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BUILDING STONES.
BY
MRS. JULIA PF BALLARD.
"Behold, I lay in Zion, for a foundation, a stone."
ISA. xxviii. 16.
"Ye, also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house."
I PET. ii. 5.
"In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God."
EPI. ii. 22.
"Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid."
I Con. iii. 11.
boston:
ublishIed by  ). Jotlrop ( S Co.
Dover,. H.: G. H            T. Day & Co.
1871.




Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870,
By D. LOTIIROP & CO., and L. R. BURLINGAME,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
Stereotyped at the Boston Stereotype Foundry,
No. 19 Spring Lane.




CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
PAGE
THE FOUNDATION-STONE..........   5
CHAPTER II.
THE TRIED STONE.............   23
CHAPTER III.
PRECIOUS STONES.............    49
CHAPTER IV.
LIVING STONES...............  74
CHAPTER V.
PILARS..............       88
CHAPTER VI.
ASBESTOS STONES............                   100
3




4                      Contents.
CHAPTER VII.
SAPPHIRES........                       122
CHAPTER VIII.
JASPER................ 132
CHAPTER IX.
A STUMBLING-STONE............   155
CHAPTER X.
HIDDEN STONES............                        164
CHAPTER XI.
BRECCIATED MARBLES.......... 169
CHAPTER XII.
ONYX STONES.............                           187
CHAPTER XIII.
AGATES......... 200
CHAPTER XIV.
CRYSTAL..............          206
CHAPTER XV.
COMPOSITION STONES.........        219
CHAPTER XVI.
CARBUNCLES.......... 226




BUILDING STONES.
CHAPTER  I.
THE FOUNDATION STONE.
I E silver reel of time had rolled off
the months of another year, and
snapped on the New Year's morning
of 1870.
The day after New Year's was the Sabbath.
In a pleasant room, gathered about a cheerful,
open fire, sat Mrs. Ewing and her three children, Ernest, Olive, and Mary. It was a stormy
day, and they had just come in with windpainted  cheeks, and hair blown  about and
5




6             Building Stones.
powdered with flying snow-flakes; and, after
removing their cloaks and clouds, and laying
down their Sunday school books, had seated
themselves by their mother before opening
them.
"You  have  not  forgotten  our'Golden
Hour,'" said Olive, as their mother closed the
book she was reading, and looked at her watch.
"We don't want to begin our books until
we have that," said Mary. "We had a splendid time, in Esther, last Sabbath. I wish we
had another place as good as that. Where
shall we read to-day?"
"I think we might find a great many as
good," replied Mrs. Ewing. "But suppose we
do not, for this hour, read any whole or particular chapter. I would like to ask you some
questions to-day on a verse or two in which I
have become especially interested' while you
were at school. But how about Ernest joining
us?" she asked, looking pleasantly at him in
a questioning way.




N
A~~~~~~~~~jl
~k,  ~                     A'
2<
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The Golden Hour. Page 7.








The Foundation Stone.           7
Ernest was just that moment busy with
"One Day's Weaving," glancing here and there
through the book he had been anxious to get
for two or three weeks; but he heard the
question, and closed it quickly as his mother
spoke.
What the children meant by the "Golden
Hour" was the first hour after they returned
from  Sabbath  school, every  Sunday, which
their mother spent with them in reading some
part of the Bible, which either she or they
selected, and which they talked over freely,
and greatly enjoyed. Mrs. Ewing was herself
a dear lover of the Bible. It was to her a
solid delight to explore its hidden treasures
with her children, and lead them, with pleasure
and without compulsion, into the secret places
of truth.
Sometimes, as Olive said, "the hour ran
over;" but, as they did not usually find it out
until the tea-bell rang, it did not make much
difference.




8             Building Stones.
"What sort of questions were you going to
ask us, Mother?" said Olive. "Where shall
we turn in our Bibles?"
"Before you open them at all," replied Mrs.
Ewing, "I will ask either of you to mention
some title by which Christ is called in the
Bible. I have been thinking a good deal about
one of these to-day."
"He is called a Lion," said Ernest.
"And a Lamb," said Olive.
"And a Rose," added-Mary.
"And a Vine, isn't He?" asked Olive.
" And a Lily," said Mary.
"And a Bridegroom," said Ernest.
"And I know another," said Mary. "He is
called a Star,-the Star of Bethlehem."
"Yes. You have thought of more than I
supposed you would," said Mrs. Ewing; "but
you have not yet named the one I was thinking of. Now we will open our Bibles. And,
Ernest, will you read, when we have all found
the sixteenth verse of the twenty-eighth chapter of Isaiah?"




The Foundation Stone.            9
Ernest soon found the place, while Olive and
Mary turned over the leaves of their Bible,
and were ready to follow him as he read:"Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, Behold
I lay in Zion, for a foundation, a stone, a tried
stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation; he that believeth shall not make haste."
" I don't think I should like the'Stone' title
so well as the'Rose,'" said Olive.
"Or the'Lamb,'  said Mary.
"Or the'Lion,'" said Ernest.
"Or the' Lily,"' added Olive.
"I am  glad to have you speak freely, just
as it seems to you," said Mrs. Ewing. "But
let us see; why is He called a Lily?"
"I suppose, because He has the purity of
the Lily," said Mary.
"And a Rose," said Olive, without waiting
to be asked, "because He has the fairness and
the sweetness of a Rose."
"And a Lion," added Ernest, "because of
the greatness of His strength; and a Lamb, be.
cause He wag meek and gentle."




io           Buziding Stones.
"Yes; you are all right. Because of His
purity in the midst of a perverse generation,
He might very beautifully be compared to a'Lily among thorns.' As a Lion, He will be
the destroyer of His enemies. As a Lamb, He
was'led to the slaughter,' and'opened not
His mouth.'"
"But, on thinking them  all over, I believe
we shall find a new and very great pleasure
in looking at Him  very carefully under the
name of a'STONE.'  He has the beauty of
flowers, but He has more; He has the meekness of the Lamb, but not its frailty; the
strength of a Lion, but not his cruelty."
"A stone or rock indicates strength, as does
the Lion," said Ernest; "but I like the Stone
better."
"God calls Him here a' Foundation Stone,''a Sure Foundation.' Now, what is to be built
upon this stone?"
"His church in the world, I suppose, is it
not?" asked Ernest.




The Foundation Stone.           ii
"Yes. And what is one thing necessary for
a foundation stone?" asked Mrs. Ewing.
"Strength," said Ernest.
"Yes. And would you not think, in laying
the foundation of a great and important building, it would require great wisdom to select a
stone that would be suitable for the place,one that would bear whatever strain  might
come upon it, however high the building might
rise, or whatever pressure might be brought
to bear upon it?  Now, who  selected  this
stone?  Let us turn to this verse in the 28th
of Isaiah,- for it is a very wonderful verse,and see.' Thus saith the Lord God, Behold I
lay in Zion.' Who, then, chose the stone?"
" God," replied Ernest.
"Yes.'Thus saith the Lord God.' We can
have no higher authority than this. And what
does He say, first, of the stone?"
"He says,' I will lay in Zion,'" said Olive.
"Then, if God, who is infinite in wisdom, chose
the foundation stone, and laid it Himself, may we




12            Building Stones.
not be very sure it will be the best that could
possibly have been selected?  It may well be
called a sure foundation. Upon Christ His people may securely build. He will never prove
a false foundation. He is also a corner stone.
The corner stone unites the different parts
of a building together.  Christ, as a chief
corner stone, connects and  establishes  his
church. On this foundation, both Jews and
Gentiles build; from this corner stone they are
built up, one church complete in Him. Is there
any other safe foundation for the church to build
upon, Ernest? You may turn to I Cor. 3: 11.,
and read an answer to my question."
Ernest found the place quickly, and read,
" Other foundation can no man lay than that is
laid, which is Jesus Christ."
"How plain that is I " said Mary.
" I should think," said Ernest, "that would be
a lesson to those who think Peter was a rock
strong enough to build upon."
" Other foundation can no man lay," repeated




The Foundation Stone.          13
Mrs. Ewing. " Would that these words could be
engraved upon your hearts, as upon a rock, with
a diamond's point. Would that they could be
spoken with force in the ear of every sinner
who is longing to be saved, and casting about
for some secure place upon which to build his
hopes of eternal life.  Does Christ Himself
ever allude to this title of the Stone, as applied to Him by God, Ernest? "
"I am  not sure."
"Turn to Matt. 21: 42."
Ernest read, "Jesus saith unto them, Did
ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone
which the builders rejected, the same is be.
come the head of the corner? This is the
Lord's doings, and it is marvelous in  our
eyes."
" What did He mean by that? " asked Olive.
"He was talking to the priests and elders
in the temple at Jerusalem. They came up to
him as He was teaching, and said,'By what
authority doest thou these things, and who gave




I4            Building Stones.
thee this authority?'  Then He repeated to
them  the parable of the householder, who
planted a vineyard, and digged a wine-press in
it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country, and afterward sent his servants, and then his son, to
gather for him the fruits of the vineyard. But
they beat, stoned, and killed the servants, and
killed the son, also. He left them to make the
application, adding, however, these  striking
words which you have-just read,-'The stone
which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner.' 
"Where were these words spoken before?"
asked Olive. " He said,'Did ye never read
in the Scriptures?"'
" He was quoting from David, in Psalm 118.
You may read the 22d and 23d verses of that
Psalm," said Mrs. Ewing.
Olive turned to the place and read, "The
stone which the builders refused is become the
head stone of the corner. This is the Lord's
doing; it is marvelous in our eyes."




The Foundation Stone.           15
"I think I know what it means," said Ernest.
"That God's plan of salvation for the world
was through Christ, this Stone; and the Jews,
who looked so long for Him, rejected Him when
He came; but the work went on all the same
without them, and Christ was honored as the
true foundation of the church."
"You are right. Turn to Acts 4: 11, and
see what Peter there plainly tells the Jews
about their treatment of Christ."
Ernest read: "This is the stone which was
set at naught of you builders, which is become
the head of the corner; neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name
under heaven, given among men, whereby we
must be saved."
"That is the same," said Olive, "as,' Other
foundation can no man lay."'
"Yes.  Is it not strange that any person
should take Peter for a foundation,-the very
man who was so earnest in setting Christ before men as the only foundation?" said Mrs.
Ewing.




i6           Building Stones.
"I never thought of that before," said Ernest.
"It seems so strange," said Olive, "that
when the Jews had so long looked forward to
the coming of a Saviour, they should fail to
receive Him when he really came."
" It was hard for them to receive one coming
as a babe in a manger, when they were looking
for a great king. In Mark 9: 11, His disciples
seem  to have been questioning in their own
minds about Christ, and thinking of the prophecies with regard to Him; and they asked Him
this question:'Why say the scribes that Elias
must first come?"
"Whom did they mean by'the scribes'?"
asked Mary.
"They were learned men among the Jews,
who wrote the law in Hebrew, and taught it.
They were very particular in preserving every
letter of the law carefully. It was their great
care to know what was of real value, and keep
it before the people. Ezra was a noted scribe.




The Foundation Stone.            17
The King  of Persia, Artaxerxes, speaks of
him, in Ezra 7: 12, as'a scribe of the law
of the God of heaven.' The disciples meant
that it had been foretold that Elias should come
before their Saviour came, did they not? " asked
Olive.
"Just that."
"Where was that prophecy?" asked Ernest.
"You may find it in the very last chapter
of the Old Testament. It was the last recorded
promise in their Scriptures which was given to
the Jews before Christ came," said Mrs. Ewing.
" No wonder they looked for its fulfillment,
then," said Ernest.  "I have found the place
in Malachi 4: 5, 6."  He read,"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
before the coming of the great and dreadful
day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart
of the fathers to the children, and the heart
of the children to their fathers, lest I come
and smite the earth with a curse."
2




18            Building Stones.
"Those are the very last words of the Old
Testament," said Ernest.
"Yes," replied Mrs. Ewing, "and that was
what the disciples meant by their question,' Why say the scribes (that is, the writers of the
Bible) that Elias must first come?' Jesus told
them, very plainly, why they had said so. In
the next verse (Mark 9:12, 13) he answers
them:'Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth
all things; and how it is written of the Son of
Man, that he must suffer many things, and be
set at naught.  But I say unto you that Elias
is indeed come, and they have done unto him
whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.'
In  Matt. 11: 14, He told  them  plainly that
John the Baptist was Elias. In Matt. 11: 10,
Jesus tells them  that Isaiah  meant John in
his prophecy, which he then quoted to them
from  Isa. 40: 3.'For this is he of whom  it
is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way be.
fore thee.' Isaiah  says,'The voice of him




The Foundation Stone.           I9
that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the
way of the Lord, make straight in the desert
a highway for our God;' and in Malachi 3:1,
almost the exact words which Christ quoted
are found.:'Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me;'
and it is further added in Malachi, in the same
place,-' And the Lord, whom ye seek, shall
suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in.'
"They could neither see Elias in John, nor
their Saviour in Jesus. How touching are the
words he uttered, in Matt. 11: 14:'And if ye
will receive it, this is Elias which was for to
come.''If ye will receive it'! This was not
only said to the Jews in Christ's day, but He
says it to all to-day who doubt and fear to believe in Him.'If ye will receive it, I am your
Saviour.'"
"I suppose," said Olive, "He meant' Elias
for one of those who  came to the vineyard
looking for fruit, and was killed; and  He
Himself was'the Son,' was he not?"




20             Building Stones.
"Yes. And well might the Lord of the vineyard  have  said,-' They will reverence my
Son.' 
"But they did not," said Olive.
"No; even He was'set at naught' of the
builders. The Jews, to this day, look for the
coming of Elijah, as well as for a Messiah.
It is their custom, at some of their feasts, to
open the door and call for Elijah."
"I remember," said Ernest, "that converted
Jew  who was here, spoke of this in one of his
lectures.  He described a Jewish family eating the Passover, and at a certain time during the meal one of their number would go
to the open door and call for Elijah."
"It shows how  strong their faith was in
their law; so far as they had  accepted the
word of God, so far they believed it to the
very letter. It makes it all the more sad that
for so many the'vail is still over their faces'
with regard to Christ.  The Jews were looking for their Saviour, too, at the very time




The Foundation Stone.           2I
He came, and wvere expecting Elijah so confidently  that a  common  expression  among
them was,' Wait till Elijah comes.' To those
who did not receive  Christ as their foundation stone, he is also called a Stone; but
something very different from a' corner stone,'"
continued Mrs. Ewing.
"What kind of a stone?" asked Mary.'You will find  an  answer in  Isaiah  8:
13, 14. I will read  to you.'Sanctify  the
Lord of Hosts Himself; and let Him be your
fear, and let Him  be your dread. And He
shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of
stumbling, and for a rock of offense to both
the houses of Israel; for a gin and for a snare
to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many
among them  shall stumble and fall, and be
broken, and be snared, and be taken.' Peter
quotes this verse from Isaiah, about the foundation stone, and joins the two, —clearly show.
ing to whom  Christ is a foundation stone, and
to  whom  a'stone of stumbling.'  Will you
read it, Ernest, in 1 Pet. 2: 6-8?"




22            Building Stones.
Ernest read:
"Wherefore also it is contained in Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion  a  chief corner
stone, elect, precious; and he that believeth
on Him  shall not be confounded. Unto you,
therefore, which believe, He is precious; but
unto them  which  be disobedient, the stone
which the builders disallowed, the same is
made the head of the corner; and a stone of
stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them
which stumble at the word."
Here the tea-bell showed them that the hour
had "run over" for this afternoon.
"I would not have thought we could be
so much interested in just one verse," said
Ernest.
"And no story," added Olive.
"Except the'old, old story,"' said Mrs.
Ewing, " which  is, after all, the. sweetest.
But we have not yet got through with this
one-verse story."




CHAPTER  II.
THE TRIED STONE.
j^~^[ HE next "Golden Hour" came almost
before the children thought of it. No
~    sooner were they home from Sabbath
school than their Bibles were all opened to
Isaiah.
"To-day," said Mrs. Ewing, "we will talk
about this stone as a'tried' stone. But, first,
I want to see if you remember what sort of a
stone- Christ is to those who do not believe in
Him; Olive? "
"A stumbling stone."
"You see from this, that it is of the greatest
moment in which of these ways we shall take
23




24            Building Stones.
Christ. By our own choice we shall either be
safely built upon  Him, or, by unbelief, find
Him  a rock of offence over which we shall
stumble and perish. Ernest, will you turn to
the ninth  chapter of Romans, and  read  the
last three verses?"
Ernest read:"But Israel, which followed after the law of
righteousness, hath not attained  to the law
of righteousness.  Wherefore? Because  they
sought it not by faith, but as it were by the
works of the law. For they stumbled at that
stumbling stone; as it is written, Behold, I
lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense; and whosoever believeth on Him  shall
not be ashamed."
"Those are solemn words," said Mrs. Ewing,
"but they  close  with a precious promise:'Whosoever believeth  on  Him  shall not be
ashamed.'"
" I've got an answer for Jasper Hall," said
Ernest, looking up quickly.




The Tried Stone.             25
"What is that?" asked his mother.
" He says,'it does not make any difference
what a boy believes, if he is only sincere.'. He
was arguing that, only yesterday, with Fred
Green and me, and I could not answer him
very well; though I felt sure he was not right."
"What did you say? "asked Mrs. Ewing.
"A  good many things. At last I said I
thought I could prove it in one way. I said,'If I see some scarlet berries, and I believe
they are winter-green berries, and feel perfectly
sure of it, and eat them, if they are not wintergreen berries, but a poison berry, will I be safe
because I believed they were good to eat?"
"I should think he could see that," said Olive.
" But he said'he wasn't talking about such
things, but about what we believe as a guide
to doing what we call right and wrong.' Now
I felt pretty sure that my answer puzzled him,
though he wouldn't admit it. But here he
could not say anything."
"What do you mean?" asked Olive.




26            Building Stones.
"I mean it did  not save the Jew  from
stumbling over Christ into ruin because he believed that He was an impostor, and not the
true foundation stone on which he was safest
to build. And neither was it because they believed this, that those who did build on Christ
were saved merely; but because they believed
what was true."
"You have put that very well, Ernest," said
his mother. "I hope you will never forget
your own argument. Find what is truth, and
then believe it with your whole heart. This
brings us to Christ as a' tried' stone."
"I never knew what a'tried' stone meant,"
said Mary.' There is a great difference in stones. Some
are weak, some strong, some hard like flint, some
soft and crumbling like sandstone. There is,
of course, a great difference in their power to
bear weights put upon them, and in their power
of resistance to the various influences which
might tend to weaken or destroy them. It is




The Tried Stone.               27
very easy to be deceived in judging stones.
Some may look much harder than they really
are.  In this verse we have in one word what
is necessary, first of all, in choosing a stone to
be used as a foundation or corner stone."
"Tried," said Olive.
"That is it; God here says of Christ that
He is a tried stone."
"In what way are building stones tried?"
asked Ernest.
"In different ways.  There are some things
besides strength to be thought of. The atmosphere affects stones differently. Sea air causes
some kinds of stones to disintegrate, or fall
apart.  Heat and frost affect different kinds of
stones differently.  Some stones are hardened
by heat, while others are cracked and made
useless by it. All these things are taken into
consideration  by those who select stones for
important places in a building.  The weight
which different kinds of stones will support is
tried by pressure; immense weights are brought




28            Building Stones.
to bear upon them; and tables have been given
showing the different degrees of pressure different kinds of stones will bear."
"What stone bears the greatest weight?"
asked Ernest.
" Porphyry."
"What kind of stone is that?" asked Olive.
"A  variety of marble. It is very compact,
and is found in many different colors. It has
been ascertained that one square foot of porphyry will safely bear the pressure of six hundred and forty thousand pounds."
"How is this known?" asked Ernest.
"The weight which a square foot will bear
is found by getting the weight of the stone,
and then subjecting it to the greatest possible
pressure which this one square foot will bear.
Then one eighth  of the amount of pressure
that will crush the stone may be considered
a safe weight to be put upon it. The value
of this method of testing stones is very great.
From  a want of this knowledge, and the con



The Tried Stone.              29
sequent insertion of stones which will not support the amount of pressure required, buildings have fallen in a comparatively short time
which otherwise might have stood  for ages.
Buildings, where  the foundation  stones are
well chosen, have been  known to resist the
action of the air, and the pressure of the weight
brought to bear upon them, to a degree almost
beyond our belief. In the old French town of
Angers, there is a building,- the' Church of All
Saints,'- the pillars of which, it is said, support
on each superficial foot a pressure of eightysix thousand pounds. The Bagreaux stone, in
the four triangular piers of the great dome of
the Pantheon, or St. Genevieve, at Paris, bears
a weight of sixty thousand pounds. The dome
is of solid stone, and is triple, having an inner,
outer, and intermediate dome. This Pantheon
rises one hundred and ninety feet from  the
ground."
"I should  think  they  would need'tried
stones' in such a place," said Olive.




30            Building Stones.
"Is a Pantheon  the same as a church?"
asked Alice.
"It is a church  for gods, — a building in
which the worship of all the gods was conducted. The word itself is from  two Greek
words, meaning' all' and' god.' The Pantheon
at Rome is the most celebrated one in the
world.  It was built twenty-six years before
Christ, and was taken six hundred years after
Christ and used as a Christian church. It was
one of the wonders of the world. Its dome is
very grand, and its top is nearly one hundred
and fifty feet from the ground. The Pantheon
is a round building, four hundred and twentynine feet in circumference. It has a Corinthian
portico, so beautiful in its construction as to
have been pronounced'more than faultless.'
It is one hundred and ten feet in length, and
forty-four feet deep, and is composed of sixteen
columns of granite, each nearly fifty feet high
and fifteen feet in circumference. These supported a roof of bronze.  This building, after




The Tried Stone.             31
the passing away of nearly two thousand years,
is still the least impaired of all the ancient
buildings of that great city."
"I am  glad it became a Christian temple,"
said Olive.
"It is wonderful that it should have remained
until now so well preserved. But it was built
for ages. Its solid masonry mocks the touch of
Time; even its cornices of marble and its mosaic pavements are said to be so well kept as
to give one now an excellent idea of its first
wonderful beauty and magnificence."
"I wish you would tell me one thing," said
Ernest. "It always puzzles me when I read
or hear of Corinthian pillars, and Gothic arches,
and Doric architecture. I wish I understood
exactly what it means. I mean, how the different kinds were built, and whether they were
united in the same buildings."
" We shall get a little way from  our' foundation stone,' perhaps," said Mrs. Ewing; "but
as you have asked the question, I will try and




32            Building Stones.
explain it to you. It is an excellent idea, too,
if it can be done without too much interruption, never to go on talking about what we do
not understand."
"I think I know what the Gothic kind of
building is," said Mary; "because my German
box of blocks has a temple that Aunt Fanny
told me was Gothic.  I can put it together
with  pointed  roof and turrets, and make a
beautiful church."
"That is right; and if you will bring me
your box of blocks, I will show you all, just
here, the different kinds or orders of building."
Ernest smiled as Mary came tugging in her
heavy box, but Mrs. Ewing took it from her,
and, clearing the books from  the' table, proceeded  with her building, much to  Mary's
delight.
"What if any one should come in now?"
said she, laughing.  "They would think we
were all playing on the Sabbath."
"But if we are not," said Mrs. Ewing, pleas



The Tried Stone.              33
antly, "they would only be mistaken, and we
should not be hurt.  Of course  there  are a
great many varieties of building," continued
their mother. "They have, however, been reduced to a very few, as the roots of all the
rest. One writer says that the two orders of
architecture, the Doric and the Corinthian, are
the roots of all European architecture, which is
itself derived from Greece, through Rome, and
perfected from  the East.  The  Doric is the
groundwork of all Roman architecture.  The
Corinthian  embraces all Gothic, old English,
German, French, and Tuscan styles.
"The Doric is so named from  Doris, or the
Dorians, in Greece. It is noted for its strength
and simplicity. It was used almost universally
among the Greeks. Take these square blocks.
I lay down one, then another of the same shape
upon it, only a size smaller, and a third still a
size smaller upon that. This forms the base, or
stylobate, as it is called. Upon the top of this
base stands the column, gradually decreasing
3




34            Building Stones.
in size to the top; this is plain or fluted. Upon
the columns rests the entablature, which is also
divided into three parts. I lay this block upon
the columns for the roof, being the first part,
or architrave, above it, so; another, the frieze,
of the same hight; and, lastly, the cornice.
This plain, straight, square work, capable of
endless variations in detail, is the Doric. The
Gothic is the pointed work,- sharply-pointed
arches and vaulted roof. This originated with
the North people, or Goths, of Norway and
Sweden.  The Ionic is Grecian, and has a
lighter column, more slender and graceful than
the Doric. The Corinthian is also Grecian, and
is still more delicate than the Ionic. The capital, or upper part of the column, is usually
carved  in leaves of the acanthus and olive.
This gives it a light and airy look, with its
clambering leaves running up its windings, nestling in its angles and hollows, and clasping its
stony shafts with stony blossoms, which natural
leaves would have delighted to clasp."




