Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-06-27
CELEBRATED ST. JOHNS SUNDAY.
Augusta and Bethlehem Lodges Unite 10 At
tend St. Marks Church.

The members Of Augusta and Beth
lchem lodges +. & A. NJ. united, last
evening, in attending the st. Mark $
church. in this city, where ST. Johns
Sunday was celebrated, an unusually
Interesting sermon being preached by
Rev. George +. Dcgen. the "rctor of
the church. The services were attend
ed by 60 members Of the two lodges.
who occupied seats III the central part
of The church. Besides the mon who
attended the church as body a larga
number of the Masons who have taken
high degrees attended the services.
I;ov. Mr., Degen said in part:
"All the vessels which Hiram mad" to
King solomon for the house If TIL, Lord
were of bright hraHa. IN thc plain "
Jordan did The King cast tncm, III inc
clay ground between Sutcoth ana Xar-
than. ~. Kings vii.:i5-iG.
The plain referred 10 was barren
stretch of land on Tho east side Of the
Jordan, which up to this tRe hdl not
hcrn turned to any account, The boauti-
full river iioWcd along one side but did not
fcrtillzc the ground here. To the north
ANA t'f~t ItSt lllt mount AIMS 81 'Iattstta
rich with oVerhanEing forests Of rcsinpus
woods, famous for their medicinal gums
ami balsams itut no balm of Gl!ead
sprInG from the VerdurclcsS spot. in
whose soil as yct no property had been
dIScoVercl which could b" turned To &C
count for the benefit Of mankind. In the
Intervening valleys WAC found rich pas
turdee for cattle. hut no shepherd drove
his focks over this ground, for thc herb
age was SCanty ana tough. and. save fen
tPW &tf0Ulnt bDDlS bt4Tt ANA there
water was 70 be found thereon. NJ one
claimed It for purposes Of huSbAndry. for
nothing would grow there. For many
years it lay nrE.ectcd ana tlcspscd to all
lntcntS useless ard gool for nothing. But
now the wondr"uS temple Of King Solo
mon. type Of the Christian church, has
arisen on Mount Zion. The vessels of use
And ddUrnmcnt. large and small. are 20
l." cast from brass. polished and made
ready for III" INTERIOR solomon hlS sent
to Tyre for Hiram. skilled workman i'll
brass. = execute I'll" work. AMI l!iram
has drawn the pldHS,-ior the two brdH' II
pillars, joachim ard Boar, which are TO
stand at the entrance, the immeus" l1Y"s
of 1000 baths standing on The backs Of L
brazcn oxen, and all the bases. with their
adornments Of lions and oxen ana chez
UbIn, and all the smaller vessels. 1t VIII
require a great deal at room to establish
;"unoFieN tor SHch cXtchSlV" WORKS, ana
as Tho King looks about for 4 suitable
place he remembers this dcsoiato snot
ttipSH inc ItN @t, f1ttt - luSt tllc son
hrcdri Tor the MOUNDS. lnls stlft earth
Is admirably adapted for this purpose.
and is good for nothing else. 50 the
works arc established here. and the arti-
licefS ply their cunning craft until all the
vessels are shaped. ami polished, ana
made ready for the house of the Lord.
And as the temple itself. rising slowly
from the ground without sound OF axe or
hammer is TYP" of the spiritual temple.
made up of the whole body of believers,
with apostles and prophets for foundation
ana Jesus Christ Himself as the chief
cornerstone, 50 | think we may Sc"
striking significance in this claycy ground
chosen for the casting of the vessels of
the temple. It Is lesson which we can
not ignore. that from the mcancst sur
roundinss ana in the waste places Of hn-
nanity God mas fashioned ami polished
the metal which was to form the pillars
OF Ills church.
From tn" ranks of publicans and SIN
n'rS from the loWly and dcspised com
mon people. were wrought the martyrs
ana confcSsorS, some to serve greater
ana some a smaller function in His new
ana glorious temple. And now we Know
that there IS no rank or station, however
Io"iX. upon which the eye of the great
Master Builder does not fan and which