Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-03-05

THE IITTLE EIAIn


And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, cat
and drink; for there is sound Of abundance
ofraiu.
So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Eli
jah went up to the top of Carm IL and he cast
himself down upon the earth, and put his iacs
between his knees,
And said to his servant, Go up now, look TO-
ward the sea. And he went up, and looked
and said, There is nothing. And he said,
Go again seven times.
And it came to pass the seventh time, that he
said, Behold, there ariseth little cloud out
of the sea, like mans hand. And he said,
Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot,
and get thee down, that the rain stop thee
not.
And ii came to pass in the meanwhile, that the
heaven was black with clouds and wind, and
there was great rain. And Ahab rode, and
went to Jezreel
And the hand o. the Lord was on Elijah; and
and he grded up his lions, and ran before
Ahab TO the entrance of Jezreel. Il Kings
xviii 4l-4G.)
One would think that Elijah was the king,
and Ahab his subject. 1t is not Ahab who says
to Elijah, but Elijah TO Ahab, g Go, and he
goeth and Come, and he cometh.' SO now
the prophet tells the king to withdraw and re-
fresh himself after the tatigues of the day
and Ahab glad to be relieved reiircs to cat
and drink. But Bliahfs meat was to do the
will Of Him that sent him, and TO finish his
work. lie then went to the top of the noun
tain, and cast himself down upon the earth,
with his face between his knees, thus remain-
ing in earnest prayer. He then desired his SER
want to go to the top of the pr0montory, and
look towards the sea. The man wont, a..i re-
turned to report that ho observed nothing
Seven times the prophet bent down in
prayer, and six times the servant returned
without the report of coming rain. But the
words, that he saw on the horizon littlecoud
not larger than mans hand arising out of the
sea. On hearing this, the prophet sent the
man to tell Ahab to betake himself TO his char
lot, and hasten home, lest the rain should pre-
vent him. Tho king caught the precious mean
ing of this message. Never was the prospect
of Journey being hindercd by rain So gladly
received by mortal man. He hastened to his
chariot. 1t was fall time. The heavens were
already black with clouds; the wind arose, and
presently tho rain fell down in mighty streams
The king meanwhile was securing the great
plain of Esdraeldon, for JeZreel. But who is
that strong man, with tightly giried lOins, who
fees swiitGr than tho horses, and runs before
the chariot of his kingi Ii is Elijah. The
great prophet chose in this remarkable aud
Characteristic way to evince that, after all the
great deeds he had done, after all the stern
things he had spoken, he forgot not that Ahab
was his sovereign for the part he took was
that of q servant ,Swhose duty it is to run before
the chariot ol his master. 1t is seen by the
Egyptian monuments that the princess and no
bles of that country had attendants who ran
before their chariots. Such vehicles are not
now used in Egypt rim western Asia but in
Persia it is 10 this day regarded as piece of
necessary stateior the king and great mobiles to
have several men to ran before and behind
them, as they ride out on horseback. This
they do even when the rider puts his horse to
gallopi and, as u general rule, it is under
stood that well-trained footman ought to re-
main untirsd fully as long, if not longer, than