Show WHAT OF THE CHURCHES moo meo orders communities nations ages exhibit in their creations their conceptions of beauty grandeur solidity fitness and glory from the be days of egypt babylon rome borne anil and greece architecture has represented the national thought the pyramids pyramid a and banging gardens gar dene the coliseum and the parthenon portrayed culture brute force ostentation and an over desire for fame ani and immortality ity those giant ruins are today the objects object of amazement and immensity might have still stood in their had bad it nut not been for the destructive forces of untiring war so 80 massive so BO solid olid so eo calculated were they to resist the abe action or of the elements and to withstand tha flight of time in many instances these wondrous monuments were the work of one man who was abe embodiment of power of 01 influence and of national ambition and an alexander could boast that be found rome of brick but he left it of marble J or am a in our time napoleon the third claimed to have lifted paris from me status ol at an insignificant city to that of the capital ot of the world and in our oar own united states the officinal dreary slopes of the potomac became under boss BOBB shepherd the basis of that city of magnificent distanced 9 chiot makes our splendid capital capita the admiration of all who visit it such leaders leaden have had that spirit even when it seemed in advance of aba be times which underlies the individualism of a nation and finds its best expression in a representative man these manifestations tat ione ions too loo arrest attention thy they compel reproduction either by imitation or originality as am the needs needed d element finds its inspiration the capitols oft of abe be various states vie via with that of the abe nation and with each other public buildings have an influence on private ones once individuals compete so far as an means will permit and while many abortions are perpetrated on the whole the be spirit of culture produces fitness beauty harmony or grandeur taste beco becomes thus purl puri lied fled and an education is commenced which uninterrupted will eventually permeate all grades of society in national life however it was beyond our intent to dilate upon this line of ancient or modern expenditure the ecclesiastical or religious side presented itself and mens works to la rotation relation thereto looking upon religion as more far reaching and inspiring than national greatness or the ostentation of personal pride thought reverted to the she love and sacrifice which has been so otten exhibited in that cause which has its votaries vot aries in every land whether civilized or vice versa in the druid loal ora era or earlier when men were emerging from barbarism and the abe sentiment of religion was even more crude than earnest they did their utmost for the temples of their worship among our forefathers huge stones ano ami pillars pillared dragged ragged oer many a weary mile with infinite toll toil showed that bat though they had bad not reached the thought of splendor alendor pl endor they at least determined to furnish their sacred places wi with lb a gras grandeur idour and massiveness which was at once an aspiration and a prophecy from theme rude symbols 0 t the awe inspiring glory of temples iu india and persia of antiquity there is an immense domain of history which marks marki the development of religious thought and life that much of this would easily be referred to the example of selected elected israel seems very clear for the temple of solomon outshone to in idea and adornment any of its predecessors predecessor and as his bis reign and glory were familiar to all the world doubtless doubt leaa the tbt sumptuous ceremonial and accessories of that tamed famed structure built by divine cevela tion had bad an abiding influence wherever religious reli Kious rite needed an edifice for or worship wora bip be the form thereof what ever history may recite the patriotism and devotion of israel to the city of the great king owed much of ita t rise and persistence to the unmistakable power which attended the dedication of that building upon which was lavished not only the accumulated treasures of david but the tribute paid to solomon in the greatness of his bin reign probably even this was overshadowed by subsequent cues which arose upon its ruins that of herod eclipsing in its t beauty and magnitude it if not in its w wealth alib the great original yet no AO lory no cedar woods no delicate sculpture no gems could change that don den of thieves into an accepted house bouse of prayer 11 it also appears from our standpoint as it if the inspiration of christianity bad eventually to dwarf into oance the most moat famous ot of religions gions minet fanes for while ephesus boasted of her great temple of diana and irk in athens grand altars were erected to the unknown god 11 these with countless others were being undermined by the faith of simple