The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-06-19
TRUE FRIENDSHIP
WAS HIS THEME
Rev. f. 0. Thayer Addressed Knights
Of Pythias at Memorial Service
Yesterday.

Fifty members Of Nmcitia lodge, No
10, knights Of Pythias, observed their
annual memorial Sunday by attending
Hedding NJ. E. church yesterday morn
ing in body and listening to an able
and inspiring sermon on "True Friend
ship delivered by Rev t. o Thayer
In the course Of his sermon the pastor
lad good word to say for al fra.
ternal organizations which are founded
on such principles as the Knights Of
Pythias and asserted that the Pythians
had only to live. up to the tenets of
their faith to be upright citizens and
to promote the teachings OF Christ on
this earth
His text was ST. John, l5ch., 1918,
"This Is my commandment, that ye love
one another, as / have loved you. 2
Greater love hath no man than this,
that man lay down his life for his
friends" He said in part The three
fundamental principles of your orgaui-
zation are friendship, charity and beney-
olence, but | shall talk upon only one
Of them, as true friendship is the basis
of the other two True friendship Is
the greatest thing in this world Your
organization il founded on che story
OF Damon and Pythias, whose friendship
was greater than the fear OF death
Drummond has said that love is the
greatest thing in the world, but true
friendship is the incarnation OF love
No man can be true friend of an
other unless love is the basis of that
friendship
All the trials and tribulations of life
are caused by selfishnesss All the
crimes and misery in the world are
hut the result Of human selfshness
But in true friendship there is no sci.
fishness Self il forgotten The value
Of friendship Is not what you can get
out Of il but what YOU can put into
it. Again II is charitable II is that
kind OF charity that recognizes human
weaknesses but forgets them and does
not talk about them to others. A true
friend will tell his friend in an chnest and
kindly manner, and aid him to rid
himself Of them The world so needs
that kind Of charity; the kind that al
ways sees and loves the best in every
one and not the worst
And again true friendship is faith
fulness even unto death Every true
friend must have the spirit of sacri.
fee How can | save my friend is
the main element Of true friendship
A prominent Pythian has pictured the
time when true Pythianism will sweep
this land, and that is glorious
thought; but you must remember that
il can never be only in Christian land
ond If the Pythians can help the
churchesito spread the kingdom Of God
o nthis earth they have a noble purpose.
Still again, true friendship 4 all
wavs an inspiration. There Is no man
worthy to be called a friend If he is
not at least as good and worthy as
Yourself and is able to inspire you 70
noble and better things So il IS nee
essary that you be careful in your
choice of friends A mans success in
life. if you stop to think seriously /
about it. depends more on the kind OF
friends he makes than upon any other
thing II Is true that friendship null
tiplies our joys and helps to bear our
burdens II gives us courage to know |
that in the hour Of trial there Is
someone standing behind us ready to
help
Notwithstanding all these good quail
tiles Of true friendship there is limit /
10 human friendship, and if you want
a friend to whose friendship there is
no limit, turn to Jesus Christ We I
should give ourselves to him as he
gave his life for us, Loving him in
return for his love for MS Is all the |
price he asks. He gives us only one
that va love one an
other. You members Of the Knights
Of Pythias can easily keep that com
mandment il you live up TO the prin- I
eiples OF your order True friendship /
With Christ is ternal, il knows no end, I