The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-08-25
Elijah Discouraged.

turesque, and everything characters
of Hebrew history. His peership to
Moses is indicated by the fact that
with him he was permitted to view
our Savior's TRANSPORTATION. His
imminence in Jewish thought had a
singular illustration when Jesus was
( crucitied. The people thought the
sufferer on the cross called Elijah, and
said, Let us seeif elijah will not come"
To this very day in orthodox Hebrew
homes there is one occasion when a
J vacant chair is set for the prophet,
and he is the honored. though inyisi-
BILE, guest. Elijah is more frequent
( ly mentioned in the New Testament
than any other prophet. The very
abruptness with which he enters the
annals of his times seems appropriate.
The descent and parentage of other
| prophets is given with minute par
ticularity-that of Elijah is omitted.
Like the tabled Melchezedech, he is
without father or mother, beginning
or end of days. Some one says he
bursts into Hebrew history in a storm,
and makes his exit in whirlwind.
Attention is directed again to this
unique character. He is not, how
ever, in this instance, seen riding the
crest of popular reformation-its
idolized hero-but ANONYMOUSLY
stranded upon the shore, where the
receding tide has left him. The
| picture may not be pleasing and eX-
hilarating, but it may be quite profit
able, or even more so, than the other.
How to deport ones self in defeat;
| how to make defeat serviceable in the
/ evolution of character-that is the
prime lesson for the universal human
heart. And that lesson God teaches
us in His dealings with His servant
in the wilderness and in Mt. Horeb.
The dry bed of the brook Kishon at
the foot of Carmel runs red with the
blood of $50 priests of Baal. The king
sits down at command of the prophet
to sacred end sacrificial banquet
on. the top of the same mountain.
But the prophet does not feast. He
prays. He unlocks the windows of
heaven with the key of faith. At
! first token of approaching storm he
bids the king to hasten his return to
his palace lest the gushing water
courses impede the progress of his
chariot.
One of the most significant acts of
Elijah's life is related in a single
verse. He ran before Ahab to the
entrance of Jezreel.n He had rebuk-
ed the king, but now he throws the
full weight of his personal and official
character on his side by acting as his
herald. The queen, from her lattice,
saw the chariot coming, and Elijah
running before. Though she knew
what that generous and patriotic
deed signified, it failed to soften her
heart. Jezebel gave Elijah his choice
of exile or death. 1t dawned upon
the prophets mind that race can
not be reformed in a day. The scene
on Carmel had been grand, but it
was an incident merely in the refor-
nation. The trend of three genera
tions of idolatry could not be chang
ed.simply by the people vociferating,
The Lord, he is Godr' Sayonarola
had to learn the same lesson twenty
five centuries later in Florence. 1t
was human for Elijah to be shocked
by the incomplete character OF his
reformation. The cowardly thing for
him to have done, however, would
have been to haveremained and died.
He did the courageous thing when he
put himself beyond the reach of the
murderous queen.
At length, Elijah stood where Moses
had stood six centuries before, and,
like him, witnessed in the mount of
of God the majesty of Jehovah.
Nature, in her various features,
forces, and moods, is both nurse and
medicine for the mind distressed. In
the tumult of the storm Elijah regain
ed his equilibrium. But these phen-
omena were not sedatiye merely.
They were an allegory also. Wind,
earthquake and fire are after all, not
the best symbols of God. Professor
Moulton has we'll said: THE ex-
quisite rendering of the margin re-
minds us that no voice was yet heard
The servant knew, by long commun-
ion, when his Lord passed by. Hewait-
ed, and he learned that force such as
seemed triumphant in apostate Israel
was doomed to fail, for it was not of
God. And in the whisper, whose
vivid contrast typifed the seeming
impotence of right in the strife with
might, he knew that his God was
near" By this allegory Elijah was
taught that his further work was to
hi. Gradual Aftar tbot 6arD, ,,,or;