Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1917-06-20
MEMORIAL SERVICE
HELD FOR |. 0. 0. I.
SUNDAY MORNING
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in the Spanish-American war; it ex-
plains our part in the present great
struggle.
eff the American nation ever dis
any task it has assumed, in either
Western or Eastern hemispheres, for
the good of the race"
The same law arraigns any organi-
cation, commercial, industrial, social,
or religious. The same thing is true
Of the Individual. The goal Of life's
endeavor must be located outside of
self.
Jesus said: "If any man will come
after me, let him deny himself"
Tennyson said:
II held it truth, with him who sings
To one clear harp in divers tones,
That men may rise in stepping-stones
of their dead selves to higher things"
In striking contrast with this spirit
of selfishness is the spirit of love.
This should be the great controlling
principle of life. Let love have her
perfect way in our lives, and self will
die out.
Tennyson said:
love took up the harp of life, and
smote on all the chords with
might;
Smote the chord of self, that tremb-
ling, passed in music out OF
sight"
This is one thing your order is sup
posed to teach and practice. Friend
ship, truth, but supremely love.
This love ought to find expression
first of all-toward God.
"Thou shalt love thy Lord thy God"
If the fraternal orders claim any
creed at all it is "The fatherhood Of
God and the brotherhood of man."
/ have no fault to find with this
creed 1t is good enough for any
church provided it is reasonably liv-
ed up to. But there can be no true
brotherhood of man without a right
conception of the Fatherhood of God.
Love to God and love 90 man are
the same principles acting in two
directions. But each needs the other
to keep it strong.
The apostle says: eff you do not
love man whom you have seen, how
can you love God whom you have not
SEEN" If you do not love God who is
infinite and perfect goodness, how can
you love man who is only finite and
imperfect goodness. "To love man
Alright, you must learn to love God in
him, and to love God Alright, you must
learn to love him as you learn to love
man, going out of yourself in SYM
pathy, affection, and surrender of
heart and SOUL" Jesus way is the
best way, from God for man.
Then let us recognize, as our first
duty Gods claims upon US.
,aI o1 hot
was the greatest thought that ever
entered his mind, replied: "The great
est thought that ever entered my
mind was my personal responsibility
to a personal God"
But love must find expression, also,
in service TO mankind.
This was the spirit of Christ, our
elder Brother. He went about do
ing good. He was among meme Gas
one that serveth."
We are to exemplify the same spirit
of Brotherhood.
The reason why fraternalism is a
moral force in the world to-day is
because of its benevolent ministra-
tons. These orders distribute in
benefits about $75,000,000 annually.
The Oddfellows alone about S6,000,-
900 annually.
We can never estimate the good
done in this way, and if the underly-
ing motive be love for God and man
the Master recognizes it as done un-
to Him.
This order has shown its love for
mankind not only in its benevolences,
but in it's opposition to all vices; its
interest in the temperance cause; its
patriotic spirit, and it's emphasis up
on the things that make for the de-
velopment of the best that lin man.
Let us recognize more fully the i'm
portance of Christian character. 1t
is the only thing that we can take
with us into eternity. 1t is the only
thing that will lead the best people
to cherish the memory of US when
we are gone. Let us forget that we
cannot possess, and grow in christian
character apart from God. You can
not exemplify the great christian
principles of Friendship, Love and
Truth, only as you give God chance
in volr lives