Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 160, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 July 1914 — CHURCH OF CHRIST A LIVING TEMPLE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CHURCH OF CHRIST A LIVING TEMPLE

Solomon’s Temple a Typo of the Temple of God.

The Quarry Underneath the Site. Every Stone Fitted to Ita Place—Put Together Without -Sound of Hammer or Chisel—Foundation of the Temple. Dedication Glorification Future Use of the Temple —The Royal Priesthood—The Great High Priest.

Clinton, la., July s.—The PhotoDrama of Creation depicts Solomon’s Temple in various stages of preparation, showing the quarries under Jerusalem, the forests of Lebanon, etc. This edifice is the basis of several New Testament descriptions of the Church.

The Temple, both type and antitype, was Pastor Russell’s theme today. His text was, “The Temple of God is holy, which Temple ye are.”—l Cor. 3:17. The Pastor began with the declaration that both St Peter and St Paul teach* that the Church of Christ is God’s Temple. He gave Scriptural proofs that only through this great Temple can mankind return to harmony with God; for the Almighty has declared that He’will have no fellowship with sinners. St Paul was quoted as saying of this antitypical Tempter “Other foundation can no man lay than Is laid, which is Jesus Christ” St Peter also was quoted as declaring to the Church, “Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual bouse, a holy Priesthood.” Solomon’s Temple, the speaker maintained. was a type of this Temple of God. He then briefly described this Temple, and called attention to two striking peculiarities connected with its construction; first, that the stones were - taken from underneath Its site; and second, that neither hammer nor any tool of iron was heard in the house during its erection. These two features he holds are typical.

The Living Stone* of the Greater ■ T*mple. —— Next the antitype of Solomon’s Temple was discussed—the Church of Christ. The living stones of this antitypical structure are taken from the world, but are chiseled and polished in that antitypical quarry. After they have been prepared, they are removed from the quarry. For more than 1,800 years this work has been in progress. The process of cutting, chiseling and polishing these living stones was explained. Each has been separated in spirit from the world. While It was difficult to block out character and to become separated from one’s surroundings, it was still more difficult to endure the necessary chiselings—experience after experience, trial after trial—to prepare each stone for a place in the glorious Temple yet to be constructed. Meantime the polishing process continues. Each living stone polishes others. Here'the Pastor showed that while severe trials and tests may come from the world, yet the finest polish results' from contact with the brethren. Whoever learns to love the brethren, and to endure all their weaknesses and imperfections in the right spirit, will receive a high degree of polish, otherwise termed fruitage. “The fruits of the Spirit are manifest, which are these: meekness, gentleness, patience, longsuffering, brotherly-kindness, love.’’ Construction of Antitypical Temple. The construction of the antitypical Temple was then shown. Eighteen hundred years ago the Foundation Stone was laid—ln Heaven—the Top Stone, into whom all other stones m6st be fitted, as St. Paul declares. Throughout this Gospel Age the great Master Workman has been supervising the preparation of the living stones under strict rules as to size, shape, etc. Not until the full number is ready will the construction of that glorious Temple begin. That work will be accomplished in the First Resurrection.

The Pastor holds that we are living in the end of this Age. and that therefore the work of construction has probably begun. This does not imply, he declared, that the final polish has been given to all stones. Those, long since prepared could be placed while the last are being finished. The Scriptures so intimate which say that “the dead in Christ shall rise first”—beforehand—and that “we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord.”