The Red Cloud chief., 1911-11-23

Ezra's home was in Babylon. Nehe.
miah's in Shushan. ESQ miles further
east, with fewer persons Of his own
nationality, and farther away from
news Of what was going on in Jerusa-
lem. II 10 this separation Of homes
that explains why there was 90 little
working together Of these two men,
till both had been at Jerusalem.
Nehemiah was walking one day out
side the walls Of Shushan, 20 Jose.
phus tells us, when 'some strangers,
making for the city, travel.worn % II
by o long Journey, were overheard By
him discoursing in his own language,
the Hebrew. Nothing touches the
heart In q strange land more than
ones mother tongue. He went up to
them, therefore, and, introducing him.
self, found they were from Judah, and
ono was his own brother, Hanani.
Naturally Nehemiah asked them
about the state Of things in Judea.
He learned that Ezra's reforms in re-
lation to marriages with the heather,
made the surrounding nations very
bitter. The leaders on both sides
were many Of them allied by mar.
riage, and for the Jews to repudiats
their foreign wives. as II claiming to
be so much better than their neigh
bors. must have infuriated them. Il
struck the divorced women as q cruel
and insulting outrage. Driven back
to their paternal homes with their
burning wrongs, these poor women
must have aroused the utmost indig.
nation among their people. Thus tho
reformer had stirred up hornets
nest.
Nehemiah was true patriot. He
was a deeply religious man, man Of
prayer and conservation. God-fearing,
true to his convictions. He showed
remarkable wisdom and shrewdness.
II any fault is recorded Of Nehe.
mieh. It 10 one which he himself re-
veals. fault that for long time pre-.
vented Alexander Whyte from loving
him-"and, worst Of all, thought
him man who was always well
pleased with himself"
Max Muller. in his autobiography,
says that the story Of q man. which
leaves out his faults. is like picture
deficient in shadows. and falls to
bring out the bright points Of his
character. I'VE want to know his
faults-that IL probably the most in.
teresting part Of him." certainly often
very helpful.
Charles Reade calls him: faithful
courtier. yet\ true patriot; child Of
luxury, yet patient Of hardship; In.
ventive builder. impromptu general,
astute politician. high.spirited gentle.
man. inspired orator. resolute reform
or; born leader Of men yet humble be.
fore God"
The first thing. the absolutely nee.
essary thing. for Nehemiah was to
6nd divine help. wisdom. guidance. for
himself. and the source Of power over
the kings mind. For this he prayed
10 the only being who could answer
his prayer, and he kept on praying for
four months. while the double answer
was being prepared-in himself that
he. by deep thought. and new light
and divine wisdom. might be lifted ia
receive tho answer, and In the king
that he might be inclined to do hia
part toward the answer.
That for which Nehemiah prayed
was like the first petitions In the
Lords prayer. "Thy kingdom come"
For his prayer was not for merely q
few people and the city that were In
danger. but for the kingdom Of God
ON earth. The condition Of things at
Jerusalem was dishonor to Jehovah
and to his religion.
His prayer had been 30 far answered
that he knew what he had to do, and
that the time had come for doing Il
His prayer now at the end Of four
months, was for guidance and help
and success In this crisis.
Tho answer came through and In
the man who prayed. So Jesus bade
his disciples to pray for more labor
ers to gather In the spiritual harvest
The answer came through their OWL
work in that harvest field. It came
also in their being better laborers
wiser, more earnest, more self-deny
ing. more skilful. In all sincere pray
or one must be willing to do his part
toward the answer.
The answer was coming during oil
this time Of delay. The answers are
often long preparing. Az one prayl
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