Work and Other Sermons Preached at Christ Church, Tunbridge Wells

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1881. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Nehemiah Iv. 6. The people had a mind to work. TN commenting upon the 126th Psalm last Sunday night, I pointed out to you how remarkable, in its suddenness and in the way it came about, was the return of the Jews from Babylon to their own land. To-day I bring you into the very heart of the work, which they at once set themselves to do, when they reached Jerusalem. But let me just link my last Sunday evening's subject with my subject this morning, by calling to your remembrance some of those joyful utterances from the book of Psalms, which show us in what spirit they returned to their country, and in what spirit they entered upon their work. And without quoting the actual language of the Psalmist, I will give you a short epitome of what fell from his lips upon this subject, adopting the words of Dean Stanley. When the day at last arrived he says which was to see their expectations fulfilled, the burst of joy was such as has no parallel in the sacred volume, it is indeed the rei'iva/, the second birth, the second Exodus of the nation. There was now a new song of which the burden was that the Eternal again reigned over the earth, and that the gigantic idolatries which surrounded them had received a deadly shock: that the waters of oppression had rolled back in which they had been struggling like drowning men; that the snare was broken in which they had been entangled like a caged bird. It was like a dream, too good to be true. The gaiety, the laughter of their poetry resounded far and wide. The surrounding nations could not but confess what great things had been done for them. It was like the sudden rush of the waters into the dry torrent beds of the south of Palestine, or of the yet extremer south, of which they may have heard in far Ethiopia. It was like the reap...