The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-08-19

recllne against them and sleep In the
open ~air and beneath the twinking
stars, and there he beheld the ladder
resting on the earth and reaching to
Heaven, and the angels of God as
cending and descending upon it-a
vision significant and snblime-and
jacob awaked out of his sleep and
said: "Surely the Lord is in this
place aud l knew it not" And he
was afraid, and said: Glow dreadful
is this place! This is none other but
the house of God, and this is the
gate of Heaven The house OF God
and the gate Of Heaven is the place
where man communes with his Maker; !;
where the guilty, pleading the merits
of the guiltless, depending on the
pcacc-speaking blood Of atonement,
clinging to the Redcemer's cross,
obtain mercy and exult i'll the liberty
burdened sonl, the tcmpest-tossed
spirit, the perplexed, tempted be-
lever cries to the Father, implores
his aid, his presence, his blessing.
There the way-worn pilgrim finds his
rest, the place of tho divine mani
festation, the ladder reaching to the
throne on high, the ministry of
angels, the house of God and the
gate OF Heaven. Solemn temples,
gorgeous cathedrals, stately struc-
lures resounding with organs and
anthems and chantings, beautiful
with paintings and filed with ''dim
religious light are not the only
places where the Lord dwelis ana
meets his people. These may be
employed to uphold 4 vast system of
superstition by charming the senses,
delighting the imagination at the ex-
pense and to the injury of the intel
lect and the conscience-by giving to
priests and martyrs and saints the
homage that is due to God alone.
Our Lord cannot be localized, built
in and confined to particular en-
closures. Tho lone wtlndcrer finds
the gate Of Heaven in the solitude of
the wilderness-the house Of God
where 4 stone pillows his weary head
Thus saith the Lord: The Heaven
is my throne and the earth is my
footstool; where is the house that We
build unto me, and where is the
place OF my rcst?" Thas saitl. Tie
high and lofty one that inhabitcth
eternity, whose name is holy: Il
dwell m the high and holy place
with him. also, that is of u contrite
aud humble spirit Divine omni
presence knows nothing of Journey
ings, Of local transitions Far above
angelic seats enthroned, and dwelling
with the lowly aud the loving in the
dust. immcnsitv is his temple. The
earth on which the Saviour suffered.
on which the Laml OF God was
slain, with ali its mountains and seas
and plains, Is Il cOns1cratcu cGt!;2-
dral--a place Of divine manifesto
tlon-a house Of the Lord! Angels
from above Witnessed its dedication
amidst the expiring agonics OF the
Son. the darkcning heavens the
trembling earth, the temples rendin.
vail. til" b"rstlnG rocks and the open
ing grave>.
''WhcYt two Oil three are met to-
gether, in my name, there am in
the midst. On the deck OF the
storm-tossad ship, in the prison NJ
Phlllippi, in the upper chamber
where the disciples meet. in the house
OF the centurion, IJ-neli"s, the
lord accepts thA services of the re-
deemed and bestows upon them the
riches of his grace. The light that
shone above the mercy seat, between
the wings oi :hc chernbin, now
shines i'll every believers 5 soul.
"What. know We not that Your bod,
Is the temple of the Holy Ghost
which IS IN Nou, which yc havc OF
God. and We arc not Your own: For
ye are bought with . price, therefore
glorify God in yo"r body and in Your
spirit, which Arc Gods" Tell us not
of o restricted religion, Il confined
spirit. Bo not in,i,ators of tho an
cieiit Tyrians. WHO chained their cod
to his altar. Away with the harrow
notion, the presunlptuoUs idea, that
the river Of life can only flow in the
little trenches OF Your ecclesiastical
gardens where the spirit of tie
Lord is, there is liberty" The Lord
looheth ut the Heart, and now he
commanded all men, everywhere. t,
repent, and drci"r, ot every place.
ON earth, where sinners seek q
Saviour, whether it be in the cham
Der Of affection, where few arc met
to read the word Of life and pray. or
Il breezy hilltop, or a pleasant grove,
or the market pi;tcc, or the highway.
or III II chapel, church or cathedral,
Mine house shall be called an llonsc
of prayer Cor all people "Whcr-