The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-16
July II, 1851 Kings XVIII, 5000.

The descent Of Israel into idolatry was startling
in its rapidity. At first, there notion of
supplanting the worship of Jehovah The calves
were set substitutes for the awe-inspiring fur
nture of the temple, to which, for political rea-
sons. the people were no longer to resort. These
represent thy Cod" the language in which
they dedicated. They broke the second COM
mandment in an effort to keep the first making
craven image to remind them that they must
have other God but Jehovah. Thus idolatry
began in the mildest form possible. But it was a
start a down-grade. Velocity augmented. A
few decades, and the whole kingdom landed in
apostasy Priests of God were in exile. and His
prophets shut in caves. Under patronage of
Jezebel, her ancestral worship was made the state
religion. The cruel and lascivious worship of
Baal and Astarte were substituted for the pure
and elevating theism of the Old Covenant. On
the very spot where Abraham had worshiped the
invisible and Holy one, were now affairs for
human sacrifice and groves for the goddess OF
love. Such disease as this needed heroic treat
ment. The brooked no delay. Elijah was
physician after the Lords own heart. He was
not lacking in nerve or skill. He consulted with
the Lord only. Some deprecate the abruptness
with which he bursts into the narrative He
needed no introduction, however. His very name,
Elijah, Jehovah is my Cod" is a rebuke to the
Elijah would be merely to satisfy curiosity. 1t
could not add to his worth. He could smile at
the claims of long descent. Well does Tennyson
sing:
''Howe'er it be. 1t seems to me
'Tis only noble to be good
Kind hearts more than coronets,
And simple faith than Norman blood"
And Elijah had a kind heart spite of apparent
severity. He burst through bounds of personal
interest. stood alone in peril all for the rescue
of his w-countrymen. He was severe to the
few that he might be merciful to the many. His
tory does not afford a sublimer example of faith
than in the man who, single-handed, repaired the
desecrated altar Carmel and in presence of
an apostate King and people competed with -four
hundred and fifty priests. deliberately giving them
every advantage. Well may Mendelssohn's i'm
mortal oratorio reach it's most realistic and thrill
ing strain when it points the frenzy of the priests
and the calm assurance of the prophet!
MOSAIC FROM COMMENTARIES.
People come near: He will have them eye
witnesses 70 what God will do.-Pentecost.
Repaired the altar: Built in Israers happier
days. This Elijah Observation-Disclosures
Twelve stones: declaration in act that the
twelve tribes together constituted nation, and
that they had one god.-Bahr.
Name of the Lord BY the authority and for the
glory of Jehovah.-Kei
Trench: To intensity object lesson.-Hurlbut.
Barrels: Common jars. still used.-Whedon.
Third time: By the place is a natural cistern.
never exhausted.-Trstram.
Offering the sacrifice: The prophet could by vir-
tue of his higher function, act as priest-Kitto
Turned their hearts: We are called to preach
bitter things; but the end is conversion, not con-
Observation-Disclosures.
Fire fell: Did not burst from the altar. This
might have afforded ground for suspicion that frs
had been concealed, spite of the water.-Clarke
Fell on their faces: The people gave glory
God The priests hardened their hearts, and were
destroyed Krummacher.
THE TEACHERS CULVER.
Firstr-"He repaired the altar of the Lord that
broken down." The act was Elijah's whole
work in epitome No Scripture more graphically
shows the completeness with which divine re-
ligon is put under control of human will. The
altar, in spite of the fact that it was the Lord s.
was yet broken down. and that by human hands
A consecrated human hand was also privileged
to restore it. The is true to this day in the
Christian church.
Standardization in religion is, perhaps a
characteristic of day. The people halt be-
tween two opinions; and that, too, spite of the
cumulative evidence of the Christian centuries OF
the divinity of the doctrine of Jesus
Thrd-The indecislon is a practical one, rather
than theoretical. Speculatvely, the mass in all
probability believes In Christianity. The failure
is to evidence the subjective faith in objective
works.
Fourth-Religon being affair of infinite inn
portance the unreasona bleness and misfortune of
indecision is superative.