The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-06-22
Mayor Meconathy Welcomes the
Leaguers on Behalf of the City.

Judge Richard McConathy, mayor
of Ocala, then extended the Leaguers
Mayor MeConathy Welcomes Leaguers
a welcome on and in behalf of the
city of Ocala. He said:
Mr.. President:
In extending to you, on behalf of
the city of Ocala, it's hospitality, it
is exercising not only pleasure, but
one of the earliest virtues taught in
the Old Testament and emphasized
in the New.
Whilst sitting at his tent door one
day Abraham hailed three passing
strangers, dust worn and tired from
their journey, and invited them to rest
and refresh themselves. With haste
he and his wife prepared meat and
butter, bread and milk for these mys-
ferrous men, if men they may be
called. The peculiar manner in which
Abraham addressed them, reinforced
by the promise made and it's fulfill
ment, has led some to believe that the
three men were but one, that is, the
GOdhead manifested However, it is
more probable that they were angels
sent upon the important mission of de-
stroying Sodom. Had Abraham with
held his kindness to these men, he
might never have been the figure in
history that he is. In this, as in most
cases of entertainment of the best of
earth, the blessing came to the enter
tainer.
The great women" Of Shunem with
discerning eye and ear, whilst en-
pertaining him, observed that Elisha
was of God; and that he might be
with them more, she prepared room
for him in her house, where he oftimes
passed a night. Out of this apparently
simple Office of goodness to one of
Gods children came the mystery of
life, that unknown something called
death, to be followed by the resur-
rection. What a chain of wonderful
circumstances from merely being hos
pitable to a wayfaring man.
The most noted home in history was
a very humble one; the father and
mother had passed away and left a
son and two daughters as its pos
SCISSORS. Into this peaceful and quiet
retreat the Master, weary in body
from his journeyings to and fro in
his work of healing the sick, restor-
ing sound to the dead ear, light to
those in darkness, strength to the pal
sled, life to the dead, and above all
preaching the Gospel TO the poor, and
still more weary and sorrow-laden
with the worlds sins, He frequently
resorted to rest His soul and body.
He was no stranger to this home, al
thought but a guest, else Martha
would not have appealed to Him to
remind Mary Of her neglect Of her
duties. Into this home also came one
day the dreaded foe Of all mankind,
only to be followed by the power Of
the resurrection. What is death when
Christ abides with US? Only a pass
ing shadow, ushering us into the per-
petual sunshine Of His presence.
/ speak Of these instances Of hos
pitality simply to remind us Of the
place il occupies in the economy Of
our lives, seeing TO what wonderful
events it led in the three cases to
which ! refer.
We are told TO be not 1orgetful to
entertain strangers since some have
thereby entertained angels unawares.
do not know whether there are any
hidden angels among our guests.
A1,ht kba4 +baro oro oplv honouco I
know live men are not angels, and
some of the wise men Of this day,
after solemn investigation have deter
mined that there are no female an
gels; and therefore they shall not,
even in marble-where they cannot
talk-be SO represented. ! do not be-
lieve these wise men from the East
know an angel when they see one;
they have never been down south.
hope they will not establish the truth
of their contention before the heathens
are all Christianized; if they do, it
might disband the Woman's Mission
airy societies.
So it is, my friends, that the people
of Ocala are glad to have you with
them that they may avail themselves
of the opportunity to grow in at least
one Christian grace. We welcome you
to our city though for better reason,
that is, that the work you have en-
listed to do is of the very highest
character; important to the state, as
well as to the church.
If | am properly informed the OBJ
ject of the Epworth League is to edu-
cate the young people in the church to
be Methodists; to learn them what
Methodism means, its history, doc
trines, and polity; whence it came and
whittier it is going. If you are here en-
gagged in the business of making
church members simply, then have no
business as representative of civil
government to be here, But, as say, if
your labor is toward building up Meth
odists, can as such representative
greet you and bid you success, be-
cause the city, state and nation need
more Methodists. They make good
citizens. Had we no other people than