The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1909-01-06
REV. MIR. THAYER IN GREENyILLE
Delivers Eloquent Sermon to Noun
tain City MaSOnS.

tain City MaSOns.
AS noted in The Advertiser two
weeks ago, Rev. W. T.. Thayer. pastor
Of the First Baptist church, had ac-
cepted an invitation to preach a spec
ial sermon to the Greenville command
cry OF knights Templars on Sunday.
Dec. eth, Saint Johns Day, as known
and celebrated by the Masonic frater-
nifty. Following is an account of Mr..
Thayer'S sermon on this occasion. as
sent out from Greenville to The State:
One of the most forceful and elo-
quently delivered sermons which has
ever been delivered in this city was
that Of Rev. w. Il. Thayer OF Laurcns
to the Greenville commandery of
Knights Templars Sunday evening.
Mr.. rhayCr is himself member Of the
order and his sermon indicated that
he is worthy member. There were
large number of knights present,
who attended the services in full dress
uniform, and this corps, with the con
grcgation. listened intently for 40 min
utcS to the able discourse. Mr. Thayer
spoke OF the high honor and pleasure
he felt in being invited to speak to the
knights, and mentioned that the res
possibility was even greater than this
Keen pleasure. lie began by quoting
from the Holy Scripture an excerpt
from Paul, in which he enjoined them
a a
the necessity of warning a good war:
that this is the principle upon which
the banner under which the knights
night is founded. He dwelt at length
upon the preparation Of the members
of the order when they were nducted
into knighthood, using as an example
the ancient methods of inducting
knight into knighthood or of knight
ing him He told with emphasis of
the trials by faith and of the great
tribulation which all knights must ex-
perlence in order to become knights.
These, and many more, he counted as
the costs, and he stated that it meant
great cost, but the reward was great.
speaking further, Mr.. Thayer i'm
masterful manner, told his hearers of
the enemy, who. he said, was TO be
considered. We must all know the
strength OF the enemy, the force which
our swords is to combat He spoke OF
the many fights the Christian knight
mad to undergo and experience. He
spoke fcelingly of the cXempliGcation
OF the true Christian knight i'm the
valiant order of knights Templars.
ana dwclt upon the great principle of
this worthy fraternity. "In hoe signo
vinces.' lie said, lis the principle un-
der which YOU WELD your sword"
Speaking at length upon the equip
ment of the knight to fight the battles
OF life he enjoined upon his hearers to
put on the whole armor of God" and
to carry out the great teachings they
learn in their order He smoke of the
physical qualifications Of the applicant
FOR Masonic honors and degrees. He
said that these were great. but that the
members of the order should maintain
more regard for the moral uualiGca-
hons-ror those are the qualifications
which count. 1t is the thing which
makes man, and the knight should
be SLOW to accept a man who is NOR
ally degenerate, who has no regard for
the right and who does not live a life
which should entitle him to the hon
orS OF knighthood. He closed with
plea for "the upholdng of the prin-
ciples OF the sword"
Mr. Thaycr, who is we'll known here
made many more friends by his mag
niicent sermon. The sermon was
delivered in the Baptist church.