Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-06-17
BUILDING A CHRISTIAN HOME.

BY Rev. Theodore l.. CuyIer. d. d.
Il never let fools or BARNS see my
work until 1t is DONE" said famous
Scotch painter; he knew that no pro-
duction of human art could be rightly
judged until it was completed. | re-
member that when | first saw Cologne
Cathedral nearly fifty years ago. it had
a stumpy and unimpressive appear
ance, for it was towerless. The next
time | saw the edifice 1t was disfigured
by seaffoldiug ON which workmen
were busy. But when, i'll the summer
of 1894, | beheld the completed towers
in their flushing splendor, L felt that
it was a mighty and magnificent poem
written In marble.
That Illustrates the way in which
the Master builds true Christian.
The Bible declares that the Christian
is "Christ's workmanship created
anew unto good works" Any one who
looked at a company of church mem
bers in prayer meeting or at a sacra
mental table might say that some of
them were quite imperfect specimens
OF workmanship. as he could testify
from intimate acquaintance. Very
true; but if that same person wished
to purchase melodeon he would not
go into the mandatory where the
different parts were being fashioned;
he would 60 into the salesroom and in
sDect the completed Instrument. This
world is the great workshop in which
Jesus Christ by his Spirit constructs
Christian character ''Ye are Gods
building" wrote the APOSTLE Paul to
his brethren at Corinth. OF himself
he wrote at another time, "Not as
though l have already attained, either
one already perfect" lie was still in
the hands of his divine and loving
Architect. The scaffoldings We're not
yet taken down, and the work of
grace was not yet completed.
1t is easy to discover some flaws in
even the best men and women; but
the critic must consider what materi-
ais our Master has TO work with in
frail and fallen human nature, so often
disfigured and defaced by innate de-
pravity. Napoleon used to say that
che had to make his marshals out OF
A1lAQs W fanny A4o RONNt ANcS man
that of the Holy Spirit could have con-
Structed such a conscientious and eff
fective Christian as John Newton out
of 50 hardened and desperate a sin
ner. \ very eloquent and spiritually
minded minister once said 70 me, BE
fore l was converted | wonder how
any one could live in the house with
me- During my fOrty-four years of
pastorates, when | received converts
into the church, l often recognized the
fact that one candidate for member
ship had been reared in a frivolous and
worldly family-and another had Il
naturally violent temper-and another
was consttutionally timid and irTeso-
lute-and still another had TO contend
with hereditary sensualities of tenn
permanent or practice. Some of the
oyerhasty had to be held back and test
ed, and some Responding doubtless had
to be encouraged. A study of the ex-
perience of our blessed Lord in building
twelve disciples out of the material
that came to his hand is full of solemn
suggestion, and one of those twelve
tumbled into run under the very eyes
Of the Master Builder -
Character building is like cathedral
building-a gradual process. No Chris
ian is born full grown, else there
woGld be no sense in the divine in
junction to grow in grace" and to
press towards the goal of the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus" The
cornerstone of every truly regenerated
character is the LORD Jesus: other
foundation can no one build on with
out risking wreck in this world and
eternal ruin in the next world The
first act of saving faith is the joining
of the new convert 10 the atoning
Savior. Then upon that solid founda-
ton must be added the courage the
meekness, the patience, the conscien-
tiousness, the honesty. the loving kind
ness and the other graces that make
for godliness. Let no young beginner
be disheartened. Oaks do not grow
like hollyhocks. A solid Christian
character cannot be reared in day
nor is It to be done simply by Sabbath
services or by sacraments. Some poor
pumice stone has to be thrown out.
and not little bad timber rejected in
spite of the yarnish on IT,
The Bible is the only plumb-Iine to
build by; and it must be used constant
ly All the snowy ornamentation that
man cGn put on his edifice amounts
to nothing. if his walls are not perpen-
dicular. Sometimes we see a fimsy
structure whose bullying walls are
shored NJ by props and skids to keep
them from tumbling into the street. /
am afraid that there are thousands of
regulations in trade. IN politics, in So
cial life. and even in church life, that
are shored up by various devices. No
Christian can defy Gods inexorable
law of grayitation. 1t is mere ques-
ton Of time how soon every character
viii fall in" if it is not based on the
rock. and built according to Jesus
Christ's plumb-line. 1t may go dawn
in This world; it is sure to go down in
the next. Let every one, therefore,
take heed how he or she buildeth for
the last great day win test the work,
of what sort It is.
Finally. let us all bear In mind that
If we are Christ's workmanship. we
must let our wise and loving Master
take lis own way We must allow him
10 use his own tools. oh, how much