The Tried Stone.            35
"I should like the Corinthian best," said
Olive.
"And this is my Corinthian temple," said
Mary, who had been taking out the straight,
Doric pillars from her mother's work, and putting in some prettily carved ones in their place.
"I do not know that I have made it very
plain to you, but you will have some better
idea of the principal kinds, perhaps; and when
I can do so, I will show you a book of engravings representing these different styles of architecture in detail."
"That I should like," said Ernest; "and now
are these kinds ever blended in one building?"
" Yes. And sometimes all the principal kinds
meet in one, as in the church of St. Mark, at
Venice. I have read a very beautiful and minute description of that recently. Its foundations were laid in 977, and it was consecrated
in 1111. During the time of its building, over
a hundred years, every vessel from the East
was required to bring material,-marble and




36             Building Stones.
pillars, — for this building. Its form is that of
the Greek cross, with the addition of porches.
It is surmounted by five domes; the middle
one is ninety feet in hight, and the four others
are  eighty. The interior is most elegantly
finished, with columns, odd walls of precious
marble, and floor of wonderfully beautiful Mosaic;-' a multitude of pillars and white domes,.. hollowed into five great vaulted porches,
ceiled with fair mosaic, and beset with sculpture of alabaster, clear as amber and delicate
as ivory; sculpture, fantastic and involved, of
palm leaves, and lilies, and grapes, and pomegranates, and  birds clinging  and  fluttering
among the branches, all twined together into
an endless network of buds and plumes....
And round the walls of the porches there are
set pillars of variegated stones, jasper and porphyry, and deep green serpentine, spotted with
flakes of snow;... the capitals rich with interwoven tracery, rooted knots of herbage, and
drifting leaves of acanthus and vine, and mys



The Tried Stone.             37
tical signs, all beginning and ending in the
cross; and above them, in the broad archivolts,
a continuous chain of language and of lifeangels, and the signs of heaven, and the labors
of men, each in its appointed season upon the
earth; and above these, another range of glittering pinnacles, mixed with white arches, and
edged with scarlet flowers.'"
0, how beautiful!" said Olive.
"But stranger than its beauty, I thought,"
said Mrs. Ewing, "is the indifference  with
which those who live in its shadow  come to
regard it. The same writer says,'You may
walk from sunrise to sunset, to and fro, before
the gateway of St. Mark's, and you will not
see an eye lifted to it, nor a countenance brightened by it. Priest and layman, soldier and
civilian, rich and poor, pass by it alike regardless. Round the whole square in front of the
church there is almost a continuous line of cafes,
where the idle Venetians of the middle class
lounge, and read empty journals;... and in




38            Building Stones.
the recesses of its porches, all day long, knots
of men of the lowest classes, unemployed and
listless, lie basking in the sun like lizards; and
unregarded children, - every heavy glance of
their young eyes, full of desperation and stony
depravity, and their throats hoarse with cursing,
- gamble and fight and snarl and sleep, hour
after hour....  And the images of Christ and
his angels look down upon it continually.'"
"How strange that is!" said Ernest.
"Yes; and I have read it to you because it
struck me so very forcibly as a picture of the
way in which the world now regards this wonderful building of the church upon Christ, the
great foundation stone. Men do not see it, or
do not regard the beauty of either its wonderful foundation or the slowly rising structure
upon it, struggling up through the centuries,
in the midst of evil, and every hindering work.
But it will yet be finished with completeness
and marvelous beauty, and God shall crown it
with joy."




The Tried Stone.             39
"How did we get to the subject of palaces
and temples?" asked Olive.
" I do not wonder you ask," said Mrs. Ewing,
with a smile. "We were talking of tried
stones, and I was telling you what weight certain stones bore in different buildings, when we
turned from  the test stones to the palaces
themselves."
"You said the stone in the pillars of the
Paris Pantheon bore up a weight of sixty
thousand pounds?"
"Yes; and the piers under the dome of St.
Paul's, in London, sustain thirty-nine thousand
pounds weight, and those of St. Peter's even
more. It is said that stones which have been
exposed for nearly one thousand years in the
Houses of Parliament and in Southwell Minster,
still retain every mark of the tools with which
they were cut; while the same kind of stone,
in London, soon suffers from  the sulphurous
acids contained in the smoke of the city."
"I never thought how much the word' tried'
meant before," said Olive.




40            Building Stones.
" Everything, in the way of beauty, duration,
and safety. In our own country such experiments have been made, by scientific men, upon
the marble used in the Washington Monument,
as to cause them to prophesy that it will fall to
pieces before its completion, from the inability
of some of its more important stones to bear
the necessary amount of pressure. And what
terrible calamities in the falling of buildings,
with cruel loss of life involved, do we have in
consequence of stones which have been put in
without sufficient trial."
" And partly, too, from the manner of building," suggested Ernest.
" Yes. A church was built in Constantinople,
with the idea of rivalling in grandeur the
Roman Pantheon, and twice its great dome fell
in before the architects understood the principle of building a dome sufficiently well to succeed."
" Was the dome a part of the Doric or Grecian architecture?  asked Ernest.




The Tried Stone.            4I
" No; it is supposed to be wholly of Roman
or Etruscan invention. The Greeks seem  to
have had no knowledge of it. It was introduced by the Turks into India, and became
common in that country.
"But to return to building material. Some
stones are put into buildings, which appear
well to the sight, and which none but experienced workmen would reject, that, after all,
are only' composition stones,' and would come
out very poorly if subjected to a severe test."
"What are composition stones?" asked Olive.
"They are made in different ways.  Sometimes they  are formed by pressing  certain
plastic substances in moulds. Potters' and different varieties of clay are baked, and subjected
to other hardening processes, until they bear
some resemblance to stone. Of course these
products would never be thought of for foundation stones."
" Can any of you tell me, now, how Christ,
our great Foundation Stone, was'tried'? What
was the pressure brought to bear upon Him? "




42            Building Stones.
There was, for a little, no answer. Ernest
felt the full force of the question, but said
nothing.
"I suppose it was our sins," said Mary, at
length.
"Yes; our sins. Think of it a moment. The
sins of the world!' Not for our sins only, but
the sins of the whole world.' Can any of you
quote a text proving this'?"
"Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away
the sin of the world," said Olive.
"There is one in the third chapter of John,"
said Ernest. "For God sent not his Son into
the world to condemn the world, but that the
world through Him might be saved."
"Those are both very good ones. It is said
in the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah,'All we,
like sheep, have gone astray, and the Lord hath
laid on Him the iniquity of us all.'"
"That gives the idea of bearing, too," said
Ernest.
"He bore our sins in His own body on the




The Tried Stone.             43
tree. This is the way He was tried. Was
ever weight like that?  Was ever pressure so
great? "
"I should like to ask," said Ernest, "how it
was that He bore this weight.  He was sinless, and how could He feel the pressure of
guilt?"
" Let me try to explain this," said Mrs. Ewing,
"for you could scarcely ask a more important
question."
"It has puzzled me sometimes," said Olive.
"Did either of you ever feel very sorry for
anything you had done that was wrong?"
"Yes," said Olive; "ashamed, and worried,
and sorry."
" I am glad to hear you say that so frankly;
but did you ever feel some special wrong you
had done to be a very heavy burden?"
I've had doing wrong make my heart ache,"
said Mary; "but I would do better than usual
for a while, and then I would forget about it,
and be as happy as ever."




44            Building Stones.
" But after you have been' as happy as ever'
all day long, have n't you sometimes, in the quiet
evening, had a sudden recollection come back
to you of that wrong thing, that made your
heart-ache come back too?"
Mary blushed, for she knew  this was very
true. Even she was not too young to know
what a sharp thorn in the softest pillow a little
sin could make.
"Yes, I have," she said.
"I have heard father say," said Olive, "that,
when he was only four years old, he once wet
his pillow with tears, crying almost all night,
because he had helped, that day, to kill some
little birds. He did not think, at the time, how
wrong it was: but in the night he said it seemed
as if he could not live and bear the weight of
that sin unless God would forgive him. So he
prayed very earnestly, until he felt the burden
roll off his little heart, and then fell asleep."
" That sin was a part of the weight Christ
bore," said Mrs. Ewing. "All the sin that is




The Tried Stone.            45
forgiven, all that sinners have a mind to cast
upon Him, all they do not bear themselves of
their own choice, He bears. Suppose, instead
of, as Mary says,' forgetting after a little while,
and feeling as happy as ever,' your heart should
keep on aching harder and harder. Perhaps
you have been very angry; angry even with
some very  dear friend, perhaps with your
mother,  that might be so, for children's hearts
have some very dark spots of sin in them that
need to be washed away,- and perhaps you
said some word or words then which an hour
afterwards began to trouble you very much.
You could not bear to think you had said just
that word. You tried to turn it, and twist it
about, and make out to yourself that you really
did not say just that very wicked thing. And
worse than all, perhaps you told a falsehood if
questioned kindly about it afterwards, and said
you did not say it exactly as you did. But
all this only added to the pressure of guilt on
your heart.  You could not help the matter




46            Building Stones.
any by trying to deceive others, or trying to
deceive yourself. Something spoke louder than
your own voice, and kept saying, over.and
over, and would be heard,'Yes, you did say
just that!' And so the burden grew heavier
and heavier, until you felt as if a great stone
was rolled upon your heart, and would' crush
it to powder' You could not bear it, you felt,
any longer.
" Now just suppose that all your other sins,
every wrong word, every harsh, unkind word,
every slanderous word, yes, even every false
word you had ever uttered, should rise before
your mind with the clearness of this one sin,
until the burden forced you at last to the cry
of the publican,' God be merciful to me a sinner!' then you would have some idea of the'wrath of God' manifested to one soul; and
then think of each soul since Adam burdened
with this weight of sin, and no way to get rid
of it themselves.
" Then Christ comes I He is omnipotent, and




The Tried Stone.             47
can bear it; and so He takes the burden of
your guilt, and the whole burden of every
man's guilt, and bears Himself the wrath of
God for it all; then you can have some idea
of what it is to'bear the sins of the whole
world.' Christ offered to bear this. God accepted the offer. He saw the agony and bloody
sweat long before the body of Jesus was bowed
in Gethsemane. He heard the bitter cry,'Why
hast thou forsaken me?' and the later cry,' It is
finished I' long before the body of Jesus hung
on the cross of Calvary.  As soon as Christ
said,'Lo, I come: in the volume of the book
it is written of me, to do Thy will, 0 God' - as
soon as He said this, God saw in Him a'tried
stone,' a sure foundation stone. And He has
borne through the ages the test of all the pressure of guilt cast upon Him by weary mortals,
who, falling under the load of their own heavy
burden, have asked Him  for relief.  Millions
have tried Him  as their burden-bearer, have
built upon Him as their only hope, and are to.




48            Building Stones.
day safe with Him,- safe from the curse which
sin brings, because they trusted in Him who
was'made a curse for them.''Unto you who
believe He is precious.' This is as much as
we can go over to-day, as our hour is more
than gone.
"For the next Sabbath I will ask you each
to find some text which speaks of those who
build upon this'Stone,' as themselves being
stones to be built up into a temple of Christ."




CHAPTER  III.
PRECIOUS STONES.
N  looking for verses about building
stones," said Ernest, the next Sabbath,  I have been surprised to see
how often this comparison about stones is used
in the Bible."
"I have thought of the same thing," said
Olive.  "I began  with  Genesis, and looked
along carefully to see what was the first mention made of stone."
Ernest laughed, but his mother kindly asked
where and what it was.
"I suspect it was the  stones in Aaron's
breastplate," said Ernest.
4                 49




50             Building Stones.
"No, it was n't," said Olive; "it was long
before that."
" Where, then?"
"In the very second chapter of Genesis. It
says, speaking  of the garden of Eden,'And
the gold of that land is good; there is bdellium and the onyx stone.'"
"Onyx was one of the kinds of stone in the
breastplate, was n't it?"
"Yes; but another kind of stone is named
before those in the breastplate," said Olive. It
says, in the twenty-fourth chapter of Exodus,'And they saw  the God of Israel; and there
was under his feet as it were a paved work of
a sapphire stone."'
"As it were,"  said Ernest; "that wasn't
stoned,
"No; but it showed that they knew of the
sapphire stone, at least."
Ernest smiled again; but Olive said,"I can't help  it.  I do n't see why  we
should n't  be  as  much  interested  in  Bible




Precious Stones.            51
stones as in Bible trees and flowers; and a
great deal is said about those."
"I think Olive is right, although we were
going to talk more especially about building
stones," said Mrs. Ewing. "I am  glad, Olive,
that you noticed these first mentions of stone."
" And perhaps they may come into the building stones," suggested Olive.
"They don't build much with such costly
stones," said Ernest. "You do n't suppose even
palaces are built of precious stones, such as
agate and onyx, do you?"
Olive was not going to give up entirely, and
the way Ernest emphasized the word "much"
made her secretly glad that she was not so
wholly wrong as he supposed. She had, in
truth, looked a little more carefully over her
stone texts than Ernest; so she said,"I think when people make every preparation
to do a thing, they generally do it. So I think
precious stones were used about buildings in
some way, if not to be put in the walls. I no



52            Building Stones.
ticed, in the account of the things that David
prepared or got together toward building the
temple, that there was not only' gold,' and'silver,' and' brass,' and'iron,' and'wood,' but "and here Olive opened to where her little scarlet book-mark was placed, in First Chronicles,
and read the last part of the second verse of the
twenty-ninth chapter, with quite a little emphasis: -
"' Onyx stones and stones to be set; glistening stones and of divers colors, and all manner
of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.' And in the same chapter it says, a little
further along,"' And they with whom precious stones were
found gave them to the treasure of the house of
the Lord.'"
"I wonder what part of the temple these precious stones were used for?" asked Ernest.
" In the fifty-fourth chapter of Isaiah, at the
eleventh and twelfth verses, you will find these
words," replied his mother:



Precious Stones.             53
"'0 thou afflicted, tossed with tempest and
not comforted, behold I will lay thy stones with
fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates,
and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders
of pleasant stones.' 
" They would have no need of stained glass,
with such material," said Ernest. " I wonder if
these precious stones were really used in buildings?"
" Of course there is much that is figurative in
these verses, but no doubt they were used.
They are not only mentioned in Olive's verse
from Chronicles as a part of the material which
David had collected for the building of the temple, but a little further on is a verse which
Olive did not chance to see, I presume, where
it is expressly said (2 Chron. 3:6),'And  he
garnished the house with precious stones, for
beauty.' 
"I'm so glad," said Olive, turning to the verse
in her own Bible. "I wanted to be sure about
their being in."




54           Building Stones.
"What kind of stone is the onyx?" asked
Mary.
"It is a variety of chalcedony, which is a
translucent species of quartz. When it is found
in stripes, it is called  agate, and when the
stripes run in horizontal lines across the stone,
it is called onyx."
" Why is it called chalcedony?" asked Olive.
"Because found in Chalcedon, in Asia Minor.
There are at least five varieties.  One kind,
found in the East Indies, Italy, and some other
countries, is of a bluish-white color, lined with
broad, white streaks; another, with the same
ground, snowy-veined; a variety which is redveined, called sardonyx, because supposed to be
a mixture of the sardius and onyx; a kind similar to jasper; and a brown onyx, veined with
blue. Pliny tells us there were onyx-marble
quarries in Arabia."
"What  was'bdellium'?"  asked  Ernest.
"That was mentioned first, before onyx."
"It is supposed  to have been a precious




Precious Stones.              55
stone, —some have thought the same as beryl,
but others have taken it to be a resinous gum;
but, being named with gold and onyx, it was
probably more precious than a gum, and we will
think with those who call it a precious stone.
Manna was said to resemble it in color, in Numbers 11: 7. And as that was described as looking like'hoar frost,' it was probably a clear or
whitish stone."
"The onyx was the stone for Joseph's tribe,
in the breastplate," said Ernest.  "I noticed
that, in reading over the description of it this
morning."
"How could you tell?" asked Olive.
"Because there were four rows of stones,
and three in a rov.  And it says the stones
were named with the names of the children of
Israel, according to their names. The breastplate was about ten inches square, and the
stones were set in gold, in this way: -
A  sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle.
An emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.




56           Building Stones.
A ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.
A beryl, an onyx, and a jasper.
And if these corresponded to the twelve
tribes, you can see that it would be,Reuben, Simeon, Levi;
Judah, Dan, Naphtali;
Gad, Asher, Issachar;
Zebulon, Joseph, Benjamin."
"It must have been a very beautiful ornament," said Mary.
"It was probably the first piece of mosaic
ever made, -- God's mosaic," said Mrs. Ewing.
"What did it represent?" asked Olive.
" It was worn by the high priest on his breast,
fastened to the girdle of his ephod, and showed
that he carried the twelve tribes, as it were,
upon his heart before God. As the high priest
represented them, so Christ bears His church
upon His heart, presenting them before God by
His intercessions. In that beautiful and glowing description of the New Jerusalem, given by
John, in the twenty-first chapter of Revelation, it




Precious Stones.             57
says,'The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them  the names of the twelve
apostles of the Lamb.... Her light was like
unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper
stone, clear as crystal; and had a wall great
and high, and had twelve gates, and at the
gates twelve angels, and names written thereon,
which are the names of the twelve tribes of
the children of Israel....  And the building
of the wall of it was of jasper,... and the
foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones;' and
their order is given in this way:' jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius,
chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprasus, jacinth,
amethyst.'  This  is God's mosaic  again, a
glimpse of wonderful beauty, caught by John,
within the veil, which yet remains for all who
build upon Christ, the corner stone. We shall
realize, if we are ever permitted to enter in
through the gates of pearl into the city, that'eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,' what God
hath prepared for those who love him."




58            Building Stones.
"There was another very beautiful thing
besides the breastplate," said Olive, after a
moment, "which God ordered to be made for
the priest to wear."
"The shoulder stones?" said Ernest.
"Yes.  These were two onyx stones. They
must have been pretty large, for six names
were to be engraved upon each one. They
were, it is said, to be for a memorial. What
did that mean?"
" The same as in the breastplate; a constant
reminder to him of the children of Israel, whom
he was to remember earnestly and continually
in prayer before God."
How beautiful the idea of these' memorial
stones' was!" said Olive. "I never thought
of them before except as ornaments, from their
own beauty."
"Yes; the symbol was more beautiful than
the ornament, as much more as pure love is
better than pure gold or crystal. It gives us
an early idea of God's great heart of love, as




Precious Stones.                59
it has been revealed to men all along the ages.
The memorials which Christ bears for us before
His Father are the scars in His hands, and feet,
and side."
"Is that what is meant in the verse of the
hymn you like so much? " asked Olive:"'Five bleeding wounds He bears,
Received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers,
They loudly plead for me;
Forgive him, oh, forgive, they cry,
Nor let a ransomed sinner die.'"
"Yes; just it," replied her mother.
"I should  like a'memorial stone,"'  said
Olive, " if it would only help me to remember
some things.  I should like a red jasper, set
in gold, for a ring."
"Is jasper ever red? " asked Ernest.
"Yes; it is found in various colors, which
comes  probably  from   a  mixture with  earth.
It has been said, from this, that Christ might
be said to be represented by jasper, as being




60             Building Stones.'at once the Lord from  heaven and the fruit
of the earth.' 
"I do not think there could be any harm
in a'memorial stone,  since God permitted
them," said Olive.
"No, if we did not come to think more of
them  than of what they were selected to remind us of:"
" I saw something the other day," said Olive,
" which was beautiful as a'memorial stone,'
between two friends.  It was Elsie Hartwell's
ring. It had six stones in it, and they were
set in  such  order that their initial letters
spelled the word' Regard.'"
"I never  heard  of such  a thing,"  said
Ernest.
"Well, I saw it, and there was first a ruby,
and then an emerald, a garnet, an agate, then
another ruby, and last, a diamond."
" R-e-g-a-r-d," said Mary; " what a very pretty
idea I "
"Do you  suppose,"  asked  Ernest, "that




Precious Stones.              6I
precious stones were really built in, in any
part of the temple?  I should like to know
where those' glistening stones' came in,'for
beauty.' 
"We know, they were used  in palaces in
the East.  Even the walls, which were themselves built of the purest and choicest marble,
were sometimes inlaid with mosaic of precious
stones.  There were elegant borders, finished
with festoons of fruit and flowers; the fruit
composed  entirely  of precious  stones, their
own colors forming  the  color of the  fruit
and flowers.  It may have been so  in  that
gorgeous temple  of St. Mark's, of which I
read you, that'range of glittering  pinnacles,
mixed with white arches, edged with scarlet
fSowers;' these flowers may have been  carouncles  or rubies.  At any  rate, we know
that it was sometimes done.  Cornelian, agates,
rubies, and other precious stones were so inwrought, in beautiful patterns, and  in  ornanental mouldings, as to appear as if carved and
)ainted, rather than mosaic."




62            Building Stones.
" Like the flowers in your Sorrento portfolio,"
said Mary; "inlaid, I mean, like that."
"How wonderful!" said Olive; "to think of
an immense building, ornamented with precious
stones, in walls of marble!"
"Do n't you remember, Olive," said  Mary,
"when we read the story of Esther, in our
Golden Hour, once, how  delighted you were
with the account of the beautiful palace of the
king -I can't think of his name -
" Ahasueras."
"Yes. Where the beds of the palace were
of gold and silver, and stood upon an elegant
pavement of marble, of ever so many colors."
"Yes;' red, and blue, and white, and black
marble.' I remember it; for it made me think
of that box Dr. Gerald showed  us, that he
brought from Rome. The cover was in squares
of mosaic, and each piece was of a different
colored, polished marble."
" Whole palaces were  sometimes built in
a sort of mosaic, in the East, though not of




Precious Stones.             63
precious stones," said Mrs. Ewing. "I have
read of buildings in alternate rows, or layers
of black and white marble."
"I should like to see some of those magnificent palaces," said Ernest.
"You might be disappointed in them, certainly in  some of which I have  read. In
Constantinople, hundreds of years ago, were
temples and palaces of this description, where
the material was exceedingly costly, precious
stones abounding in endless mosaics; but the
designs themselves were rude, and the work
poorly executed. Here is a description of one
of them, which I will read you.'Toward the
east, St. Sophia displayed its glittering domes,
its hundred columns of jasper and porphyry,
its precious marbles, veined with rose, striped
with  green, and  starred with  purple, whose
saffron, snowy and metallic tints commingled
as in Asiatic flowers, among balustrades and
capitals  of gilded  bronze, before  a  silver
sanctuary, facing a tabernacle of massive gold;




64             Building Stones.
near golden vases, incrusted with  gems, and
beneath innumerable mosaics, decking its walls
with  lustrous  stones and  spangles of gold.
The characteristics of this church, as of the
entire city, were disorderly accumulation and
unintelligent wealth.... People sought not
beauty but bewilderment.' Of course this was
not always so. With taste, the use of precious
stones  in  buildings  must have  been  very
ornamental."
"It seems like a fairy tale,- the very idea
of such palaces," said Ernest.
"If you were going to help build such a
palace," said Mrs. Ewing; "suppose you were
to  be built in  yourself, which  would  you
rather be, an agate, to be used as a window
to admit the light, a flashing carbuncle, to be
set in gold, in clusters of fruit, or some dull,
rude stone, fitted into an obscure corner?"
"I would  be glad  to be in  at all," said
Olive, answering, as she  sometimes  did, in
Ernest's place, and occasionally somewhat to
his relief.




