Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1909-06-10
THE LIVING
USE Of LIFE

al church Sunday morning. This
service, held in memory Of Odd Fell
lows who have died during the year,
takes place annually in conformity
with recent order from the grand
lodge. There wEs a large turnout Sun
day comprising thu Odd Fellows Of
Danville, who wearing badges, in a
body marched from ODD Fellows hall
to the church, where space had been
reserved for them.
The sermon preached on the occasion
by the pastor, the Rev. George S.
Womer, was q very able and appropri-
ate one. the theme Of which was The
Living Use of Life. The text was
taken from / John 2-l7: And the
World Passeth Away and the Lust
Thereof ; but he that doeth the will OF
God Abideth Forever. " Following is
a synopsis of the discourse;
"Odd Fellowship is distinctively
practical 1t is not beautiful ideal
that has come down through ages for
men who do not understand it, 1t be-
longs to our times. 1t matters not how
deep are its roots or how far may run
back into the past Odd Fellowship is
concerned mainly with the present
problems of life. Ii gives aid to the
needy, cheer to the despondent and ov-
er the helpless il throws the mantle OF
protection, 1t was started by men who
toiled While it is not religion aud
does not in any sense claim to take the
place of the church yet it does have a
care over the moral health of its mem
bers. All OF which lays good founda
tion for my theme today: THE Liv-
ing Use Of Life. How to so use my
life that twill not end in few years,
but that it may live on and on and do
good-how to live that | may not die
and perish forever, but live and re.
joice in the good that have done.
IMPORTANCE OF
THE INDIVIDUAL.
In the old testament God deals with
that men would be saved because they
belonged to that nation.
In the new testament Jesus seeks the
individual He delivered his greatest
sermon to the woman at the we'll. He
called his disciples one by one. His
invitations were all on this order. 80 II
any man thirst let him come unto me
and drink"
Jesus made it his purpose to use the
individual. He made us to see the
truth that Charles Kingsley put in
words THE most precious thing in
the world is human being. The low
est. poorest and most degraded Of hu.
man beings is better than all the dumb
animals in the world. -
He draw the pnbicans to him-men
who had been cast out OF the synago-
gue-aud he saved them. He spoke
kindly to the harlot, forgsve her and
warned her 10 sin no more.
What l want you to see is that Jesus
separated the individual man from the
mass and the thropg. He made them
see their Importance.
The great English preacher, W. L.
Watkiuson, tells us that the ideal man
is not back of us-Adam in the garden
of Eden-but ahead of us, a man like
unto his God, the Lord of Creation, as
God intended he should be.
THE WORK OF MEN
Having come to realize the import
ance of his life the next question for a
man to solve is how shall he act
where shall he take hold that he may
do the will OF God. Doing the will of
God might puzzle men.
How fortunate we are in having the
example of Jesus before Us. He was
not man of great honor and influ-
ence. He was simple man going
about doing good.
4 It is not true that you can not win
men to Christ unless you be in com.
] udhu VI thluSs anu ildN6 DhGh VI SUu
power, wealth and influence. The
/ greatest work in the world today j:
done by the private soldier who car.
ries the gun and bears the brunt OF
battle; the stoker who fires the boiler
! in the hold of the vessel men in priv
ate life who toll for the welfare Of the
world without pay; women in the
home who watch about sick beds anG
train little children.
The best motto that | have found i,
this: 50 will make the expenditure oi
my life, not control over other lives
I will use it for life-for the enlarge
ment of life-for the eternal glory ot
life unending in me and Others
John Wesley lived and died TIVE
hundred years ago and yet he lives il
tens of thousands of lives today. Pau
linked his life to a crucifed Savio
and after nineteen hundred years HI
lives. So it seems to me that men ma,
live on. But better still lives are link
ed with God by such service and wheI
they are linked to Him they do no
fail in the grave; they rise and go t,
be with Him forever.