The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1908-11-12


After the clouds and glory had with
Drawn from Sinai, the humblest Is
raelite could point to the tabernacle
and say: The glory of God still fol-
lows us all through our wilderness
xanderings in that tabernacle yonder,
and without me 1t would never have
been complete" Your life, where II
is, is needed for the rearing of some
thing greater and better than the
tabernacle In the world of to-day, and
without It the kingdom of God will
never come in its fulluess. Before
this all other needs of our time sink
into insignifcance; for the truest
tabernacle for the showing forth of
God to the world is not pattern
hidden In the majesty of unapproach-
able heights, nor is It temple or
cathedral, helpful as these may be,
but a life simple outwardly, though
with luxuriant and divine furnishings
within; a life spent on the levels
where our fellow men live theirs,
illled not with such consecrated fur
nishings as adorned the tabernacle
Moses fashioned, but with the graces
and kindly deeds men need to see and
as divinely appointed 10 us as Il was
to Moses 1t is the greater building,
In which all our common tasks and
lumblest efforts may have an hCuored
place as truly as did the altar and
laver in the ancient tabernacle,
But for this successful building OF
/ our lives into Gods purpose we, TOO,
must seek our pattern in the mount.
God Himself builds according to
plan. Even a casual glance at His
wonderful world this morning will
disclose that. Purpose and plan are
I everywhere Not one grain of sand
Is law unto itself. Not one Tower
blooms, or withers, uubidden. Not
! one leaf drops before its time. Not
bird note is unrelated; its music is
born from present conditions and
| wakes its own echo. All things fall
into their place and carry out the Gi-
vine purpose.
This Is the method of the divine
building, whether in nature or in hu-
man lives. And It may be so In your
life and mine We may know Gods
purpose for us and follow it as truly
as the grain of sand. the flower, the
/ bird of the air. If any man willeth
| to do His will, said the Master, "he
/ shall know" God does not withhold
| His plan from any man. The mount
! is ever ready for the revealing OF the
/ pattern, but men must take the time
! to learn, TO withdraw to its retreat.
/ The pattern came not TO Moses till he
/ had twice spent forty days and forty
/ nights in the mount alone with God.
I After many years tuition in the
wilderness came John the Bartist,
herald of Christ. The wilderness was
! his mount of vision. Handel had a
/ spiritual ear, and gave the world the
oratorio of the Messiah, and when we
hear it we must not forget the long
period of preparation. Michael An
gelo had the spiritual eye and hand
and painted the frescoes of the Paul
/ inc Chapel with the representations
! of the martyrdom of st. Peter and
| the conversion of ST. Paul, and carved
/ the statues OF David" and "Moses. ="
! If Paul spent three years in Arabia
/ to mediate upon the vision he had
had Of the Christ, who had met him
. on his way to Damascus; If Christ
I Himself retired to solitary places for
| quiet and prayer, you and need time
| for such a disclosure of Gods will for
! us as He Is waiting to give. Before
/ we can rightly rear the tabernacle
| of our lives in the plain of daily SER
| vice we must seek the pattern in the
mount, not Sinai, but the heaven
reaching life of Christ The divine
! pattern has come near men in Jesus
| Christ. We have not to seek 1t amid
| the perils, darkness and difficulties
of Sinai; it is here with us, built in
all its divine perfection on the levels
! of our daily needs; supplying us with
! all desirable Inspirations, helps and
( satisfying fellowship, opening the
! very vail by which we enter into the
most holy place itself. II is not a
mount distant and removed. but a
| presence near at hand, familiar with
our needs, to which we may with
] draw in moments of discouragement
or temptation, full of divine comfort
and solace for the hours of sorrow,
| full of divine strength and vitality in
our days of weakness when all other
help seems far away, full of gracious
warning when we are careless and
| wayward. We need ever to be with
drawing into this mount, Jesus
Christ, il we are TO realize the pattern
In the plain of our earthly living. Be-
cause it is so accessible, so complete
In its ministry. See, therefore, that
thou make all things according to the
pattern that was showed thee in the
mount"