Nothing is more common than reading of the dedication of the Temple
by Solomon as appropriate on dedication occasions. Only a few short
years ago, a young brother of fine talent read of the dedication
of the temple, and appropriated it to the occasion of dedicating a
new meeting-house. But this is a perversion of a very inexcusable
character. It loses sight of the significance of one of the most
important types of the Old Testament. The temple was no type of
a meeting-house, nor was the dedication of the temple a type of
dedicating a meeting-house. The Lord did not give us the minute
description of the building of the temple and the dedication to show us
how to build _fine houses_ and _dedicate them_.
The temple was the type of the _spiritual building_; the _congregation
of the saints, lively stones_, built together for an habitation of
God through the Spirit. This is the temple that God dwells in—the
house of God. The dedication of that ancient temple was typical of
the dedication, or the consecration of men and women to the service
of God. The work of the Pope is to lose sight of the dedication, or
the consecration of men and women to the service of God, symbolized
by the dedication of the temple, and turn the eyes of the people to
great gatherings of people, to the flummery and parade of laying
corner-stones, dedicating houses, immense piles of stone, brick, wood
and mortar, baptizing bells and furniture, etc., etc.; but this is no
work for the followers of Jesus, nor is there anything in it to put one
in mind of our Lord.
We have no objection to holding a good meeting in a new house, setting
the congregation of the Lord in order, if it needs it in it, and
preaching the gospel to the people of the world. But we see no use then
in making a great ado about it, or thinking any more of it than a good
meeting in an old house. We do not like _extra occasions_. We like the
regular worship appointed by the Lord, with every item from him, and
not an item not from him. We love the things of God, but nothing not of
him. We want no dedication occasions, nor any others not authorized in
Scripture. When a new house is built, go into it and use it precisely
as you would if it had been there fifty years. What the Lord has
appointed will occupy our whole minds and hearts and hands.