Year: 1872

: S0LOM0NS S TEMPLE 4 TYPE OF TEC CECRCH
. The following is brief extract OF the
sermon delivered yesterday at the EIcv.
enth street Presbyterian Church, by
Rev. J. 5. HAYS, pastor:


Text Kings, 6 chap, 7 verse.
"And the house when it was in building
was built of stone made ready before
it was brought thither, so that there
! was neither hammer, ror ak, nor any
tool of iron heard in the house while it
was building.'


the Temple of Solomon vas without a
superior in its day, both in the material
: Of which it was composed and the beau
ty OF its architect When We remem-
Der its extent and the exquisite nicely
with which its corresponding parts were
put together, this text puts US in pos.
session of 4 fact concerning its erection
that can be accounted for upon no prin.
ciple Of human skill and prudence The
stone work was composed of the purest
marble, many of the pieces of which
were not less than eighty feet in length,
ten high, and twelve wide. These mas
sive pieces of marble, Josephus tells us,
we're fitted together with such exactness
and beauty that to the eye of the behold
er they appeared as if they had naturally
united themselves together. The sane
tuary within the walls of the temple was
still more costly in it's materials and ey.
quisitely beautiful in its structure. The
floors were overlaid with the purest gold.
The doors and the walls were carved all
over with the images Of cheruoim, olive
trees and blooming flowers, and overlaid
inside and outside with the purest gold.
There it stood on Mount Moriah, glitter.
ing in the sunbeans like q stupendous
mass Of solid gold. And yet we are here
told that the erection Of this vast and
lovely ediGce: not the sonnd Of an Ak or
hammer was heard.


How one hundred and fifty thousand
~orkmen, scattered all owe: the noun
tains of Lebanon and ell through the
quarries Of Judea, could work together
for seycn years with such remarkable
exactness can only be explained upon
the supposition that the God foE whom
the temple was being built was the real
architect Of the structure and foreman of
the work, and as such bestowing upon
his laborers such remarkable skill. This
being so, the question arises, why did
this great architect and foreman pursue
such singular method in the perform
ance Of the work. The answer to this
question is apparent when We remember
this temple was designed, among other
things, to be a lively type Of that spirit
uai temple God is erecting for himself in
heaven, the cornerstone of which is
Christ, the foundation Of which are the
prophets and apostles, and the material
Of which is His church. This being the
case, this singular method was doubtless
pursued for the purpose of Illustrating
to Us the process by which the people Of
God are prepared for heaven and the
happy circumstances under which they
are confirmed in glory.


Notice then the comforting and edify-
ing truths 1t illustrates:


First-1low forcibly do we have the
truth illustrated that after we are re.
newed oy the spirit of God, and by that
spirit are made the sons and daughters
Of God, there is a thorough, protracted
and elaborate process Of puri6cation and
adornment through which We must pass
in this world before we are qualified for
the position we are destined to occupy
in Heaven.


Second--So far as the attractions, ez-
cellencies and beauties of the natural
man is concerned, this preparatory work
is pre-. eminently work of Obstruction ;
only, however, to bring out upon US far
more enduring beauties than it is posi-
bic for US to possess, and to qualify US
for far more exalted position than it is
possible to occnpy in our natural state.
AS it respected the beauty of the natural
forest, the work Of Solomon's workmen
was solely work Of obstruction, but
only for the purpose Of bringing out upon
the material more enduring beauties and
preparing it for more glorious place.
SO it is with all the Obstructive dispensa-
tions Of Gods providence with which the
good in this world are piled.


Still third truth is beautifully Illus
trated in the erection Of the temple
The severe trials and purifying diSpensa.
tons Of Gods providence through which
his people pass, are not always to last.
Not an AK or hammer was heard in all
the mount while the temple was being
built, beautifully typifying the sweet re-
lease Of the people Of God from suffering
and sorrow whcn called at last to go up
higher.