Precious Stones.            65
"That is a good answer. We should be
glad to' be in, at all;' but if we can be in
as'polished stones, after the similitude of a
palace' just as well, perhaps we should give
greater pleasure to the great King. We are
safe if we are in the true temple, and upon
the true  foundation, at all, no matter what
niche we fill; but we may have regard to.
beauty as welr as safety.  The main thing
is to be built on the right foundation. Some
stones are very  highly  polished and very
valuable and elegant, but if not built upon.
the true foundation stone, — if left in the
quarry, by themselves, or if built up on some
composition stone, that is neither'tried,' nor'sure,' nor'elect,' nor' precious,' however beautiful they may be for a while, they will only be
part of a beautiful ruin in the end. And this
only brings me now to the place where we were
going to begin this hour.. We shall only have
time to hear your texts; and we will talk about
them next Sabbath. Have you one,, Ernest? "
5




66            Building Stones.
"I found  two verses in  1 Peter,"  said
Ernest, "which suited so exactly that I felt
surprised as I read them.'To whom coming,
as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of
men, but chosen of God, and  precious; ye,
also, as lively stones, are built up in a spiritual house, an  holy priesthood, to  offer up
spiritual  sacrifices, acceptable  to  God  by
Jesus Christ.' 
"That is a very beautiful text.' Ye, also.'
Not only Christ, the foundation, but Christians,
the stones, built upon it."
"Mine,"  said  Olive, "comes in with  the
verse you said you wished we would always
remember, -' other foundation can no man lay
than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.' It
says, right after  that, in I Cor. 3: 12-16,'Now  if any man build upon this foundation,
gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest;
for the day shall declare it, because it shall
be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try




Precious Stones.             67
every man's work, of what sort it is. If any
man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's
work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but
he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.
Know  ye not that ye are the temple  of
God?'"
"You  see from  that,"  said  Mrs. Ewing,
"that you may use very different material, and
it may receive very different degrees of polish,
- may even be stubble or wood instead of
stone at all; but if built on the true foundation, even of the poorest material, you may be
safe."
" What are the'precious  stones' in this
temple?" asked Olive.
"First of all, Christ, the foundation, is a'precious stone.' After this, I suppose, they
represent the most perfect Christians. Those
who are hewn by affliction, it may be, and
polished by prayer, until their resemblance to
their great Pattern  is seen by others most




68           Building Stones.
clearly; these are the' precious stones.' Those
who  are content with  a certain degree of
faith, and satisfied with enough hope to render
them  free from  fear, but who have not love
enough to make their lives beautiful, in the
way of self-denial and noble deeds, may find
some place in the temple, and may be enabled
to' stand' in the day when every man's work
shall be made manifest; but it will be'so
as by fire.'  It will not be an'abundant
entrance' into the'New  Jerusalem.' This
forms an incentive  to live such a life, that
the beauty of it may be seen and recognized
by all beholders, that you may be known as'living stones,'  precious stones,' an honor to
the temple. Have you a verse, Mary?"
"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar
in the temple of my God."
"That is a beautiful one. A real support;
no hay or rubbish there; but a most valuable
stone, even a pillar in the temple," said Mrs.
Ewing.




Precious Stones.             69
"What does'overcometh' mean? " asked
Olive.
"I suppose it means more than merely to
have faith  sufficient for salvation; to'overcome' the difficulties that will and must beset
us in our spiritual life. I have seen persons
who were'pillars' for me, on account of their
beautiful constancy of love in time of trial;
their resistance to envy and to pride; their
willingness to deny themselves for others, overcoming self, and overcoming sin, by living near
to Christ, and depending wholly and constantly
on Him for wisdom  and strength. Such persons are, by their consistent life, an honor to
the church; and more, a strength, a pillar,
which God himself delights in."
"And what was your text, mother?" asked
Ernest.
"It is found in the last four verses of the
2d chapter of Ephesians.' Now, therefore, ye
are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the house



70            Building Stones.
hold of God; and are built upon the foundation
of the apostles and prophets, Jesus,Christ
himself being the chief corner stone. In whom
all the building, fitly framed together, groweth
unto an holy temple in the Lord. In whom
ye also are builded together, for an habitation
of God through the Spirit.' These are very
wonderful words. These'living stones' were
not always such; not until brought and placed
upon the'chief corner stone;' brought from
among'strangers' and'foreigners,'- once no
better than those who shall never be built in
at all, because they will accept no place in
this glorious temple. Their'confusion' will
be as great as was that of those who builded
their tower of brick, which they hoped would
reach unto heaven.'Other foundation can no
man lay.'"
" I see you do not mean us to forget that,"
said Ernest.
"No; it is the groundwork of all true hope.
There is no sadder sight to me than to see




Precious Stones.?I
men trying all their lives to get around this
one  great central fact; making  themselves,
with great care, into hewn stones, polished
stones; but which can never become'living
stones,' because  refused  contact  with  the
living  foundation  stone.  Carried  sometimes
immense distances, and fitted with great care
upon a false foundation, when the rains descend  and  the floods come upon  them, the
fall will be only the greater for all this seeming  care  and  polish.'The Lord  knoweth
them  that are His.' No man can judge another. If one is upon this true foundation,
no opinion of his fellow-man can  shake him
off into destruction. If he is not built upon
it, no opinion of theirs can place him there.
Honor, applause, eulogy, however great and
flattering, will avail nothing. The foundation
will remain true, whatever is built upon it,
really or apparently."
"I was reading the other day," said Ernest,
" of a very old cathedral in England which
was being reotored."




72          IBuilding Stones.
"Some historian had said years before that
he thought it had originally been an old Roman
temple; but this was doubted, until, in taking
down the tower, they discovered under it' real,
genuine Roman masonry,' showing that it had
been built on a Roman foundation; and afterward, in removing rubbish from an underground
cell or crypt, they found several sculptured
mitered heads, of fine Roman workmanship. So
the foundation was thus proved to be Roman
beyond a doubt, in spite of all that had been
reared above it. We may find rubbish on this
foundation; but we shall not have to destroy
the whole temple to prove the work. There
are'sure stones' added daily to this building,
and the time is hastening when it shall be
completed, —when the top-stone shall be laid,
and the shout of joy shall arise,' Grace, grace
unto it' The prophets and apostles, from first
to last, have been built upon this stone; and
the miilions who have tried it since the New
Testament record closed, will never be put to
shame."




Precious Stones.            73
"Was not Judas an instance of one upon
whom this'stone fell'?" asked Olive.
"Yes. His guilt was greater than he could
bear. He had no foundation himself, because
he sought to destroy the'foundation' of a
world. For our next hour we will talk about
some of the'living stones' which have been
built into  this temple during the centuries
since Christ."




CHAPTER IV.
LIVING STONES.
HE builders had refused the Stone.
They had  rejected  Christ; con[    demned and crucified Him.  His
body had been laid in the sepulcher amid sweet
spices, prepared by weeping friends, who yet
bad not faith to interpret His prophecy:'I will
destroy this temple, and in three days I will
raise it again.' There was a stone at the door
of the tomb, and a seal upon it; and a guard
was set. But He had not only power to'lay
down His life,' —He also had power'to take
it again.' No man saw the breaking of that
seal; but when Mary Magdalene came early,
74




Living Stones.             75'while it was yet dark,' on the first day of the
week, she saw that the stone had been rolled
away, and ran, and said to the disciples,' They
have taken away my Lord, and I know not
where they have laid Him.' And then He revealed Himself to her. The disciples had not
understood Him in all that He had told them
of His death and resurrection, but now they
saw'the Lord's doings,' and it was indeed'marvelous in their eyes.'  He had now become'the Head of the corner.' You may turn
to the 2d chapter of John, Olive, and read what
Christ said to the Jews about his death, commencing with the 19th verse."
Olive read: "Jesus answered and said unto
them,'Destroy this temple, and in three days
I will raise it up.' Then said the Jews,'Forty
and six years was this temple in building, and
wilt thou rear it up in three days?' But He
spake of the temple of His body. When, therefore, He was risen from the dead, His disoiples
remembered that He had said this unto them,




76            Building Stones.
and they believed the Scripture, and the word
which Jesus had said."
"So you see it made no difference with the
cause of Christ, that'the kings of the earth
stood up, and the rulers were gathered together
against Him.' They had only carried out the
counsel of God. There is nothing that can
stand against this. And God will see that all
who oppose Christ's kingdom shall be made to
know, either in love or in wrath, that' this same
Jesus whom  they crucified is both Lord and
Christ.' Soon after the ascension of Christ, a
wonderful proof was given of this, in the conversion of three thousand in one day.  The
building stones-living stones —for the new
temple began to come in from every quarter.
The rich and the poor, the ignorant and the
learned, all furnished them; and while there
remained'despisers' to'look on, and wonder,
and perish,' the work still went on. David says,
in the 127th Psalm, Except the Lord build the
house, they labor in vain that build it;' and it is




Living Stones.              77
no less true, that if He be the Master Builder,
they will labor in vain who may try to destroy the
work He is carrying forward. David felt this,
when he prayed, in the 51st Psalm,'Build thou the
walls of Jerusalem.' David seemed to rejoice in
this figure of the church as a building. I have
been interested in noticing how often he uses
these expressions:' When the Lord shall build
up Zion, He shall appear in His glory.''The
Lord doth build up Jerusalem; He gathereth
together the outcasts of Israel.' And so with
the prophets; running all through their writings
is this figure, and the same truths are taught
by it. There is one so beautiful in Zech. 6: 12,
13, that you may read it, Ernest."
" Behold the man whose name is The Branch;
and he shall grow up out of his place, and he
shall build the temple of the Lord; even he
shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall
bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his
throne."
" And in the 15th verse of the same chapter,




78            Building Stones.
you see that the Gentiles are to help in this
building."
Ernest read: " And they that are far off shall
come and build in the temple of the Lord, and
ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent
me unto you."
"Those are very striking words," said Mrs.
Ewing, " and I think that Paul had them in his
mind when, after Christ had  come, and  the
visible foundation had been laid, and he had
gone to work in the Gentile quarry, and was
trying to work out' living  stones' for this
building, he said, in speaking to these Gentiles,
in Eph. 2:' But now in Christ Jesus, ye who
sometimes were far off are made nigh by the
blood of Christ-; for he is our peace who hath
made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.... Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners,
but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the
household of God;'and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ




Living Stones.             79
Himself being the chief corner stone. In whom
all the building, fitly framed together, groweth
unto an holy temple in the Lord. In whom ye
also are builded together for an habitation of
God, through the Spirit.'"
"Paul uses the very same expression as Zechariah," said Olive; "ye who were' far off.'"
"Yes; and what a wonderful truth is clearly
taught us in these words. All may come and be
built into this temple; not only the Jew, but the'outcast.' One may be made to serve just as
useful a purpose as another, if only all are on
the same foundation. Who would not make sure
of a place in this building, which shall stand all
the shocks of time, and survive all commotions
and changes; which shall stand firm when every
other temple shall become as did the great and
glorious temple of the Jews, so utterly ruined
that not' one stone was found left upon another'?
And who is able to do this for us?  Even little
Mary can tell. You may read a promise, Mary,
in Acts 20: 32."




80            Building Stones.
"I commend you to God, and to the word of
His grace, which is able to build you up, and to
give you an inheritance among all them which
are sanctified."
"Yes, God is able to do this; and if we ask
Him, He will do it for us. He will make all
of us'living stones' in this great temple,precious stones, polished stones,-and no one
can take us out of His hand.
"Do you remember, Olive, that elegant stone
mansion - almost a palace - that your father
pointed out to you last summer, when we were
traveling in New England, and which was left
unfinished, with its towers uncapped, and without roof or cornice, exposed to the weather, and
already growing dingy and moldy as it stood?"
"I do," said  Ernest; "somebody's' Folly,'
they called it; and I remember some one quoting the text, as we passed it,' This man began
to build, and was not able to finish.'"
"Yes; I remember it, too," said Olive. "It
seemed so sad tome. I did not feel like laughing, at all."




Living Stones.             8i
"Nor I," said Mrs. Ewing. " It was very suggestive to me at the time, and has been more so
as I have thought of it since. But will this be
the case with any building which the Lord shall
undertake? "
"No," said Mary.
"Why not?"
"Because there wouldn't be any reason why
He should ever stop," said Mary.
"That is the very best of all reasons. He
has everything at his control. He can speak a
world out of nothing. Even this foundation
stone, it is said, was'cut out of a mountain
without hands.' God prepared it in His own
way. And He can of course prepare and bring
from whatever quarter He chooses every lesser
stone to be built upon it; and He will see that
not one shall be broken, or marred, or left behind, in the place where it was prepared, but
that all shall be safely built in, so as to stand
firm and secure as the Everlasting Rock beneath
it. And this we have seen all along the ages.
6




82           Building Stones.
God has not left this building to go on without
witnesses to its constant growth, and to the stability and perfection of it, so far as it has advanced. I said we would talk, this afternoon, of
some of those who have already been built upon
this foundation. Can you tell me, Ernest, who
were some of these'living stones' in the first
century? "
"Those mentioned in the New  Testament
would come first, would they not? You spoke,
a while ago, of the three thousand who were
brought in on the day of Pentecost," said
Ernest.
"This was but the beginning," replied Mrs.
Ewing.
" Stones for the temple were daily brought in.
In the same chapter which tells of the three
thousand, we are told,'And the Lord added to
the church daily of such as should be saved.'
And when the Jews, who had always thought
themselves the only fit building stones for God's
house, murmured, and questioned about this




Living Stones.             83
new material, and imprisoned Peter and John
for their share in the work, asking'by what
power or by what name they had done this,'
Peter told them boldly that it was Christ's own
work; and added,'This is the stone which was
set at naught of you builders, which is become
the head of the corner.' And although they
marveled, yet they thought to put a stop to
the work, and commanded them'not to speak
or teach at all in the name of Jesus.'  But
their reply was,'We can not but speak the
things which we have seen and heard.' So
these men, bold in Christ, were released; and
when they went back and reported this to their
friends, the reply was,'Lord, thou art God!'
Their own faith was strengthened,'and believers' (true,'living stones')'were the more
added to the Lord, —multitudes, both of men
and women.'
" Again, these apostles were imprisoned for
preaching Christ, but the'angel of the Lord'
opened the prison doors and brought them forth,




84            Building Stones.
and said,' Go, stand and speak in the temple to
the people all the words of this life.' Do you
think men could stop such a building as this?
No  wonder, when  angels and  earthquakes
blocked up the way of the old Jewish builders,
they'began to doubt whereunto these things
would grow.' One wise man among them gave
them  at length this excellent advice:'If this
work be of men, it will come to naught; but if
it be of God, ye can not overthrow it, lest haply
ye be found to fight against God."
"There was a great deal in that'if,"' said
Ernest.
"Yes; and it has been well proved whether
the work was of men or of God, by Gamaliel's
own' test. Eighteen hundred years have only
added to the force of his words; for not a stone
laid on this foundation has yet toppled from its
place."
"Did none of these old Jewish builders
change their minds, and fall in with the new
work?" asked Ernest.




Living Stones.             85
"Yes;'the word of God increased, and the
number of disciples multiplied in Jerusalem
greatly; and a great company of the prints were
obedient to the faith.'  God was not satisfied
wholly with small stones. He could select a pillar
here, and another there, just as he needed them.
He can make' the weak confound the mighty,' and
he can also use the mighty, as well as the weak.
The' priests' were the best builders among the
Jews. They had received the'memorial stones.'
Their business was to take the charge of the
temple. They were chosen men, sound in body,
not lame, or blind, or deformed; sound in mind,
of good judgment, consecrated by sacred rites,
and anointed for their work.' A great company
of these' became pillars in the building reared
on this' tried' foundation. No matter how hard
it was for them to change their opinion with
regard to this rejected Stone; no matter if at
first they came, like Nicodemus,'by night,' to
test him, whether he were to be refused or
accepted; it was an easy thing for God to turn




86            Building Stones.
their hearts from doubt to certainty, from hatred
to love, so that, like this same Nicodemus, they
might be found, at last, bringing their costly
tributes of myrrh and aloes to a living, instead
of a dead, Lord and Christ. And in the hearts
of those who accepted this stone God placed a
firmness that nothing could move."
" One stone, in this century, I think we should
notice particularly," said Olive; "for it was laid
in blood."
"What do you mean?" asked Mary.
"She means the first martyr," said Ernest, —
"Stephen. I had been thinking about him."
" He was a very zealous worker in this quarry
of the Gentiles.  He was'full of faith and
power,' and did'great wonders and miracles
among the people.' So they tried to crush him,
although' they were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit by which he spake.' When he
told them boldly of the Stone they had refused,
they stoned him, and thought to destroy one of
the fairest'living stones' of the glorious temple




Living Stones.              87
which he was helping to build; but, look at this
temple from whatever point we may, where shall
we find a fairer block to-day than that inscribed
with the name of the martyr, Stephen? In that
moment, when his perfected faith caused his
face to look'as it had been the face of an angel,'
God saw in him a polished stone, whose beauty
the passing of ages should never mar."




CHAPTER  V.
PILLARS.
AUL was another noble pillar of this
first century," said Ernest, the next
Sabbath afternoon.
"Yes; Christ became a' precious' and' sure'
foundation to him, in a wonderful manner. He
had before been to Saul so great a'rock of
offense,' that he had well nigh stumbled into fearful ruin; but God had' selected' him also, saying,' He is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my
name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the
children of Israel.' So completely turned about
was Paul, so earnestly did he begin his work for
Christ, that all who saw him'were amazed, and
88'




Pillars.                89
said, Is not this he that destroyed them which
called on this name in Jerusalem?' From  destroying and' tearing down,' he began to' build
up;' and he could only exclaim, as did Peter,
when called to account for the change,' What
was I, that I could withstand God!' And so
faithfully and zealously did he work for his new
Master, that others caught his spirit, and saw, as
he saw, that this was indeed God's work, and
began to quote (as did James in Acts 15:15)
from the Old Testament, to prove that this building was of God. Olive, will you read this quotation, and the place also in Amos where it was
first written? "
"'And to this agree the words of the prophet;
as it is written,'After this I will return, and
will build again the tabernacle of David, which
is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins
thereof, and I will set it up.'  The verse is
almost the same in Amos 9: 11.'In that day
will I raise up the tabernacle of David, that is
fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I




90            Building Stones.
will raise up its ruins, and I will build it, as in
the days of old. That they may possess the
remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which
are called by my name, saith the Lord, that doeth
this. "
"I wonder how James came to think of this,"
said Olive, after carefully reading the quotation.
"It.was because he was taught of God.
These words of the prophet were spoken more
than seven hundred years before Christ came.
Amos looked forward, and saw upon what he was
building; and James beautifully acknowledges
this, and finds in it a confirmation of what his
own eyes see and his own ears hear; that which
even prophets and kings, though they'believed,'
yet'desired to see and hear' more plainly. If
we remember that God is'the same yesterday,
to-day, and for ever,' that with him it is one'eternal Now,' it will not seem so strange, this quick
linking of James, and all the New Testament
saints, with the Old Testament prophets. With
his eye they were often permitted to take these




Pillars.                9I
forward and backward glances, making the past
and present, for the moment, as one. James
closes his remarks, after this quotation, with
these remarkable words:' Known unto God are
all his works, from the beginning of the world;
wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not
them which from among the Gentiles are turned
to God."'
"It seems so long," said Mary, who had been
trying to keep up her interest all the while, this
building going on away back before Amos, I
do n't know how far, and on, I do n't know how
far. When I do anything, I like to see it done
right off."
Ernest laughed. "That is the way with people who do small things," he said. "Somebody's
teacher said the other day, if I heard aright,
that a certain rose and butterfly would have
been a good deal better painted, if it had not
been finished pretty nearly as soon as it was
traced. If you put on a second coat, even in
water colors, before the first is dry, it makes




92            Building Stones.
rough work. I like to see things that can wait
a while."
"Mary is a little girl, Ernest. There is a
grandeur, it is true, in the idea of time in the
completion of a great work. God never needs
to be in haste. If man would see the result of
his labor, he must necessarily work fast; this is,
no doubt, why we look with a sort of awe on
works that men begin, knowing certainly that
they themselves will be in the dust long before
they are finished.'
"Like the palaces we read of, - some of the
old French cathedrals, that were hundreds of
years in being builded," said Ernest. "I read
in a magazine, only a day or two ago, of work
still going on upon the cathedral in Cologne,
which was begun a great many hundred years
ago. One tower of this old cathedral, it was
stated, grew thirty feet in height, and another
twenty, during the year of 1869. And not only
the outside, but the inside work is also being
still carried on."




Pillars.                93
" I was interested in seeing the same statement," replied his mother. "That cathedral was
begun more than a thousand years ago, - eight
hundred and fourteen years after Christ. It was
burned once to the ground, and a new foundation laid in 1162, and it has been slowly creeping
up through the centuries ever since. There
was a legend that Satan was jealous of the work
because it was so vast, and made a vow that it
should never be completed. If so, it will probably do as much toward hindering the work as
his vows and efforts with regard to God's great
building,-as much greater than this cathedral as
that is greater than the palace of a child's building blocks, —will hinder its completion. The
top-stone is to be put on to the cathedral, doubtless. And more surely will the time come when
the top-stone will be laid to this eternal temple,
and when all the sons of God, beholding it, shall
shout for joy. Satan may seem to triumph for a
while; but he is chained, and God can as easily
say to him as to the fretting sea, that tosses con



94            Building Stones.
tinually against the water-worn rocks,'Thus far
shalt thou go, and no farther.'  The fairest
earthly temples, however long in being builded,
however strong in architecture, and perfect and
elaborate in detail, from the solid foundationmarble  to  the  small rose-shaped windows,
wrought with the lightness and intricacy which
give'almost the airiness of lace,' shall fall before Time and all its changes; while this temple
of God shall remain. Paul felt this when he
said,'I know in whom I have believed, and am
persuaded that he is able to keep that which I
have committed to him against that day.' This
was the secret of his life of untiring work for
Christ. He was safe for eternity so soon as
he laid himself upon this sure foundation; and
now, all he could do toward that building would
be work for eternity.  Every stone he could
bring, large or small, unhewn or polished, common or precious, for this slowly ascending temple, was so much work done, never to be undone,
—'laying up treasure' for heaven.




Pillars.               95
"It made no difference to him that those to
whom Christ was still a stumbling-block, could
not see that he was working wisely; no difference to him, that some said he was'turning the
world upside down,' so long as, by faith, his eye
was fixed upon this'temple not made with
hands,' which was to be' eternal in the heavens;' no difference to him that he was reviled
at Ephesus when he spoke boldly in their vast
temple, so long as many believed, and'the name
of the Lord Jesus was magnified.' One of the
charges against him was,' that the temple of the
great goddess Diana would be despised'through
his teaching that'they be no gods which are,
made with hands."'
"Was not the temple of Diana one of the
seven wonders of the world? " asked Ernest.
"Yes; it was a very ancient and very magnificent temple. It was at least two hundred and
twenty years in being builded. Many attempts
had been made, from different reasons, to destroy it. Seven times it had been set on fire,




96            Building Stones.
but each time restored, and made larger and
more beautiful. Its length was four hundred
and twenty-five feet, and its breadth two hundred and twenty feet. Its roof was supported
by one hundred and twenty-seven marble pillars, sixty feet high. Twenty-seven of these
were richly and curiously carved; the rest were
polished. It is said that each pillar was cut
from one block of marble, and each was the gift
of a king. And all this great work was for a
goddess made of ivory, and ornamented with
gold, whom the people believed to have fallen
from the skies! About three hundred and sixty
years before Christ, this temple of Ephesus was
burned by a man named Erostratus, who, it has
baea said, having no good works to recommend
him to notice, determined to seek notoriety by
some great work of evil. This was on the same
night in which Alexander the Great was born;
and years after, when he became a successful
conqueror, he offered to rebuild this temple, if
his name might be inscribed upon its front.




