Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-06-20

Let us then be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate,
Still achieving. still pursuing,
Learn to labor and TO wait.
Truly great and inspiring are the
principles of your order and this mem
orial day keeps before you the thought
that Tomorrow we die" not as a
gloomy lesson. but comforting and en-
couraging that when each one passes
into the great hereafter he shall not be
forgotten, no matter how humble his
lot in life. How true it is that Of the
poet.
They are gathering homeward from every
One by one
AS their weary feet touch the shining
One by one
Their brows are encircled in a golden
crown,
Their travel-stained garments are all laid
down,
And clothed in white raiment they rest
on the mead
Where the Lamb loveth His children to
feed,
One by one
The minister here read the list of
names OF deceased members, which ap-
peared in Saturdays Register.
these names are inscribed on your
hearts and to-day you pay that tribute
which friendship and love calls forth
IN honorlng the memory of your depart
ed brethren, and while the world looks
upon this as sort Of gala day for the
knights Of Pythias, l would as far as
lies in me proclaim its sacred meaning,
and which demands the sacred sympa-
thy of all true men and Christians Yes.
1t Is gala day, which is recorded in
the great book Of eternity and over
which the Divine heart of love reioices,
for God sees you. knights and Sir
Knights of Pythias, stopping in the
grave and solemn cares Of life to drop
tear in memory of faithful friends
who have passed from the confines of
time into the boundless eternity to
dwell in the immediate presence of that
friend who spoke those matchless
words, Greater love hath no man than
this that a man lay down his life for
his friends. Ye are my friends if We do
whatsoever l command you. These
things l command you that you love
one another l believe as | look into
your faces this morning that | see men
who are striving to fulfill the law of
love. That you, knights and Sir
Knights, upon the altar OF prayer are
striving to be Christian citizens Of this
glorious country You hold in your
keeping the honor and glory of our city.
AS Christian men, as knights of Pyth-
las / plead with you to-day to rise to
the high ideal of your Christian man
hood in behalf Of that which is good
and true and pure. All. how Damon
and Pythias stood against the wrong
and corruption around them. Ye are
men. Ye are citizens. God guide you
in your duty as such. God strengthen
you in your Christian life to spend and
be spent in a noble, unselfsh service.
Noble and unselfish indeed, for when
we turn to the records Of your benevo-
lences, last but not least, we are per
suaded Of your good work, which is, as
the Apostle James puts it: Pure relig-
ion and undefiled before God and the
Father is this to visit the fatherless
and widows in their affection" This
we, who are brethren" Knights and
Sir Knights Of Pythias have done, and
l, although not member Of your or
der, rejoice that there is such an or
ganization as the Knights of Pythias.
His blessing upon your order, not be-
cause of its number, but because Of
your reverence for and friendship with
Christ, your love of country, your be-
nevolence toward the sick and afflicted,
and providing fer the widow and or
phan. In this respect, in a sum total
you have given over ten millions of
dollars.
This is what / meant when I asked
you can you measure the influence Of
your order or understand the impulses
which it has given to this generation.
May the sacred ties which bind you as
brethren grow stronger with each sue
ceeding memorial day. and may the
richest blessing Of God the Father and
the love of Christ and the fellowship Of
the Holy Spirit be with you all, and
when the sunset Of your lives come.
may the peace of God give you the
sweet assurance of an eternal rest IN
that land where all are brethren in
Christ Jesus the Lord.