The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1886-02-18

earrings winch were IN Un6lr ears, alt
brought them unto Aaron. ."-Ex. 32 g.
Moses was communing with the LORD
upon Mount Sinai, and the Israelites
observing that he delayed his coming
down, becmse discouraged at his non.
appearance, and gathered themselves
about Aaron, with the request that he
make them gods, to go before them, ''fo1
as for this Moses. the man that brought
us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot
not what is become of him." Aaron an
swered by requesting them to bring their
jewels of gold metal, that he might make
for them an image to worship The peo-
pie responded to this demand as annOunc-
ed in the text The trinkets were all
melted and cast in the form of golden
calf. This was craven into beautiful
form, and set up as an object of worship.
They built before the golden calf an altar,
they burned incense, and went through
devotional exercises. They made ga
feast unto the Lord" that is the Lord of
the golden calf.
When the Lord saw this he called to
Moses to hasten down, for his people
had corrupted themselves" The Lord
cautioned Moses that this people were
stiff-necked, and admonished him that
there was great danger to this people.
Moses plead with the Lord, and the anger
against his people was for the time put
aside. Moses went down out of the
mountain and approached the camp of
his people. The golden calf was one of
the first visions that he beheld on nearing
the camp. Moses bore in his hands tables
of testimony given him by the Lord, but
he became so angry at his foolish people
that he cast these down, breaking them
under the mountain. The people were
feasting, dancing, and having a good
time generally, but Moses was far above
such nonsense, and instead of bowling in
worship of the golden calf, he seized and
threw it into the fire, and burned it, and
ground it to powder, and cast it upon the
water, and made the people to drink it.
But hold! Do not censure the Israelites
Just yet. We are not far enough removed
from those times and weaknesses. There
is not perhaps Church within the scope
of your knowledge, which has not, among
its membership, those who have been for
years paying devotion to the golden calf.
1t is an easy matter for good brother to
attend the means of Divine Grace, and do
all and singular the things that are ex-
pected from churchman. He will oft
times sit with wrapped attention, with
eyes riveted upon the minister, as though
to lose one precious word would be fatal.
But that vision does not reach as far as
the pulpit Midway between the two is
brazen golden calf, upon which the at
tention of the brother is fixed. In every
outburst of eloquence from the minister,
the brother hears an encouraging bleat
from the golden calf. Of course this only
lies in the Imagination. But the idea is
suggestive. He worships the golden
feece-therefore he would fleece neigh
bor or friend of his of gold without dis
tressing thought. In vain the minister
points to the Lamb of God, that taketh
away the sins of the world-the brother
still keeps his attention fixed upon the
little, dumb, insignificant golden calf. In
vain the hymn of praise wells up from
Christian hearts and Christian throats-
the bleat of the golden calf crying IDOL
lars! dollars!" browns all things else.
When the prayers ascend to the Throne
of Grace, there are some who only pray
to the little animal, to make which all
their little jewelry has been expended.
And thus will the relative condition of
some of Gods creatures be until some
Moses comes and casts into the fire the
brazen image, and the worst of it is, there
is very great danger that the person who
worships the image may be cast into the
fire at the same time.
A young man started out to seek his
fortune. He was soon lost amid the
whirl and rush of society, and when we
next see him he is kissing the hand of a
fine lady-a hand covered with jewels.
That young man is more faithful in his
attentions to this golden-haired creature
than he ever was to his Creator. He
hangs upon every silly word as though to
lose it would be to lose some priceless
gem. His spare hours are all given to
the society of this one, while perhaps
there are scores of sensible and handsome
girls all about him. He is thoroughly in
fatuated. He is worshiping a golden
calf. And the danger is that after he
secures the image. and places it in his
own home, and sets up an altar at which
| to offer his devotion, the fierce fire of
domestic care, or earthly sorrow, may
come to consume his idol and convince
him when too late that the image is of
brass, and very thinly plated with gold.
Instead of god, clothed with super
natural beauties and powers, he finds
himself the possessor of a worthless toy.
The admiration of the ladies generally
runs toward "old gold" This sometimes
finds place as the ruling influence Of
some life, the shaper of some destiny.
Here comes man, who by his elasticity
Of step, jet black hair and beard, and gen.
orally youthful demeanor, suggests the
idea of a man of thirty-ive. He is well
supplied with worldly goods. He is in
fact considered "a great catch" A giddy
young girl bows at his shrine His very
name is associated with gold, and so
thoroughly does the girl become enthused
with regard to the great opportunity
of winning a wealthy husband, that she
| seems TO lose SlgnG OF all OIner QuCleS.
Her God, like Moses, has gone up into the
mountain, and not returned, leaving her
free to worship her golden image. At
last she secures the prize, and with it
placed in her own home, meekly bows in
worship to what she really, in her sim
plicity regards as golden calf.
But suddenly there dawns upon the
| Start1n6 inoauinatjOn the fact that the
glossy color of the hair and beard is the
result of the BARRIERS art, and that be-
meath the glow of the ravens wing, lie
the frosts of sixty winters. Beneath the
smiles and flattery lie great irritability Of