The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1899-11-16
READING OF THE SCRIPTURES
International sunday school Lesson
for November 10, 1SOO--Text, Nehe-
mtah S;I-I2-NcmOry vs.. 1-3.

READ Nehem1ah ana Luke 4: 1G-22
| TlME.-The first day of the seventh
month, T. e.. the middle or last OF Septem-
| Der, A. D. 444. about two months after the
arrival of Nehemiah In Jerusalem. and a
week after the completion of the walls or
the 25th of Elul. the sixth month august
September). The first day of the seventh
month was September % in 1872. September
ii in 1873, and October In 1891
EXPLANATORY.
l. The Circumstances. The section
of Nehemiah embracing Chaps. S-1C
differs from the opening ana from the
| closing chapters in that here Nehemiah
is spoken of in the third person. while
in the rest of the book lie himself
writes in The first person. In the PRAYER
(Clfap. % ;snd the covenant (Chap. lO)
the first person plural is used. at was
series of events of the great est impor-
tance. Nehemiah IS desi ign was o renew
and enlarge the reforms which Ezra
had begun 13 years before. Chaps. ST.
are an account of transactions running
through "a days or more. Ivy which Ne
hemiah brought this and other reforms
into active operation. our lesson is the
first section of the account. and tells
what happened in one day-the first
day of the seventh month (N.2
ii. The Great Meeting.N. /. This
chapter should begin with the last
clause of the last verse of the previous
chapter: "And when the seventh
month was come" etc. The first day
of this month was the feast of trum-
pets, which proclaimed a day of re-
joicing, like our Christmas bells This
was a week after the walls were fin
ished. V. l. "All the people gathered
themselves together" From the city
and from the surrounding country. AS
one:" In one place, with one purpose
Into the street." Rather, into the
broad place. the public square. Before
the water gate:" The open space south
of the temple, called Ophel, lying be-
tween the temple wall and the city wall.
They spake unto Ezra, the scribe:"
This Is the first time Ezra's name oc-
ours in the book of Nehemiah
III. The Textbook. 1-3. Book
of the law of Moses" This 'testifies to
"A general knowledge of the existence of
book the contents of which, SO far
as they are known, agreed substantial
ly with our Pentateuch. Prof. H. +.
Ryle. (which the Lord, Jehovah had
commanded to Israeli" This was not
a merely human book. but one inspired
and revealed by God. We. "The law"
Hebrew, Torah, instruction, "here used
in sense which afterwards became uni
versal.'-Prof. Ryle. Both of men and
women:" Both have equal need of
studying Gods Word. And all that
could hear with understandings" The
children, all who were old enough"
V. 3. "He read therein from
the morning until midday" Or, from
daylight. for six hours or more. "The
ears of all the people were attentive:"
Though there is no word in the Hebrew
for attentive" yet the meaning is
quite correctly given.
Nv. Studying the Word of God.-V.5. 5.
Preceded by Worship. V. 5. Opened
the book" Unrolled the scroll, or roll
"All the people stood up:" Rose to
their feet as an act of respect and rev.
erence for God and His Word. V. G.
Ezra blessed the Lord" Praised God
In prayer. "All the people answered."
Responsive worship is no new thing.
"Amen:" Lit, THAT which is true"
$50 let it be-" Lifting up their hands,"
An appeal to God that they accepted the
law thus read and would obey it.
Bowed their heads and worshiped the
Lord with their faces to the ground"
They sank down into the posture of
humble, earnest prayer, first falling on
their knees, and then bending forward
and down till their faces came be
tween their knees" q Kings 1s:42).
Two Ways of Studying the Bible
First. V. S. $50 they read dis
tinctly:' 1t required clear enunciation
to be heard by the many thousands as
sembled. The manner of reading made
a great difference as TO the sense.
Second. "And gave the sense:". Ex-
planning the unusual words. expound-
ing the meaning and the application of
the law, interpreting the allusions 10
history and in every way possible caus-
ing them to understand the reading"
So Christ in the synagogue at Nazareth
the people to understand Isaiah.
(See Luke 4:l6-22)
Y. The Fruits of Bible Study.-Vs.
Dig. 9. "The Tirshatha:" Allied to our
word pasha 1t was the Persian title for
a local or provincial governor.-Ryle.
First Fruit-Repentance. For all
the people wept:" in the new light of
the higher truth we suddenly discover
that the robe of righteousness in
which We have been parading is but as
filthy rags Prof. Adeney.
Second Fruit-Joy in the Lord.
Mourn not, nor weep" You have
wept long enough; you have fastened
your eyes on your sins too exclusively.
V. 10. go your way, eat the fat and
drink the sweet" These were express
sions of JOY and aids to joy. "And send
portions" etc.: Another way of eX-
pressing and of increasing true joy.
Neither be ye Sorry" Sorrow and
repentance are never required for their
own sake, but for the better things
which grow out of them. For the joy
Of the Lord is your strength" Your
hal