The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-09

man can conceive OF, will vanish and DO even
lost to memory.
Whatever we do whatever we build what
ever we hope for that is mortal and earthly
must be temporal in its character We build
monuments to the memory Of great deeds to
celebrate great men, but in time these all de-
cav.
Mankind has always been reaching out for
perpetuity. for something fixed aud impregnable,
and which will stand the storms of the centuries
and the ravages of the elements. So we build
our modern cities, our monuments, our works OF
art. So we build all our towering and stately
buildings, adorned with all the arts of handicraft
and artistic skill. We build them for utility
and also for fame. But we see how all these
plans are frustrated, from the time of the Tower
of Babel to this, to build memorials that should
ohtlast the generations and the history OF the
world Everything that man has touched.
everything that man has builded with the inten
ton to outwit the DEGREES of God-to give him
self duration of fame-every one OF these af
fairs has ended in confusion and the scattering
of all his best effort When men, either as indi
viduals, communities or nations, begin to build
without building upon the foundation principles
that God has given to men, they build to final
confusion, and there will be nothing of theii
work to endure
TO testify abouta building. A wise lawyer asked
him What is your professionW
II am an architect"
''You are a builder, You mean"
''No, sir, am architect"
sWell isn't an architect builder?"
s'No sir. an architect is not builder
81 presume, then, you can tell me who was the
architect of the Tower OF Babel?'
'The Tower of Babel had no architect and
hence it ended in confusion"
The architect forms the idea OF the building,
and furnishes the plans and specifications upou
which TO build. He idealiZes the materials. God
is himself the architect of the universe God
is the architect of all that is enduring in this
world. He bulded the universe, so it remains
the maryel and enigma of all who search to find
out his Ways and plans, and he is the architect Of
that moral and spiritual state in which man was
made to dwell forever. There are two facts in
the Christian life that every Christian must
recognize@at the outset of his career One OF
these facts is that we have no continuing city,
but that we seek one to come--that is the city
that hath foundations and its maker and builder
is God. In plain language, are made to be
inhabitants of that city of God, the New Jeru-
pared place that God has made for US, and in.
tends that we may inhabit it, If we complete all
Of the conditions of citizenship in that city.
AS heaven is prepared place, it has been pre-
pared for people who must prepare themselves
for inhabitine it. In that idea we begin to get
at the secret of the Christians career on earth.
know that Christ has gone to prepare a place
for me. He says that in my Fathers house are
many mansions Therefore, have the word of
Christ for it. and l believe that in that city of
There is place for me, and
it has been prepared for me
from the foundations of the world [Cries of
amen" Since God has prepared place for
me in His city, unless make my way to that
city and take up my habitation in that mansion,
it must remain teEantless throughout eternity.
Hence. We say, and have Scripture warrant for
it. that this life of ours is probationary one-a
life that has been given to us to bring ourselves
in reconciliation with God and to prepare our
selves here to inhabit that mansion in the sky.
The question here is, how must that prepare
ton be carried onl What principles and actions
must characterize me in order that when come
to 1t may pass the examination at the bar of
Christ, and enter into citizenship in that king
dom of God?
The character of my citizenship here in this
world determines my fitness to be citizen up
there 1t brings me to the logical conclusion
that if do not make myself fit for heaven here
will never get to it there. / must prepare my
self, not by my own plans. but BY those indi-
Gated to me, devised and blessed by God am
put here to carry forward the work of prepara-
ton. and have an architect WIG has furnished
me with plans. and given me living example to
work by. Voices: "Bless Godrl He has
pointed out to me all the materials that enter
into the composition of Christian life, and
pointed out every block and timber that belong
to the raising of true Christian character in
the world. If am true to these plans can lie
down in perfect confidence that God will put Hls
hand under tie building and transfer it to the
streets of the New Jerusalem.
A great many persons believe this depends
upon some declaration of reform This reminds
me of colored congregation down South that
worshiped in a rickety old church. The matter
of a new church was talked of long and eloquent
ly, but the people were very poor. At last an
old brother solved the situation with series of
resolutions: "Be it resolved, first that we build
church; resolved, second, that the new
church be built out Of the material in the old
one; resolved. third that we use The old church
until the new church is built" Laughter.
good many Christians have the idea of this old
colored brother Their resolutions amount to
this: Resolved, that lead a new life; second
resolved that we build the new life out of the
material of the old one third resolved, that we
lead the old life till the ono is ready"
Laughter That is the way good many of
them are going on in this world There is
no more difference now that they are
in the church than there was before
They have eliminated nothing from their lives,
and taken on nothing of Christian graces and
virtues, and there is no way of taking them on
until you make room for them. Before man
begins to build new house he has to get rid OF
the rubbish of the old one You have to get rid
of the rubbish of your old character before you
can get clear, sure foundation for the new
character.
We build the things that we want. If this
city wants city hall courthouse it goes to
work and builds it. If you want monument to
a statesman you can build it. We have in this
world what We want. Whatever you have it is
something you understanding you went to
work to get-something you succeeded in get
wing If you have goddess community it is be-
cause you want one. If you have broken,
desecrated Sabbath you want one. If you have
400 rum shop, recruiting Offices Of hell in Indi-
annapolis it is because you want them If you
don't want them what are you doing with them2
I can see how you can have the smallpox with
out wanting it, but l notice whenever it
comes you go to work to get rid Of
it. Every little boy will be running around
with q sack OF assafetda about his
neck, and the mothers are having duck fits to
keep the boys out of the ward where the small
pox broke out and the fathers would almost
lynch the member OF the Common Council who
would talk about expense in the matter of quar-
antinins it, Yet rum shops murderDy common
consent and you make no trouble Applause
Whatever kind of city you are living in you