The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-04-12

kind of work, may it be, thai
| with new zeal and greater courage
than We have ever yet shown, we
grasp the opportunities which Coo
this day lays before us. May we make
| the end just the beginning of larger
| usefulness.
We were long while in getting te
this point. The second temple at Je-
| rusalem was twenty-one years in build
ing. This temple took more thar
fourth as long for it's completion. Many
saw the beginning of that ancient
structure, but lived not to see it com
plted. Others would say from veal
| to year that it never would be done
| We are glad to be able to say that but
few of those who We're with us ano
saw the beginning Of this work have
| passed away; nearly all have lived tC
see it done But we know that many
did say in these years that they thought
the church never would be completed
or not in their day. This day they see
that they We're mistaken, and we here
and now charge them with little lack
| of faith, and urge them now and hence
| forth, BE not faithless, but believ-
| ing
Let us learn some lessons to-day
from what our eyes behold. This
church is a teacher, speaking to us d
great many things and with voices
from within and without. 1t is a wit
ness saying: L am house among
other houses that witnesses of the
presence of God"-for this is none 9th
er than the house of God and this is
70 af q
house as we pass along the street. II
| has blinds and curtains, and signs OF
| life within, and we know that men
and women live there. This church
reminds us, not only that God is every
where but that he is here That here
| he makes his abode. That here We
may rest as beneath the very shekinah
| glory, and by eyes of faith we may
see God. Here God is indeed a very
present help in time of trouble, a
| shield and buckler, a sure deliverer
This church stands a witness of the
presence of God. Just as long as
these walls stand erect and yon tower
spire lifts it's finger towards the clouds
so long will there remain on this spot
a witness of the presence of God.
A witness is one who tells the truth
about himself or some one else. A
| soldier in uniform is a witness thai
| the regiment is near by. A police Off
Ger is a witness that the police station
! is not far away and that there is la "
| in the land to be obeyed. A man
should go on the witness stand to wit
ness for the truth and that truth is
near. Like him this church stands a
! Of VIII 10 he n.
truth and the life.
| This church teaches of family
God setteth the solitary in families, >
the church teaches this Families
come together in houses, they all meet
under one roof. The church is the
| abiding home of Gods family We
never should think of going to church
| as going to a strange place where no
one knew anybody. 1t is a place OF
| happy greetings. where the cares OF
the week are brushed off the mind and
the heart is made to throb anew with
brother love and love to God. We
| meet in church as one great family
where we bow our knees unto the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. OF
whom the whole family in heaven and
earth are named. God is our Faith
er, Jesus Christ is our Elder Brother
and the Holy Spirit binds US all to-
gether in one. And We all become
members one of another.
This makes the church of God one
great house, where all the family Of
God in that place meet together, not
as strangers but as members of one
glorious family. This is part of that
great general assembly and church of
the first-torn which are enrolled in
heaven, and Christ is head
This beautiful building is called a
church then because the church wor-
ships here. Just as we have first a
man and then the house where to put
the man; SO here the church of living
| people, and then the church. building
| prepared and made ready to receive
and house them.
! We read of the stone which some
! builders rejected becoming the head OF
| the corner. 1t has been called the
| cornerstone. Some five years ago this
! was laid in its place in this church. 7,
| is in the corner where two walls join
and it is a part of both. 1t closes
| together both walls and brick and
| timber lean on this cornerstone. They
| depend on this cornerstone.
Children of home depend on parents
for support. At times aged mothers
and fathers depend on sons and daugh-
ters for support. Just then we spoke
OF a family together in the church
Some one supports them, giving them
meat in due season. This one is
Christ Here then is the church OF
living people, some of them passed
over the flood, some of them still re-
naming, militant. fighting. These are
battling with sin; those have fought
the good fight of faith, they cease from
| their labors. They have entered into
rest and become the church trium-
plant. Still both together are one
glorious church And this great
church rests on one corner-stone-on
Jesus Christ. He embraces all with
his arms of mercy and binds God and
man together. He is our peace, who
hath made both one, and hath broken
down the middle wall of partition be-
tween us.
This church is made of many parts
timber brought from distant lands.
Rough and unsightly in the forest. but
taken in hand here by faithful work
men, it was smoothed, made beautiful
and closely fitted together, each to
supply what was in the mind of the
architect. These timbers entering the
building We're as the people who make
up the church. They are patterns of
what we We're and are and shall be.
Rough, unfit to be seen, more unfit for
use in the forest, by skillful workmen
made objects of beauty and useful
ness.
You as members of Christ's church