The Washington weekly post., 1900-09-18
Rev. DIR. Hawthorne Com
mends Position of Order.
SCORES CHURCHES AS COWARDS
sharp Denunciatioa OF Attitude of 'sse-
called Charches" Which Bewaii Intem.
peranee, but Accept Money nd II old Fell
iOwship with Those Engaged in Liaaor
Traffic - Cs1trasfs Christs Ideal with
the American Political Demiged.
special to The washington Post.

Richmond, Va, Sept. 1.-THE feature Of
the preliminary meeting of the Sovereign
Grand Lodge Of Odd Fellows of America,
which opens here tomorrow. was the ser
mon delivered at Grove Avenue Baptiss
| Church this morning by Rev. D. ]. B.
, Hawthorne. The church was crowded
with prominent members of the order
Among those who occupied seats around
the pulpit were Grand Sire Pinkerton
Hon. j. Taylor Ellyson, chairman OF the
/ Democratic State committee and candi-
date for governor. and many others.
The subject OF Or. Hawthorne's sermon
was APPLIED Christianity" The minister,
who is one Of the best-knOwn in the Bap-
list Church In the South. illustrated the
practical value OF Odd Fellowship in its
relation TO humanity. His remarks were
listened to with earnest attention by the
large audience. Some OF his references,
! especially those regarding saIoon-keepers
and some classes of politicians, attracted
unusual attention Abiding 10 !ntemper-
ance and the sale Of liquors. DR.. Haw-
thorne said:
Churches Inconsistent aud Cowardly.
I'm opposing this giant enemy of man.
kind, the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Amer
lean Odd Fellows has gone beyond many
an institution in the world calling itself
2 church of Jesus Christ While condemn
| ing their business some churches, so
called, accept with thanks, contributions
| of money Of these dens of vice The Sow
eregn Grand Lodge not only refuses all
contributions from this source, but ex-
cludes from participation in it's benevolent
and social privileges all drunkards and
| drunkard makers.
In taking this position Odd Fellowship
| has made itself one OF the most aggreS-
sive and invincible legiOns of mat grand
army Of reformers which God is using TO
blot an era of oppression out and lead
glorious freedom in. 1t has won for itself
an influence that will do more for moral
| ity and true religion than all of these in
consistent and cowardly churches which
| loudly bewail the curse of intemperance
but retain in their fellowship and admit
| TO their communion tables men whose
business is to promote intemperance, men
Who accumulate material fortunes by des-
dating homes, multiplying widows and
! orphans, and hurrying human beings to
the drunkards' graves and the domination
| OF the drunkards' hell.
odd Fellow, ye now are a holy chiyaI-
ry. Our virtue-lOving wives, daughters,
| and mothers salute you and invoke upon
your hammered legions the blessings of
| righteous God"
The Politician Demigod.
Further on DR.. Hawthorne said: ''In the
| mlhd OF the average American, greatness
culhlndtes In winning political distinction
ana control. His demigod is the man who
mas power TO organize and manipulate q
great political party He bestows his
hlshest admiration on such men as Nit
p, tinich, Talleyrand, Hamilton, Bismarck.
Gladstone. and even upon such henchmen
and tricksters as Richard Croker and
Mark Hanna.
"Christ's ideal was neither PHILOSOPHER,
painter, poet, warrior nor statesman.
but the man whose whole nature is ami
| mated, illumed, empowered, and eontroil-
ed by the divine principle
Heroic Odd Fellows Of Memphis.
Referring to the self-sacrificing spirit
/ OF the order of odd Fellowship, Dr. Haw-
thOrne said: THE people of Memphis will
/ never forget the courage, fOrtitude, and
| sacrifices of the local band of our order III
that memorable period, when an unpre-
cedented scourge of yellow fever carried
| ldmentation, wailing, and death into al
most every household of their CITY, 1t
was then that 200 members Of this order
representing both sexes, covenanted with
each other to brave the terrors of the
deadly pestilence. feed the destitute. care
Cor the sick. comfort the dying, and bury
the dead. In this heroic and holy service
| forty eight of that cOnsecrated band laid
down their lives"
Sovereign Lodges session.
| The Sovereign Grard Lodge viii convene
| here in its seventy-sixth annual session
| tomorrow. The advance arrivals indicate
a large attendance, and the meeting
promises to be one of the best in the
| history of the order. The sessions will
be held in the Roof Garden of the JEFF
| ferson. where general headquarters are
! located Grand Sire and Commander-In-
| chief Alfred S. Pinkerton will preside
| over the meeting. AL OF the other grand
officers will be here. Eight out of nine of
the past grand sires and every one Of
| the lS9 grand representatives will be in
| attendance. and nearly all are now here.
d. The great crowd is expected on We'd
nesday, when the big parade takes place.
This promises TO be one Of the most I'M
posing pageants ever seen here.
AT the opening session Monday morn
| ing welcome addresses will be made ty
| Gov Tyler and Mayor Taylor. Grand
| Sire Pinkerton will respond. Features of
! the week, outside Of the sessions of the
supreme oCdy. will be the reception TO
visitors at the jefferson Monday night:
reunion Of past grand representatives
| Tuesday night; the big parade. decoration
! OF chivalry. and old Virginia cake walk
on Wednesday; prize drills on Thursday,
with concert and ball at night; prize ex-
j emplifcation OF degree work Friday
night. and public installation Of officers
| on Saturday.