Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-12-28
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
AND IBsT4UcTyvE
LESSON Z

Reflections of an Kiesating charnctef
-whoIesome Food for Thohght5
studying the scriptursI I,ssson< In
teiiigentIy and ProGtsbIy.
The lesson for Dec. 81 Is a review OF
the Scripture studied since Oct. ]. The
quarters lessons, taking up the history
OF the Jews at the time Of the compile
ton OF the second temple, about, DIG =.
g.. continue about century, covering
the reforms of Ezra and Nehemiah ana
the work Of Malachi, together with IN
cidents from the life Of those Jews who
were in Persia early in the century. IL
is a most important period. Three OF
tue four main classes Of Hebrew iitera-
tire are represented in the lessons-nls-
tory, prophecy, and lyric poetry. The
fourth, wisdom literature, hourished uur-
ing this age. The period Is likewise I'M
portant for the fine types OF MANHOOD u
produced, among which that OF nehemiah
Is most prominent. In reviewing the les
sons the main events can perhaps best
be summarized in brief form, and then
the moral teachings Of the narrative en-
forced.
The completion OF the temple gave JOY
to the godly Jews, who saw In u the
realization Of their dreams and the iui-
fillment of their hopes. AS iliustratinS
this Joy, Psalm 122 was chosen for the
first lesson. During the sixty years loi-
lowing this event (516-45S) we hear but
little about the state Of the Jews In Jeru-
salem, learning Indirectly that their con
dition was in many ways unfortunate
and unsatisfactory. In Persia, wnere
the larger part of the nation renamed.
occurred the stirring events narrated IN
the book of Esther-the rise to high rank
OF the young Jewess, the plot against her
people, the discovery and thwarting OF
1t, and the revenge.
Then comes the elimination Of decay
and despair among the poor little com
pany ut Jerusalem, which. reaches the
ears of Nehemiah, an officer Of Artaxer-
xes' eoxrt. Nehemiah was q man Of God
In the largest sense OF that term. He
bore ON his heart the misf0rtuRes, the
sins, the miseries Of his nation. Nc con
siderations Of policy or sel6shness re-
strained him from using his power for
the relief of his fellows. Gaining the
desired permission from the king, he set
out for Jerusalem. Arriving there, he
found that the work Of Ezra had not SUI
feed to lift the people out OF their
wretched condition. They needed prac-
tical guidance; the stirring up that
man of strong will and deep convictions
could give. The first tasks to which
Nehemiah set, himself were practical
tasks--the rebuilding OF the wallis. the
reform of social customs and abuses.
Then, came. the later cooperation with
Ezra in promulgating the law, and the
assent of the people to the code. The
dissertation of the Sabbath was reproved
and stopped.
During these decades, before the work
of reform was far advanced, the prophet
Malachi uttered his earnest rebukes or
popular sins and his threatenings of
judgment. With his book the Old Tesla
merit and the years lessons close. A,
gleam from the future is thrown on the
scene by the lesson from Isaiah with it's
promise of the child Emmanuel.
From these lessons-from the whole
history of Judah, indeed-we may learn
some things about Gods methods in deal
ing with men. His infinite patience Is
everywhere most conspicuous. How
often, times without number, did he lift
Judah from the depths of sin and peril
and raise her up to position of security,
only to witness once more the following
decline. The exile, It would seem, should
have been enough TO keep the Jews hum
BILE and obedient for time; but imme-
diately after it we find them Indifferent,
unwilling to sacrifice their own pleasure
to build Gods house, unwilling to offer
him their best. Then we find the temple
built, through the cxertions Of Haggai,
Zechariah and Zerubbabcl.
Within few years thipgswere nearly
as bad as before. Then came Ezra's
work, with its high moral impulses and
principles, followed by another relapse.
then Nehemiah made his first visit to
Jerusalem and succeeded in having the
walls built and some reforms effected.
When he returned second time he had
much of his work to do over. So things
went with the Jews; so they go to-day
with other nations. The reformer's work
is never done; the church's work Is never
done. Gods work is never done. Men
climb with difficulty and slip back with
ease. The development of character and
of nations is a struggle. These are tru-
isms, but they need constant emphasis.
We should be less discouraged over the
small annoyances Of our religious and
moral endeavors to-day il we studied
more sympathetically the story of Gods.
dealings with his people in the past
Victory and defeat, sin and righteous
ness, prosperity and adversely, alternate
rapidly in the history we have been
studying. The need of Savior seemed
to grow with each succeeding failure of
the people to elevate themselves, even with
the aid of righteous prophets and priests.
The growth of the ceremonial system,
originally symbolizing the great redemp-
i've truths, threatened to overshadow the.
hidden meanings, and II was necessary
for Christ to come to clear away tho veil
that obscured the heart of the. gospel.
1t is not just to say that the reign OF
love succeeded the reign of law, for there
was love in the law, and there is law in
the love; but there was gradual develop
ment from the earliest stages of mans
relation to God to that place where any
humble soul might find his station In the
great brotherhood Of Gods children as
a disciple Of Christ and pray Our Fa-
ther."
Next lesson: rha Birth of .Eesus- I.wl.