The New York herald., 1870-01-24

but littie use. Those, however, HhQ re aoauaaa lsd
lawn q ns qs Ds5s %as q MSsS ss
tas proPhsss ars scenes they az a tns ipiiisaal
spiritual oSscs es ana spSs ss s0sa spSs
Ss, AVER yt %sr na D ssS w
spiritual ana divine TRUTHS not material objects
subject TO tho laws OF time and space or natolai
sent to life our spiritual state ana were the effects
Of spiritual causes and laws. The valley OF the dry
bones was. therefore, not material valley; Ezekiel
was IN the spirit and saw the valley with ms
spiritual eyes In the spiritual world. created to
reveal to him the spiritual condition or the house
not been regenerated. This valley Is in every human
mind. valley, or plain is low part OF the earth's
surface, and represents a low and merely natural
state IN man. One with no pure and elevated anec-
ti0ns no asplratlons after heavenly life, vita 40
knowledge or concern Tor spiritual truth, lives IN
this valley and Is part Of IT,; he Is like vast swamp
breeding reptiles ana insects and poisonous mala
rlas; or Q sandy, dry plain, monotonous In aspect
stinel WIN neat Win no ifesn springs nor cooling
and refreshing comes The bones are the most solid
ana the least sensitive parts Of tne body, what
d0gmatic merely do0trinal truth is the spiritual
mind made alive by tine love of the Lord and man.
Bones represent the intellectual nature OF man, ana
dry bones mans intellectual nature before 1t has
become informed and imDred with divine truth.
What picture these dead dry bones are OF mans
intellectual nature while ne lives In the valley OF
to come and search own hearts--in churches,
IN our Societyy In the light OF heaven what are
these beings who populate our city, rush along our
streets In mad haste, crowd our marts, I'LL our
offices, ply trades, dwell In our houses Skele-
tons no spiritual flesh covers them; no heart OF
love TO God and man beats within them; no
brains to think OF spiritual truth; no eyes
To the lovelmess and glory OF heavenly
life; they are skeletons, adorned with silks, az
snming airs, claiming homage tossing their heads
proudly adornlng the sepuchres tney call Their
houses. wearing diamonds on feshless fingers aud
ornaments on skeleton arms, gathering III nails OF
pleasure eastlng upon the dust drinking the poison
OF he'll and calling 1t the elixir OF llfe Fhey dance
gaily the dance Of death. These gay, proud am
bilious. lordly ana women are IL their graves.
How many Of onr churches are filed with sucn
skeletons; how elegantly they are dressed how
devouty tney bend the knee; how they praise their
polish, their beauty Of form ana grace OF the dry
bones thrown 10 tnem by the priest, who, perhaps,
Is himself skeleton. These dry bones must be yyl-
fed by the breath Of divine fe. rms comes when
man begins 10 obey the words Of the Lord; when lie
begins TO do what the Lord commanded. The
words OF the Lord the laws of spiritual lie, and
by obeyIng them man puts himself INTO right rela-
tons with the source OF life. Following OUT this
argument the reverend speaker closed by saying
that tnus the valley Of dry bones would become an
exceeding great army OF living men, ready to do
battle for truth ana heaven against evil and fdlsity
in ourselves. IN our families, In society and in tho
Church. +.