JV. THAT INDIVIDUAL MEN HAVE A GREAT AND GRAVE POWER FOR GOOD AND EVIL (vers. 4, 5, 8, 9). One man, the high priest, had very gravely compromised the people by admitting Tobiah, the enemy, to a chamber of the house of the Lord. It is impos- sible to say how much evil might not have arisen from this foolish step had not Nehemiah come in time to take effective action against it. But it is not every Eliashib who has a Nehemiah to correct his follies and save his country from their consequences. One man in high office, or with great faculties, or with peculiar charms, may commit a large body of people to folly and sin, and may bring down on their head saddest visitations. On the other hand, one wise and strong man, acting ener- getically, may do as Nehemiah did-" cast forth" the evil (ver. 8), and "cleanse the chambers," and restore sacred places to a sacred use (ver. 9). Exalted station is much coveted by men, but it has grave responsibilities attached to it by God. We may be well content to be without its burden of obligation ; or if, in God's provi- dence, that should rest on us, it becomes our duty prayerfully and earnestly to rise to the height of our opportunity, and dedicate it to the service of our God and our race.-C.
Vera. 10-14.-Practical Cliristian wisdom. Nehemiah must have been shocked indeed to find on his return to Jerusalem (ver. 7) what a sad relapse had taken place during his absence from the city. Most painful of all must it have been to him to find that the service of Jehovah in his own house had been so scandalously neglected. He found not only that chambers of the temple were in the occupation of the enemy of the people of God (ver. 7), but that; the Levites being scattered abroad, because their portion had been withheld (ver. 10), the house of God was forsaken (ver 11). We gather from the whole incident recorded in vers. 10-14- 1. THAT MATERIAL SUPPLIES AND SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY ARE IMPORTANTLY CONNECTED (ver. 10). "The portions of the Levites had not been given them," and, consequently, they had "fled every one to his field" (ver. 10). It may be open to question whether these Levites-singers and other officials-had shown as much disinterestedness arnl devotion as could have been wished. It might be argued that us servants of God they might have stood at their posts and starved rather than desert the field of sacred duty. Perhaps if they had been some degrees more heroic than they were they would THE BbOk OF NEltEMtAit. (en. xm. 1--31.