Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-06-26
ST. JOHNS DAY.
Augusta and Bethlehem Lodges, F.
and A. NJ, Attend Church.
tsry Interesting Sermon al Methodist Church
- by Rev. E. S. StackpoIe. D. o.

L ne members or Bethlehem and Au
gusta Lodges, +. and \. NJ, celebrated
st. Johns day, Sunday. by attendinl
services at the Methodist church, las
| evening. 1t is usually the custom fol
a clergyman who is member of the
order to be invited to deliver the SER
mon, but an Innovation was made, this
year, ana Rev. Dr.. Z. S. Stackpole was
| invited to conduct the services.
| The evening was oppressively warm
and it looked very much like showers
| This doubtless kept number away
| but the church was well filled as it
was
| The service was opened with an or
gan voluntary by Mrs. Frank Crow
| ley, the Masons marching into seats
which had been reserved in the front
of the church. a quartet composed of
Miss Edith Fuller, Mrs. c. 5. York, A.
p. Ripley and A. A. Clark sang a Sc
lection which was very sweet and
greatly enjoyed. The congregation
united in singing from the hymnal
Onward Christian Soldiers" after
which DR.. Stackpole offered prayer.
Mr.. Stackpole. though not a member
of the Masonic order. has for several
years been Interested in fraternity
work. and has studied many volumes
treating upon the subject from the So
called eXpositions of the different or
ders to the digest of all.
The subject of his discourse was
"Unselfishness" which as Mr.. Stack
pole interprctS the teachings Of the or
der, IS one of the fundamental princi-
pals, as every man is taught to prac-
tice brotherly love ana TO assist those
in distress.
He took for his text. Luke XIII:
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart. and with all thy
strength, and with all thy mind, and
thy neighbor as they sehf;" and III
Timothy iii:1-2: This know also
that in the last days perilous days
shall come. For men shall be lovers of
their ownselVes.b
These two Sayings. the one of Jesus
and the other of Paul are in strong
contrast with each other. The first
lays down the ideal rule of moral and
religious life; the second states the ac-
tual conditions Of many men of every
age. They express the two leading
principles that govern the lives of
men: love to God and inordinate self
love or selfishness. Somebody claims
and will have the supreme affect of
our souls and if it be not God who is
supremacy loved, then it is self. Thus
self is, as it We're. deified and exalted
to the place of the Creator Thus
selfshness fulfills the promise said to
have been made to Eve by the devil,
"Ye shall be as Gods"
"Selfishness should be defined from
self love as corruption is distinguished
from soundness. \ proper regard for
ones own present and eternal welfare
is not forbidden, but commanded, when
we are told to love our neighbor as
ourselves. That las" denotes the quail
ity or kind of love we should show to
our neighbor. rather than the quantity
or extent of the love- We are not told
to love our neighbors as much as our
selves, but as truly and as wisely. We
should desire and seek his happiness
and welfare as we are by nature
prompted to desire and seek our own
Whatever we esteem to be wise and
good for ourselves we are to wish and
obtain for him, if it be within our abil-
ity and consistent with out other du-
of love to our neighbor has been given
than the Golden Rule: Whatsoever We
would that men should do unto you,
do We even so unto them" This does
not mean that we should treat all men
alike. to do as much for one as for an
other, to feel that same degree of af-
lection for all persons. That would be
impossible. Their character and rela-
tons to us must determine the degree
of love. Its quality ought to be the
same in all cases, pure, frank, gener-
Gus, wise. constant. Such love will Of
ten lead us to forego our own pleasures
and gain, in order to minister to the
good of others, for love always seeks
the happiness and highest good of
those beloved. 1t is our duty that we
care for our lives, our happiness and
our eternal welfare. The laws of
Christ demand that we should care for
others in respect to the same ends. In
deed in devoting ourselves to the
highest interest of humanity at large,
we indirectly subserve our own inter
eSts There is great truth in the oft
repeated maxim, God helps them who
helps themselves" There is still more
truth if the maxim be changed thus:
The Lord helps them who helps
others" or as the poet Goethe express
ed it: The Helper above helps the
helper"
Self love is the proper regard for our
true selves. such as we feel we ought
to be, always subordinate to the su-
preme love to God. Selfishness is re
gard for ourselves as We now are
without reference to God or our moral
character.
'Of the people there are two classes.