Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-01-20
SUNDAY.SCHOOL LESSON.
The Builders Interrupted; Neh. 4 !:
lis; Sunday, January 26.

40, Ouuudy, JANUARY 20.
GOLDEN Observation-Disclosures, we
made our prayer unto our God, and set
a watch, because of them" -.
In our last lesson we saw Nehemiah |
started on his desired mission. After
delivering the kings letters to the gov
ernors west of the Euphrates, he came
to Jerusalem. Before his arrival at the
city, he became aware of the hostility of |
Sanballat. the Toronto, and Tobiah, the
Ammonite. 1t is conjectured from the |
term servant" e: l9) that Tobiah had |
been slave, and, having found favor at
the Persian courts where he may have |
held some position of trust, was appoint
ed governor over his native tribe. San
ballet is supposed to have held the Office
of governor of Samaria, and thus. became
aware of the mission of Nehemiah by the
letter which the latter brought to him
from Artaxerxes, the king. Josephus
tells us that this Sanballat afterwards
obtained leave of Alexander, the Great
who overthrow the Persian empire, to
build a temple on Mount Gerizim and
inaugurate rival priesthood and altar
to those at Jerusalem. From thenceforth
the Samaritans claimed this to be the
true place of worship. and thence many
refractory Jews took refuge. After three
days rest Nehemiah took private sur
vey of the ruined walls of the city b
night and planned the work. He imme-
diately summoned the rulers to the task,
and gave each his allotted portion to SUI
perintend. All labored heart and hand
at their appointed stations except the
mobiles of Tokoa, who either through
pride, or secret compliance with the en-
emies of the Jews, "would not put their
necks to the work of their Lord" Every
class took part in the work. Even the
priests labored and were the first to COM
plete their allotted task. The rubbish
was removed, the walls soon rose and
the gateways were rebuilt. But now
Sanballat and Tobiah, who had at first
scorned the idea of the feeble Jews for
tifying their city, and had Knocked at
their walls as too weak to sustain even
the weight of fox, became seriously
alarmed. A conspiracy was formed of
the Arabians and Ammonites and the
Philistines of Ashdod, for an attack upon
Jerusalem before the Notifications were
complete. Warned by the Jews who
dwelt among them, Nehemiah called the
people to arms behind the half-inished
bulwarks. This promptness on his part
disconnected the plot and thenceforth
half the people remained under arms.
while the other half labored at the work
girded with their swords.
This lesson teaches, a. That aO'
should not envq the prosperity Of others
When the Smarltans heard of the new
favor granted to the Jews by the king
they were jealous of them, and did every
thing in their power to hinder thei
undertakings. The efforts of their enc
mics to stop the work. caused it soone
to be done. and prnhahly WAS the caus
. of Nehemiah's second appointment a
: governor of Judea for twelve years, dur
ing which time the Jews were greatl
= prospered. Thus the Lord brings tn
counsel of the heather to naught. e.
That ace must aUork, match, and pras
> AS laborers in our Masters vineyard W
must work Look around u.s. Is ther
not much rubbish to be removed?
:, not the wall that keeps US from the sir
and follies of the world broken down
, Have we never felt-while removing tt
rubbish and rebuilding that WALTZ
- scorn of the enemy, and heard the wore
"you are too weak" And when IL
, work was begun have we not felt tn;
- there was conspiracy rising up again
=. us? Then, we must become good SO
! diers, and put on the whole armor
:. God, fighting with one hand and workir
with the other. We must work, waite
and pray. We are commanded to pr;
without ceasing. But we must secor
our prayer with our endeavors as Neh
4. miah did. God will not do for us VIII
es we can do for ourselves. Our Lor
10 while teaching the necessity of praye
is warned US also to watch. (3.) Perseve
70 dnce. Some of the men of Judah becar
is discouraged, looking at the great task
d. be performed and feeling their wearine
10 from continued hard labor. Nehemia
We having put his hands to the pillow, W
ct not the one to look back, but persever
IN till the work was accomplished. Inct
ur SAINT prayer is coupled with watching wi
o. all perseverance, by the great Apostle
to TEACHER.
is, STOP DRINKING VINEGAR.
NJ How many young women who ha
- L