The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1911-10-12

GOLDEN TExT-"Enter into his gates
with thanksgiving. and into his courts
with praise.'-Psa. 1904
TfME-The arrival at Jerusalem, n. Q.
So. Foundation OF the Temple, n. c. 500
Delays. II. c. $3.50. Building OF Temple
begun. u. c. $40 Temple completed. b. C.
SIG. Period Of the lesson. 20 years.
PLACE-Jerusaiem and vicinity.
PROPHETS.-Haggni. II. c. $50 Zechar-
tab, d. c. t2O-5is Daniel the aged dan
io:D.
RULERs-cyrus king TIN n. C. SO.
u. c. 52i-ts6 zerubbabei governor OF
Judea.
The exiles found Jerusalem in ruins,
together with the surrounding cities
OF residence and their orchards and
farms. much as they had been left BY
Nebuchadnezzar's armies fifty years
before. Trees were growing wild on
the Mountain of the House, and the
jackals prowled among heaps OF shat.
tered masonry. Crumbling stone-work
and charred timbers marked the site
Of palaces and towers. and choked the
streets. The city walls and gates
were leveled with the ground. The
first business OF the returned exiles
was. Of course. to provide some kind
OF dwellings for themselves and their
families. They accordingly settled in
the small cities surrounding Jerusa.
lem. perhaps repairing the houses and
walls that had been ruined by the be-
sieging armies years before, or con.
tenting themselves with huts or tents.
The territory they controlled was OF
course small, and hemmed In on all
sides. Including only Bethlehem on
the south. while on the north their ter.
ritory measured no more than twenty.
five miles In length by twenty in
BREADTH" and even upon this en-
croached the heather or mongrel pop
ulation.
AS soon as the returned exiles had
become settled In their homes. and
hdd planned for the necessities OF
life. within three or four months of
their arrival. they wisely arranged
for the religious life which was the
very heart Of the nations existence,
and the central motive and Inspiration
Of the return. 1t would require years
TO build the temple. II was not wise
TO wait for that II was essential that
all needful helps to devotion and re-
ligion and righteousness should be pro
vided Immediately. to sustain them in
the work to be done amid opposition
and temptations which were to try
their souls as gold is tried in the fire.
When the builders laid the founda.
tion Of the temple. there was a great
celebration. The chant OF praise was
responded to with a great burst of
chorus. vocal and instrumental. the
substance OF which was some we'll.
known sacred refrain. There is q
wonderful power In music and every
atom Of 1t should be used in Gods
service. The church has scarcely be
gun to use this power In its fulness.
Some object to responsive singing;
some have opposed putting an orches-
ira In the Sunday school, as II these
were modern novelties, instead Of g..
900 years old. These old saints used
every kind of instrument. every meth
cd Of slnging-solos. responses, Choir.
uses. marching songs. refrains. every.
thing that would give wings and In
spiration to the service OF song.
Those who had known only the exile
conditions sang Haileiujahs, because
1t was an unspeakable Joy TO have
a temple at all. II meant the saving
Of the nation: It meant the returning
favor Of God. 1t was no limit to the
religious life and the blessings which
could grow out Of II. II made posi-.
BILE the greater glory. which fifteen
years later the prophet Haggai fore
told. when II should be fulfilled in the
Messiah.
We learn from Haggai that the PEG
pie we're busy with building beautiful
houses, and cultiyating their farms.
They planted vineyards and orchards.
figs, pomegranates and olives. But all
their efforts were failures. They
looked for much. and 10 It came to
little" For they cared more for their
own houses and farms than for the
house OF God.
Then arose the wise, aged prophet
preacher Haggai. who had been watch
ing the course of affairs. and in the
name Of God. urged the people to
arise and build the temple. for the
time had come. He made four ad.
dresses In the autumn of $40. the sum-
maries Of which are recorded In his
book. He began at the religious fes-
tival Of the new moon when crowds
Of people were assembled. probably
in the temple area itself, where the
altar was smoking with sacrifices. and
the unfinished foundations and the
desolation Of the city were In full
view, while In the distance were the
homes and fields OF the leaders.
While aged Haggai was urging the
people to rise up and build. a younger
prophet-preacher was inspired to On
courage the people. and TO remove
their difficulties and doubts, by a So
ries Of emblematical visions. or OBJ
jcct lessons.
He urged all high motives for re-
newing the work. and enforced them
by their own experiences. They had
tried to gain prosperity. while relig'
ION was neglected. They had sought