Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-06-24
MEMORIAL SUNDAY.


Islaud Pond, some fifty members met.
and at P. n. marched 70 the cemetery.
aud 70 the graves Of deceased brothers.
also those Of two sisters who we're men,
bers OF the Rebekah degree, on which
we're laid the floral offerings amid the
service prescribed for such occasions.
At the close Of the address By the Noble
Grand, o. VI. Carpenter, the brethren
returned to the lodge room, where after
singing, prayer, scripture reading. the
Rev. Vim. Shaw gave a most appropriate
and interesting address. His text was
The kingdom Of God is within you."-
5. Luke Xvii, p. Mr. Shaw said in part ::
The Emperor Of Germany has said -
The attitude man takes toward Jesus
will color his life, and upon It depends
success or failure" This Is true because
Christ Is the Christian religion. We
learn what He is by His teaching. and
what His teaching IS by His life. The
text gives Us the deepest truth Of Christ,
teaching. Here We have His DEEPEST
message. He points to the invisible.
His message is to the inner life, and Of
course other results follow. What man
Is IN his heart his actions viii ultimately
declare. ). John says, III a man say
love God and hateth his brother he Is a
liar" Strong language, but plain truth.
The danger in this age Is an end=ayor
to get results without adequate cause
good actions from bad meu and the at
tempt is not and cannot be successful
ave can be true Odd Fellows only while
We act like honest men," and As an inti-
nation Of how far that leads only need
to say, ian honest man does not desire
TO seem to be what be is not in reality"
| desire therefore to call your attention
to two facts out Of the number that
Christianity presents TO me. The first
will have or should have relation to our
present life. The other Is the reason
for this service
First, is the fact that Christianity i
life Of God in soul. Personal experience
far removed, you see from some popular
conceptions if We are to Judge by current
literature. 1t consists not in eating or
drinking, holding this or that opinion.
1t Is not in supporting or not supporting
schemes for uplifting men, but in the
establishment Of right relations with
God. This is the primary truth and the
deepest. Because of this it is love, ioy,
peace in the Holy Ghost. This Is the
Gospel OF Jesus, proclaimed with euthu-
siasm and power in every great revival
the world has ever witnessed. You ara
asking, doubtless, Of what value Is it to
men? and if you are the question is in
keeping with the spirit Of the age-it
Is utiltarian. answer every expert
ence affects results in life, and speaking
/ from the standpoint Of results 5. James
said, "Pure religion and undefled before
God and the Father Is this. To visit the
fatherless and widows in their affection,
and to keep himself uuspotted from the
world" These results follow the right
relation to God and development Of the
inner life. We a. Odd Fellows have sci
before US the same task. To be sure We
emphasize visiting the sick, relieving
the necessities Of the widow and the
orphan, but the deeper thing Is not for
eign to our work-it Is essential. Hene,
Odd Fellowship Is based on Christian
principles and will achieve greatest re
suits when the membership listens L
and heeds ChriSt's message to the iHne
life.
The other fact is the resurrection Q
fundamentally. 1t is not argues
about. but declared. At least the onl
argument is in first Corinthians and
Paul is simply trying to put pbilosc
phy under the word that had been de
clared. He declared it and then He ros
from the dead. There is no mistakin
the fact. The Christian Church is th
witness. This risen Christ has com
down the centuries. filling human lii
with such courage and assurance tina
Won dare to hold memorial service fo
departed but not dead brothers. Io
knew them. They were brother Cd
Fellows. SoLae of them were not prom
nent in the work of the lodge, usual
silent, perhaps but you learnt to respeC
, them as men. Others took more acti7
part in the lodge and its work. Yo
watched. perhaps helped them z
through the various official position
They visited you when you were sic
watched over and with you, and VI
d learned to love them. They were n
N saints: the best OF them had failings-
) which is but saying they were men, b.
N they had qualities some Of them whiC
z, are worthy Of our emulation, and v
" have missed them. In the light Of tn
Il great fact of the resurrection We live
a joyful anticipation of meeting the