The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-06-17
THE hACCADEES IN CHURCH
Fourteenth Anniversary of the
Prosperous Order
THE SIR KNIGHTSAT WORSHIP
BenevOIence at Its Best the Theme of
the Sermon
A Large Attendance Last Evening at tn 6
First Congregational Church-An Eloquent
Discourse Beautiful Decorations

Comm en- orative IF the fourteenth ami
versary of their order, the Maccabees of
Los Angeles last evening held formal ser
vices at the First Congregational church,
corner of Sixth and Hill streets.
1t was shortly after 7:45 that the at
tending Maccabees formed in Central park
close by. marching in a body to the
church, where an especial programme bad
been prepared for their theological enter
tainment. The church was handsomely
decorated with profusion of natural
flowers, tine several set pieces of which
were EN- blematic of the order. There was
a large attendance OF Mace abaes and their
families present. and the eloquent SER
mon delivered by DR.. Warren F. Day will
not soon be forgotten by those who were
in the audience while the sentiments ex-
pressed were being delivered. The min
ister's subject was Benevolence at Its
Best, his text being as follows:
"As we have therefore opportunity, let
us do good unto all men, especially unto
those who are OF the household OF
the faith. "-Galatians, vi10.
Among other things DR.. Day said:
"Paganism is night with few stars.
Civilization is day which cutsbines the
stars. In that brightness, some names
and terms have become luminous-slow-
ing as we'll as rejecting with the
spirit which gave them birth.
among such terms and names is that
white winged, sweet-voiced word, be-
nevolence. word which, with that for
which it stands, has made possible this
hour; given occasion for this gathering
and impaired Itch significance to the
mission of the order whose representa-
tives | am addressing.
1.-THE grandest name or tie rm may lose
ITS vital meaning by losing sight OF what
has given it power and prominence. A
by what throbs in 1t. The word which
will be at the front this evening is no
exception. But such word as 'benevo-
lence, with that which it signifies and
sends on into operation, must neither
perish nor shrink in Its meaning. In
that word is an heritage committed to
our trust to be kept in its full beauty and
strength. Our endeavor will be to speak
SO as to quicken hearer and speaker in
holding what the word benevolence'
comprehends at it's best. This is our
subject: 'Benevolence at Its Best.
''From a Wilderness to home-like world
has been the march which man has
made. He was put in here with the i'm
pulses and abilities to make that ad.
vance. With other institutions and I'M
dertakings, there has been vast develop
ment OF the forms and forces OF the ben
eficent. Christian civilization itself
marks long stride from the dominion Of
cruelty to the Kingdom of kindness. The
one has not yet been escaped nor the
other wholly attained; but there is SO
much less OF cruelty and SO much more OF
kindness.
1.-The dark places of the earth are still
full of the habitations of cruelty. The
bull fight in Spain and Mexico. the
brutal prize fight, the sweat shops, the
wretchednesS melted deliberately by the
minlons of King Alcohol in our own
land, are crimson tnger-marks of deeply
en- trenhed Inhumanities.
"But we place the institutions and
usages OF twenty centuries ago, asla:whole
by the side of those of today. Charity,
compassionate love, says an eminent
authority was no virtue OF the ancient
whom he did not know says Plautus.
Whoever writes Ulhorn, was not a
citizen of the state, was not human;
he was barbarian, against whom any.
thing was lawful. The language of hu.
mainly was not unknown, but with few
exceptions, 1t was not practically ex-
pressed in deeds.
Among the notable exceptions were
the ancient Maccabees, and the early
Christian churches, in their care of the
aged infirm and destitute. The churches
ceEtering at Antioch, where they were
first called Christians, with an aggre-
gate membership provided for 5000 bene.
ticiaries. The benevolence of these early
disciples made the deeper impression on
the heather because III emergencies they
were included as at Carthage ana at
Alexandria, VIII are during plague the
Christians remained and cared not only
for their own people but for the heather
who, stricken and dying, had been
deserted by their own kindred and this
after these same Christians had been ter
ribly prosecuted by the pagan authorities.
''Such has been the growth of the be-
neficent that the greater part or our or.
CARNATIONS and institutions stand for
some beneticent purpose. So generally
is this the case that bad men, intent on
evil ends. find il necessary to masquerade
under some guse of benevolence. John
A. Morris. who for years was the eye and
brain of the infamous Louisiana.lottery,
ever melancholy under the shadow of his
own work, instinctively sought TO throw
a redeeming light over it by repeated
benefaec1ions. Naturally philanthrropic,
he could not bear the unrelieved brand
of his own business. and valnly tried by
kindness to few hundreds to atone for
the irIeparable mischief which his
schemes had wrought in more than a mil
lion. While that traffic which is most in
separabe from the desolation of home,
CpTTupIlOll VI Stdte anu VIC uHauaunlHS
of men, makes much parade in defense Of
itself that it is the champion OF personal
rights On this plea it has defended many
a bill for its deeper intrrenchment. ] am
glad to find that participation in that
traffic, either as principal or agent, is
bar to membership in your order. That
position gives you higher rank among
benevolent societies., "A worthier plea for
your charities and q stronger reason for
the association with you of these wives
and mothers and daughters.
Here we are on this little globe, sail
ing though space with other planets. yet
cut off from all communication with
them. Can look at them, see how big