Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-08-10
8. s. LESSON FOR AUGUST 18th.
ELIJAH's oFFERING.-1 Kings XVIII
40 :46.


The failure of the priests of Baal
to obtain an answer by fire or in any
other way from their fancied God
was complete and they were destined
to see that the God of Israel (Jeho-
vah) could hear his prophet and
could answer by fire from heaven,
and was therefore God, and the
true God.
Elijah had mocked, taunted and
insulted them and their God, while
they SO earnestly besought his power,
presence and fire in vain; but when
they failed he added no words to
their shame and confusion. He arose
and called all to witness this work |
and its result. He repaired the brok
en- altar by taking twelve stones to
represent the twelve tribes; he made
trench around it, put the wood in
order on it, cut the sacrifice in pieces
and put it on the wood, and said to
his servants, ssFill four barrels with
water thrice and pour out on the Of
fering. The water filed the trench
and foated the altar and sacrifice.
The hour of observing the sacrifice
came and the prophet poured out a
simple, fervent and effectual prayer,
Gin our estimation making about six
ty words and the fire descended from
heaven and consumed the sacrifice,
burnt up the wood and stones and
licked up the water around the altar
| as if it were oil. The astonished peO-
pie fell on their faces and said, s'The
Lord He is the God! The Lord, He
is the God p
At his suggestion the false proph-
els of the false gods were slain as
the law of Moses requested, at the
| brook Kishon. Then he turned to
Ahab, who had witnessed the whole
scene, and said: ssThere is the sound
of abundance of rain. Israel has ac-
knowledged the true God and he will
send it." Then he went to the top of
Carmel to pray for rain. He cast him
self on the ground, his face between
his knees and bade his servant to go
and look toward the sea. He report
ed he saw nothing. He sent hin. yet
seven times to look for cloud. He
returned and said he saw one as a
mans hand rise from the sea. He
said, ego and tell Ahab to prepare
the chariot and get thee down that the
rain stop thee not" Meanwhile the
heaven became black with the tenn
pest and the rain flood poured, and
Elijah, as if celebrating his triumph,
ran before Ahab to the entrance of
Jezreei.
Such a triumph of the Lords proph-
ct ought to have put an end to the
worship of Baal in Israel, but it did
not. Men clung to their sins and
foIlies long after they saw them en-
tirely false, and ruinous Jezebel, the
queen of Ahab, who introduced the
worship of Baal into Israel, is alive,
and we shall next see the bold Elijah
fleeing from her to save his life.
But it is we'll to think that these
mighty and fearless is true faith ir
God.
1t looked perfect impossibility
for fire to come from heaven; i'm
possible that it should burn if it die
come; and that it should begin
above, burn down and devour sacri
fee, wood, water and stones.
God only could make it possible
{ He justified the phrophet's trust a
: he will do to the truly trusting.
= The prophet had been told wha
was to be, but he did not expec
either the fire or the rain to com
without the proper means were use'
q and after all else, at last, he prayed
e