The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1885-03-19


When the generations of Noah, jour
neying from the east, after the flood, came
to spot in the land of Shinar, plain
which suited their fancy as a building
site, they stopped there, and adopted the
suggestion of some of their number to
manufacture bricks, and build city, and
tower which should reach unto the
Heavens. This was piece of presump-
tion and undefiled cheek worthy of more
modern specimen of humanity. But the
generations of Noah undertook it. They
were all working together with one COM
mon object in view-climbing to Heaven
on bricks and mortar, and all speaking
one language. A great many people in
the present day are trying to reach the
golden city by the same manner as that
tried by the generations of Noah-climb-
ing up by the merits ofbricks and mortar.
This idea has never entirely left the minds
of the human race, but it is not altogeth-
er probable that any have been more sue
eessful in the undertaking than were our
friends of the tower of Babel Mans
vanity too frequently gets away with his
judgment He is too often reaching out
after schemes, and attempting to employ
resources that cannot be embraced within
the bounds of his puny intellect While
it ought to be apparent to every finite
mind that God has placed so great dis
tance between Heaven and earth that the
former can only be reached from the lat
ter, through the assistance of the power
which made such condition of things in
the beginning, men will still attempt to
persuade themselves into the belief that
through their own power-or rather
through their own conceit-they may be
able to outdo the plan of God. We have
too many spiritual brick and mortar build
ers in this world. The Pharisee who a
long time ago compared himself to GER
tain Publican, and praised himself for be-
ing better than other men, fancied him=
self along way up, on the tower of brick
and mortar, while the poor, meek Publi-
can, did not attempt to erect structure
of material things, did not even lay a
foundation for his Christian character
and Christian hope in earthly materials,
but taking the Rock of Ages as founda-
tion for his faith, endeavored to erect
thereon tower of the soul, which, by it's
beauty and merit. would call God down,
rather than lift the sinner up to His high
estate.
A man goes to the Church on the Sab
bath day; he pays the closest attention to
the sermon Of the Minister; he observes
all the customs of the Church; he may
even pray with great show of earnest
ness, in the public congregation. You
meet him the next day, and discover that
he is a spiritual brick-mason. and when
you fail to see him in prayer-meeting,
of which you are faithful attendant,
you discover that he is even leaving the
mortar out of his temporary structure, and
is only "hacking" up bricks, to be blown
down by the fir. t adverse wind which
comes along. You find lady earnestly
at work in Church, attentive to the du-
and her own conscience. She is building
a spiritual structure, firm within itself.
She occasionally partakes of the harmless
pleasures of the world; she goes to a So
cial party, or glides gracefully about upon
roller-skates; these are beauteous flowers
with which she is adorning the wall of
the Christian tower. But the moment
she throws aside the sacred influences at,
tendant upon the prayer-meeting for the
allurements of the rink or the card-table
she is adorning the structure with faded
fiowers-she is putting into the wall i'm
perfect bricks, without the necessary NOR
tar to hold them together. Pleasures are
the veritable flowers of this life. Some
are beautiful, and retain their beauty
during life, leaving sweet fragrance be-
hind them at death. Others again, while
others of equal beauty and attractiveness,
contain within the folds of their attrac-
tive petals the most potent pOisons, and
it only remains for humanity to pluck
the flower and plant it in the human bo-
som, to sow there the seeds of a double
death. Only the flower of attractive beau
ty and harmless fragrance, is fit to adorn
the walls of this Tower of Faith.
The generations of Noah were long
way off from Heaven, even at the top
most point of their imagination of what
their Tower would be, when God saw fit
to bring them to their senses, in a some
what abrupt manner. In modern par
lance these men were "hustlers." They
| were working with a will which prom
| ised great results-in brick and mortar
They spoke the same language, and were
possibly comparing notes, day by day,
as TO what they should do, and how they
should pass the time, when they should
at last step from the top of their Tower
! into the presence Of God in Heaven. There