The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-02-17

lneornastooa1 lessoo 6og February w.
1905 mebuildtsg shs Wall-Nsh- go
-.
coLDEp TExr.-we made cur prayer unto
God and SET watch against fhern-Seh "a
TInE-The summer and carly autumn of Y
e. 90 Nehemiah lefs Susa atout The frss o.
April and IL would require three or four
monsks n make the Journey Ezra w4s sourl
months going from BAoyioa ezra TO- He
must have reached Jeruss,eu ~ the last 90
July. tuo months before TIE 18th Ct Elul
(Aususs- Sep,enherl lc-isl ], took about tvo
months TO build the wall. OF All the last q
September
PI-Ack-Srsa. and Jerusalem and vicinity
LESSON NOTES
TIE Way Nsk<miaA's Prayer Was An
swsyed Nehemiah had learned Of tho
great troubles in Jerusalem in the
autumn of IL. C. AS in the ninth month.
-Chisleu fNovember-Decemberl Ci:p.
and il was four months ttill Nissan. tho
first -March-ApriD before there
came any sign Of an answer. Perhaps
his soul was being wrought into tho
right frame of willingness TO go. There
were several cupbearers, and during
this time Nehemiah was not on duty.
The position Of cupbearer was ono
Of great personal influence and danger
live chiefly in great isolation
The special duty of the cupbearers
was to fill the royal wine-cup from the
vase or dagon. which stood on or near
the royal board. and to hand IL daintily
and gracefully TO their august master
(Xen- Cyrop. lis, I 81 Before filing the
cup they carefully washed it out. and
before Offering il to their master they
ladled out small quantity with their
left hand and swallowed il. to show
that, 20 far as their knowledge went.
il was not poisoned When not engaged
in this. their main duty. they guarded
the entrance to the royal apartment.
and allowed persons to enter. or for
babe them. at their discretion Even
princes of the blood royal had to sub
init: and the power. thus practically ex-
ercised. Of allowing or preventing audi
ences. made the Office one of high ac-
count. and probably enabled its holder.
| il he were SO inclined. to greatly en-
rich himself
The constant access 20 the monarch
| and the close relations thereby cstab-
| sished, naturally led TO mutual con-
| fidencc. and engendered friendly or
even affectionate feeling between the
| two parties In tho isolation whereto
court etiquette condemns an oriental
sovereign. the royal heart is apt 10 go
out to anyone brought within the rigid
circle. and made by force Of circum-
stances q companion
The four mont hs of fasting and prayer
and anxiety had left their mark upon
| the fair countena nee Of Nehemiah when
in April he again took up his duties a.
cupbearer. The king noticed it. why
| is your countenance sad2" No reply
sYou are not sick?" Still 10 reply
This is sorrow and nothing else" Then
Nehemiah was sore afraid. q nd will
tell you why. His life was in danger
Even a modern ausocrat like Louis
XIV. expected everybcdy's face TO shine
II he did but appear. and how much
more an Artaxerxes II he had ordered
ois melancholy visage away to prison
or death it would have been justified by
precedent
But .sout Of this ncttle danger he
plucked the flower success He opened
his heart to the king. and asked to be
sent 70 Jerusalem as governor with full
powers Says Rawlinson: 1T Is not
often that appointments are made to
posts OF such high responsibility rom
the class to which nehemiah belonged
the rank and HE OF the palace omcials
and II was certainly bold act ON ms
part 10 propose himself Tor the once
But he undoubtedly possessed large
amount OF scif-esteem. and ne nad proo-
ably great reliance on the KING AZ
tachmcnt and affection towards nm
Further. he would have coincidence In
the rectitude OF ms motives ana IN
Coils answer to ms prayer fernaps
there was not 50 much sei-esteeT n
wha; certain oisnopcaiici conscious
ness OF power aad iaith IN "on' ana
IN ms destiny.
The king gave MN iease OF absence
appointment as governor with letter
commanding the other COVE rnofs Ia tns
neighborhood OF Jcrnsai en- 70 give Mn
all needfui aid. together with m,'i'
tary escort ~ = pfopaoie ina. Aria
xerxes gave the oesire' PERMISSION oe,
Cur M