The Elbert County tribune., 1911-12-01
NEHEMIAH AND
HIS ENEMIES
I~asv sshssl Lsssss fsr rs<. u. 1911
spsaaslly Ar.ns.d fes mis- rsssr
LnssoN TExT-N.A.mIah !.

GOLDEN TExT-'.Ths Lord Il -.
strength Of my life: Of whom shah -
afraid-"-PsA. N:1
T1ME-B. c. ~
gust and September.
PI>ACE-Jerusalsn and vicinity.
There were enemies within the Jew
ish church. Some Of the mobiles ana
richer men had been depressing their
poorer brethren who were working at
great sacrifice in rebuilding the walls.
NO wages were paid for this work, 30
that many were thus reduced to the
direst straits to support themselves
and their families. and pay the taxes
exacted by the Persian government.
Their misfortunes were brought to .
climax by the condition of hostilities.
which put an end to trade, and threat
ened town and country with ruin. II
was impossible to obtain regular em-
ployment. and prices had gone ur.
Those who had little property mort
gagged their homes: and In this way .
considerable portion OF the property
OF the poorer classes. their grain
fields vineyards. and dwellings, passed
into the hands OF wealthy money
lenders, who demanded high usury.
Some, having no means to pay their
creditors. sold their children as slaves.
The hungry ones were threatening, II
the grain was not given to keep them
fro mstarvation. they would take II By
violence. or surrender the city to It's
enemies. The taxes for the Persian
government were very heavy and ex-
acting. The chief officers farmed out
the collection of the taxes, both in
money and In the fruits Of the land.
These under officers were tho same as
those called publicans In the New
Testament. They were required to
pay over to their superiors the exorbi-
tant sum fixed by law. and depended
for their profit on what they could
make by fraud and extortion. They
overcharged, brought false charges or
smuggling to extort hush-money,
seized apon property in case of dis
pute and held It until their levy was
paid. forbade the farmer to reap his
standing crops until they had wrung
from him all that his penury could
produce. They were universally fear
ed. hated. and despised. No money
known to have come from them was
received for religious uses.
Now these. who professed religion
and lived heathenism, were the great
est injury to the Cause for which
Nehemiah had come. 1t was against
such as these that Jesus launched the
sharpest lightning of his "Woeunto
you, hypocrites." They are traitors to
their country. their church and their
God. The church stands for the high
est expression of mans life. A church
represents the permanent spiritual
ideals. 1t embodies the loftiest human
aspirations; nations best expres-
sion OF its religious sentiment repre-
sents that nation at Its best. Now
whosoever In the name Of the church.
as member of 1t. does actions con-
trary to its whole spirit, Is the great
est enemy Of the kingdom OF God.
i. Nehemiah overcame these enemiss.
He changed them from enemies to
friends. He rebuked them with burn
Ing indignation. He told them to their
face the wrong they were doing. He
persuaded them to repent And undo
the wrongs they had done: II pray
you, let US leave on this usury. Re-
store, pray you. to them, even this
day. their lands. their vineyards. their
oliveyards, and their houses. also the
hundredth part Of the money. and Of
the corn, the wine. and the oil. that
70 exact OF them" Then said they.
We Will restore them. and win re-
Quire nothing Of them; 30 will vs. do
as thou sayest." He set them . rood
example. He refused to take the usual
salary Of the governor. He bore ali
the expenses Of his retinue. His noble
conduct made the names of these op-
pressors show black as the smoke OF
the pit.
One Of the greatest powers for re-
forming abuses is publicity. Let every
mans name be on MS deed. on the
work he does, on everything he says.
on all that he owns.
There Is continual temptation to-
day for Christian workers to give up
their time and strength to discussing
the many theories and unsettled ques-
tions which are continually confront
ing them. All sorts Of men say all
sorts of things till 1t seems as II these
clouds were obscuring the whole CON
tinent Of Truth. This is true OF many
other things besides religion. Now
the way to escape from these snares
Is to attend to our duties, to 70 to
work for the Cause Of Christ with All
our hearts, to give ourselves to help
Ing save our fellow men, both body
and soul. For then We will use tho
essential things by which our work Il
accomplished. We thus test the work
ing theories by using them Those
principles that bring results are the
ones we want We find out what they
are worth through testing them By
what they will do Working for Christ
and for his children is our safeguard.