Pillars.                97
The people rejected this with scorn, and rebuilt
the temple with aid from all the Ionian cities.
It was about fifty years after Christ that Paul
visited Ephesus, and began to bring stones for
an'unseen temple  from  among that people.
The marble pillars of the temple of Diana have
long since disappeared. A little Turkish village
now stands upon the site of this once splendid
city; and it is said that so thorough has been
the work of destruction, that the site of its
more prominent buildings, even of the temple of
Diana itself, is now a matter of conjecture. A
recent visitor to the place says,' Here and there.
only does a fragment of a temple wall appear
above the soil, while, usually, prostrate columns
and scattered capitals, bases, and cornices, and
squared stones, are the only evidences of the
grandeur that was. Not a single erect column
can be found in the whole city.' And another
writer, in speaking of this utter destruction,
says that'the entire disappearance of so huge
a mass as the temple of Diana can only be ac.
7




918           Building Stones.
counted for by supposing that the materials
were carried away and incorporated into other
buildings.' But however it was done, the temple is gone; and those who built it, and those
who believed in the great goddess for whom
it was built, and who shouted, when deriding
Paul's work,' Great is Diana of the Ephesians!'
have gone with it. Its foundations were false,
and when'tried,' they were found wanting.
But those'living stones' which Paul brought
from  Ephesus remain, and will be seen and
known when the work is finished; for it was to
these very Ephesian converts that Paul Aaid in
his letter to them, from which I before quoted,'In whom ye also are builded together for a
habitation of God, through the Spirit.'
"Paul had already a glimpse within the vail.
Already he saw the foundations of the jasperwalled city, -the jasper, and the sapphire, and
the chalcedony, even to the amethyst. He saw
them as John saw them (if with less open vision), and for this he too, like Stephen, was will



Pillars.              *99
ing to add another blood-sealed stone to the
Master's building. Nobly he'overcame,' and
that promise was made sure to him which Mary
read,  -'Him  that overcometh will I make a
pillar in the temple of my God.' 




CHAPTER  VI.
ASBESTOS STONES.
Q  HO were some of the living stones
of the first century, besides those in
the New Testament?" asked Olive,
on the next Sabbath.
"I will tell you of some of them.  We shall
be interested, I am sure, to follow this building
through the centuries up to the present time,
although we may only be able to glance at a
pillar here, a tower there, or a precious stone, it
may be, suddenly sparkling from  some mosaic
ornament, alogb the uprising wall."
"I shall'look out for the agates, and the
carbuncles, and the amethysts, and the rubies,"
said Ernest.                      Ioo




Asbestos Stones.            IOI
"And I for the great marble  pillars cut
from one block," said Olive.
"And I for the little  stones that'fit in
anywhere,'" said Mary.
" In looking out for the little stones that' fit
in anywhere,'" said Mrs. Ewing, " some have
found bright jewels,'prisoned as topaz-beams
within  a rough-garbed  stone.' Where  were
the building stones to be brought from, after
Christ, the foundation, was laid, Ernest?"
" From anywhere in the world, I suppose."
"What did Christ say that showed this?"
asked Mrs. Ewing.
"I am not sure."
"He said,' -o ye into all the world, and
preach  the  gospel to  every  creature.' The
world  is the  great quarry  now; and  the
workers, though few, are busy and faithful;
and however widely scattered, all keep their
eye  on  the  same  great Master-builder, to
whom  each will render his account.  There is,
to-day, the sound of the ax and the hammer,




102           Building Stones.
blocking out stones for this temple  in  the
long-sealed quarries of Spain, and the newlyopened ones of far-distant China and Japan.
You may help to put in a'polished stone' in
this temple, sitting quietly at home, by giving
to aid the workmen now on the ground. We
must in some way attend to the command of
the Master-builder to'go into all the world;'
and it will not do to say that to attend to
the nearest need    that immediately  about
us-is obeying this command, unless we can
make ourselves believe that our own  town,
or city, or country, is' all the world.' But
by giving even a small portion of what God
freely gives us, we can literally go into all
the world, and help furnish material for this
great temple. It will be built, and completed,
whether we ourselves are found upon it or
not; or whether, being built upon it ourselves,
we lay a single other'block' upon the building
or not. Let us not be blinded to the privilege
of bringing many stones, and of acting our



Asbestos Stones.            103
selves as hewers and' stone-squarers' for this
great temple. And let us be careful to work
willingly, knowing  that the Lord  loveth  a
cheerful worker, as well as'a cheerful giver.'
"It has been said that' no artist can produce
the  highest  specimen  of art, no  architect
the  best  specimen  of building, except he
have a love for his work. He must be more
than willing; he must enjoy the labor.' So
our work on God's temple, to be beautiful in
His sight, must be the'labor of love.' He
will see more beauty in the gift of a cup of
cold water from  love to Christ, than in the
offering of golden guineas, if done reluctantly
or grudgingly, or from  any motive but that
of love.
"Peter, and Paul, and John, and the other
disciples did  a  great deal of this work for
others, so that, although we do not know how
far they went in this direction, except what we
learn from  the New  Testament, we do know
that, during the first century, a great deal




I04          Building Stones.
was accomplished for this building. And it
was indeed marvelous, when we consider the
workmen, - weak men, men in humble positions in life, many of them ignorant and unlearned men, - and also when we consider the
work which they had to destroy, as well as
that which they had to build. There was
much to contend against in the prejudices and
passions of men who had long been building
on false foundations; but the disciples proved,
through the power of God,'mighty in pulling
down these strongholds,' and taking from them
material for their new  work. Many sealed
their testimony with  their blood. Like the
old builders of the temple wall, in the time of
Nehemiah,'they which builded on the wall,
and they that bare burdens, with those that
laded, every one with one of his hands wrought
in the work, and with the other hand held a
weapon. For the builders every one had his
sword girded by his side, and so builded.'
This did not save Stephen from  stoning, or




Asbestos Stones.           IoS
James from  the  sword, or'Paul from  the
headsman's ax, or Peter from  the cross, or
John from  exile, or Ignatius from  the fury
of wild beasts at Rome. The Jews had fallen
under the power of the Romans, and Nero
persecuted the Christians for years in the most
terrible manner. But although he could destroy earthly  temples, and burn  cities, and
hinder the workers on the wall, he could not
stop the work. Among the noted builders of
the second century was Justin Martyr."
"Was he a martyr?" asked Olive.
"Yes, and that is why he was called by
that name. He was not a rough, unhewn
stone.  He  had  been  polished  before  he
thought of being made a stone for the temple
of Christ at all. He was a learned man and a
philosopher.  He not only spoke, but wrote
books, for the truth, five of which still remain.
From him we get some glimpses of the manner
in which their worship was conducted in that
early day, when, for fear of persecution, men




Io6           Building Stones.
met in caves, and in the tombs for the dead,
as well as in private houses, for their worship.
This may seem  like  building in the dark;
but it was building, and seventeen hundred
years have not destroyed the work."
"What did he say about their worship?"
asked Olive.
" He said,'On the day which is called Sunday, all, whether dwelling in the towns or in
the villages, hold meetings; and the memoirs
of the  apostles, and  the  writings of the
prophets, are read, as much as the time will
permit; then, the reader closing, the president
in a speech exhorts and excites to an imitation of those excellent examples; then we all
rise, and pour forth united prayers; and when
we close our prayer, bread  is brought forward, and wine and water, and the president
utters prayers and thanksgivings, according
to his ability, and the people respond by saying, Amen; and a distribution and participation
of the things blessed take place to each one








K
I'C,~~ 
m ete
/1len  e
7  \~~~~~~~~~~~~\ \\~~~~~~~~il
"Mnme n ae,~~ and intetob  orteded"Pae1




Asbestos Stones.            xo7
present, and to those absent it is sent by the
deacons. And those who are prosperous and
willing give what they choose, each according
to his own pleasure; and what is collected
is deposited with the president, and he carefully relieves the orphans and widows, and those
who from sickness or other causes are needy,
and also those in prison, and the strangers that
are residing with us, and, in short, all that
have need of help. We all commonly hold
our assemblies on Sunday, because it is the
first day, on which God converted the darkness and matter, and framed the world; and
Jesus Christ our Saviour on the same day arose
from the dead.'"
" That is a beautiful account," said Olive;
"so simple, and yet so good! I would like
to attend just such a meeting."
"I would like some singing," said Ernest.
"Although he does not mention that as a
part of the service, other early writers do;
and  perhaps  he  included  it in  the  word' Thanksgiving.'"




io8           Building Stones.
" How  did Justin  become  a Christian? "
asked Ernest.
"He had studied different forms of philosophy, but his mind  was  restless  and dissatisfied; he  wanted  something  better - a
true foundation -to  rest upon. He was a
native of Sychar, in Samaria. He  was one
day walking on the sea-shore, when he chanced
to meet an aged Christian man, in whose conversation he became at once interested, and
by whom he was persuaded to read the Jewish
Scriptures. This interview led, in the end, to
his conversion. He afterward went to Alexandria, and to Rome; and wherever he went,
like Paul, he was earnest in his work for
Christ.  He was  put to  death  during  the
reign of the Emperor Antoninus, about A. D.
166."
"How was he martyred?" asked Mary.
"The manner of his death is not certainly
known. Some think he was beheaded."
"It is sad," said Olive, "to think how many




Asbestos Stones.            o09
lives have been lost in connection with this
building."
"Yes," replied Mrs. Ewing; "but we must
remember whose lives were lost.  Not the
martyrs', but theirs who  caused  them  to
perish.  They  are still living  stones, while
their persecutors are the ones who are lost.
It is the despisers, who'wonder and perish."'
"Was not Polycarp a martyr of this century?" asked Ernest.
a"Yes; he is said to have been a disciple
of the apostle John. He suffered martyrdom
only  three  years after Justin Martyr.  He.furnished many a stone for the true temple.
He was educated  by  a Christian lady  of
Smyrna, and afterward became bishop of that
city.  During  the persecution  of Christians
under the Emperor Aurelius, he was taken
from  the villa to which he had fled for se.
curity.  He was carried  to  Smyrna, being
treated with contempt and insult all the way,
which he bore with great meekness.  When




IIO           Building Stones.
urged to save his life by denying Christ, he
replied,'Eighty and six years have I served
Him, and He has done me nothing but good;
and how  could I curse Him, my Lord and
Saviour? If you wish to know  what I am,
I tell you frankly, I am a Christian.' The proconsul then said,'Polycarp has confessed himself a Christian!' which announcement was
the signal for his death.  He refused to be
fastened to the stake, saying,'He who has
strengthened me to encounter the flames will
also enable me to stand firm at the stake.' He
then offered a short prayer of thanksgiving,
in which the sentence occurs,'I praise Thee
that Thou hast judged me worthy, this day
and this hour, to take part among the number
of Thy witnesses in the cup of Thy Christ.'
Wonderful words! Only the great power of
God could have worked this faith in a mortal
man."
"His work was really'tried by fire,'" said
Olive. "He was a tried stone, a pillar of the
church."




Asbestos Stones.            III
"A  pillar of asbestos stone, almost," said
Ernest.
"What is that?" asked Olive.
" It is a mineral upon which fire has no effect.
There is a fine variety of asbestos, which is pure
and lustrous, and has been compared to white
satin.  From  this quality it has been called
*Amianthus,' meaning' undefiled.'  From  the
purity of the character of Polycarp, he might
remind us of this wonderful stone."
" I should like to be such a stone," said Olive.
" I like the name, and its meaning, the'undefiled.'"
" You would n't like to earn it by being a martyr, like Polycarp and Justin Martyr," suggested
Ernest, " even to be called the' undefiled.' 
" That would not be necessary, or even possible," replied Mrs. Ewing.  "It was not the
suffering of Stephen or of Polycarp that saved
them, only as that was a test of their true, genuine faith in Christ.  They may have become
more polished, better fitted for an important




I12           Building Stones.
place in Christ's temple, by means of the trial;
but many will be found among the'undefiled,'
in the day of final trial, whose path was not
hard and thorny, and sealed with blood, but who
walked, most of the way, in the sweet sunlight
of God's love, by faith, His'goodness' having
led them to repentance. You spoke of'earning' the place of the'undefiled,' Ernest. Can
we earn a new and pure heart in any way? "
Ernest felt a flush upon his face, as he replied,
"I thought it was something to be a martyr. I
mean, I thought one who suffered so much
would be looked upon with peculiar favor by
God."
"Manv mistake here. Those who think there
is saving virtue in suffering forget that it depends wholly on the reason of the suffering.
There is all the difference in this that there is
between a martyr and a suicide. Judas suffered
more than Stephen, but it did not prevent
Christ saying of him,' It had been good for that
man had he never been born.' Neither was it




Asbestos Stones.            II3
the suffering of the thief on the cross that
insured his salvation.  He had already borne
the cruel pain of the nails that fastened him to
the wood, he was already the'dying' thief,
when by faith he lifted his filmy eyes to the
Saviour with his soul-wrung plea,'Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.' It
was not his suffering, but his faith, that brought
forth the gracious and ever-wonderful reply of
the suffering Saviour on the cross beside him,.'To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.'
Christ saw in him a sinner who had - although
at the last moment, and in the extremity of suffering -' come to him;' and He was true to His
own promise,' And I, if I be lifted up, will draw
all men unto me.''Whosoever cometh unto me
I will in no wise cast out.' Christ was now
literally'lifted up,' and the poor, dying, crucified thief was the first to realize that'as Moses
lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,' that all
who looked upon it might live, so' the Son of
man was now lifted up,' that whosoever looked
8




I14          Building Stones.
to Him might have eternal life. Not whosoever
suffered as He suffered, but whosoever looked to
Him, should live. The other thief who was crucified at the same time suffered as much as the
one who looked to Jesus, but the suffering did
not save him. Remorse often leads men, as it
led Judas, to inflict upon themselves greater
suffering than the wrath of wicked men, with all
their hellish inventions of torture, could inflict
upon those for whom  they secure a martyr's
crown. We do not say that God does not look
with a peculiar tenderness upon the martyr.
But it is because of the love which it reveals,
when he is tried even so as by fire, - even unto
death,  and not found wanting."
"I never thought about suffering in just that
way before," said Olive. "I heard old Mrs.
Glenn say one day that'she thought the Lord
would be kind to her at last, because she had
suffered so much all her life, in poverty and
sickness, and so many ways.' 
"Not because of the suffering.  Suffering




Asbestos Stones,             II5
may sometimes be necessary to touch the heart,
and lead it thus to look to the great Helper for
the only true relief; but God is as well pleased
with, and as ready to bless, those who allow His
goodness to lead them to repentance. I know a
person whose life has been very free from sor.
row, and from bereavement and losses, and whom
once I heard say that this was her daily prayer:'Let Thy goodness lead me to repentance.' And
when those'who are Christ's children are permitted to suffer for Him, even though it be the
suffering of a martyr, God gives them strength
to bear it. If He does not appear in the midst
of the furnace, and, in' the form of the fourth,'
keep the scorching  flame from  harming His
chosen ones, He is still a joy and a strength in
their souls all the way through.  They hear
Him  whisper,-'The flame shall not hurt thee. I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.'
The  gold was there. It is not made, only
refined, by the suffering."




II6           Building Stones.
"I'm sorry to think of the way Polycarp died,
— sorry yet," said little Mary.
" Yes, my dear; the history of the martyrs is
very sad. When I was a child, I could hardly
bear to look into the old' Book of Martyrs' in
my father's library, and could only read it at all
by saying to myself,'That was over long ago.'
But even their suffering was short compared
with the'glory which should follow.' Christ
was'tried, and many of His followers have
been tried with Him. They shall also'reign
with Him;' and then they may class even martyrdom among the' light afflictions' which have
wrought out for them a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory."
"Does n't that look a little like earning it? I
mean the expression,'wrought out for them,"'
said Ernest.
"You might at first think so. And the faith,
no doubt, was strengthened, and the love increased, by the trial, but not made by it. Hewing and polishing may add to the beauty of a




Asbestos Stones.            Ii7'living  stone; cutting and polishing may bring
out the hidden beauty of the jasper, or onyx, or
crystal, -may reveal what otherwise might have
been passed by as dull and worthless; and this,
we know, is often the case. But unless there is
beauty in the stone, no amount of cutting or
crushing will bring it out. Unless there is life
in the' living stone,' no amount of mere suffering
will reveal or place it there, or so purify it as
to place it among the'undefiled.'"
"I've  often  broken  open a perfectly dulllooking stone," said Olive,- and been more delighted to find sparkling crystals within, than
when I have found larger and more brilliant
ones in the geodes, which hinted beforehand,
through their little  round  glinting openings,
something  of what I might expect to find
inside."
" And I have experienced the same pleasure
with regard to'living stones,'" replied her mother. "Once, a slight touch, the merest attempt
to see what was within, and when I really ex.




II18         Building Stones.
pected nothing, startled me by its sudden revelation. It was in the case of a person not only
dull, but so wanting in understanding that her
best friends scarcely thought her capable of
judging between right and wrong. She could
only read a few easy words, and make out the
very simplest text of Scripture, with the help of
a friend and great pains:taking, when, one day,
happening to be left alone in the room where
she was sitting, humming to herself as was her
constant habit, I asked, rather abruptly,' Mary,
have you ever thought about Jesus Christ as a
Saviour from sin, - as one who would be your
friend?' Never did a dull stone fly open at the
stroke of a hammer to show more unexpected
beauty in a moment, than this question revealed.
With a lighting up of the whole countenance,
and a beam of intellect in the eye which surprised me, the answer was,'I'm glad you asked
me the question. Nobody has ever asked me
before; but for a good while I have loved the
Saviour. I know I love Him.''How are you




Asbestos Stones.           DIN
sure?'.was all I could ask, in my sudden surprise.'I think of Him all the day. I've read a
few of His kind words; I've asked Him for a
new heart; and I know I love Him. I should
not be at all afraid to die to-night. I should go
right to Him. I know He would be there, ready
to receive me. I should not be at all afraid.'
Tears were rolling silently down her cheeks,
and if ever love, and the triumph of clear, simple faith, shone out upon a face, I saw it in
hers.
"Not long after, she was tried.  Sickness
came, and death soon followed; but all who saw
her then knew that'Jesus was there, ready to
receive her.' She was'washed white in the
blood of the Lamb.' "
"There is a text in Job," said Olive, "which
I have often thought of with pleasure; and that
makes me think of it, -- His eye seeth every
precious thing."'
"' Yes; it is a beautiful thought. God never
stumbles accidentally upon the hidden treasures,




120          Building Stones.
whether of natural beauty or of the heart. He
sees them all. What we may pass by with scorn,
because we do not know how or where to apply
the magic touch that shall reveal its hidden
beauty, is ever open to His eye. The whole of
that verse,- that and the one before it, — is
very beautiful:' He putteth forth his hand upon
the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the
roots. He cutteth out rivers among the rocks;
and his eye seeth every precious thing.' That
is the way in which He works among the'living
stones' in the world's great quarry. He touches
the flinty heart, and streams of love gush forth;
even rivers flow from among the rocks, blessing
abundantly all about them. He brings stones
of beauty from the most unexpected quarter,
and fits them into the temple with omniscient
skill."
"I wonder if He sees any beauty in me,"
thought Olive, as the conversation closed, and
she went to her room, saying over and over in
her heart, "I want to be a'living stone;' I




Asbestos Stones.         I21
want to be on the true foundation; I want to be
numbered among the'undefiled.'"  That was
a prayer in the eyes of Him who seeth every
precious thing, and it was not unregarded.




CHAPTER  VII.
SAPPHIRES.
HAVE been reading over the description of Solomon's temple," said
Ernest, the next afternoon.  "It
must have been very beautiful, but not nearly
so large as I had been accustomed to think."
"It was not its size, but the great richness
and elaborateness of its finish, which made it so
highly regarded; so'precious in the eyes of
the people.'"
"I thought, before, too, that the carved' lilies'
and pomegranates were cut in stone.  There
were two hundred pomegranates on the two
large pillars, which were named'Jachin' and
122




Sappihires.             123'Boaz;' but they were of metal and wood. The
pomegranates were of'bright brass,' and the'open flowers' were carved in fir wood,'covered with gold, fitted upon the carved work.'"
"Did you notice the meaning of the names
of these  two pillars  of the porch of the
temple?"
"I do not remember," said Ernest.
"One, Jachin, means,'He shall establish;'
and'Boaz' signifies,' In it is strength.' They
were both appropriate and beautiful mottoes
for the entrance to a temple."
"The reason I read the account so carefully to.day," said Ernest, "was, to see if I
could find where and how the precious stones
were used; but I could not."
"We know  they were there.  Let us be
as anxious to know where they'are to come
in,' in the spiritual temple. We can see them,
as we look  back, glinting  here and there
through the work of centuries; and there are
more yet to be inwrought. Even as early as




I24           Building Stones.
the second century, in the time of Polycarp
and Martyr, they began to be seen; and they
shine out more and more brightly through the
mass of rubbish which continued to increase
about the building, from century to century,
for hundreds of years. One such  gleaming
jewel was set in its place in the year 295
after Christ, which  sparkles with  undimmed
brightness. It was the  sacrifice of worldly
promotion  and  life itself, by a young man,
for Christ. The beautiful spirit he manifested
in his death gave such added luster, as makes
it prominent in martyr story. He was but
twenty-one. His friends were anxious to have
him join the army of his country. As it was
a pagan army, chiefly, he felt that he could
not enter it. When examined, at last, by the
proconsul, to see if his hight reached the
required  standard of a soldier, and be approved, he suddenly exclaimed, as the soldier's
leaden badge was offered him,'I shall take
no such badge. I wear already the badge of




Sap hires.              125
Christ, my God.' The reply of the heathen
proconsul was,'I will, then, instantly send
you to your Christ.''Would you but do that,'
was the reply,'you would confer on me the
highest honor.' Steadily refusing to have the
badge placed upon his neck, he was sentenced
to death. A new military coat had been prepared for him by his father, to be worn when
he should  enter the service. When he was
led away to death, he requested that this coat
be given to the soldier appointed to execute
the sentence upon him."
"That was like Stephen, praying for his
murderers," said Olive.
" It was the complete triumph of faith and
love. His last words to the Christians standing near, and  uttered  with  a countenance
lighted  with joy, were these:'My dearest
brethren, strive with all your power that the
vision of the Lord may be vouchsafed to you,
and that such a crown may be vouchsafed
to you also."'




126          Building Stones.
"What was his name?" asked Ernest.
"Maximiliarius, of Teveste, in Numidia.  I
have never read this story without seeming to
see the flashing light of a polished, precious
stone,'set for beauty' in Christ's own temple.
As I said, such examples shone brighter from
the surrounding  darkness.  Seeds of errors
that afterward so entirely overran the church,
marred its beauty and tarnished its glory, were
already beginning to take root. But in spite
of needless ceremonies, and errors of all sorts,
and the cutting  and  hewing  of men who
worked with  dead  stones, God's eyes still
kept fixed upon his building; He watched
every stone as it was lifted to its place, and
saw that they were so tried that they would
endure any test the coming ages should bring.
In the third century, when emperors set themselves to destroy the builders and their work,
amid persecution, flames, and tortures of every
kind, it still went on. Such men as Origen,
who published the first Polyglot Bible, —or




Sapphires.              127
the Bible in different languages, -and Cyprian, of whom  it has been said that'he accomplished more in ten years than most men
in a long life,' and whose writings breathed'such a spirit of ardent piety that almost no
one can read  them  without feeling  his soul
stirred within  him,' —these men, and many
others of that century, although the dust of
the rubbish about them  sometimes almost obscured their own vision, still kept nobly at
work upon the wall, using the motto of Nehemiah's builders,'The God of heaven, he will
prosper us; therefore we his servants will
arise and build.'"
"What did you mean by the dust getting
into their eyes?" asked Mary.
Ernest smiled, and Mrs. Ewing replied, —
" Only that these good men themselves did
not see the truth with entire clearness. They
had true faith and Christian zeal, but not unmixed  with  errors. Origen's father was a
living Christian, and he embraced the faith




I28         Building Stones.
his father professed while very young; so
that when his father was arrested (for he suffered martyrdom  under the Emperor Septimius
Severus), Origen himself longed to share his
trials, even unto death. His mother prevented
this by carefully watching over him, and keeping him  out of the way of those who were
on the alert to  seize  all who, like Origen,
boldly proclaimed themselves to be Christians."
"Was he a martyr?" asked Mary.
"No; although he was only a little older
than Ernest when he desired  to  share his
father's fate, he lived to be nearly seventy
years old; to be sure, he was persecuted, —
exiled, imprisoned, and tortured, - and  perhaps his sufferings hastened his death; but
he  lived  to do great good for the church,
notwithstanding  the errors which crept into
his teachings. He was a great student of the
Bible, and expounded it to others wherever
he had opportunity.  He labored in Coesarea
and various parts of Palestine, and died two




Sapfhires.              I29
hundred fifty-three years after Christ, in the
city of Tyre.  His teachings were free, and
in order to live he denied himself every luxury, and many of what.we esteem  the necessaries of life. He was placed in a tomb,'near
the high altar of the Cathedral of Tyre,' which
was shown for hundreds of years afterward,
but was lost, at last, in the destruction of that
once magnificent city.  Though the temples
and palaces of Tyre have long lain in  the
dust, and its granite columns lie in the sea,
the wonder to this day of the passing traveler, and almost the only tombstones of its
ancient glory, the building on which Origen
then worked, and of which he himself became
a part, mocks the decay, by its still increasing
strength and beauty. The persecutions of the
Christians in the fourth  century  were  still
more severe. But in proportion to the wrath
of those who opposed them, the life that was
in the followers of Christ shone forth more
and more brightly. Those who professed Christ
9




130          Building Stones.
had been hunted by thousands, and destroyed
under Diocletian; one whole city in Phrygia,
with all its inhabitants, having been burned to
ashes because not an individual in it would
offer sacrifice to the heathen idols."
"A whole city of martyrs!" said Olive.
"Yes; and the cruelties under another emperor, Galerius Maximianus, in this century,
were too terrible for me to describe, as they are
given to us, in glimpses, by historians. God
himself took the matter in His own hand, and
this emperor was attacked by a terrible disease,
and his cruelties stopped by a miserable death.
The martyrs of this century, so many in number, who'came out of great tribulation,' with
robes washed white in the blood of the Lamb,'
have reminded me of sapphire stones, which are
blue, and of great luster, hardness, and value;
and some varieties of which' become pure white
by exposure to heat.' Some species of sapphire
were of a deep sky-blue, spotted with white,
and spangled with stars of a gold color."




