" Majestic silence I then the harp awoke, Tbe cymbal clanged, the deep-voiced trumpet spoke, And Salem spread her suppliant hands abroad, Viewed the descending flame, and blessed the present God,"
Snch, in brief, was the dedication of this house. It is true prayers and sacrifices followed, bnt of these we cannot now speak particularly. The essential parts of the consecration were (1) the solemn and formal setting apart of the eclifi.ce by the king and the representatives of the people, to be the house of God, and (2) the formal entry-to use the language of men-by the Godhead, concealed under the thick clond, upon His new shrine. So that in this service, as in all trne services, there were two parts, man's and God's. It was man's part to offer the house with appropriate ceremonial to the Most High; it was God'11 part to accept it with appropriate signs. Now both of these are commonly and correctly called consecration. It will be for ow· con- venience, however, if we now call the first of these dedication and restrict the term consecration to the second. And, using the words in these senses, let us see in this imposing ceremonial a lesson, first, as to our churches. As to which, we leo.rn : I. THAT CHURCHES SHOULD DE FORMALLY DEDICATED TO GoD. For if a formal ser- vice of dedication was fitting in the case of the temple, how can it be inappropriate in the case of the church? le the latter Iese worthy of care and reverent regard than the former? Is it built for objects of less importance, or objects less Divine ? Is it lees dear to God, or less truly "God's house," because man is admitted_ to a place therein? Or may men build houses for God and retain the ownership f?r !hem- eelves? " Can we judge it a thing seemly for any man to go ab~ut ~he bmldmg of an house to the God of heaven with no other appearances than if his end were to rear np a kitchen or parlour for hie own use? Or, when a. work of such a nature ijf cu. vm. 1-66.] THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS, 163
finished, remaineth there nothing but presently to use it and so an end?'' (Hooker.) Alas, that churches and chapels should ever have been offered-sometimes by public auction-to the pewholders, or dedicated by brass plates, &o., to the service of opulent parishioners. Too often have they become congeries of petty freeholds, temples of exclusiveness, God's house in nothing but name, But this could not have been if the true idea of dedication had not been obscured or lost. II. How CHURCHES SHOULD BE DEDICATED TO Gon. This history tells us that it should be with all possible solemnity and stateliness. There may surely be a pro- cession. If this was right for the Jew, it cannot be wrong for 118, There may be pro- cessional hymns-the psalm which was acceptable in their lips cannot be unbecoming in ours; the dignitaries of the State may join the ranks, even "kings of the earth'' may '' bring their glory and honour into it" (Rev. xxi. 24); in fact, it cannot be too stately, provided it be done not for self-glorification but for the glory of God. For is not God the same now as then ; is He not still a great king ? And is not man the same 'l Does he not still owe the profoundest homage he can render to his Maker? And if it be heartfelt, why may it not be public? The history teaches that an august ritual befits the dedication of a church, and that, inter alia, there should be sacrifices (vers. 5, 62; cf. 2 Sam. xxiv. 24-we should not come before the Lord empty), music (2 Chron. v. 12, 13-the language of heaven, the one tongue that escaped confusion at the building of Babel), and that the book of the covenant should be borne (as it is in Germany, and as the ark was) in procession to its place, " These things the wisdom of Solomon did not account superfluous" (Hooker). It is to be remembered hEire that our Lord by His presence sanctioned the observance of a feast of dedication (John x. 22). III. THAT CHURCHES MUST BE CONSECRATED BY Gen. The bishop, or other officer, can only consecrate in the sense of dedicating-of setting apart from profane uses. And this is what the "consecration" of churches and churchyards really means-no more and no less (see Hooker, Eccles. Pol v. 12. 6), If either is to be" hallowed" (eh. iL 2), it must be by the Divine presence. The Moslems say that wherever their great Caliph Omar prayed is consecrated ground. We hold that holy ground (Exod. iii. 5) must derive its sanctity from the All-Holy. The God who :filled the temple must also hallow the church. IV. THAT CHURCHES SINCERELY DEDICATED TO Gon wn.L BE CONSECRATED BY Gon. Was the Ineffable Presence granted to the temple 'l Then why not to the church also 'l God has no favowi.tes, nor is His arm shortened. The Presence will not be revealed, but it will be there; none the less real, all the more real, because it is spiritual. It would be strange if, in the dispensation of the Spirit, we disbelieved in the presence of Him who :fills heaven and earth, who is "in the midst of ths seven candlesticks" (Rev. i. 13), and who has promised His presence to compa.nies of "two or three" sincere souls (Matt. xviii. 20, Ubi tres, ibi ecclesia). Our churches indeed are "aanctified by the word of God o.nd prayer" (1 Tim. iv. 5), and if there is no cloud, yet we miiy " behold the glory of the Lord" (2 Cor. iii. 18) ; but they receive their full and perfect consecration in the o:o,vwvia of Christ's body and blood (1 Cor. x. 16). Men forget that if there is not 0, Real Presence then there must be a real absence. Some will allow God to be present everywhere-except in His church and sacraments. As to the Christian life, this dedication of the temple reminds us- I. THAT OUR BODIES ARE TEMPLES OF THE HOLY GHOST (1 Cor. vi HI; iii.16, 17; 2 Cor. vi. 16). "God has built'' the "temple of the body" (John ii. 21) to be His shrine (Rom. viii. 9, 11; 2 Cor. vi. 16; Eph. iii. 17), II. THAT WE SHOULD DEDICATE THEM TO Gon (Rom. vi. 13, 19; xii; 1; 1 Cor. vi. 13-29; Mo.tt. xxii. 21). This is done in baptism, may be done in confirmation, and must be done in conversion (the turning to God). III. THAT IF WE DEDICATE THEM, Gon WILL CONSECRATE THEM. If we "open the door" (Rev. iii. 20; John xiv. 23) He will enter in and dwell there. We have but to give the heart-the innermost recess of the house, the adytwm-to Him, and He will possess and glorify the whole body (Luke x.i. 34, 86.,). THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. [on. vm. 1-60.