The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-10-01
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught by Study OF the Inter
national Sunday School Lesson Appointed TO

q .
| Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures
| indicated above.l
After Elisha dismissed the detachment of
Benhadad's army, having had them restored to
| sight and refreshed by food, quite continued
| cessation of hostiitieS from Syria followed.
! But after some months war was resumed. Ben
| hadad besieged Samaria. and kept up the siege
| for seven years. At length the inhabitants
of IsracI's Capital beganto suffer terrible desti-
| tuition of food. To such extremes were the
| people brought that the head of an ass, an an
| imal unclean ceremonialiy, and forbidden as
edible by the Mosaic law-the head of an ass
was sold in the market Of Samaria for about $12.
| e: 25.) Indeed, human bodies were eaten.
| Two mothers entered into a bargain to share in
| the eating of their sons. the one agreeing to
furnish her boys corpse after that of the other
had been consumed. (6:26-29) Jehoram,
! suppoSng Elisha was the cause of his trouble,
or that he could stop it, becomes mad and de-
| terrnines to Stay him. Is: 30-33)
Seven years have passed. q: l, q The
! people have been fearfully punished. Elisha
| is authorized to foretell the end of the siege.
| He declared that within "a hours articles
| would become as plenty and as cheap as before
Benhadad hemned in the city; that a peck of
| the best flour or two pecks of barley would be
sold in the market for 60 cents. A specially
| confidential member of Jehoram's Cabinet re-
marked skepticaly and scotiingly that to
bring about such a change of quotations, God
| must rain down wheat and barley. Elisha told
him he would see such prices in the market,
! but that, in punishment for testing and unbe
! lief, he should die without being permitted to
| share in the plenty.
| Four lepers living outside the walls of the
| Capital, became desperate. They must die
where they were, and it could not be worse if
| they persisted in their proposed attempt. Hop
ing the Syrians out of mercy TO their sad physi-
,nn, tl,oxyI .laI
| to seek the camps of Benhadad and solicit food.
| They set out in the evening and approach the
| Syrian lines But they find all the soldiers
| have fled. A supernatural noise, i'll imitation
| of approaching horses and chariots had been
| heard by them and they had become utterly
| demoralized. They imagined that all the sur
! rounding Kings had taken JehOram'S side, and
| that the Syrians would be utterly routed. In
| such haste did they escape that they did not
! take with them their baggage horses asses,
| chariots, silver gold, raiment. The lepers were
infatuated by their new riches and supplies.
| They satisfied their appettes to the full Then
| they hid large sums of gold and silver and
clothing. Now they begin to think of the suf-
fering people in the besieged city They decide
to 20 at once and tell the King Jehoram
thought the facts pointed TO u military strategy
of Benhadad. He well knew similar devices
had succeeded in certain wars and had led to
the ruin of those deceived thereby. AT the
SOLICITATION Oh Il taDlHoJ JGH6Ti'n
SCENTS first to send 4 few scouts to ascertain the
facts They found every proof of a genuine
panic. From siege to freedom; from poverty
to plenty; from extortion to fair prices what
a change! Fine flour and good barley reached
the figures Elisha had prOphesied through
Divine help.
Now we are ready for the practical lessons.
Let us sit at the feet Of history and heed her
oracies.
1. Trust God in all straits. The lesson beau
tifuIiy illustrates two proverbs: "The darkest
hour is just before day." aud Mans extremity is
Gods opportunity" The Israelites had reached
the last pinch of endurable necessity. Some
thing must be done on the spot. God did not
forget the descendants of Abraham. did not even
though they had forgotten him aud desperately
snned. father Furnishes, but he does not
ruin.
2. Rejoice you are not bad off as many are
and others have been; we are not in siege;
no famine is threatened; we enjoy peace our
health is excellent; no loathsome leprosy visits
our climate.
3. Cultivate peace; avoid wars; arbitrate if
possible. Ii is sad to see neighbOring nations
in battle array. How the passions are fired
How hatred RACES How suspicious lead to
misunderstanding! How precious time is lost
FROM useful employments! How prices of all
commodities rise! How the poor suffer. The
ambition of the few brings distress on the many
While depressing, yet the lines of Hartley
Colerdge arc exhilarating:
" Far is the time, remote from human sight,
When and discord on the earth sht! cease,
Yet every prayer for universal peace
Avails the blessed time to expedite"
1t will help in the cultivation of national
peace if we as individuals adjust all differences
pleasantly
4. Have faith. Never scoff at any of Gods
PROMISES never jest at his threatenings; never
laugh at divine propositions. The man who
ridiculed Elisha's prophecy, paid dear pen
atty for his fun and scof. t7:17-20)
5. Act Do not sit still. The lepers took
wise course. (Vs. 3, A. Adopt this principle
in everything. Apply it, 6. g., religiously.
You will never be better if you delay to act
for Christ. Your only assurance lies III imme-
date adoption of the Christian life. Heb. 9:
81 Christ is your only hope. Move any other
way and there is certain death. You will die
where you are. Resolve, then, in sort of
hopeful desperation, to throw yourselves on
Christ's mercy. You will never do SO in vain.
6. Look out for sin. You cannot escape if
you do wrong. How fearfully the Israelites
suffered by the siege of their Capital. 1t was
punishment for their idolatry. God had fore
told the consequences which would be sure to
follow if the people forgot the true God. He
had even threatened, 500 years before, that if
they yielded to idolatry, they would be So Sc
verely chastised, brought to such extremes of
SUFFERING ana munger, as even TO eat their own
children. (Deu., %: SO 81; Also 9 XII, 6: 20
%; Eze., 5: 10, and Josephus BEL 6, 3, 4 and 81
z. Do not be selfish. Share your blessings.
What would you have said of the lepers, had
they neglected to inform their starving friends
in Samaria! The account shows there was a
horrid famine. The lepers had plenty. They
say, ave do not well; this day is a day of good
tidings, and we hold our peace" z. e., we neg
lect to inform our starving kinsfolk-shame on
usD snow, therefore, come, that we may go
and tell the Kings household" Shall we know
of anything to the advantage of another who
is in great straits for such knowledge, and
recklessly, selfshly. meanly keep it to our
selves? Better, a Thousand times we be in
durable lepers in body than so ioully leprOus
of mind and soul. Shall we know of the Cos
pei and not tell it to others? Shall we have
and not be beneficent? Shall we not exhibit
the same spirit as TO dispensing the Gospel,
which is at the foundation of salvation. and
which animated our Savior? Do not monop0-
lie Christianity. Tell to sinners round what
q dear Savior you have found. L would these
lines might express the wishes of each one:
" / want TO speak for Jesus,
want to tell his love
How to redeem poor sinners.
He left his home above.
want TO say love him,
He's all my sins forgiven;
I'll praise him here in eartii-ife,
FIJI sing his praise IN Heaven
The Cholera.