Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-31
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Continued from page ~
from the dead. Corruption will put on
interruption. mortal will put on immor
tality, and the soul will be clothed upon,
not with any particle of decayed matter
that has gone to nourish the vegetation
OF earth, but with all the habilimcnts of
a body spiritual, and yet body that car
ries 1--WE all want to believe) carries per-
sonality and identity with it.
How the new corn in the harvest comes
forth, or is resurrected from the corn in
its decomposition after planting, how this
is done we cannot tell. No naturalist can
tell us. No scientist can tell US. Much
less can they tell US even what life itself
is. 1t is all a mystery and will remain
a mystery until the end of time.
Yet the husbandman sows his seed ev-
cry springtime in the fullest faith that
the resurrection of the new corn will
again appear, and that in due time he will
reap as ever before.
So may our faith be in regard to the
new body in the sphere OF spiritual being.
We can know nothing as to the specific
nature of the spiritual body, but with the
husbandman in the harvest, let us believe
it shall rise, come forth, be resurrected
from the germ seed planted by God in
the natural body.
Sir knights. we have thus spoken of
one article of the Christian faith for
which our order stands and one which is
brought prominently before the Christian
WOrIu ana all hnlSHliy Oli tElS
queen Of festivals, Easter day.
| would now leave one practical thought
with you. The knightly order of the
Temple stands not only for this one artl-
Gle of faith but it stands for the defence
of the Christian religion in its entirety.
Yes. Brother Sir Knights, knights Tenn
plars. as a military order, are defenders
of the Christian faith.
In view of this, my practical thought
to you comes in the way of question
and it's answer: What is the best posi-
bic defence a Knight Templar can give
for the Christian religion?
We are living in an age when the Chris
tian church was never so strong in nu-
merical numbers, according to population,
as now; when it never had so many
Christian institutions, churches and aux
iliaries of all kinds as today The
church Is advancing all along the line
Christ's mission to earth, to save man
from sin. is successfully going forward
Yet there was never a time when
Christianity needed true defenders more
than it does at this very hour
And because while that class of people
who in the past stood before the world
as disbelievers and out and out opponents
largely passed away another class mas
arisen to take their place who are not so
hostile. perhaps, yet are believed TO pc
more dangerous to the onward progress
of Christianity.
They are that class of intellectual minds
who are today saying, 81 do not know
They are not positive disbelievers, but
they are positive doubters; ana thelr N
fuence is to read the Christian mind TO
doubt first one and then another and per
haps bye and bye every article OIL the
Christian faith. 49,.
we NAV doubt and eyed disbeieve GER
tain interpretations given to the faith,
but to doubt the faith itself, never. II W.
are to wear the Knightly armor ana re-
main defenders of 1t.
The Christian religion needs, today, de-
N their faith who are nNlnS
day by day the very religion they profess
to defend, defenders whose daily ne
breathcs the very atmosphere OF HIM
who was cruciiied on Good FRIDAY ana
who rose again on the first Easter day.
Think of the possibilities of the Chris
tian influence of the great army ~
Knights Templars in their defence of TIE
Christian religion, il all were living lives
pure and blameless, if all Templars were
carrying the very marks of the LORD Je-
sus in their very example among men.
Sir knights, the best defence that can
he given for the Christian religion is the
defence of Christian example in life ana
conduct in word and deed. in one very
bearing as he moves about among ms lelI
low men. The power OF example Tor soou
or evil is manifest everywhere. and we
cannot possibly defend any principle or
article Of faith that we do not carry out
by example in our own llVes. Shfis'l'i'
example is a most noble bulwark OF de
fence against all GoubterS of our 1altn.
1t carries Christian principles with IL
wherever you go, in all your ASSOCIATIONS
among men. into your places OF puSl, m
the counting room, the snop, the ohiee'
and into the family circle.
Whenever man meets man. the power OF
the influence of example Is TREMENDOUS
power and it never loses us ueienulns
force. Let us have. then Christian ex-
ample in Knightly characters Tor Cnris-
tan defence Think of this, Sir knights
our order is noble, its character is re-
ligious. but these qualities can become
effective only by inculcating them INTO
the individual hear: and life.
However good any institution or order
or even the Christian religion itself Is.
they cannot be of any beneht TO US oHS
so far as we incorporate their prlncipIes
into our daily lives. May the lesson that
this Easter day teaches implant in our
hearts a firm faith in the doctrine of the
resurrection of the body.
for all articles of the Christian religion
ever be a life permeated with the ioVe
of the Crucified and Risen Redeemer.
And need | say. a life of example. III,
that not only leads the Individual SOU
up and out OF the baser element of the
world into all that is good and to com
munion with its God. but a life that helps
our brother man and makes him and the
world better for the knightly part that
we. as Sir knights. have played in it.
Then when we shall have passed 1nto
the Great Beyond. to our Most Eminent
Grand Commander, God. having fought
a GOOu Ignt, having WllHeSSeu TINS
world a good confession. We shall have
left a light that will shine in all the
brilliancy of its moral and religious sig
nificance. and a light that will brighten
grims of earth as they follow us on their
way into the supreme and higher asylum
of the resurrection life.
The Sir knights departed for home
at 5 o'clock. thoroughly well pleased
with their reception, leaving behind
them among the members of the Home
feeling of gladness that the Sir