North Park union., 1905-12-01


gin. THE JOY OF the Lord" IL Joy that
sins are forgiven. The very reading OF
the law was to show that God desired
TO save them from their sins.
Such JOY is our strength because we
are stronger In Joy than In sorrow. Joy
gives courage and hope and free ac-
u,ity. and health OF body and spirit. II
fits us for the service of God; 1t is u
safeguard against the allurements OF
sinful pleasure. and against discourage
ment In trying times: It recommends
our religion and our Master to the
world, and attracts men to them. It
honors God. This is especially true of
Joy that triumphs over sorrow and
trials.
~. Great mirth, because they had
understood the words" They no long
er imagined that the threa,enlngs and
curses were all. but saw the real feel
ings of God toward them. with his pre-.
cious promises and hopes and bless
ings.
v. The Revival OF Bible Study Leads
to and Is Stimulated by Great Re
ligious Festival.-Vt. 1918. 13. Cath
cred together the chief Of the fathers"
the secular leaders, together with the
priests and the Levites. unto Ezra"
Either Ezra summoned them or they
applied to Ezra for further instruction.
or all men, the leaders ought to be
most perfectly instructed in Christian
duty. This movement was very hope
full
II. The further reading OF the law
led to n discovery that one of the great
feasts which the Lord had command
ed by Moses had been neglected. is
rael should dwell In booths" This
was the Feast OF Tabernacles. the au-
tumn harvest home. like our Thanks
giving day. The reference here is TO
Lev. 23: 39-43 and Deut 1913. Is. See
Ex. 23:16; Mum. 29:l2-3s.
Is. Go forth unto the mount" the
mountainous hill country OF Judah.
l6. These booths were built all
through the city and In the street"
that is the broad square, "of the water
gate" south of the temple area. and
''of the gate OF Ephraim.' in the west
ern wall not far from the present Jana
gate.
IL The Feast OF Tabcrnacles contin-
ued eight days. from the 18th TO the
22d inclusive. so that the people had
nearly two weeks for preparation.
Since the days OF Joshua" Joshua.
Not that there had been no celebra-
tions OF the feast but none so great,
so thorough. SO glad. And there was
very great Iladness." They were get.
ting into the true religious spirit. and
thus We're being prepared for the re
forms of life that were to follow
IS. Also lay by day he. Ezra.
or ''one." '.sead in the book of the law
of G.~~--oe religious eicrneri %ag
not left OUT II their gladness.
VI A New Covenant of Consecra-
tion,LNeh. .. One day was given up
to clearing away the booths. and then
they again assembled for another kind
OF meeting. in which with all solemnity
OF fasting and prayer the true Jews en-
tered into formal covenant with God.
n kind of oath OF allegiance. solemn
agreement signed by Nehemiah and
the leaders. princes and priests. OF re-
newed devotion to the law and the
service of God. They promised to keep
the law of Moses, to pay their tithes
for the support of the temple services
and to keep the Sabbath holy. And
they bound themselves under curse to
keep this covenant. (Nch. 9;3S; l0:l-
39)
VII. An Ethical Reform.-Whatever
the best of the people may have done.
many evils had crept into the com
munity. and these were reformed by
Nehemiah and Ezra.
The temple was purified from It's
dissertations.
The tithes and offerings were col.
lected and made good.
Sins and crimes had begun to in
crease, but Nehemiah made an effort
to stop them.
Heather wives were put away.
The Heart Of the Lesson.
Bible study should be preceded by
revereht worship. which uplifts the
soul, opens Its eyes to see and pre-
pares the heart to receive and obey
the truths taught. There Is especial
need of worship in the Sunday school.
training in reverence and in some
natural and rcverent forms with closed
eyes and bowed head during prayer.
for otherwise the very spirit of wor-
ship will die out.
There is great power In united study
of the Bible. old and young. men and
women united In the hearing and un.
derstanding of the same great truths,
Different lessons In the same room
make distinct loss of the power of
the worship and of sympathetic i'm
pulse.
Note-If we want our children TO go
to the Sunday school and to stay there
we must go with them and make II the
teaching service OF the church. setting
an example, showing our sense of its
Importance No church should be sat
isfied till "all the congregation is in
the Sabbath school. all the Sabbath
school in the congregation. and every
body In BOTH
The power OF the Bible was shown
In its effects upon the people. The In
creased interest In Bible study to-day
is one of the most hopeful signs Of the
times. The increasing numbers In
the Sunday school. the rapid and grow
ing improvements In its management
and methods, more marked than In any
other department OF the church, are
stars of hope In our horizon.
BE We Kind One to Another"
There is striking word In the let.
ter to Ephesians. "Grieve not the Holy