Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-19

GOLDEN TEXT-"Enter Into his gates
with Thanksgiving. and into his courts
with praise."-Ps 1W:l.
TIME-The arrival AZ Jerusalem, B.. C,
i7. Foundation Of the remple, b. c. $50. |
Delays, d. G. $780,. Building of Temple
begun. b. c. $40. Temple completed, B. C.
ZIG. Period of the lesson, 20 years.
Professionalism and vicinity.
PROPHETS.-Haxgai. B. C. 500. Zechar-
IAN. b. c. 62o-b1S. Daniel the aged (Dan.
l0:D.
RULERS-Cyrus king till B. C.. 62s.
Carnbyses king B. C. b3o-52? Darius king
D. c. b2l-4ss. zerubbabel governor Of
JHdea-
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
niss business Of the returned exiles
WaA OF COURSE - nroyide soma kind
! of dwellings for themselv.- -na tho,r
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 heather 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
f0r 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 O amid opposition
and temptations which were to try
their souls al gold is tried In the fire
When the builders laid the founda
ton Of the temple, there was a grea'
celebration. The chant Of praise wal
responded to with a great burst o.
chorus, vocal and Instrumental, tn,
substance of which was some we'll
known sacred refrain. There Is
wonderful power in music and ever!
atom Of 1t should be used in God
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 thes,
were modern novelties, instead Of 8
900 years old. These old saints use,
every kind Of instrument, every meth
cd Of singing-solos, responses, chol
uses, marching songs, %refrains. every
thing that would give wings and IN
%Tpiration to the service OF song.
Those who had known only the exil
conditions sang Hallelujahs. becaus
, 1t vas an unspeakable Joy to hav
a temple at all. 1t meant the savin
Of the nation; 1t meant the returnin
favor of God. 1t was 10 limit to tn
, religious life and the blessings whic
, could grow out Of 1t. 1t made poss
r BILE the greater glory, which f1ftee
years later the prophet Haggai for.
told. when 1t should be fulfilled in tn
Messiah.
We learn from Haggai that tho pc,
n. pie were busy with building beautif,
, houses, and cultivating their farm,
They planted vineyards and orchard
figs, pomegranates and olives. But a
. their efforts were failures. The
looked for much, and 10 1t came I
5 little" For they cared more for the
y own houses and farms than for tn
. house Of God.
Then arose the wise. aged prophe
= preacher Haggai, who had been watcI
ing the course Of affairs, and in til
name Of God, urged the people
y arise and build the temple. for I'll
time had come. He made four a
dresses in the autumn Of $40. the sur
maries Of which are recorded In b
d book. He began at the religious fe
tival Of the new moon when GROVE
Of people were assembled, probSb
in the temple area itself. where t,
% altar was smoking with sacrifices, Al
the unfinished foundations and Il
U desolation of the city were in fl