The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-09-17
SERMON BY DR.. N LANE
ELIJdH'S SOJOURN IN TIE WIZ
DERNESS HIS THEME

Lesson OF Much importance 10 ID
Learned from the Prophets Vncntior
Necessity OF Looking Upon tho Go0t
Rather Than the Bad i'm Life, and o.
Living for the Present.
1 Elijah So1ourn in the Wilderness
was the theme of an interesting dis
course by the Rev DR.. McLane at the
terday morning. In 1t he showed the
analogy existing between the prophets
experience while on his vacation, as the
speaker termed it, and the experience
Of the people of this life as they at some
time take a vacation either for pleasure
OF from necessity. 1t was a most help
full and instructive lesson for congre-
cation which for the most part had just
returned from pleasant summer outings
here and there. The text Of the pastor S
discourse was I. Kings, Is, 10, Go, re-
turn; go, return" In part he spoke as
follows:
Elijah had his vacation, which was
taken partly by compulsion, partly by
chance. Though 1t was not very pleas
ant, 1t was profitable in the outcome.
1t lifted him up above the desert and
storms Of human life, in letting him
hear the clear voice of God and showing
him the path Of his duty.
Elijah had need of his vacation. In
life a vacation must be taken sooner or
later, whether 1t be profitable or I'M
profitable. AS we return from ours pre-
pared to take up the duties of life once
more there are many things that we
may mediate on.
For three years Elijah had been bear
ing upon his heart the people of Israel
and waiting for Gods test of them.
There are periods in a. mans life when
one short space of time Is more frought
with meaning to him than all the rest
of his existence
Elijah, in his contest with prophets,
In the strain of that one day, exhausted
himself more than he ever done before.
He had, think, reached that period of
life when he realized that the shadows
of his existence were sinking westward
the period when ones memory is more
active than his imagination. 1t is best
not to dwell for long in this state; 1t
units a man for the future. Elijah
was in this state and he cried out to
the Lord to take away his life. Elijah
was | think, in that mood. 1t is best
always, I think for you and / to view
the life of our own community Is it is;
not to blind ourselves to its sin, greed
and idolitry. But when man comes to
feel that the world Is hopeless, that he
only Is on the Lords side and that sin
will be triumphant, that man has lost
his hold upon the Lord.
Force has It's place In the world; 50
has fear. But no man Is bound by
force to God, and no man by fear. Eli
jah was yet to learn that 1t was not hT
the exercise of divine power that Israel
was to be saved, but by the still voice
of the divine spirit
Elijah was not In condition to be the
prophet of the Lord at that time. There
are moods In which man is not qualified
to preach the word of God, and the Won
der is that any man Is able TO do 1t for
any length Of time. ] verify believe
that If any young man knew what it
means to be ready to preach the word
of God at 1880 o'clock every Sunday
lioi iilIl5, " CIlti at any NliiAC pi'N Ap'7N
of sorrow, whether the mood be in ac
cord with the task or not, he would
shrink appalled, from the undertaking
In some moods there is Something
quiet and soothing In the heart of ma
ture-something that reminds one of
Gods workings Every sermon that |
have preached In the last two months
has been prepared in the woods, and In
the trees alone / have been continually
reminded of Gods power and steadfast
ness of purpose. In the city man Is
lost in the midst Of vast multitude;
at best he Is but an atom In the life Of
the Worldlt will go on without him. |
But in the forest he feels his own per- |
and his mind as 1t expands. |
The leaders of men all seem to grow up |
n the country.
SO Elijah found strength In the will |
lerness and when he thought of the |
several thousand Israelltes he plucked !
Up heart to go back. It's good, as / |
rave said to face the facts as they are |
instead Of dwelling upon what they are
rot. Every time your purpose to serve
Tod will be increased. That's the way
elijah did. Then, again, God told him
o go and do his work. Work is the
lrst condition Of salvation where man
S concerned as a Christian So God
,ade him return. The young man looks
onward to retiring from business at
ONE time and living upon the profits
e has made. But If he pauses to con-
ider he will see that the business man,
8 he gets older, clings to his business
18th greater tenacity. They are wise.
hey lose portion of their very exist
nee when they do not work.
Elijah had to learn the lesson Of every
IAN, sooner or later, to find out that
ne world did not exist for him alone.
old told him that another was to be
rophet in the land. Elijah was to
ass away, to go back and do his work,
lad that the world was going on.
These are the lessons you and l have
18th us as we take UP the work of an
her year. We are to look upon the
BOD and not the bad in this life; to do
lie duty of the present year and leave
le future to God.