Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-11-17

W lhtOAlCdtiOAs A1C Wd6 RiOO-
ably at a meal when the fruit Of the
wine was being served as the COM
mon beverage at the table-and took
up the wine, and gave It unto the
king. This was the business OF the
cupbearer. There was danger all the
while of the wine Of the king being
poisoned, and the cupbearer was made
responsible for the condition of the
beverage. Before serving the drink
he would pour from the cup into the
palm of his haad, and drink. Thus
for his own sake, as well as for the
sake of the king, he would be exceed
ingly careful lest the drink contain
poison. At such time it was the
habit Of a king to watch carefully the
actions of the one serving him. Now
had not been before time sad in his
presence. The word "beforetime" Is
supplied. 1t was required that all in
the presence Of royalty be of happy
countenance always. no matter what
the state of mind and heart. Thither-
to Nehemiah had been able to hide the
sorrow Of his heart while serving the
king, but at this time he could hide it
no longer-ahd as the eye Of the king
scanned the countenance Of his cup
bearer, as he was ministering wine to
make the heart merry. he discovered
that his faithful servant was far from
being merry.
I. Moreover said unto the king. II
1t please the king,-Artaxerxes had
encouraged him to make requests. and
he honored the king by taking him at
his word; as we honor the God who
has taught US to pray and has given
us every encouragement to make
known our requests unto Him-let let
tiers be given me to the governors be-
yond the river,-The river referred to
was the Euphrates, which was about
seven hundred miles from Shushan by
the route he would probably take; and
the governors were the pashas or I'M
der rulers of the provinces. He had
some special apprehension concerning
the Syrian countries through which he
would have to pass. Probably he
| would have no apprehension OF the re-
ception he would receive east of the
| river; or 1t may be that he depended
more upon the military escort in that
region. But when he reached Syria
the fierce animosity which had been
excited by Ezra's domestic reforma-
tion-and which therefore had broken
out after Ezra's would
make it highly dangerous for Jew
who was going to aid the hated citi-
zens of Jerusalem to travel through
the mixed population" But armed
with special letters to the governors
of those regions would give him special
| F,r
and this was what he wanted-that
they may convey me over until / come
into Judah This care does not mil
itate against the faith of the man Of
God. No doubt he had just as much
true faith as had Ezra, who was
ashamed to ask any special help
along the way because he had been
SO boastful of what Jehovah would do
for His people. Nehemiah would none
the less trust in the Lord, but he would
also keep his powder dry" which is
consistent with the purest of faith.
The Lord helps those who help them
selves. The providence of God does
not preclude thoughtful providing by
men.
/ 10. When Sanballat the Toronto
There were two Horons-one in Pal
estine, only a little north of Jeru-
salem, and the other in Moab, south of
the Dead Sea. 1t Is probable that San
ballat was of the latter place, as he is
mentioned in connection with an AM
monte This petty governor was one
of the most fierce opposers Of the Jews
in their efforts to rehabilitate their
land. He was, afterward at least
| 10 Jndah hnrau Se
his daughter was married to son oil
the high priest; but this fact did not
make him like the Jews any more, and
Nehemiah declares that he chased off
the son. n-law of the hater and op-
poser of Gods people (Neh. 1s:28).-
and Tobiah, the servant, the Ammon-
ite,-This was probably a renegade
Jew as his name has the familiar Jah
in it. The name means Jehovah is
Good" He was known as "the SER
want" or slave" probably because a
captive; but he evidently had re-
nounced his country and faith, and by
his craftiness and good talents had
risen to position in the government OF
Ammon. and was adviser to and in al
lance with Sanballat-a fine pair
heard Of it,--Of the coming of Nehe-
miah with royal backing--it grieved
them exceedingly that there was come
a man-Yes, those who are not men in
the full proper sense Of the word are
always grieved at the appearance of a
real man, such as was this man of
God, Nehemiah. The great need of the
world and of the church today is men
real live men-in the Greek sense
anthropoi. "up-looking ones" those
who look aloft rather than around
who look up more than in any direc-
fion--men who recognize what is the
chief end of man-"to glorify God. and
to enjoy Him for ever" The advent
of man always causes CONSERVATION
among mere pretenders-to seek the
welfare OF the children of Israel. That
was something new-one whose mis-
sion was seeking the welfare of others
Sanballat and Tobiah knew nothing of
that in their own lives. They were
self-seekers-and In their self-seeking