Ministers and people, gentle and simple, men, women, and children who are 'fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God,' toil on. Toil on, and, if practicable, with increased ardour. Vast the field of operations, few the labourers, short the day. The night, when work must cease, comes quickly on. It is flinging its shadows about us even now. Oh, for more of the Spirit's power and the Saviour's zeal! The utmost that the most energetic and talented and self-denying can do for Christ falls far short of the needs of the case, not to speak of the measure of His love to us. If He is pleased to accept such services as we can render Him He is gracious in so doing, and to hear Him say, 'Well and faithfully done' will be a glorious commendation.

Some of you are not working for Christ. You have not as yet believed in Him to the saving of your souls. You are 'without Christ' and against Him. Sad and alarming is your condition. Did you realize it, how welcome the offer of mercy would be to you, and how eager you would be to embrace it! We pray that the Holy Spirit may deeply convince you of sin, and bring you to the Saviour's feet. Soon may you, too, prove that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.' With heart aflame with love to Christ may you enter into His service, and in the faithful discharge of that service, may you live and die.

IV.

Progress.

'So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.'-NEH. iv. 6.

THEMISTOCLES is a well-known name in Grecian history. It is the name of one possessing a very great but sadly tarnished reputation. He is credited with almost unequalled powers of statesmanship; and if his moral worth had corresponded with his intellectual gifts, and his administrative abilities; how proud his country might have been of him. Unfortunately for his fame, there was not this correspondence. He was grievously lacking in honesty and integrity; as inferior, in these respects, to his contemporary and rival, Aristides, as he was superior to him in foresight, daring, and genius.

The latter is known in history as 'Aristides the Just.' Of Themistocles, it is said, 'he closed a glorious career in disgrace and infamy, an exile, and a traitor.' Themistocles died in Persia, and perhaps about the time Nehemiah was born. Among other things he did for Athens was a work like that which Nehemiah accomplished for Jeru

salem. The Athenians,' we read, ' on their return to Attica after the defeat of the Persians, found their city ruined and their country desolate.' Under the direction and inspiration of Themistocles Athens was re-built and fortified with a wall. The work excited considerable jealousy and opposition; especially was Sparta envious at it; and bent, if possible, on stopping it. Themistocles was equally determined it should go on. At a critical period he so ordered it, that 'the whole population of Athens, of both sexes and every age, worked day and night at the walls.' At length, the Spartans 'found themselves compelled to acquiesce, and the works were completed without further hindrance.'

The chapter before us recounts some of the difficulties which Nehemiah had to contend with, in re-building the wall of Jerusalem, and narrates his course of procedure under the circumstances. Here and there, as in the text, a relieving feature is introduced, brightening what is otherwise a dark page. So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.'

I. Let us notice the contempt with which the undertaking was regarded by certain parties, and the imprecation this contempt called forth.

2. The progress of the work.

3. The reason assigned.

I. Let us notice the contempt with which the

undertaking was regarded by certain parties, and the imprecation this contempt called forth.

'But it came to pass that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned ?'

This Sanballat, it is evident, was far from enjoying the blessing of the man that 'sitteth not in the seat of the scornful.' Had a meeting of scoffers been convened, a meeting of those to whom the Jews were a scorn and derision, Sanballat the Horonite would have been a fit and proper person to preside over it. 'Proud and haughty scorner is his name that dealeth in proud wrath' are words that may be suitably applied to this contumelious son of Moab and Satrap of Samaria. He could hold up the Jews to ridicule finely, could Sanballat. We have a specimen of his skill in this respect in the string of questions he asked. 'What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?' Clearly Sanballat was at no loss to point out the absurdity of the undertaking; and if he had been so, his lieutenant and

ready tool, Tobiah, was equal to the task. 'Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.' This was meant to be very sarcastic. It was a sort of climax to the absurdity of the enterprise as far as words could express it.

There is a good-natured ridicule, which may be used with favourable results in certain cases. What we are dealing with in these remarks of Sanballat and Tobiah is ridicule of another stamp. The word 'contempt' does not too strongly express it. And yet, we are inclined to think, it was an affected contempt in part; for while it sought to make the Jews a laughing-stock, and their proceedings ridiculous, it is easy to see that those who gave utterance to it were not a little jealous of 'these feeble Jews,' as they were pleased to call them; and viewed with apprehension the building of their stone wall, which if a fox go up, he shall even break down.'

Volumes could be written on the subject of national and tribal antipathies. Springing from a depraved heart, these hatreds have strewn land and sea with wreck and ruin; and humanity has groaned and is groaning still under the burdens they have imposed.

Nehemiah and his co-patriots had now to face them; and the first form they took was contemp