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Testimonies for the Church Volume 2
work before you to control and subdue yourself, to become meek and
lowly of heart, to educate yourself to be tenderhearted, pitiful in your
family, and to possess that nobleness of spirit and true generosity of
soul which despises everything niggardly.
You have thought that there was too much work put upon the
meetinghouse, and have remarked upon the unnecessary expense.
It is needless in you to have these special conscientious scruples.
[257]
There is nothing in that house which is prepared with too much care,
neatness, or order. The work is none too nice. The arrangement is
not extravagant. Do those who are ready to complain of this house of
worship consider for whom it was built? that it was made especially
to be the house of God; to be dedicated to Him; to be a place
where the people assemble to meet God? Many act as though the
Creator of the heavens and the earth, He who has made everything
that is lovely and beautiful in our world, would be pleased to see a
house erected for Him without order or beauty. Some build large,
convenient houses for themselves, but cannot afford to spend much
upon a house which they are to dedicate to God. Every dollar of
the means in their hands is the Lord’s. He has lent it to them for
a little while, to use to His glory; yet they hand out this means for
the advancement of the cause of God as though every dollar thus
expended were a total loss.
God would not have His people expend means extravagantly for
show or ornament, but He would have them observe neatness, order,
taste, and plain beauty in preparing a house for Him in which He is
to meet with His people. Those who build a house for God should
manifest as much greater interest, care, and taste in its arrangement
as the object for which it is prepared is higher and more holy than
that for which common dwelling houses are prepared.
The Lord reads the intents and purposes of men. Those who
have exalted views of His character will feel it their highest pleasure
to have everything which has any connection with Him of the very
best work and displaying the very best taste. But those who can
grudgingly build a poorer house to dedicate to God than they would
accept to live in themselves show their lack of reverence for God and
for sacred things. Their work shows that their own temporal concerns
are of more value in their eyes than matters of a spiritual nature.
[258]
Eternal things are made secondary. It is not considered essential to