The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-12-08

Golden Text--The Lord Is the
strength OF my life: of whom shall
be afraid e--Ps. IL /.
Historical Setting .--Time-Early In
the autumn Of B, c. 445 or a44.
Place. erusalem
The Lesson Text Is Everyday Dress.
Finding that Nehemiah could not
be deferred from his purpose by their
taunts and sneers, but that he had
zone on and actually completed the
wall. although he had not YET set up
the gates, tho enemy undertook to en-
ttce him away from Jerusalem with
the hope of putting him permanently
out Of the way. To this end msssen-
gers were sent to Nehemiah 10 ask
him to meet them in some one OF the
villages Of the plain OF Ono. Nehe-
miah replied that he was engaged in
d great work and could not come
down. why should | let the work
cease" he asked, In order to come
10 YOU" Again and again they sent
him the same m essage to which he re-
piled in like manner. At last San
ballsnt sent him . letter which stated
that II was reported among the heath
en- and vouched for by aasnmu Cor
Gesharn) that he and the Jews were
planning TO rebel against the king;
that 1t was for this purpose that the
wall was being built; that 1t waa also
reported that he had set up preachers
In Jerusalem to tell the people that
he was their proper king These
things, the letter tntimated. should
all be reported to the king unless
Nehemiah would consent TO come
down and discuss the matter with
them. But although the letter was
sent open {instead OF being sealed
In bag as the custom wasl so that
1t could be read by others before it
reached him, and the matter thut
spread abroad, thus adding to the peril
Of the situation. Nehemiah was not
10 be 10 easily frightened, and he de-
fantly sent back word to Sanballat
that his statements were absolutely
false and thai SanbalIat knew them
to be false The object OF the letter.
says the writer fthe book. was TO
brighten the Jews SO that they would
not continue their work. They thought
to weaken Nehemiah's hands, but the
governor laid his cause upon God and
went on with hts work. The enemy
made still another effort They en-
ployed Shemaiah to try to frighten
Nehemiah and also to get him into
tIOuDfc- 40 tuAS ruG ciAo
himself up in his house and tried to
make Nehemiah believe that he She
maiah) was in fear the enemy. and
suggested that they both hide them
selves in the temple which was an
unlawful thing FOR Nehemiah to do.
But IL suddenly dawned upon Nehe-
miAh that God bad not.sent this man
TO him with any such message, but
thar he was the hired agent Of the
enemy. and he said to him: Should
such man az fee. and should such
. man as try TO save my life by hid
Ing In the tenn sie :"
The Heart Of the Lesson.
Here 10 man standing at the post
Of duty. See how ne behaves. There's
nothing pleasant about Nehemiah
Job He had the honor OF being gov
erncr, but II was not the kind OF an
honor you and would look for
There was no money In II: he paid
the bills out Of his own pocket There
was no glory In it. What glory could
there be In being at the head OF q
handful Of people IN a poor wreck OF
! town where everybody was In tro1.
bile? And II certainly was not an essy
task II took all his time and he wa,
overwhelmed with difficulties and
continually harassed by enemies or
every side.
Ru, Nehemiah stood at his post
He was ON the Job" as we say on the
streets Most Of u wuoid have been
tempted to give up In disgust or de.
SPAR Nehemiah said: u am doins
= great work" and he did no, propose
To leave II for day II was not pro-
ntable Job from a worldly standpoint
and II he had consulted his ease he
would never have undertaken II; but