The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-07-18

one builded busily on his own dwelling.
The temple was the n building that
represented to them and to the e
pies about them, even to their bitter
est enemies, God, The living God. He
was their God. He had protected them
and brought them back home. But
His house they subordinated to their
own-"they ran e cry man to his own
house"
Substitutes.
Did they build? Yes, but they built
substitutes. They did not put first
things first. The temple stood in
ruins; yet with meticulous care they
fashioned even the ceilings of their
own houses. With us today, II may
be that we crowd Christ out by sub
~stituting the better for the best. Like
those ancient people, we could readily
present the plea that we do not build
brothels or saloons; We build houses.
a task made attractive by domestic
fondness and interest. The enterprise
is humanitarian, surely? But the claim,
God first" ann be hidden behind
this. We cannot deny that we are re-
jecting it. When we so build houses
that we must refuse to recognize God.
the effort becomes idolatrous. And
fine taste and skill in the design of an
idol cannot possibly make it less a
thing of idolatry.
SeIf-Protection.
Self-protection was pleaded by this
disobedient people to justify their con-
duct. A man among them was deter
mined to build his own house even If
there were no temple. 1t is on the
basis of s~elf-protection that men argue
today for objectionable customs and
pleasures in the home that crowd out
family prayers and such customs as
show reverence for Gods name and
regard for His protection. Must not
this way of living be allowed in the in
terest of the opinions of business as
sociates or of societ- friends? Really.
God through Haggai is proceeding
against the goddess home. And that
spells Gods protection for those who
will heed duty, and not advance the
excuse of self-protection.
Fashion.
From the statement "Every man ran
TO his w house." it would appear
hat 1t was "all the style" to do so.
When the devil n get a man to
count God out by direct personal de-
cision, he may succeed by indirect ap-
peal to him through his social nature.
Though the man would refuse to alone
do it, he may "gO with the multitude
TO do evil" Men cannot afford to for
get, however, that the fashion of this
world passeth away" What right have
you or I to adopt the style until it
has first been examined as TO whether
it pleases God?
How eager they werel They must
push the house-building project. No
tice, I'VE run! There was zeal! In
dustry! Thrift Prosperity? No. we
cannot say it. They substituted the
zeal of my house" for "the zeal of thy
house." How hard people will work
for such poor wages As they them
selves say. 'They will work them
selves to-death." Is it moi all in a
good cause?" they ask. Halt soul. and
answer, "Whose cause?" Never, never
can w do enough to save US. What
Jesus Christ did on the cross must be
accepted and then the really good
cause begins. Then we can speed the
industry of home building. When we
have started with the temple we can
proceed with the house.
Conservation.
Better live in a tent of coarse weav-
ing where God is r~everenced. than live
in a house as artistic as it is costly
where Gods claim is neglected. If
you really have God but live in a hut
you can say; Yet possessing all
things" You may live in a prison
dungeon, and 10. you yourself may be-
come a temple of the Holy Spirit.
There is a house (which is from
heaven"