The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-12-27
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR DECEMBER 81.

Review OF the Last Quarter, Psalm cxxii,
Golden Text: Bless the Lord, o My
Soul, and Forget Not All His Benefits,
Psn. Gill;, 2-Coinmentary.
lyTEoDucT1oN.- lessons OF this quar-.
ter form quite O connected history, and
cover not q great period OF time The
- main thought through the quarter IS the
history OF Judah after the dedication OF
sin shows how far short legal religion
comes In keeping men steadfast; hence the
need OF Redeener Our quarter beauti.
fully closes with Isaiah's vision OF the days
OF the Messiah. This hope was whnt up.
held the people, and as they cherished 1t
they gave heed to Gods law
LESSON I. "Joy In Gods house" Though
written by David, Z. @. 1045, this Psulm
appears to be among those collected by
Judah, aud used by the people then, B. @.
598. II this Psalm was calculated to stir
the henrts Of the people to cherish Jerusa.
lem as the Holy City, where God would
manifest His presence to them, the ark be.
ing placed there; then surely 1t was suited
to the returned captives who had been
separated from the city for seventy years.
II we conclude this to be the Psalm OF the
Jews upon their hearing theedict OF Cyrus
granting their return to Jerusalem, it will
show how faithfully they returned to the
customs OF their religion. 81
LESSON II. "Haman's plot against the
Jews" TIE history contained IN the book
OF Esther belongs In the time between the
dedication Of the second temple and the
coming OF Ezra to Judea. when the
temple was finished there came pause Of
nearly sixty years In the history OF the
Jews. During this time the Medo-Persian
empire became larger than any previous
kingdom in the world, so that Its ruler was
most beyond imagination. Its ambition
was to conquer Greece, and extend It's
sway over the known world.
LESSON III. Esther pleading for her
people," When Hamnn had fairly COM
pleted his plan and was waiting to execute
1t, God turned the balance and caused his
plot to be fulfilled upon himself. He was
disappointed, humbled, exposed and put to
death. His position, honor. wealth and
power were given to Mordecai. The peo.
DIE rejoiced at the promotion OF good
man, but mourned not for the fallen tyrant.
Esther's courage and loyalty arc to be ad-
mired and initiated.
LESSON ". "Ezra's journey to Jerus-
alem." In this Ices on we have Ezrn's nc.
count OF his mission to Jerusalem. He was
thorough student OF the Bible. especially
Of tho law OF Moses (chapter Z: 6.l0), and
God had filled his heart with desire to
teach the law to the people.
Lesson v. 'Psalms OF deliverance." In
Psalm eighty-aye we have prayer that
the people might reallzs the full blessings
OF restoration. A portion OF this Psalm i'm.
plies that the people were IN state OF
great distress and weakness, such as is de-.
scrbed in Ezra and Nehemiah. Psalm one
hundred and tWenty.six Is Thanksgiving
for return from captivity.
LESSON VI. "Nehemiah's prayer" "Thir.
teen yeurs OF silence pass between Ezrn's
work and the beginning OF Nebemiuh's
history. He was noble example OF Chris.
tlan patriotism. he was man o. profound
piety, connecting everythingf great and
small, with the will OF God. He found bis
LESSON VII. "Rebullding the walls Of
Jerusalem" To-day We see the answer to
Nehemlah's prayer. At the end OF four
months be returned to his duties as cup.
bearer. The king observed that his coun.
tenallce was sad and inquired OF his trouble.
Then Nehemiah made known bis request to
the king, the queen also being present.
Then letters OF authority we're given to
Nehemiah, and ho went on his mission to
Jerusalem to rebuild Its walls.
LESSON VIII. Public reading Of the
scriptures. 1ue tlmo VI tuiS losoon maS
tic lrst day OF the seventh month, Tishrl.
one week alter the walls OF Jerusalem were
finished. In this month three great festl-
walls were hold: (1) The Feast iof Trump.
ets, usserlug In the new year and the rev
moon. (2) The great DcySol Ato1omeht,
the 10th OF the n 5nth; and'(3) The Feast
OF Tabernacles, from the 18th to the 21st =
the Jewish Thanksgiving. In addition to
thc:se, Nehemiah held another solemn
mectingof confession and renewing the
covenant. At this time, under Ezra. be-
gan new era OF Bible study. ,
LESSON TX. "Woes OF intenperance."
Solomon, the author OF the Proverbs. was
enduod With an unusual degree Of wisdom.
That we might behold the value OF true
wisdom God has preserved some Of tho
wise sayings OF His servant for our study.
This lesson Is called tho drunkard'5 look
Ing glass, set before those whose faces arc
toward tho drunkard's habits, &c that they
mny see what they be II they 60 on.
LESSON X. "heepipg the Sabbath" Al
ter Ezra's death, and during Nehemiah's
absence from Jerusalem, the opposing enc
mics who had been sllenced by Nehemiah
took ourage and opened the floodgates OF
evil, so that n deluge Of sin rus he'd in upon
carrying away the barriers OF law and re-
ligion, and covenants and promises. The
high priest, Ellushib, himself desecrated
the temple. The tithes for the support OF
the priests and OF the temple worship were
withheld. As natural consequence
crimes and sins Increased rapidly--soreery,
adultery, false swearing, oppression, cheat.
Ing the widow and fatherless; but, espe-
aally was was there a return to the custom
Of mixed marriages.
LESSON XI. "Lessons In Giving" Nala-
chi appears to have been raised up to re-
prove the sins OF the people; he prophesied
tho rejection OF the Jews and the calling OF
the Gentiles. he prophesied OF the coming
OF Christ. Malachl opens his prophecies
by reminding the people OF Gods great
and distinguished love toward them and
their fathers; here he closes With prom.
ise Of the mission OF Elijah the prophet.
LESSON XII "Fruits OF Right,and Wrong
D oing." In this lesson Malachi tolls OF the
reward OF the faithful and the punishment
OF tho wicked.
LESSON Kill. ''Christ's Coming Fore.
told" When Judah seemed to be- on the
verge OF utter ruin God gave Isaiah vision
OF the days OF the Messiah. Sin In its de-.
structvs influence had blighted the ma.
tion. Records had been piled one upon an.
other showing how deprayed and unstable
the Jews were. Even when Isaiah prophe.
sled unto Judah he beheld them rs those
who walked In darkness. dwelling In the
land OF the shadow Of death. They were
diminished In numbers, losing In power,
and disneartened for taslr future.