Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-12-05
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Lesson 10.-Fourth Quarter, for
December 8, 1917.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES
Text Of the Lesson, Neh. S:f-f2.
Memory Verses, 2, 3LGolden Text,
Pc. f1s: Commentary Prepared
by Rev. o. N. Stearns.

The wall being finished. the DOORS
set up, porters, singers and Levites
appointed, Nehemiah gave to his broth
er Hanani and to Hananiah, the ruler
of the palace, charge over Jerusalem.
for they were faithful men and feared
God (7:1, y. These men did not
find their position an easy one. but
such men would find 1t more difficult
to rule in righteousness in any city on
earth today, for. while iniQuity has al
ways abounded. our Lord Jesus taught
that when he shall come in glory at
the end Of this age 1t shall be as 1t
was In the days of Noah and Lot Uuke
"a :26-30). From chapter T:66. 81. 1t
would seem that about $1,000 had now
returned from captivity. and fror, -,
I conclude that meant the total of the
three companies who returned with
Zerubbabel. with Ezra and with Ne
hemiah, for as they were taken cap,
tive in three deportations, SO they re-
turned at three different times. If we
are right in believing that 1914 began
to end the times Of the gentiles, there
may be two or three great events ere
they finally close, but probably all
within a comparatively few years.
Our lesson chapter tells Of the peo-
pie gathered to hear the book OF the
law of Moses. the law Of God, read to
them by Ezra, the scribe, probably
with assistance from others either in
reading or explaining or both. 1t was
a full weeks Bible conference at
which the book Of the law Of the Lord
their God was read to them one
fourth part Of each day. and another
fourth part they confessed and wor-
SHIPPED the Lord their God (9;S).
The book of the law is the heart Of
the lesson. and 1t Is mentioned eight
times in chapter s and OILS. There
is nothing on earth to be compared
to the word Of God, and, while they
had only a part of what we call the
Bible. we have the complete book, and
the wonder is that we can find time
for aught else. for there alone can we
learn to know God and his eternal
purpose in Christ. II is interesting to
note that 1t was before the water gate
that the people gathered to drink the
living water Of the Word Of Life (s:1.
3. 16). for water represents the word
tEph. 5:28; Ps- 119:9).
We noticed in a previous lesson that
the sheep gate Mt which the building
Of the wall began and ended suggested
the great sacrifice apart from which
nothing is ever truly begun. Lesson
verse s is to me an epitome Of all
that is comprehended In good reading.
They read in the book In the law OF
God distinctly and gave the sense and
caused them to understand the read
Ing" Whether 1t be reading or sing
ing, II ought to be according to this.
Paul speaks Of uttering words easy to
be understood and says. II had rather
speak FIVE words with my understand
ing. that l might teach others also.
than ten thousand words In an un-
known tongue II Cor. 14:9. 19). The
effect upon the people as they heard
the word Of God Is beautifully set
forth in verses 10, IL. They had great
mirth because they understood the
words that were declared unto them,
and they went their way to eat and
drink and send portions to others not
so fortunate. The portions were food
for their bodies as result Of their JOY
in the Lord, which was their strength.
For full thirty years (June, 1870 I
have seen real JOY in peoples hearts
I'm my own congregation and at the b.
BILE classes because Of the simple ex-
position of the whole word Of God.
taken literally. except when plainly a
figure Of speech, and in twenty-seven
years and 1--WE months Of that time I
have received from grateful hearts
without any solicitation over $85OOOO
to help give portions Of living bread
and water to multItudes who other
wise might not have heard 1t. ! tell
them that II their Joy in the Lord does
not make them long to have others
receive the same they are not as glad
as they might be. These people had
very great gladness oversees IL. I'D,
and their service was the result. An
other result was that they kept the
feast Of tabernacles as 1t had not been
kept since the days Of Joshua, the son
Of Nun. They also confessed their
sins and separated themselves from
the ungodly (S:17; 81. p. God made
them rejoice with great Joy. so that
the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar
on (12 :43).
So 1t shall be to the ends Of the
earth when the Lord shall have finally
comforted Jerusalem lisa. IS 10; 81 !:
II; $40, 10). So should 1t be now on
the part Of all true believers that who
soever will may receive a portion and
help complete the church, that the mar
rage Of the Lamb may come. We do
not understand the word of God as
Uo Should rnlesS VIC are SIRE that bv