Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-18

ment of the commandrnents). and the judy
.nehts uhe decisions made by the const-
tuted authorities) OF Moses whom God had
made the national iawgiyer
hhMEMBRANCE tvcrses S-9).-Con-
I@ssioh hone, necessary as It Is. does not
constitute prayer. II is not a final, but a
preparatory act 1t Is uniformly accompa-
MED ard folowedby the hope of mercy. and
That Is grounded in some disclosure OF the
character of the one offended Hence. having
acknowledged the sins Of his peonle Sehe-
miah recalls the words OF the AInighty.
spoken TO Moses. and treasured up ali
through the centuries. just adapted to the
case. y thousand years had interviewed.
but this pious man remembered that God
had said on leading Israel into Canaan that
II they transgressed He would scatter them
among the nations (Deut., iy:2TD. That
word was fulfilled in the captivity. 1t was
also remembered that IL the captives should
turn again unto God in the land TO which
they might be carried He would regard
them graciously and restore them TO their
homes u.ev., Xxyi;40-42l. This is the right
method of AL prayer-it should proceed
from sense of sin to some promise of God
COMPASSION tVerse I0).-The way
was thus fully prepared. Nehemiah had COM
piled with all the conditions OF a successful
approach to the throne of divine grace, con-
ditions fixed in the nature Of spiritual
things. He had come a confessed sinner
among sinful people. making apology
Tor the past, but recognizing the Justice of
the penalty inflicted. yet relying solely upon
the declarations of God made at the be-
ginning of the national history. lnterces-
sion upon such terms was therefore proper.
With most beautiful words Nehemiah be-
gins, these are thy servants and people"
a form like to that used by Moses. tDeut.
lx:29) AFFLICTED though they were. subject
10 foreign power, the Jews who were
gathered IN Jerusalem, remnant of a
mighty and glorious nation, represented
the chosen of the Lord. the children of the
covenant by whom Gods will was to be
accomplished. This presentation was evil
n L .lfxrf,.
sion.
ENTREATY Verse 1D.-The desire OF
Nehemiah now appears, the end which he
sought to accomplish by prayer. He did
not ask Tor a blessing upon those who had
returned. that they might be prospered In
their good undertakings and protected
against their enemies. He desired. rather.
himself to make a trip to Jerusalem to set
new influences at work there for his peo-
pies good, and he asked that God would
incline the king to grant him permission to
go on such an errand. This entreaty was
based upon the assumption that the heart
of a heather ruler might be moved by the
Holy Spirit TO a generous deed prov
Xxi:D, an assumption derived from a doc
Urine he'd through all the centuries ezra
Vh:2D oven from Abraham to Paul (Acts
WHO. This one feature of the prayer ex-
hbits the catholicity of Judaism, whose
fundamental thought WAS a deity of I'M
limited and universal power
REFLECTIONS.-Th prayer of Nehe-
mlah exhibited his strong faith and ardent
piety, inasmuch it was offered under
many and great acknowledgements First
the Jewish people had by their long-eof-
tinued sins provoked the Almighty and
brought upon themselves innuners bic mis-
fortunes, so that a good man might well
doubt that God would be nlerciful to them:
second, the failure of the expeditions that
had previously been sent with royal author
lily to rebuild the temple and the walls of
Jerusalem might lead one to question the
wisdom of any further attempt ninety years
after the first; third, Artaxerxes the king.
had given authority TO Ezra thirteen years
before ana might consider his inability good
reason for refusing another request: fourth
Nehemiah was in the public service and
could hardly expect to be released from IL
10 do what would bring 10 profit to the
King. These considerations which might
nave influenced many. did not deter this
man or Cod. He appears to have known
what Jesus taught. that prayer is always
proper. duke xviii:1)