The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-10
FOURTH UNIvHRsALIsT CHURCH.


DR.. Z. H. Chaplin preached in his church, on the
corner OF Fifth avenue and Forty-ffth street, yes
terday morning on the text-"Neither sound of
hammer nor OF axe shall be heard in the building
thereor'-L Kings, vi, 7. The occasion was the
anniversary OF the Sunday school connected with
the church, and children Of all ages gathered
about the pulpit and led the congregation In the
singing. The pulpit itself decked with Mowers.
In wreaths and crosses. DR.. Chaplin said This Is
the children's Sunday. 1t Ia custom to devote the
anniversary OF our Sunday school to the little ones
custom, commended by reason and sentiment,
which will grow In favor. It is pleasant
and significant to see these children about
us and hear the music OF their young
voices leading the songs OF the congregation 1t is
upon subject akin to them l shall speak, though
not, fear, with simplicity adapted to their un.
derstandng. The house referred to In the text is
SOlomon's Temple. There was to be no sound OF
hammer or axe in the building Of 1t. The laborers'
work, 1t would SEEM was confined to the forest or
the workshop, SO that pillar upon pillar, story upon
story and dome after dome Of that gorgeous tenn
pie rose and were shaped into beauty and SYM
metry In silence. There is something suggestive in
the silent rising Of this majestic temple. The idea
Is no useless analogy. 1t illustrates the universal
silence that accompanies the workings Of Gods
silence nnfoded the glory of color, and in silence
unfolded their sweet perfume to the air. No genius
oo All the Widely dased Ia nteaepce Of tha
whole EARTH II concentrated for the purpose could
devise little lily, with Its beauty its coors and Its
fragrance. But these are made gradually, slowly
and in silence. The great temple OF nature, Of
which these flowers are the sweetest decorations IL
made In silence. Silently seas have subsidized and
of the seasons. A short month or two ago the land
was bound IN icy letters, where now the grass Is
sprngng, the seed is thrilling In the soitened earth
with Its wonderful transformations. Neither sound
OF hammer nor Of axe shall be heard In the building
thereofn Were not this course OF nature familiar
to US every heart would thrill with Its marvellous
wonders II we had never seen q star In heaven
with what rapt wonder would we gaze upon
those bright constellatiOnsl 1t is familiarity
ture. 1t seems to be an idea among some Christian
people that In whatever you concede to the revela
lions of nature you detract from the power apd gu
periority of God. 1t would be more consistent with
our Christianity II we went sometimes beyond the
Scripture and discerned the hand OF GOd not
merely In miracles and startling events alone but
I'm His greatest work OF nature. All things in ma
ture miracles. IL God could speak to US IN
artlcuated language 1t would soon become familiar
and we would regard His voice with the inatten-
ton with which we now regard nature. Language
impedes our thoughts and misrepresents them.
The truest way In which God can address Himself to
us Is In the silent working OF His power In ma
ture. He does not speak; he acts The mighty faith
of eighteen hundred years ago reaches us to-day,
after all that time OF SILENT steady progress. 1t has
but these were not the workings Of Christs king
dom. 1t comes not with sound 0ftrumpet or flash
of flame. 1t marches on with only the silent power
with which conviction gradually breaks through the
soul OF man. No sound of hammer or OF axe Is
heard in the building OF Christs kingdom.
But, finally, as to these children. The temple Of
the body Is built up In silence. Bone upon bone
silently weaves itself into its place, the avenues OF
sense stretch themselves throughout the
frame, the mind takes its regal seat, and
the blood flows silently through its conduits.
But the structure of the human character Of which
tine body is only the casket the sheath Is fairer
temple still built silently. Not for an unclean
tenant has that bodily structure been
built. To the children ! would say, You
would not burn o fair dwelling; you would no
destroy pretty and ingenious toy, and do no
debase or ruin form marvellously beautl
full, ingeniously intricate that angels look upol
it with amazement. But be more careful ever 0
that inner structure. A lie Is worse than poison
wrong is worse than wound. Upon the children
rests the future of the Church and OF the nation
Let us not forget II, even In the hubbub OF Presi
Dental election, that the little Arabs OF the street
where children seethe and simmer in corruption,
will help make the future. In the children the tenn
Piles OF all the world are building-the only imper-
shabe temples-for In the child's soul alone Is the
sweet realization Of that house not made with
hands eternal in the Heavens.