The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-28
REV. i. w. READS SERMON.
Each One Over Against His Own House.
An Image OF the Church.

Each One Over against His Own House.
An Image OF the Church.
Rev. /. w. Read at the Market street
Baptist church. preached yesterday MORN
Nehemiah iii:2s-"Every one over against
his house."
He said:
A city left desolatel her walls torn away, in
consequence Of which she is defenseless Her
people hava been scattered and are powerless to
act In this condition Jerusalem was when Ne
hemiah, fired with purpose, went TO the king,
whose cupbearer he was, and asked permission
to 90 back. aud in the name of the Lord. .'re-
pair the breaches" in rebuilding the wall
around the city. This permission was granted.
and he returned and set himself about the task.
There were those who scoffed at the idea and de-
clared IL could not be done There were others
who stood of end made sighting remarks about
the work done, saying that If q fox should GO
upon it II would fall. il was so imperiectly
done. Then there were still others who tried to
draw Nehemiah into controversy thinking by
this means to draw him away from his purpose
and thus thwart his Plan. But all of these failed
aud the wall was built, for, says the leader 'tne
people had q mind to work" And then, in an
other place. we are told how they worked
'eyery one over against his house" Iuse this
rs an illustration OF the church of Jesus Christ
her. The people who are interested will have
to do the work. or it will not be done. There
are those who sccff at the work and declare il
can not be done There are others who laugh
at is weakness and declare il can not stand
long. There are still others who would like TO
draw the workers into controversy, and ty this
means lead away from the main object ana
TODAY with every church in the land aud will
as long as Satan has his agents on earth, many
of whom do not know they are dong the devils
work.
These influences can only be coauteracted
by the same methods rs were employed in the
days of Nehemiah. The people must have
mind to work. aud each must build over against
his own house To this line of thought want
your attention to-day. May God prepare our
hearts for His truth.
Building Is essential 70 growth. This idea
In manifest every hand. The walls would
not have grown TO completion under Nehemiah
ii there had not been constant building. Things
do not grow OF themselves
There is& law as immutable as the law of
grayitstion that says there can be no growth
without building. The human body is an illus.
trsfon OF this law. Il grows only as il is built
Every cell ana every tissue are part of the
building. which grows into ssymmetrical whole
Without the building process, however, there
could be no growth into completion. This law
holds good IN everything. The mechanic must
work in building that the structure may grow
TO perfection. SO also does the same law show
itself in the spiritual realm. There can be no
growth OF character except as there is charac
ter building. There must be expenditure of
energy ia the whole matter. GOD does not make
a strong Christian man sll ct once. Ii is mis-
taken idea that men are born into the Kingdom
OF God full grown ~ birth. GOD does not work
50 al sli. lie demands work IN order 10 growth.
may sit down and pray my lille away, but ii
never do anything it viii amount 10 nothing
THIS law must he met in the spiritual realm as
well as the physical. Great soul power does nos
come OF Itself IL takes long years of labor
building 10 accomplish IL The mind does not
develop IN and OF itself-there must be cultiva-
tion. The mind that is the strongest is the one
upon which the most labor has been expended.
The intellect grows as Il is wosked-it viii never
grow without the process ol expended energy
II is just as true in soul growth. The most