The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-09
Sunday School Lesson for July 10.
Elijah, the Prophet.
Kings XVl lilo
BY j. e. GILBERT, D. d., IL. D.,
Secretary American Society of Religious Education.
1 Kings XVII: LILO.

whose cause was dearer to him than life
itself.
RETIREMENT.-E Elijah obeyed the
voice of God. He made for himself an
abode in the quiet retreat set apart for
him. He went there alone, no mortal
was permitted to be with him, or to know
the place of his hiding. No one was al
lowed to bring him supplies for his bodily
needs. (Verses and 81 lie was left alb
solutely alone with nature to minister TO
him. His drink came from the brook
the clear mountain stream that supplied
him with the best beverage. The friend
ly birds with wondrous intelligence and
kindness, directed by divine care, came
twice a day with bread ana meat Cher
ith became to the good man a parlor, a
kitchen. a dining room. chamber of re-
pose; what meditation, what sweet COM
munion. what enlargement of purpose.
what clearer vision, what abiding faith
marked the days passed in that solitude
| This was the way to a better preparation
| for future service and struggle. So men
are called apart from the world for a
| time when they are to do great things for
| the world. mark, vi, 31) There was
| danger, however, in this retirement. Eli
| jah might be content to remain and for
| get his dependence on God and his future
| duty. To prevent this, the brook that
| supplied his drink, dried up Verse -
SOCIETY.-Solit is profitable for a
| time-indeed it is sometimes necessary.
| But 1t ought not to be protracted with
| out limit. There Is danger of melancholy,
| of morbid introspection and of languid
| Incidence. There are some virtues that
| appear when the soul is alone with God,
| but other virtues grow only under the
genial influences of other souls. Gene
| sis, II. 49,. Elijah was ordered to change
his abode from Cherith. a lonely spot
| in the wilderness, to Zarephath, a Phoe-
| nician town between Tyre and Sidon
| obadiah, 20). To reach this place. which
| was beyond the jurisdiction of Ahab, he
| needed to travel one hundred miles in a
northwesterly direction, and If he fol
| lowed an irregular way he may have
| nearly doubled that distance. Verses
| and %. 1t was into that same region that
| Jesus went during one of the darkest
| days of His ministry mark, vii, 2D
Elijah was informed that at Zarephath q
woman had been appointed to care fol
| him. This was the new surroundings by
which new lessons were to be learned
| In a distant seaport city of Canaan, be.
| yond the institutions of Judaism, in the
| house of a widow, he should find shelter
and protection and companionship fol
| other days until called again to the min
istry of God in his own land. If this
seemed unfavorable there was much pos
sible good in it.
| POVERTY.-The prophet went on hi:
long journey. On reaching his destina
ton, even before entering the city, HI
found his hostess. made known to hin
probably by some impression OF the
spirit of God. (Verse 10). But now &
new element entered into the trial of hi:
faith and the discipline of his character
The woman was in poverty. She was II
such humble circumstances as required
her to gather up the loose wood OUTSIDE
the gate, with which to build a fire IL
her dwelling. Wearied with the journe.
he requested a drink of water and a NOR
sci of bread. Then he learned her ex
treme destitution. She had no food a
I home, nothing but little meal In a bar
rel, and a little oil in a cruise. (Nerses 1
and 12). And that she had intended pre-
pairing for herself and son, and, as thei
store would then be exhausted, the.
would die. Poor prospect this for a min
lister! Strange Providence 1t was that or
dered this journey! Why had he com
so far to be a burden in a home wher
already want had crushed the heart. an
death grinned for its victim? And we
that was Gods appointment. He wa
J caring for His servant. and what wa