Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1912-03-28

OF the temple.
and who i've the
sacred vessels OF
the temple as tribute to foreign kings
whom he hoped to appease. Chapter %
tells Of Hezikiah. the good king. who
required the priests to sanetify them
selves and cleanse the temple. who
brought back the sacred vessels. and
who restored the customary routine
u sacrifice and service within the
temple, Chapter 30 describes the re-
vival which took place throughout the
entire land following the cleansing OF
the temple and the restoration OF the
sacrifice. The background is dark
enough polluted temple. the serv-
ice neglected. God forsakeu by the
people. the vessels Of holiness given
AVA for unholy purposes. and the
son OF the Lord having ceased In the
courts Of the temple.
Music WAS a prominent part In the
temple service. and n is a prominent
part Of Christian life. No q has so
much right to sing as the man or
woman who has been redeemed by
the precious blood Of Jesus Christ;
no one can know such JOY as the one
who has the sense Of forgiveness. Tn
belief has no songs. but the Christian
life is filed with singing Several
years ago when a famous unbeliever
died and the arrangements were be
ing made for the funeral service, It
was announced in the papers that
there would be no singing. How
could there be- What could they
sing at the service OF a man who had
not only % believed IN God. but
who had used his influence and elo-
auence to ridicule things which were
sacred and reverend?
There are two or three very plain
and practical lessons which emerge
from the reading OF the chapters con
nected with the text
l. God cannot use an uuclean thing
So the vital question is. rs my heart
right with God" God does not ask
for golden vessels. God does not ask
FOR silver vessels. but God does ask
for clean vessels. Therefore. those
az us who have named the name Of
Christ may well take the place Of the
Psalmist and say. Search me. o God.
and know my heart. try me. and
know my thoughts. and see II there
he any wicked in me. and lead
me in the way everlasting
> God cannot give power TO an IN
yielded life. The temple In Jerusa
lem. magnificent and costly though il
was. did not have the visible mani
festaiion of Gods presence until It
vas entirely dedicated 10 him. There
Is a peculiar sense in which II Is true.
He hath filled the hungry with good
things. and the rich he hath sent
empty away.
; Power il TO be claimed only
upon the conditions o. a clean hear,
and a yielded life.
Perhaps you have been a Christian
many years. and vet for a long time
there has been no song in your soul.
prayer has been a burden. the word
Of God has had no meaning 10 you.
and service has been irksome. Why d,
II may be
l. Neglected prayer. God means
PRAYER To be the ate power IN the
spiritual world. and although Chris
tians know how 20 do scores OF other
things. Z although churches use
numerous agencies for making the
work successful. ye, We have lost the
secret Of The church and the ssere,
Of victory In our Christian lives-xe
do rot kno~ how to pray.
=. Neglect OF Gods word MANY a
man ean ind the first step in his
career away from God in his exl@c
Of the word OF God which Is meant
o only for his food. bat for his
guidance. So many Of Us object 10
the Bible. or neglect Il because Us
teachings go contrary 20 some habit
which We cherish. or some sin which
Ne commit
j. Lack Of forgiveness o. apology.
II Se are too stubborn to forgive PEG
PIE Who have injured Hs. or too proud
70 ask forgiveness OF those whom We
have injured. God pity US. for there
can be no song in the soul Until az
are right with God and right WITH our
fellowmen.
4 Unconfessed and G~nforsakea sin.
This may seem small to the sinner,
o1t-&in which Is rot confessed and
fo-saksn, closes the eyes against the
beauties OF heaven. shuts the ears
against the songs Of heaven. and bars
The way 10 the soul that would enter
In More than that. sin drives JOY
out OF the Christian life
5 Lack Of complete surrender. This
IL the real meaning of the text. for
the burnt offering indicated that
everything vas given up to God; and
Il Is only as We make a complete
abandonment OF ourselves to God. d a
he nlls US with JOY in believing and
happiness In Christian service. May
il not be thar the years OF our Chris
tan life have been ~nnfruitful and low
less. and void OF music. because We
have kept back part OF the price
which We should have paid to God?
Do We not know that there has been
a lack OF complete surrender. and
glna-N,e. A~--