The daily gazette., 1883-11-05
wILMINoTOr, DEL, MONDAY. NOVEMBER 5, 1888.
AN HISTORICAL SERMON.
An Interesting Discourse by Rev. DR.
Markr, in Hanover Presbyterian Church

An Interesting Discourse by Rev. DIR.
Marks, in Hanover Presbyterian Church.
At Hanover Presbyterian Church, Suu-
day morning, the Rev. DR.. Marks preached
very interesting historical sermon, taking
for his text the eighth chapter of Nehemiah,
(The law publicly read and expounded.)
On this occasion the congregation was so
large that there was no building in Jerusalem
large enough to hold the people, SO they as
sembled In the street. and Ezra the Scribe
stood upoL pulpit Of wood which they had
made for the purpose, and there stood upon
this pulpit fourteen persons, and Ezra
opened tho book which the people called for
which was the book Of Moses, which
the Lord had commanded to
Israel. This great congregation was made
up of men, women, and those that could un-
derstand. So there must have been children
there. The people were attentive unto the
book of the law. "And Ezra opened the
book in the sight of all the people; for he
was above all the people; and when he
opened 1t all the people stood up" These
IA persons who stood upon the pulpit read
in the book of the law of God distinctly and
gave the sense, and Caused them to under
stand the reading, "and Ezra blessed the
Lord, the great God. And all the people
ans Hered, amen, amen"
ing were anxious to have this book
of the law, which is the Bible,
read and explained so they could under
sand it, hence there were IA persons, men
of learning, who read and explained the
reading so the people could understand IT..
Many people say the Bible is very plain
book, and needs no explanations, that every
man can read and understand for himself.
The people at this great meeting did not
think as many of US do of the present day
about the simplicity of the Bible; they no
doubt were as intelligent as we are aud
more so, yet they wanted the book OF Gods
word read in their bearing and explained to
them. To use their own words they wanted
their most learned men to give them the
sense, so they could understand. 1t appears
that they did all understand after the read
ing was explained, and as an evidence of
their sincerity "they all wept and they
bowed their heads and worshipped the
Lord with their faces TO the ground,
and lifting up their hands saying amfn,
amen" This great congregation did not
get tired standing up listening to the read.
ing of the word OF God, but were contented
to stand hour after hour listening to that
which they believed to be true. People oil
this day and generation get very tired listen
ing the expounding of Gods word in about
an l0ur anu DalI, anu, although bnOu-
sands read and hear the Bible explained
thousands of times during their lives, yet
they do not give evidence of a belief as did
all of this great congregation upon the
streets of Jerusalem, for "they all believed
and wept, and blessing God fer his word, D
as revealed to them in the Bible
The teachers on this occasion and
all the people rejoiced and were
glad. Ezra there said unto them, "Go your
way, eat the fat aud drink the sweet, and
send portions unto them for whom nothing
is prepared; for this day is holy unto our
Lord; neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the
Lord is your strength" These people did
not forget the poor and those who not at
tend this great meeting. A great lesson Is
to be learned from this narrative, in that
Gods people are not only men and women
bu children, all that can understand aftel
an explanation by some one competent tc
give the sense of the reading of the word oI
God. This book, the Bible, is now being
spread broad cast over the whole world, and
It is said the American Bible Society is now
busy, with all their steam presses, printing
the Bible, and still the demand is greater
than the supply.