Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-15
NEHEMIAH ENEoRcEs THE
Law.
Neh., 1S.15-22.
Golden text-Remembers the Sab
bath day, to keep 1t holy.
Exodus, EOS.
BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.


The. closing chapter in the continuous
history of Israel has been assigned for
this weeks consideration. With this
lesson the, series of historical studies
taken from the Old Testament gives
way to a series OF New Testament
studies relating to the life of Jesus in
the flesh. The religious reformation
that followed the restoration Of the city
walls like many modern revivals passed
through decline after the departure
of the evangelist. The absence or Ne
hemiah. the governor of the province.
resulted in the restoration OF several
abuses In the temple and civic life. The
law Of diminishing returns" found
then, as it does today, expression and
DEVELOPMENT in religious life as 1t does
in all fields Of human endeavor.
Nehemiah had returned to the Persian
court twelve years after he had left the
king equipped with his firman and sup
ported by an Official guard to restore
the walls and revive the decaying faith
Of the nation that was suffering from
the oppression of local enemies. The
record is silent as to the length of his
soiourn in the Persian capital and Of his
relations to the king. The decline in
spiritual service resulted in the intro
duction of several serious abuses that
filled Nehemiah's heart with sorrow
upon his return to Jerusalem II dem
onstrates that some of the leaders had
not completely broken with the en-
tangling sinful alliances which they
had made previous to the coming OF Ne
l,emiah The spirit of graft and rake
orr is not modern. 1t can be found
throughout the history of men. The
corruption that at various times and
places has been exposed in the various
tides of reform that have marked the
advance Of civilization in America have
all had their counterpart In Moham-
medan and oriental lands.
Under the influence OF President Will
son a desire for the elimination OF
profiteering has become strong because
1t is not patriotic for men to accumu-
late wealth in an hour when the youth
of the nation are Offering themselves
for sacriffcial service to perpetuate de-
mocracy among men speaks well OF the
spirit of the nation at this crisis. The
lesson points out the danger that Amer
lea faces when the influences OF the
strong personality OF righteous ruler
calling for a patriotic service from the
nation gives way to the personal am
billions and desires of men for gold.
It needs more than leadership to keep
the country In the paths of safety. for
unless nation Is guided in all it's pol
icies and politics by the open Bible
there always exists the danger of a re-
version to the teachings of men. whose
program. like that of the German ruler,
is contrary to his claim Of being guild
ed by the Lord The people that obey
Gods word have peace. protection and
prosperity. The anarchy that has filled
the world with the horrors of war is
due to mems departure from the teach
ings of the word of God. The sacri-
fees that war demands would have been
avoided il the prefessed followers of the
Lord Jesus had been carrying out his
program. Whenever men neglect to
obey Gods commands they must always
pay for their moral lapses.
-Four moral failures are mentioned in
the chapter assigned for this week 8
lesson. During Nehemiah's absence the
Ammonite Tobiah. who had been one
of the leaders in the plot to hinder the
work the patriotic court official was
trying to do for his own nation in re-
storing the walls and reyiving the wor
ship of Jehovah in the temple, had sue
ceeded. through his marriage relations
with the priest. who was in charge of
the temple, in having assigned to him
quarters within the temple. The build
ing that had been erected to be "a place
of prayer for all people" was desc
Grated and Nehemiah took radical ac-
ton to cleanse the holy place from
being defled by the presence of the
Ammonite, by casting him and all of
his household goods out of the sacred
precincts.
+ Failure of men to contribute as God
had prospered them forced the Levites.
including the singers and priests. to
forsake their sacred calling SO as to>ob-
tain living for their families Many
men in modern times have been COM
PEELED by the cries of their children for
bread and the necessities of life either
to supplement- the income obtained
from their ministerial efforts by other
work or else quit the work of the min
istry entirely. The poorest paid men to
be found in any community are as a
rule the ministers Of the gospel, whose
sacrifices. education and abilities. II
used in any other calling. would result
in their being among the best paid men
in the community. They do receive a
spiritual reward that makes many a
man smile in the hour Of trial, because
he has learned to trust God to supply
all his wants. Nehemiah corrected this
abuse by. adopting financial policy
that correspondent to the modern every
member canvass" which provided for
the support Of the religious servants.
The laAity IN reiiEioaa life was seen
in the formation Of mixed marriages
with the hsateen o. gentle ~neigh6orss