirit, or as the licentious and
sensual man is manifested in the earthly or
animal nature always predominant, so the
heart of tOUe sheds q tone and coloring over the
man wherever he lives moves.
The Christian Church has not always mani
tested this love after which the world is con-
stantly calling, "Give give ~ and associations
have been raised up to help make up the de-
ficency.
True love contenaplates all men as proper objects
Of esteem, because they belong to the human
Jdniiy
member of the same family with ourselves is to
deny our own humanity. Is he man? This,
per Sc gives him a claim upon me. If he be my
brother, / must have such affection for him as
prompts me to desire his happiness, and seek
10 advance his interests.
Teach me to feel for others woes,
That mercy to others show.
That mercy show to me.
Hood beautifully laments the want of this
blessed sympathy
Alas for the rarity
vi TTdsr TIaisLiah Az cIin1Hy mari
Oh it was pititul
Near whole city full,
Home she had nonel
Love includes benevolent sympathy with
man as a fellow-heir to misery, trouble, and
Life is like a kaleidoscope; its figures are ever
changing. That poor beggar is some
body's son; might have been your brother; or
yourself, but for the grace OF God. That poor
! frail creature, too often the victim of heart
breaking deception by some worse than heart
! less man, may be thy daughter or sister. Love
! is omnipotent. A lady in the queen City"
! rushed out at the peril of her life to save
! child from being run over by fractious horse.
| She grasped the child; it was saved from death;
! The EysIandeTS pressed around, and inquired
anXioulsly, "Is that your child, Madame" "Oh
10! but 1t is some other mothers"
The late war, amidst its blood and carnage,
| has presented TO you my Brethren, many speci-
mems of this cardinal part of your Order. Love
is manifested still further by an intense desire
! for the we'll being of all men. 1t brings men
together in benevolent associations and makes
them study each others good, remembering
that mo man liveth TO himself alone" BuI
while all to put their trust in God, all are to
seek the good Of each other. ~ T.. J.,
Love in Its outgoings is two-fold First, IT Is
kind. This is its breath. Its language and spirit,
mild, gentle, and benign; but how the Worlu
love! Second. 1t is long suffering. The inspired
apostle is careful to say, sit suffers long-not
soon tired !" making allowance for trail human
not disposed to suspect others while 1t is pure
itself The history of the world goes to show
always been ready to throw the first
stone. This love is intimatly blended
Fellowship, Feiit "Friendship," growing out Of
Love-" based upon Truth" These grand
pillars support the fabric Of your Order; but
cannot pass from the contemplation of TINS
bright-winged angel of love until your thoughts
are directed to certain principles which are
| antagOnistic to love, and should be avoided as
poisonous to the Order, by every good Ouu
Fellow. IA,
not itself is not selfish Pride and seltshneSs
should not enter the sacred portals of odd Eel
| lowship, or be allowed to take a seat in tne
| mystic circle. They isolate man from MS
brother, max q him the centre and circumference
Of mis- life. They are the rankest and Vilestt
| weeds that grow on earth; the most maleVolen9y
and withering feelings that now blight anu
wither the human heart, and unman and curse
the immortal soul.
Charity seeketh not her own; is not preJu-
diced; thinketn not evil without cause -
gentle TO hear and kindly TO Judge, The WauI
of this charity is seen. The seed OF too plentI9i
harvest has resulted in heart burning, SOU,
bitterness, family jars, and separations, chu,ch
DIVISIONS; and has crushed hope-the tree INV
, OF heavenly charity that else would long aeo
have encircled the globe with a Zion OF Dvlne
light. The pre- eminence of charity, or love-
ranks higher than knowledge, higher tuan tu
ialth, higher than hope, higher than all othSJs othJ
moral elements in the worlu, without Ills
they are nothing. This the pulse OF true man
hood, the heart of truth, the crowning grace VI
, Odd Fellowship.
The absence of love Is fatal to every claim 10
. be Christian. The speaker Illustrated TINS py
alluding to the nature of God. "God is love.
, | The great Father OF us all has pure, unmiXed
changeIess and eternal love. The works OF His
creative hand and the revelation of His grace
| all alike in mn m istalkable language, proclaim
| "Ood AS loyeU His providence providing for
| all sustainfnR all, declaring His paternal love
The great n NJ OF His Son Jesus Christ is mani
l festation of love to our lost, ruined world IN
darkness and in chains The Divine union oi
| God with man ia the Incarnation finds Its solu'
ton in love. '3od so loved the world that He
] gave His only Son, that Whos0eVer belteVeth IN