The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1911-12-08


There were enemies within the Jew
ish church. Some OF the mobiles and
richer men had been expressing their
poorer brethren who were working at
great gacrifce In rebuilding the walls.
No waees were paid for this work. so
that many we're thus reduced to the
direst straits TO support themselves
and their families. and pay the taxes
exacted by the Persian government.
Their misfortpnes were brought to q
climax by the condition OF hostilities,
which put an end TO trade, and threat
ened town and country with ruin 1t
was impossible to obtain regular en-
Payment. and prices had gone up.
Those who had a little property mort
gagged their homes: and In this way a
considerable portion OF the property
Of the poorer classes, their grain
fields vineyards, and dwellings, passed
into the hands Of wealthy money
lenders, who demanded high usury.
Some, having no means TO pay their
creditors. sold their children as slaves.
Tho hungry ones were threatening. II
the grain was not given TO keep them
fro mstarvation, they would take II by
violence. or surrender the city to Its
enemies. The taxes for the Persian
government were very heavy and ex-
acting The chief officers farmed out
the collection of the taxes, both in
| ~ L. -
These under officers were the same as
those called publicans in the New
Testament They were required to
pay over 10 their superiors the exorbi-
tent sum fixed by law, and depended
| for their profit on what they could
make by fraud and extortion. They
oyercharged, brought false charges OF
| smuggling TO eStort hush-money,
seized upon property in case of dis
/ pute and held # until their levy was
paid, forbade the farmer to reap his
standing crops until they had wrung
from him all that his penury could
produce. They were universally fear
ed, hated and despised No money
known to have come from them was
received for religious uses.
Now these, who professed religion
and lived heathenism, were the great
est injury to the Cause for which
Nehemiah had come. It was against
such as these that Jesus launched the
sharpest lightning OF his "Woeunto
you, hypoerites. They are traitors TO
their country. their church and their
God, The church stands for the high
est expression OF mans life. A church
represents the permanent spiritual
ideals. II embodles the Hottest human
aspirations; nations best express
sion OF It's religious sentiment repre-
sents that nation at its best. Now
whosoeyer in the name of the church,
as a member OF It. does actions con-
trary to IT'S whole spirit, is the great.
est enemy Of the kingdom OF God
| Nehemiah overcame these enemies,
He changed them from enemies to
friends He rebuked them with burn
ing indignation. He told them to their
face the wrong they were doing, lie
persuaded them to repent and undo
the wrongs they had done: Il pray
you, let us leave of this usury. Re
store. | pray you, to them, even this
day. their lands. their vineyards, their
ollyeyards. and their houses, also the
hundredih part OF the money, aud OF
the corn, the wine and the oil, that
We exact OF them" Then said they
We win restore them, and will re
quire nothing of them; so will we do
as thou sayest" He set them good
example. He refused to take the usual
salary of the governor He bore all
the expenses OF his retinue His noble
conduct made the names of these op
pressors show black as the smoke Of
the pit,
One Of the greatest powers for re,
forming abuses is publicity. Let every
mans name be on his deed, on the
work he does, on everything he says
on all that he owns
There is a continual temptation to
day for Christian workers to give vi
their time and strength to discussing
the many theories and unsettled ques
tons which are continually confront
ing them. All sorts Of men say ali
sorts Of things till II seems as II these
clouds were obscurlng the whole con
tinent Of Truth. This is true of many
other things besides religion. Now
the way to escape from these snares
ia to attend to our duties, to go to