Article May 9, 1914 Issue

"As a little sanctuary"

M. EVELYN LINCOLN

In the eleventh chapter of Ezekiel we learn that the prophet had been sent to tell the children of Israel that their idolatry and the presumption of their princes would destroy them. While he was prophesying, one of the princes, "Pelatiah the son of Benaiah," passed on. Falling on his face, Ezekiel cried with a loud voice, saying, "Ah, Lord God! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?" and the protecting answer was, "Thus saith the Lord God; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come." This prophecy remains true to this day. God has kept His promise. Always divine Love is as a sanctuary to those that understand the all-power of Truth and Love.

A sanctuarium in the olden time was a church, an abbey, or an asylum, where the criminal could take refuge. Here the law of the land could not reach him. In these days also there is a "little sanctuary" which God has prepared for each one of His children, and to which we may escape from the assaults of error. Moses declared that the Father dwells in the sanctuary, and to his disciples the Wayshower made this statement: "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you." These mansions, therefore, or sanctuaries, as we may call them, are in the "secret place of the most High," for God is our refuge and our fortress, and will always hide us from the assaults of material law. This sanctuary is not of vast dimensions to overpower us with its grandeur, but is a little one, and we find our loving Father dwelling there ready to welcome us. He is close to us, and all fear is destroyed where He is. It is our privilege and our right to go to Him with every problem.

When God commanded the Israelites to build Him a sanctuary, He put such wisdom and understanding into their hearts that they wrought all manner of cunning work, and there was such an outpouring of love from those who could not work that they brought more than the workers could use and had to be restrained from giving. They made a freehearted offering of every choice thing they had which would grace the sanctuary. The privilege of bringing the best of one's possessions is shown again in Isaiah, where he says that the "glory of Lebanon" shall come to "beautify the place of my sanctuary." The slopes of Lebanon were covered with a luxuriant growth and the cedar was renowned far and wide; it was a symbol of all that was rich and beautiful.

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