The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-05-16
Special Services Sunday.
THREE llNkERS LISTEN TO EXCELLENT
SERMON BY THEIR CHAPLAIN.


Church-tieard by Large Congrega-
ton Who Warmly Praise One of His
Best Efforts.
At the Methodist Protestant church
Sunday morning Rev. j. S. Williams
preached special sermon to the Odd
Fellows. There was a large attend
ance and the services were highly in
teresting and instructive, edifying
and helpful. The text was taken
from Hosea, 11:4:-sI drew them
with cords of a man with the bands of
love-" the second chapter of Hosea
being read AS the Interpretation of
the text. The subject as may be
imagined was Friendship. Love and
Truth, the three links in the chain Of
Odd Fellowship which bind them to-
gsther, the greater stress being put
upon Love, or the central link of the
chain. 1t was an excellent discourse,
delivered with earnestness of manner
and readiness of speech which came
direct from the heart of the speaker.
He was listened to with rapt attention
and many warm words Of praise were
passed upon the sermon afterward.
While no mere synopsis would do
the sermon justice we are permitted
to use the following notes:
|. God had been TO Israel what true
husband is to his wife. AS n treachcrous
woman, Israel ignored the fact that all
her blessings came from God. God was
desolate because of her treachery as n
hua 60 IL h,-h
The best illustration OF Gods love for
man is the ideal home.
IL. The cords Of a man are the cords of
friendship A definition and fact:
l. Friendships mutual love. With all the
love of our friends heaped upon us there
is no friendship unless we love them as
they love US. 1t is not enough that Jesus
loves ua, we must love Him in return.
Then are we His friends.
?. \ man will follow what and whom
he loves, not who loves him. Sad that
any man will love sin and go after that
despite the love o. his mOther-thnt HIS
love for sin will be stronger than his
mothers love for him.
Strange that man 5 love for hnrlOt
will draw him after her away from the holy
presence of sister or a wife who loves
him SO tendery.
ANoung man should breathe the purest
air OF Heaven, lest his breath should
faint the hallowcd breathing of a mother
who loves him.
man should pray for all the cleansing
power in Heaven to touch his lips lest
they pollute the sacred III s Of his mother
as she greets him on his home coming.
Sad that any man should go after an Y
creature in love rather than to seek the
| purest and the best the Christ.
III. The sweetest. the most beautiful,
the hottest good in theworld is he friend
| ship of Jesus.
He loved us in our heIplessness. Al
our DAYS in service to Him would not be
| enough to repay Him for His love to us
even before We came to Il CONSCIOUSNESS
| of it,
| He asloved US as the Father has loved
| Him The same holy compact between
| Him and the Father may be cherished
between a man and Jesus,
There is in Jesus satisfying OF every
human desire Every good in hus
| band to wife, in wife to husband, IL
| father and mother TO child, in child tC
parent, in brother to brother, in FRIEND
| to friend, is in Christ to whoever loves
Him.
Jesus draws us with the bands of His owi
| love,
And with the bands of our love.
| What are you doing with your love-bands
| ". The three links of Odd Fellowship
are Friendship, Love and Truth.
l. The chain is longer than three link
your God, yourself and your neighbo
next to you. True. you are a medium
between your God and your neighbor
But the chain must grow every human
being ia linked to God.
2. All love has truth-tiod-On one sid
and friendship on the other
We dare not be friends to any one /
an untruthiul way. Who comes into
lodge for what he can get makes falls
each one of these principles.
Who, having come in, debars a fellow
man for personal reasons is traitor t
the spirit OF Odd Fellowship.
Y. | commend unto you THE frlen
who sticketh closer than brother En-
.trougest friends of Old Testament time
were not brothers. The son OF royait
and a shepherd lad became fast Friends
The soul ofJOnathan was knit to the sol
OF David. Knit here means, to bind /;
with Il girtlle David eirded about bin
self the soul of Jonathan. JOnatha
| ~
Each man was as strong as both. Fac
would have been weakened without II
other.
) How nepdiul that you grid on Christ
I gather His traits about YOU. You ma
} 90 about with Him so that the wor
!; cannot distinguish Honr life from Il
| Christ-life.
Jesus about youa- a girdle, you abol
3 Jesus as a gird!e. How He needs you
) cooperate with him in putting down Il
: evil and saving the lost.
s In German grammar Is this hit
story:
A mnu had three friends; two OF the
n he loved much: the third was to hun !
n different. though thi. vas his best irien
= Once he was summoned before the Jude
I Whers-though innOceut-he was heavi
q accused Who among YOU, SAID he
. | his friends, will go with me Tor VI
n ness? For am unju~tiy accused ami
King is angry.
q 1.-The first OF his friends excused hlnns
y Immediately and said liz could not
/ with him on account OF other businf'
e "The second accompanied him as lar
the door Of the tribunal; then turned "a
went back for fear ui the angry Jud-
The third. on whom he least relied, "e
is in, spoke for him and gave evidence
his innocence so cheerfuiy that the Jud
liberated and rewarded him
"Three friends has man IN tins wor
How behave they in the hour OF dea'
when God summOnes him before /
tribunal? The money, his first ire
leaves him first and goes not with III
His relations and friends accompany h
unto the door Of the grave, and retu
then back to their houses. The THU
II whom be in life the oftenest forgot, {
his good works.
They alone accompany him as far
the throne OF the Judge; they prece
o. speak for him, and find mercy
" grace
y The friendship OF Jesu. is better tn
az good works He inspires to good dee
ne He accompanies through this lie. /
ID rod and staff are your support throu
IS the valley of the shadow OF death.
No man can condemn you in the day
Judgment, because the friend you IL
he has died for you and sits himself on
| " rI.T,r. "a r n