Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-14
TEACHING THE LAW OF GOD.
Nehemiah, viii.1-18.
Golden text-The opening OF
Thy words giveth light.-Psalm
119:130.

Constitutional week that commemo-
rates the adoption of our National Con-
stitution. the Nations supreme law,
finds us on its opening day studying the
teaching of the law Of God. There Is
close connection between the work OF
Ezra reading the book Of the law and
the drafting and adoption OF history
greatest "act Of constructive statesman
ship" Gladstone claimed that THE
American Constitution is the most Won
derful work ever struck off at a given
time by the brain and purpose OF man, !"
yet the seeds of the Constitution were
discovered by the Jews during their ex-
lie in Babylon. Deprived of the priv
ilege of sacrifice, they could only read
from the Sacred Scriptures and pray
and sing the Lords song in that strange
land. In these simple exercises Of de-
votion they realized and enjoyed the
sense of the divine companionship. In
their worship of Jehovah during the exile
they discovered the principle Of democ-
racy, which underlies the development
of the whole synagogue system, whose
fruit Is seen In not only the American
Constitution, but also in all the democ-
racies that have since been established
based upon our Constitution.
Nehemiah'S completion of the wall
furnished Jerusalem protection from
their pagan foes. Their greatest dam
ger was from within their own ranks.
The heather party had as champion
of their cause the high priest. Many OF
the subordinate priests and Levites were
sympathizers with the pagan party. Al
though Nehemiah's commission was a
civil one, the great patriotic leader rec
ognized that If his efforts were to be OF
a permanent character, a great religious
reformation was needed. Nehemiah
turned to Ezra for help, aid and assist
ance In that hour. The plans that they
worked out started a movement, that
revolutionized the Jewish faith and in
f1uenced all the subsequent religious his
tory of that great race and all the ma
tons Of the world.
Worlds First Pulpit.
They selected the day for the inau-
guration Of their reformation with great
care. They chose Sabbath, ushered
in by trumpetS and marked by q holy
convocation, and an altar Of burnt offer
ings introducing the sabbathical month
with its day of atonement and its feast
of ingatherings, or tabernacles. 1t was
the anniversary Of the restoration OF
the altar. It was the Jewish New
Year day, a time of new beginnings
and of universal joy.
A campaign of publicity brought "all
the people together as one man into the
broad place before the water gate.
Upon that large public plaza they erect
ed the first pulpit in the worlds history.
Its building and use marked turning
point in not only Hebrew history, but n
opened up q new epoch in the religious
development of the race. From that
hour the religion that appealed eSpe-
cially to the senses began to Wane and
the religion that appealed to the con-
science and reason commenced its sway
over the lives of men. The pulpit soon
overshadowed- the Temple because that
day Ezra not only read distinctly from
the Pentateuch, but he had Levites in
struct the people in its meaning. In
that vast assembly were many people
who had made the journey back from
Babylon with Ezra. Others knew of
him through their parents, who had
been members Of that first party of pill
grins who had made that journey of
faith. His presence and personality
played an important part In the work
Of that day. When he appeared with
the roll Of the law upon the pulpit, they
had asked him to read the Law of God
to them and they stood up all day,
listening to his reading from Gods law.
Ezra's campaign of religious educa-
ton has inspired modern Sunday school
teachers to follow his methods of or
ganization and systematic teaching oil
Gods law. His methods have furnished
men with their ideals throughout the
ages. Whenever pastors, evangelists
and religious teachers have followed
the principles of Ezra, they have won
victories, especially in the development
Of character. Ezra had become q mas
ter Of the law during the exile, when he
could not exercise the functions of his
Office, as a priest Back of his reading
that day the people saw in Ezra q liv-
ing example of q man who tried to live
the gospel Of the law of God In his life
They were touched by the prayers with
which he commenced and closed his
reading of the Sacred Scriptures. His
personality, prayers and public reading
Of the law Of God started the Jewish
people once more in developing then
character as the people Of God. II we
made 1t the practice of our lives tt
read the Bible daily it would mold our
characters just as it did the Jewish
people.
Bible Reading Results.
The law has been the. supreme au.
thority for the Jews In their religious
life from that day to the present. They
recognized that 1t was due to theil
fathers failures to keep its precepts anc
obey its teachings that caused theil
being carried into captivity. They hat
accepted substitutes for the statutes o.
God. They desired to obey His word
but as Ezra read 1t TO them they were
fiiled with sorrow because t31y -hae
broken His law No one reads the Holy