Section of Sermon by Henry, September 4, 1881
Dublin Core
Title
Section of Sermon by Henry, September 4, 1881
Subject
Bible; Bible--Prophecies--Jews; Jews--History--Babylonian captivity, 598-515 B.C; Sukkot
Description
This sermon examines the life of Ezra, uplifting him as both a student and a paragon of the law of his people. It tells of his resilience towards his enemies and the dedication with which he directed the Feast of the Tabernacles. It closes by mentioning the work of an evangelist named Moody, whom Henry compares to Ezra.
Creator
Noyes, Henry Varnum
Source
Loose, The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
1881-09-04
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_misc_831
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
(3)
that has gushed out of primitive rocks and rolled down to us from its most original
sources the precious deposits [Illegible]: and its old rivers that have watered
Paradise, have their beds [?streamed?] with the glistening treasure".
The minister of the gospel who turns away from such a treasury of knowledge, who leaves
Gods witten work to draw his inspiration from other sources is like those foolish Jews
of old who forsook the fountain of living waters and hewed out for themselves cisterns
[Illegible] cisterns that could hold not water"
II
But Ezra not only searched the law [u] he [/u] [u] also [/u] [u] kept [/u] [u] it [/u]
An exile in so far off [?trained?] as he long and earnestly studied and meditated
upon the writings of Moses and Isaiah and Jeremiah and Ezekiel and found with what
accuracy of detail they had [?aforetime?] described the experiences through which his people in his
own lifetime were passing it must have come to him with all the force of absolute demon-
stration that these books were written by inspiration from above. In this sure belief therefore
he sought then to satisfy the needs of his own soul. He applied them to his own [?care?]
and [?endeavored?] to walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord
blameless. Example was thus joined with precept to give him the wide influence which
he evidently possessed. He is in this respect an illustration of one good
effect of the captivity. God who knows how to bring good out of evil seems to have
made this captivity a means of spreading more widely a knowledge of the truth, and
this especially by placing living examples of its power in far off heathen nations.
When Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon in haughty pride and burning rage caused
Shadrach Meshach and Abednego to be cast into a fiery furnace, seven times heated
because they would not bow down and worship the golden image which he had set up,
and then saw them come forth from those fierce flames "Without an hair of their head
singed, neither their coats changed, nor their smell of fire passed upon them" he
made this remarkable declaration and decree. "Blessed be the God of Shadrach Meshach
and Abednego, who hath sent his angel and delivered his servants that trusted in
him, and have changed the King's [?word?], and yielded their bodies that they might
not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. Therefore I make a
[?decree?] that any people nation and language which speak anything amiss against
the god of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces and their
houses made a dunghill; because there is no other God that can deliver after
this sort."
When Darius the Median saw his prime minister Daniel, in
spite of the [?armed?] opposition of the highest officers in the kingdom, and in [?defence?]
of the kings [?an?] [?were?] three times a day offer prayer to Jehovah although he knew that
the penalty was death and when afterwards he saw him early at night into a
den of hungry lions and in the morning come forth unhurt in astonishment
and reverence he wrote "I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom
men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, and
stedfast forever and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his
dominion shall be even unto the end"
We know the influence that Mordecai and Esther obtained in
the court of Ahasuerus and it was undoubtedly to customs or duties con-
nected unto [?bear?] [Illegible] that Haman referred when he said "There is a certain
people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of
this Kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the
King's laws; therefore it is not for the Kings profit to suffer them."
Thus did those who were faithful among the Jews, by
their conduct bear testimony to the truth, and in their captivity in Babylon and
[Illegible] wide [?oppression?], through the one hundred and twenty seven provinces
of [?Thesia?] and Persia become living apostles known and read of all men. [?Eminent?]
