Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-02-22
n.-Dedication, or Opening, Is
Mans Response TO Gods Pleading.

] pldccs ana persons 10 bOu cannot IAN
to impress the thoughtful with the
self-evident love of the Almighty Gre
ator of men. To the man whose spirit
is in touch with the spirit of God few
things in this worlds history are as
pathetic "a the responses that men
have made to God, and none more en-
coura9ine than the way in which He
has accepted these responses. A dedi-
cation, wherever and by whomsoever
made, is an answer to God to the ex-
tent that the dedicator understands
the spirit actuating the one TO whom
he sets apart the place or person. As
the conscientious of persons and places
are really on level in their revelation
of mems motives and progress, | will
briefly describe the growth of the bet
ter idea of God as we have il to-day
Among primitive peoples, whether
Of modern or ancient dates. temples
were not nj first considered necessary.
We see the beginnings Of this idea in
the life Of Jacob. When he fled from
his injured and iniuring brother and
slept peaceably with the expanse of
the staI-studded SKY for his chamber
ceiling, the earth for his bed. and a
stone for his pillow, God gave him ms
! clear a message as hc was capable of
receiving. lnresponse, Jacob anoint-
ed n stone. and called il the house of
God, place sacred to the Most High,
and God and men accepted the crude
dedication. Other nations long before
Israel, and long after them, dedicated
temples to God, rs they began 10 real
ize that the Almighty wished for
house. at least as comfortable and
grand rs that Of the best Of His wor-
shippers. The early tent in the wilder
ness was, at first, simply place set up
without the camp,in which God could
meet with Moses. Later, the sacred
tabernacle was set up, with its inner
sanctuary, into which even a Moses
could not enter, Later still, David
felt ASHAMED through all his nature
that while he lived in palace, the
God Of Israel dwelt in tent Then
as David advised. and God directed, |
solomon built for Jehovah the most
house in all the land
Thus we see that rs men advanced |
in civilization. their ideas of the re-
spect due TO God advanced from the |
Of the stone heap. or tree. |
or plot of ground of the wandering |
to the lofty, spacious, mag
niticent temples Of the city-dwelling
peoples of Egypt, Assyria, Canaan
and Greece.
These houses were not meant for
places of worship. They were Gods
houses. Into none Of the ancient tenn
pies could the people enter, and into
that Of Israel only the high priest, and
only once year, and then with blood
Dl slain sacrifice, to show that life had
already been taken, and by means of
HE life-blood to make atoncment to
HE people. The house was Gods.
and without His permission no one
was allowed to enter IT, With Hi,
permission, the high priest alone was
worthy. The same thought was pres
nj in eonsccratcd lives The priests
we're sacred because they were Gods.
Later, in Christian times. when men
md women consecratcd themselves.
hey too. were Gods temples, and too
acred To be among people, hence the
need Tor monaslcrics, nunncries,d desert
and cclibacy. The idea Of
advancing humanity had grown from
he time in which men thought that
hc world ruler should feel glntilied
because they acknowledged Him. as
n the case of Jacob. who promised
hat should God do 50 and so for him.
hen, SAYS he. ''Shall the Lord be my
sod, down 10 the period that they
we're filled with the thought that the
anne Great One was gratiiied because
hey were set apart TO be His. that He
night be honorcd in them. As the
Of God advanced. the ideas
# men grew clearer concerning Him.
t was Wondrous stride that was ,
made by the prophet Isaiah. when in
he sacrednes> of the presence of the
One, he could hear the
words, "Whom shan send, and who
will 90 for u.s." and be able to reply ,
"llere am |, send me. "
Fhc dedication Of himself by the apos-
le to the nations is remarkable IN the .
rowth il exhibits. "And His grace /
which was bestowed on me was not
old. but labored more abundantlv
han they all. : The object Of his la ,
or, the cause Of his dedication. is !
old elsewhere as being. II am become /
u things 10 AL men. that NAV bv
j means save some. =
As the knowledge of the pur- !
ose for which God called men be- /
anne manifest. the temples were bv !
egrees turned into churches. ediiice, /
} which men could meet God. instead a
{ temples in which the Most Higl, 4
welt in awful solitude. And from :
ne thought Of the churches being I
laees in which men can meet 10 wor- |
mp God, and thus prepare them Il
lives FOR the heavenly home to which :
ne Christian heart almost uncon- h