When the King James version of the Bible was made or finished in A.D. 1611, the word "lively" meant "living;" but it has undergone a change of meaning since then, and now means "quick," "active."

Christ and the church are spoken of together in many ways: He is the shepherd, the church are the sheep; He the vine, she the branches; He the bridegroom, she the bride; etc. Here Christ is spoken of as the great chief corner stone of the spiritual temple, and we, the church, are built up upon Him. It is not a frame house, nor a brick house, but a solid stone house.

In the erection of any house of importance there are four stages:

1-the building exists only in the mind of the architect.
2-It is planned on paper.
3-It is constructed.
4-It is put to use.

The first thing one does when one wishes to build a house is to go to the architect, state what you wish to have and give him the particulars. As he thinks it over the house is builded in his mind. So the church existed in the mind of God years back into the far distant past. The plan was laid out long before the church was ever started. Thus Jesus is spoken of as the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8). It was predestinated that such a class, the church, should be.

After the architect has thought it over, he draws views of the front, sides, roof, different floors of the house; drawings are given from all standpoints. Similarly God has given us illustrations of this great temple. The Old Testament is a long series of pictures of the church; the Passover Lamb, the Law sacrifice, the Tabernacle, Solomon's temple, are all pictures of the church; and the illustrations are given from every standpoint. The architect does not make the drawings to tell himself about the building, but for the use of the workmen. Thus God has conveyed to the workmen the pictures and plans of this great building.

After the drawings are completed the specifications come, telling how [PE96] the house is to be made, of what material, how finished, etc. So God has given us the drawings-the Old Testament, and the specifications.in the New Testament. The New explains the Old, both are needed.

Sometimes men go ahead and begin the work of building before the specifications come. So in the Old Testament the ground was prepared for the building, when Christ came the foundation was laid in Him; and then came the specifications.

The builders go to the quarry to get the stones. The world is the quarry from which the living stones are taken (John 15:19). The stones are all taken from the same quarry. So God takes all the living stones out of the world. He got the great corner stone here. The stone must be cut out of the quarry. At the point of consecration the Christian is cut out of the world; he then makes a covenant to serve God only. He is no longer a part of the world, but is cut out of the world (John 17:14,16).

In looking around the quarry one notices a great difference in the ways of quarrying the stone. Sometimes the workman uses a little steel wedge to get out a great stone. So with some of us, the love of God enters our hearts and is sufficient to separate us completely from the world. But this is not always the case. With other stones, it is no use to use the little wedge. On such the workman use a hard, diamond-point drill. They drill a small hole, fill it with dynamite and blast the stone out. So with some Christians; they know of God, of His love, His goodness, and His wonderful promises, but they still go on serving the world, until some great calamity such as the loss of a child, the loss of property, or the ruin of all their plans and hopes overtakes them and opens their eyes to the folly of their course, and blasts them out of the world. Thereafter they are determined to serve God alone.

But no matter how the stone is cut out, once out it is ready to be prepared for the Temple. The stone has to be entirely cut out, the Christian has to be entirely cut out of the world, 1/2 or 1/4 or 3/4 of a consecration will not do, it must be entire or not at all. The Lord compares his followers to soldiers. Previous to becoming a soldier he had a will of his own, he went where he chose to go, he wore his own clothes, controlled his own time, etc., but when he enlisted, he ceased to have any will of his own, he thereafter goes where he is told, and wears a uniform which is provided for him. So it is with us; we have no will of our own, and our robe is that provided by Christ, the merit of his righteousness. It must be an unconditional surrender to his will. If we say that we will try to obey him as long as it does not conflict with our interests, as we see them, then we are not consecrated.

Once out the stone is out for good, it can never again become part of the quarry. So with the Christian; one consecration is sufficient, let. [PE97] us be faithful to the one already made. There is only one consecration, which means for all eternity, 1/2 or 3/4 or nine-tenths of one is none at all. It is impossible to become again part of the world after the one consecration. One may want to do so, but one never can. Often the stone is left for a long time in the quarry before it is carried away, but nevertheless it is separate from the quarry. So the Christian may be left alone for some time after his consecration (not be used by the Lord, apparently), but nevertheless he is no longer a part of the world.

The suitable stones are taken away from the quarry. The mason looks for stones answering to certain conditions. He looks first for the color of the stone, for this is to be a snow-white temple (Rev. 3:5). If we have not accepted Jesus as our Savior and Redeemer we are not of the right color. No streaks are allowed; some of us have only little streaks, but we must be washed white in Jesus' blood.

Not all of even the white stones are taken. If they are too hard they cannot be carved and finished; others may be too soft so as to crumble away or peel off. Some Christians have the right color, have accepted Jesus as their Savior and Redeemer; but they are too hard, they have too strong a will of their own, and refuse to yield to the Lord's will. Others of the right color have love, but no strength of character, they are too soft, and trial and suffering make them crumble away; they cannot bear the cross. All such stones are passed by, as far as the temple is concerned.

