Article November 10, 1923 Issue

The House Eternal

MARY E. BELCHER

Familiar stories and passages in the Old Testament take on a new and deeper meaning as thought becomes clarified through the study of divine metaphysics, as taught in Christian Science; and we are thereby led to see how practical and applicable to our everyday need is the Bible, the hidden treasures of which our Leader has unlocked for us through our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures."

A wonderful lesson is contained in the history of the building of Solomon's temple, which will well repay our study. After years of battle with the enemies that surrounded them, the children of Israel were at peace. They had gained some measure of understanding of the power and presence of God, and were ready to respond to the wisdom of their king when he desired to build the great temple which was to be their outward expression of gratitude to God for His mercy and protection. One can understand how eagerly every one sought to have some part in helping to build that great and wonderful structure, and how gladly material sacrifices were made, so that all might contribute their share towards the enriching and beautifying of it. In I Kings there is a passage which arrests attention; and as we ponder it, the deep spiritual lesson it contains dawns upon our thought: "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 nor ax nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building."

The stones which were to form the foundations and walls of the vast temple were prepared before they were brought thither, so that the noise and confusion which usually attend building operations were eliminated; and when the stones were ready, they had only to be put in the places where they belonged. We can well imagine the loving work each stone represented,—the labor, the exactness, the minute attention to detail, the patience with which every little roughness or blemish was smoothed away; and then the love, and joy, and gratitude with which the finished stone was brought to the building, and fitted into the place which another worker had just as lovingly and carefully prepared for it. Some would have the big, massive foundation stones allotted to them; others, those which needed to be carved and decorated; but by far the greater number would have allotted to them the little, humble stones, which might never be noticed by the casual observer; but each and all were necessary to the harmony and unity of the whole.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

The Lesson of the Plagues