Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1899-05-18
Ascension Day.

knights Templar Ascension Day sermon at
McQuerry, of Extra, Iowa.
And he led them out as far as Bethany, and He
Lifted up His hands piI and blessed them And it
duke, 24:5O, 5D
Sir knights and Ladies; Ladies and Gentle |
l greet you, l congratulate you upon this
joyous occasion in meeting with this splendid
of Him who assembled on high and lead cap
tiyity captive and gave gifts to men.
In appearing, before you this occasion to
feeling different to ordinary occasions. You
will appreciate my condition when YOU re-
ha the Ft @ IN
speak cautiously. Now feel peculiarly that,
after this injunction | am now to speak of
A logical Sir Knight Templar Ascension dis
course would require that should begin with
the first degree of Masonry and ascend step by
step to the knights Templar but this | can
| only do by the greatest of brevity. | feel this
to be my duty and the more so, because there
is no way to learn the value of Masonry outside
OF the regular order of ceremonies. Many good
men and women array themselves against
Masonry because they know, and can know but
will not oppose anything else in the world, per
| haps. of which they know so little.
"a; member Of my congregation few even
greatest enemies that the church has, and
that he had just been reading a statement of
that kind written by ''onr of our preachers
| Well, that only proves that preachers, like
other good men, sometimes speak and write up
on this question about which they can know
little and suppose that some OF then will
out by stating that they file .her first and
strongest objections to Masonry because it
does not mention the name of Christ. WHAT
Ignore the Christi" How would such scribe
or talker feel to-day if he could be brought up
face to face with this Ascension occasion?
-,, tl,,% 1,n,t
text as having aiken place forty days after the
resurrection of Jesus Christ would mean, to
such scribes, Ignoring Jesus Christ" Such a
lack Of information is not shown in any other
Sculptures and deal justly by them, he will
Eaou M Sumbers and 9S
without finding the name Jesus Christ and
without being able to say wheather the Christ
come without having SO read. But so reading
does not, of itself, enable one to know of the
Christ But what would be. thought of the
tuch ignores Christ? But with this reading if
he should continue to read on through the Old
Testament and through the New Testament, he
would possess all the testimony concerning the
ion and ascension of the Christ. This is what
through his several stages up to Knighthood.
In the BLUE Lodge, we are taught of the
beginning and continue into the study of
King solomon building the Temple. In the
Temple building, its dedication and service
and building of second Temple and all the at
nations and the struggles of the Hebrews for
their religion and nationality. In the Com
mandery we are introduced to the New : l est,
While this is true, Masonry is no system o
religion. but seeks, by a, system of Alegory, to
dealings with the, human family, and to urge
upon every man the necessity of truthfulness,
soberness, right dealing and the acceptance
lncl 1 do /,e
faith by which he may be finally saved. Mason
ry is not religion, but its originators in every
phase of it, were christians. The cause of the
religion of the Christ gave rise to the order of
hood became almost identical with religion.
Every Knight pledged himself to aid in recover
ing the Holy land and to fight against intidels.
Thus knight-hood became brotherhood. An
other marked feature of knight-hood was
tender feeling toward women and children
This became almost woman Worship. God
and the Ladies were associated on the lips and
in the heart of every true knight And true to
day we know, Sir Knights, that your swords
are ever ready for the defense of innocent
maidens, widows. orphans, God and the re,
every Knight. the seense, of dependence upon
God and jealousy for the honor of His name,
fidelity and atheism ISM: The present age Of dis.
satisfaction and social unrest tends to increase
practical infidelity. The. true knight is one
; who. in the greatest whirl,.wind and in the
darkest storms of social problems. says: "Thc
Lord regneth; let the earth rejoice clouds and
darkness are round about Him, still right;
eousness and judgment are the habitation OF
His throne Fear God. then, should be the
, rallying cry. and reverence for God. the senti
ment OF every knight AS modern knights We
should see that the ancient chivalry is replaced
by purity Of life refined courtesy and higher
culture of modern times. Such should be tho
aim of every man aspiring to membership IL
modern knight-hood. Then we will rejoice il
the testimony of the ascension of the Christ
and the promise that this same Jesus which i.
taken up from you into heaven shall SO como
in like manner as We have seen Him go into
heaven Do YOU you Wsh t9 T n5Sd in th
ed the ascension of the Christ a thonsant
years before. Jefus. affirmed it. knigh
Templars have learned of it. Will we conform
2 ligion Patriarchal, Jewish and Christian
!, Each of the two first had type of the ascen
sion. Enoch in the Patriarchal, Elijah in thu
: Jewish; and Jesus the ante-type in the Christ
to His apostles was a command to preach thu
!. Gospel to every creature. Not to the rich o
. the poor; the good or the bad but to all men
t and pressed them upon His head, the hardened
! soldier-man who thrust the speer into Hi
heart, the contemplate man who spit upool
: Son of God come down from the cross and w
will believe you, these could all have receivet
= the Gospel and have been saved. So can tn
sinner of this age obey the Gospel and live. g.
tell it, tell the good news every where.
When did Christ enter His Kingdom? Fort
days after the resurrection. As He ascendet
up into heaven a convoy of angels met Hin
: and returned with Him, passing through tn
q gates into the city, Ops, 24:7-1O), and to TIL
= throne of the Father where He was seated a
1t the right hand of the Father and received in it
# fullness all authority II heaven and IN cart
n dued. Almighty Potentate. Prophet, Prles
20 King. Glorious Savior may our lives be order
:; ed and controlled by Thy will. Amen.