The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-06-02

I wish first Of all to say that it is
with a feeling of the greatest pleas.
ure that In behalf Of the members
and congregation Of this church I
speak a word Of welcome to the Aide.
mar Commandery Knights Templar,
and especially a personal welcome to
every Sir knight who has honored us
with his presence. This church is
heartily in sympathy with any and all
organizations, whatever their name or
sign, that r laboring in the interests
of a common brotherhood, the defence
Of virtue, and the protection Of faith.
II believe that a church makes a
sad mistake when its sets itself in op-
position to any Organization with a
worthy object, the far wiser course
being to cooperate with every society
which has for its aim the betterment
Of the world. The battle cry Of all
the forces should be sung as in the
martial hymn.
eve are not divided,
All one body we,
One in hope and doctrine,
One in charity
II have chosen a martial text be-
cause I feel that a martial text will
be appropriate. There is much to
suggest the martial spirit this morn
ing. These uniforms are martial uni
forms. These swords are martial
swords. This banner is a martial ban.
ner. Even the name Of your organize
ton suggests the martial. The word
Knight takes us back to the age
when 'knighthood was in flower
when chivalry was the commanding
motive in mems actions, when gallant
knights would without murmur lay
down their life for the defense Of an
abstract principle.
"The word sTemplar' suggests the
Jerusalem sanctuary and takes us
back to the time when the devout
Crusaders protected the temple
against the denominations and defle-
ment of the unspeakable Turk. Be
cause the world needs Christian
knighthood today as much as ever,
and because there is still a sacred
temple to defend therefore I consider
1t not inappropriate that we should
consider at this occasion some princi,
pies Of a Christian kn%ighthood which
is larger than the uniformed mem
bers Of this organization but which
embraces every c~onsecrated follower
Of the Great Commander Jesus Christ.
God Ordained All Life.
.'The underlying principle of Chris
tian knighthood Is the fact that God
has ordained that all life shall be a
continuous struggle. Creation was a
struggle Of existence against nothing
ness, cosmos against chaos, light
against darkness, life against mani.
mate matter. Among the various
forms OF life the struggle takes the
form of the battle Of the survival Of
the flttest. Each organism struggles
against every opposing organism,
from the very lowest forms Of life up
to the most highly organized units OF
society when nation struggles against
nation.
.In the sphere Of the spiritual the
struggle is the most intense. therefore
It is in the struggle Of religion, the
supreme struggle Of all, that knight
hood must be enlisted. Religion Is not
a dream, is not q sleep, is not reclin-
ing on a fowery bed Of ease, Is not
floating through feathery clouds pick
ing a golden harp-religion is a strug-
gle!
Christianity q Struggle.
Especially is the Christian religion
a struggle. The founder Of it declar-
ed that he came not to send peace
upon the world but q sword. The
deyotees of other religions may be
dreamers or mystics or spectators or
burners OF incense, but the followers
OF the Lion Of Judah must be lighters.
gallant knights and devout cru
saders."
The sermon then enumerated the
enemies to be vanquished as spiritual
darkness, social corruption, and IRE
ligion. The Christian knights ar1nor
was described, and It was shown from
history how the came to be the
sign OF conquest. The sermon closed