The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-06-14
Services Held At The First
Baptist Church
MaCCabeeS Attend Services
At The NJ. P. Church
Both Orders Decorate Graves
Of Departed Dead

At the First Baptist church on Sun
day morning the member of Timon
lodge, No. 40, Knights OF Pythias, at
tended services and most interest
ing memorial sermon was delivered by
the pastor, the Rev. F. E. Brininstool.
The theme was: "The Instinct of
Fellowship" based on Matt. 22:37-4O:
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind.
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy
self"
A brief digest of the sermon fol
lows: The first man God made was
lonely, because bereft of fellowship
with one akin to himself. Almost the
cerning the human race was this
1T is not good that man shall be
alone, l will make an help meet for
him." From the beginning man has
embodied the instinct of fellowship.
mo man liveth unto himself" saith
the scriptures. independence is i'm
possible; interdependence is inevita-
BILE. Men are dependent on one anoth-
er in all relations of life. An innate
! fraternity of soul grows out of ma
tural community of interests.
This leads to an irresistible gath
ering together in organic bodies We.
see it in marriage, social life, COM
mercial consultations, mergers, fed
erations and fraternities. We see this
in nature, in the systems of planets,
in the species of earth; it is evident
in beast life in herds, focks and
droves; it is true of man in all varied
relations.
Shall this instinct be suppressed or
cultured? Whence is it? Certainly
it is of God. Then perfect it wisely.
Let us see the outworking of this in
stinct.
First, the Federation for self inter-
ests.-Right and legitimate if motive
is true. See it in federation of states
mercial combinations, in political ac-
tivites, in social life and in fraternal
bodies. Mutual insurance, compacts
of protection, social cooperation all
illustrate this principle.
While this expression of instinct is
right if properly controlled, it most
certainly cannot be the highest ex-
preston of this inbred instinct. This
may be the acme of pure selfishness.
Self first, at any cost to others. There
| is no necessity for a Christ in this.
No call for supreme love for God. 1t
may be the very essence of selfish
ness, which is the root of all evil. Let
us look higher:
Secondly, Federation of Humanity.
This is loftier expression of fra
ternal instinct. Self may profit but
the good of others is involved
We see it is the Peace Society of
N. Y, the Anti-Tuberculosis Associa-
zion, Charity organizations. This is
the spirit of the good Samaritan, of
the famine relief and such institutions
as the vocation bureau of Boston. The
fact of human kinship expressing it.
self in terms Of help.
This is a splendid outworking of
this instinct of fellowship, yet this too
may be purely selfish. The motive may
be to be rid of conditions that dis
turb the comfort of self. There is no
necessity for Christ, OF the love of
God. All this may be human. Surely
there must be yet higher expression
of fraternity.
Thirdly, Federation for Sheer Love
of Men, Because of a Love for Cod
This is the supreme expression of the
instinct of fellowship. A fraternity
for the uplft of others at any cost
to self, because "The love of Christ
constraineth us"
Love to be most effective must root
in God. Human brotherhood is posi-.
BILE only in divine Fatherhood With
the blood of common Father pulls
ing through us we are brethren in,
deed.
Surely the Cod who implanted this
instinct of brotherhood may cite its
goal. This, God clearly does; Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God,
Thou shall love thy neighbor as thy
self" AS thyself. Is this high stand