Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-02-16
Rebuilding the wall.

Rebuilding the Wall.
The lesson for Sunday, Feb. 10, may
be found In Neh. A: 9-23.
is INTRODUCTORY.
lis our desire In these lesson studies.
following out the general Lesson Out
line" limited at below. to glimpse In the
Introductory. the main thought OF the
lesson, letting the Points In the Les
son" simply suggest q few OF the inter-
esting subsidiary teachings. connected.
OF course, more or less with the central
thought OF the lesson, In its historical
setting. In the Hints and Illustra-
tions" some brief limitations are given
as to the means of imparting this In
struction. In the lesson before US the
main teaching is evidently Christian
edification Its more ready reference
iato the Developments of. cody charac-
ter but some communities engaged In
the work OF church building or reorgan-
ization may find an even more literal
and quite legitimate application.
w POINTS IN THE LESSON.
How to lay wall Is the lesson. And
there are walls to be built to-day.
Watch and pray" are the first two
letters of instruction. Vigilance Is the
price Of more things than liberty. Look
up toward heaven and look out against
the world. Trust In God, and keep
your powder dry"
Nevertheless Is trihe weak. And,
Is the Hebrew-and so. Just because
OF opposition they turned to God. Per-
secution availed to drive them to re-
newed and watchful consecration.
Their enemies conspired to hinder IL.
make failure of 1t Is the literal rendi-
ton. We have seen 1t so. But right
there, as we fee to Jehovah, he con-
spires TO save US, and we find again that
"all things work together (conspire) for
good to them that love God.
or course they were weak. 1t Is
through "the weak things" that God
loves to ~confound the mighty" San
ballat said, What do these feeble Jews?"
He is saying it still against the Lords
remnant But now for. our resort.
Hear, o our God, Verse FOUR for we
are despised Hebrew, a derision) and
turn their reproach upon their own
head" And so again, He that stitch
in the Heavens shall laugh, the Lord
shall have them in derision." Who
laughs last? Greater is he that is in
you than he that Is in the world. At
There was mnch to. discourage. No
tice: First, judah brings dishearten-
ment; Verse 10:) -the strength of the
U6dIcIo VI UuTutuS 10 ucCdyous 4HcA
the muJterings OF the adversaries are
heard verse eleven; they shall not
know" etc. Finally "the Jews which
dwelt by them" what Is harder to en-
duro than the gossip and tattle of indo-
lent neighborsO put gave out their
doleful prophecies, ten times over:
You'll see them back again presently
All, II ever q people had difficulties to
overcome, Nehemiah and his confreres
had. And they overcame. Trust in
God prevailed. Fear not, little flock.
This is the victory that overcometh
the world, even our faith
But suppose we set to work wisely,
watch as well as pray. Be resolute and
reasonable in doing Gods work and re-
sisting evil. In the first place, have
mind of your own. Here the people
had "a mind to work" ". 81. The world
had mind to hinder. That is always
the way with the prince of this world.
1t is constitutional with him; his name
is resister. And so when the breaches
began to be stopped, then they were
very "wroth. Verify. But we are not
asking the advice OF the world in this
matter. Or IL we have been, we are
going to have done with such vain walk
ing ain the counsel of the ungodly."
And the way to have done with it Is to
be up and at the work OF the Lord. Yes,
and get rid of the much rubbish" lying
over against our own doors. Why give
the world such purchase? Most critl-
cisms against the church are launched
from the rubbish pile left carelessly at
the gates.
And here is the way to prevail. Take
sword and trowel, the two together.
Here everybody was worker, every
body a warrior. They had one band to
do the work and another band to defend
1t when done; or rather they were ready
with both bands as occasion demanded
both for aggression and defense. The
time has come when we should stand
for the faith and confront the adver-
sary. Only thus will he be checked in
his desperate onslaught. The Lord
came to bring a sword also, and he bids
us in his name assert the truth and de-
fend It. Remember the Lord, who is
meek and merciful always. But also
remember the Lord who Is great and
terrible, and fight for your brethren,
your sons, and your daughters, your
wives, and your houses.
o watch and fight and pray.
The battle ne'er give DER;
Renew it boldly every day
And strength divine implore
HINTS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
We have four lessons from the book
OF Nehemiah wonderfully stirring bit
of Old Testament literature. 1t would
be well to study the volume as a whole.
The writer has just come from such
reperusal with mind newly stimulated
and heart deeply moved. Sit down,
brother or sister teacher, and read it
through. Take it into the class and
assign TO separate members, for brief
outline or statement Of the progress OF
thought and action. all the thirteen
chapters, one by one. Make the scenes
vivid, make the story live again. Only
thus do we get the best lessons Of sacred
writ.
Resist the devil and he will flee."
There Is no other way. Recall here
John McNeil's strong utterance as from
the lips OF courageous Shammah In the
field OF lentils: This is too bad! / am
sick and tired of this. Are we ever to
SOW In the spring, and are these Philis-
tines to reap our crop In the autumn
Are we forever to be at their mercy2
Are we forever to be trodden under foot
and scattered like sheep? Death Is
preferable to this Running and running;
and in Gods great name stand to-day
Death or victoryl'
That was a good thing said by Prof.
Swing the other day: The farm never
accepts regrets" The only way to
make success of anything is to keep
at il. Yes, and all at 1t. In union there
is strength. United we stand, divided
we fall" They called upon the little
one to recite her verse, and she did IL