among those living apostles in the court of Artaxerxes the Persian was Ezra the scribe. No other
evidence of his high station then is needed than that wonderful commission for a heathen king
to write which Artaxerxes gave to Ezra. And I even I Artaxerxes the King do make a
decree to all the treasures which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the
priest, the scribe of the law of the God of the heaven shall require of you, it be done speedily
Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for this
house of the God of heaven; for why [?should?] there be wrath against the realm of the King
and his sons. And then Ezra after the [?visitation?] of thy God, that is thine hand,
[?nt?] magistrates and judges which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all
such as known in laws of thy God; [u] and [/u] [u] teach [/u] [u] ye [/u] [u] them [/u] [u] that [/u] [u] know [/u] [u] them [/u] [u] not [/u]" Thus
was Ezra a [?woman?] that needed not to be ashamed. By this thorough knowledge
of the Law, and his irreproachable character, he was prepared to go up to Jerusalem
to take his place as an eminent leader in Israel and in that position do [?such?] the
important work which God had in his providence assigned him. Having "set his
heart to search the law of Jehovah and to keep it" he was prepared to teach in
Israel statutes and judgements - We need hardly stop to commend the example
of Ezra in [u] keeping [/u] the law which he taught to others, for everyone knows that a minister
who does not end his own life by the teachings of God's word can do more harm by his con-
duct then good by his preaching. Example and precept must go together in him who would
be a [?successful?] teacher in Israel
III
The subject matter of Ezra's teaching was the statues and
judgements which God had revealed. He preached not himself but was a [u] messenger [/u] to
make known to the people the will of God. - On his arrival at Jerusalem he addressed
himself energetically to the thorough reform of some abuser, that had crept in among the
people while were in flagrant violation of the [?women?] and of God after this time the
Scriptures are silent in regard to him for the next twelve years. He was however quietly
[?closing?] a most laborious and most useful work, and in the direct line of his purpose
to "teach in several statutes and judgements." He was diligently collecting from all
possible sources manuscript copies of the sacred books carefully examining, & collating
to separate the spurious from the genuine and make a faithful [?manuscript?] of the latter;
(4)
under the guidance of inspiration making such additions and explanations and
revisions as were necessary, and thus establishing a fixed canon of divinely inspired [?book?]
for [?general?] use, and for the service of the sanctuary, and that not alone for his own
generation but for all succeeding ages. It was the [u] first [/u] great [u] Bible [/u] [u] [?Revision?] [/u]. To
assist in his laborious work he gathered around him one hundred and twenty
assistants of whom at least three [Illegible] Haggai, and Malachi were [?thunderous?]
inspired prophets. This company was called [u] The [/u] [u] Great [/u] [--[u] Synagogue [/u]--] [u] Synagogue [/u]
It is [Illegible] that during the life of Ezra the Old Testament was fixed [?on?] it
[?werent?] form, with the exception of the prestige [?of?] Malachi and a few verses of Chronicles;
and before the last member of the Great Synagoge [?far nigh?] away it had been
completed entire as it remain to this day. -
The time came at length when Ezra had the opportunity of publish
putting honor upon the word of God, of making it known to the Jewish people, and
reaping a glorious harvest for those long years of patient toil which may have sometime
seemed to him to be without much visible fruit. God prepared the hearts of [--his--]
the people to welcome the labour of his servant. It was the first day of
the first month of the [?civil?] year- A New Year's Morning. It was the Feast
of Tabernacles and a time of rejoicing for the city wall which had been in ruins
for more than 140 years had just been rebuilt under the direction of Nehemiah.
On this morning Ezra received a request to bring forth that volume which it
was no doubt well known that he had completed and read it to the people. Men
followed what was in all probability the grandest series of Bible readings that have
ever taken place in this world's history. It began with prayer. This is the record of
it (Neh 8th) "And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that
was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to him the book of the law
of Moses which the Lord had commanded to Israel. And Ezra opened the
book in the sight of all the people; and when he opened it all the people stood up.
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; and when he opened it
all the people stood up. And Ezra blessed the Lord the great God. And all
the people answered amen Amen and they bowed their head and worshipped
the Lord with their faces to the ground. And he read therein from morning until
mid-day, and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
a large number of priests and Levites were appointed to assist in the reading and
interpretation each they "[?carried?] the people to understand the law; and the people
stood in their place. So they read in the book of the law of God distinctly, and
gave the [?sermon?], and caused them to understand the reading. And all the
people wept when they heard the words of the law. But Ezra, convinced of the gen-
uineness of their repentance exhorted them to be joyful rather "Go your way eat
the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom
nothing is prepared for this day is holy unto our Lord; neither be ye sorry;
for [u] the [/u] [u] joy [/u] [u] of [/u] [u] the [/u] [u] Lord [/u] [u] is [/u] [u] your [/u] [u] strength [/u]". The people came together again
on the second day and these great Bible mass meetings seem to have continued
until the twenty fourth day of the month. What was the result? On the twenty
fourth day a solemn fast was appointed, one fourth part of the day they
read in the book of the law of the Lord their God, and another fourth part they
conferred and worshipped the Lord their God, and then they wrote out a sure
covenant which, in behalf of all the people, was signed and sealed by their
princes, Levites, and priests, and by that covenant they bound themselves with
a curse and an oath "to walk in Gods law, which was given by Moses
the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord
their God and his judgements and his statutes." The [?stated?] Sabbath Synagogues
service is not without reason supposed to have been suggested by and followed this mem-
orable reading of the law. Little more is said in regard to Ezra after this time.
He doubtless continued his faithful labors until he died at the good old age of
one hundred and twenty years. And what a grand work he accomplished!
