The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-05-02
THE ODD FELLOWS.
Observance of the 18th Anniversary
Rev. Mountjoy's Sermon.

sary OF Odd Fellowship by the local
members of the order last Sunday was
limited to the members only. The
exercises were held at Odd Fellows
hall at 2 p. m. Sunday. at the conclus-
ion of whi ch the lodge adjourned until
1880. The ceremonies at the hall were
the anniversary services prescribed by
the ritual.
At 1870 pm. the members met at the
lodge room and marched to the Metho-
dist church .marshalled by Ell. Gainan.
There they listened to an excellent ad-
dress by the Rev Wiley Mountjoy, a
synopsis of which is as follows.
Phil. -. Look not every man on his own
things: but every man on the things Of others.
Selfishness is the most general fault
of humanity: disinterested benevolence,
the love Of man for man, irrespective
of local or national ties, is the rarest of
all virtues. The text enjoins the one
and forbids the other.
The speaker then considered mans
place in nature. David. Tsrael's poet,
asked, What is man that thou art
mindful of him: or the Son of man that
thou visited Him. He then said that
God had crowned him with glory and
honor and had given him dominion
over the works of his hands. Mans
history and progress fully justifes the
high place accorded him by the psalm
ist. He has not only tanned the ami
mails of earth. sea and air, but has laid
under tribute the forces of nature and
with the hand of authoritative domin-
ion compels them to do his bidding. He
triumphantly floats upon the water
and ioyfully rides before the wind. He
bitches his mighty engines to his pom
derous loads and drags them across
continents and over seas. He harnesses
the subtle electricity, making it bear
his messages and then converts it into
light rivaling the brilliancy of the
sun.
Man, the grandest product of his own
history. "He finds nothing taller than
himself. The brightest ustar is always
at the little end of the telescope"
Sir VIM. Hamilton says that there is
nothing great >on earth but man: and
nothing great in man but mind.
He certainly does not owe his su-
premacy to mere physical prowress.
In the mere elements of animal
strength, sagacity and instinct, many
animals are superior to man, yet all
acknowledge him'lOrd.
Mind, conscience, superior moral en-
dowments, and above all, the power to
choose his own end and work out his own
destiny are the distinguishing charac-
teristics of man. He is therefore the
only animal capable of being wise or
foolish.
The speaker said that man is more
than a cOnquerer and fighter, he is a
lover. AS lover, not as fighter, he
fulflls his highest mission. AS con-
querer, he subdued other animals: con-
troled the forces of nature, founded
empires, built great cities, often traced
his progress in the blood of his fellow
man. The great teacher taught that
God is love. That man is son of God.
That he should love his fellow. He
enforced his teachings by his own eX-
ample. He founded new kingdom in
which fighting was not characieris-
tic If my kingdom were of this
world, then would Ny diciples fight
that should not he delivered to the
Jews" He said to Plate.
AS a lover. man has built the home.
The home is the basis of all that is
best in all the best institutions among
men. AS a lover he has formed the
feIlowships that broaden human SYM
pathies, make lasting friendships and
life worth the living.
Man the highest standard of value.
s. Life is more than meat" said the
great teacher. Man is better than all
material things. 'What doth it profit
a man if he gain the whole world and
lose his own SOUL" Man is better than
the things he uses-better than reiig-
ion or religious institutions. Things
were made for man and not man for
things.
Odd Fellowship is worthy order, be-
cause it recognizes the higher life of
man and seeks to promote it. 1t recog-
nizes man as lover, seeker of truth
and capable of the most exalted and
enduring friendships