The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1922-09-07
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
Prepared especially for The Republi-
can by Rev. U. S. Wright, D. D.

book
Teach me. O Jehovah, the way of thy
statutes, and ! shall keep it unto the
end.-Psalm 1898.
WALLS AND MEN.
That was a real JOY day in Jerusa-
lem when the walls were dedicated.
The striking professions with ban
ners and bands marched along the
top and children and women joined
in the cheering that reached far
across the hills beyond the city. The
bigness of their builder was as APP
parent on that day as in any of those
struggling ones when opposition null
tiplied, for he brought from his re-
tirement the man who had failed to
get that very thing done and placed
him on a level with himself at the
head of half the praising people Well
did that Master of men know the
worth of the Cody old scholer and
the need of his life for that cOmmun-
ity, but many a man is too small to
give his predecessor the credit that IS
his due and fails to utilize the powers
that might go to the furtherlng OF
the Kingdom. But not Nehemiah. He
rejoiced to fairly thurst Ezra above
himself upon the days that followed
the dedication and as likely as not it
was some hint from him that sent the
people travelling to the old mans
door with their urging that he tell
them about the law of his God. No
wonder that Judea came back" with
such leadership and such team work
in both of which the governor tops
the Scribe.
For with him there was no thought
of his own reputation or of his stand
ing; his only desire was for the good
of Israel. Give him a chance to do
the work and who would might have
the praise. And that shrewd leader
knew that walls We're not the most
needed thing after all. Those that
encircle crooks, or profteers, or ig-
norance, or pleasure-lovers, are worse
than wasted Walls are necessary,
but men are more so. What goes on
within its gates tells the last chapter
in the city's story. Men, not mason
ny, are the final measure upon his
tory's page. Florence with all her
beauty and pride lives in world story
through Savonarola, and Worms
might be forgotten had not Luther
dared a n1usty-named king in her
halls. 1t is great country that our
fathers have given us, but their ideals
are more vital than the boundaries
they left us. What is the character
of the people who must carry forward
the life of the land. 1t was a great
thing to build the wall of equality of
opportunity for all races in the Cos,
but the greater task is the making of
negro, Italian, Indian, Russian and an
hundred more that includes our own
boys and girls fit to take advantage
of it. The wall Of the 18th Amend
ment is wonderful achievement. but
the fashioning Of law-abiding, appe-
tite-controlling folk within it is
greater yet. Nehemiah can give
pointers to makers of America for
many a day to come.
MAKING THE LAW KNOWN.
When the call came Ezra was
ready. Those years Of waiting were
not wasted ones, for while his little
boat lay in the eddy of affairs and the
current of events passed outside, he
had stepped himself in the lore of
Israels days of romance. of listen
ing to Gods speech until something
OF the thrill Of a participant had come
to him as he companied with Moses.
Joshua, Saul, David, Jonathan and the
rest. His life was like a stream en-
tering a tunnel and reinforced by
hidden springs coming forth with
double power, There must be law
knowers and law lovers before it can
be gotten into the life of the people.
There IS where the church takes its
commanding place, for a Judge of
the Supreme Court of North Carroll
ma said, st would be utterly impossi-
BILE for the courts to enforce, in any
adequate measure, the laws of the
land but for the influence of the
Christian church" and another equal
ly eminent jurist of Pennsylvania
said, No man can afford to ignore
the church in a study of the forces
making for vital citizenship"
Failure is a good thing if it wax
ems the need for change The people
had had hard experiences ard wished
to remedy them. It was out of such
an inner urge that they came to Ezra
asking to be taught the truth. Eag-
erly the fine old man of the Book
brought out that cherished roll and
TOOK ms place upon a pulpit and
started the transformation that
preaching and teaching Gods word
has made in the world, appealing as il
does to reason and conscience rather
than to ceremonies. And the peopIe
came to hear. 1t was a community
bible class with all present who could
understand what was being done. So
eager were they that from morning
to midday they were attentive to its
reading. Three hours in the morning
and three in the afternoon was the
old New England practice out of
which the Adamses, Otises, Hancocks
and the rest strobe to the making of
Amerlca-was there any connection .
That reading in Jerusalem was NOT
unheard or indistinct, but out of the
deep conviction of the worth of if
Ezra spoke a message from his own
as well as from Gods heart. There
were explanations in addition to the
mere words so that there would be
full understanding of the meaning of
what was being read and after asking
JehoVah's blessing upon all the think.
ing there was an attentive hearing
through all the hours.
MAKING THE LAW LIVE.
Telling is not teaching, and ne
teaching has reached its goal until Il
mas been expressed in the life. How