To have had the [?share?] which he had in giving the Old Testament Scriptures to the
world, and in the establishment of it sanctuary services, would have been enough
to crown with undying glory an angelic life. He doubtless [?builden?] better than he knew
and to day [?asuites?] all the glory to Him who guided and blessed him. [Illegible]
point for us to notice is that it was done by honestly endeavoring to find out and then have
forming with conscientious faithfullness the duties that met him in the position where God's will
and providence placed him. In this respect all may imitate him and so during their [?lives?] will
not be spent in vain nor will they [?fail?] of a glorious reward. - Among many
examples that might be referred to of those who have followed in the footsteps of Ezra I
will mention only one, that widely known and wonderfully successful evangelist
Moody. Without the profound scholarship of Ezra he is still wonderfully like
him in those [?characteristics?] to which the text refers. Before he became known
to the world he had long been a very careful and an exceedingly diligent
student of the word of God. He had followed its precepts by faithful personal
effort for the good of others, and especially for the poor, the neglected and the [?depressed?]
in a vast number of the streets, and lanes, and bye ways of that great city where
he lived. And since God has called him to a wider [?span?] of public labor we all
[--know--] know that the grand characteristic of his preaching is that it comes mainly from his
Bible. He makes it his business to teach in Israel the statues and judgements of Jehovah
as revealed in his written word.
Let us ourselves imitate and teach those whom we train for the ministry here
to imitate such worthy examples carrying deep in our hearts the unchanging conviction
that no higher commendation can be written of a ministers life, and no nobler
epitaph can be placed above his grave than these words recorded in the book
of the prophet Ezra "He prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and
to do it, and to teach in Israel statues, and judgements"
Preached at Canton Sept [?4?]th 1881
-HV Noyes
(3)
从原始岩石中喷涌而出，从最原始的地方滚落到我们身边
来源珍贵的矿藏[无法辨认]：以及它曾经浇灌过的古老河流
天堂，让他们的床流淌着闪闪发光的宝藏”。
离开这样一个知识宝库的福音传道人
上帝从其他来源汲取灵感的著作就像那些愚蠢的犹太人
古人离弃活水的泉源，为自己凿出池子
[无法辨认] 不能盛水的水箱”
二
但以斯拉不仅查考了律法，还遵守了
一个遥远的流放者，他长期认真地学习和冥想
在摩西、以赛亚、耶利米和以西结的著作中发现
他们以前所拥有的细节的准确性描述了他的人民在他的
自己的一生即将过去，他一定会以绝对的力量来证明这些书是受上头启发而写成的。因此，在这种确定的信念中
那时他试图满足自己灵魂的需要。他将它们用于自己的护理
并努力遵行主的一切诫命和典章
无可指责。因此，榜样与言传身教相结合，使他具有广泛的影响力
他显然拥有。在这方面，他是一种善的例证
囚禁的影响。知道如何从恶中带出善的上帝似乎有
使这种囚禁成为更广泛传播真理知识的手段，并且
这尤其是通过在遥远的异教国家树立其权力的活生生的例子。
当巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒在傲慢的骄傲和燃烧的怒火中
