Middletown transcript., 1912-07-20
THE TRANSFORMED CLAY
BY REV. EDWIN WHITTIER CAswELL.

1uuldu anu OLueT pagan people, IL IOunu
written on their pottery utensils. There
are the cylindrical jars, grist mills, cook
ing ranges, granary urns, roofing tiles and
a great variety of other useful and orna-
mental pieces of pottery and porcelain.
Among the many references to the pot.
ter's toll found in the Bible, are "There
we're the potters til at dwelt with the king
for his work" 1--WE are the clay and Thou
onr potter. Hath not the potter power
over the clay" "Then l went down to
potter's house and behold he wrought q
work on wheels, and the vessel that he
made of clay was marred in the hands of
the potter; so he made it again, another
vessel, as seemed good to the potter to
make it," Tie prophet jeremiah in this
object lesson was ia, ght that Israel was
in tie hands OF God, as clay in the mould
ing hands Of the potter; that, if they
yielded to His will, He would make them
vessels Of honor, meet for the Masters
use, and if they become marred or broken
in the making by their resistance or
doubt, he would not take new lump of
clay discsrdIng the broken pieces, but he
would gather up the fragments, put them
on the wheel again. and mould them over
into another vessel.
What a picture of the patience, the
mercy and the loving-kindness of the
Divine Potter is here revealed. ''He
made it again" For Him who is willing
to be restored to the folmer image and
likeness of God
We are hot like the clay, passive in the
hands OF the potter, but have the power
to mar or break the masterpiece OF the
great Artist, and we have the power Of
self-surrender for restoration to our former
glory.
When the Creator saw his own image
first moulded into manhood, he exclaim-
ed, 1T is very good.'' He did his best.
He looked upon the climax OF his creative
genius ohly to see man broken by temp
tation and sin, lying in ruins. Then God
called upon bis only Son to redeem and
refashion US like himself.
In the process of transformation we
notice that We are held in the hollow OF
His hand. No other can mould US, no
tool of human mechanism can shape US.
Only the Divine touch can give the
fashionable beauty. There are those who
seek to mould themselves, depending
upon education, culture, and refinement,
but their Efforts are fruitless without Al
mighty Skill. The Divine Artist has an
ideal for each individual piece of pottery,
Just as no two vessels are like in form,
color, figure or ornamentation in the pot
ter's woTkhouse, SO the great God gives a
distinctive individuality to every soul.
Que great element of beauty is in variety.
The potter realizes that OrnamentatiOn Is
a slower process than mOuldIng; SO it is
with character. God puts in rhe colOrs Of
love, Joy, peace, gentleuess, kindness and
charity, and when the artists work is
complete, lie places as in the fires Of un-
sptakable burning, that His work may
abide forever The soul is purified and
beautifed by this baptism of flame, and
comes forth from the furnace of aft Lotion
dried, fixed, perfected, to shine in the
temple of God forever. The seven coors
of the Divine light have been burned in
to the fabric of human life, producing a
being fitted for the joy Of saints, of angels
and of Almighty God throughout an
eternity of existence.
While the writer was easing his sum-
mer vacation in Miodletown, Delaware,
he called one evening at the home of
friend who has become quite skilled in
decorating variety of beautiful porcelain
specimens. He was charmed with the
exquisite designs of various flowers, forms
and figures. But the artistic workman
ship would have been useless if it had
passed through the fire. But now these
roses, buttercups, apple blossoms and
lilies can never be rubbed out by the raw
ages of time.
How many, as they compain of the fir
ing process Of sttiIction, fail to realize that
the Artist, after shaping human soul for
eternity, and adOrning it with the beauty
of truth and holiness, is making the colors
indelible by momentaro burnings.
Not until we reach the Kings palace
and behold the niche in His temple which
we His finished workmanship shall oc-
cupy, and begin to realize the perfection
of His art, will we appreciate the vast
difference between the shapeless clay and
the symmetery and glory of a soul in the
Creators image NotstiIl then will we
know how the whirring wheels and the
flaming fires become factors in our coin
plete transformation.
In beautisul poem by Henry Weston
Frost illustrates our thought.
SAT last the stir of the wheel was still
And the work of the potter was done.
Then the vessel was placed on the outer
sill.
In the light of the summer sun;
And there the dull clay OF the cellar cold,
Stood beautiful vase, all bathed with
gold.
The King called the potter and asked his
price:
He paid what was asked, and cen more
Then he hid his treasure of rich device
In his boom aud thus he bore
The vase to the palace-his coveted prize,
The joy of his heart and delight of his
eyes.
And now, if you seek for the cold, dull
clay,
You must pass the old cellar by,
And go up the hill, by the kings high
way,
Meath the light of the sunit sky,
Till you reach the palace, the kings fair
home;
Yea. there you will fnd it, besids the
throne"
am still soliciting trade for the best
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