in the
banqueting hall, and the king noticed that his countenance was sad.
We might not have called the face sad; but much prayer and fasting

CHANGE THE VERY COUNTENANCE

of a man. I know some godly men and women, and they seem to have the
stamp of heaven on them. The king noticed a strange look about this
cupbearer, and he began to question him. Then the thought came to
Nehemiah that he would tell the king what caused his sorrow,--how
his own nation was degraded, and how his heart was going out for his
own country. After he had told the king, the king said:

"What is your request?"

Now, some men tell us they don't have time to pray, but I tell you
if any man has God's work lying deep in his heart he _will_ have
time to pray. Nehemiah

SHOT UP A PRAYER

to heaven right there in the king's dining hall that the Lord would
help him to make his request in the right way. He first looked
beyond Artaxerxes to the King of Kings. You need not make a long
prayer. A man who prays much in private will make short prayers in
public. The Lord told Nehemiah what to ask for, that he might be
sent to his own country, that some men might go with him, and that
the king would give him letters to the governors through whose
provinces he would pass so that he might have a profitable journey
and be able to rebuild the walls of his city. God had been preparing
the king, for the king at once granted the request, and before long
this young prince was on his way to Jerusalem.

When he reached the city he didn't have a lot of men go before him
blowing trumpets and saying that the cupbearer of the great Persian
king,

THE CONVERTED CUPBEARER,

had arrived from the Persian court, and was going to build the walls
of Jerusalem. There are some men who are always telling what they
are going to do. Man, let the work speak for itself. You needn't
blow any horns; go and do the work, and it will advertise itself.
Nehemiah didn't have any newspapers writing about him, or any
placards. However, there was no small stir. No doubt every one in
town was talking about it, saying that a very important personage
had arrived from the Persian court; but he was there three days and
three nights without telling anyone why he had come.

One night he went out to survey the city. He couldn't ride around;
even now you cannot ride a beast around the walls of Jerusalem. He
tried to ride around, but he couldn't, so he walked. It was a
difficult task which