Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-06-18

tom of the order, the Knights of Ply
thias held their annual memorial SER
vice yesterday. This is one of the
strongest orders in the city numeric-
ally, and a large proportion of the
members of ALI the subordinate lodges,
Is well as the companies of the uni
|orm rank, and the artillery company,
Intended the exercises. They march
Id to the English Lutheran church, on
Sixteenth street, and occupied a sec
ton of the church which had been
reserved for them. The decorations
were tasteful and appropriate, and the
choir rendered a special musical pro-
gramme, which was one of the most
interesting features of the service.
The cozy auditorium was crowded to
It's capacity during. the exercises. The
sermon was preached by the pastor,
the Rev. Samuel Schwarm, and wa a
very earnest and thoughtful discourse
which was heard with the closest pos
sible attention. His sermon in full is
given below:
Gentlemen, / feel myself honored
by your presence. l extend to you On
behalf of this congregation a most
hearty welcome. l am not an entire
stranger to your Order. Every charge
that I have served has had among it's
very best members a number of
knights. l have known many excell-
ent members of your Order, and can,
therefore, enter into your feelings of
sorrow and regret over the departure
: from your lodges of those who, during
the year, have been called away from
earth and for whom these memorial
eervices are being held; and the
more SO, since one of them, at least,
was a member of this church, and his
funeral services were held in this
room.
Such services as these are certainly
very appropriate. No one wishes to
be forgotten by his friends. This is
very evident from the very many diff
ferent ways persons take to perpetu-
ate the memory of themselves. Some
erect pyramids and granite shafts,
others found institutions of learning
n charity, others distribute memen-
toes and keep-sakes among their
friends; in many and various ways
men try to keep their memory green
after they die. Your friends do not
want to be forgotten by you. These
memorial services will do much to en-
throne their memories in your minds
and hearts. Here you have a roll of
your dead, which you will carefully
preserve to remember them by. And
while all of them were not equally
deal to each and every one of you,
yet each one of them was some ones
nearest, dearest and very best friend
on earth. Let their memories, there
fore, be cherished by all. 1t will help
chasten you and prepare you for death
to think often of the dead.
Friend after friend departs,
Who has not lost a friend?
There is no union here of hearts.
That doth not here find an end"
But it is not of your dead that /
wish to speak this morning. was
not sufficiently acquainted with them
to eulogize them. l will, therefore,
speak to the living, to those who have
yet to die, and some, perhaps, to die
during the coming year.
will speak to you on that great
subject or which your Order is found
ed, viz: Friendship.
My text is found in the Proverbs of
Solomon, IS: "a. "a man that hath
friends must show himself friendly;
and there is a friend that sticketh
closer than a brother"
This verse is translated differently
by some. Some translate it, "a man
that hath many friends will show him
self false. but there is a friend that
sticketh closer than a brother" They
who translate it thus say, 1t is a eau
ito against trying to have many
many friends, and an encouragement
to form n true friendship. 1t is
probably true that it is impossible for
one to have many true and tried
friends. And one may count himself
fortunate if he has one true friend.
But he should cultivate friendly rela-
lions with all. What is true friendship
and how is it to be sustained? This
is beautifully illustrated by that story
of friendship of Damon and Pythias,
on which your order is founded. And
also by that other beautiful story,
which is at least 500 years older, of the
friendship of David n Jonathan.
And then we have also a story from
early church history of Basil and Gre
CORY Naziauzen. We learn from these
stories that true friendship means
perfect confidence, trust; or mutual
confidence. There can be no true
friendship between persons who sus-