St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-01-07

kSACO O0A4ts AAEA IAOA 2 VOC SAAS AASAJ ~
holes behind the va1 where rested the
ark Of the covenant surmounted by the
cherurnbim, and between which there
burned the shechinah glory over the
mercy seat. Into this hottest place the
high priest came but once a year. II
was to this temple that Samuel as q
young boy had been brought by his
mother, and consecrated to the Lord's
service. It was here that he ministered
unto the Lord before Eli But the word
Of the Lord, was unknown and unheard
in those evil days OF corrupt priest
hood and meaningless ceremony, and
there was no revelation from God. The
days ministrations had ended; the aged
high priest had laid himself down to rest,
and Samuel, his faithful attendant, had
sought his, couch in the apartments adj
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 not
felt. Samuel, the! young novitiate, is
there. in the person Of the gentle, sensi-
tive soul. Il serves as best it can be-
fore the high priest, self. But it is not
given any service above the mere sensual
and material. It 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 Coos chosen dwelling place,
even as the body of man is Gods ap-
pointed temple "Know ye not" God
asks, that ya are the temple of God, and
that the Spirit Of God dwel1eth IN your"
The temple had its appointed service,
meaningless II the true purpose and
spirit were lacking; it had its high
priest to discharge the religious func-
tons. and SO the body temple has it's ap-
pointed service, its homage to pay to
God, tts worship to offer. While self is
the high priest in Office every feature OF
the service is subservient to the dom
inant, physical, sensual self. The temple
hadcfts Samuel, the novitiate appointed
Of God to rise ito the place of authority
in the temple and to rescue the holy
place and the sacred service from its de-
based and 'debHsin8 conditions. And so
the body temple has within it the eternal
soul, the novitiate, whom God has APP
pointed to grow up within and to rescue
the body temple from its low spiritual
condition t 4#s5 ~ lseI'a +
- as hf'!AHtl5 sss.N 5s5ti s.,ftt
n UR1NG the still watches Of the night
- voices are heard within the temple.
Gods voice calls: Samuel, Samuel. ~
Samuels voice is heard In answer:
Here am l." as he runs to Ellis side,
az was his wont when summoned to
minister to his needs. Eli's voice is
heard in, dull, heavy, uncomprehending
peyishness. Il called thee not, my son;
lie down again" The three voices
heard in the midnight watches Of the |
LIES great need. Gods voice calling.
The souls voice in answer, and self
quiettng the query Of the soul and bid
ding it 80 and lie down again. Gods |
voice 10 calling to you and to me. We
know not His voice. We are unfamil- |
ar with the sound thereof. Once, twice, |
God has called, perhaps more, and each |
time you have settled the. matter by |
urging the soul to the sleep Of indiffer-
ence and oblivion. Will God call again7 |
Are you Indifferent as to whether he
will or not? Are you glad that the
conscience Of the soul has been stilled |
and its questioning silenced? Do you
feel better content within the temple
Of your body that you can minister to
your own need as the caprice and within
Il self may dictate? God pity the man
who has stilled the voice Of God to the
soul. Who has so repeatedly turned
the soul away with its questionings that
1t last God calls no more, and the light
Of His presence has left the temple in
hopeless desolationiIt is an awful thing
thus to trife with God! Twice Eli
turned Samuel away, but the third time
that God called the old priest was
aroused to the meaning Of the voice and I
told Samuel how he should answer and
What he should do II again the voice
should call. God grant that self may
" reused to the consciousness Of God,
IND when He calls again the soul may
oe bid to say: Speak. Lord, for Thy
servant heareth." ~ :zg X l.
: ELF rules IN the body temple. God
, wants self to surrender and tt. let
lis spirit control. Self az the high
priest Of the life + unresponsivs to