Sajpphires.                I3I
"It was the second stone in the breastplate,"
said Ernest.  "I should like to see the starred
sapphire."
"It makes me think," said Olive, "of'those
who turn many to righteousness;' for it is said
that they' shall shine as the stars for ever and
ever.'"




CHAPTER  VIII.
JASPER.
B      3 AN you tell me, Ernest," asked Mrs.
Ewing, at the next'hour,' "what
great emperor lived in the fourth
century?"
"Was it Constantine?"
"Yes; while other emperors were doing all
they could to'cause the work to cease,' he conceived it to be for his own interest to defend
Christianity and protect Christians from further
persecution. He conquered emperor after emperor in battle, until he remained, at length, sole
ruler of the Roman empire, under the well-earned
title of' Constantine the Great.''
132




Jasper.                I33
"Was he a Christian himself?" asked Ernest.
" This seems to have been more or less a matter
of doubt among historians. It would be sad t9
think he had no place in a building which God
enabled him  so powerfully to protect.  There
are curious stories told of the motives which led
him to favor Christianity, and also of his own
conversion; but they are not wholly reliable.
His father, while friendly to Christians, had also
favored, at the same time, the pagan worship of
the Romans. His mother, Helena, was called a
Christian.  Before his conversion, as it was
called, Constantine was openly wicked. It is
said that he had committed at least five murders
among his immediate relatives (one of these
victims being his wife, and another a son), and
that, finding the pagan priests would not grant
him pardon for sins so great as these, he turned
to the Christian religion.  We are told that
when he inquired of one heathen philosopher
what he could do to atone for his crimes, the
reply was, that'there was no remedy for such




134           Building Stones.
atrocious conduct as that of which he had been
guilty.'  A  Christian bishop from  Spain was
then consulted, who told Constantine that'in
the Christian faith he could find a remedy for
every sin;' and this assurance led him to seek
it there."
"Is there not a story of his having hMd some
wonderful vision of a cross in the sky?" asked
Ernest.
"When making preparations for a battle with
Maxentius, - so cruel and wicked a man as to
be despised by pagans as well as Christians, —
it is said that Constantine -noticed that Maxentius looked for success to his heathen gods, and
that this led him to think seriously where it
would be best for him to turn for support. He
at length determined to pray to the God of the
Christians.  Here comes in the story of the
cross; that while he was thus praying the true
God to reveal himself, he looked up and saw in
the sky the form of a large, glittering cross, and
above it the inscription,'By this conquer.'




Jasper.                I35
This vision was followed by a dream, the same
night, in which Christ appeared to him with this
same cross. and motto, and told him to have a
banner prepared after this pattern, and to carry
it, as his talisman, into the battle. He caused
to be made after the pattern he had seen, the
resplendent banner of the cross, — called the
Labarum,- on the shaft of which was affixed,
with the symbol of the cross, the monogram of
the name of Christ."
"What was that?" asked Olive.
"You have often seen it on books, I presume,
and in various places: I. H. S.,- the first three
letters of the Greek word Jesus."
"It must have been a beautiful flag," said
Mary.
"I should have felt proud to march under it,"
said Olive.
"Would this dream  and the result of it, if it
made the  emperor become a Christian, have
been a miracle?" asked Olive.
"I should say, as much of a miracle as the




136           Building Stones.
star that pointed the wise men to Christ," said
Ernest.
"Yes, it would have seemed like a miracle.
It has been doubted whether the story has much
foundation in truth; and yet persons do sometimes now-a-days have wonderful dreams, and
dreams which may make such an impression
upon their minds as really to influence their
actions.  But this does not often occur, and
there is no reliance whatever to be placed upon
them. Whether Constantine did see the figure
of a cross in the heavens or not, something,
whether superstition, religion, or policy, led him
to think a great deal of it, during his after life,
as an emblem or symbol. And this, by some,
has been considered one proof of the vision
itself. There is still standing in Constantinople,
that city of temples, a building of great magnificence and beauty, which was originally founded
by Constantine, three hundred and twenty-five
years after Christ, and whose ground-plan he
had laid in the form of an immense cross, two




Jasper.               I37
hundred and sixty-nine feet long, and one hundred and forty-five wide.  The hight of the
building is one hundred and eighty feet. It was
then called the Church of St. Sophia. It has
undergone many changes, having been rebuilt
in A. D. 538, by the Emperor Justinian; converted into a mosque, in 1453, by Mohammed II.;
and partially built over, with some changes of
architecture, as recently as 1847.
"Though built of brick, it is entirely marblelined; and here, Ernest, you would find your
favorite mosaic work, the ceiling and the arches
between the columns of the building consisting
of richly-inlaid patterns.  There are between
sixty and seventy columns upholding the gallery, some of which columns'are of green jasper, and are said to have been taken from the
celebrated Ephesian temple of Diana.'
"The symbol, as a foundation for so magnificent a building, strikes me as a very happy one,
-the cross of Christ."
"It makes me think," said Olive, "of your
text,  Other foundation can no man lay."




138           Building Stones.
"Was Constantine victorious in his battles
after adopting the banner of the cross?"
" Yes; one historian, in speaking of this, says,'He obtained the victory, and now felt that he
was indebted for it to the God of the Christians.'
The sign of the cross became his amulet; after
the victory he caused to be erected in the Forum
at Rome his own statue, holding in the right
hand a standard, in the shape of a cross, with
the following inscription beneath it:'BY THIS
SALUTARY SIGN, THE TRUE SYMBOL OF VALOR, I
FREED YOUR CITY FROM THE YOKE OF THE TYRANT.'
"I have told you so much about Constantine
because of the great changes he wrought in
favor of Christianity in these dark days of persecution, and I can but feel that, through however much of error he groped his way into the
light, he yet did find the true God, and did
receive Christ as his tried and sure'Corner
Stone.' Certain it is, he guarded for others that
building, whose foundation, the cross, is long
enough and broad enough for the temple which




Jasp er.               I39
shall fill the whole earth. He put an end to persecutions, and secured Christians against all
forms of oppression, restoring the rights of
which they had already been deprived, so far as
lay in his power. In 314, Constantine became
sole master of the empire of Rome. He began
to suppress pagan worship from the first, but by
degrees; as, occasionally, for some years after,
he showed some respect himself to heathen
rites.  However, he at length  publicly proclaimed his conviction that the only true God
was the source of all his victories. I will read
you  one of these proclamations, which was
issued by him to the eastern parts of the Roman
empire: -
"' Thee, the Supreme God, I invoke.  Be
gracious to all Thy citizens of the eastern provinces, who have been worn down by long-continued distress, bestowing on them through me,
Thy servant, salvation. And well may I ask this
of Thee, Lord of the universe, holy God, for by
the leading of Thy hand have I undertaken and




I40           Building Stones.
accomplished salutary things. Everywhere, preceded by Thy sign, have I led on a victorious
army. And if anywhere the public affairs demand it, I go against the enemy, following the
same symbol of Thy power. For this reason,
I have consecrated to Thee my soul, deeply
imbued with love and with fear; for I sincerely
love Thy name, I venerate Thy power, which
Thou hast revealed to me by so many proofs,
and by which Thou hast confirmed my faith.'
"I should say that he was a pillar, -a jasper
pillar, too," said Ernest.
" It certainly has the ring of a Christian proclamation. It was now his wish that all his subjects should embrace the same religion; still, he
did not resort to force.'Let no one molest his
neighbor,' he said;' the well-disposed must be
convinced that they alone will live in holiness
and purity, whom Thou Thyself dost call to find
rest in Thy holy laws;... we have the resplendent house of Thy truth, which Thou hast given
us in answer to the cravings of our nature."'




Yasper.                i4i
" Had he yet openly professed to be a Christian?  asked Ernest.
"He had not yet been baptized. In fact, he
was not ready to receive this outward symbol
of his faith, so openly expressed in many ways,
until the very last hours of his life.
"A  singular mingling of truth  and  error
seems to  have followed him  throughout his
whole history. It has been said that' even his
statues' which he erected,' halted between two
opinions.' One of these statues was in the form
of Apollo, but at its feet was buried a fragment
of the true cross, and of the ancient Roman
Palladium. The coins also which he had.made
bore on one side the name of Christ, and on the
other the figure of a pagan god. Why did you
speak of him as a jasper pillar, Ernest?"
"Because I thought that a very hard stone."
"It was this of which I was reminded by this
very mingling of truth and error in his heart
and life. The jasper is a precious stone, an
opaque, crystalline substance, but debased, as it




I42           Building Stones.
is called, with a mixture of earth. This accounts for its different colors of white, red,
brown, and bluish-green. But, although debased
by earths, it was regarded  a very precious
stone."
"Was it not the stone of which the walls of
the New Jerusalem were built? " asked Olive.
"Yes; in Rev. 21:18 it says,'And the
building of the wall of it was of jasper,'" said
Ernest.
"And because of his vacillation, at his death
he was enrolled among the gods of the pagans.
He was also made, by the Eastern church, a
saint.  But whatever may be said of these
strange inconsistencies, he did a great deal, as
all allow, for the cause of Christ. All his public acts, as emperor, were in favor of the Christian religion. He had been successful in battles,
had become emperor of the world, and he now
determined to assume the charge of the church.
He was the first emperor who had assumed the
power of sovereign in regard to the church, and




Jasper.'43
it is said that he considered himself a'bishop
of bishops.' He wished to restore peace to the
church, as he had to the empire."
"What troubles were there in the church?"
asked Ernest.
"Many questions with regard to points of belief had occasioned strife among bishops and
other Christians. Many of them were questions
of no vital bearing, but upon which men spent
much time in argument and foolish contention.
The bishops had also suffered so much from
pagan persecution, that they were rejoiced to
have him  assume this power.  He called to.
gether the first general council of the church,the great' Council of Nice.'"
"When was that held?" asked Ernest.
"In the year 325 after Christ, and in the
twentieth year of the reign of Constantine. It
was customary for emperors in that day to celebrate every tenth anniversary of their reign.
It is not known how Constantine celebrated the
tenth anniversary, but, on the coming in of the




I44           Building Stones.
twentieth, he assembled this great council of
bishops and their attendants from all parts of
the world, to adopt a settled form of belief, if
possible, deciding with regard to certain questions which had long troubled the church. Men
came from all parts of his empire, until two hundred and eighteen bishops had assembled; and,
as each bishop was to be accompanied by two
presbyters and three slaves, it was estimated
that at least two thousand people were met at
this time. Eusebius says,'They came as fast as
they could run, in almost a frenzy of excitement
and enthusiasm.' It was a singular company.
The young and the old, the ignorant and the
learned, were there. They met in a large building in the centre of the town. The bishop of
Alexandria, called the' pope of Alexandria,' was
there, —an aged man, with a shrill voice, but
full of dignity.  Arius was there,- called a'heretic,' — whose peculiar belief had caused
great discussions. He held that Christ was a
created being, not equal to  God, but first




rasper.                I45
among created beings. His statements, said and
sung, were such as these:' God was not always
Father; once he was not Father; afterwards he
became Father.' Several of his followers were
with him; and it is said that when he began to
assert his belief, the bishops, who held him a
heretic,'raised their hands in horror, and kept
their ears fast closed.' There were there, also,
Copts, from Egypt, whose lives had been spent
in  deserts. Two  bishops from  Egypt were
there, noted for the austere lives they had led.
One, Potammon, from far up the Nile, had but
one eye, the other having been taken out with
a sword, and the socket seared by a hot iron.
The other, Paphnutius, too, had lost an eye in
the same manner, and was also lame from some
former torture. Then there were bishops from
Syria, some of them rude, wild men from the far
East; others, scholars from Syrian cities. The
bishop of Jerusalem was there, and, from a for.
tress on the Euphrates, a bishop named Paul,
who, like the two African bishops, had suffered
10




I46           Building Stones.
persecution, his hands being paralyzed from
the torture of hot iron. Then there were four
men, representing four orthodox churches, with
their leader, a bishop of Nisibis, who had long
lived a hermit's life,-in caves in winter, and
in summer browsing on leaves and roots like
a beast. He came dressed in a cloak of goat's
hair. But all -the learned and the ignorant,
those who had suffered torture, and lame, blind,
halt, or withered - all were anxious and eager
to get at the truth."
" I should think," said Ernest, "that it was
very important that a man who  should call
and  preside over such  an assembly, should
have been so decidedly a Christian as to leave
no doubt of his character in that respect."
" That is very true; and we can not but think
he was sincere  in  his devotion. When he
entered  this council, he was received with
the greatest reverence. He was fond of dress,
and having a person which was attractive and
commanding, he impressed them with a feeling




Yasjer.               I47
of awe as he entered  the hall, wearing a
diadem of pearls, and clothed in scarlet robes,
which'blazed with precious stones and gold
embroidery.' The simple and the worldly, it
is said,'looked upon him as though he were
an  angel descended  straight from  heaven.'
The'Nicene Creed,' thef adopted, has been
almost universally received. If it will interest
you to know what such a great and varied
body of men agreed upon as the foundation
of their faith, I will read you the creed they
adopted."
" I would like to hear it," said Ernest.
"We  believe  in  one  God, the  Father
Almighty, Maker of all things, both visible
and invisible;
"And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son
of God, begotten of the Father, God of God,
Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with
the Father, by whom  all things were made,
both  things in heaven and things in earth,




148           Building Stones.
who for us men, and for our salvation, came
down and was made flesh, and was made man,
suffered, and rose again on the third day;
went up into the heavens, and is to come
again to judge the quick and dead;
" And in the Holy Ghost.
"But those that say,'there was when He
was not,' and'before He was begotten He
was not,' and that' He came into existence
from  what was not,' or who profess that the
Son of God is of a different'person  or' substance,' or that He is created, or changeable,
or variable, are anathematized by the Catholic
church."
"I was going to say, before you read that
last part," said Ernest, "that I should have
thought Arius would have'held up his hands
in horror, and closed his ears and eyes.' "
"Did Constantine like the creed?" asked
Olive.
" Yes, the whole of it. He seemed to revere
the bishops, and regard their decision as in



Jaster.                I49
spired. He denounced Arius and his followers, ordering his books to be burned, and the
penalty of death to be inflicted upon any who
should read them. This was the first written
creed, and was subscribed to in written form,
many of these names remaining till the next
century. A bishop of Spain, Hosius, signed it
first, in this way:'So I believe, as above
written;' and the presbyters of the bishop of
Rome  signed  it for him  as follows:'We
have subscribed for our bishop, who is the
bishop of Rome. So he believes, as above
written.'
"Some  time after this, Constantine determined to make Byzantium, now Constantinople,
the seat of his empire. And here he spent
the last years of his life. At the age of
nearly  eighty, his mother, Helena, made a
pilgrimage to Jerusalem in search of the Holy
Sepulcher, and of the very cross upon which
Christ was crucified.  It was said  that the
sepulcher had been revealed in a vision, and




50o           Building Stones.
the  three  crosses  also, which  were found
buried near it."
"How  would they know  Christ's from  the
ones on which the thieves  hung?"  asked
Olive.
"It was said that those who touched one
of these three crosses were healed, and that
one dead  body was restored  to  life by its
contact. So, of course, that decided it to be
the Holy Cross!"
"Did Helena find it?" asked Olive.
"Yes; and sent a part of it to Constantine,
which, as I told you, he had buried beneath,
or enclosed in, one of his statues. The greater
portion of this cross was kept at Jerusalem,
and set in a case of silver. Multitudes of
pilgrims, through a long series of years, visited
Jerusalem, and obtained a small fragment of
this'true cross.' So that St. Cyril remarked
that'the whole earth was filled  with  this
sacred wood.'"
"He, then, did not believe it was the true
cross?" said Ernest.




Yasper.                 151
" Oh, yes; but he accounted for this by a
miracle, which he compared to the miraculous
multiplying of the loaves and fishes by Christ.
Some of the monkish  writers have  insisted
that, in spite of all the fragments taken from
it as relics, it still remained undiminished in
size until the year 613, when Jerusalem was
taken by the Persians, who carried the cross
home with them, and kept it fourteen years,
when it was again restored to its former place
on Mount Calvary, by the Emperor Heraclius.
It is said that this emperor, laying aside his
crown and robe, carried the cross on his own
shoulders to the sepulcher, and appointed an
officer to its special care. The anniversary of
this event, the 15th of September, is still kept
in  the  Greek church  among  their festivals,
and called the'Exaltation of the Cross.'
"What became of it, after all?"
"It has had quite a romantic history. And
no one knows where the truth'comes in,' as
Ernest says.  It is said to have been taken




152           Building Stones.
from  Jerusalem  by  the Arabs, a party  of
whom  invaded Palestine, and took the cross
to Constantinople only eight years after Heraclius secured  it, in the year 636. Here,
curiously enough, it was kept in the Church
of St. Sophia, founded, you remember, by Constantine; and the honors here paid to it are
described by Bede, an English historian. It
is said that on the three solemn festivals of
the year,'its costly case was unclosed; when
a grateful odor pervaded the whole church,
and a fluid resembling oil distilled from the
knots in the wood, the least drop of which
was thought sufficient to  cure the most inveterate disease.' 
"I should think  the people could see and
know whether this was so," said Olive.
"It is strange how  much people can be
made to believe, with their eyes and ears
open, and bearing no witness to its truth."
"What became of the cross at last?" asked
Mary, again.




Jasper.               153
"It is said to have been taken and retaken by various persons until 1238, when it
was purchased by Louis IX., king of France,
and placed in a chapel which he had built for
it, and where it remained for three hundred
years, when it suddenly disappeared, and no
trace was again found of it. Some of the king's
subjects accused him  of having secretly sold
it to the Venetians, and, to appease their wrath
at this suspicion, he had a new cross made of
the  same shape, size, and  appearance, and
which, he said, was but little inferior, as an
object of worship, to the real cross. And this
satisfied them! I can imagine Christ Himself
looking down from heaven upon these deluded
wood-worshipers with infinite pity, and  exclaiming,'Oh that they were wise! that they
understood this!'"
"I do not suppose there was any harm,"
said Ernest, "in people desiring a bit of the
true cross, if they were perfectly certain it
was a part of it; I should value it myself, but
not as anything to be worshiped."




i54           Building Stones.
"There  was the danger. They took the
wood for the foundation, instead of the Stone
which God had chosen, and tried, and laid
Himself. They clung to material relics, and
failed to see where their true hopes should
be fixed; just as the  Jews  worshiped  the
brazen serpent, for hundreds of years after
its work was done, making a god of the brass,
and calling it'Nehushtan.'
"This passion for relics in Constantine was
one of the earth stripes of the jasper," said
Mrs. Ewing. "At the same time that he received a part of the Holy Cross, he also had
sent him nails, which, it was pretended, held
Christ upon it."




CHAPTER  IX.
A STUMBLING-STONE.
a"[^ lAS the next emperor as favorable to
Christians as Constantine?" asked
Olive.
" His three sons succeeded him in the empire,
and, while they favored the Christian religion,
as he had done, they were not equally lenient
toward the pagans. They ordered all heathen
temples to be destroyed, and death was made
the penalty for consulting pagan oracles."
"What was the name of these three brothers?" asked Olive.
"Constantius, Constantine, and Constans. But
they had wars between themselves, and ConstanI55




156           Building Stones.
tine was killed in one of these. Constans died
in 350, and Constantius was left, as his father
had been,' sole master of the entire Roman empire.' He still made it death to use pagan rites
and ceremonies."
"What sort of martyrs would  those be?"
asked Ernest; "those who suffered death, I
mean, because of a false religion?"
"That is only another proof that suffering
does not work salvation. They could not earn
the title of'undefiled' by submitting to death
on account of their false faith. Constantius was
the means of the destruction of many of the
pagan temples, and was so severe in many ways
with regard to pagan usages, that even Christians felt that he injured their cause; and in the
end it proved to be so. It was almost certain
that, if a pagan emperor should succeed Constantius, all this severity would be returned
upon the Christians.
"His own nephew, Julian, was his successor.
He had been carefully and severely trained in




A  Stumbling-Stone.          157
the Christian religion. He was well taught in
the Scriptures, but, as there was much of outward constraint in this, when he became free to
choose for himself, a reaction took place, which
led him to turn to paganism, and do all in his
power to promote it. He not only took part
with pagans, but also with the Jews, against
Christians.
"Their temple-which had been destroyed,'so that not one stone was left upon another,' as
Christ had predicted-he encouraged the Jews
to rebuild. But this was not to be done. The
Lord had consigned it to utter destruction because of their sin. Olive, you may read a passage which shows this, in Micah 3: 12."
Olive turned to the passage, and read, " Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a
field, and Jerusalem  become heaps, and the
mountain of the house as the high places of the
forest."
"The Jews could not believe this ruin was to
be permanent.  So, with  Julian's permission,




158          Building Stones.
they began to lay a foundation for their temple.
But the Lord was against them, and'except the
Lord build the house, they labor in vain who
build it.' Their work was stopped, suddenly
and effectually, by balls of fire issuing from the
ground, and by earthquakes, so that they could
not go on. This has been doubted by some; but
its truth seems to have been very fully proved.
And so God stopped the false building of the
Emperor Julian, who would have crushed out
Christianity, and erected, on a false foundation,
a temple in honor of unknown gods. He taught
the people that they were to worship not only
groves, and altars, and images, but even the temples themselves. He also taught priest-worship,
even of unworthy men, saying,' So long as he
sacrifices for us, and stands before the gods as
our representative, we are bound to look upon
him with reverence and awe, as an organ of the
gods most worthy of all honor.... In performing the functions of his office, he should also
wear the most costly apparel.' You see here




A Stumbling-Stone.           I59
how errors crept in from century to century.
Julian had his priests clothed in purple, and
decorated with garlands. He had pagan temples
rebuilt, and the gods returned to them. He laid
wily plans to oblige Christians to worship, outwardly at least, the gods of the pagans. His
own statues, set up in open places, had images
of Jupiter, and Mars, and Mercury, connected
with them.'A Jupiter over his head reached
down to him the purple mantle and crown, while
Mercury and Mars looked on with an approving
smile.' As it was customary to bow before his
statues, of course, in doing this, in one sense
they would bow to the gods."
"That would not have been worship of the
gods, though, would it?" asked Mary.
" Not really; but it was a mortifying thing for
them to do. He afterwards went to Antioch, a
city where were a great many Christians, and
tried to force pagan rites upon them. He restored there the'feast of Apollo,' hoping the
people of the city would join in the display, and




I60           Building Stones.
was much chagrined because they showed contempt for the festival. And, because'not an
individual brought oil, to kindle a lamp to the
god, not one brought incense, not one a libation
or a sacrifice,' and'but one solitary priest appeared, bringing a goose for an offering,' he was
indignant and angry. Before leaving the city,
he placed over them a cruel and tyrannical governor, directed some to be put to torture for
crimes with which he chose to charge them, and
ordered their Christian temple to be closed. He
was a stumbling-stone in the way of the church.
But as balls of fire prevented the Jews building
against the will of God, so he was not permitted
to work longer against the church of God. He
died in battle in the year 363, and, as one of his
historians remarks,'At a single blow, the frail
fabric erected by mere human will was dissolved.' Christ became to him  a'stumblingstone.' 
"Other foundation  can  no  man lay," said
Olive.