Still the stone is not yet ready for the temple. It must be chiseled to the right size and shape and finished. So when the Christian is chosen out of the world the excrescencies of pride, selfishness, etc., must be chiseled and rubbed away. Some are easily finished, but others take a longer time. How quickly the character of Stephen was finished, perfected, in the early days of the church! Others, of different mould, took longer periods.

There is a great difference in the stones. Here is a stone that is large and clear and beautiful even in the quarry; how much more beautiful it will be when polished and finished! So we meet some Christians who are beautiful characters even in the beginning of their course, how much more beautiful such will appear when their polishing is completed. But again, yonder is a rough stone, not very beautiful; but as the mason works carefully at it, he brings out wonderful luster and beauty and polish, so that it is as beautiful as the other stone when finished. So the Lord is now taking out of the world some who are rough and uncouth and disagreeable, and by much careful chiseling and polishing by trials and testings and some bitter experiences he brings them out beautiful stones for that great temple, as beautiful and [PE98] shining as the others.

It is not because God likes to hurt us, but because he loves us and is interested in us, and he knows what polishing is needed. We must, when finished, be without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing (Eph. 5:27). The blood of Jesus cleanseth us from all sin (1 John 1:7), and makes us whiter than snow. But the wrinkles of pride, selfishness, etc., must be ironed out with the hot iron of affliction and suffering, to fit such for the kingdom.

On one of the stones we noticed that the mason used a little chisel and a small hammer and chipped away bit by bit; on another he used a heavy hammer and large chisel, and took off great, large chips. But the large chisel and hammer would not do for the first stone, it would break it to pieces; neither would the small chisel and hammer do for the other stone, it would have no effect. So one Christian differs from another; some of us require severe afflictions to fit us for that temple, while others are not able to bear such harsh treatment to prepare and polish them. The Lord knows best what we need, and he will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able to bear (1 Cor. 10:13).

We remember the beautiful little poem which appeared in the Tower some time back, of how a sister was much worried over her troubles and thought her cross was too hard for her, thought that if she could only have some of the more pleasant crosses which her neighbors had, how happy she would be. She had a dream in which an angel took her to a place where were crosses of all kinds, and bid her take her choice. She saw one covered with roses, recognized it as the cross of one of her neighbors, and saying she would like one like that she stooped to pick it up. But ah! She did not think of the sharp thorns which were among the roses, and they pierced her fingers. No she could not bear such a cross as that, and she pitied her neighbor. Then she saw a jeweled cross, scintillating and sparkling; how beautiful it was, and how nice it would be to have a cross like that! But when she tried to lift it, she found she could not; and she wondered how Sister ________ could bear a cross like that, wondered why it did not crush her. And so one after another she tried the crosses, but could find none that suited her, and she began to weep because there was no cross for her; when the angel took one, a very plain cross, with only words of love inscribed on it, she liked it and lo, it was her own old cross. She resolved never again to complain of her cross, but to bear it patiently. The Lord knows best what we need: "He gives the very best to those who leave the choice with him." (See Z.W.T. August 1, 1905).

So let us be thankful to the Lord for his mercy and love, and rejoice in what we have. We must receive our chiseling and polishing here; [PE99] we cannot be perfect in our flesh, but we can in our hearts, in our intent ions. Solomon's Temple was a type of the great spiritual temple. The stones for Solomon's Temple were fitted and prepared far away from the temple, were fitted and carved and polished, so that when the time came to set up the temple, every stone fitted into it's place, and the building was put together without the sound of a hammer. So when the time comes to set up that spiritual temple, there will be no noise or confusion, everything will be ready and complete.

More stones are cut out of the quarry than are needed in the building of the temple. These have too many flaws, and would soon crumble to pieces, so some are put in the rubbish heap; others are too good for the rubbish heap, and too bad for the temple; such are laid aside for some other use. So we, if faithful, will go into the great temple structure, but if we refuse to be chiseled and polished, and are disobedient, we will go either into the Great Company or into the rubbish heap; the Second Death.

The stones which were quarried before the building was begun, are put in a store yard, till the building is ready for them. So the Christians of the past did not receive their reward at death, but have slept as has Stephen. They all arise when the seventh trumpet begins to sound. The other stones, which are cut out after the building is under way do not need to be stored, but go immediately to their places in the building. So we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. The dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from henceforth. (1 Cor. 15:51; 1 Thess. 4:16,17; Rev.14:13.)

Many suppose that glorification of the church will end God's plan for the race of mankind. But the great work of the plan will then be only beginning. The real work of the church is beyond the veil, after her glorification. The church will not be a monument to God's grace for a monument is of no use after it is finished, except to look at. The Church and her head, the Christ, will be God's dwelling place, a house which will give shelter to the human race from the storm and rain and heat, from the curse of sin and death, and from the power of Satan.

So let us be faithful, that we may have our place in that glorious temple, and enter into the joy of our Lord. "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall no more go out." Rev. 3:12..