worshipers of the nazrene nazarene who hiding in the cats cata combs combo of the lomp imperial erial city were yet the coming power in later ages upon the very citadel of superstition and sensuous Ido idolatry laty there arose like an exhalation Js from the papacy in that grand center of her influence that wonderful temple of st peters to in rime egme to t which devotees in all lands land turo turn as doth the to mecca or wander wandering n 9 israel to jerusalem the sacred city ack aak the tourist who from this land 0 of j resources woods his bis way on a pili pilgrimage grimage to the mother country what is in there that rivets the attention beneath her bar somber skies or her landscapes 11 dressed in living green areen all more than soy any other thing his he will answer itle it the ruins of her bar religious house bouses her bar abbeys her priories ories the crumbling walls ot of I 1 institutions founded by religious zeal and sacrifices yet ground almost to powder by a fanaticism more ruthless and barbarous than those sanctified reminders dere of antiquity had bad ever thought to be ask again how to is it that the grand old cathedrals yet remain to which all these organizations izat ions wasted away were yet but tributary and the answer might be in this bis wise wige that it would seem as it if providence had laid its finger of protection upon these theme conse consecrated orated places from whence unknown yearnings and uncounted prayers had ascended to the majesty on bain and so york and canterbury and hereford exeter and chester with west minster in some sense out shining all the rest reek yet remain remaking with many others to tell of the abe power of that faith which sweeping down from bethlehem and calvary through the ages of persecution yet proved that rare strength of sentiment which blossome I 1 in lifted the sturdy tower lower and the abe suggestive spire which fashioned their solemn aisles their lofty roots roofs and stately pillars and which gave the graces of ornament and carven work 0 sculpture and stained glass that the place of the lord lords Is feet might be made glorious within and without although st paul had proclaimed that the shadow of the most high dwell eth not in demoles made with bands as though he needed anything 11 1 our forefathers forefather yet understood themselves whether god was lully knowl of them or not and when they thus lavished anything un on the house of worship they were not deceived for had they not the exam example ile of one who sculptured the great mountains and studded the abe heavens with stars and made the curtain of sunset he who penciled with crimson and so scarlet arlet the petals ol of the wayside weeds weed and gave such exquisite lustre to every tiny shell on the sea shore abort he could gain nothing it was waa true from the magnificence of thair human hearts beans yet he respected their offerings whether they were great or little P but all this beauty was testimony to faith it recognized the supreme it offered him the beats beet juki as the catholics catholic with their new york cathedral commenced by archbishop hughes who declined lose less than a thousand dollars and just as the lat ter day saints have bays done in the temples which they have erected and dedicated to the most high much way may have been left undone in our churches in our houses of prayer but it to is believed that by and by we shall hull begin to ornament these to give them grandeur of architecture to emblazon embla zoa their interior to glorify them with sculpture and stained alam to surround them with trees and flowers to make them comfortable and then harmonious with the spirit of a progressive a living faith so that when a man enters therein he be will uncover his bis head bead and put his bis shoes from off his bis feet as if his ha touched but holy ground around then will come silence order cleanliness peace so that god may be worshiped there in inspirit spirit nay in the very beauty of holine ae we are being edu educated ested now we have got somewhat beyond the sever ity of the quaker regime bare walls have lost their attraction music exercises it its potent spell but our architecture and appointments are yet meagre and bare we rush in and rush out not recognizing the power of dedication or ahlis presence mence of the divine spirit our meeting houses bouses are made too common commod our tons tone when there la Is too flippant there to is not dignity enough or quietude enough or enough of the sense ot of worship his tory knows of the rebound of our time from the superstition and formality of sectarianism but the equilibrium is sure to come and the joy of the psalm palm lt 14 who expressed delight on being invited to the sacred places of his bis day will be the inspiration of every latter day saint even the he highest as the humblest hum bleat will then my bay iq 1 I had rather bs be a doorkeeper in the house bouee of the lord than dwell in we the tents of the wicked |