Shadrach Meshach 和 Abednego 将被投入火炉中，加热七次
因为他们不肯下拜敬拜他所立的金像，
然后看到他们从那烈火中冒出来“没有一根头发
被烧焦了，他们的外套既没有改变，也没有他们身上散发出火的气味”他
作出了这一非凡的宣言和法令。 “沙得拉米煞的神是应当称颂的
和阿贝德尼戈，他差遣他的使者，拯救了他的仆人
他，改变了国王的话，交出他们的身体，以便他们可以
除了他们自己的上帝之外，不侍奉也不崇拜任何神。因此我做了一个
颁布法令，任何说任何不妥的民族和语言的人
Shadrach Meshach 和 Abednego 的神，将被切成碎片，
房子变成了粪堆；因为没有其他神能在之后拯救
这种。”
当中央大流士见到他的首相但以理时，在
尽管王国最高官员的武装反对，在防御
国王中有 3 次每天向耶和华祷告，尽管他知道
惩罚是死刑，后来他在深夜看到他变成了一个
饥饿的狮子的巢穴，早上出来，惊讶地安然无恙
他满怀敬意地写道：“我下令在我王国的每一个领地
人在但以理的神面前战兢惧怕，因为他是永生的神，
永远坚定，他的王国不会被毁灭，他的
统治到最后”
我们知道末底改和以斯帖在
亚哈随鲁斯的宫廷，哈曼在说“有一定的
散在国外的人，散布在全国各省的人民中
这个王国；他们的法律因人而异；也不让他们
国王的法律；因此，让他们受苦不利于国王。”
那些在犹太人中忠心的人就是这样，
他们的行为证明了真理，并在他们被囚禁在巴比伦和
[难以辨认] 广受压迫，穿越一百二十七省
Thesia 和 Persia 成为活生生的使徒，为所有人所熟知和阅读。杰出
在波斯人亚达薛西宫廷中活着的使徒中，有抄写员以斯拉。没有别的
那么他的崇高地位的证据比对异教国王的出色委托更需要
写下亚达薛西给以斯拉的东西。我什至我阿尔塔薛西斯国王确实做了一个
对河外所有的财宝下令，无论以斯拉
司祭，天上的上帝律法的文士将要求你，尽快完成
凡是天上的神所吩咐的，都要努力去做
天上神的殿；为什么要对国王的领域发怒
和他的儿子们。然后以斯拉在你的上帝拜访之后，那是你的手，
nt 法官和法官可以审判所有在河外的人，所有
诸如在你上帝的律法中所知道的；并教导那些不知道他们的人”
以斯拉是一个不需要感到羞耻的女人吗？通过这种透彻的认识
律法和他无可指责的品格，他准备上耶路撒冷
取代他的位置以色列一位杰出的领导人，在那个职位上这样做
上帝在祂的旨意中分配给他的重要工作。有“设置他的
心要查考并遵守耶和华的律法”，他准备在
以色列的法规和判决——我们不必停下来赞扬这个例子
以斯拉在遵守他教给别人的律法上，因为每个人都知道传道人
不以上帝话语的教导结束自己生命的人，会因他的恶行而造成更大的伤害——
导管然后好由他的讲道。榜样和教训必须在他身上并存
在以色列做一名成功的老师
三
以斯拉教导的主题是雕像和
神所启示的审判。他不是自己传道，而是传道的使者
使人们知道上帝的旨意。 - 在他抵达耶路撒冷时，他发表了讲话
他自己积极地去彻底改造一些已经潜入其中的施虐者
在这段时间之后，人们公然侵犯妇女和上帝
在接下来的十二年里，圣经对他保持沉默。然而他却默默无闻
完成一项最费力和最有用的工作，并直接按照他的目的
“教导几条法令和判决”。他孜孜不倦地收集所有
可能的来源 神圣书籍的手稿副本 仔细检查和整理
将赝品与真品区分开来，对真品进行忠实的手稿；
(4)
在灵感的指导下做出这样的补充和解释，
必要时进行修订，从而确立了神圣灵感书籍的固定经典
为一般用途，为圣所服务，而不仅仅是为了他自己的
一代，但对于所有随后的时代。这是第一次伟大的圣经修订。至
协助他辛勤的工作，他聚集在他周围一百二十
至少三个[难以辨认]哈该和玛拉基的助手是雷鸣般的
启发先知。这家公司被称为大犹太教堂
[难以辨认]，在以斯拉的一生中，旧约是固定在它上面的
没有形式，除了玛拉基的声望和一些编年史的诗句；
在遥远的大犹太教堂的最后一个成员之前
完整完成，直到今天。 -
以斯拉有机会出版的时候终于到了
尊重上帝的道，让犹太人知道，
为那些可能有一段时间的长期耐心辛劳收获了光荣的收获
在他看来，似乎没有多少可见的果实。神预备了人的心
人们欢迎他仆人的工作。这是第一天
民年的第一个月——新年的早晨。这是盛宴
住棚和为已成废墟的城墙欢欣鼓舞的时刻
140 多年来，在尼希米的指导下刚刚重建。
今天早上，以斯拉收到了一个请求，要求把它提出的那本书拿出来。
毫无疑问，他已经完成并宣读给人们听。男士
紧随其后的是很可能是最宏大的一系列圣经阅读，
在这个世界的历史上从未发生过。它从祈祷开始。这是记录
它（尼 8 日）“所有的人都聚集在一起，像一个人一样来到街上，
在水闸前；他们将律法书告诉文士以斯拉
耶和华吩咐以色列人的摩西。以斯拉打开了
在所有人的视线中预订；当他打开它时，所有的人都站了起来。
以斯拉在众人面前展开这本书；当他打开它
所有的人都站了起来。以斯拉祝福耶和华伟大的神。和所有
百姓回答阿门阿门，低头敬拜
主面伏于地。他从早上读到
正午，众人的耳朵都在听律法书。
大量的祭司和利未人被任命协助阅读和
解释每一个他们“带着人民了解法律；和人民
站在他们的位置上。于是他们清楚地阅读了上帝的律法书，并且
讲道，使他们明白所读的内容。而所有的
人们听到律法的话就哭了。但以斯拉深信这一代——
他们悔改的感觉鼓励他们要快乐，而不是“走你的路吃
肥，喝甜，分给谁
什么都没有准备好，这一天对我们的主来说是圣洁的；你们也不要后悔；
因为主的喜乐是你的力量”。人们再次聚集在一起
第二天，这些伟大的圣经群众大会似乎还在继续
直到每月的二十四日。结果如何？在二十
第四天庄严禁食，他们一天的四分之一
他们读了耶和华他们神的律法书，又读了第四部分
授予并敬拜主他们的神，
that has gushed out of primitive rocks and rolled down to us from its most original
sources the precious deposits [Illegible]: and its old rivers that have watered
Paradise, have their beds [?streamed?] with the glistening treasure".
