The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1911-10-19


MEMORY VERSES-3:11
GOLDEN TEXT-"Enter into his gates
with thanksgiving, and into his courts
with praise. ."-Psa 1OOa.
TIME-The arrival at Jerusalem, B. c.
bS7 Foundation of the Temple, b. c. $50.
Delays, 3. c. 5S5-52O. Building OF Temple
begun, b. c. 520. Temple completed, y. G.
5l6 Period OF the lesson, 20 years.
PLACE-Jerusalem and vicinity.
ROPHETS.-Haggai, 3. c. 500. Zechar-
tah. b. c. 52O-51s. Daniel the aged CDan.
10:D.
RULERs-cyrus king till b. C. 529.
Cambyses king b. c. 53O-522. Darius king
B. c. 521-4ss. zerubbabel 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 heathen 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. 1t was not wise
to wait for that. 1t 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 a
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 singing-solos, responses, chor
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 Hallelujahs, because
1t was an unspeakable Joy to have
a temple at all. 1t meant the saving
of the nation; 1t meant the returning
M 20 h.
religious life and the blessings which
could grow out of 1t. 1t made posi-
BILE the greater glory, which flfteer
years later the prophet Haggai fore
told. when 1t should be fulfilled In the
Messiah.
We learn from Haggai that the peo
pie were busy with building beautiful
houses, and cultivating their farms
They planted vineyards and orchards
figs, pomegranates and olives. But al
their efforts were failures. They
looked for much, and 10 1t came t
little" For they cared more for theil
own houses and farms than for tn,
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 t
arise and build the temple, for tn,
time had come. He made four ad
dresses in the autumn of $40, the sum
maries OF which are recorded in hi
book. He began at the religious fes
tival Of the new moon when crowdi
OF people were assembled, probabl!
in the temple area itself, where the
altar was smoking with sacrifices, ant
the unfinished foundations and tn,
desolation Of the city were In full
view, while in the distance were tn,
homes and fields Of the leaders.
While aged Haggai was urging tn,
people to rise up and build, younge
prophet-preacher was inspired to en-
courage the people, and to remoy,
their difficulties and doubts, by a sc
ries of emblematical visions, or OF
ject lessons.
He urged all high motives for rs