Evening star., 1940-06-15

After a portion of the Jews in
exile in Babylon had been permitted
to return to their homeland by
Cyrus, the problem of rebuilding
the temple engaged them. The
foundation was promptly laid. Then
the exiles were confronted with the
immediate task of wrestling living
from the desolate land.
For IS years their vision Of q new
temple was dinmed or obscured.
They fell into the common delusion
that personal prosperity takes prece-
dence of all other considerations.
The better established they became,
the more important their own well
fare seemed. Some built "ceiled
houses" elaborate homes, while they
deemed that they had neither money
nor labor to spare for the nations
great objective, the temple. They
sought to live by bread alone, like
millions of us today, needless of the
spiritual claims of ideals and re-
llgion upon them.
1ne frophet Appears.
Then up rose prophet. Haggai
to call the people to put first things
hrst. We know nothing about
Haggal. though it is presumed that
ne was born in Babylon and held
vivid memories of life amidst
heathendom. He was not much of
prophet. He could not speak or
write fell. His prophecy lacks the
broader outlook, the concern for
moral and spiritual things. He was
a man OF one idea; to it his entire
little book is devoted. That idea
was the importance of building the
Temple.
Men of one idea, determined to
40 something about it, usually get
farther than those of more inclusive
philosophy, who are content merely
10 think about things. Haggai made
somewhat of a nuisance of himself.
as, IN season and out, he prodded
the people with the importance of
setting up the great central shrine
OF their national existence. Doubt
less the prosperous men who dWelt
In "ceiled houses" criticized him as
not being "practical''-as if there
were in all the universe anything
more practical than the ideals bv
which human souls really live.
Good Times" and Sinful Men.
Those old Hebrew prophets saw
clearly and said boldly that there
was direct relationship between
mems behavior and natural condi-
tlons. Hosea affirmed that drought
ana poor harvests and famine were
Que to the peoples neglect of God.
were he living today he would pro-
claim without hesitation that it was
mans SHINING, and disregard of the
Almlghtys clear commands, that
have put our world into its present
1rlghtful condition. How may we
expect to have peace and prosperity
II we f1out the Living God? What
ever else Is true of our times. it is
certainly true that mankind is being
punished for its shameful SHINING
Only from religion flow the forces
that restrain a people from sin and
deterioration. Nothing man can buy
Is a satisfactory substitute for the
major loyalties of the spirit. Even
the workingman's wages, in Haggai's
picturesque phrase, are put into a
bag with holes"
In Difficult Days.
This Is not the time" said the
procrastlnating people to the prophet
when urged to rebuild the temple
Like Felix's more convenient sea-
son, the easy time for hard task
never arrives. Most of the worlds
failures have been putters-off. Hard
business experience lies behind the
motto which hangs on many an
office wall: DO it now"
These are difficult days, as were
those Of Haggai. The huge task of
reVltalizing religion for our day. and
OF pouring real effort into the chan
nels OF Christian service, calls for
immediate action. 1t may soon be
TOO late to save some cherished OBJ
Jectlve. What about getting into
church attendance, and into Sunday
school membership those fifteen
million young persons who are TODAY
headed the other way? Is there
not enough of the Haggai spirit
abroad in the service clubs and
Women's clubs to arouse communi-
ties to the paramount importance of
the church? Why not make the
automobile servant of the church
instead OF an enemy? We are get
tlng down to the root of most of our
problems when we buttress religions
place in life.
Rural churches are being aban-
doned with alarming frequency. But
new churches are also going I'm all
over the land. These may not be
as ornate as the ancient cathedrals,
out they should be as beautiful and
Worshlpful as possible. During the
puoilshers' recent convention in New
York, I slipped into St. Patrick's
Cathedral for a few minutes of
meoltaticn and worship, and the
beautiful nave. with its graceful
hlgh-vaulted pillars seemed an in
Vltatlon to prayer. The architec-
ture and symbolism of every house
OF God should be the best possible
A church is more than an audi.
forum or movie house; it is a
place OF worship for congregation
OF Gods friends.
Ihe Sunday School Lesson for
June 16 Is "Happai ITrra. 4L.