The age-herald., 1901-02-11
An Able Sermon by Rev. ]. D.
 Steele
STORY OF ELIJAH AND ELISHA
Elisha Asks Not for Wealth or Power, But for Double Portion of Eli iah's Spirit-The Effect of
 True Purpose.

Rev. Dr. I. D. Steele delivered an able sermon yesterday morning to a large con- gregation at the Cumberland Presbyte Church. His text was from II Kings, 2is, Ask what 1 shall do for thee." pr. Steele said, in substance:
 The Bible is book not from man, but from God. We see the marks of the super natural throughout the book; we see 1t in Moses smiting the rock, in his death the mountain. and in the falling of the walls of Jericho It Is very marked in the life of Elijah; the supernatural worked with and through him. We see it in his calling fire from heaven which consumed the cap tain and the soldiers who came to arrest him. It flashed in his life when he called fire from heaven that consumed the sacri- flee. It is seen his tragic and strange de- parture from the earth in a whirlwind when he and his friend were parted by chariot of fire. The supernatural shines out in the life of all the prophets and in the life of our Lord. We cannot accept the Bible without accepting the manifestations of the super natural recorded in 1t. If you take it out of the book there will be but little left.
 The text gives us remarkable question and a strange answer, What shall l do for thee? What could such a man as Elijah do for another when he did not have enough to eat himself good part of his life? He had to be fed by birds and angels, and lived year on handful of meal. But he had more than meat and drink and more than bread in his life. He had power with God. Elisha was a friend of Elijah and he knew what he was asking Some of us would
 Pn, iahn for ir- iuence, or for an office for life. Some would have asked for money to endow in- stitutions of learning or charity. Elisha was at the head of religious affairs. He knew if he had personal power with God, he then would have power over men and over affairs.
 Personal greatness and goodness are greater than all material things. Elijah lived g. strong life and conquered in all his ef- forts; so Elisha knew if he could but have a double portion of the spirit that filled Elijah, it would be of greater value to him and to the world than all else besides.
 Do Not Need Wealth to be Happy.
 Men do nst need money or great possess sions to make them happy or useful to the world. They need double portion of the sprit\ They need lives filled with exalted sentiments and pure ideals and God with them to make them forceful and effective. Elisha received his request because he was intent in his desire and persistent in his efforts. He never Jagged behind, he could not be checked. The falling of the mantle of Elijah on him was greater than having office or riches given him. Under the influence of that mantle he changed the poisonous yhaIa ha bitter water; he smote his enemies with blindness so they could not take him cap tive; with it he healed General Naaman of a terrible malady and sent him home De- lever in the supernatural. It was the super natural that fell on Elisha, and men need it to fall on them today, to elevate their thoughts and purify their lives. Ihey VIII not receive it unless they are intent as Elisha was, and take up the mantle whlch falls to them.
 .sThere were many theological students in that school as they watched these two prophets walk on their way. The students were a great deal more interested In how Elijah went up to heaven than they were in how the mantle came down with power in it. Fifty of these students hunted three days to see if they could not find out that Elijah did not go up. It would have been wise to hunt for the power that came down. Men are always more interested in how | Gods saints go up to better world than l in what comes from a better world 10 help | them live noble, Christian lives, that they | may overcome the evils ot this Worlo. | Elisha had the right view of it. He toio | them 1t was foolish to question about | Eliiahs ascension. His greatest concern was the mantle of power which enabled him to wield an influence to elevate and better Both small and great men. That was what he asked for and struggled to obtaini that
 was what he received. He asked to be bet
 ter and have more power for good than the great man who was to depart All sons and daughters should strive to be better and have more power for good and to be | more useful than even the best people with | whom they have ever associated.