Evening journal., 1911-12-02
CO.LABORERs WITH GOD.
Nehemiah iY-Dec. 3.
"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith
quit yOu like men; be stroug."-l

Nehemiah iy-Dec. 3.
"Watch ye, stand fast In the faith;
quit Won like men; be strODg.&I
Corinthians xvi H.
Nehemiah's prayer for Jerusalem
and the holy interests centered there
continued for months before the an
swer suddenly came. The king whom
he served as confidential secretary,
made a banquet the queen being pres
ent as well as Nehemiah and others.
Everybody was smiling and joyous,
attired I'm their silks and jewels but
the king noticed that his trusted sec
retary had a sadness which showed
through his smiles. Finding that he
was not i'll he said that it must be a
trouble OF heart and inquired as to
what it was. It was a dangerous mo-
ment for Nehemiah, for the kings Of
that time were quite autocratic and
caprieious The sadness might have
been construed TO mean a loss of in
terest in The king and his affairs, or
a hundred things disapproved for
such an occasion of rejoicing.
Nehemiah's prayer instantly went up
to God for wisdom to know how to
answer for he did not receive the
wisdom at once, although he had pray
ed beforehand. He knew that the AL
mighty could hear his desires of heart,
uttered or uneXpressed. He received
the needed wisdom for a wise and sue
cessful reply which did not offend the
king but enlisted his interest He
told the king that his sadness Of heart
was because the home Of his fathers
l kH.f ~,
king appointed him special governor
of Judea with full authority to attend
to the work and to call upon the gov
ernors Of surrounding provinces for
aid II necessary.
Wisdom Shown by Methods.
That Nehemiah was a wise man and
no mere dreamer was evidenced in the
practical methods he employed. A
man of wealth, he probably financed
his own expedition, aside from the
retinue of soldiers etc, furnished by
the king. A four months journey
brought them to Jerusalem. The OBJ
ject Of his coming was kept secret.
He was merely a visitor for a few
days, seeing and hearing. Then by
night he made an inspection of the
old city walls. particularly the broken
parts and the heaps Of ruins from
which they might be rebuilt. He saw
the feasibility of the scheme and out
lined in his mind the method. Then
he called for the elders and promi-
nent representatives OF the people, ex-
planned to them his object in coming,
and showed them his authority from
the king. and suggested method for
the beginning of the repair work i'm
mediately.
He perceived the necessity for great
caution. for enemies we're on every
hand as anxious to hinder them as
he was anxious for success. The Sa-
maritans were Jealous. They had a
rival worship of Jehovah, and Israels
success would seem to imply that
Gods favor was TO the Jews rather
| than toward the Samaritans. Be-
sides they all hoped 10 profit by the
poverty and helplessness of the Jews
/ thinking it not wrong TO pillage them
as opportunity offered Nehemiah's
plan was approved. The leading mon
In each quarter of the city joined in
| the work with the laborers, and each
built the wall most nearly in front Of
his own home quarters This was a
wise plan for each would be specially
interested in having the wall strong
in his own neighborhood, and a GER
tain degree OF proper pride would at
tach to his work as prominent mon
ument of the builders skill-itself a
credit or discredit.
Nehemiah Joined in the work with