The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1922-08-19
SEED RYE and Shelled CORN R. M H s6N &
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
THE SECOND RETURN
FROM EXILE.
Ezra 7:lO; s:21-2S; S:S1-S2.

/
God is upon all them for good that
seek Him. Ezra S:22.
The Second Return The first 50,-
900 returned under Zerubbabel, but
after about seventy-five years were re-
duced to pitiable state. At first they
prospered but soon their enemies came
against them and for fifteen years the
work OF rebuilding the city and temple
had ceased. They fell into careless
ways Of living and were soon mixed up
with heather and half-breeds of their
land. Ezra now asks permission of
Artaxerxes to lead his 1000 spoken of
in Sundays lesson.
| Ezra, A True Patriot God must
have a great man when he undertakes
to do great work among men. He has
chosen to work through men. In Ezra
He found one every whit a man. God
could depend upon him. He was man
of sound learning and deep piety and
answering integrity. About the big
gest thing we could say about him is
that God depended upon him. Now his
nation was in crises and the hand of
the Lord was upon Ezra. Ezra could
not rest until his feet were on the city
walls. Persia was powerful. Athens
was in her glory. Socrates was a lad
of ten years. Art and philosophy CEN
tered in the far reaching city Of Ath-
ems. Pericles had been in power eleven
years. The first verse in our lesson
shows US that while the things of the
world were progressing God was pre-
pairing a man in heart and will to do
His service.
Ezra's Work. - He begins we'll by
proclaiming a fast, that the people
might humble themselves before their
God. "And to do it" doesn't sound
like the saying Of the hypocrite. Some
years ago l heard of preacher who
said do as / say and not as | do"
and another who told the folk how to
raise children who had made a COM
plete failure of rearing his own. Such
a preacher is laughing stock. "Physi-
clan. heal myself" The preacher is
a leader and should go ahead of his
flock. We have too many Of the cow
punching tribe, and need divinely
guided leaders. Well, the people
; humbled themselves and were ebedi-
ent unto their leader. No preacher
can do Gods work among the people
as he should without they follow him,
. as he follows the Lord. To rebel is
t to invite disaster For His whath is
against all them that forsake Him. -
/ Some years before President Lincoln
it would take a very great man to
guide this nation through the conflict
he saw approaching. This man re-
} minded him of the fact after his in
auguration and asked if he thought he
was such a man. He replied that he
really was not great man but Il have
faith that God could make me TO be
such q man." Ezra was wise and strove
to see what the plan OF God might be,
and followed that. In our efforts to
do good we should be wise and seed to
learn Gods plan and keep close to it.
The journey to River Ahava. - The
journey to the river Ahava was jour-
ney to repentance. 1t was here that
their faith is increased and they are
strengthened. By faith they claim VIC
tory, and march on expecting success.
Let US too find a place of prayer
where we can repent and receive help
from our God.
After they had received the answer
to their prayers, they started on the
long journey. Not by automobiles and
train but by horses, camels and asses,
and some on foot. After they left the
river Ahava it was not all clear sail
ing but they had fight on hands. Yet
the hand OF the Lord was upon them
and we read that God delivered US
from the hand of the enemy and Of
such as lay in wait by the way" AS
this host fought the good fight of faith
SO must the Christian fight his way to
the new Jerusalem. God can make
alien and hostile powers friendly, if We
like these meet the situation with
prayer on our lips. AS these people
longed for the city of Jerusalem 80
must the Christian long for the new
Jerusalem. Like Ezra we too are
called to be loyal to our God and His
Word whether in Babylon or in Jeru-
salem. May we as Ezra be fitted for