A  Stumbhng-Stone.           I6i
"You may look through all history, from that
day to this, and you will find the same thing.
Error and falsehood may beat against the walls
of the true temple, but their wrath is in vain;
they may try to build in opposition to it, but
their work will soon be confounded. It was
through such oppression and bitter opposition
that Christ's building,'fitly framed together,'
slowly went on."
" It seems as if there is nothing in our time
to hinder its going forward," said Ernest.
"There are but few countries now where persecution prevents Christian workers from building. And yet there have been martyrs in our
own times. Some of our own missionaries, such
as Williams, and  Coffing, and Merriam, have
fallen victims to heathen cruelties, as did the
early Christians; but their work is not lost.
There are, however, enemies always ready to
annoy and hinder, and, if possible, prevent this
Christian building from going on undisturbed.
We have  enemies very near us, subtle and
II




162          Building Stones.
strong, who often attack us in our work, and well
nigh discourage us. There are giants in the
way. Unbelief whispers,'You are not fit for
such a temple. You are a worthless, untried
stone. The Master Builder would scorn such
material.' Or, if not attacked ourselves, we are
working upon some stone in the great quarry,
and the giant Sloth comes in, and says,' It is not
worth the trouble you are taking. It is too far
away from the temple. If you should get it
hewn and polished, you could never get it lifted
into place.' Or Selfishness, another giant, whispers,'I would spend more time on my own mar.
ble, and polish it with superior care; let the
other blocks lie as they may; what is that to
you?'  Or the giant Envy comes along, and
seeing your work carefully done, and about to
become fit for a palace, defaces it with a blow
here, and a rap there, until you grow weary in
the effort to become fitted for a place in the
great building, at all."
"I never thought of those enemies," said
Olive.




A  Stumbling-Stone.              i63
"That was what Paul meant when he said,'When I would do good, evil is present with
me.' But there is the promise to'him  who
overcometh;' and we fight these giants with
prayer, as we work, hoping'the pillar' will
one day appear."
"Oh, blest is he to whom is given
The instinct that can tell
That God is on the field, when He
Is most invisible."




CHAPTER  X.
HIDDEN STONES.
N  the fifth  century,- the darkness
and superstition which closed about
the church of Christ were greater
than during the reign of Constantine and Julian.
Even Christians failed to separate the rubbish
from the stones, and builded poorly, and with
much material that would  prove but dross,
when'tried as by fire.' Even the bones of
the martyrs were thought to have power, by
being touched, to heal diseases.  Images of
saints  were  worshiped.   Pilgrimages  were
made to places esteemed holy, some of them
almost too ludicrous to mention. Images were
i64




aHidden Stones.            165
placed in gorgeous temples. Relics were valued as sacred, and  silver boxes and altars
made to hold them.  Private confession to a
priest  first was  allowed  in  this  century.
Bodily torture and  penance were undergone
with a view  of pleasing God. Some zealous
Christians went about almost without clothing,
making a diet of grass and hay, living alone
or among beasts, standing on the tops of pillars
(such were called'pillar saints,' not in the
sense of those who'overcome' in God's way),
pining  away in dens and  caves; and such
were accounted saints I
"But in the midst of all this, God's eye
was  upon  those who looked to him  in the
simplicity of a pure faith.  Vigilantius was
one of these. He taught boldly that these
superstitions were foolish  and  harmful; that
many of them were borrowed from the pagans,
and were all displeasing to God.
"In the  sixth century, through  the same
groping in darkness, the work went slowly on.




z66          Building Stones.
The darkness was greater, the superstitions
more numerous, and those who still wrought
on the temple fewer; but the work did not
stop. It seemed as if Satan was indeed leagued
against it, and the names of the true workers
are so few that we can scarcely find them.
There were in England converts to Christianity through the influence of missionaries sent
them  under one Augustine by Gregory the
Great. Among them  was Ethelbert, king of
Kent, who did what he could for the religion
of Christ, changing pagan temples into Christian
churches, and outwardly, at least, helping build
for Christ.
"Again, in the seventh century, it seemed
as if Satan's enmity to the church was about
to end in its defeat and destruction. In 612
Mohammed appeared, and laid his foundation
for a great opposing work. He drew many,
who had appeared almost fitted for the true
temple, from their place, and rejoiced to see
them  on the foundation he had attempted to




Hidden Stones.             i67
lay. It has been said that,'during this century, true Religion lay buried under a mass of
senseless superstitions, and was unable to raise
her head." It is a sad picture, but there were
some who could still say,'God is with us,' and
who' forsook not the walls of Jerusalem.'"
"I wonder that the good did not entirely
die out of the world," said Olive, who seemed
oppressed by the darkness, as if it might still
be felt.
"And why did it not?" asked Mrs. Ewing.
"I suppose because the work was of God."
"That is just it. We can not tell why He
has so great patience with the wicked; but we
do know  that the  time will come when all
their rage shall cease; when they shall receive
the reward of their doings, and there shall be
none left to hurt or destroy in all God's holy
mountain.'"
"'And there are opposers among us now?"
said Olive.
" Yes. All who do not work for Christ are




i68           Building Stones.
against him.  It is a fearful thought.  It is
easy for us to judge others, but hard to see
that  we  ourselves  may  be  disturbers  and
hinderers in this glorious work.  With all the
light we  have, there  is  less excuse for us
than for those early opposers of the religion
of Christ."




CHAPTER XI.
BRECCIATED MARBLES.
tHAT have you there, Ernest?" asked
Mrs. Ewing, as the children again
met for their afternoon talk.
"Some specimens of marble," said Ernest.
"Mr. Sterling gave them to me. He brought
them from a marble shop, and as I was specially interested in two or three kinds, he gave
me these.  I -did not know  that there were
so many kinds of marble, or that it was found
in  so many different colors.  This is very
beautiful," said he, holding up a small piece
of a fine rose tint, mottled with white. "It
camp from Vermont. I have never seen much
but white marble."              I69




I70           Building Stones.
"Do you remember that marble factory, or
shop,where we once went to see them sawing
the slabs for building?"
"I do," said Mary. "How  slow  the great
saw went through the stone!"
"Those were not very large or thick stones.
They were to be used for facing brick walls, —
a sort of veneering in stone, as rose-wood or
mahogany is put in thin layers over furnitur'e,
or fancy and ornamental boxes. This piece of
marble," said Mrs. Ewing, taking up a curious
stone, polished on one side, " they would find
difficult to saw, even in thin slabs for facing.
It is called' brecciated' marble, -  one of
Nature's composition stones.  If you look at
it closely, you will see that it looks as if made
up of pieces of different sorts of stone,-and
this is, no doubt, often so,-but so thoroughly
cemented by other earths  as to  seem  one
solid stone. There are several kinds of this
brecciated  marble, some of which  are very
curious, and never seen, perhaps, in this coun



Brecciated Marbles.            171
try, except as rare specimens in the cabinets
of geologists.  One of these varieties is of a
black ground  mottled with spots, and called
either' the full mourning' or' the half mourning.'  The  breccia  marble of red, spotted
with white, from  Italy, is more common, and
has been used in ornamental parts of churches
in this country.  The breccia marbles of this
country are found in all colors, — drab, red,
salmon, and white,- in different styles of mottling, shading, and blending."
" Why would it be harder to saw this kind
of marble?" asked Olive.
"Because, being  composed, as I  said, of
different kinds of stone, these kinds vary in
hardness, so that working it is a slow process.  This is especially  true  of some varieties."
"It seems to me that some people resemble
that kind  of marble," said  Ernest.  "They
seem  so different at different times,-' good
in spots,' as Fred Green says."




172           Building Stones.
"Some Christians might seem  a little like
it," replied Mrs. Ewing.
"I did n't say Christians," replied Ernest.
"But do n't you see, on the polished side
of this breccia stone, the places show where
the fragments join almost as plainly as on the
rough side? You have, no doubt, heard persons
say that the scars of sin remain even when
they are forgiven, as the scar of a wound remains when the wound is healed."
"It would make one wish to be careful how
one lived," said Olive. "But I think this variety, especially where it is polished, adds to its
beauty."
"Is there any sense in which this might be
true of those who had sinned much? "
"I do not see how  there can be," replied
Olive.
"Nor I, unless the beauty that love throws
over a person's character adds to it enough for
this. You know it is said,' He who is forgiven
much loveth much, but unto whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.'"




Brecciated Marbles.            173
Olive  smiled  as she  caught her mother's
meaning, but said, "I should want the love without the scars."
" Mr. Sterling showed me another curious specimen of marble, which I almost coveted, — a
little corner of it, at least. And it might also
remind one of scars, or something of the sort;
it was marble, full of little petrified shells. This
was a sawed and polished specimen, and the
shells were cut across so as to look very curiously,-a little like the inside of your glass
paper-weight."
"I have seen this' Kilkenny marble,' as it is
called."
" I should not like to have faults preserved in
that way," said Olive; " petrified in."
" No faults will remain to mar the beauty of
our characters, or prevent our becoming perfect
building stones, if we are fitted for the true
foundation-stone by the Master Builder. What
remains, after we have been finally tried, shall
be'without spot or wrinkle, or any  such




174           Building Stones.
thing.' The errors of the Christians, in those
dark days, would melt away, one after another,
beneath the tests applied to them, and all who
had any genuine faith would be able to stand.
But their peculiarities of character might remain without marring their beauty. This will
doubtless be so."
"What century was it," asked Olive, "when
you said Religion seemed buried in superstition,
and unable to raise her head? "
"The seventh. But, as I said, there were
some even then guarding the wall, and even
bringing in, now and then, freshly-hewn stones
for the temple. I told you of missionaries sent
to England, and of the conversions among the
people there.' You know  they are to come'from  the north and from the south, from the
east and from the west.' We may work in any
quarry, if it seem ever so distant, with the certainty that no living stone will ever fail to be
brought to its fitting place. There is a building
in South Carolina, every block of which was




Brecciated Marbles.          I75
quarried, and exactly fitted for its place, in New
England. Each stone was marked with a number corresponding to its place in the plan of
the edifice. God numbers every stone in the
world's great quarry, and its corresponding
place will surely be met.'Look unto me, and be
ye saved, all ye ends of the earth.'' Fear not,
for I am with thee;... bring my sons from far,
and my daughters from the ends of the earth,
every one that is called by my name; for I have
created him for my glory; I have formed him,
yea, I have made him.' This has been the encouragement of God's people in the darkest
days of the world's history. In the eighth century, belief in miracles of the most foolish kind
was added to other superstitions, until even the
best of people found it difficult to get at simple
gospel truth. Of one of the saints of that time,
who owned a mill, it was said that, while he
stopped to say his prayers, the mill would go of
itself."
"That might be," said Ernest, "if the prayers




I76           Building Stones.
were very short, and the mill in full force when
he began."
"The explanation is as good as the miracle, at
any rate. It was also believed that a person
who peered through a crack in this mill, to see
how it was possible such a thing could be, was
struck with blindness for so wicked an act."
"That reminds me," said Olive, " of the people
in India, who believe Juggernaut must be represented in an unfinished condition, because a man
looked through a crack and saw the maker of
their first Juggernaut before he had completed
the idol."
"Of another saint it was said that his presence could make a child's cradle rock, untouched
by any person; while, if one should attempt to
rock it, it would be impossible to move it."
"I suppose'spirit-rappings' began  in  the
eighth century, then," said Ernest.
"It looks more like witchcraft than the work
of a saint. Many of their stories were more
ludicrous than this; and some of their supersti



Brecciated Marbles.           77
tions vastly  more troublesome.  Evil spirits
were believed to come and take saints bodily,
and carry them into full view of the home of the
lost, where saints, after they had been sufficiently frightened  with  the horrors of hell,
would come to their rescue, and bear them to
their homes again. Even among the priests and
monks,-who were supposed at this time to
have the greatest amount of learning,- the
ignorance was so great that they scarcely knew
more than the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the
Psalter, —which last was a collection of one
hundred and fifty devout sentences. There was
also, in this century, much of image-worship;
so that, when an attempt was made to abolish it, a war of several years' duration was the
result.
"In the year 754, a council of three hundred
and thirty-eight bishops met in Constantinople
to settle the question, and the result was the
decision that  all worship of images was con.
trary to the Scriptures, and to the sense of the
12




I78           Building Stones.
church in its purest ages; that it was idolatry,
and forbidden by the second commandment."'
"I should think a child might decide that
much," said Olive, "without three hundred and
more bishops! "
"One would think so. This was a Grecian
council. The Romans did not like their decision, and they called a council about thirty years
later, and decided that'all who should hold
that God only was to be worshiped should be
punished.' The English, French, and Germans
did not wholly agree with the Romans. They
wished to keep the images in the churches,
but not offer them  worship.  So they had a
council at Frankfort, in Germany, under Charlemagne, the greatest emperor of the time;
and here it was' decided to abolish image-worship. Although it was the Greek, or Eastern
church, as it is called, they  afterward, in
842, decided it to be right that'the images
of Christ, of the Virgin Mary, and of angels
and saints, should be worshiped.' But finally




Brecciated Marbles.            79
they took the position which the Greek church
still hold,  that, while carved, or molten, or
sculptured images should not be revered, pictures, which  they say are  not images, are
worthy of adoration!
"The  worship  of relics  still continued.
Superstitions with regard to the Lord's Supper
were singular and annoying in the extreme.
Severe  penances were  connected  with  any
impropriety in its performance. The minister
who should spill a drop of the wine must undergo a three days' penance, after sucking the
drop from the altar-cloth where it fell. If any
one dropped the bread, or let fall the cup, he
must, by way of penance, sing fifty psalms.
If the wine was not well preserved, so that
its flavor or color was not' perfect, penance
must be undergone for this.  A  penance of
forty days' duration was exacted if the cup
should be turned up, instead of set down, at
the close of the service."
"It seems like child's play," said Ernest.




I80           Building Stones.
"It was little better. Everything, with most
of the people, was outside worship. Pilgrimages, penances, relic-worship, the founding of
churches and chapels as a means of appeasing
the wrath of God for sin, -these were the
exponents of the thick darkness through which
God allowed some rays of light to gleam. One
of the great builders, himself a pillar of the
church at this time, was Bede. He was called
the Teacher of England. He wrote extensive
commentaries on the Bible, and also the Church
History of the English nation, from the invasion
of Julius Ceasar to his own time, -a book
which received the honor of being translated
into the Saxon language by King Alfred. He
educated many teachers who, like him, bestowed
great pains upon the study of the Bible. His
death among his pupils, - engaged until the
last moment in the translation of the Gospel
of John,- was one of the most beautiful on
record. And you will be glad to know how
his influence lived after him. Alcuin, a suc



Brecciated MAarbles.         I81
cessor of his in the great work of teaching the
Scriptures, was born the same year in which
Bede died. Bede's mantle fell upon him. He
was educated in a school in York, England,
whose  superintendent, Egbert, was a friend
and pupil of Bede. He took the torch from
his dying master, and its light burned brighter
and brighter, until hundreds of other torches
were set ablaze by its flame. Alcuin became
the head of this school after Egbert, and was
known as'the great teacher of the time.'
Scholars flocked to him from distant places,
until his school became a center of great influence. He was invited by the Emperor Charlemagne to Germany to become a teacher and
guide to his people. Charlemagne's rule extended over many countries - France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and many Saxon tribes. He
exerted great influence over all his dominions,
having them  visited often by delegates, and
keeping a careful oversight of the whole himself. While he did not neglect trade and in



x82          Building Stones.
dustry, and the physical welfare and improvement of his subjects, he bestowed special care
upon their instruction in classical and all other
useful learning. He invited learned men from
all parts of the world to his court, to become
teachers in the different branches of science in
which they excelled. Some were to teach in
astronomy, — of which he was so fond himself
as frequently to rise in the night and gladly
give up his sleeping hours to the study of the
stars, -some to teach history, some rhetoric
and logic, and others to teach theology. In
this way Alcuin was called to his court. And
it has been said of this York teacher, that he
was accounted'the leading spirit of this aggregation of teachers.' He originated a school
in which  men were  thoroughly taught, and
fitted to be sent out as teachers into other
provinces, and which  formed  a society  of
learned men, of which Charlemagne himself
and  several of his immediate family were
members.




Brecciated Marbles.          183
"The ignorance of the bishops, of which I
have been  telling  you, struck Charlemagne,
as revealed in the letters they frequently wrote
him, petitioning  him  for some favor which
they desired. He issued a circular, recommending them to be more diligent in scientific studies,
as a means of increasing their ability to understand and explain the Holy Scriptures. Alcuin
had been sent from York, while yet a teacher
there, on a mission to Rome, by the archbishop
of York. On his return he was met at Parma,
in Italy, by Charlemagne, and urged to remain
with him, and take charge of these institutions
that he was about to set up. Havingreturned
to York, and got leave both of his king and
the archbishop, he went back to Charlemagne,
who granted him  the position of teacher of
the monks in two monasteries, and especially
the superintendence of a school near his palace
for.young men of noble parentage, called the
Palatine School. He was the friend, instructor,
and the consoler under affliction of the emperor




I84           Building Stones.
himself, and when absent from  the emperor,
he wrote to him  freely, keeping up the correspondence during his life. Alcuin, like Egbert and Bede, gave great attention to the
study of the Scriptures, and his influence for
good at such a time, in his high position, was
immense. The emperor called him'his most
beloved teacher in Christ.' For eight years
he labored in this manner for the emperor,
and then went back, spending two years in
York, when  he  returned, and  again taught
under Charlemagne, working with  great zeal
and success until old age caused him to seek
a respite from such arduous cares in greater
retirement. He was given the charge of instructing  the  monks in the Abbey of St.
Martino. Here he labored as long as his failing strength would allow, when he was permitted to choose from his own scholars those
who should fill his place. Like the good Archbishop Leighton, whose wish with regard to




Brecciated Marbles.          185
the place of his death was granted, so was
it with Alcuin."
"How was that?" asked Olive.
"Leighton often said he would be glad to
die at an inn.  It seemed a singular wish,
but he did die, while upon a journey, at an
inn. Alcuin wished to die on the return of
the festival of Pentecost, and he passed away
on that day,-May  19, 804. So, you see,
even in the darkness of the most superstitious
ages, God fulfilled His promise to watch over
His church. You may read one of these beautiful promises, Olive, in Isaiah 61:.67."
Olive read,"'I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O
Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace,
day nor night. Ye that make mention of
the Lord, keep not silence; and give Him
no rest, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.'"
" And although the best of these men were
tinged with the errors, and perhaps a little




I86           Building Stones.
marred by the superstitions, of the day, like
the breccia marbles they bore the polish of
the Master, and stood before the world with
added beauty."




CHAPTER  XII.
ONYX STONES.
" HO  was the  successor of Charlemagne?" asked Ernest, the next
Sabbath afternoon.
"His son, who was called'Lewis the Meek.'
He too, like his father, favored Christianity,
and did much for the upbuilding of Christ's
true kingdom.  He  sent religious men into
Sweden and Denmark, and gathered material
for this great living temple from those foreign
countries.
"The emperor of the Greeks, Basil, of the
ninth century, sent Christian men to Russiathe first missionary work ever attempted in that
i87




I88           Building Stones.
country. Many were influenced to accept the
truths taught them, and although much of the
rubbish of superstition remained in their best
teachings, there was enough spirit and life to
impart life to others. But there was so much
of persecution, opposition, plunder, and robbery
from other nations, that Christians were very
thoroughly tried, and many who had called
themselves such gave up the profession, and, for
the sake of quiet and security, embraced the
false faith of their conquerors. A question was
agitated in the ninth century, somewhat like the
one which has been lately troubling the great
council at Rome."
"This question is the infallibility of the
pope?" said Ernest.
" Yes. There was a great deal of vice among
the Romanists in that day, but their influence
was considerable. They began in this century
to put forward the claim, that the'bishop of
Rome was constituted by Jesus Christ a legislator and judge over the whole church, and,




Onyx Stones.             I89
therefore, that other bishops derived all their
authority solely from  him, and that councils
could decide nothing without his direction and
approbation.' In order to prove this claim, they
must have something more to show than assertion merely. Ancient writings were forged by
the monks.' Decrees of councils, never before
heard of; were now discovered, by which the
universal supremacy of the pope was established
from the earliest times.' These new builders
attacked the workers on the one only foundation
with more bitterness than was displayed by Sanballat and Tobiah, and the other enemies of the
Jews in Nehemiah's day, when they'conspired
all of them together to come and fight against
Jerusalem, and to hinder it.' And there were
many who were hindered, and said, as Judah did
with regard to those enemies,'The strength of
the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is
much rubbish; so that we are not able to build
the wall.'
" But there were others who said,' Be not ye




Igo           Building Stones
afraid of them; remember the Lord, which is
great and terrible;' and these builded,'every
one with his sword girded by his side.''They.
which builded on the wall, and they that bare
burdens, with those that laded, every one with
one of his hands wrought in the work, and with
the other hand held a weapon.''And half of
them held the spears, from the rising of the
morning till the stars appeared.' That was the
way Christians worked in those days, and that is
the way they always must work; for there are
always enemies ready to hinder, whether they
attack suddenly and in troops, or slowly, and
one by one. So that the watchword which has
served the church in all ages remains still the
best for us, and it was given by Christ Himself:'What I say unto you, I say unto all,
Watch.'
"King Alfred, in England, who translated
Bede's Church History, did much in this century for the truth. He was a friend to learning,
and it is said by some that he founded the uni



Onyx Stones.              I9I
versity of Oxford.  Many attempts had been
made to destroy the Scriptures, but copies of
them had always been preserved, even in times
of greatest peril. In this century, so much of
superstition prevailed as to affect even the best
of those who upheld Christianity. It would be
as difficult to decide whether he himself were a
Christian, as whether Constantine was; and we
had better give them the benefit of the doubt.
For the same reason that Constantine reminded
us of jasper, Alfred may be represented by the
onyx, which is strongly contrasted in its different colors, and one layer will be found clear and
transparent, joined to another dark and opaque.
He attempted to civilize and Christianize those
whom he conquered in his various battles. He
was a superior scholar and writer. Like Constantine, he, too, was surnamed   The Great,'
and  seems equally well to have earned the
title.
"In many countries, in this century, imageworship was continued.'Candles were burned




192           Building Stones.
before images, incense burned to them, supplications made before them; colors were scraped
from pictures, and mixed with the wine to be
drank at sacraments; and the bread was placed
in the hands of images, so as to be received as
from them.'"
"I should think that more a lack of common
sense than ignorance," said Ernest.
"And even this was by command of the
popes, who established image-worship throughout the West. In the tenth century there was
still greater darkness; yet the church was not
defeated, and continued slowly to increase. The
Nestorians, among whom we now have missionaries, had then the true faith, and sent missionaries themselves to foreign countries, even to the
borders of China. Christianity was embraced
also in Poland and Hungary, and extended in
Russia. Pagan nations still troubled the Christians by persecutions, trying to tear up the
very foundation stones of their building; and
the tenth century was called, from  all these




Onyx Stones.              193
growing evils, the'dark age,' the'iron age,'
and the'leaden age.'  The priests and bishops were worldly, sensual, and even criminal,
fond of traffic and  pleasures of every  sort.
It is said of one of them, who was particularly
fond of horses and hounds, that'he kept two
thousand horses, which  he fed on nuts, and
fruits, and odorous wine'! These bishops were
called, in this'iron age,' bishops of the world,'
instead of bishops of Rome; and some were
ready to admit that'bishops receive all their
power from  God, but only through St. Peter.'
In the eleventh  century, the Crusades commenced."
"What were they?" asked Olive.
"Something about taking Palestine from the
Mohammedans," said Ernest.  "I've read of
Peter the Hermit, who led the first army, many
of whom perished. They carried banners, with
the symbol of the cross, and wore a cross made
of some bright-colored material, on their shoul.
I3




