Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-03-26
ELIJAH.
OR the cAronIels.

No external circumstances can dis
courage, or make US miserable, while we
are able to look up to God with flial con-
fdence; but if that confidence is lost, or
suspended, we become like the waves
of the sea, driven by the winds and
tossed" Some incidents in the life of
the prophet Elijah furnish an illustration
of this. He had said to the King Of Is
rael, There shall not be dew nor rain
these years. but according to my word"
The rain and dew were accordingly with
held; and terrible dearth ensued. Du-
ring the long famine, Ahab had searched
diligently for Elijah, whom he regarded
as the author cf that lire calamity, for
the purpose Of destroying him. But the
Prophet was no where to be found, un
til God said to him. ''go, show thyself
to Ahab:' and he Immediately obeyed:
and the King and Prophet met. 1t is
remarkable, how suddenly Ahab be-
comes the Obedient subject; and Elijah,
as it were, the absolute monarch. He
issues his command and Ahab, awed !
by the majestic bearing Of the man of
God, hastens to obey. At the command |
of Elijah, he assembled the people of
Israel and the prophets of Baal: and the
subsequent proceedings, ending in the
destruction of those prophets, and the
overthrow of IdOlatry, go 10 show how
fearlessly single man can meet numer-
Gus and powerful enemies, and encoun-
ter the greatest dangers. when armed
with strong confidence in God.
But the subsequent conduct of Elijah
shows, with equal clearnes, how weak
s the human heart when that confidence
S lost, or suspended. After his bold
and energetic vindication of the cause
IF God, we can account for his timid
light in no other way than by suppos-
ng that God had, for a season, with
lrawn that Faith which is his gift, and
eft him to his own resources. A uonaan '
hreatens his life and be fees! He {
las lost that firm reliance on the Divine {
protection which he felt when he, voIun-
arily, met the monarch who had sought |
i'm in every nation for the sole purpose d
f taking his life. He seems to have i
orgotten that God had commanded the i
avens 10 feed him; that He had wrought /
miracle to sustain him with tie widow c
that, in answer 10 his prayer, |
lie had raised her son from the dead {
)ne single subject seemed now to en- a
ross all his thoughts-his own personal c
afeiy. "Rs went for his life" He. a
rho little while before, had met the S
King of Israel. and boldly r
harged upon hin the crime of idolatry; o
Tho had stood alone in defence Of truth o
gainst four hundred and fifty false v
rophets, and had witnessed their de- S
ruction. suddenly become 3 coward s.
nd, terrified by the vain threat of Il
licked woman, plunges into the wilder
ess to save his life "He went days :;
Iurney into the wilderness, and sat .
1wn under juniper tree, and requested :
r himself that he might die: and said, it !
enough; now, 0 Lord, take away my -
e."
Perhaps he contrasted his present des- l
ate condition with former seasons OF =
ace, of quietness and assurance, when
|, trusted in God. When she dwelt by 'H
e brook Cherith; and the ravens =
ought him bread and flesh in the mora
2, and bread and flesh in the evening, -
d he drank of the brook, {" he was hap. -
I. Then, he had no fear Of starva-
N, or any thing else: he saw, in =
e regular arrival of the ravens, the
sarest evidence Of the paternal kind
IS and providential care Of his Hea- na
My Father; but now he was in despair. ap
length he slept. God had not for WI
tten him. "An angel touched him. ie'