The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1911-11-09

| GOLDEN TENT-'"Tne nnno OF ou
oed is upon all them for good that seek
TiME-B. c. tss the seventh year Of
Artaxer1es
Esra leaves Babylon with his company
on the LIST day Of the LIST nsnth. March;
and reaches Jerusalem on the LIST day OF
the sth month. July.
The convocation was on the Nth cay OF
the 9th month Un Nov.-Dec.).
His reforms were made during the win
ter. Dec. as, to March. ts7.
The nearly sixty years between the
sixth and seventh chapters Of Ezra, Of
which there 10 almost no direct rec
ord. could scarcely be called the
blank annals OF well.being." Without
these happy periods Of dullness our
lives would be hell. and our hearts
eternally bubbling and boiling In .
huge pot made hot with thorns. But
these were years of slow progress. OF
dullEess, and neglect. like q garden
wherein the heavenly plants. while
still growing. were overrun with
weeds. and the vines and olive trees.
untrimmed and neglected. bore but
small and scanty fruit.
The temple had been built, but the
opposition had been 20 great that
the walls had not bees restored and
the rubbish still arose In long-stretch-
ing mounds. The visions sf glory had
faded. They had expected . vast In
nux Of their brethren. from Babylon
and other lands. but had been to .
great extent disappointed.
Ezra. no doubt knowing the csndi-
tion OF things In Jerusalem. hsl not
only prepared his heart to seek the
law Of the Lord. and to do II. but he
planned to go up to Jerusalem and
teach In Israel statutes and judgnenta.
Moved BY religious zeal. and slss. 10
would seem. with the statesnanlike
view OF making Jerusalem snco more
the real spiritual metropolis Of Ju-
daism. Ezra conceived the idea Of In
fusing new life and new ideals into
the Judean community BY leading .
fresh band Of zealousiy religious ex-
iles back to Judea on a mission Of re-
form.
They came to Jerusalem, after q
Journey Of four months. arriving there
the first day Of the NTH meath. or
about the middle Of July. The dis
lance IN q direct line was about zoe
miles. but the road followed BY Ezra's
caravan made a long detour to avoid
the desert and could hardly have been
less than 800 miles.
Ezra brought s2.ooo.o zoe for the re-
pair OF the temple. and for all that
was necessary to put the outward
ton. He infused the community with
his own devoted and consecrated spir-
itual life and fervor. He brought with
him the Book Of the Law and the
Prophets. with Its strict morality. and
made II known TO the people. In con-
trast with this holy law the conduct
Of the people in adopting "the abom-
nations" Of the heather appeared In
all Its glaring wickedness.
Then Ezra entered upon his great
reform. Some Of the leaders pointed
out to Ezra that the people. even tho
princes and rulers. were intermarry-
ing with the idolaters, and there was
danger that the religion Of Israel
would be destroyed. that all the sins
which caused the exile would be re-
peated. and all that the exile had done
as discipline would be lost.
Ezra FIRST by himself was astound-
ed and stunned by tho report, and
showed all the signs Of deepest sorN
row and humiliation. Then there was
q meeting together with him Of every
one that trsmbled at the words Of the
God OF Israel. because Of the trans
gression Of those that had been car
ried away" They sat In bitter aston
ishment till the time OF evening
prayer. Then they bowed themselves
before the Lord. and wept and prayed
and confessed and entreated.
Then followed a public meeting, q
great congregation OF men and women
and children. There came the great
moral reform. There was a proclama-
ton throughout all Judah and Jeru-
salem. that all should gather them
selves unto jerusalem. upon pain Of
having their property confiscated and
themselves accommodated from the
brotherhood Of Israel. In great rain
they confessed. repented and re-
formed.
Those who are bribing and taking
bribes-trying to get rich by graft
and dishonesty. forging. cheating
banks. committing all kinds Of crime.
although the sinners are rich, and Of
ficeholders-are now working In jails
separated from their wives and chill
dren. and are learning honest trades.
II 10 sad. indeed. but there 10 no
other way Of saving the nation.
The suffering involved by Ezra's
course was not necessarily 80 great
M II would seem. not 30 great as i'm
prisonment Of q family man causes to-
day. The man could still support the
discarded wife and children, and do
all possible for her comfort. But he
must not join In her idolatry, or DO
subject to q bad family atmosphere.
The suffering caused by this course
was the fruit, not OF Exra's work, but
OF the wrong doing. The physician is