194           Building Stones.
ders. But I do not know whether much good
was accomplished by them."
"The soldiers were many of them men such
as we should not call'soldiers of the cross,'
making havoc and destruction through the countries as they marched; but they at last conquered the Turks, and took possession of Jerusalem. There were still in this century true
and fearless builders, who taught the truth in
spite of persecution, and became exiles, if not
martyrs to their belief:
"The pope, Gregory VII., proclaimed, in this
century, the perfection of the Romish church.
One of a series of propositions that he put forth
at this time, was'that the Romish church
never erred, nor will it, according to the Scriptures, ever err.'"
"Did he give the proof from the Scriptures? "
asked Olive.
"The proofs did not appear with the assertions  Among other things, he assumed the
power'to depose emperors,' and declared that




Onyx Stones.              195
any sentence he pronounced could be recalled
by no one, but'he could review the decisions
of all others.' The Roman King, Henry IV.,
was obliged to humble himself before this pope,
and was compelled, while waiting on him for the
pardon of his sins, to stand, in midwinter, three
days, barefooted and bareheaded, and in a miserable dress, within the castle walls, making confessions, before he received absolution."
" That is very different from Christ, waiting at
the door of our hearts," said Olive, "for us to let
him come in with our pardon."
" As different as the spirit of the two religions throughout. But there was much of compulsion used among Christians even, in their
efforts to extend Christianity. Some good may
have resulted from the wars carried on to force
men to receive a new belief. But God says it is'not by might, nor by power, but by His Spirit,'
that the work is to be done.
" In the twelfth century the Mohammedans
caused the Christians great trouble, waging con



i96           Building Stones.
stant wars with them, so that, fearing they
should lose the hold they had gained upon Palestine by the first crusade, they undertook a
second, instigated by St. Bernard. The King
of France aided them, as well as the Emperor of
the Germans, and their armies started for Palestine in 1147; but they were defeated, perishing
by the way in great numbers, and so divided
among themselves that, when their reduced and
broken armies met in Palestine, they could do
nothing but march back over their weary route,
having lost in the expedition nearly two hundred thousand men.
"Bernard's life was a very  eventful one.
Onyx-like, it was full of contrasting layers of
light and darkness. He was a Frenchman of
noble descent, early trained for the church, and
desirous of leading a monk's life. He fasted,
and used many methods of mortifying the flesh,
until, worn and haggard, he became a'fearful
witness of the struggle of the soul in its contest
with the body.' He was chosen abbot by




Onyx Stones.:I97
twelve brother monks, and they formed themselves into a community, living in cells which
they built in.a wild, robber-infested mountain
gorge, named' The Valley of Wormwood,' where
many visited them, and where, it was believed,
miracles were performed by Bernard upon the
sick and infirm  who came to him.  He was
saved from self-destruction in this way of living
by a friend, restored to health, and induced to
live a life of less austerity. After living twelve
years in a monastery, he became a great teacher,
preacher and writer, and, after the failure of the
crusade, he battled with various forms of error
at home, and wore himself out in what he believed true work for the church. He died at
the age of sixty-three, in the year 1153, and was
afterward placed among the saints. It was said
of him,' Few have loved the church with more
steadfast and unselfish  devotion.'  Few  have
rendered it more signal services. The church
knew him as a trusty servant, faithful to his profession, terrible to all its foes. He wrote hun



i98           Building Stones.
dreds of sermons, and crowds were moved by
his preaching. What he did that shall stand as
a true builder, will be revealed in the great
test day."
"I thought he was a Catholic," said Ernest,
"and was made a saint."
"Neither the one nor the other will hurt
him, if his foundation-stone was Christ. If he
built upon that, the name he was called by while
a worker, the name he received after death, will
neither hinder nor help in the matter of his salvation. The foundation is broad and sure: the
one thing is to be upon it. It would be sad for
such a worker to find in the end that his life had
been a mistake, —that he had hewn and polished a stone which God had not numbered for
His temple, and that he had prepared many
blocks for a building where they should find no
place.
" It is of the first importance to all to be sure
thaf they have truth on their side. The world
is full of workers. The great question is, How




Onyx Stones.            I99
much of the work shall stand? Every one
whose trust has been placed in Christ is safe.
He says to all such,'I have covered thee in the
shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the
heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth,
and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.'"




CHAPTER XIII.
AGATES.
AS  there not a third  crusade?"
asked Olive.
"Yes; but it, too, was unsuccessful. Frederick I., of Germany, began this crusade in 1189.  He was himself drowned in
Syria the next year, and most of his army
returned. The same year in which Frederick
was drowned, the kings of France and England
- Philip Augustus and Richard the Lion-hearted
— undertook the same work, and reached Palestine, but after a partial success, returned,
leaving Jerusalem in the hands of the Turks."
"It seems as if God was against them, as he
200




Agates.               20I
was against the Jews when they undertook to
rebuild their temple," said Ernest.
" Yes; the twelfth century seemed as much a'leaden age' as the tenth. Men stood up for
the truth, and were imprisoned and persecuted
even unto death. You have read of the trials
of the Waldenses."
"I have," said Mary, who, through all the
Golden Hour conversations, had still kept her
quiet place, even when she'could not understand all;' "I have, in my'Pierre and his
Family.'"
" They were called Waldenses," resumed Mrs.
Ewing, "because they were followers of one of
these men who worked on the true building,
in spite of the hosts of surrounding enemies.
His name was Peter Waldo. He, too, like Bernard, was a Frenchman. God, through all these
centuries of error, kept His Holy Word from
destruction. And it was a powerful weapon in
the hands of all who were attacked by false
teachers. Waldo worked on the wall, with the




202           Building Stones.
weapon of God's word constantly at hand.
From the four Gospels, which he translated into
French, besides other portions of Scripture, he
saw the errors into which those had fallen who'departed from the simplicity of the gospel of
Christ.' There was not nearly as much to be
done as men supposed. Penances for accidental
omissions and trifling mistakes were quite needless. He was a rich man, but, like the Master
in whom he trusted, he distributed of his goods,
and became poor, that others might through him
have this word of life, and become rich. His
translation was the first translation of Scripture
into modern languages. The only version before this was the Latin Vulgate. Of course, he
could not do so great a work as this without
intense opposition. The enemies of the truth
know  the worth of the Bible, as well as its
friends. This is why it has been chained, and
burned, and forbidden to be used by the mass
of the people. But God sets prisoners free in
many ways, and it is as easy for Him to send an




Agates.                203
angel to unlock Bible chains as to open prison
doors and iron gates for his people.  Whenever the old cry is the cry of the worker still,' Hear, 0 our God, for we are despised; and
turn their reproach upon their own head, for
they have provoked Thee to anger before the
builders,' very soon the builders will be able
to exclaim,'So built we the wall.'"
"But they were persecuted," said Ernest.
"Yes. They were bitterly opposed, but their
boldness for their faith did more for the advance of the work than if they had been left
to go on undisturbed.  Multitudes were led
by their example of strong faith, and by their
beautiful lives, to receive the same faith, and
stand by it through any amount of opposition.
Waldo himself, cursed by the pope, and driven
from his home, took refuge in the mountains of
Piedmont, where a great many followed him,
sharing his cruel exile. Here was opened a
grand quarry for the great temple. All Europe
received more or less of the truth as it is in




20of          Building Stones.
Jesus through the open teachings and lives of
these noble men.  Communities were formed
among  these mountains, —pure as a flower
amid Alpine snows. From  these valleys'the
simple doctrine of Christianity flowed out in
multiplied rivulets over all Europe, - Provence,
Languedoc, Flanders, Germany, —until in the
course of ages they swelled to a flood that
swept oVer all lands.'  When men think to' hold  the  truth  in  unrighteousness,' God
teaches them by such lessons as this that'the
word of God is not bound.' 
" Was Waldo a martyr, as well as an exile?"
asked Olive. "I should think he would have
been almost willing to be, when he saw how
much good had been done by him."
"No doubt he would, had it been necessary;
but exile was enough for him, and the witnessing of so much sorrow in those who shared his
exile was probably more of a trial to bear than
actual martyrdom. He traveled a great deal,
teaching the doctrines he found in the Bible,




Agates.               205
and died at last, in Bohemia, in 1179. By his
translations of Scripture he opened great windows of light in this building, and was thus
like an agate; as it is said in Is. 54: 12,'And
I will make thy windows of agate.' The people
who had professed his views spread through
many countries. They worked on in spite of
persecution, which followed them  as a sect
from that day almost to this. It is scarcely
a dozen years since they have been allowed
full religious liberty in some of the countries
where they are still found. Those who are in
Italy have chosen Florence as their principal
center, and have there a printing press, and a
theological seminary, which was removed from
Turin to Florence as recently as 1860. So
you see what a work one man was enabled to
start, and how, through his efforts, it has gone
on,-  God watching with the watchmen and
working with the workers unto this day. For
the light which entered at Waldo's windows
of agate has never been shut out.




CHAPTER  XIV.
CRYSTAL.
ERE  the  crusaders  satisfied  with
XVU^   their defeats?" asked Ernest.
"No. In the thirteenth century
they made several different attempts to gain
Palestine, but with little success. It is supposed that the loss of life in these wars
amounted to at least two millions."
" If they  had  only  been  true  Christian
martyrs!" said Olive.
" No doubt many among them  were. They
marched under the true banner, but, no doubt,
with multitudes the  symbol was very little
regarded. Ambition, curiosity, and love of a
206




Crystal.              207
wandering  life induced many  to  enlist, no
doubt, to whom  the cross was a stumblingblock rather than a foundation of hope.
"In  this century the Roman power was
great, and seemed at times as if about to
overshadow  even the true faith of believers
in Christ, as their Head. The pope took kings
into hand, excommunicating them, and, taking
them  from  their people, put other kings in
their places. John, at that time king of England and Ireland, made all his kingdom fbrmally over to the pope, binding himself by a public
and formal document, in these words:'I, John,
by the grace of God king of England and lord
of Ireland, for the expiation of my sins, and out
of my own free will, with the advice and consent of my barons, do give unto the church
of Rome and to Pope Innocent III. and his
successors, the kingdoms of England and Ireland, together with all the rights belonging
to them; and I will hold them of the pope as
his vassal. I will be faithful to God, to the




208           Building Stones.
church of Rome, to the pope my lord, and to
his successors lawfully appointed;.'and I bind
myself to pay him a tribute of one thousand
marks of silver yearly, viz., seven hundred for
the kingdom  of England, and three hundred
for Ireland.' John was a brother of Richard
of the Lion Heart, but not, like him, in favor
of the spread  of Christianity.  He was a
wicked, cruel king.  This giving up of his
kingdom to the pope brought great evil upon
him.  He died not long after, partly  from
mortification at being defeated in battle. But
it has been said that his weakness wrought
strength to the English nation. The Normans,
who had, through him, become inhabitants of
England, but were always heretofore under
French rule, having  through  him  lost their
possessions, decided to regard the English as
their countrymen, chose their rulers from among
the English, and adopted England as their own
country. So that, in the end, the wrath of man
was made to be a praise, and the counsel of
kings was brought to naught.




Crystal.               209
"There was more of superstition and error
in the church  in  this century than  in the
dark days of the iron age. Many new orders
of monks arose; useless rites and ceremonies
increased; indulgences to sin were granted;
the bread and wine became the soul and body
of Christ, and  rich  caskets were  made, in
which  bread, as God, might reside as in a
dwelling, and be carried from place to place,
which was probably the first idea of the elevation of the host.
" Among  the festivals imposed  upon  the
church in this century was the Year of Jubilee,
which  is still celebrated  in Rome.  It was
said, first as a rumor, and afterward confirmed
by the pope, that whoever should make a pilgrimage  to St. Peter's Church, at Rome, in
the years that finished  centuries, —that is,
within the last year or two of the close of the
century,- they would  merit by this indulgences for a hundred years. The pope sent
word through all Christendom  that whoever,
14




210           Building Stones.
at this particular time, should visit either St.
Peter's or St. Paul's at Rome, confessing their
sins, should be pardoned. It is a sad proof
of the darkness of the time that such a proclamation  could  have  produced  any  effect.
The simple'Come unto me' of Christ, had it
been believed and obeyed, would have saved
the long line of pilgrims making their weary
and useless march from every part of Italy to
its great capital in the year 1300.'It has
been  estimated that two millions of people
visited Rome in that year; and the concourse
there was so great that many were trodden to
death by the throng.'' This was better success than the pope had
looked for, and he and his people began to
think one hundred years too long a time to
pass between these  pilgrimages.  He might
not live to see many such triumphs himself.
So the next pope, Clement VI., shortened it
half a century, and another line of pilgrims
sought the pardon of their sins in 1350. Of




Crystal.               211
course the next thing was to lessen the time
again. Pope Nicholas V. settled the festival
as one to be observed  each  quarter of a
century."
" It makes me think of the officers' birthdays
in the arctic winters," said Ernest.
"How was that?" asked Olive.
"Dr. Hayes said they had to devise every
possible method of interesting the men in those
cold, dark days, and among others, whenever
an officer's birthday occurred, the cook took
especial pains to get up an excellent dinner.
He added, that it became apparent before long
that some of the officers had more than their
share of birthdays in the course of a year."
"During  this century the Inquisition was
established, the horrors of which I shall not
attempt to tell you about. But through falsehood, fire, and sword, there were those who
came out unscathed.
" It was little better in the fifteenth century.
There was in this century a singular proof




212           Building Stones.
that the pope was not infallible, which, of
course, his adherents failed to see; and that
was, that two popes were to be found at the
same time, —one in Rome, Urban VI., and the
other at Avignon, Clement VII. It has never
been  clearly ascertained, as it was then altogether uncertain, which was the real, true
pope.  The worst of it was, that neither
seemed to be proved immaculate, by the constant quarrels between themselves, which occasionally so jarred the whole building that
many who still supposed them  true, trembled
for the foundations. While this perplexed the
honest, conscientious people who believed the
pope was the head of the church, it really
strengthened the cause of Christians; for many,
even kings, and the best men of the nation,
saw  easily  through  such  presumption, and
turned from a religion so grossly inconsistent
and weak. One of the great builders of that
century was John Wickliffe. You know he has
been called the'Morning Star of the Reforma



Crystal.              213
tion.' They had long been working in darkness; and the work was severe and large, and
they were separated upon the wall, one far
from  another.  But the trumpet occasionally
sounded a note of success, and  somie had
held on until the stars began to appear.'Our
God shall fight for us,' might well have been
their watchword as Wickliffe appeared. Afraid
of neither popes, bishops, nor monks, of persecution or martyrdom, he boldly hewed, cut, and
polished in the quarry of the Lord. He was
born in Yorkshire, England, in or near 1324.
He was educated at Oxford, a clear thinker, a
sound scholar, and a keen detector of error.
Theology was his favorite study.  He wrote
and preached against the prominent errors of
the different orders of monks and friars. He
became president of Baliol College, Oxford, and
afterward warden of Canterbury, founded by
an archbishop of that name. When the founder
died, the right to his place was disputed, and
after years of discussion, the pope and the




214          Building Stones.
king decided that he could not retain his
position.
"Curiously enough, during this time he was
called upon to pay his share of that same annual tribute of silver marks which King John
had promised the pope.  He refused to pay
this tax, and wrote a paper declaring it useless,
and having no warrant in reason or the Bible.
Perhaps this was his first open opposition to
the demands of the pope. He became a doctor
of theology, and his views and teachings were
soon highly regarded.  He was at length
charged openly with heresy,and had a partial
trial before a synod called by the archbishop.
But the people rose up in his favor, surrounded
the building where the synod met, and rushed
in to stand between him  and harm. A royal
messenger soon came, forbidding any severe
measures, and with only some words of rep.
rimand, and counsel not to repeat his offenses,
he was allowed to retire.
"He was only the stronger for this opposi



Crystal.               2x5
tion, and more fearless than before in maintaining his own views. Through him a complete
translation  of the Bible was given to the
people. He had written copies multiplied, and
in the hands of the people'it became an engine of wonderful power.'
"I should think he was more than a pillar,"
said Olive.
"A  pillar in a most important part of the
building.  This work of giving  the  Scriptures to others is a kind of building whose
results are so great that eternity only can
reveal them.  Bede, and King Alfred, who
translated the Psalms into Anglo-Saxon, did
a great work; but Wickliffe's was the  first
complete  translation, — which was published
so as to be in general use, —from  the Latin
version, which, you  remember, Jerome prepared, in the fourth century, from the original
Hebrew and Greek."
"Was he a martyr?" asked Mary.
"No. God seemed to shield him from that,




216            Building Stones.
for he was attacked, and attempts were made
to try him  for heresy; but he died  at last
peacefully, at the age of sixty, at his own
rectory  of Lutterworth.  His doctrines were
condemned after his death, and  his enemies
had  the  pleasure  of showing  whether they
would have made him  a martyr, by taking up
his bones after they had  lain  quietly undisturbed for forty-one years, and publicly burning them, by order of the  Council of Constance.  The ashes were thrown into a little
brook near by, called  the  Swift, which  ran
into the River Avon; and  Thomas  Fuller's
remark, that their being thus scattered was
emblematic of the spread of his doctrines, has
been repeated in the stanza-'The Avon to the Severn gave,
The Severn to the sea;
So Wickliffe's teachings shall be spread
Wide as the waters be.'"
"Have we not workers in our time," asked
Ernest, "something like Wickliffe?  The mis



Crystal.               2I7
sionaries, I mean, who have translated the
Bible into  the  different languages  of the
heathen to whom  they have gone."
"Yes; and we do not realize the greatness of the work which such noble men as
Mills, and Hall, and Dwight, and Schauffler,
and Judson, and  Perkins, and  Brown, and
hosts of other wise builders, have done in
this way.  But God's eye is  upon  every
worker, as well as upon  every  stone. He
knows, better than the builders themselves,
what riches of glory are yet in reserve for
them, when, their last enemies having been
subdued, and  the fullness  of time  having
come, the blessed promise shall be fulfilled
-'-Violence shall no more be heard in the
land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders, but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation,
and  thy  gates  Praise.'  Then those  noble
workers, who, like David, loved to walk about
Zion and go round  about her, telling the
towers thereof, marking  her bulwarks  and




2 8           Building Stones.
considering her palaces, shall find that more
of its beauty  and  safety  came from  their
faithfulness than they had ever imagined while
yet in the midst of the passing conflict."
"And we can help it a little by our pennies," said Mary.
"Nothing is lost, not even a cup of cold
water given  in the name  of Christ.  One
verse from one torn leaf of a Bible has often
been the ax and the hammer to fit a block
for the beautiful temple. Wickliffe's life reminds us of crystal. He, too, served for a
clear window, admitting the pure light of the
Scriptures into this great temple."




CHAPTER  XV.
COMPOSITION STONES.
HAD  never thought before," said
Olive, "of the very many different
beliefs, and forms of belief, regardVing the way of salvation."
" And I have not named the half of them
that were prevalent in these dark ages," replied
Mrs. Ewing. "Some more absurd than any I
have mentioned existed in Wickliffe's time.
Persons who think dancing a part of worship,
such as the Shakers in our time, may trace this
to the fourteenth century. Men and women,
holding each other by the hand, and dancing
violently, professed to be favored with special
revelations and spiritual visions. Another sect
219




220           Building Stones.
was more singular, but certainly as sincere,
called the Flagellants. They believed that bodily punishment was as sure a way to obtain
pardon as baptism, or any other easier method.
And these persons went about in large crowds,
through city streets and country towns, whipping themselves soundly as they went. They
probably conceived the idea from the severity
of the monks toward their own persons, and
carried it to extremes, hoping for all the more
full and speedy pardon. We see from it all
how evil and bitter a thing sin is, and how
much men will endure in the hope of ridding
themselves of it. Perhaps the hardest lesson
for the natural heart to learn is the ease with
which the religion of Christ may be obtained.
" Notwithstanding the work of Wickliffe, great
darkness prevailed throughout the fifteenth century. Constantinople was taken by the Turks
in this century, and the Mohammedan religion,
embraced by Turks and Tartars, spread throughout the East.  The Greek church was almost
destroyed, and Christians were bitterly opposed.




Composition Stones.          221
Many of the Greeks, however, leaving their own
country, carried their learning and religion into
the western countries of Europe, especially into
Italy. In this century the art of printing became known, which, by rendering books cheaper,
increased the light, and helped those who wished
to spread the true knowledge of Christ.
" The popes of this age seemed far from perfect. Some of them were removed from their
places by trials for the worst of crimes. Among
them  all, the most noted for wickedness was
Roderic  Borgia.  Those who were no doubt
truly pious in that age, — such men as Thomas
a Kempis, for example, some of whose writings
we still have, and parts of which are so purely
devotional, - even those men remind us of composition stones, so made up were they in character of every variety of belief, mingled with
superstitions. In this century, at one and the
same time, they could boast of three popes; and
their own quarrels, and the divisions of the
church in consequence, worked great hindrances
to the truth. This matter was settled by the




222           Building Stones.
Council of Constance, in 1414.  This council
claimed to derive its power directly from Christ,
and declared that whoever, even if the pope
himself, refused obedience to their commands,
should be punished. They were terribly severe
in their punishments.  Through  them  John
Huss, a man of Wickliffe's spirit, bold in speaking and writing against the errors of the time,
was condemned. He was a noble Christian, and
he bore his sentence of death with a true martyr
spirit. His enemies burned his works and destroyed his body; but his Forks still live, and
to-day he rejoices in a martyr's crown. It was
at this time that Wickliffe's bones were burned.
Jerome also, a friend of Huss, more learned, and
of great piety, was also condemned, and became
a martyr soon after Huss, meeting his death in
the same manner. The martyrdom of these two
men, instead of discouraging, only stimulated
the Christians to greater zeal. Wickliffe's followers in England, called Lollards, and the Waldenses, from  their various hidden places of
resort, still made themselves heard for the truth.




Composition Stones.         223
"It was in a time of darkness and persecution
such as this that America was discovered. This
country was graciously divided by the pope,
Alexander VI., between the people of Spain and
Portugal; and they were at once commanded to
see that the people of this new world were
taught in their religion.  Monks of different
orders were sent as missionaries, —the first to
bring the news of the gospel in any form to our
shores. There were great changes in the sixteenth century. While the popes still claimed
to be Christ's true representatives, their lives
were so corrupt that the people rose up against
it in masses.  They had the Scriptures in
greater abundance, and some saw for themselves
that such doctrines as that of indulgences for
sin had no place in their teachings.  These
indulgences were sold to the people for money
to build churches. Permits to commit sin, and
absolution from all sin,'how enormous soever,'
were granted to those who would contribute to
the building of St. Peter's Church at Rome. A
corner-stone laid by indulgences to sin I A tem



224           Building Stones.
pie for worship built up by crime I Souls after
death were to be released from purgatory by
money. To the friends of such departed ones
it was proclaimed that,'as soon as the money
tinkled in the chest, instant escape from torment
and ascent to heaven' would follow.
"But there were men ready to say, as Peter
said to Simon,'Thy money perish with thee,
because thou hast thought that the gift of God
may be purchased with money!' One of these
men rose up at this time from an unexpected
quarter, who proved a wonderful builder, putting in windows of light, and opening longbarred doors, revealing to many countries the
beauty of this temple. We will talk about him
on the next Sabbath."
" I think I know who it was," said Ernest.
"Luther," said Olive.
" You are right," said Mrs. Ewing; "and we
will call him the carbuncle, for you know, where
it is said,'Thy windows of agates,' it is added,
and'thy gates of carbuncle.'"




CHAPTER XVI.
CARBUNCLES.
~"[   l 1HAT  sort of stone is carbuncle?"
asked Olive, the next Sabbath.
"It was a brilliant stone,- red,
like glowing coals of fire, next in value to the
diamond, and equal in hardness to the sapphire.
Some writers have supposed it to be green in
color, but it has generally been recognized as a
flaming red. It was for its great hardness, and
clearness, and beauty, that I chose it as a symbol of Luther, as well as because of the passage
I quoted from  Isaiah about the gates of carbuncle. If the gates of Zion are to be' Praise,'
then was Luther a fit symbol of such a part of
I5                 225




226           Building Stones.
the temple.  He was a man of learning and
great eloquence.  His father, a poor miner,
earned with his hard labor the money to educate
his son, who early gave promise of future greatness.  He intended  him  for a lawyer; God
meant to make of him  a wonderful builder on
this great temple, struggling  so slowly  up
through the centuries. In 1501, he entered the
university at Erfurt. He was fond of reading,
and after he had been over a year in this college, he one day found, in searching its library
for something new, a copy of a Latin Bible.
On reading it, strange feelings stirred within
him. Not long after, he was seized with alarming illness. This led him to look upon life seriously. The sudden death of' a friend by lightning added to these impressions, and leaving the
college suddenly, he resolved on the life of a
monk, and entered an Augustinian monastery.
For years he continued in the church of Rome,
but became a believer in the simple truths of
the gospel by its study, and through the pious
teachings of a friend."




