The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-12-10
THE WONDER or THE WORLD.
Dec. l3. 'OS-u Kings 8: 1-l1)

"ohuer' the one national house OF
worship erected on earth for the
honor and glory OF the only living
and true God. At its dedication IL
stood sculptured creed, n matchIess
poem frozen into gold and silver and
marble---a witness against idoIatry.
warning to infdelity. hymn OF
praise to God. proof OF mans WIS.,
ibie conservation TO His service.
Every portion OF It was saturated
with spiritual meaning
In It's grandly decorous ritual was
an unvarying undertone OF the COM
ing sacrifice. IL. like the forerunner,
John the Baptist. came to herald
another which should be "a house
OF prayer for all nations"
Dedication Ccremo..ics.
For twenty centuries that temple
stood. the silent. eloquent witness OF
the name and attributes OF God. II
was standing protest against idol
airy. When that temple was dedi-
Gated the whole nation assembled
TO assist In the Joyous service A
stately procession, led by the king
himself, attended by princes IN robes
OF state, and priests In flowing gar
ments OF sacred splendor or pure
white linen, bearing the ark. tho
sacred symbol OF the divine pres
ence. swept up the holy hill OF Zion.
with songs, and blending harmonics
of silver trumpets and Instruments
of music. toward the completed
building one hundred aad twenty
priests lifted up their voices In the
grand re Deum OF the ancient
church. For He Is good; tor HIS
mercy enduruth forever. Descend
ing from his ivory throne. solomon
bowed before thar matChlcss altar
and made the prayer OF conservation
IA prayer of alteration. confession.
supplication and thanksgiving. and
at its conclusion the answering fire,
the descending cloud, the glory-Glled
temple. attestCd the Divine presence
and love Mutely majestic or flash
ing with glory that building was
constant testimony that there Is
Father above bending down in ten
derness, compassion and sympathy
ioNdIu lHt tulluItU VI men.
a Spiritual Temple.
Twenty-eight centuries have
passed and the temple that Solomon
built has perished from the earth.
But in its place has risen 4 spiritual
temple, the graceful. invisible. but
none the less real. structure OF the
Christian church into which. not the
Jews only. but the Gentle world. Is
steadily flowing. The church in
every community embodies and illus
trates the idea OF Solomon's temple.
That was but IA wonderful object les
son lifting the minds of the people
upward. and every church spire has
the same mission. That was to en- !
phasize the need of worship and !
every sacred edifce teaches the same
lesson. The church is not. primarily. !
a place for the exchange of social |
sweets in retired corners, nor un-
timely amusements for the world. |
nor coquetting with operate fancies |
1t is not rostrum for political huck- |
sters. nor public dressing room for |
vulgar osteItation, nor a platform |
where brittle cups are filled with the
wine OF human eloquence. II is no |
place for man worship, nor sect |
pride. nor vain glorious display. 1t |
is a house where the rich and the
poor meet together. the Lord the
maker OF them all" There should
be no footstool for the poor and a
soft cushion for the rich. Whether
grand cathedral or plain meeting
house, the church should be the hos
pital for the sick, the training school
for the undeveloped the refuge for
the oppressed. the home for the
homeless. AS such the church Is wor-
thy the respect, the honor, the de-
vout appreciation OF every one who
is Interested in his own welfare and
that of his fellowmen.
Get In Somewhere.
Without at this time expressing
any preference one way or the other.
nv advice is 10 all to join some
church. LOOK over the lsl OF
churches and clergymen, and get IN
somewhere. You will be peculiarly
constituted and an Lnaccountable ex-
ception II you cannot find one good
enough for your soul Do not seek
for perfection, for II you succeeded
in finding 1t, 1t would not be so after
you had joined Keep, II you must,
your prejudices against all other IN
stitutions, but love this one. To
some, | commend liturgy; 70
others, informal worship. Some VIII
prefer a holy stiffness; others oois-
ferrous vociferation. There are ma
lures which abhor racket, and there
are others to whom a thunderstorm
is a lullaby. Some prefer TO De
sprinkled; others would be satisfied
with nothing but submersion In the
hood. Written sermons SUIT one
class; extemporaneous speech is the
only preaching for another class