The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-10-27
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q. REV. L-EE.S,',S0N[ Fern
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tDu.EI.-.. ...t. N,st.r@asol r. - .ry IA
LESSON FOR OCrOsED|
EzRA ReTURNIN0 FRO, j .,eceLLi

NHIIlls events ,,,ilp ca
word occurred in this fin,
greatly helped the Jews margaret
ing this time that The ".sR.s of sla
ESther.s being made queen ,nSs IN n. j.
walton oil A"rdecai occurrad 49,. me mo
vOrabiy disposed the Persia
ment toward the Jews TN ~ .,'opera'1
suspicious for Ezra to maj In TO u.
quest unto Artaxerxes. Thu v,,lghboiHo
aim of Ezra was the restor,nS1 ..sust1
true worship Of Jehovah. "a, " q
dent that the work done bv 7s,.,, top' on
had largely failed of its MIN IVY gov
that Ezra might he an etliclpD, Ca
ment in the hands of God fo,,s 4, first
compIiShment Of this PURPOSE hs v 6lor mas
pared his heart to seek the law :, kc:pesie
Lord and 10 do il, and 70 ,s..A !. .odcra
rael the statutes and iua....' has
G:10). There are three SIN 80 for
experience of every true teachs, h q. ooo.
TO seek the jaw Of the Lord s,,.
to do 1t. Third: TO teach Il 10 IA No Gei =
The last is impossible without N, ! been
two. .,al O
The royal commission raDa ~. for
Ezra embraced s.,and
-Q) The return Of all whose IN.
prompted them TO do so G:lA D. "
(2) Ezra's being given ma.ism dan' o.,
authority over the district sbeyuud SCI
river" 7:25, 2G). para'
CD Exemption from taxation ne wal
Levites G. :24). inter
(D Conveyance of offerings from {eaoo0 OF
king and his officers (T:l5, Igl ,o,
I. Register Of Ezra's compsiu -ct
Old. Doubtless this Is a reprex,,
tive list of those who Joined 8
There is clear implication that Allied
twelve tribes are represented am Is int
those who returned. (See 2:1O: Z: out
~ c.rmf
~. Ezra Sends to lido for Mlna ,er
for the Temple Service ivy. l5s0) q. a.
fore the journey 10 Palestine vas IN IN
tlally begun, Ezra gathered about
his companions who were TO accu Rresi
pany him, 10 see whether they ud 70
representative. In this review he 1esses
covered that none of the sons Of ID 1Dpt
were in the company. SO he sent eh1 rool
men to Lido, who was doubtless ring
president of the school of the LeytdX,s An
for ministers for Gods house. In q
Spouse to this appeal. IS Leyites fee
DO Nethinims joined him. uIeA
III. Ezra Seeking the Guidance V'e'
the Lord wv. 2l-23). The Journey VI BIZ
full of deadly pelils. II lay throu5
q region invested with Bedoun ID
RAIDERS. Ezra. fully conscious Of ihs
and ashamed 10 ask help Of the kin
proclaimed fast, in which In do =
humiliation they sought the guItau
and protection Of God. This Is q
Illustration of the independents IN
yet dependence, of the men who ~ c
trust God. His chief concern was q Il
the honor of Gods name. He had ke
confidently and repeatedly spoken ; y
the king of the divine suillciency u
now to have asked for guard d ~
diers would cause him to blush vii
shame. In this critical hour they CO.
mitted themselves to the care OF AZ
who keepeth Israel. We should bebA
every journey, every undertakne
every new piece of work, every NJ
day by seeking the direction Of Ga l
No friendship or business interest eva l
reaches its best unless Gods hand y
In II and upon 1t. We should not 3 Y
anywhere. engage In any business 9
have any friendship upon which We mag
not ask Gods bless Ing and aid. TheyI
sought this for themselves, for then
children, and ull their substance. They
knew that us soon as they made Goo
first his blessing would be upon them
and as soon as they forsook him hs
power would he withdrawn and hs
wrath would be upon them. God did
not disappoint them, for they sifey
reached their destination. lie neyd
disappoints.
~. The Treasure Committed 70
Twelve Priests wv. 24-3O). CoEbIned
with their faith in God, we find pruc I.
teal business sense. Honest. trust
worthy. good men were selected "
2S). To such only should be intrusted
the Lords mOney-giftS offered freely
to the Lord by his people. Again. the
uiOhNg "NS N''tAuhy NOuilNNu "ru
weighed and the amount set down.
The men were ned accountable AT the
end of the journey for everything w
trusted To them. Men ought To be I'D
to strict account for everything intrust-
ed to them, to the very last cent. The
men TO whom this was intruStpd were
holy; the gifts were Gods; they did
not belong to any man; they were
charged with the obligation To deliver
these gifts before the chief priests and
Levites at Jerusalem.
v. The Safe Arrival at Jerusalem
wv. 1856. The journey lasted four
months. They carried with them mir
lions of dollars worth Of treasure.
through d region infested with maraud-
Ing BedOuins. yet God delivered them
from their hands. AT the end of the
| journey they testified to the faithful.
ness Of God in bringing them safely on
| ". 81. The safe arrival nj the end
Of each days journey is due to The
| good hand of our God upon us. After
resting three days. the treasure was
| brought into the temple and burnt OF.
| ferings were made TO the Lord. After
| this. the decree of the PerSiaD king
was delivered TO the governors who
should aid in furthering the people and