The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1935-12-12

wall OF the IeLiPie oN -,
the city. In that vast assemolas'
we're crowded men and women
and indeed all who could hear VIII
understanding. The purpose o.
the assembly was to hear the BOOK
of the Law of Moses as dlvlnel!
commanded. 1t was an eager
gathering of devout' Jews, anx.
ious to learn the very words OF
their Bible.
THE LAW nehemiah 81 :,
Bible teachers were at mana.
The central figure was Ezra, the
illustrous scribe. For the first time
in thirteen years he appears IN
Jerusalem. He probably had spent
the interval in Babylon studying
the manuscripts of the Law ana
the Prophets and collecting them
into one volume which we have
today in the Old Testament: he
therefore brought to the Jews
the complete Scriptures just at
the time when they were most
anxious to receive them. He was
assisted by several prominent Lee
vites. Near him, on the pulpit Oh
wood erected for the OCCASION
stood thirteen of the most emil
nent scholars of the time, SIX OF
them on his right, and seven on
his left. They probably ree,eSeu
Ezra: in the reading of the scrip
lures for it would be imPossioie
for him to read loudly Ior sin
hours in the open air. Ihirteeh
other assistants were also named;
tbav we're probably stationed out
IN the audience to repeat wha1
was heard indistinctly and to COM
ment as there was need'
THE EXERCISES nehemiah %
Bible teaching engaged for sew
oral hours the fourteen teachers
on the platform and their help
o om among the thousands OF their
conntrymen in the open space pc
fore them. Beginning the exer-
cises, Ezra rose from his seat WIN
GREAT solemnity and opened the
hook in the sight of all the PEG
DIe who immediately arose to the
same attitude of reverence. Inc
first act was that of deyout adGro
alton to God. Then followed !ne
reading of the Scriptures when
,ontin9ed from early morning un-
iii midday. The reading was ex-
and the inquiries OF the
people answered so that they un.
5erstood the reading. On the part
of the people there was rape az
tention and earnest acceptance.
The length of the service did not
dull their appreciation, SO eagSr
we're they for knowledge OF coos
THE EFFECT nehemiah g
Bible practice followed Bible
Ezra had emergeu
from seclusion with an open Bible
n his hand, and the masses must
nave it. AS they heard more dis
:inctly than ever before the thun-
Ierings of Sinai and glimpsed the
deals demanded, they felt their
,wn unworthiness with grief I'M
,ontrollable. But there was rea,
,on for ioy instead of sorrow, and
and the melancholy weight must
,e lifted from the hearts OF the
,eople. So Nehemiah and Ezra
:eassured the audience and show
ID them how they could counter
act their grief and express their
ioy. So they were lifted out OF
he dark depths of detection and
horne upward to the heights OF
ecstacy. They Toasted and sent
portions to others and reJolced
because of the new light that had
broken upon them out OF the
Word of God.
TEAC HTHE LAW ,,,,,
III Recognize the Bible. THE
book-which the Lord had COM
manded." It is the Word of God.
II comes to us from God. 1t shows
Us the way to God. 1t is our one
sufficient rule of faith and
practice" .,.,, ,,r
spake unto Ezra the scribe to
bring the book" No, other book
IS so much needed. There is none
so. beneficient. Certainly we
ought to desire no other with
equal intensity. Let US call upon
our teachers for it.
81 Receive the Bible. And
Ezra the priest brought the law
before the congregation" The
outstanding work of the great
scribe was the compilation and
completion of the Old Testament
Scriptures. And the best interces-
sorry service of the great priest
was to bring the ancient Bible be-
fore the assembly in Jerusalem.
They were to receive it not only
as coming from God but as being
adapted to men. .s
{4) Revere. the Bible. "When
he opened it, all the people stood
up" Of course they respected
Ezra but they revered the Book.
Thus they proved their worthiness
to receive it. Destroy respect for
the Bible, and you steel the heart
against its blessed influence.
. (5) Hear the Bible. "The ears
of all the people were attentive
unto the book of the law" Many
could not read but all could hear.
And they listened with rapt at
tention. How rare is the good lis
tener! How profoundly we are in
fluenced by the hearing ear! ,
(6) Read the; Bible. "He read
therein-from the morning until
midday" The chance and casula
reading of the Bible is not with
out profit. But how much more
profitable it is to peruse the sa-
cred nages for hours at a time!
I1N Az Rihle. "They