all parts of the country--men of
Jericho, and Gibeon, and Mizpah, side by side with inhabitants of
Jerusalem? people of both sexes, men and women? The goldsmith did not
say, 'I don't understand building, therefore I cannot help.' The
apothecary did not object that it was not his trade, so he must leave it
to the bricklayers and masons. Old Shemaiah did not say, 'Surely an old
white-headed man like myself cannot be expected to do anything.' The men
of Jericho did not complain that they were fourteen miles from their
home, and that therefore it would be inconvenient for them to help. The
daughters of Shallum did not say, 'We are women, and therefore there is
nothing for us to do.'

But all came forward, heartily, willingly, cheerfully, to do the work of
their Lord.

There is only one exception, only one blot on the page, only one dark
spot on the register. The nobles of Tekoa, for 2000 years their names
have stood, enrolled as the shirkers in God's grand work.

Who then are to work for God? Every one of us, whoever we are, whatever
is our occupation, whatever our place of residence, whatever our age,
whatever our sex, the motto in God's great workshop remains the
same--'_To every one his work_,' his own particular work, to be done
by him, and by no one else.

_Where then shall we work_? Imitate Nehemiah's builders; those living
in the city built each the piece of wall before his own door, those living
outside built the part of the wall facing their own village, whilst the
priests built the piece nearest to the temple. Let us then, as God's
workers, begin at home, working from a centre outwards; our own heart
first, surely there is plenty of work to do there; then our own family,
our own household, our own street, our own congregation, our own city,
our own country, letting the circle ever widen and widen, till it
reacheth to the furthest corner of God's great workshop, to the
uttermost parts of the earth.

_How then shall we work_? Like Baruch, the son of Zabbai, hot with
zeal, on fire with earnestness and energy. Baruch did not saunter round
the walls to watch how the other builders were getting on; he stuck to his
post. Baruch did not work well one day and lie in bed the next, he
persevered steadily and patiently. Baruch did not work as if he were
trying to make the job last as long as possible, idly pretending to
work, but dreaming all the time, but he worked on bravely, earnestly,
unceasingly, till the work was