Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1917-12-28

redemption. -Ps, 1901
The lessons of the past year are the
only ones In the six years course when
ARE divided between the Old and the
New Testament therefore, at the
close Of this year we will review only
the last two quarters emphasizing the
fourth which has lust been completed.
Like Moses on Mount Nebo let us
glance over the whole period of Inc
monarchy and note the progress ana
development Of the Jewish people. The
Jewish race Is the marvel Of all times,
a nation without n country, scattered
and peeled Chnstispd and driven from
sea to sea, even slain In large mum
bers; yet possessed Of Il vitality which
has caused them to endure through
the centuries. Their contribution to
The civilization Of the world has been
Unreasonable. There Is bo walk or
:, rank In life. In politics, literature, nrt'
science, business, religion, or any 9th
or realm where they have not made
their impress and rendered their con
tribution. Any movement which seeks
10 promote their welfare and TO
strengthen the bonds Of sympathy
which preserve race feelings, deserves
the aid of all patriotic, liberty loving,
God fearing people, for the Jews are
still Gods chosen heritage.
The united kingdom with lis three
kings Saul, David and Solomon, last
ed from about 100 II. c. to !lS3 tMee-
cher). period OF 100 years. Then be-
gins the divided kingdom-Judnh and
Israel side by side. double expert
mcnt in the progress Of the kingdom OF
God. This period extended from about
2S2 Il. c. TO approximately 723. or III
Il. c. Judah had territory Of about
3.4G0 square miles; Israel 9.iOO. Ju-
dnh's capital was Jerusalem: In which
was the temple: Israel's capital WIS
Samaria. while il had two centers of
false worship. Judah was more shell
tered than Israel from close contact
with heatheniSm, especially politically
and religionSly. Judah had one dyn-
nsty Of rulers eleven kings and one
queen, all Of them from the house OF
David Israel had nineteen kings be-
longing 10 nine different families or
dynaetips lGdah had several very
good king. and there were marked re-
vivnls Of rel glon Of prosperity and of
deterioration Of varying degrees
though resisted from time to time and
helped along moral and religious lines
through mo work Of Elijah and Elisha
the prophets. The final period Of
event, Of his past quarter have refer
encr IA J lqh alone from the days ~
TIezt k4y " c. TOO 10 the time Of The
destru. # the city and the temple
heinc ,. red CSC j. G., md lasi'y
Nt m be period Of the exile from
"a. captivity in COS r. c. to the
rpsl u and the new temple being
crect il6 r. c. This was II period
Of grea discipline and Sitting as like
un,o 81 AT or Of n purifying fire.
Tho turn from exile and the new
splrltl nation. dates from about j36
To Nv lose of Bible history, say 400
yfa fore the coming Of Christ. A
man nuld be used, and the scholars
ouch, - be familiar with The contem-
poan lis secular history Thore are
>eyera particular lessons we ought to
learn from this history.
First: Every fixture every moral
wrong every fall into idolatry. every
dlminufon of power for good Is the
result of separation from Coda
departure from the ways Of God and
righteousness II also shows us that
Gods constant sollcitudc that the Jews
should be kept separate from heathcn-
ism and idelatry. had in II the best
interests Of his own people md could
only lead TO those blessings which he
had prepared for his particular people.
Secondly: The overthrow Of Israel
e directly attributed to It's complete
abandonment to ldolatry. Beginning
with false worship and dependence
upon men there wns the Introduction
Of doiatry and development Of evil
which led TO a rapid decline, the In
tro.iuctlon of revolutions and the final
cxtlngushment of the kingdom.
As 10 Judah, II finally was brought
into captivity because that was the
only way that God could purge the ma
tiun from the sin of id0latry. They
must be taught that there is but one
God, that the word of God must be
obayed, and that their safety lay in
the faith which they placed In his
promises. The leaders Of this period
were Herubhnbel. Ezra and Nehemiah,
heroic men, men of great conservation
and power: also, Esther, the heroine,
The prophets Of this period are Dan
icl. Isaiah Haggal. Zcchnrlah. Malachi.
NGiice how each and every one aided
tla cuuse Of righteousness stood for
purity II thought and action. During
The time Of the restoration the temple
was completed, worship was restored
separation from heathenism became
permanent. the Sabbath was kept; the
Bible was studied and impressed upon
the people; there was clearer vision
o. their mission In the world, the
ideals and hopes toward which they
should strive clearly stated (see the
prophetlcal writlngs); and purer
Righteousness established.
There are two great heroes of the
return. Ezra and Nehemiah Take up
the actions of each and show how he
proved his heroism. A good method
Of receiving the past quarter will be
TO summarize the teachings which cen
Ter about these two great men. The
period Of the return is the one that
We should emphasize, showing how
return TO God and an obedience of his
Iaur 10 tho naro mount need of tha nres- !