The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1899-09-20
QUARTERLY REVIEW.
International sunday school Lesson
for september ~, tssD-GoIdsn
Test, Psaim AN.
Especially Arranged from Peloubet'. NO,e.I

studying, the period extends over
about 30 years, from the beginning Of
the exile, ~. q. COS, 20 the completion Of
the temple, d. c. $40, and dedication In
March. SIS.
PLACES Babylon, the river Che
bar. near Babylon. Jerusalem.
PRoPHETS.-lIosea, Jeremiah, Dan
lei, Ezekiel, Haggai, Zechnriah. Isaiah
600. belong In effect to the exile, what.
ever view we may take OF the date OF
their authorship.
CONNECTION WITH SECULAR
HIsTORY.-Theirc contact with Other
nations made a marked impression up
on the Jews The.oriental monarchs,
Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, and Darius,
Hystaspes, are we'll known In secular
history.
In Italy the Tarquins were reigning
NJ Rome (6i6-51O). The rape OF Lucre.
tia by sextus, son Of Tarquin the
Proud, II. c. $40, five years after the
completion OF the temple at Jerusalem,
led 10 the expulsion OF the kings and
the formation OF the republic at Rome.
In Greece, the seven sages tiourished
about u. &. 500. during the siege and de-
struction OF Jerusalem.
GENERAL REVIEW.
THE PAST.-FTom small beginnings
the kingdom OF Judah had been grow
ing 10 n kingdom Of power In the moral
world. But instead OF keeping in the
steady flowing stream OF Gods will for
them. they kept turning toward the
rapids Of disobedieuce and idolatry.
Note how much God did 10 save them
from the threatened ruin. lie warned
and entrented and encouraged them
by Ills prophets. lie sent pun
ishments for sin. lie gave pros
perity that His goodness might
lead them 20 repentance. The wreck Of
Israel was n solemn warning. But In
spite OF all. they went on TO their own
destruction. as boat in the rapids has
tens over the falls of Niagara.
THE EXILE DISCIfLlNE.-For 70
years the kingdom was n wreck, font
ing on the stream Of time. with only
sandy wastes of hopelessness on every
side. but all this time God was disci-
plining and training them for better
things. The prophets were their teach
crs. The people learned 20 hate idols.
To appreciate their religious privileges,
TO long for the presence Of God. The
warnings were everywhere. Hopes
were held out before them. They saw
the need and blessing of new hearts
and new lives.
THE FRESH START.-At the end OF
10 years, when they had learned In
some measure the exile lessons, Gods
providence made return possible
through n change In the nations. About
$4,000 exiles returned 10 Juden. They
slowly built up the city. They insti-
tuted religious services. They began
to build the temple. The beginnings
were very feeble and small. Amid pow
erty and opposition they went on till
the temple was again built. Prophets
came 10 them and opened visions OF
hope. They saw down the nges the
glory that was 10 come. They saw the
sun rising above the horizon, which
should flood the world with glory.
M0NUMENTS.-"Nine-tenths OF all
the bricks brought from Mesopotamla
bear the stamp Of Nebuchadnezzar."-
bishop Walsh.
In the British museum l was shown
bronze doorstep, weighing 500 pounds,
lately brought from the temple Of FL
Saggil, at Borsippa, near Babylon. On
Il is an inscription saying that II was
a votive offering in commemoration Of
Nebuchadnezzar's recovery from sick
ness. This confirms the account In
Daniel OF his severe sickness with a
kind OF insanity. Lenormant also has
directed attention TO "a strange hiatus
which appears in the history Of Nebu-
chadnezzar. which comedies with the
period Of the kings insanity" There
are a number OF other inscriptions by
Nebuchadnezzar.
a cylinder discovered at the ancient
Ur mentions Belshazzar. the son of Ma
bonidus, the last king of Babylon. Eve
now possess the account given by Cy-
rus himself, of the overthrow OF Nabon-
ldus, the Babylonian king, and Of the
conqueror's permission 10 the captives
In Babylonia TO return to their homes.
The account Ii contained in two docu-
ments, written, like most other AS
syrian and liabylonian records, upon
clay, and lately brought from Babylonia
to England by Mr.. Rassam. One Of these
documents Is a tablet which chronicles
the events OF each year In the reign
Of Nabonidus, the latest Dabylonian
monarch, and continues the history
into the first year of Cyrus, as king Of
Babylon. The other is cylinder, on
which Cyrus gloriiies himself and his
son Cambyses, and processes his adj
herence TO the worship Of Bel-Mero-
dach. the patron god Of Babylon
Prof. A. II. Sayce.
The inscription on the rock Of Behis-
tun, near Bagdad, is by Darius Hyst-
aspes, giving an account OF his reign, In
three languages. The rock rises i,T00
feet high, nearly perpendicular. The
inscription Is on polished surface 300
feet above the base.