The minister of the gospel who turns away from such a treasury of knowledge, who leaves
Gods witten work to draw his inspiration from other sources is like those foolish Jews
of old who forsook the fountain of living waters and hewed out for themselves cisterns
[Illegible] cisterns that could hold not water"
II
But Ezra not only searched the law [u] he [/u] [u] also [/u] [u] kept [/u] [u] it [/u]
An exile in so far off [?trained?] as he long and earnestly studied and meditated
upon the writings of Moses and Isaiah and Jeremiah and Ezekiel and found with what
accuracy of detail they had [?aforetime?] described the experiences through which his people in his
own lifetime were passing it must have come to him with all the force of absolute demon-
stration that these books were written by inspiration from above. In this sure belief therefore
he sought then to satisfy the needs of his own soul. He applied them to his own [?care?]
and [?endeavored?] to walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord
blameless. Example was thus joined with precept to give him the wide influence which
he evidently possessed. He is in this respect an illustration of one good
effect of the captivity. God who knows how to bring good out of evil seems to have
made this captivity a means of spreading more widely a knowledge of the truth, and
this especially by placing living examples of its power in far off heathen nations.
When Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon in haughty pride and burning rage caused
Shadrach Meshach and Abednego to be cast into a fiery furnace, seven times heated
because they would not bow down and worship the golden image which he had set up,
and then saw them come forth from those fierce flames "Without an hair of their head
singed, neither their coats changed, nor their smell of fire passed upon them" he
made this remarkable declaration and decree. "Blessed be the God of Shadrach Meshach
and Abednego, who hath sent his angel and delivered his servants that trusted in
him, and have changed the King's [?word?], and yielded their bodies that they might
not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. Therefore I make a
[?decree?] that any people nation and language which speak anything amiss against
the god of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces and their
houses made a dunghill; because there is no other God that can deliver after
this sort."
When Darius the Median saw his prime minister Daniel, in
spite of the [?armed?] opposition of the highest officers in the kingdom, and in [?defence?]
of the kings [?an?] [?were?] three times a day offer prayer to Jehovah although he knew that
the penalty was death and when afterwards he saw him early at night into a
den of hungry lions and in the morning come forth unhurt in astonishment
and reverence he wrote "I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom
men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, and
stedfast forever and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his
dominion shall be even unto the end"
We know the influence that Mordecai and Esther obtained in
the court of Ahasuerus and it was undoubtedly to customs or duties con-
nected unto [?bear?] [Illegible] that Haman referred when he said "There is a certain
people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of
this Kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the
King's laws; therefore it is not for the Kings profit to suffer them."
Thus did those who were faithful among the Jews, by
their conduct bear testimony to the truth, and in their captivity in Babylon and
[Illegible] wide [?oppression?], through the one hundred and twenty seven provinces
of [?Thesia?] and Persia become living apostles known and read of all men. [?Eminent?]
among those living apostles in the court of Artaxerxes the Persian was Ezra the scribe. No other
evidence of his high station then is needed than that wonderful commission for a heathen king
to write which Artaxerxes gave to Ezra. And I even I Artaxerxes the King do make a
decree to all the treasures which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the
priest, the scribe of the law of the God of the heaven shall require of you, it be done speedily
Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for this
house of the God of heaven; for why [?should?] there be wrath against the realm of the King
and his sons. And then Ezra after the [?visitation?] of thy God, that is thine hand,
[?nt?] magistrates and judges which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all
such as known in laws of thy God; [u] and [/u] [u] teach [/u] [u] ye [/u] [u] them [/u] [u] that [/u] [u] know [/u] [u] them [/u] [u] not [/u]" Thus
was Ezra a [?woman?] that needed not to be ashamed. By this thorough knowledge
of the Law, and his irreproachable character, he was prepared to go up to Jerusalem
to take his place as an eminent leader in Israel and in that position do [?such?] the
important work which God had in his providence assigned him. Having "set his
heart to search the law of Jehovah and to keep it" he was prepared to teach in
Israel statutes and judgements - We need hardly stop to commend the example
of Ezra in [u] keeping [/u] the law which he taught to others, for everyone knows that a minister
who does not end his own life by the teachings of God's word can do more harm by his con-
duct then good by his preaching. Example and precept must go together in him who would
be a [?successful?] teacher in Israel
III
The subject matter of Ezra's teaching was the statues and
judgements which God had revealed. He preached not himself but was a [u] messenger [/u] to
make known to the people the will of God. - On his arrival at Jerusalem he addressed
himself energetically to the thorough reform of some abuser, that had crept in among the
people while were in flagrant violation of the [?women?] and of God after this time the
Scriptures are silent in regard to him for the next twelve years. He was however quietly
[?closing?] a most laborious and most useful work, and in the direct line of his purpose
to "teach in several statutes and judgements." He was diligently collecting from all
possible sources manuscript copies of the sacred books carefully examining, & collating
to separate the spurious from the genuine and make a faithful [?manuscript?] of the latter;
(4)
under the guidance of inspiration making such additions and explanations and
revisions as were necessary, and thus establishing a fixed canon of divinely inspired [?book?]
