d bear _heavy
burdens_ for the sake of Jerusalem. If all the church were in this day
to pray for an opportunity to bear burdens and make sacrifices, what
do you think the effect would be on the advance of the kingdom of God
on earth?

No sooner did Nehemiah reach Jerusalem than he inspected the walls to
see exactly the condition in which they were. Then he assembled the
rulers and told them of his plans, and heartened them for the work. He
divided the work among the families, thus giving each one a specific
task, and encouraging the spirit of true rivalry. "To every man his
work," seems to have been his excellent motto. So the people got to
work with enthusiasm.

#100. Opposition.#--Of course there was no lack of opposition, for all
good causes have opponents. But none of these things in any way moved
this grand man from his purpose, or abated in any degree his
enthusiasm. With sword in one hand and trowel in the other the people
pushed the work forward, while over all Nehemiah watched with
unceasing care. His vigilance is apparent from the fact that for
nearly two months he never put off his clothes. So in fifty-two days
the work was completed, and the people's hearts were filled with joy.
Under his rule was gathered what has sometimes been called the first
Sunday-school on record (Neh. 8). He knew that it was on account of
the ignorance of the people of the Word that they fell so easily into
sin. So he gathered them all together, and Ezra read and explained the
law of Moses in their hearing. In this connection, too, they
celebrated the feast of tabernacles, in commemoration of the
wanderings of Israel in the wilderness.

#101.# Ever watchful of the spiritual welfare of his people, Nehemiah
instituted reforms in the matter of Sabbath-keeping, and of usury, and
of idolatrous intermarriages with the people of the land. His labors
never ceased, for he seems to have realized that "eternal vigilance"
was the price of true godliness, in the midst of idolatrous
surroundings.

#102. Results of the Captivity.#--In this matter of the captivity, the
most important thing for us to bear in mind is that the people were
cured by their experience of all forms of idolatry. Up to that time
this had been their besetting sin, into which they were ever falling.
From the time of the captivity and return onward to the present day
the Jew has been a strict monotheist. Though scattered to the ends of
the earth, never again has he fallen