The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-11-21
DIR. HUTCHlNS SERMON.
UPON THE ARCHITECTURE OF
CHARACTER.
As Preached Last Sunday Morning Before
the Congregation OF the Central
Union Church.

Peter 2: 4 and 81: 1--WE constantly con-
cieve of character as possessing archi-
tectural attributes, such as solidity,
extent and proportion" thus we say of
man that he has a firm, q broad,
grand or lofty character. The natural
ness of these figurative conceptions is
justified by Scriptural usage.
A wonderful work is going on within
us, though we seldom realize it, our
thoughts, our purposes. our associations
and our acts are not leaving us as they
found us, but are building up within us
permanent reminders of their subtle
power; Just as every workman spon an
unfinished ediiice leaves the contribution
of his toll in evidence of what he is, his
skill, his thoroughness, his industry.
The combined moral results of all the
experiences of life in a human soul con-
slitute character. We value men accord
ing to what they have gotten out of
life into themselves.
The construction of character goes on
so silently that we forget that 1t is go
ing on at all. Every workman is mute,
every implement is muffied. OF the
moral edifice we may write, what was
written of Solomon's temple, "And the
house, when it was in building, was
built of stone, made ready before it was
brought thither; so that there was
neither hammer nor AK nor any tool of
iron heard in the house while it was in
building" and yet this temple, which
had grown in dream-like silence, in its
splendid completeness became the won
der of the world and of the ages. The
absence of noise does not prove the alb
sence of result. When the character is
completed it becomes a spectacle to men
and angels.
The gradual development of character
often deceives us as to the extent of its
development. When we are daily OBJ
serving the building of great archi-
tectural work, like the Cathedral at
Milan, we fail to mark its progress, the
plan is so comprehensive as compared
with the insignifcance of the workman
But returning, after an absence of
months, we easily perceive that the
walls have grown. When you, young
men who are absent from home, return
after the lapse of years, your parents
and your old friends will discover that
you are not unchanged. God grant
that they may see that you have beer
2 building, not a howell but palace.
We sometimes wonder what time Oh
=. place there can be for the growth o
character amidst the rush and din o
h business and the competitions OF pro
! fessional life. But bigger business il
q going on in your souls than i'll you
b. stores. Character is being constructed
by the very labors, associations ant
attritions OF commercial life.
1t is solemn and impressive fac
that every man is the architect OF hi
own character; that he must draw tn
plans and select the materials for it AM
personally superintend the workmen
j But, you ask, does not the poisoned
J. blood of bad ancestry sometimes cours
i through the arteries like liquid fam
i and kindle fires in the soul, which Ugh
n its everlasting burning? Does not tenn
permanent fore-ordain with changeles
fixedness mans history and destiny
Do not wretched surroundingsin inianc
and childhood sometimes ineyitab
Nj l,l nil N
= the miry clay? Does not the acciden
y of wealth or poverty deliver or doom
In fact, are we not necessarily fashione
by our enforcement as the carmen
is shaped by the tailor.
l. 1t must be confessed that some thing
seem to furnish apparent ground fo
re fatalism. Heredity has been one of tn
most careful studies of my life, and
- am not ignorant of the power of il
herited tendencies. But we are to I,
member that character is determined
- not by the facilities at ones dispose
but by the disposition one makes of h
~ facilities. God makes some of us dely
in rough mines, but even there it
" possible to secure gold and silver an
precious stones materials of whic
m palaces are built. On the other han,
RI amidst the redundant opulence
privilege and opportunity, one may
an he will, gather only wood and hay al
no stubble, the building material for
hovel. Judas was one of the mo
.e- fortunate men in privilege and oppo
ey tunity that the world has ever know
and yet amidst the most hallowed e
vironment he committed the mo
damning crime of human history {
he the other hard, Joseph, lonely sla
m lad amidst the moral degradation al
m. seductive sensuality of Egypt, develop
re- a character of surprising purity, swe'
as ness and dignity.
u Then we must notice the differen
ny between character and achievement.
Old the most untoward circumstances o
De may not accomplish any great servic
Tue but there are no circumstances where
ne responsible being may not have
Dol character. Under the despotism
i's Egyptian bondage, Israel could new
have accomplished the marvellous h
tory ordained for her in the freedom
ito Canaan but amidst the brick kilns
nd poor slaves could build up their U
er. shackeled souls in faith and loyalty a
on make them holy temples.
ng We must also distinguish betwe
OTIS character and culture. The child
The the slums may be ignorant, crude a
nat uncouth. but may have read the inv
cd, BILE things of God in the cheering ST
the light that has pierced the gloom of
L L 4