The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-11-09

Ezra was a savior of Judaism.
1t was a crisis in the national life.
Seventy years had passed since the
return from the captivity. Zerub-
babel, the prince of Judah, had left
the little colony in Jerusalem, and
gone back to Babylon, his birth
place. to end his days. The de-
lenses of Jerusalem were still un-
finished. There was a sort of
creeping paralysis of indifference
in Church and State. There was
no enthusiasm, no sturdy faith.
There was a widening gap be-
tween mobiles and rustics. Pagan
ism was making subtle inroads.
The days of the Hebrew State and
religion were numbered. Then
appeared the second Moses. ="
The nobility of Ezra's personal
character and his worth to his ma
ton can hardly be overestimated.
He put an imprint upon his Church
which it bears to this day. And
as Christianity is evolved from
Judaism, Christianity itself may be
said to bear to some extent the
marks of the good scribe"
The character and achievements
Of Ezra would furnish material for
a shining and patriotic lyric. He
was such stuff as reformers are
made Of He had prepared his
heart to seek the law of the Lord
and to do it and to teach in Israel
statutes and judgments" He was
man who could bring things 20
pass in spite of most unfavorable
conditions. So that a heather
monarch put a carte blanche order
into his hands for such supplies
and money as might be necessary
to the success of his enterprise.
Ezra's splendid faith and cour-
age shines out in the very incep-
ton of delicate and dangerous en-
terprise. His path grows brighter
as he crosses a thousand miles of
bedouin-infested desert. EItreaches
its full slender as he enters the
Holy City and discharges his duty
with answering and noble patri-
otism. Ezra's discretion is shown
in his three days pause at the
river Ahava, and his careful in
spection of his company, and his
reinforcing it with representatives
of the priesthood, before starting
on the march. His declining the
armed cavalcade supplied by the
king to guard the caravan was
triumph of faith and prayer. The
dangers were real and great. The
fact that the company was treas
ure-laden was matter of common
report, and there were robber
bands in the way, But the Jour
ney was essentially a religious
one. Ezra believed that the edu-
cational power of the movement
would be discounted if he leaned
upon the arm of flesh. He had an
assurance of safety before he start
ed. How modest the record: $50
we tasted and besought our God
for this and He has entreated of
us.
The conditions which Ezra
found on entering Jerusalem were
deplorable i'll the last degree. All
civic pride and national hope were
gone. The people were utterly
dispirited. All radiant prophec les
were unfulfilled. The city was
defenseless; no gates, no walls.
Predatory bands made incursions
at will. They left their dead and
wounded in the streets, and car
tied away captives, to be sold into
slavery. Under these conditions
faith faltered, religious services
were omitted, and as usual mutual
suspicion and internecine strife
had begun.
Ezra was Gods man for the
hour, then striking in Jewish his
tory.
The Teachers Lantern.
Helpful side-lights comes from
remembering the contemporaries
of Ezra. For example When