The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-03-03
the SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lesson for March D. 1909
Keeping the sabbath--Neh. Is; l5-22.

GOLDEN TEXT Remember the SABBATH day.
- keep IL holy.-Ex 2D6
TIME-Probably about eighteen yearD after
the last lesson summer or early autumn Q3:is)
Of II. q. 40 or ss7
THE ISrERv AIs-(D Nehemiah continued 70
oct as governor At Jerusale m for ~ years. I'll
BIC. AS the 32d year OF Artaxerxea What
Nehemiah did during these years after tho
dedication OF the wall IL not recorded. nor arc
the reasons given why he returned 10 Susa He
may have been recalled by the king as was tho
frequent custom Sanballat and his other
enemies may have so slandered him ~ the
court rs TO require his presence. Private bust.
ness may have demanded his attention. or he
may have needed wellesrned rest t2) 1t II
probable that Nehemiah remained away
somo years, 'or the abuses he found on his
return would not have had time 20 develop;
but he returned before DC. As. the year
Artaxorxes died. for he obtained permission
from him 10 return $3.50
PLACE Jerusalem and vicinity.
EZRA, the scribe, had probably passed away.
for his successor. Kodak. is mentioned n3:l3).
And 1t Is not probable that the great abuses re-
ferred TO could have arts en- had he been st Jcru-
salem
MALACHI, the last OF the prophets belongs to
this period or Immediately after. THE last
chapter OF Canonicai Jewish history is the key
70 the last chapter Of its prophecy" He WAS
probably a helper Of Nehemiah IN his reforms
CONTEMPORARY HISTORY. = The Pelopon-
nesan war was raging in Grcecc--43i-4oA He
rodotus, the father OF history, was still living
Socrates was teaching In the streets Of Athens,
and among his pupils were xenophon (the his
torian, philosopher and generaD and Plato (the
tutor OF Aristotlc), the last two being tho
greatest philosophers in the ancient world
Perclcs, tho greatest statesman OF Athens,
died the year before, u. C. 40
LESSON NOTES
An Inrasion Of Eris. During Nehe-
1tsat.f nh
Ezra's death, the opposition party,
which had been silenced and cowed in
his presence. took courage and opened
the foodgatcs Of evil, so that deluge
OF sins rushed in upon the nation like
an overwhelming torrent, carrying
away the barriers of law and religion,
and covenants and promises.
First. The high priest Eliashib him
self dcsecr ated the temple by fitting up
one OF the temple chambers, built for
the storage of tithcs, as dwelling
place for the heather Tobiah. the Am
monte, who was allied in marriage 70
lin N3:4, 81.
Second. The tithcs for the support Of
the priests and Of the temple worship
were withheld Yer. 10), or the poorest
of their hocks and herds had been
brought for sacrifice, the blind, the torn
of wild beasts, the sick. those of little
use for themselves NAL. IL. 8; 3:9).
Thus they had dishonored God. and
robbed Him Of His due. and the penalty
had fallen upo n them.
Third. They had neglected the te mple
worship The services had become
wearisome to them NAL. 1919. nothing
was done except for good pay NAL.
100. People who refused to bring
their promised dues, or brought mean
sacrifices, would have little interest in
public worship.
Fourth As natural consequence,
crimes and sins began to rapidly in
crease--sorcery, adultery, false swear
ing, oppression, cheating the widow and
fatherless NAL 1851, but especially was
there a return to the custom of mixed
marriages. Eliashib, the high priests
own grandson, rManassch, married
the daughter of the great enemy of the
Jews, Sanballat, of Samaria (l3:2s).
Others not only married heather wives,
but put away their true Jewish wives
in order to do it.. He thus dealt
treacherously against the wife Of his
youth" NAL. 2:l4-l6).
Fifth. The sin of Sabbath breaking,
which is the main subject of our lesson
to-day.
Nehemiah Repes the Lrasion. First.
lie himself, apparently taking part
with his own hands, with great indig-
nation drove Tpbiah out of the temple,
and restored tit its proper uses. We
are reminded of the cleansing Of the
temple twice by our Lord Jesus, once
near the beginning John 2:l3-l7) and
once near the close Matt 2i:l2, 49, OF
His ministry. This expulsion of evil
from the temple was a type of Gods
moral clcansings: N) OF the soul, which
was made to be temple of God, .
house of prayer; Co Of the church,
where everything which mars its pur-
pose as the house of God for all people,
all selfish ends, call worldly seeking,
must be cast out.
Second. Nehemiah rcinstated tho
priests and Levitcs, who had been COM
PEELED to go to their homes and earn
their living, since the people refused To
support them in their religious work.
The services of the temple now went
on according to law, and the tithes
were brought in. One Of the first ef-
fects of a religious revival is seen in the
restoration 10 their full power of church
services, and the abundant support Of
the pastor and all needed helpers. A
church which had become greatly be-
hindhand in its pastors salary once in
vited an evangelist to assist them.
Learning Of the state Of things, he re-
fused to begin his services till they had
paid the debt, assuring them that the
Lord never blessed spiritually dishon-
est people NAL 3l0).
Third. Nehemiah, with great indig-
nation and even with bodily punish
ment, compelled the people TO cease
from their heather marriage alliances
u3:23-30). lie showed them how Solo
mon himself, the wise and great king,
beloved Of God, had been led astray by
marrying heather women. and could
these people expect to withstand influ-
cnccs which the wiscst man failed to
resist. He that deliberately runs into
temptation Is already more than half