The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-02-03


tains height of than LOO feet. 1t is
covered with trees, shrubs and flowers in greatest
variety and profusion Game abounds every
where.
Near the end of the promontory, looking out
over the sea, stands a convent, established cen.
tures ago by the Carmelite friars--for it is
Mt. Carmel, which means garden land OF
which ! speak The Carmelitc friars claim to
trace back their order through the Esscncs,
through John the Baptist, through the sons OF
the prophets. through Elisha to Elijah, one OF
the most striking personalities in all the Old
Testament history lie appears on the scene,
without trace OF his parents, OF his gencaloSy
or his brth and he eventually leaves us in a
most startling and striking manner--in chariot
of fire drawn by fiery stceds.
Iis first uterance was stern warning to n
king, who was more faithful to wicked wife
than he was to his God. One of his last ap'
pearanccs before this same king was to announce
the penalty attached to his high crimcs--his
house should fall his postcrity should be cut oil
and their bodies given to the dogs in the city
| or the fowls of the air in the country, and that
dogs should cat the carcass of his queen, Jczebel.
His OWN sin has found him out.
This heroic figure, who announced 10 the
widow of Zarcphath that her handful OF meal
should not fail and her crusc Of oil should not
give out until there should be rain in the land,
and who aitcrward restored her son TO life; this
athlete who went in the strength of one meal,
served by angel of Cod for forty days; this
prophet who again was fed by the ravens morn
ing and evening and drank Of the brook until it
dried m, man Of fleet foot and iron frame,
who lodged in the cave OF Iloreb and haunted
the slopes of Carmel. sleeping under the desert
broom or the Juniper tree, with his nnshorn
locks and his rough mantle of camcl's hair; this
striking and extraordinary character came to bear
witness to the truth. from the king on the
throne to the peasant in the humbicSt home,
that if they lived without God they would surely
perish.
WERE PUT 10 DEATH.
The idolatrous queen had sought to destroy
the prophets OF the great Jehovah: and many
of them were put to death, with the consent, il
not by the actual order OF Ahab. Ahab had
temples erected for the worship Of Baal 1t
seemed as if God forgotten. 1t seemed as il
Elijah alone was LETT faithful to his God. Three
years before, Elijah, by Divine direction warned
Ahab that no rain should fall for these years. A
great drought ensued, There was a famine in
the land. great and grievous
A search was instituted all over the country,
on the one hand, to find pasture for the kings
horses, and on the other to find Elijah, against
whom the king was storing up his wrath. He
| appeared again suddenly he had disap'
peared, and ordered the king to summon to Mt.
Carmel $50 priests of Baal, that it might be
| learned whose God was the Lord. ! need not
detail the story.
The priests OF Baal erected their altar and
placed thereon their sacrifice; and then called
| from morning until noon on their god Baal to
answer by fire. As the hours passed and there
was no response, cut to the quick by the keen
| sarcasm of Elijah, they slashed themselves with
knives and shouted to their god, who perchancc,
was asleep away on the hunt, or journey, and
so did not hear them They called upon a
god who could not hear and one who could not
help, and their cause was inevitably lost.
Elijah now comes upon the scene, repairs the
old altar of the Lord that had fallen into ruins.
runs trench around the altar, puts the wood in
order, cuts the bullock in pieces and places it on
the altar, and has four barrels Of water poured
on the sacrifice and on the wood, and thrice re-
peaed. At his request all the people came neat
| unto him. so that there could be no collision, nc
deception.
At the hour OF the evening sacrifice he prayed
| to the God whom he served 10 let it he known
that lie was the God of Israel, that Elijah was
His servant, and that Elijah had done all tines.
things at Ills word.
In response to that appeal, and in answer to
that prayer, fire fell from heaven; and it con.
Sumcd not only the sacrifice, but the wood, the
stones, the dust and the trenches full of water.
Wien the people saw it, they fell on their faces,
| and cried out; "The Lord, lie is God, the Lord
| lie is God" This was the result of the bold
challenge Elijah had thrown out in the Language
of our text: "Ilow long halt We between two
opinions? Ii the Lord be God. follow Him;
but ii Baal then follow him."
Is TRUE OR NOT TRUE.
Christianity is true, or it is not true. Ii it is
true, then we are playing with life, we are play
| ing with our responsibilities; we are playing
with our opportunities. What shall it profit a
hn o,Iin ha snitii
or, What shall man give in exchange for his
sou2 Ii that is true, l maintain that we arc
tritling with the greatest issues of life. Ii thi,
| supreme question il settled, and settled right
| all these other secondary ones Of business, OF
politics, Of government, OF industry, and u
finance will adjust themselves.
| II the life is more than meat and the body
! Is more than laiment the first business of your,
and mine is to live Christ; and oar next busi
ness is to preach Christ
| Are you making any honest, systematic and
earnest effort TO win souls Tor Christi Remcm
| ber that he who saves soul from death shall
| hide a multitude of sins. We are moving too
| slow. Win one for Christ this month Next
| month, let each one of YOU win another. The
| following month, let each OF the four win yet
| another, and keep that plan up for twelve
| month, without 4 break on the part of any one
and il would mean 205d souls won for Christ
That is the way systematic service Tor Christ
| counts, That is the way it has been with the
| Christian Endeayor movement hyenty-one wears
ago, The first society was organized by DIR. Fran.
| els r. Clark, in his church IN Portland Me. A
year later there were nearly 500 members. That
| means twenty years ago, Ten years ago, the
movement had l,40O0OO followers. Today the
number is rapidly pushing on TO 4,OOO,OO0. BE.
hold, what God hath wrought! II is yours 10
sow the seed God will take care OF the har'