them?

What did they take with them?

What was their first work at Jerusalem? Who wanted to join them? Why would not the Jews let them? What did they do to hinder them? How long was the work stopped? Who let them go on? What help did he order? When was the temple finished? What had been lost?

BLESSED BE THY NAME.

BLESSED be Thy Name for ever,
Thou of life the guard and giver!
Thou canst guard Thy creatures sleeping,
Heal the heart long broke with weeping.
God of stillness and of motion,
Of the desert and the ocean,
Of the mountain, rock, and river,
Blessed be Thy Name for ever!

Thou who slumberest not nor sleepest,
Blest are they Thou kindly keepest;
God of evening's parting ray,

Of midnight's gloom, and dawning day
That rises from the azure sea,
Like breathings of eternity;
God of life, that fade shall never,
Blessed be Thy Name for ever!

The Ettrick Shepherd.

CHAPTER LXXX.

EZRA.

EZRA, or ESDRAS (helper), was a priest descended from Aaron. At the head of a band of exiles he returned from captivity to Jerusalem. He brought back many of the vessels of the temple.

On reaching the holy city he was much grieved to find that his countrymen had been guilty of great sin:

Forgetting the law of Moses, many of them had intermarried with heathen nations.

Ezra was so pained that we read,

"And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.

And I And at the

sat astonied until the evening sacrifice. evening sacrifice I arose from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees and spread out my hands unto the Lord my God, and said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to Thee, my God." *

And when Ezra had prayed, there assembled unto him many of the Jews, and he exhorted them to confess their sins to Almighty God, and to put their Gentile wives away from them.

And the people listened to his words. "Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.”

After this he read the Book of the Law to the Jews, and instructed them to keep the feast of the tabernacles.

Ezra was well read in the Law and in the Scriptures, and was the writer of the Book of Ezra, which gives us an account of the return of the Jews, their settlement in Judea, and the rebuilding of the temple.

It is said that Ezra was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, and that he was buried at Jerusalem; but some assert that he died in Persia, and was buried near the River Samura.

NOTES. An exile, one who is banished or sent away from his native soil or country. Ezra returned from captivity. Nearly 50,000 (42,360 and their servants) left Babylon for Judea, led by Zerubbabel and Jeshua the high priest, taking with them 5,460 of the gold and silver vessels of the temple, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken away, together with the gifts of the Jews who remained in Babylon. They also took 7,337 servants (amongst whom were 200 singing men and women), and 8,136 beasts of burden, viz., 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels, and 6720 asses. Astonied, astonished.

* For the whole of Ezra's prayer, see Ezra ix. 5–15.

QUESTIONS.

What was Ezra ?

From whom was he descended? How did he spend his early years? After his release from captivity where did he go? Why? What did he take with him? What sin did he find amongst the Jews? How did this affect Ezra? What was his prayer? What was the result of it? What may we learn from this? What is the Book of the Law? Give some account of the Feast of Tabernacles. What are the contents of the Book of Ezra ? What is said about the death and burial of Ezra ?

CHAPTER LXXXI.

NEHEMIAH.

NEHEMIAH (comfort of the Lord), of the tribe of Judah, was born at Babylon during the captivity. He became cup-bearer to the King of Persia.

He was greatly pained at the thoughts of the misery of Jerusalem, and he mourned and fasted and prayed.

The King of Persia being struck with the sadness of his cup-bearer, pitied him, and gave him leave to return to Jerusalem, to rebuild its walls, its towers, and its gates.

On his arrival in Judea, Nehemiah began his great work. The Jews commenced rebuilding the walls; but their work was hindered by their enemies, the Samaritans, who did all they could to stop it.

The Jews set a guard for the Samaritans, and worked with a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other, so that after fifty-two days the walls and towers were finished. Nehemiah then dedicated the whole to God who had so helped him.

After this he appointed proper persons to govern Jerusalem, and did many good things for the people. Amongst others he,

1. Made the Jews put away their strange wives;

2. Exhorted the Jews to keep the Sabbath-a practice which had been wofully neglected;

3. Crushed the tyranny of the great over the poor, whose lands had been mortgaged, and their children sold as slaves;

4. Caused the Jews to observe the Sabbatical Year; 5. Caused them to bring annual payment for the service of the temple.

NEHEMIAH ARMETH THE LABOURERS.

Nehemiah after being governor of Judea for about twelve years, returned, as he had promised, to Persia. There he staid for a few years, when he again revisited Jerusalem, and continued his important work until he died.

NOTES.-Cup-bearer, an honourable officer of the king's household. It was his duty to fill and bear the cup, or drinking vessel, to the king. The Samaritans-The heathen settlers in Samaria. (See chap. Ixxviii.) Wishing to unite with the Jews in rebuilding the temple, they offered their assistance; but Zerubbabel and the other chiefs of the people refused it on the ground that the Samaritans were given to idolatry, and were not true children of Abraham. This refusal deeply offended the Samaritans, who now craved for revenge, and tried to throw every obstacle in the way of rebuilding the temple. Strange wives-Those who were not Jews. Mortgage, a death gage or pledge: a conveyance of property, as security for a debt, which becomes dead or lost to the debtor if the money is not paid on a certain day.

QUESTIONS.

What was Nehemiah? Where was he born? What is a cupbearer? What grieved him? How did he shew his grief? What effect did it have upon the King of Persia? What are the walls of a city? the towers? and the gates? Who offered to assist the Jews in rebuilding the temple? Who were the Samaritans? Why would not the Jews accept their assistance? After this how did the Samaritans act towards the Jews? Name some of the good things which Nehemiah did for the Jews. Why did he leave Jerusalem? Shew that this was a good point in Nehemiah's character.

THE HEAVENLY REST.

THERE is an hour of peaceful rest,
To mourning wanderers given:
There is a tear for souls distrest,
A balm for every wounded breast-
'Tis found above-in heaven!

There is a soft, a downy bed,

'Tis sweet as breath of even;
A couch for weary mortals spread,
Where they may rest the aching head,
And find repose in heaven!

There is a home for weary souls,
By sin and sorrow driven;

When tost on life's tempestuous shoals,
Where storms arise, and ocean rolls,
And all is drear-but heaven!

There faith lifts up the tearful eye,
The heart with anguish riven!
And views the tempest passing by,
The evening shadows quickly fly,
And all serene in heaven!

The fragrant flowers immortal bloom,
And joys supreme are given;