It is our privilege to enjoy sweet communion with God. Precious to the believer is his atoning blood, precious is his justifying righteousness. "Unto you therefore which believe he is precious." When I meditate upon his fountain of living power from which we may draw, I mourn that so many are losing the delight they might have had in considering his goodness. We are to be sons and daughters of God, growing into a holy temple in the Lord. "No more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. . . . Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone." This is our privilege. How is Heaven amazed at the present condition of the church that could be so much to the world were every stone, in its proper place, a living stone to emit light. The stone that does not shine is worthless. That which constituted the value of our churches is not dead, lusterless stones; but living stones, stones that catch the bright beams from the chief cornerstone, even from the Sun of Righteousness,--the bright glory in which are combined the beams of mercy and truth that have met together, of righteousness and peace that have kissed each other.

Det er vort privilegium at nye et lifligt samfund med Gud. Hans soneblod er dyrebart fra den troende, hans retfærdigørende retfærdighed er dyrebar. ”Denne ære tilkommer altså jer, som tror.” Når jeg mediterer over hans kilde af levende kraft, hvorfra vi må drage, begræder jeg at så mange mister den glæde at de kunne haft i at se hans godhed. Vi skal være Guds sønner og døtre, vokse i et helligt tempel i Herren. ”Så er I da ikke længer fremmede og udlændinge, men I er de helliges medborgere . . . . opbyggede på apostlenes og profeternes grundvold med Jesus Kristus selv som hovedhjørnesten.” Dette er vort privilegium. Hvor er himlen forbavset over at menighedens tilstand kunne være så meget verdens hvor enhver sten, på sit rette sted, en levende sten der skal sprede lys. Den sten der ikke skinner er værdiløs. Det som udgør vore menigheders værdi er ikke døde og uvillige stene; men levende stene, der griber de klare strler fra hovedhjørnestenen, helt fra Retfærdighedens Sol, - den strålende herlighed der er kombineret med sandhedens og barmhjertighedens stoler, der mødes med hinanden, retfærdigheden og freden som har kysset hinanden.