The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1894-02-24
THE KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS.
The ThirtIeth Anniversary OF tins
Noble Order Observed by the
Lexington LOdge-SermOn
by R.v. w. |. Cole ut
the First Baptist
Church.


the First Baptist
Church.
At eleven o'clock, Sunday morning,
February Is, about seventy-live of the
members of Lexington Lodge No. l6I,
Knights of Pythias, assembled at their
hall, donned their cOlors-blue, yellow
and red, and headed by the Uniform
Rank marched in a body to the First
BAPTIST church. where they listened
attentively TO a most excellent sermon
from Rev. w. /. Cole. This was done
in commemoration of the thirtieth
anniversary of the founding of the
order. The knights presented a fine
appearances, and many words of praise
were received by them.
REV.. COLES SERMON.
Brethren and friends, / welcome you,
| this morning. one and all, to The worship
of my blessed Master. Brother Knights.
of the order of our noble Pythias, right
glad I'm i to greet you, this morning,
and welcome you to the house of wor-
SHIP. our hllluly ldCCo- WI JIM
nances all aglow with genial fellowship
and sweet friendship, indicating a heart
all thrObbing. full of brOtherly love and
affection, inspires me, this morning, to
nobler and higher and l,olier feelings
and aspirations. Such genial brother
hood of such gallant sons, with such
noble mein and large hearts, with the
enthusiastic blood of young manhood
cOurSing through your veins. Is enough
to inspire hope and confidence in much
colder hearts than mine. Again l wei
come you here, this morning, as one of
the noblest organizations that has been
formed by man, for man 5 temporal
interest. l am proud that am one OF
you. My fraternal relations with my
brother knights have been of the tender
est and sweetest kind. SO true and
genuine have | found these relations
that recently, when / wanted a favor
shown me in a neighboring town, in
which | knew not q living creature,
man or beast, I Immediately inquired
the address of a good brother knight,
and made nv request of him by letter.
Brother knights, need l say that the
favor was heartily and promptly granted?
No! | wish to bear this single testi-
mony to the genuineness Of the profess
sion of knighthood. And along with
this testimony l wish to get a Driei
retrospective view of the order, and
show to the world what it is and what
it is doing. Thirty years ago a few
organized the first lodge of Knights of
Pythias. In these thirty years the order
has had a marvellous growth. There
are, today, scattered all over this North
American continent, and adjacent
islands of the sea, more than five thou
sand local lodges, with more than four
hundred thousand members, mostly
Young men. In our own comfortable
and coy little city this lodge is the most
progressive and prosperous OF any OF our
fraternities. With a membership of
about one hundred and twenty, mostly
young men, enthusiastic, energetic and
fraternal, ii has distributed among our
citizens, in the way Of benefits. on an
average Of more than $500 yearly or,
during the past three years, they v
distributed 81 ,922.25. Many a worthy
person, right here in our midst, has
been tided owe a hard place. lives
to thank God for the Knights of Pythias.
| God bless the order. Long live the
order that has such a noble histOry-a
history so beautiful and charming-a his
tory so rich in facts, so noble In deed. so
high in its aims, so wide and extended
In its sweep; a history that sets tho
order before us, this morning, in such
grand proportions rs to force from us
the exclamation: The half was never
told me befcre!' May she ever be as
the tabled bird, with wings beautifully
piniOned and strong, with which to soar
alOft and cut the azure blue in the gilt
tering sunlight Of high prosperity. But
also beneath each wing having a hand
of human sympathy, growing stronger
each day, with which to grasp In loving
tenderness the hand Of need, to supply
strength to the weak and comfort to the
sorrowing. Yes: yes, may she continue
to send ont a constant stream OF char
tiles and benevoleDces, the influence of
which. like the morning perfumes OF a
summer garden, sweetened by the even
ing dew drop, roll along terrace, street
and lane, borne upon the bosom OF the
wind into the mansion, cottage and hut,
to the delight of their inmates, and there
caught in the wake of a depsrting soul
of some blessed beneficiary. ascend, yes,
as sweet incense from the altar Of a
| piOus heart, up. up, up above the stars,
through the portals, into the presence of
| God, and there mingle with the breath
OF angels.
But, my friends, l I'm here, this morn
ing, to preach you a sermon. But before
I enter upon my sermon let me congrat-
ulate you upon this occasion. Here,
this morning, you present a partial view
of knighthOOd to the gaze Of the world.
May the people here present never see
you less loyal to the noble principles OF
| your order than they behold you now.
| May this view challenge their admira-
ton. May that potent, silent influence
that ALWAYS emanates from the good and
the true. permeate their hearts and
minds. May they see you ever making
manly strides towards that perfection
that is yet ahead.
Now turn with me to consider the
words OF this grand old apostle, Paul
| Phil. 3:l2-l5. The apostle was in Jail,
possibly his last imprisonment before
his execution under the dominion OF
Nero. While there are no gloomy fore
bodings expressed in the epistle. 1t Is
full Of tender, subdued, brotherly affec-
ton, which is almost funereal. And
vet the old hero seems to be in perfect
oblivion to outward woe, and conscious
only of inward veal. From that old
Jail floats the sweetest epic of JOY and
love that the world has ever heard,
Sometimes it is necessary to cover the
cage in order to make the bird sing.
Standing thus, looking death in the
face. almost at the end of his earthly
pilgrimage. instead of flinging himself
back into the lap of the past, and living
in the reveries of by-gOne days, exulting
In his attachments, rejoicing in his ac-
compiishments, glOating over his hero
ism, and such like weaknesses, he looks
only to the future, and considers him.
self as having barely entered upon life
lie seems to feel that he was only in the
position of MOses-upOn ON mountain
top, looking over into the promised
land, with visions of riches and happi'
ness before him, yet he purposes to pres:
forward into it. He stands yet in thu
ante-room approaching the portal indeed
of the great castle hall, but the mag
nilicence, the grandeur, the pomp o.
decoration, OF ceremony. of costume
the riches of the knowledge of thu
mysteries and secrets, the joy and glad
ness of the fellowship and friendship o.
kindred spirits, are all before him, un,
possessed, inexperienced, untasted
lie recognizes that he has barely put hi
feet upon the great continent Of life tina
stretches ont before him. lie stands
like Columbus stood the first time IN
= stepped upon the American continent
He is not looking back with a satisfies
, air over the marvellous journey ani
wonderful discovery, but the continen
80 wierd and strange and new as /
spreads its lap out before him, full o
untold wealth of mineral, soil an
climate, charms him and inspires him t
! say: L haven't yet attained l am no
.t hnt 7 IN, folInwinU ofta,