for [?general?] use, and for the service of the sanctuary, and that not alone for his own
generation but for all succeeding ages. It was the [u] first [/u] great [u] Bible [/u] [u] [?Revision?] [/u]. To
assist in his laborious work he gathered around him one hundred and twenty
assistants of whom at least three [Illegible] Haggai, and Malachi were [?thunderous?]
inspired prophets. This company was called [u] The [/u] [u] Great [/u] [--[u] Synagogue [/u]--] [u] Synagogue [/u]
It is [Illegible] that during the life of Ezra the Old Testament was fixed [?on?] it
[?werent?] form, with the exception of the prestige [?of?] Malachi and a few verses of Chronicles;
and before the last member of the Great Synagoge [?far nigh?] away it had been
completed entire as it remain to this day. -
The time came at length when Ezra had the opportunity of publish
putting honor upon the word of God, of making it known to the Jewish people, and
reaping a glorious harvest for those long years of patient toil which may have sometime
seemed to him to be without much visible fruit. God prepared the hearts of [--his--]
the people to welcome the labour of his servant. It was the first day of
the first month of the [?civil?] year- A New Year's Morning. It was the Feast
of Tabernacles and a time of rejoicing for the city wall which had been in ruins
for more than 140 years had just been rebuilt under the direction of Nehemiah.
On this morning Ezra received a request to bring forth that volume which it
was no doubt well known that he had completed and read it to the people. Men
followed what was in all probability the grandest series of Bible readings that have
ever taken place in this world's history. It began with prayer. This is the record of
it (Neh 8th) "And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that
was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to him the book of the law
of Moses which the Lord had commanded to Israel. And Ezra opened the
book in the sight of all the people; and when he opened it all the people stood up.
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; and when he opened it
all the people stood up. And Ezra blessed the Lord the great God. And all
the people answered amen Amen and they bowed their head and worshipped
the Lord with their faces to the ground. And he read therein from morning until
mid-day, and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
a large number of priests and Levites were appointed to assist in the reading and
interpretation each they "[?carried?] the people to understand the law; and the people
stood in their place. So they read in the book of the law of God distinctly, and
gave the [?sermon?], and caused them to understand the reading. And all the
people wept when they heard the words of the law. But Ezra, convinced of the gen-
uineness of their repentance exhorted them to be joyful rather "Go your way eat
the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom
nothing is prepared for this day is holy unto our Lord; neither be ye sorry;
for [u] the [/u] [u] joy [/u] [u] of [/u] [u] the [/u] [u] Lord [/u] [u] is [/u] [u] your [/u] [u] strength [/u]". The people came together again
on the second day and these great Bible mass meetings seem to have continued
until the twenty fourth day of the month. What was the result? On the twenty
fourth day a solemn fast was appointed, one fourth part of the day they
read in the book of the law of the Lord their God, and another fourth part they
conferred and worshipped the Lord their God, and then they wrote out a sure
covenant which, in behalf of all the people, was signed and sealed by their
princes, Levites, and priests, and by that covenant they bound themselves with
a curse and an oath "to walk in Gods law, which was given by Moses
the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord
their God and his judgements and his statutes." The [?stated?] Sabbath Synagogues
service is not without reason supposed to have been suggested by and followed this mem-
orable reading of the law. Little more is said in regard to Ezra after this time.
He doubtless continued his faithful labors until he died at the good old age of
one hundred and twenty years. And what a grand work he accomplished!
