The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-03-30
DR.. BR0UGHT0N'S SERMON

Tho mart of Abah and his reveling wlte
Such warnings have never succeeoeu -
anv great degree to change the course
of life We see mayn hale and nearly
drop dead on the street; it makes very
little impression. The other Gay MOI
far from our Tabernacle a strong man
went into a saloon and ordered a orliih
of whisky. He had hardly sWailo"su
Il before he said II feel curious, ana
dronned into eternity. 1t looks like that
would have been a lasting wafhlnS, ou us
in less than twenty minutes the olu
saloon keeper was selling the cursed
stuff AGAIN aia
nor prevent the drought, nor will our
failure to take warning preVent Coy .
from having His way in the end Drousn'
and famine spread all over Anap hlls
dom until tue word OF t1e ~ t,,, u ~
Ahab. and | will send rain upon lie
earth This took a good deal OF nerve
on Elijah's part, for Ahab mad peeh nun
Ing him through all these three yea ia,,
But like faithful servant ne must ""eS
his masters orders.
The Challenge of Fire.
When Abab saw Elijah coming he
said. in a rather sarcastic manner: ART
thou he that troubleth Israel? ana
Elijah answered: Il have not uoupieu
Israel. but thou and thy fathers mousse
In that We have forsakcn the command
ments of the Lord aud hast followed
,, Baalam. Now" continued Ei'Jap' '"c
time has come when this question VI
your God and my God must be tcste".
I make YOU this challenge: SEND out
and bring in all your prophets more
than eight hundred in number ana let
them pile some pieces of wood l0setH''I
aud put a dressed bullock on 1t ana
me one in the same way Then we
will can on the name of our gods re-
spectively and the god that answers by
fire. let Him be God" What a wonder
full challenge this was. How 1t testea
Eliiah's faith Skeptics may deny the
supernatural but there is no question
about Elijah's belief In the God OF mir
acles | had rather take my stand any
day with old Elijah than the selt-consu-
tuted seers OF higher criticism.
The challenge was immediately accept
ed Jezebel's eight hundred prophets
seemed equally anxious for the test. 80
the arrangements were completed ifSt'
Jezebers prophets called an Baal, say
ing "Oh, Baal, hear us But there was
no voice and no answer. They then
leaped up and down at the altar ana
cried for help. but no help came. Then,
after they had carried on this prayer iol
a half day. Elijah Knocked them lie
said Call louder; maybe your God ia
asleep or gone Oil on Journey OF on
deaf' eau louder. Aaeh lheH cfleu lo"uei
ana louder ana cut themselves Will
khlVes ana iancets' But sun no IRE came,
Now it came EHjahs time. He called
the people together, Then he took twelve
stones, representing the number OF the
tribes of the sons Of Jacob. With these
+ t,la5 ne pun an aiSar ana mae s, q
barreIs of watar mon the wood and the
altar until it filled the trenches and ran
all about the altar. Such faith! lie was
anxious to preclude any hint at natural
t t",aI 10" oihtltnt rom ZOO people
r' ga , a. 49, " stte ~ Ju9'
ena WI - ~ ''''0
When everything was ready then Flt
iah prayed his pra yer: 'Uear me. o
LORD, hear me, that this people may
anew t,,a M, 5adt lhoo arr me LofG Cod ana
in WIZ 'i,G.i llsai n
GOT tbn oar Of Tabnrah ana M fro oor,e
down and consumed tho sanrifee and thp
altar, even the stones. and licked nm
the water in the trenches. Then the
prophets Of jezebel said The Lord lie
= whine NJ M Fie'o Ky lhis was fhe5e
world + not on,,i showed ~, The Cod
Of Israel but it brought the long looked
for rain to the land cursed with drought
Fuel to the Flames
p,t avon, 49,. 3;,t ~ ao,,,.,,.4 ro..o,>.,
and Abah n 1fta 'lp D.'t 49,, , 49,
,,o,oet tos4 f.a,+, rl., ~, ti1e
heIIfo,,e taort1 e.,
~, 49, l,.'4o. w
- -. - - " Pc ~ NV ei'S
~ q, iHes "a" some ehurch peo-
PIE gong nome from service This start
hem to a 4ay t,rt1 n,,a