The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-16

fire from the Lord. a supernatural fire.
fell upon the sarifice. This was proof of
the Divine presence Ueviticus, tx, 2D
return of the oldtime symbol of Divine
approval Judges, vi 2D, granted to those
who had served the Lord. Il Chronicles,
xxi, 26). SO the sacrifice of David and of
Solomon had been excepted. UI Chron-
icles, vii, II. Fire as an emblem was
known through all the old dispensation
from Moses EXODUS iii, p down to the
last of the prophets (Malachi, iii, p and
was carried over into the new testament
(Matthew, iii, % with similar significance.
Revelations, Xxx, ~. This fire on Carmel,
while the prophet prayed and the people
wondered. consumed the sacrifice. and the
wood, and the stones, and the earth, and
even licked up the water that was In the.
trenches. That is, It did not burn from
below upward, as fire would have done If
set by human hands, first the wood and
then the bullock, but from above down
ward. proving that 1t was from the Lord.
Verse 3S). The descending all-consuming
fame, in answer to the prophets prayer.
was unlike anything ever before or after
witnessed by men.
THE TESTlMONY.-what followed was
what had been desired in this whole pro-
cedure. There was no room for doubt in
any mind. The demonstration was COM
plete, and no one, however obtuse or
perverse, could resist the conclusion. The
people as by one impulse fell on their
faces in token of their reverente (Num-
bers, xiv. 81, after Oriental custom
Joshua, V. 1D whenever the presence of
God was manifested. (Ezekiel, t. 2S).
This act of spontaneous humiliation and
worship having been performed, the null
titude arose and shouted TO each other,
"The Lord, He is the God" Jehovah, the
God of Israel, rejected by Ahab, followed
by Elijah, is the true God" This testi-
mony, so concisely and earnestly given,
was a virtual conversion of those pres
ent. (Verse 39). A rejection of Baal, an
acceptance of the Almighty as the ma
tural deity The value of such an utter
ance was incalculable. Short-live' though
IL was, the conviction for the title being
moved many hearts and stayed tempor-
arily the tide of immortality that was fast
sweeping the kingdom onward to its
overthrow. There seems to have been no
counter opinion, no divided sentiment, no
opposing thought or act.
REFLECTIoNS.-This narrative exhib-
its the value of a single man when devot-
ed to God. Elijah had no confederates
All the other prophets of God had been
slain by Jezebel. Obadiah, an officer in
the government, believed in the Lord, but
feared to profess his faith or stand for
its defense. One man challenged the
prophets of the Zidcnian sun god, includ-
ing the king and all who were in author
ity. The sublime courage which prompt
ed him at the beginning was exhibited at
every stage afterward. Not for an instant
did he waver. And he became the hon
ored instrument of a marvellous display
securing public acknowledgement Is it
any wonder that the name of Elijah was
handed down to posterity (Romans, Xi, y (;
that he should be honored with Moses to
return and converse with Jesus? MAT
thew, xvii, 81. Luther at the diet of
Worms, Wesley surrounded by the Eng
lish mob, Daniel assigned to the lion $
den, stephen suffering martyrdom. were
like him in their devotion and self-sacif-
flee, but Elijah outranks them ALL the
noblest specimen of a God-fearing man
true to his convictions in the time of
personal peril Such men are needed in
every land and age.