The Cape County herald., 1911-10-20


with praise Pisa. l0o.t
TlMn-The arrival nt Jerusalem. p. q. l
$50 Foundation pf che Temple, .. q Na I
lpelagg, =. G 5N-6N, BUlming og rcmplc I
begun. q g. $50 Temple completed, p. G. I
lsie ftriod of tht lesson. 90 YEAR,.
pLAcE-Heruaalem aud vicinity
: pROPHErR HRNgai u. G. t2o. EochRr-
iiah, p to-5ie Daniel the nged CDan' /
il0,D.
RULERS Cyrus King uu B g. Sc
iQambyses king = e. 63ot22 DaruE king
iH g 62i-iSs 2erubbabcl governor of
1udea
The oxiles found Jerusalem 80 ruins.
together with the surrounding cities
Of residence and their orchards and
farms, much as they had been left BY
NebuchadnezEars armies City years
before. Trees we're growing wild on
the Mountain Of the House and the
5acksls prowled among heaps Of shat
tered masonry. Crumbling stone-worlE
and charred timbers mapbed the site
Qf palaces and towers, and choked tho
streets The city walls and gates
were leveled with the ground The
drst 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, OF 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
iritory measured no more than twenty
Eve 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 Ia their homes, and
hdd planned for the necessities OF
/ life, within three or four months OF
1 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. It would require years
TO build the temple. It was not wise
to wait for that It was essential that
all needful helps to devotion and re-
iligion 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 great burst Of
lchorus, vocal and instrumental, the
substance Of which was some well.
known sacred refrain. There IS a
wonderful power in music and every
atom of it should be used in Gods
/ service. The church has scarcely be-
gun to use this power in its fuIness,
Some object to responsive singing;
some have opposed putting an orches.
ira in the Sunday school, as II these
Were modern novelties, instead Of 8,
600 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
s9iration 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 It meant the saving
Of the nation; 1t meant the returning
favor OF God, II was no Emit to the
religious life and the blessings which
could grow out Of II. Il made posi-
BILE the greater glory which hfteeI
years later the prophet Hnggai fore
told, when It should be fulfilled IN th,
Messiah
We learn from Haggai that the peo
. pie were busy with building beautifu
{ houses, and cultivating their farms
} They planted vineyards and orchards
figs, pomegrRnates and olives. But al
their efforts were failures The!
looked for much, and 10 It came t.
. little" For they cared more for thel
, own houses and farms than for th.
) house Of God.
, Then arose the wise, aged prophet
5 preacher Haggai, who had been watch
ing the course OF affairs, and IN tn
: name OF God, urged the people Il
. arise and build the temple, for tn,
/. time had como. lie made four ad
4 dresses in the autumn Of 500, the sum
B maries OF which are recorded in hi
book He began at the religious fea
: tival OF the new moon when crowd
2 Of people were assembled, probabl
Q ia the temple area itself, where tn
r altar was smoking with sacrifices, an
the unfinished foundations and th
q desolation Of the city were ia fuI
view, while In the distance we're th
b homes and fields Of the leaders.
. While aged Haggai was urging th
|. people to rise up and build, a younge
{ prophetpreacher was inspired to e1
1 courage the people, aud to remoy
their difheulties and doubts. by a 6,
2 rles Of emblematical visions, or ol
Q ieCt lessons.
p He urged all high motives FOR r,
o newlng the work, and enforced theI
p by their own experiences. They ha
p tried TO gain prosperity, vale relil
Q ion was neglected. They had sough
. the fruits OF obedience 70 God, Will
they neglected the tree that alon