The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-30
Fourth quarter. Lesson XIV. Deeem-
 her 31 1905.

might despair. eh"s
 Fourth quarter. Lesson XIV. Deee"- ber 31 1905.
 REVIEW OF THE FOURTH QuAHTEN
 There Is a splendid stir and move nent cumulative in its interest ln tnle epoch of two hundred years 1ust covsi
 ed, which fairly fasctnates the reaoei There is life and continuity m the ha, rative. Each event and person seems tributary to the whole. It is the pie ture of a nation. at school. The term is seventy years. The discipline IS se- were. the training rigorous. The eno is the correction of faith and conouct' The training of the exile resnits III higher prizing of religion temple' rl ,iai and Scripture One plainly sees who helped and who hindered In tnis Divine evolution. The events are tne exile. 605 B. C.: the destruction or tne temple, 53s B. C.; the first return, 5S6 B. C., the temple rebuilt 5lo s. U. Ine biography of the period IS pecunaIiy rich. It makes galaxy in wniIn Daniel Isaiah. Haggai. Zecharlan Malachi. zerrubabel, Ezra, Esther ana Nehemiah appear.
 There is not in literature more viv- i'd word picture than that which de- scribes the last night in Babylon. CS- rus is at the gate. but the incident or l a seize does not interfere with ban
  velers are sobered by sight of hand writing some mystic legend on the | wall which Daniel interprets as being the last page in Babylonian history. | tDan. V. iI-301
 | The palace and the den--what q con
 trast! In that building the marvel or mankind" the monarch of the world | was restless and unhappy An. up braiding conscience and a consciousness ] of unkingly weakness were his com l panions. In the den Daniel had the | indescribable joy of an approving con
 science. His security was complete. his companion ship angelic. The stead | fastness of Daniel and his consequent
 miraculous deliverance was the iinishr | ing touch in the providential process ! of preparing the Hebrews for their exit | from bondage. (Dan. vi, l0-23.o
 | < This page is a mirror of Providence. | God wanted His people exiled They were to learn 1esons in diversity. prosperity could never teach them; and | not for their own sakes only, but that | through them, In hovel and palace alike, tho true God might be made
 known among the heathen After sev- | enty years God wanted His people
 emancipated. Nebuchadnezzar and Cy-
 rus were the merest instruments of a
 wonder working Providence. The
 kings heart is in the hand of the l Lord. as brooks of water. and He in- | clines 1t whither He will" (Prov.- xxi, | l; Ezra i 1-11)
 This great undertaking, the rebuild ing of the temple is substantial evil
 dence of the thoroughness of the | schooling of the exile. In spite of | small resources. numerous enemies. and | a depressing environment, the seem 1 iugly impossible was cheerfuily under taken and triumphantly achieved Union contributed to their strength 1 They gathered together as one man | (Ezra iii. f0--iv, O.
 | The vision bears a spiritual signi- ffcance upon it's face. The Church is
 the candlestick set forth in the mora l darkness of the world Above the candlestick of the vision was a reser-
 voir: from the reservoir there were seven pipes to each lamp--seven, the number of perfection, indicating the lahupdant supply. On either side of the
 eandlestick stood an olive tree that poured its oil into the reservoir The lhood of Jesus, who supplies the reser- voir with the Holy Spirit. It is not the lamp that burns. The lamp is only the vehicle of the oil It is not tho Ichurch that Eliminates. but the Holy Spirit through the Church. The Church lis all gold. It is very precious. pur. ichased with great price. The churci Ihas many branches, but 1t is one candle. stick. Czech. iv. 1-10.) ... The fate of a race of exiles trembIe,
 in the balance held in the hand of q
 capricious despot How the irrevcr. lsible decree shall be reversed is th, lproblem. In the solution the destin,
 of the Hebrew nation Is involved. ant
 with that also the Scripture. ritual ant hope of the Messiah. On the darl
 backgrcund of :he plot the character,