Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-04-20
SERVICES FOR KNIGHTS TENpuAR
Impressive Music md ForcefuI ser-
mon at First Methodist Church.


mon Rt First Methodist Church.
With 100 members of Mount Calvary
commandery No. l. Knights Templar with
waving piumes and clanking swords, oc-
cupying special seats OF honor. the spe-
cial Easter services at the First Methodist
church drew an assemblage which more
than taxed the seating capacity. Hun
dreds had to stand during the entire SER
vice. The service consisted of special
music by the vested choir, under the d.
rection OF Thomas Kelly, and sermon
especially for the> knights by the pastor.
DR.. Frank l. Loveland. The church was
beautifully decorated with Easter lilies,
shining out brightly against banks of
greens.
The knights, headed by the choir.
marched into the church with the pro-
cessional and marched out again to spe-
cial reeessional music. Wagner's March
Of the Knights Of the Holy Graii'
The special musical service was most inn
pressive in its solemn eloquence. II
preached profound sermons from golden
texts. 1t reared in every heart the Risen
Christ TO pinnacle Of majestic love. II
carried the thought OF every mind above
the intrinsic beauty and melody of mere
music and centered II on that one supreme
object of the Eastertide-ths triumphant.
risen Lord, Calvary's victory, the Chris
tian era. 1t gave point and logic and force
and effect to the preachers words and
deeper meaning and significance to the
day.
This is the day" said DR.. Loveland In
his sermon on "The Expansive Power OF
Life" when the Christian would Journey
10 the tomb. We go 20 see where the
Lord lay There are none who would argue
against the fact that Jesus Christ lived,
that he was in Palestine. that he walked
the stony shores OF Galiee, that he ate.
died, suffered. That is as well established
as that Julius Caesar lived. The enly
point Of dispute is the matter OF the
resurrection. There are many who like
Thomas, will say. I will not believe until
I. too. can see the torn hands ana the
wounded side But to an audience of this
kind it would be waste OF time to argue
the fact of the resurrection. It Is the
foundation OF our faith.
The thought of this hour will be the
expansive power OF life; that It Is not nos
sible for the grave to hold life So instead
OF the resurrection itself. let us think OF
the lesson to be drawn from IT, There are
two kinds Of resurrection, artificial and
natural. Lazarus rose because he was
called by Christ That was artificial
resurrection, BUT Jesus had his death
sleep out and rose because Of the life that
was In Him This is a case of natural
resurrection.
Time is resurrection. The noise and
clamor Of battle and the clashfng OF arms
is but the sound OF the blows struck by
the rising Lord OF light. Artificial resur-
rection is not growth. but II it is natural
there is a continuity OF growth and ex-
pansion. There is life in the egg, but YOU
must be careful how you peel the shell
off before the chick Is ready TO be hatched.
This is the meaning OF the expansive power
OF life that all expansion and growth must
be natural, not artificial You can never
expand person by exterior force. The
real light must come from within
I'VE must not mistake a breaking away
from old ideas for growth. Breaking awav
from old religious opinion is dangerous un
less the break 3 caused by new life grow
Ing up. II is better TO have any opinion
than no opinion. Jesus Came 10 tell us
that life Is expansive. The transition from
Jedeaism TO Christianity Is just as much a
resurrection. and the rising from the grave
for Judaism was a grave"