The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-12-10
THANKSGIVING SERMON FOR
THE /. Q. o. F.

One Of the most Oedulliul ana All
structive sermons that has been heard
in some years was the Thanksgiving
sermon preached by Rev. W. II. Cole
man at the Christian church Sunday
morning, and addressed especially toi
the members of Tulula lodge |. o. o.
F. of this city.
The music al this service was very
delightful. There was an orchestra
consisting of the following well known
musicians: Mr.. WattersOn Tucker,
Mr.. ]. \. Bowler, Mr.. Charles Barr,
Mr.. E. S. Simmons, with Miss Myrtle
Whitfield at the organ.
\ beautiful feature of this occasion
was the solo rendered by Mrs. c. E.
Winston, entitled, Jesus, Ny Shep-
herd"
Mr.. Coleman's sermon, to which he
had given much thought, was deliver
ed in fine voice, and the statistics he
gave showed how rapidly this order
has grown and how munifcent has
been its charities, especially to the in
digent poor and the burial of the
dead.
Mr.. Coleman spoke substantially as
follows:
! Scriptures read: Dan 4:29-30; 1:15-16
and Psalm %. The first scripture pre-
SCENTS to US ACKNOWLEDGMENT the great
IPabylonian emperor, a man who never
lsuffered a defeat He was world con-
querOr. Drawing treasures from
conquered world he made Babylon one
Of the wonders of the ancient world.
The city was four square walls, the
Icombined length of the walls sixty
miles. These walls were 1862 feet at
1.-THE base, rose 300 or 333 feet in height
land were "a feet wide on the top and at
this dizzy height they were able TO
iGrive and turn a fourhorse chariot.
lGreat hanging gardens 400 feet square
land 75 feet from the earth were mar
} vels of beauty and covered with trcp-
lical trees and flowers. According 70
lthe text in Daniel NebuchadnezZar de-
Iclared that he did this all by his own
lDOwer-giving God no thanks or glory
= but rather deifying himself. For TINS
a terrible curse was brought upon
him. At last in his desperation ne
Acknowledged the true God. Jehovah.
The lesson from Habbakuk tells us
of the fishermen worshiping their nets
I land drag and offering sacrifice to them
thus deifying the implements OF thell
trade. This same form Of religion Is
D found today in pagan countries where
e Hrahamism prevails. 1t is said tn
n barber worships his razor, the farme
. his plow and the mechanic his tools
To 4 large extent the intense com
e mercialism and MammOnism have lee
S Ius as a people to Indifference in re
n lligion and TO the offering of ourselves
:. cur time and all of the best within u
TO our trades. business and professions
y land for this reason showing Iltti
n gratitude to God and to larger eXten
a THAN we are willing to admit practc
. ling the principals of the pagans' WI
! laccept Brahamanism.
l. In the 23rd Psalm we have set fort
the great shepherd king and swee
singer of Israel, who acknowledges a
Le life and all Hfe's blessings as comm
p from the divine source teaching US IN
truth Of our own helplessness and on
/ ldependence upon God. And this con
n ception Of life and life's conditions lea
v MS 20 the principle Of thankfulness an
D., gratitude as in contrast with the ma
who lives wrapped up in the cocoon
selhshress.
n In principle gratitude leads To bett,
II service. and is the expression Of NJ
u bic soul. Gratitude tenders the hea
IN end opens the fountains Of love. IN j
eyDrassion we erect memorials in II
II wav of eIemosinary institutions TN
r. will exist when we are gone.
" Al this time the l. Q. o. F. and u
=, Rebekahs have special reasons f
gratitude. odd Fellowship in her 81
IT. wear is not decrepit. but in vigorou
is Youthful life with the promise OF
" great future. The last figures no
llayaiIabIe gave the membership as ]
- ?96.312. sick benefits for the year 81
IL .-2.q22.62: aid to widows $l'@.7H'.'
Ievoended for orphans $1t9.S45lo. m
Nv for funeral benefits $L106,253.74, mai
Il ing the total benefactiOns for q
I'D va3r S5112q92-5. Nor the dollars a!oI
Itch of the help rendered. In time
itrouble sorrow and death odd Pc
l1cVs come as the friend in need vi
loving counsel and tender sympaoH
nd THE Rebekahs have q membership
in l37l.6S7 sisters and 1888 brothers
ell 4 total of 57I,2O0 and the aggregate
Ter the whole body is thus seen to
nc Iabout 100000.
lat In Florida Odd Fellowship is EMO
I'm ing a spirit of revival and grow
)ss There appears TO be but one decade
US. lodge in the state, and 1t Is Iat'
nv showing signs of recuperation.
b+ We emphasize to every initiate II
the lodge is no substitute FOR
OF church and forcefully remind n
m that he cannot be an odd FELLOW u
less he is a good citizen.
nv We are living in the worlds D
era: times are prosperous, no fam
em- or plague has come upon US. We
as thankful for our Southland now
ess IgIorious coming into her own.
should be thankful for Florida
we as a lodge thankful that only
Iynauoher ont of 90 has died. In all