The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-28
READING FOR THE DAY.

READING THE IAw.-Neh. viii. 1-12.

READING THE TAw.-Neh. viii, 1-12.
GOLDEN TExT-So they read in the book. in the
law of God distinctly, and gave the sense and caused
them to understand the readng.-Neh viii, 8.
When Nehemiah prayed to the Lord for the
prosperity of Jerusalem and its unfortunate peo-
pie. he little understood or thought that God
would send him thousand miles away to an
swer his own prayer. But it often happens that
when men come to be interested enough in q
great work TO pray about it, that the Lord hon.
Ors them as the instruments in its accomplish
ment. The people then, as ever since, needed
bold. clear-headed leadership, and were ready
TO follow a man who believed in God
and his own plans. In little time
after he reached Jerusalem. and had taken in
the situation Nehemiah began his work. Soon
4he walls were rebuilt, the gates were hung. and
now. for the first time since their return to the
land, they could worship the God of their faith
ers with sense of safety, for in those times
city without walls was as insecure as mouse
would be to-day without windows or doors.
It was now the seventh NOTWITHSTANDING
October-the time that Moses had set apart for
joyous religious and national festivals. The
people had been brought into the city in great
numbers to complete the registration, sand also
20 assign new families to the unoccupied places
in the city, for their numbers now were very
small compared with the time previous to the
special services, but this usually hon
Ored above all others. They were at the first
day Of their seventh ecclesiastical year, and the
New Years day Of their civil year. So the peo-
pie were ready for grand religious service.
LESSONS FOR OURSELVES
l. A model for better Sunday school than
that of to day is found in this one of Ezra'e He
had few first-rate teachers with large classes,
instead OF many instructors and small classes.
2 The true secret of successful teaching is to
bring every time what God has to say Let that
be uppermost and all matters Of history, wor-
ship, geography, ETC., be but the frame for the
picture.
g. There is great deal of hearing with the
ear, and not with the mind. The teachers must
find, if they can, whether God is understood by
zen.
4. The Word of God made clear and applied
to men is the great power to convince of sin, and
to bring about repentance. Let those who OBJ
iect to the Word reason with God, and his Spirit
can silence them.
B. There is no power in sad, sorrowful long
faced piety. The true Christian ought to be
happy, and the power is in his joy
6. II men really understood the meaning of
the Word of God, it would at once destroy
very large portion of all their objections. Igno-
vance and perversion are the great foes OF the
Bible
THE GREAT TEACHING.
J. For Belief-The superficial knowledge of
che Scriptures sometimes confounds men and
causes sorrow and despair, while deeper, clearer
meaning gives a knowledge of God. His ways
and plans that lead to faith and trust, and these
produce joy 1t is the deeper truth and spirit of
the Word we need.
2 For Practice-As the joy of the Lord is
our strength, we desire to know the great and
true sources of that JOY. They are taught in
this lesson. They are:
I. Fellowship with Gods people when the
Word is taught
2. Activity in good works for the poor and
needy
the Word.
Such men with good heart can 'eat the fat
and drink the sweet" "and make great mirth,"
and such men will be strong to do good and be
good. for they have "the joy of the Lord as their
strengthn