Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1896-05-08
Clothes dryers at Vallee Brothers.
SERMON.
Preached before Essex Lodge. No. -, I.O.O.F.,
by Rev. FIR. Burlington, In Christ Church,
April 40, the 77th anniver OF the order

by Rev. FIR. Bennington, In Christ Church,
April 40, the 77th anniversary OF the order.
ITO this end was born. and for this cause
came into the world, that | should bear
witness unto the truth."-St. John 1897.
These were the words of Jesus Christ /;
He who for us men and for our salvation
came down from heaven, the Incarnate
GOD, born of the Holy Ghost and the Vir-
gin Mary. He to whom these words were
spoken was Pontius Plate the Roman
governor of Iudea. Jesus was born to be
a witness of the truth, not alone of the
truth OF doctrine or precept, but of that
aspect OF gertrude which especially con-
Germs us today, the truth OF mans regen-
Grated and elevated humanity. So far
had humanity recedcd from the standard
of holiness which is the essence of divini-
ty, thar although man was made in the
image of GOD this witness of the truth
was nothing less than revelation. These
words were also both the realization and
declaration of destiny. And humanity
speaking the success of Jesus Christ, al
though Graded in apparent failure is to
be accounted for by His personal conf
dcnce i'll the value of His teaching no less
than by its inherent force of conviction
and sublimity of morality. He stood be-
fore the world-perSonitied i'll Pila.e-aS
the reply to an inarticuate expression of
unconscious heIpessness. He was there
as the realization OF an eternal purpose.
He was in the world and the world knew
Him not, and yet for this end He was
horn, for this cause came He into the
world, viz: that He should bear witness
INTO the truth. Himself the Way the
Truth and the Life This idea | want to
follow out in connection with the Society
whom have the Measure of addressing.
both as a corporate body, and indiyid-
ually. For it seems to me that the sue
cess of any embodiment of humanitarian
conccnt such rs is this fraternity deneuds
unon iusr these two nrincinles "Cnnvic-
ton. and cxpreesionu i the co n victiun." In
the ordinary course of things the supply is
not presented before the need is felt; when
such a thing happens we do not welcome
it, but rather reject it as premature and
out of harmony with our age. 1t is of
course quite possible, as in he case of our
Lord. that a much needed power may
not be appreciated through want of an
exact realization of existing conditions;
but that which is true, and for the per-
manent benefit of mankind will assuredly
be recognized ultimately. This you will
remember was precisely the early history
Of Christianity, and the knowledge of
this fact was the basis of the assurance
of its Divine Founder. Surely no man
ever lived who more perfectly understood
his destiny than did Jesus Christ; no
man more unhinchngly pursued pur-
pose, or so calmly met its elimination as
did He who is called THE Man of Sor-
rows" And not only was He persuaded
of the truth of His work but the present
alton of His teaching was altogether in
unison with His precepts. Therefore the
hearts of men 90 with Him. since there is
vet enough of the COP life within us bv
w hirh We are enabled to admire a noble
aspiratiou and to svmpathize with a
grand conviction boldly designed and ex-
ecuted. Now in the same manner that
truth is accented SO we NAV be certain
error will be rejected. strongly entrenched
@houoh if mavottimes he. because human
nature will not rest satisfied with a lie
when its existence is known, For all the
systems of men the refiner's fire is wait
inc TO purge from them the dross of ST.
nerstition and ignorance. the crude dog
matism and unwarranted assumption OF
limited and martial knowledge. So then
You see the success of this or of any other
society depends upon the amount of in
herent truth it contains and upon moth
ing else whatsoever. And forasmuch as
the teachings of an already triumphant
Christianity are the foundation stones OF
vour fraternity. prosperitvis in measure
assured when those principles are faith
fully adhered to. But the glory of an or
ganization is its applica lion to the needs
It processes to supply; merely to teach
the golden rule is but to initiate the
Church; and to dream on beautiful
and touching sentiment is not the neces-
sary inspiration demanded by this highly
practical generation of men. There must
be the knowledge and understanding of a
great work awaiting completion, there
must be the strong earnest conviction,
absolutely unshakable, that this comb
nation of human beings banded together
under a common name is the society that
is fully capable of undertaking and &C
comprising the work and then it can be