The Portland daily press., 1898-10-10
ELIJAH.
DIR. Blanchard's Sermon at Congress
Square Church.

was taken from 1 Kings XVIII-15: GAS
the Lord of hosts liveth before whom 1
stand"
When the great composer Felix Mendels-
sohn read of Elijah in the first book of
Kings, he had passionate desire to tell
the story unsteady in the noblest way.
His desire was gratified. His dramatic
instinct enabled him to see the.possibili-
ties of the story. His genius enabled him
to tell the story in noble music. The
oratorio of Elijah ia one OF the greatest
musical compositions. 1t has been given
recently in Worcester. 1t was sung in
Bangor last week. 1t will be heard in
Portland on Wednesday evening. The
occasion, therefore, is fitting one for
the consideration of the great prophet.
The sermon would be an expository one
of the Old Testament story of Elijah. The
theme, then, would be Elijah-his legend,
his life. his legacy. When we use the
word legend we mean to say that a large
part of the account is not historically
true. This must be said of the story of
Elijah. We are to see, however, how i'm
portant is the legend. 1t is only concern
ing great men. generally, that legends are
composed. Moreover we must see that
men in ancient days could easily believe
what men in modern days cannot possibly
accept. In the past, men seemed to seek
God chiefly in the extraordinary. To them
God was in disorder. The modern man
sees God in order.
The legend tells us that Elijah con-
frontsd Ahab, the king, and told him
that no rain would fall till he. the pro-
phet, should command it to come. What
should we think of man who should
use such words today? We should think
it wise to hand him over to the physi-
clans. The legend tells of the prophet
fed by ravens, of the widows meal al
ways renewed in time, of the waters of
Jordan parting because Elijah smote
them with his mantle, of his passing to
heaven in chariot of fire drawn by
horses of fire. All this is beautiful. The
underlying conception of Gods help to
His prophet is impressive but we cannot
receive the details as facts. The pulpit
should speak for the truth. DIR. Talmadge
and Mr. Moody call those infdels who do
not accept all the Scriptures as literally
true. But they will make thoughtful
men turn away from such declarations.
In the new knowledge of the new day,
the great scholars of the church are show
ing that much of the Scriptures is le-
gendary
The life of Elijah was one steadfast
and brave declaration of the great truths
that God loves righteousness more than
ritual; that power is not to be worshipped
unless it is righteous.
Ahab had introduced the worship of Baal.
He was god of power, but not of right
eousness. Elijah wished to destroy that
worship. The story of Mount Carmel is
the story of this attempt. The stories of
the man killed SO that the King might
have his vineyard, and of the vision on
Mount Horeb, both show how Elijah was
the prophet of righteousness. He did
not fear, therefore, to denounce king
and queen and priests. He passed from
place to place; he sought to arouse the
people; he tried to overawe the king.
And all the while the secret of his cour-
age and persistence was this: He be-
lieyed that he stood always in the pres
encs of God.
His lie gacy is the example of one who
believeth all was right when much
seemed most wrong, because he believed
God was ruling righteously. He is the
inspirer of the doubling heart. He is the
helper of those who cannot understand
by what perplexas their minds and
breaks their hearts, he is the one who
cries: close not faith in God" We need
that legacy of Elijah. In England. last
summer, the drought was SO severe that
it seemed as if God had forgotten his chill
dren. When the tidal wave submerged
men, women and children and homes and
crops, it seemed rs if God could not be
controlling events. Whom great dynast1es
or great churches live for power and
splendor, God does not seem to care for
the Morayian, the Methodist, the Quaker.
Then does Elijah come to our help. He
bids us believe God will oyerule
drought and hood and helrarcny sand
dynasty.
so in the individual life some sorrows
are SO awful that God seems to be unlov.
ing. Men are discouraged. They lose
faith in God. In those hours Elijah can
help. Like Paul, like Jesus. his secret
was that God was within him. He be-
lieved in Him, though he could not uD-
derstand Him.
AS the music shall sound on Wednesday
night let US see this great prophet-believe
in God. Let us hear his voice sounding
through the ages. Above the playing of
the orchestra, the voices of the soloists,
the singing of the chorus, let us hear his
message: "Lose not faith in God. Lose
not faith in God