The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1892-12-30

v..~u.,.n., us..o. for January .. 1889
-is~puiidlng the TEMP. "'..

- -
GOLDEN T~ExT.-They praise !, ~ ~
cause the foundation Of the hous> . S'su.
was laid.-Ezra .; H.
TiMr-Thc lesson extends over several
| months from October. ID G. $50. to May. 3D. ana
the summer following.
PLACE Jerusalem and vicinity. which hence
| forth n named JudcA
RULERS Cyrus IN his first and second years
a. sole ruler over Babyionia; Zerubbabei va
the governor Of Judca. and Joshua WAS the high
priest
PRoPnErsA-Danie vas still living. . very
old man tDan. 10: -. In Babylon. Haggat ANA
Zachariah were both living. but ala NOT begin
10 prophesy until feveral years later, OIL
Tur SECTION or HISTORY belonging to this
lesson begins with Ezra 2:6S. and extends
through chap T. Daniels prayer dan ".
ain the third year OF Cyrus" belongs 10 this
period, either 10 the time OF laying the foundn-
tions or 10 the succeeding season OF discourage
mcnt. according as we reckon the third year OF
Cyrus, from his conquest In SIS, or his assump--
ton OF sole rule IN SO A description OF
their manner OF keeping the Festival OF Tab
ernaclcs is found In Neh =. which describes ,
similar festival 20 years later.
PSALMS 81, 100. l0. It's. is and is6. according
70 Geikic, were composed for this occasion
BUILDING COPS HOUSE.
Thu s Element Of the returned exilcs
IN Palestine (o:7O). The 1900 exiles,
nf.er their long hard march from Baby
Ion. a Journey 500 to 700 miles long. ac-
cording 10 the route they took, and oc-
cupyinc At least four months, reached
Jerusalem the last of July. They found
the city in ruins, as 1t had lain for fifty
wears since its complete destruction
by N~cbuchadnezzar. The immediate
vicinity seems to nave been restored to
them. but on every side the heather OF
the mongrel population had encroached.
The Edomitcs, says Geikic, had seized
Hebron and southwestern Judea, and
on the northeast had built a fortified
town fifty named Akrabbim, "thc
SCORPIONS or ''~scourgcs." Samaria,
on the north. was settled BY
mixed races. Eastern barbarians min
glcd with the peasant ~lsraelites
$40. 10: , Kings l-:24-2s). The first bust
ness Of the returned eyiles was OF
course to provide some kind OF dwellings
for themselves and their families. They
accordingly settled in the small cities
surrounding Jerusalem. perhaps repair
ing the houses and walls that had been
ruined by the bcsieging armies years be-
fore. The territory they controlled
was of course small. and hemmed in on
ali sides. The list Of towns says
Gcikie. named by Ezra and Nehemiah
Ezra 2:23, 80. "a; Nch. 7:25-35) as
the first homes of their brethren. in
cludcs only bethlehem on the south.
while on the north their territory did
not extend beyond the narrow limits OF
Benjamin.
Good Worship in a Poor Place. Kegu-
. lar worship was instituted OF an altar,
: without any temple. and surrounded b.
desolation and ruins. And it was as ac-
ceptablc as the same worship amid the
cleaning marble and gold of Solomon's
Temple. Why? Because it was the best
they had. But if solomon had lived In
n palacc Of ccdars. and then left Gods
" affairs to smoke amid dcsolation, his
u worship would not have been accept
Y able. A churc., or q Sunday school cal
=. be very successful III q barn, or cave, OF
AZ log hut. If that is the best place the,
- can have; but not II men put ever.
nc convenience in their homes and us
81 them in their business. and then leav
~ their church work to be done amid IN
greatest disadvantages.
The Feast of Tlbernacies. These jew
50 at this time could not keep this feas
with all the outward expressions o
" Joy which belonged To this festival. bu
they could thrill with joy in remember
ing the past and anticipating the day
OF to come. And no pomp and glory Q
ceremony could inspire such joy q
IN these cxiles felt when first. after man
TO years, they began anew the religion
~ festivals Of their history in the old az
ae customcd religious capital OF their nj
S. ton. This was the festival Of JOY.
ew was celebrated with waving torches
'ao with bands Of music. with singing {
HYMNS and songs of praise. The r.
re ioiciny was so great that the rabbi
len used to say THAI he who had ncvs
ers been present at the fremont 7
ver which this feast was distinguished d.
not know what rejoicing meant.
u FrcewM offerings. The money pa
III ont NAV nave come partly from Il
.ne regular taxes. but chiefly from the gif
of the people. Those who remained
in- Babylonia had given literally ZIG
According to l Esdras ADJ. the Cover
ment gave 20 talents n year till u
temple was built. The leaders OF II
Is returned cxilcs and the people gave II
ars' orally and Neutrality-suspicious. tho
sand darics Of gold Tor over s30o.00
nc and 5000 pounds of silver 100000
AND Ezra 800 and Neh. 7:71,.2).
but Opposition and Delay. The tempt
mas whose foundations were SO joyous
me- laid, was not completed till 20 yea
ror later, II. G.. SIS, just 20 years after
eek destruction. Immediately after q
ace foundations were laid. there arose
lew sharp and persistent opposition fro
zee the surrounding people, as described
the chap. 4. The race Of mongrcl Je,
AL and heather from tho far cast. as mo
! grcl in religion rs in race. from who
me descended the Samaritans, desired
unite with the returned jewish exil
in building the temple. They we
.; II pcrcmptorily refused. This made the
Do bitter enemies OF the Jews. IN
him wrote slandcrous letters to Persia. al
him succeeded in having the permission
! he build rcscinded, and the work stopp
Iad . by force for IA years.
ting .c,,
and NoTmxo Is more beneficial TO I