Great Falls tribune., 1922-02-20

deaf ears to couriers who bring evil
tidings; it may be that they are calling
US to our task. God will open the way
if we are. willing to undertake the
work But we must wait for those
who are touched by the Affections OF
Others ...
The sermon follows:
''It is wise to pause at times to view
our problems in the light which previ-
purpose let us consider for several
weeks the content of the book Of Nehe-
miah.
THE events of the book open in the
year 457 B. c. The Persian empire
is in complete control of Asia. Arta-
eres is the ruler. His winter palace IS
in the city Of Susa, the scene of many
events important in the history of the
ancient world. A hundred years after
Nehemiah the armies of Alexander
triumphantly marched into Susa.
Nehemiah Cup Bearer
Nehemiah was the cup bearer to
Artacres. His duty was to give the
wine to the king, having first tasted it
himself, as in evidence that it contain
ed no poison. He also acted as a por-
ter, granting or DENYING entrance to
the royal presence. His powers were
of great Importance. He enjoyed all
the luxury and ease which attended the
court of an oriental monarch.
Not many would be able to enjoy
such a position without becoming col
loused to the needs of the world, but
not so with Nehemiah. He did not for
get that he had come from race of
captives. The destruction Of Jerusa-
lem and the events surrounding it were
kept fresh in his mind although more
than century removed. lie did not
forget the amnant of his people left
behind in Jerusalem or the bones of his
ancestors resting within the precincts
of the Holy City. One day there came
to the cup bearer man fresh from
inquired about the condition of his fell
low country men. He received this
answer, THE remnant that are left of
the captivity are in great afflictlon and
reproach The wall of Jerusalem is
a soiourn in Jerusalem. Eagerly he
broken down and the gates thereof are
burned with fire
Every City Is Holy
I'VE are not captive people, nor
have we Holy City, yet as the rel-
gioD of Jesus penetrates to our hearts
we increasingly feel that every city
is holy. We go into all the world and
preach the gospel to all creatures; to
starving people with sacks of wheat;
to sick people with the surgeons knife:
to warning people with peace confer
ences. None enjoy the luxuries Of the
oriental court. Many undergo hard
ship but we have not vet reached the
stage of the Russians. driven to digging
up dead horses to get something to eat
We face the question, are we as a
nation and as individuals to turn deaf
ear to those who bring tidings Of the
fallen places Of the modern world?
80 trained an observer as Sir
Philip Gibbs says, rs Europe dying?
No man, unless he is blind or drunk
with optimism can deny that at the
ing the last year I have visited many
countries of Europe and in most of
them I have found the sense Of i'm
pending ruin and dreadful anxiety
touching the future. In some coun- |
tries ruin is not impending-it is pres
ent and engulfing.
Picture Not Cheerful
"We know that these things are |
true and we do not need to 90 abroad |
to find the fallen places. The indus |
trial system Of America presents a |
picture far from cheerful no matter |
from which side Of the fence you view |
it. Chaos and hate reign on scenes
where men should be working with a /
sense Of brotherhood and in co-opera-
tion with the common Father. The |
world has been torn to pieces intel
Iectually and morally. Our minds
have failed to kepe pace with the
Times. Our standards of morals have
beeIh rudely shaken and in some cases |
almost destroyed.