To have had the [?share?] which he had in giving the Old Testament Scriptures to the
world, and in the establishment of it sanctuary services, would have been enough
to crown with undying glory an angelic life. He doubtless [?builden?] better than he knew
and to day [?asuites?] all the glory to Him who guided and blessed him. [Illegible]
point for us to notice is that it was done by honestly endeavoring to find out and then have
forming with conscientious faithfullness the duties that met him in the position where God's will
and providence placed him. In this respect all may imitate him and so during their [?lives?] will
not be spent in vain nor will they [?fail?] of a glorious reward. - Among many
examples that might be referred to of those who have followed in the footsteps of Ezra I
will mention only one, that widely known and wonderfully successful evangelist
Moody. Without the profound scholarship of Ezra he is still wonderfully like
him in those [?characteristics?] to which the text refers. Before he became known
to the world he had long been a very careful and an exceedingly diligent
student of the word of God. He had followed its precepts by faithful personal
effort for the good of others, and especially for the poor, the neglected and the [?depressed?]
in a vast number of the streets, and lanes, and bye ways of that great city where
he lived. And since God has called him to a wider [?span?] of public labor we all
[--know--] know that the grand characteristic of his preaching is that it comes mainly from his
Bible. He makes it his business to teach in Israel the statues and judgements of Jehovah
as revealed in his written word.
Let us ourselves imitate and teach those whom we train for the ministry here
to imitate such worthy examples carrying deep in our hearts the unchanging conviction
that no higher commendation can be written of a ministers life, and no nobler
epitaph can be placed above his grave than these words recorded in the book
of the prophet Ezra "He prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and
to do it, and to teach in Israel statues, and judgements"
Preached at Canton Sept [?4?]th 1881
-HV Noyes
(3)
从原始岩石中喷涌而出，从最原始的地方滚落到我们身边
来源珍贵的矿藏[无法辨认]：以及它曾经浇灌过的古老河流
天堂，让他们的床流淌着闪闪发光的宝藏”。
离开这样一个知识宝库的福音传道人
上帝从其他来源汲取灵感的著作就像那些愚蠢的犹太人
古人离弃活水的泉源，为自己凿出池子
[无法辨认] 不能盛水的水箱”
二
但以斯拉不仅查考了律法，还遵守了
一个遥远的流放者，他长期认真地学习和冥想
在摩西、以赛亚、耶利米和以西结的著作中发现
他们以前所拥有的细节的准确性描述了他的人民在他的
自己的一生即将过去，他一定会以绝对的力量来证明这些书是受上头启发而写成的。因此，在这种确定的信念中
那时他试图满足自己灵魂的需要。他将它们用于自己的护理
并努力遵行主的一切诫命和典章
无可指责。因此，榜样与言传身教相结合，使他具有广泛的影响力
他显然拥有。在这方面，他是一种善的例证
囚禁的影响。知道如何从恶中带出善的上帝似乎有
使这种囚禁成为更广泛传播真理知识的手段，并且
这尤其是通过在遥远的异教国家树立其权力的活生生的例子。
当巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒在傲慢的骄傲和燃烧的怒火中
