The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1922-07-27

can by Kew. Y. ). Wright, ID. ID.
SUNDAY, JULY 80.
THE FIRST RETURN FROM EXILE
Jer. 29:10-14; Ezra I'LL.
We know that to them that love God
all things work together for good.
-ROmS:2S.
THE NEW JEW.
Babylon had been a good school
To be sure the Hebrew has always
been promising scholar though he
may be slower in changing ideas
than locations. When Jerusalem
went down, Egypt offered refuge and
the later power of Alexandria in the
Jewish-Christian world found it's
rootage in the refugees who had set
tied within its welcoming quarter.
There remained in Judea a large
number of the poor who held on in
spite of advance from Edom and else
where that resulted in a mingling of
bloods and customs but still left
related race drawing scanty susie
nance from the hills. In Babylon were
the choice spirits from two deporta-
lions who had faced the new world
with alert minds and had grasped its
opportunities for business and home
making. From the circumference of
the empire they had been moved to
its heart and saw the richness of the
city, the extent and power of it that
made Jerusalem look like country
village, the sweep of political cur
rents about the palace that carried to
the ends of the earth influences arts
ing there, and with the full freedom
accorded them to live according to
their own customs so long as they
obeyed the laws of the land they saw
a new life opening invitingly before
them. Rich farms under royal irri-
cation systems shamed the old til
lage. Shops that built fortunes in
stead of the slower gains of the lit
tie store at home called into new ac-
tivity the business genius of the race.
Prospering as never before, they al
lowed their political dream to lie fall
low. But certain gains came to them
through the years beside the wealth
and comfort Of the life. They were
face to face with heatehenism at its
home. All their land they had
stewed with idolatry through all the
years, but it is far different to read
about pagan superstition and allow
little groups to cultivate a pale imi.
tation of it in the light of the bible
from what it is to live in its foulness
These Jews learned the lesson COM
pletely and never again in their his
tory have they reared an idolatrous
fame. The narrow notion of a local
Jehovah gave way to the worlds only
real God as fully findable in Babylon
as in Jerusalem. History took on a
new color with the completion of rolls
or racial story and prophetic appeal.
The long perspective and the new To-
cation, life and learning gave a
view of an age-working God making
even the wrath of men to praise Him
that was practically the rediscovery
of God. The synagogue, school and
church combined took its place
among the vital institutions that
have persisted until now. Only in
race were these members of a third
generation like the Jews who travel
ed the weary miles from their
wrecked homeland.
THE NEW OPPORTUNITY.
The men and women who had
tramped the slow five or six hundred
miles to their new home had long
been buried. Youth was bent with
years and even the babes in arms
were grey, so that Jerusalem was a
legend to much of the vigorous life
that had grown to manhood under
the sunny Skies of the Euphrates val
ley. Then Cyrus swept westward,
and Babylon came into possession of
the Persian power The empire
stretched from the Mediterranean to
the Indian ocean and the newly ac-
quired territory found itself being
ruled with an entirely new spirit This
throne desired to build upon the good
will of its citizens rather than upon
fear and the plotting out of racial
groups. The first step of Cyrus was
to open the doors for the return Of