Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-05-28

This is none other than the house
! Of tiOd, and this is the gate Of
HeaVenl You, dear and piOus
mothers Of Israel, with cheering
looks and words, have you encOur.
aged the men, not to spare and not
TO falter, till they had complied with
the old sacred command: "They
shall make o sanctuFy, that / may
dwell among them" You, my dear
children, and you, the young men
and maidens of Israel, you feel
proud In the pride Of your good
parents, and with eyes, sparkling
with fllal love and gratitude, you
say with the Psalmist: "Open to
me the gates Of righteousness, l
will 20 unto them aud / will praise
the Lord. This is the day, which
the Lord has made, we will rejoice
and be glad on It."
Accept all, each and every one of
you, our best thanks for this solemn
and happy hour, we are now eele-
brating. May Heavens best and
richest blessing reward you, the ef.
ticient officers, committees and
members OF this congregation may
unto you the sacred promise be
verified, "He that soweth In teArb
shall reap In JOY; he shall doubt
less come again with rejoicing.
bringing his sheaves with him."
Heavens best and richest blessings
on you, dear and good mothers In
Israel: may the blessing given by
the High Priest Eli to Hannah, be
fulfilled also unto yOu--that the
God OF Israel may grant unto you
all that you ask OF him. Heavens
best blessing on you my young
friends, and my dearly beloved
children; may He grant our prayer
for your welfare, % 1t Is said "The
Lord will bless them that fear the
Lord, both small aud great; ye are
blessed Of the Lord, who hath
made heaven and earth."
But our thanks and Gods bles.
sing also to the skillful architect
aud all the workmen who have as
sisted In the construction Of this
noble temple: Gods blessing on
all those who have worked for It's
establishment and adornment !;
and Heavens blessing above all on
the noble Governor Of this State
aud our American brethren Of 9TH
er denominations, who have as
sembled with US to celebrate this
consecratiOn and are greeting this
day and this temple as q new proof
of that religious liberty, which Is
the brightest gem In the glorious
and heaven.b0rn diadem Of our
country.
But let us come back to our text.
II am glad when they say unto me,
let us 60 into the house of the
Lord" These inspired words were
sung by the pious pilgrims, when
every year, on the three Jewish
holidays, they left their homes and
happy freSides to worship In Jeru-
salem, the holy city. From every
town and every hamlet there came
the members Of the twelve tribes.
However various their avOcatiOns
and engagements i; however differ.
ent their clannish aspirations and
predictions, all were forgotten In
the noble sentiment Of their COM
mon nationality. All differences
were surrendered; all animOsities
buried ;all their ideas centered In
the idea. In the love, power and
wisdom Of God we must renew our
life, sanctify aud hallow our &C.
tions, elevate and ennoble our
wishes and desires. In the temple
OfGOd we shall ever be impressed
with the truth that there Is some
thing higher and grander than mere
wealth, power and lust and am.
bition. Aud when they had wOr-
shipped there, when they had lis
tened with devotion and emotion
to the mighty cholrs OF the lead
ers when they had been edited |
aud instructed by the admonitiOns
aud teachings Of the prophets
when their better nature had been |
aroused and awakened; then, as
their amen TO prayers, psalmOdies
aud sermons they shouted In glor-
rious emulation, Indeed we are
happy when they say unto uS, let
US go into the house OF our God"
This, heucefOrth, will be your
happy lot, too, my brethren. Hith-
er, you men of Israel, you shall
come to humble yourselves and to
bow down before the throne Of
Heavens majesty, as we are pray
ing every morning and every even
ing. Away with the egOtistical
pride that, boasting of its success,
will say, any power and the
strength OF my hand has won for
me all this fortune" Away with
that stony heart, that beats only for
selfish purposes, and knows Of
neither love 10 Oou or 10 man
away with those staring eyes that
know but to grope their way
through the moles OF the earth,
without a look up to Heaven or to
the welfare and happiness Of 9TH
ers. No, here you shall be remind
ed OF your nobler and holier nature,
OF your higher and lasting destiny,
so that. really happy and really
contented with your lot, you may
exclaim, He that has clean hands
and a pure heart, who has not lifted
up his soul unto vanity nor sworn
deceitfully, shall receive the bless
ing from the Lord and righteous.
ness from the God of salvation"
A we'll tried friend to the grave,
to his last resting place, may
they find here comfort and consO-
lation; may the hope of immortal.
ity reflect itself In their fearful
n