e prophecy may be fulfilled, "HE THAT IS FEEBLE
AMONG YOU AT THAT DAY SHALL BE AS DAVID, AND THE HOUSE OF DAVID SHALL BE
AS GOD."

A TEACHER OF SIN.

Few men have covered themselves with infamy as did Jeroboam, of whom it
is said often he "made Israel to sin." And yet what a chance he had to
have led the people, over whom God had made him king, in the path of
righteousness? Instead of teaching evil, he might have led his people
into the ways of the Lord. Influence is a talent which brings with it
enormous responsibility. Perhaps to none is this more applicable than to
parents. Let those of us to whom God has given children, use our
influence to

TEACH THEM HOLINESS.

We teach them every day by example, if not by precept, and example is the
teacher whose lessons are followed easiest. What can be worse for a
child than to have a parent who teaches his children to sin? Perhaps at
the Day of Judgment, the most terrible sights will be where children will
reproach father or mother or both, for shewing them the way to the left
hand of God!

XLV. A SERVICE IN THE OLDEN TIME.
NEHEMIAH viii.

I.--The Congregation.

All who could understand were present (verses 2-3). None should absent
themselves from public worship and the preaching of God's word, except
infants and idiots.

II.--The Behaviour of the Hearers.

We are told (verse 3) "All the people were attentive." There are some
who go to God's house, and make such poor use of their ears, that they
will wish at the Judgment Day they had been born deaf. We read also of
the reverence of the people. They "stood up" to listen, and joined in
the prayer with a great "Amen!" What a scene we have depicted in verses
5-6.

III.--The Preachers.

There was a PULPIT, but not the tub-like thing that we see in some
places--it held more than a dozen. It would be high enough for all the
people to hear and see. But Ezra had more sense than to have it so high
that he and his helpers were separated from their hearers. Pulpits
should help, not hinder the preacher.

THE PREACHER SPOKE PLAINLY,

verse 8. They read "distinctly." We sometimes listen to a man whom we
cannot hear, and it is a pain and grief to us to see his lips move, but
because he drops his voice when he has anything extra good to say, we
lose the best. Such Preachers forget that "faith comes by hearing."

THE PREACHERS MADE THE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND,
verse 8.

This is one