The Monte Vista journal., 1915-02-27
MEMBERS OF SOLON LODGE
HEAR PYTHIAN SERMON

attended the Presbyterian church in
a body to listen to a Pythian sermon
by DR.. S. II. Moore Sunday morn
ing, Feb. 81, that being the Sunday
nearest to the date of the anniver-
] sary of the knights of Pythias
which falls upon February 19.
DR.. Moore took for his Biblical
text: Romans 5: 7-S
For scarcely for righteous man
will one die; yet peradventure for
a good man some would even dare
to die. But God commandeth his
love toward us, in that. while we
were yet sinners, Christ died for
US"
DR.. Moore stated that the funda-
mental principle underlying the es-
tablishment of the order of Knights
of Pythias is UNSELFISHNESS, and
he commended the members for be-
ing a part of an organization which
worked for the uplift of humanity
by exemplyfying unselfshness.
A synopsis of the sermon includes
in the old story of Damon and
Pythias and comparisons which
may be made between conditions in
the time of Dionysius and the pres
ent
DR.. Moore said: "Dionysius was
a tyrant His power was absolute
and the lives and destinies of his
subjects were entirely dependent
upon his whim. The
friendship of Damon and Pythias for
each other is quoted as an example
of unseliishness unequaled in his
tory and even the heart of Dionysius
was touched and the so-called Of
Tense of Damon was pardoned.
Let this picture sink into your
minds for moment: Imagine the
devotion of man to his friend that
prompts him to say, Take me as
hostage for my friend and, if need
be, let me die in his stead
1--WE in America do not live in the
age of tyrants. Oh, l know what
you are thinking: you recall that
under our present social and econ
omic system, practices are permit
ted mat amount almost to tyranny.
The other day 1 heard union
workman in Denver exclaim, They
are trying to grind us down and en-
slave u.s. Had that man been a
subject of Dionysius his life would
hot
ance; or If he had been a citizen of
Germany such a statement would
have earned his Imprisonment as
quickly as German policeman
could have taken him there.
America is the home of free
speech and free action almost en-
croaching upon license and the
theory underlying our freedom of
speech and action is made possible
by the unselfish recognition of the
rights of others. If you want in a
single word the cause of the tragedy
across the sea, you will find it in the
very opposite of the principles of
your order, namely: Selfishness and
'0~.i DNS"'HS' hV Ol
your order, like Christianity, are
contrary to human nature. Place
two children on the floor with a de-
sirable object between them and see
what happens. The actions of each
of the little dears in trying to get
hold of a plaything and keep it for
himself demonstrates that human
beings are selfish. ( think that
boys are more selfish than girls, ex-
cept under certain circumstances
It's human nature to look out for
Number One
But l should be disloyal to
the Christ If I failed to point to that
other act of unselfishness which
'passeth all understanding
With Damon and Pythias it was a
case of one willing to die for a
friend whom he loved, But God
commandeth his love toward lis in
that while we were yet sinners
Christ died for us Christ died for
men who hated and even oespised
him"
Mrs Ed Naw,nroh uu..