The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-03-28
Templar Service.

q g.
The Easter service for the Auvergne
Con1mandery,s NO. % knights Temp
lar, was observed at 3 o'clock in the
afternoon. The ritual Of the Templar
service was read by Prelate ABB. Tay-
Tor and Gutterson's setting Of the East
or anthem Christ Our Passover was
sung from the choir. Dean Bowling
preached on Resurrection Life With
Christ from Colossians 8: I,-"If We
then be risen with Christ seek those
things which are above" He referred
to the Easter festival as the most
venerable and venerated of the
christian year,-a day peTennially
bringing us supreme message of
life which means a life of moral and
spiritual advance. The resurrection
life with Christ must produce in us
exaltation of character. The Deans
closing words were addressed espec-
tally to the members Of the command
cry.
He said: .'For you it is not .neces-
sary to .marshalE the evidences Of the
resurrection of Jesus ChristAwhich the
christian world accepts. The uniforms
you wear. the arms you bear, the his
tory of your order strongly witness to
your belief. You are soldiers of Christ.
You have sworn to fight the good fight
of faith. For you the battle of life is
on and the victory of faith is not UNI
certain. You have not today to defer
the sepulchre Of the Holy City but YOU
are none the less enlisted in the fray.
The =ed cross is now emblamst tic of a
nobler contest. In q richer sense than
in the dark ages you are still defenders
OF the faith delivered to the world by
the lowly Nazarene. While those
doughty warriors OF the earlier day
fought with FURNISHED steel. your
fight is now with the sword of the
Spirit. Good and evil are IN conflict
in this world and you have taken sides.
Your ranks are drawn up ON the side Of
Righteousness and truth. AS long as
the powers Of darkness charge to the
atttck your standards must be flown
to the breeze. 1t may seem strange
to speak of the battle of life on this
day when the message of Immortality
is the crown of all christian thought
Not So however, when it is realized
that tho great message of life is a. call
to action No slothfulness viii win for
us its glory. An activity that means
advance .to,t1e possession of bigger and
better thing is the tocsin. Life means
activity. 1t is by hard amending con-
fiict that we will win the crown. We
must leap to the command of our
great Captain and push on if we would
take the citadel. The resurrection
hope means life at its best and foes
on every side that would keep us frow
the goal must be driven back Then,
ours is the allotted task to fight man
fully Onto flight the good fight of
faith" and so prove that we do not
lightly prize the gift of the empty
tomb We are glad for the assurance
this day gives us that the struggle is
worth the while. We fight not "as
one that beateth the air" not uncer-
tainly. 1t is a conflict on behalf of
goodness and truth and character
which must prevail. The victory of
life is ours. But the battle in this
world must still be waged till the great
day when all the banners of christian
soldiers are flung out in the glorious
sunlight within the. walls of the New
Jerusalem. You are soldiers of Christ
The christian life must always be life
of staedy advance. 1t Is always reach
ing out. 1t is never satisfied. lit is
ever striving and making effort. And
1t always turns back for it's inspira-
ton to the noblest life history has
ever been able to give us--thc life OF
our resurrected Lord Soldiers of
Christ, arise, and put your armor on .