The Newtown bee., 1897-08-13

life, some awful crisis, some parting of
 the heavens above, to make you feel the real presence and help of God? Though
 only once in his lifetime Christ was
 transf1gured before His disciples so that His face shone like the sun, was not the glory always there? AS we are now studying in our Sunday school the Book of Acts, are you not again and again struck with the record of the visits of Gods angels for cheer and help? They came to loose Peters prison bands, they came to Philippi that Paul and Silas might sing songs in the night, they came in the midst of the raging Mediterrane. an Sea that Paul might bid his fellow passengers be calm. Do they come to- day? It is useless to argue whether or not angels are real beings. An angel is only an embodiment of Gods will and power. Gods will and power are exer- cised in behalf of His loved ones to. day !: that is real fact, and that is reality enough for me. On the further bank of the river Jordan was not the only time in Elisha's life when he saw chariots of fire, the symbol of Gods help. With his servant he was in Dothan. The place was besieged by the enemy. His servant was fearful and afraid. Elisha prayed that the servants eyes be opened. They were opened, and To the mountain was filled with chariots and horses of fire round about Elisha. Opening the ser wants eyes did not put the chariots and horses of fire there; they were always there. Death does not create Gods mes- sengers of comfort and help and place them near us, for they are always there; but death sometimes opens our eyes.
 l am glad, in reading this record of how Gods messengers of help came to both Elijah and Elisha at the close of their lives, to note how different were the men. Elijah we might almost call & man of war, and Elisha a man of peace: Elijah we might call man of the field, and Elisha a man of the home. How different was the work of Elisha from that of Elijah! ElUah's deeds were marked by the tierceness of contest, Eli sha's deeds were marked by the quiet ness of love. Elisha's life was full of gentle helpfulness. He increased the widows cruse of oil so that it failed not. he healed the bitter waters at the foun- tain of Jericho, he caused the lost axe head to swim, he raised to life the dead boy laid upon his own bed.
 ELIJAH CRIPPLED WITH THE STRENGTH
 OF A LION
 against the enemies of God. All men cannot be Elijahs. Martin Luther was an Elijah as before the Diet of Worms, asked to recant his dangerous doctrines, he exclaimed: ''Here stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.'' Oliver Cromwell was an Elijah as, in Puritan England, with his Ironsides he contested for the right. Athanasius, in the early days of Christianity, was an Elijah, who was 50 aercely persecuted that it passed into proverb, 1.-The world against Athanasius, and Athanasius against the world" All men cannot be and yet to all good men, wheth- they live as Elijah or Elisha, at the close of their life Gods messengers of help come.
 am glad, in reading the record of ] how Gods messengers of help came to both Elijah and Elisha at the close of their lives, to note how different wasl their manner of passing into the skies. Elijah aaw not death; guardian host of flame escorted him away. Elisha died as ordinary men; we read of him that he died and they buried him. It makes very little difference in what way we gol put of life. It may be by sudden stroke, It may be by lingering disease, it may be IS thief who breaks through in the night and steals our treasure away; but, n whatever way we go, Gods messen- gers attend us. The road is the same, ]