Evening star., 1924-06-21

Modern Sunday school, popular
preaching and successful evangelis-
tic methods received their inspira-
tion from the reformation conducted
by Ezra and Nehemiah. Dark days
of religious reaction followed the ex-
lies heroic efforts to rebuilt the tenn
pie and restore the altar and worShi p
of Jehovah. The constant opposition
of the Samaritans was attendt d by a
long period of poor harvests. The
rich oppressed the poor charging eX-
horbitant rates of interest, contrary
to the law. Their attitude made it
difficult to sustain the religious serv-
ices because of the heavy burdens.
This introduced a general disregard
of the Mosaic code and a neglect of
Sabbath observance. Israers separa-
tion from other nations commenced
to break down through intermar-
riages with pagans. Divorce became
common. showing its results in the
laxity of life and morals. Men who
feared Jehovah and thought upon
His name" were aroused by the de-
pravity of their countrymen to start
reformation.
The Reformers.
hovah moved the heart Of Artazerxes
to send Ezra, whose heart God had
prepared Ito seek the law of the
Lord and to do it, on an expedition
20 Jerusalem. His mission was pure
ly religious one. He was author
lied Ito enforce the law of God and
of the Persian king by penalty even
to fines. imprisonment, banishment
or death" He revealed his faith in
the prote citing power of Jehovah by
nj h
wealth, and the word of God. our Pen
tateuch, into His keeping during the
four months that they required to
reach Jerusalem. His efforts to re-
form the conditions, that he found
in Jerusalem, and make everybody
conform their daily and family life
in accordance with the law, his drastic
enforcement of the marriage code,
breaking up the marriage contracted
in disregard to the Mosaic statutes
with those, who were not Jews. led
to much bitterness and personal op-
position. After thirteen years effort
his work appeared to be an apparent
failure. The scribe by his teachings
had showed the Sc eds for a reforma-
ton, but greater executive was
needed to enforce the social. ethical
and religious standards of Gods word.
Nehemiah, the cup bearer of Ar
taXerxes, was patriotic Jew. He
was disturbed by the story of the
| failure OF Ezra ana the distressing
conditions of Jerusalem, he Sc
cured from the king temporary
leave of absence from the court and
an appointment IS governor of Judea.
Reaching Jerusalem, he made sur
vey of the ruined city walls and de-
termined to rebuild the same. In
fifty-two days he had completed the
task and with the erection of the
gates fortified the city against raids
and robbers fSom her enemies without.
In carrying out his building program m
Nehe emiah had learned that the great
est danger was from within the city.
He turned, with the help of Ezra. to
reform the city by a social service
program that freed the poor from the
oppression of the rich. Due to the
influence of the heather party, that
had failed to turn Nehemiah from his
task, but had secured the assistance
of the high priest. Eliashib, to oppose
Nehemiah's program, the enersetlc
permanent reforms in the national
religious and civil life. Ezra and he
mapped out a program that was des-
tined to revolutionize the Jewish
faith and influence all subsequent
history.
A Bible Revival.
A publicity program brought "all
the people together as one man into
the broad public place before the
water gate" The first pulpit ever
erected was raised that day upon the
public plaza, so that Ezra and ms
assistants could expound Gods word
to the great congregation. His expo
sitions opened new epoch in the
worlds religious history. Every
teacher and preacher of the Bible
traces his method of public instruc-
tion back to Ezra's efforts to per-
suade the people, who had been
perishing because of the lack of
knowledge, to walk in the way of the
Lord. His preaching and reading of
the law of Moses aroused the masses,
who through the Journalism of the
ingS, to see their danger and duty.
The personality of Ezra and Nehe-
miah entered into the success of that
revival. Their consistent religious
lives, free from all graft and selfish
ness, were known to many in the
crowd. The life of the man behind
the message gave it effectiveness
then, as it does today When Ezra
gave his exposition of the. sacred
started a movement that has made
the pulpit rather than the altar "the
fountain from which the most abun-
dant worlds life giving streams have
flowed" There was wisdom and
craftsmanship in the decision of Ezra
and Nehemiah to give the people a
knowledge of Gods word. 1t served
to make their reforms permanent
The one great problem faced by the
forward thinking men of today is
how they can bring the knowledge
of the Bible to the people. Our civil
ization and "a government of the
people. by the people and for the peo-
Pile" will not perish from the earth
when the Bible, which has given to