The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-11-18
CALLED MAYOR
MINISTER HOLDS UP NEHE-
MlAH AS EXAMPLE.
Rev. John Mcdowell breaches on Ruler
of Jerusalem and Says We
Need Men Like Him.

The Park Presbyterian Church was
crowded last night with the members of
that congregation to hear the Rev. John
Mcdowell discuss the topic of his sermon,
A Interview With the Mayor of a Great
City," The sermon was mainly based oil
the Seriptural book OF Nehemiah.
After having established the historical
standing of Nehemiah, the reverend
preacher spoke In part as follows:
Little or nothing is known of Nehemiah
until he plunges before us suddenly as the
rebuilder and reformer OF the d~esolate city
of Jerusalem. The book which bears his
name Is a record of his work as the Mayor
of Jerusalem. For such was his position
though he was not given this utie, put
was a model Mayor.
I'm the first place, he did not seek the
position, it sought him. To be sure his
interest in Jerusalem must nave been
known. otherwise his countrymen would
not have Travelled hundreds of miles across
deserts to secure his help. He made no
campaign for the place IAN, and gave no
In the second place, he was a man or
earnest prayer. When the need OF the
city was presented to him, and his
personal relation to the need pressed upon
him, he consulted God in prayer. In fact,
before every undertaking in his adminis-
tration we find him in prayer. He was
evidently more voncerned with what God
thought of his plans than what men
thought. AS the Mayor of the city he
wanted above everything else to be right
with God, and with Gods laws:
I'm the third place, he was a Mayor with
an unselish purpose. SO evident was TINS
purpose that 1t grieved those who desired
to plumber the city. The ward heelers
had no use for Mayor Nehemiah because,
as they themselves said, his purpose
was not personal advantage or party ad-
vantage, but the welfare Of the people.
In the fourth place, Nehemiah had
definite plans for his administration of the
city. These plans were based on personal
knowledge of conditions. He made his
own Investigations. On the basis of his
own experience of the conditions of Jeru-
salem he evolved his plans of five princi-
PIES.
I'm the fifth place, Nehemiah was a man
of inexhaustible resources. He was pre-
pared to meet every attack of the enc
mics. and he had many of them, as every
man will have who undertakes to work
for the welfare of the people. AT first they
tried ridicule on the Mayor, but this
failed; then open opposition. and TINS
failed. and finally they tried compromise,
and Nehemiah spurned their offer and came
forth victorious with the city rebuilt.
Then he turned his attention to the needed
reforms within the city itself. AS Mayor
he corrected the abuses Of the rich and
the oppression of the poor, revived the
knowledge of Gods law, Sabbath OBJ
servances sand covenant obligations.
Nehemiah was the right man In the
right place. HIS character and admins
tration were spotless, He was a man OF
faith, bold. r~esolute, energetic, ever ready
TO stand for the right. AS such he is a
model Mayor, n embodies the principles
which we ought to covet for all men who
hold public office. The secret of his sue
cess was his loyalty to God and his whole
hearted devotion to his people. God give
us many such men,"