Carbuncles.              227
"How did he break away from this life in tle
monastery?" asked Ernest.
"He was sent to Rome on some errand for
the church, and seeing what corruption existed
where he looked for perfection, he became fully
convinced of their errors, and on his return
preached with great boldness against the sins
of the church, and its great errors of doctrine;
showing  the mighty contrast between  their
teachings and the simple truths of the Bible.'The spark was laid to the train which ended in
so mighty an explosion.' His boldness in proclaiming the truth aroused the fear of the cardinals, and of the pope himself, and he was excommunicated.  For this he cared nothing.  The
thunder of the pope's bull had not half the
power over him that the' still small voice of
the Spirit' had wrought in his soul. The pope
then instructed the emperor to punish him as a
rebel. The emperor, Charles V., would not do
this without permitting him to speak in his own
defense. A diet or council was called''t the




228           Building SoMes.
city of Worms. Here Luther boldly set forth
his belief, and made a most noble defense. He
was allowed to go home without sentence of
punishment, but on the way ras secretly waylaid and imprisoned. Be,wag declared by the
emperor a heretic before this, but had a permission to return to his home safely, which was violated, and he was seized in a dense forest, and
taken to the Castle of Wartburg, where, for a
whole year, he was closely confined, his friends
not knowing whether he was alive or dead. But
here he was at work translating the New Testament into German, which was given to the
people in 1522. For nine years, it is said,'every
year saw him publish a book, or books, against
some form of papal error.' He translated much
of the Bible, and wrote extensive commentaries
upon it.
"Council after council met and'decreed to
suppress the Reformation  by force;' but a
greater decree than that of human councils had
lon.ag: bfore decided the matter, and they were




Carbuncles.              229
again proving the truth of, the verse I have so
often quoted,' Other foundation can no man lay.'
Luther died in 1546.  His last words were,'Into Thy hands I commit my spirit; God of
truth, Thou hast redeemed me.' He had lived
to see Germany, in great part, set free from the
papal power.  There were many other noble
workers of this time, friends of Luther. Melancthon was a friend and fellow-helper, and
stood, perhaps, next to Luther in the great work
of the Reformation.  The name'Protestant'
was given at this time to those who protested
against the doctrines of Rome. Luther's writings soon reached England, and were eagerly
read by Wickliffe's followers.
" About this time, in 1524, a part of the New
Testament was translated into English by William Tyndale. He has been called the noblest
and greatest benefactor of the English race.
He was educated at Oxford, and while Luther
was opening a closed Bible for the Germans, he,
without knowing it, was impelled to do the same
for England."




230           Building Stones.
"Was he then a Catholic?" asked Olive.
" Yes, and had been ordained a priest in
1502; but he put the truth before all titles,
searched the Scriptures intently, and preached
his convictions of truth boldly. In an earnest
dispute with a learned papist divine, his zeal for
the exact Scripture truth so irritated the man
he was trying to convince, that he said to Tyndale,'It were better for us to be without God's
law than without the pope's.' To which Tyndale
replied,'I defy the pope and all his laws; and
if God spare my life, ere many years I will
cause a boy that driveth the plow to know more
of the Scripture than you do.' It was a remark
that meant something.
" He went to London to see about publishing
the New Testament, with letters recommending
him as a fine Greek scholar; but the bishop. of
London refused to aid or countenance him. In
order to do this great work, he left England, and
went to Cologne, where he began a translation;
but before he had more than ten sheets struck




Carbuncles.             231
off, his work was stopped.  But he moved to
another part of the wall, and began his work
again at Worms, where Luther had made his
defense. Three thousand copies were here soon
finished in safety, and in the same year another
edition was published. There is still shown, in
the British Museum, one copy of this small
octavo Bible.  More than twenty editions followed this during the next ten years. Some of
them  were secretly conveyed into London in
different ways. Once, two editions were sent,
which were printed in Antwerp, conveyed in
vessels loaded with grain."
"That was bread within bread," said Ernest.
"Yes. Once, when a number of these Antwerp Bibles remained  on hand,- the bookseller who had them being a friend of Tyndale,
-the bishop of Durham bought them  all for
the purpose of destroying them, and thought,
when he had had them  publicly burned, that
he had made a great breach in the wall where




232          Building Stones.
Tyndale was building. Instead of this, he was
furnishing new material, for the money received
for these Bibles was spent at once upon a new
and better edition, which could not then have
been published but for this very means. Tyndale made a pleasant use of this fact. When a
prisoner of Sir Thomas More, his liberty was
offered him  if he would reveal the name of
the man who aided him in defraying the expense of printing his Bibles. He replied that'no one had done more than the bishop of
Durham, for by paying a large sum  for his
books left on hand, he had enabled him to go
on with good hope!' He was at length betrayed into the hands of his enemies, imprisoned at one time a year and a half, and, in
1536, sealed his faith by a martyr's death.
But the tools he had prepared for other faithful workmen have been well used from that day
to this. In the sixteenth century, also, Zuingle
was doing the same work in Switzerland, and
in France John Calvin was working like a




Carbuncles.             233
second Luther, —all of them gates of praise to
the temple."
" Was Calvin a martyr? " asked Mary.
"No; but he spent his life working boldly
for the truth. Writing, preaching, visiting foreign countries, and spreading the knowledge
of Bible truth in every possible way, he labored
on, until, at the age of fifty-five, he, too, left
the work to others."
"God always had a man ready," said Olive.
" In Scotland Knox was ready,  a man who
adopted Luther's views, and boldly preached
Bible doctrines without the fear of man. The
enemies of the Christians were roused to attempt their utter destruction. In France, in
1572, an attack was made upon the Protestants,
called the Massacre of St. Bartholomew. The
palace bell tolled at Paris, as the signal for the
dreadful work to commence, and for three days
martyrs were multiplied by hundreds and thousands. More than thirty thousand men perished. This was joyful news to the pope, who




234           Building Stones.
ordered a jubilee to be held throughout all his
dominions to celebrate the event.
" But for all this, the Christians not only continued to live among them, but to increase,
and in 1598, under Henry IV., by the Edict
of Nantes, the Protestants were granted equal
rights with their enemies.
"In the seventeenth century the Jesuits vis.
ited China, as Japan had been entered the century before, and gained access to many in these
countries, giving them some light and knowledge of the Scriptures, where now  we are
sending men to teach them the truth, as Luther,
and Calvin, and Knox would have done. In
England, during Luther's time, although he was
opposed by Henry VIII., who himself wrote a
book to refute Luther's teachings, yet this
same king quarreled, from reasons of his own,
with the pope, and broke his allegiance with
him. Now, in the seventeenth century, great
efforts were made to bring England back. The
gunpowder plot, in 1605, was an attempt to




Carbuncles.             235
blow up with powder the Parliament House,
and thus kill the king and destroy the whole
Parliament at once. The plot was discovered
and defeated, and a similar attempt was afterward made, but without success. The wrath
of popes, of emperors, and of kings has always
spent itself in vain when set in opposition to
God. He calls a Luther or a Wickliffe, a White.
field or a Wesley, and shows how  men can
work when they work in a line with His will.
Then none can hinder.
"From the time Christ said,'Go ye into all
the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature,' His eye has been on each worker in
every part of the field.  There are builders
to-day, cutters in marble, diggers for precious
stones, blasting and hewing, sawing and pol.
ishing, so that if you listen you may hear the
click of the hammer and the weaving of the
saw  in China and Japan, in Turkey and in
Persia, in Africa and South America, and in
the remote islands of the sea, Among the ruins




236           Building Stones.
of once great cities, His workmen are busy,
where ancient towers and palaces, sand-buried
and sea-buried, lie thick about them, and who are
even now reminded, as they see old ruins torn
down  and  robbed of their remaining pillars
and arches, —some to be rebuilt into modern
structures, and others to make way for the
track of railroads,  that there is but one great
temple that shall remain unchanged.
"What is it to these workers if the palace
of Priam be destroyed for its building stones,
or the temple of Ephesus leveled to the ground,
if'living stones' can be secured from  these
very waste places for an imperishable building?
And, while fitting others for a place in this
glorious temple, these self-denying workers are
themselves becoming wonderful for strength,
and  beauty, and polish; and although they
may not know it, and may feel, as Mary says,'glad to be in anywhere,' God has in reserve,
for every faithful worker, niches in this temple,
where their beauty shall be seen when' the




Carbuncles.              237
gold for things of gold and silver for things of
silver' shall have found their place, and when
the'onyx stones and stones to be set, glistering
stones, and of divers colors, and all manner of
precious  stones,' shall not only  have been
prepared, but set in  their own  appropriate
place in his living temple. The offerings of
those who offered willingly shall not then be despised; for every willing, skillful man, for any
manner of service, shall then have realized the
promise,'He will not fail thee nor forsake
thee, until thou hast finished all the work for
the service of the house of the Lord.'
" This promise nerves the arm of the workers
to-day. Every foreign missionary, every home
missionary, every president and officer of every
mission  board, every  pastor, every Christian
teacher, every Christian writer and Christian
publisher, every benevolent Christian man, woman, or child, who is to-day working for Christ,
in the strength of that promise, shall join in
the shout when the top-stone is laid. And this




238           Building Stones.
shall be their cry, as they look upon the finished
work of all the centuries, complete in its Godappointed beauty and glory:'Thine, 0 Lord,
is the greatness, and the power, and the glory,
and the victory, and the majesty, for all that
is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine.
Thine is the kingdom, 0 Lord, and Thou art
exalted above all.'
" I like the'Stone' title of Christ best of
all," said Olive, as they closed their last Sunday afternoon's conversation.
"I should think every one would want to
be a stone upon that foundation," said Mary.
"I have been thinking," said Ernest, "that
some of the stones in this temple, such  as
Paul, and Jerome, and Wickliffe, and Luther, and
Whitefield, are like loadstones, -they draw so
many others to their true places in the building."
"Yes," said  Mrs. Ewing, "it is a good
thought.  Christ is the great magnet.'I will
draw all men unto me,' he said."
"I do not see how any one can resist Him,"
said Olive.




Carbuncles.              239
"And  yet there  have always been those
of whom it must be said,'Oh, that they were
wise! that they understood this!' Men build
too much for the present, working for something that can be done at once, and seen of
men. The great secret is to build for eternity;
and  this  requires a foundation chosen from
eternity, and which is eternal in its nature and
duration. All who build upon Christ are safe
for eternity, — safe as long  as He is safe.
Whether they stopped  their work  at early
morning, and slept in a child's tiny casket, to
waken amid the unseen glories of the beautiful
city above; or whether they toiled till the
stars of the morning came into view; or whether
they stopped suddenly with their armor on in
the heat of the day; whether their bodies were
left to go down, unheard from, into the secret
caverns of the sea, or to perish by fire or
sword, or were disturbed  by angry councils
after death and given in ashes to swift rivers,
or laid away, like Constantine's, in a coffin of




240           Building Stones.
gold, —they are all safe in the eye of Him
who watches the dust of each one of His servants who has ever, since the world began,
had a part in this wonderful building.
"In the day when He pronounces the work
finished, they shall all be there.'Every eye'
shall see Him,' and'He will render to every
man according to his work.' Then all who ever
put their confidence  in this precious corner
stone, shall realize the blessedness of those
who'having not seen, yet believed.' And so
shall the'stone cut from the mountain without
hands' FILL THE WHOLE EARTH."
THE END.




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"Bu         a    terabifmmn   e   oc   one  wetytne~a    h   ordoth~
sol in    od   htwr url  ie  e   o   tegnl  ufrr  eiehr"~.
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New Books for Youth.
BYE-PATH MEADOW. By E.Paxton Hood. Author of" Lamps,
Pitchers and Trumpets." i6mo., Illustrated. A book for youngmen. Price, $1r5o.
THE PERFECT MAN; or, Jesus an Example of Godly Life.
By the Rev. Harry Jones. Price, $I.25.
" The Christian teaching of a noble, cultured nature has rarely, if ever, been put
into such sweet, pure English as runs like a pebbly brook through this timely
volume "-Christian Union.
EARLY  CHOICE.  By Rev. W. K. Tweedie.  Price, $1.75.  A book
for daughters. Six elegant steel engravings, and tinted paper. x2mo.
SABRINA  HACKET.  Foryoungladies. Price,.50o. Isacharming
story of life in the home and the female seminary, with glimpses of the conflicts
waged for the life of the republic, and of the struggles through which redemption
comes to the soul. ($5oo Prize Series.) x6mo., Illustrated.
CONTRADICTIONS; or, High Life at Edgarton.   ByA.K.D.
Price, $1.50. It portrays, with great vividness, and with no little skill and power,
the various phases of life in the Edgarton parish, the sad and the ludicrous contradictions that enter into the life of many communities. i6mo. 500oo Prize Series.)
AUNT  MATTY.   ByMabel Hazelton. Price, $.50. Isa quietstory
of domestic life and experiences, in which true Christian sentiments, biblical
knowledge, and the working of religious influences upon various types of mind, are
pleasantly and impressively set forth. i6mo., Illustrated. ($500 Prize Series.)
CLAUDIA.  By A. L. 0. E.  I6mo., Illustrated.  Price, go cts.
RESCUED  FROM   EGYPT.   By A. L. O. E.  I8mo., Illustrated.
Price, 9o cts.
TRIUMPH   OVER  MIDIAN.   By A. L. O. E.  I6mo., Illustrated.
Price, go cts.
These three volumes, by A. L. O. E., are among the best by this popular writer.
The large amount of scriptural knowledge conveyed, makes them serve many of the
purposes of a Commentary, while the attractive style is such as almost to magnetize
the reader.
LIGHT  FROM  THE CROSS.  Price,$I.5o. Schoollife,home life,
domestic life, army life, are all pictured, and the deeper experiences of the heart,
in its sense of sin, its struggles for self-redemption, and its rest gained, through
faith in Christ as the Redeemer, are brought out in a pleasant narrative. ($500
Prize Series.) z6mo., Illustrated.
Boston:  D9. Lothrop   &   Co., 38  and  40  Cornhill.




Choice'Books for Children.
LITTLE  BERTIE'S  PICTURE  LIBRARY.  Containing upwards of
ioo illustrations. 12 Volumes, in Bright Bindings. Price, 25 cents each.
LITTLE  BLOSSOM   STORIES.  sVols.,6ocentseach. xi9 illustrations.
11.~~~~~~~I
(EM,,:';;,. ~
The Little Blossom Stories, and Bertie's Picture Library, are a nirle.  Compiled by Rev. J. D. STRONG, who knows what children want, and who brings to his
task a true sympathy and a large skill, filled with charming and instructive stories,
set off with an abundance of choice pictures, and bound in a style that honors beauty
and good taste, we shall be surprised if there is not a steady and large demand for
them wherever they are known.




Choice Illustrated Works for Boys.
SHINING   HOURS.   Price, $1.50.   Willie, a noble, straight-forward, manly fellow, and his gentle, matter-of-fact sister Edith, being left orphans
to the care of a plausible but dishonest guardian, who deceives and robs them,
maintain a Christian spirit, continuing to be happy in spite of poverty and wrong,
learning much wisdom and doing much good until prosperity returns to them.
The story introduces a variety of characters, and leads through many adventures at
home, at school, at college, and among the wild scenes of a hunter's life.
MASTER  AND  PUPIL.   Price, $1.50.  An admirably told story
of school life. I t goes straight to the heart, and makes religious character very lovely.
ARCHIBALD   HAMILTON.   Price, $1.25.   A  story of thrilling
interest, teaching the grace of charity and virtue of forgiveness in most tender and
forcible lessons.
JOHNNY  JONES; or, the Bad  Boy.   Price, $i.oo.  A  book of
thrilling interest. All the boys will want it. x6mo. Illustrations by Billings.
BLUE-EYED  JIMMY; or, the Good  Boy.   Price, $i.oo.   Illustrations by Billings.
THE  RAINY  DAY AT  HOME.  Price, 75 cents. With ten
beautiful illustrations.
LITTLE  BEN   HADDEN; or, Do Right, whatever comes of it.
By W. H. G. Kingston. A Story of the Sea. I6mo. Illustrated. Price, $1.25.
WONDERS OF CREATION.  Price, 75 cents. Embracing Volcanoes and their phenomena. Twenty-five full-page illustrations, on tinted paper.
THE WONDERS OF NATURE. Price, 75 cents. Mammoth
Cave, Dead Sea, High Mountains, Great Deserts, &c., with twenty-two Illustrations.
WONDERS OF VEGETATION.  Price, 75 cents.  Describing
the remarkable characteristics of some famous trees and singular plants. With 16
full-page illustrations.
WONDERS IN MANY LANDS.  Price, 75 cents. Remarkable
Rapids, Cascades, Waterfalls, Icebergs, Glaciers, Fountains, Natural Bridges, &c.
Illustrated.
WILLIE  MAITLAND; or, the Lord's Prayer Illustrated.   Price,
55 cents.
WHEN WE WERE YOUNG. Price, 55 cents. By the Author
of "A Trap to catch a Sunbeam." I8mo. Illustrated.
Boston.  D. Lothrop  & C Co., 38  and  40  Cornhili.




Choice Devotional and Gift Books.
QUIET  HOUR  LIBRARY.   6 Volumes.  Price, 50 cents each.
Per set, in a neat box, $3.00. Style of binding new and elegant. On tinted paper.
QUIET HOUR.        MORNING WATCHES.  NIGHT WATCHES.
MIND OF JESUS.  WORDS OF JESUS.            FAITHFUL PROMISER.
Very desirable as Presents in Sunday Schools, and as Christian gift books for all
seasons.
ROCK  OF AGES  LIBRARY.   Three elegant presentation volumes, quarto, beautifully printed on the finest plate paper, with red lines.
i. ROCK OF AGES.  Poems, Selected and Original.  By the Rev. S. F.
SMITH, D.D., author of the hymn, "America," &c.
2. MORNING AND NIGHT WATCHES, AND THE QUIET HOUR.
3. MIND AND WORDS OF JESUS, AND FAITHFUL PROMISER.
In a handsome box. Price, $6.c0.
DEVOTIONAL  SERIES.   5 Volumes.  Red Edges.   Price, 75
cents per volume; full gilt, $x.25. Beautifully printed on fine paper, and in very
elegant bindings.
MORNING AND NIGHT WATCHES. By Rev. J. R. MACDUFF.
THE RULE AND EXERCISES OF HOLY LIVING.  By JEREMY TAYLOR, D.D.
MIND AND WORDS OF JESUS, AND FAITHFUL PROMISER. By
Rev. J. R. MACDUFF.
IMITATION OF CHRIST. -,y THos. A, KEMMPS.
THE RULE AND EXERCISES OF HOI.Y DYING. By JEREMYTAYLOR.
Make choice and appropriate presents for Pasto., A, erintendent, or Teacher.
Boston: D. Lothrop  &6   Co., 38 and 40  Cqrnhill.




Choice Books for Family Reading.
GLENCOE PARSONAGE, Price,.oo,'.i
Is the journal of a clerg,s wife, who, left a widow, has a son to bring up,
whose tendencies and traits are a great trial to her; but after sad experience, and in
answer to faith and prayer, all comes right at last. T1 he book is full of interest.
Boston:  D). Lothrop  &    Co., 38  and  40  Cornhill.
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anser o fit an   pryer al cmesfiht   t lst.Th  bok i ful f iterst
2?astn'  2.  Zotrop    ~   o, —        8       - an 4 orhil




Choice Devotional and  Gjft Books.
HOURS OF CHRISTIAN DEVOTION.  Translated from the
German of Dr. A. Tholuck, with a preface by the Rev. Horatius Bonar, D.D.
"This new volume of Dr. Tholuck's will prove that there is no necessity for
being flat and monotonous in a work of devotion, and that even in this region there
can be found richness of thought and beauty of expression, that tell us we are in
the society of a poet, and a thinker, and a critic, as well as of a man of God, and
that makes us hesitate whether to designate these'Hours of Devotion' a series of
fine expositions, or an assemblage of lofty meditations, or a succession of noble
hymns."
It is an elegant r6mo. volume, and will become one of the most popular gift
books of the season Price, $2.oo.
LEAVES  OF  COMFORT.    Price, 75 cents.   A  Christian  gift
book for all seasons. i2mo., on tinted paper, with carmine border. This book
contains all the poems which have been issued as leaflets, under the title of " Leaves
of Comfort," and to which other choice poems have been added. It is issued in
very tasty, attractive binding.
PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS.   Price, $3.50.  An elegantly illustrated
edition, on tinted paper, with handsome side and back dies, gilt edges, cloth, $3.50;
Turkey morocco, $7.50; 32mo. edition, complete. Illustrated. 25 cents.
ROCK  OF  AGES.   By Rev. S. F. SMITH, D.D.   Author of the
hymn, "America," &c. A choice collection of Religious Poems, original and selected. A new and elegantly printed gift book, bevelled boards, gilt edges, tinted
paper, side die. Price, $I.50; Large edition, red lines, $2.00.
THE  QUIET  HOUR.   Edited by the Rev. Heman Lincoln, D.D.
Price, 50 cents. A book of prayer for every day in the week, and for special occasions.
Boston: D. Lothrop  &- Co., 38  and  40  Cornhill.




Choice Books for Boys.
LITTLE BEN HADDEN.
An excellent book, detailing the striking experiences of a lad who knew not a little
both of hardship and temptation, but who, through it all, clung fast to the right, and
won a noble victory.  The volume gives much information respecting the vaious
countries which the little hero visited during his life as a sailor.
Boston: D. Lothrop  &O   Co., 38 and 40  Cornhill.
i  I
i':
An excellent book, detailing the striking experiences of a lad who knew not a little
both of hardship and temptation, but who, through it all, clung fast to the right, and
won a noble victory. The volume gives much information respecting the valious
countries which the little hero visited during his life as a sailor.
Boston: D. Lothrop &  Co., 38 and 40 Cornhill.




Standard Religious Works.
IMITATION   OF  CHRIST.   By Thomas A. Kempis.   Price, 75
cents. Cornhill edition. A very elegant volume. Bevelled boards. 18mo. Red
edges, 75 cents; full gilt, $1.25.
RULE AND EXERCISES OF HOLY LIVING. By Jeremy
Taylor, D.D. In very elegant binding. Red Edges, 75 cents; full gilt, $1.25.
RULE AND EXERCISES OF HOLY DYING. By Jeremy
Taylor, D.D. Elegant binding. Red edges, 75 cents; full gilt, $1.25.
CRUDEN'S CONDENSED  CONCORDANCE. Price, $2.00.
The most complete and elegantly printed i2mo. edition in the market. Tinted paper. Turkey morocco, $4.50.
BUNYAN'S HOLY  WAR.  Price,30ocents. 24mo. Muslinbinding.
FOX'S  BOOK  OF  MARTYRS.  Price, 25 cents.  32mo. edition,
complete. Illustrated.
BUTLER'S  COMMENTARY.  By Rev. Dr. Butler.  Price, $2.00.
The Notes are brief, pithy, always direct, definite in aim, and excellent in spirit.
The author is manifestly intent on one thing, and that is, to help his readers find
the real thought which the Spirit of Truth intended to convey;  i2mo.  Cloth
binding, large, clear type, (letter-press,) 495 pp. Illustrated.
MORNING AND NIGHT WATCHES. By Rev. J. R. Macduff.
In very tasty binding. Red edges, 75 cents; full gilt sides and edges, $1.25.
MIND AND WORDS OF JESUS.  By Rev. J. R. Macduff.
Red edges, 75 cents; full gilt sides and edges, $s.25.
THE CALL OF THE HOUR. By Wm. Guest, F.G.S.  Price,
40 cents.  Author of the "Young Man Setting Out in Life."  An earnest tract,
warning against Popery, Ritualism, Rationalism, and Intemperance as the giant
evils of the hour, to oppose which all evangelical Christians are called upon to unite
in prayer and effort. Cloth binding.
PILGRIM'S    PROGRESS.   Quarto, illustrated.   Cloth, $3.50;
Turkey Morocco, $7.50. 32mo. edition, complete, cloth binding, 25 cents.
Boston: D. Lothrop  &' Co., 38  and 40  Cornhill.