Shadrach Meshach 和 Abednego 将被投入火炉中，加热七次
因为他们不肯下拜敬拜他所立的金像，
然后看到他们从那烈火中冒出来“没有一根头发
被烧焦了，他们的外套既没有改变，也没有他们身上散发出火的气味”他
作出了这一非凡的宣言和法令。 “沙得拉米煞的神是应当称颂的
和阿贝德尼戈，他差遣他的使者，拯救了他的仆人
他，改变了国王的话，交出他们的身体，以便他们可以
除了他们自己的上帝之外，不侍奉也不崇拜任何神。因此我做了一个
颁布法令，任何说任何不妥的民族和语言的人
Shadrach Meshach 和 Abednego 的神，将被切成碎片，
房子变成了粪堆；因为没有其他神能在之后拯救
这种。”
当中央大流士见到他的首相但以理时，在
尽管王国最高官员的武装反对，在防御
国王中有 3 次每天向耶和华祷告，尽管他知道
惩罚是死刑，后来他在深夜看到他变成了一个
饥饿的狮子的巢穴，早上出来，惊讶地安然无恙
他满怀敬意地写道：“我下令在我王国的每一个领地
人在但以理的神面前战兢惧怕，因为他是永生的神，
永远坚定，他的王国不会被毁灭，他的
统治到最后”
我们知道末底改和以斯帖在
亚哈随鲁斯的宫廷，哈曼在说“有一定的
散在国外的人，散布在全国各省的人民中
这个王国；他们的法律因人而异；也不让他们
国王的法律；因此，让他们受苦不利于国王。”
那些在犹太人中忠心的人就是这样，
他们的行为证明了真理，并在他们被囚禁在巴比伦和
[难以辨认] 广受压迫，穿越一百二十七省
Thesia 和 Persia 成为活生生的使徒，为所有人所熟知和阅读。杰出
在波斯人亚达薛西宫廷中活着的使徒中，有抄写员以斯拉。没有别的
那么他的崇高地位的证据比对异教国王的出色委托更需要
写下亚达薛西给以斯拉的东西。我什至我阿尔塔薛西斯国王确实做了一个
对河外所有的财宝下令，无论以斯拉
司祭，天上的上帝律法的文士将要求你，尽快完成
凡是天上的神所吩咐的，都要努力去做
天上神的殿；为什么要对国王的领域发怒
和他的儿子们。然后以斯拉在你的上帝拜访之后，那是你的手，
nt 法官和法官可以审判所有在河外的人，所有
诸如在你上帝的律法中所知道的；并教导那些不知道他们的人”
以斯拉是一个不需要感到羞耻的女人吗？通过这种透彻的认识
律法和他无可指责的品格，他准备上耶路撒冷
取代他的位置以色列一位杰出的领导人，在那个职位上这样做
上帝在祂的旨意中分配给他的重要工作。有“设置他的
心要查考并遵守耶和华的律法”，他准备在
以色列的法规和判决——我们不必停下来赞扬这个例子
以斯拉在遵守他教给别人的律法上，因为每个人都知道传道人
不以上帝话语的教导结束自己生命的人，会因他的恶行而造成更大的伤害——
导管然后好由他的讲道。榜样和教训必须在他身上并存
在以色列做一名成功的老师
三
以斯拉教导的主题是雕像和
神所启示的审判。他不是自己传道，而是传道的使者
使人们知道上帝的旨意。 - 在他抵达耶路撒冷时，他发表了讲话
他自己积极地去彻底改造一些已经潜入其中的施虐者
在这段时间之后，人们公然侵犯妇女和上帝
在接下来的十二年里，圣经对他保持沉默。然而他却默默无闻
完成一项最费力和最有用的工作，并直接按照他的目的
“教导几条法令和判决”。他孜孜不倦地收集所有
可能的来源 神圣书籍的手稿副本 仔细检查和整理
将赝品与真品区分开来，对真品进行忠实的手稿；
(4)
在灵感的指导下做出这样的补充和解释，
必要时进行修订，从而确立了神圣灵感书籍的固定经典
为一般用途，为圣所服务，而不仅仅是为了他自己的
一代，但对于所有随后的时代。这是第一次伟大的圣经修订。至
协助他辛勤的工作，他聚集在他周围一百二十
至少三个[难以辨认]哈该和玛拉基的助手是雷鸣般的
启发先知。这家公司被称为大犹太教堂
[难以辨认]，在以斯拉的一生中，旧约是固定在它上面的
没有形式，除了玛拉基的声望和一些编年史的诗句；
在遥远的大犹太教堂的最后一个成员之前
完整完成，直到今天。 -
以斯拉有机会出版的时候终于到了
尊重上帝的道，让犹太人知道，
为那些可能有一段时间的长期耐心辛劳收获了光荣的收获
在他看来，似乎没有多少可见的果实。神预备了人的心
人们欢迎他仆人的工作。这是第一天
民年的第一个月——新年的早晨。这是盛宴
住棚和为已成废墟的城墙欢欣鼓舞的时刻
140 多年来，在尼希米的指导下刚刚重建。
今天早上，以斯拉收到了一个请求，要求把它提出的那本书拿出来。
毫无疑问，他已经完成并宣读给人们听。男士
紧随其后的是很可能是最宏大的一系列圣经阅读，
在这个世界的历史上从未发生过。它从祈祷开始。这是记录
它（尼 8 日）“所有的人都聚集在一起，像一个人一样来到街上，
在水闸前；他们将律法书告诉文士以斯拉
耶和华吩咐以色列人的摩西。以斯拉打开了
在所有人的视线中预订；当他打开它时，所有的人都站了起来。
以斯拉在众人面前展开这本书；当他打开它
所有的人都站了起来。以斯拉祝福耶和华伟大的神。和所有
百姓回答阿门阿门，低头敬拜
主面伏于地。他从早上读到
正午，众人的耳朵都在听律法书。
大量的祭司和利未人被任命协助阅读和
解释每一个他们“带着人民了解法律；和人民
站在他们的位置上。于是他们清楚地阅读了上帝的律法书，并且
讲道，使他们明白所读的内容。而所有的
人们听到律法的话就哭了。但以斯拉深信这一代——
他们悔改的感觉鼓励他们要快乐，而不是“走你的路吃
肥，喝甜，分给谁
什么都没有准备好，这一天对我们的主来说是圣洁的；你们也不要后悔；
因为主的喜乐是你的力量”。人们再次聚集在一起
第二天，这些伟大的圣经群众大会似乎还在继续
直到每月的二十四日。结果如何？在二十
第四天庄严禁食，他们一天的四分之一
他们读了耶和华他们神的律法书，又读了第四部分
授予并敬拜主他们的神，
Original Format
Sermon
Collection
Citation
Noyes, Henry Varnum, “Section of Sermon by Henry, September 4, 1881,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed April 19, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/906.