The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1911-12-01
Nehemiah Builds the
Wall Of Jerusalem
Sunday School Lesson for Dec. ,. 1911
Specially Arranged for This Paper
LESSON TEXT-Nehemiah 4.
MEMORY yERgES&i6, II.

i Cor 1913
TIME Nehemiah heard the bad news
from Jerusalem early In December. d. C.
as
For four months he prayed. thought
and waited,
The following April go he obtained
| permission to 10 to Jerusalem.
The journey occupied four months and
| he arrived at Jerusalem in the first day
OF the NTH month. Alb =July-Aug. On
| 1911 the first day OF Alb was August @; in
1916 II will be July l2)
| PLACE-Shushan and Jerusalem.
Understandings Emperor OF Per-
sian Emplre, Nehemiah. governor of
| Judea; Ezra, the scribe. the religious
leader Of the people in Babylon.
When the right time came, and Ne
hemiah's heart was burning with sor-
row and desire he found "opportuni-
ties concealed in apparent hindrances."
1t was dangerous to show sorrow In
| the presence OF the king Even mod
ern autocrat like Louis XIV, expected
everybody's face to shine If he did but
| appear. and how much more an Artax-
| erxes? What, wear a sorrowful face
when he was presiding over Joy and
gayety, gliding them with his pres
ence2 II he had ordered this melan-
choly visage away TO prison or death.
Il would have been Justified by prece-
dent, A gloomy face might mean dis
affection against the king. The light
of his favor ought to be enough to
drive all sadness away.
Nehemiah had hitherto been able
to keep smiling face when before
the king; but one day at a superb
banquet when the queen was din
! ing with her husband, amid gold plate,
gorgeous silk dresses OF every hue,
marble pillars, fountains, music lights.
sultanas. courtiers Respondent as the
sun. and all worshiping their sun Ar
taxerxes. smiling when he smiled. his
sorrow shone through his face in
spite OF himself. so that the king no
ticed It and said:
Why is thy countenance sad, sec
ing thou art not sick? this is nothing
else but sorrow OF heart" Then he
was very sore afraid, and said unto the
king. let the king live for ever: why
should not my countenance be sad.
when the city, the place of my ia.
Tiers sepulchres, lleth waste, and the
gates thereof are consumed OF fire?
| II Il please the king, and II thy serv.
ant have found favor In thy sight, that
thou wouldest send me unto Judah.
unto the city OF my fathers sepulchres,
that may build It,"
The kind was pleased to grant his
request. made him the Tirshatha, or
governor Of Judea, royal agent or
"plenipotentiary," with full powers.
He travelled to Judea in state. with a
military guard OF cavalry, and with let.
tiers to the rulers fthe nelghboring
provinces to give him whatever he
needed for his work.
Nehemiah was very wise. He lay
quiet for three days, doing nothing, but
learning everything. He showed no
| credentials, he proposed no plans, he
told no one what he hoped to do. His
first business was to learn the whole
situation, the feelings of the people,
who would oppose, and who would
help. how able the people were, what
obstacles must be overcome.
Nehemiah met the rulers. mobiles,
priests and people, and told them OF
his purpose In coming, how he had
learned OF their need. how he had
wept and tasted and prayed, and how
God had heard his prayer and caused
the great emperor to favor his plans,
| give him permission to come, and au'
| thority with orders for the surround
| ing rulers to give the needed help. He
told them OF his midnight investiga'
tons
TIE business side of religion should
be done as Nehemiah did 1t in the
most skillful and ideal business man
ner. Nehemiah had laymans good
sense In religion. Walls were neces
sary TO the safety of the city They
were also necessary to true religion
The division of labor, the noble com
petition, the interest in their work that
kept them from taking time to ever
put of their clothes, the giving each
his own work, and over against his
own house, the union OF watching ant
praying and working, the working to
gether OF old and young, rich and poor
form real master-stroks of genius.
The wall was parceled out among A.
working parties. u was like the re
building of the walls of Athens astel
the invasion OF Xerxes, like the build
ing of the walls of Edinburgh after tn,
battle Of Flodden. This plan made eacl
one more earnest and faithful as hi
Jaw what others were doing. 1t ami
mated the work with noble emula
ton, and personal pride, See how
fast my work goes on! See how wei
my piece is donel Now. my sons, girt
up your tunic, or Rephaiah the SOL
OF Hur will get ahead Of us. Tru'
emulation is to do better than WI
have done; to seek, not to get beyon'
: others, but to rise to the best posi-
BILE for Us; and to be inspired to thi
by seeing what others have done.
Besides the hostility OF the Samar
ltans the Jews themselves were becom
ing worn out with the fatigue of sucl
strenuous work.
! I n