THE BUILDERS by Roderick S. Owen

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 2, 1904

THE BUILDERS

By Roderick S. Owen

(Continued.)

BUT the builders compared plans now and then, and as a result some were persuaded to change from one association to another. This led to the erection of some very queer houses, so that it was difficult to tell which plan they were following; in fact, some looked as if they were not built after any plan at all.

After a time, the main features of their houses being completed, they had more leisure to visit and to make comparisons. I will here relate a conversation which took place between two neighbors during such a visit. The visiting one, after being cordially received, said:—

“I have often thought of calling upon you, but we have been very busy building our own house, which still lacks a great deal of being finished. But the desire to visit you has been greatly increased of late, as I have been told that your house contains some novel features. Indeed, some say that it differs quite materially from most others in our neighborhood. I shall therefore be pleased if you will kindly explain this matter to me.”

“I shall do so with pleasure,” was the reply; “but first let me say that I have been very careful to follow the King’s Book of plans in every particular; I have tried to pay no heed to any other. In this, however, I was not fully successful, as you will see later on. Now I suppose you prefer to visit those rooms where you can see the peculiarities of my house, and this you shall do. First I wish to show you a room which, doubtless, is very much like one of yours; but, as it has been reported that my building contains no such room, I wish to correct this notion, and also to relate to you my experience. I lived for a long time in a room adjoining this, which I was induced to build by reading a neighbor’s guide-book, but which I now see must be torn down. In this tower of carnal security there are a number of easy chairs, such as natural morality, self-dignity, inherent manhood, self-justification, etc. A more careful study of my Guide-book, however, has taught me that none of these are pleasing to the King.

“One day I came into this room and began to notice this chair. You see that it is set so as to face that scroll on the wall. You will notice that the chair has a circular framework under it, upon which it can be turned so as to face exactly the opposite way, or so as to face this window over here. You will notice that

beside this window is a beautiful fount of clear water. Well, I sat down in the chair and began to look at the scroll. The pictures were dim, and I could hardly see them; Conviction but just then a bright light from the small window directly overhead fell upon the scroll, making the pictures clear and distinct.

'I then saw that the scroll contained pictures of my life, and I could not bear to look at them. So I sprang from the Carnal Security chair and ran into the other room with great haste. I then determined never again to visit that room where the scroll hung, but I did, and with exactly the same result. Each Devil time as I came out, a very obliging inmate of the room (carnal security), Doubt handed me a pair of clouded spectacles, which he said would greatly relieve my eyes after such a strain on them as had been caused by the light of conviction falling upon the pictures of the scroll.

'I now began to view in the light of this room (carnal security), and with the aid of these glasses (doubt), the pictures on the scroll. As I remembered them now they all seemed greatly exaggerated, while some seemed utterly false. So the matter stood for some time. At length a friend of mine told me that the greatest blessing of her life came to her as a result of her experience in Bible that room. I then studied my Guide-book, and found that the King considered that room one of the most important in the house, and that all must visit it. So I determined that I would do so, even tho the ordeal should take my life.

'I entered, took my seat in the chair, and looked upon the scroll. The pictures of my life began to appear, while the light of conviction grew brighter and brighter. O, how my soul was harrowed with remorse! I felt that I could not bear to look at the unfolding of the scroll, and still I desired not to turn away. I now cried out in my agony, 'O Lord, have mercy upon me!' A pillow was Confession placed behind my head, and I said, 'The pictures are true, all true.' I did it all, and more; but I am sorry, so sorry.'

'At this moment the darkness of death seemed to settle over me, and I said, 'Surely I am dying; but let me die, I am not fit to live.' Now all seemed lost to view. Even the scroll faded from my vision. The Old Man I ceased to struggle for life. Some one said, 'He is losing his old life. Give him a new one.'

Immediately a ray of light pierced the darkness, and a sweet voice whispered the words, 'Look up.' I did so, and was then told to touch the knob and turn the chair about. I touched the knob and the chair Repentance swung around on the frame-work Baptism and I faced the fount. I was taken by loving hands and borne to the water, into which I was lowered. As I was thus buried a scene opened before me.

Calvary Rom. 6:4 There was a rugged hill, all around upon the sides of which there surged a maddened crowd, clamoring for blood. I heard them shout, 'Away with Him! Crucify Him!' I looked to the summit of the mount, and there I saw a cross, with a victim nailed upon it. I looked upon that face, and such an expression of sorrow I had never seen—such love, such tenderness, such pity. From the pale brow the blood was oozing and slowly trickling down over the emaciated face.

'As I gazed upon the scene, the thin, quivering lips moved, and the words, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,' were spoken with great earnestness. I was filled with indignation, and turned to face the mocking crowd, thinking to shower upon them words of bitterest reproach for the deed they were doing; when, lo! among Zech. 12:10 them I saw myself. The pictures I had seen upon the scroll were nothing as compared to this. Could it be true? I looked again. It was true, and I sobbed aloud. I turned again to the face of the sufferer, and while I gazed, a pained, anxious, questioning look took possession of the face. The eyes were slightly raised and expressed deep agony; then there came a cry of grief which chilled my very soul: 'My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?' A moment more, and with the words, 'It is finished,' the head fell forward upon the bosom, the limbs relaxed and became limp and motionless. The sufferer was dead!

Gal. 2:20 A great throb of sympathy convulsed my frame. My heart was broken, and I expired. All was gone.

(To be continued.)