The Portland daily press., 1898-12-05
PYTHlAN SUNDAY.
Large Turn Ont of he Knights-Interest-
ing Address by Rev. Mr.. 2imme1

|
| Pythian Sunday was observed yesterday
with very impressive services, and at 2. 30
o'clock in the afternoon the members of
the different lodges OF the city and those
of Cumberland Mills, Westbrook, Var
mouth, south Portland and Deering ana
S,arboro, to the number of about 600
Assem- led at Grand Lodge hall, and pro-
cesded in body to City hall to listen to
the order of exercises. Besides the Knights
there was "a gathering including many
ladies, sufficiently large to fill the spa
cious hall.
Grand Chancellor Waldo Pettengill
presided and with him on the platform
were Mayor Randall, members of the
committee, III A. Floyd, chairman; Geo.
S. Atkins. Henry W. Foster, W. g. New
hall, Chas. J. Butler, J. p. Rockwell, N.
D. Buchanan, Geo. I. Spear, g. II. How
ard, Frederick e. Libby, A. Leayitt, W.
A. Bryant, also supreme and grand lodge
officers and various chancellor command
ers.
The services commenced by the singing
of the doxology by choir composed of
DR.. H. M. Nickerson, Geo. E. Smith, Ar
thur D. Pierce and John L. Shaw, after
which was invocation by Rev. John
Carroll Perkins. The choir then sang
1.-THE Better Land" after which Rev.
NJ Weaver read scriptural selections which
were followed by the singing of From
the Recesses of a Lowly Spirit" Next
was prayer by Rev. Mr.. Perkins, then
the musical number "Let the Lower
Lights he Burning !"
Grand Chancellor Waldo Pettengill OF
Rum ford Falls then made brief introduce
tory remarks, saying that in accordance
with custom established by the knights
of Pythias, they had met together to show
in public manner their feelings OF de-
pendences upon the Ruler of the Universe
as an organization.
''While we take our name, said the
speaker, ssfrom the beautiful story Of the
friendship of Damon for Pythias, we take
our principles from Gods word which
is ever present in our lodges, and take
pleasure in inviting your attention to
the precious thoughts which will come
| to you today in the words to be uttered
by Rev. Mr. Kimmell, who will now ad-
dress you =
Rev. M r. Kimmell then spoke substan.
TALLY rs follows:
| The place that fraternal orders hold in
the world today is a large one, and from
year to year it is becoming yet larger. In :
creasing multiuudes of people everywhere
are being gathered into them. pelleVe
that this fact is happily significant. Wnab
| does it mean? IN part no doubt IL means
the instructive craving of the soul Tor the
presence and fellowship OF other Souls
| But it does not mean only this. Its great
er, nobler meaning is the Towering out
| Of the sen timent of BROTHERHOOD. 1t is the
| conscious, intention al attempt to bring
mensinto closer and more sympathetic re-
\ lations with each other. 1t Is the mani.
| festetion of the spirit of humanity, that
was never SO strong and universal as 1t
| is today. One must rejoice that In
world that is still so full of Indifference,
antagonism, and misery are these frater-
nal orders that are expressing and culti-
waiting brotherly thoughts and feelings.
AS sod works through the home for ne
evolution of affection, so He works
{ through them for the evolution OF what
| is just nd tender in the soul. and IS SLOW
| " bringing into the earth the dominion
| of equity and kindness.
There are soma in. the church who re-
gard them with q bit of disfavor. Ihey
complain that they are drawing away
| from the church multitudes of men VINO
might otherwise give to it their interest
| and devotion. There may be some reason
| in their complaint But would mankind
be any better seryedp Would they be any
mora really and aboundantly blessed were
there no frater al orders? And were tne
church the only institution in the world
kind? I doubt if they actually would be.
believe that by means of them, working
with the church. men are being
more widely aid really helped than they
would be by the church alone. However
this may be. it is only upon the surface
that they seem to antagonize the churcn
Fundamentally, essentially, they are it's
allies, not it's foes. On the Godward side
of life the church may do for men what
they cannot do. SO well, and may not even
seriously attempt to GO; but, on the man
ward side of life they are in a large meas
ure doing exactly what it ia doing. Ihey
are alike eliminating what is diylslve
from social life They are alike CLEARING
what is careless and unfriendly from the
relation of man to man. They are alike
teaching and training men to be more
considerable of the happiness and welfare
of other.
The most significant word in the yo-
ca bulary of the church IS the little Woru
love- It was love that was the fairest,
divinest characteristic of Him who for
nearly 1900 years has been called the
Christ, and has been prominently the
Savior OF men. I6 was love that he en-
Joined upon his followers above every
thing else. 1t was of love that Paul spoke
in words of immortal youth and eternal
beauty 1t was OF love that He said: Love
worketh no i'll to his neiehbor; love:
therefore, is the fulfilling of the law =
There can be no higher animat1ng prin-
ciple of life. Through it alone can the
earth, with all it's sin and vice, and mi
sery be transformed into the kingdom of
heaven. And the sovereignty of love was
never SO universally recognized in the
church, and never SO fully realized as
it is today. There is a growing conscious
ness of the fact that what most of all
makes anyone acceptable to God, and
brings him into fellowship with His
spirit, is not creed or rite, but love; love
with her watchful eyes and quick ears;
love with her soft hand and swift feet;
love with ner CHEEKY words and gracious
deeds; love, never 50 happy as wnen DO.
ing something in the service of another
Sc he O1s1 of yhri Sfi