The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1904-12-03

services of Eli, the
high priest. and the training school and
seminary of Samuel, the noVltlate.
There was the outer court with its
great brazen altar for sacrifice, and upon
which the fire burned continually. Be
tween it and the holy place stood the
laver where the priests washed before
entering the temple. Within the temple
was the holy place with its altar OF In
cense. and its table of Shew bread ana
the golden candlestick on either side.
Before the altar of sacrifice n WITHIN
this holy place the high priest minis
tered daily. Then there was the holy or
holes behind the vail where rested the
ark of the covenant surmounted by the
.cherumbim, and between which there
burned the shechinah glory over the
mercy seat. Into this hottest place the
high priest came but once a year. 1t
was to this temple that Samuel as a
young boy had been brought by his
mother, and consecrated to the Lords
service. 1t was here that he mlnlstered
unto the Lord before Eli. But the word
of the Lord vas unknown and unheard
IN those evil days of corrupt priest
hood and meaningless ceremony, II
there was no revelation from God. The
days ninistratiOns had ended; the aged
high priest had laid himself down to rest,
and Samuel, his faithful attendant, had
sought his couch in the apartments ad-
joining. The gentle light of the seven
branched candlestick, burning without
in the holy place kept its faithful vigil,
and spoke of Gods presence, while the
souls of men were unconscious in SUM
Der.
A H! HOW often we are unconscious of
~ Gods presence. The body, Gods
chosen temple, is the place where He
would abide, but we know Him not. Self,
the high priest, is there, to serve and
minister to the desires and needs Of the
life. The thought is not above the phys
ical and material. Gods presence is o
felt. Samuel, the young novitiate, is
there, in the person Of the gentle, sensl-
tive soul. II serves as best it can be-
fore the high priest, self. But it is not
given any service above the mere sensual
and material. 1t feels a higher need and
obligation even while it serves on the
lower plane of the material. The period
of the low spiritual condition prevails
and the lamp of Gods presence burns
feebly. Such is the condition, oh, so
often, in the heart and life! Such was
the condition of Israel and in the tenn
pie. It was Gods chosen dwelling place,
even as the body Of man is Gods ap-
pointed temple. Know ye not" GOD
asks, that We are the temple of God, and
that the Spirit of GOD dwelleth in you?"
The temple had it's appointed service,
meaningless if the true purpose and
spirit were lacking; 1t had its high
priest to discharge the religious func-
lions, and so the body temple has its ap-
pointed service, it's homage to pay TO
God, its worship to offer. While self is
the high priest in office every feature Of
the service is subservient to the dom
mart, physical, sensual self. The temple
had its Samuel, the novitiate% appointed
of God to rise to the place of authority
in the temple and to rescue the holy
place and the sacred service from its de-
based and debasing conditions. And so
the body temple has within it the eternal
soul, the novitiate, whom God has ap-
pointed to grow up within and to rescue
the body temple from it's low spiritual
condition.
URING the still watches of the night