and all hope of their ever becoming a part of this glorious temple, will vanish as a dream when one awaketh. 2. As the Spirit of the Lord is the builder of this temple, his materials will all be perfectly prepared. However unsightly, or dark, or distant, and totally unfit to form a part of such an edifice, he who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, will shine down, not only upon them, and around them, but into them, and will so give them the light of the knowledge of his glory, that they shall not only see light, but themselves become light in the Lord. However defective, or even opposite, they were before, to all that is requisite for such a building, on such a foundation, and for such a purpose, he who made them will so have mercy upon them, and he who formed them show them such favor, as to transform them into his own image, and cause them to shine in the beauty of holiness. And having begun this good work in them, he will carry it onward, till he shall present them spotless and faultless before the throne of his glory, with exceeding and everlasting joy. And though of every age and nation, he will have made them, in his providence and by his grace, so perfectly like the foundation, and like the rest of the temple, and so perfectly fitted each one for his place, that when brought to the spot where the temple is to stand, no sound of any instrument will be heard in building. But all the materials, from all parts of the earth, will come together, as by their own attraction, and their union will be perfect and eternal. 3. As the Spirit of the Lord is the builder of this temple, any individual to whom he is made known, and who is in a state of probation, may himself become a part of it. Wherever he may live, and under whatever circumstances he may be placed; however long he may have been in rebellion against God, and however deeply he may have sunk in degradation and guilt; he may nevertheless be transformed into the Divine image and live. Though his sins were as scarlet, they may become white as snow; though they were red like crimson, they may become as wool. From all his filthiness and his idols, God may cleanse him; a new heart he may give him, and a new spirit put within him; may take away the heart of stone and give him an heart of flesh. He has done this for thousands. He is now doing it for thousands more. And he will do it for ten thousand times ten thousand, multitudes which no man can number. The time cometh and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf be unstopped; the lame man shall leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing. And they shall return and come home to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the city and temple of God-the house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 4. As the Spirit of the Lord is the builder of this temple, we see what each one must do, in order to be prepared for it. He must become acquainted with the Holy Spirit, and must look to him for what he needs. He must attend to his communications, must understand, believe, and obey them. They will thus be spirit and life to his soul. He will be begotten again, not by corruptible seed, but by incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. To this word, each soul must himself give heed, as to a light shining in a dark place, till the day dawn, and the day-star arise in his heart. He must treat this word, in his feelings and conduct, not as the word of man, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which is able to save the soul. he must be, not a hearer only, but a doer of the word; and he will then find it to be perfect, converting the soul; and sure, making wise the simple; right, rejoicing the heart; pure, enlightening the eyes; clean, enduring forever; true and righteous altogether; more to be desired than gold, even much fine gold; and in obeying it, he will experience a great reward. And Nor does the fact that men are dependent on God, and that he is almighty, lessen the necessity or the benefit of thus hearkening to his voice, believing his declarations, or obeying his commands. For as I have said before, so say I now again, his almighty power operates in his way. And if men would experience the benefit of that power, operating in their behalf, they must take his way. Yet those who neglect to do this, sometimes say, "The way of the Lord is not equal." How do they know? Have they tried it? Let them first take that way and see if it is not equal, before they complain that God is a hard master, reaping where he has not sown, and gathering where he has not strewed. Though they have but a single talent, let them give him that, and see if more shall not be given, till they shall have abundance. Let them devote to him the few things which he has already given them, and see if he will not make them rulers over many things, and cause them, through grace, to enter into the joy of their Lord... Dependent on God, they indeed are; but that, instead of being a reason why they should not immediately hearken to his voice, believe his declarations, and obey his commands, is the very reason why they should. And in doing it, they will find that his commands are not grievous; that his ways are ways of pleasantness, and his paths are paths of peace; and that in walking in them, they are changed into his image, and prepared for his holy temple. 5. As the Spirit of the Lord is the builder of this temple, and he operates by the truth, we see the reason why a knowledge of the Spirit and of his truth should be communicated, in the least possible time, to all people. All people need this knowledge. They are in imminent danger of perishing eternally without it. It is suited to their condition; and adapted to meet their wants. "This remedy did wisdom find, To heal diseases of the mind; A sovereign balm, whose virtues can Nothing else will do it. We have this remedy. Freely we have received, and freely we are bound to give. God commands, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; and he that believeth not shall be damned. But how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear, without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? And by whom shall they be sent, if not by us who know that there is a Holy Ghost, and who know the truth which he has revealed, and through the belief and practice of which, he sanctifies and saves the souls of men; and who are commanded by him, in the least possible time, to make known his truth to all people? The grand business of every one should be to embrace the gospel himself, and thus, in his own experience, find it to be the power of God to salvation; and to exert his influence to have this done by every man, woman, and child in Christendom, and throughout the world. He is bound by high and sacred obligations, not only to embrace the gospel himself, but to exert his influence to cause it, in the least possible time, to be proclaimed to every creature. And from the discharge of this duty no man can be excused. Let him be a merchant, a manufacturer, a mechanic, or a farmer; a professional man; a man of leisure, or a man of business; whoever, wherever, whatever he may be, he is bound by obligations which he can never throw off, to go himself, or assist others to go and preach the gospel to all people, and to use his influence to induce all people to embrace it. To this, he is bound |