Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1893-03-01
rHs SUNDAY SCHOOL

act IA governor AZ Jrrusaio a Tor n years, ~
~ ~ the III year % ArtAxcrxcs what
Nohcmiah did durins these years after tho
dedication % tho wan n not recorded nor are
the reasons givcn why NJ returned 70 guaA lie
may have been recalled ~ tho king. IA was a..
frequent custom Sanbaliat aud his other
enemies may have 30 siandercd hlrl M the
court ~ 90 require hts prcscnco Private bu.t.
moss may haVc demanded his attention. or he
may have needed a well learned rest CD n n
PROBABLE that Nehemiah remained away
some years. or the abuses no found ON his
return would not have had ,ime - develop.
but he returned before nc ass. the rear
ArtaScrSes died. FOR he obtained t.ortntaalon
from him To return ua.dl
PLACE. Jerusalem and vicinity
EsnA, tho scrihc. had probably passed away
LOT his SUCCESSOR, Kodak. IN mentioned Oai la
And u n not probable that the great Abuae. re.
fcrrcd " could have aria On had he been At Jcru
salem.
MALACHI. tho last OF the prophets. belong. 10
THIS period or Immediately aficr. The last
chapter OF CanonicAi Jcwiah history a the heV
TO tho last chapter OF its prophecy lie was
probably a helper ~ Nehemiah la h,s roforma
CONTEMPORARY HtHronN - The prlotson
nceian war Was raging IN Greco All .a0a lie.
seaotus' the faihor OF history. was stili living
socrates was teaching IN tho streets 90 Athens
and among his pupils were Nrnophon ftho his
torian, philosopher aud generAD ana Plato the
tutor 81 Aristoticl, tho last two being ths
srcaiost philosophers IN tho ancient world
,ot,o'..' the greatest statesman OF Athens
died tho year before. n q ~
LEssoS MOTIFS
Az. iarasioa 81 Erils. During Nehe-
iniah's absence. aud doubtless after
Ezra's death, the opposition party
which had been silcnccd aud co,yed In
his presence took courage and opened
the noodgotcs OF evil. 40 that n delugc
of sins rushed Ina upon tho nation liie,
an overwhelming torrent. carving
away the barriers OF law and religion.
aud covenants and promises
First. The high priest Elinshib him.
self desccratcd the temple by attinR up
one OF tho temple chambers, built for
the storage Of tithcs. ma a dwelling
place for the heather Tobinh. the Am.
monte, who was allied In marriage 70
hi m ugf. b).
Second. The tithcs for the summon, Of
the pricats and OF the tcmple worsbin
were withheld Yer i0), or the poorcst
II their hoclss and herds had be,n
brought for sacrifice, the blind. the TORN
OF wild beasts. tho aicls. those Of li,,Ic
use for themselves NAL ~. X. AGO,
thus they had dishonorcd God. and
robbed Him Of Ills due. and the penalty
N'' A"iANh hIp N iHtuis
Third. They had neglected tho % mpl.
worship. The services had becofn a
wcarisomo - them NAL 1879. nothing
was done except for good pay NAL
100. People who refused 10 bring
their prornised dues, or brought mean
sacrifices, would have little interest In
public worship.
Fourth. As "a natural consequence
crimes aud sins began 20 rapidly In.
crease -sorcery, adultery. false swear.
ing, oppression, cheating the widow aud
iatherlcss NAL 500, but especially waa
there return 10 the custom Of mixed
marriages. Elinshib. the high prIest's
own grandson, -Manasseh, married
the daughter 81 the great enemy Of the
Jews. Sanballat OF Samaria us.2s1.
Others not only married heather vtves
but put away their true Jewish wives
In order 10 do IL. He thus dealt
trcacherousiy against the wife of his
youth" NAL 2:l4-10l.
Fifth. The sin OF Sabbath breaking.
which Is the main subject Of our lesson
| to-day
Nehemiah RepeIs me Lavasion. First.
lie himself, apparently taking part
with his own hands. with great indig.
nation drove Tobiah out Of the temple
and restored II % It's proper uses. We
aro reminded Of the cleansing Of this
temple twice by our Lord Jesus. once
near the beginning John 2:is-fD and
once near the close Matt 2i.l2. i3l Of
His ministry. This expulsion OF evil
from the temple was a type OF Gods
moral cleansings: % OF the soul. which
was made To be temple OF God. a
house OF prayer; (2j Of the church.
where everything which mars It's pur.
pose as the house OF God for all people.
all selfish ends. sall worldly seekin1.
must be cast out.
second. Nehemiah reinstated IN.
priests and Levites, who had been com.
( PEELED ~ go % their homes and earn
their living, since the people refused n
support them In their religious work.
The services Of the temple now went
on according % law, and the tithes
were brought Ia. One Of the first ef
| fccts OF a religious revival g. seen ia tho
restoration % their full power OF church
services, and the abundant support "a
the pastor and all needed helpers. A
church which had become greatly be.
hindhand Ia It's pastors salary once In.
vited AN evangelist 70 assist them.
Learning 81 the state Of things. he re-
fused % begin his services till they had
paid the debt, assuring them that the
Lord never blessed spiritually a dishor-
est people (Mal. 8fOJ.
Third Nehemiah. with great iudig.
nation and even with bodily punish.
ment, compelled the people % cease
from their heather marriage alliance
| ti3.25-50l. lie showed them how Solo
mon himself. the wise and great king.
beloved ~ God, had been led astray b.
marrying heather women. and could
these people expect % withstand inhu.
eneos which the yvisest man failed 10
resist lie that deliberately runs into
temptation Il already more than hall
fallen. lie who really wants % be good
must pray Lead us not into tempta-
lion, and must do all ho can u answer
Dis own prayer.
FOR RECRUIT OR VETERAN.