Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1904-08-18
LR.AulMG KING To KNEES

Inc ramat1 contest when was
1aged over II period Of years In Israel.
and which is the theme of this weeks
study by the Sunday schooi was not Il
duel between naughty King Ahab and
rough. hairy Elijah. II was God VS..
Baal. the true and ancient faith of
Israel In a struggle with unbridled
idolatry.
One OF Jehovah's Weapons, as was
learned last week, was IL great famine.
lons continued. At its beginning Ahab
HI been insolent ard ~unbending. and
had driven the prophet who announced
IL into exile beside the brook Cherith.
and later up into Zarephath. But three
years of famine had humb!ed him. The
awful visitation brought him to his
knees. In his extremity. as most me-
in extremity do. he sought God. The
prophet whom once he had pursued
with hate ne now sought o II in hope
of entreating his favor.
The background of this study is fam
ine-stricken Israel. For three years
drought had devastated the land. The
heavens were brass: the earth was Il
baked and crumbling powder; dus ed
dies blew through the beds of what had
once been rivers and brooks. Hunger
had laid its gaunt hand upon h peo-
ple-and there is nc agency so
hulnbling as munger. 1t does not con-
tribute to our human pride to recollect
that within Il week the most prosperous
of us may be brought to sore straits
through accidental loss of food. Surely
man, who is so easily brought low.
should not be so easily puffed up. In
Israel beasts and plants had died of
starvation. No longer did gentle focks
browse upon the hillsides. The pitiful
cry Of emaciated little children, plead
ing for food. could be heard upon every
hand. Heavy indeed were the cares of
II ruler of such "a state.
IN THE SCHOOL OF PATIENCE.
While Israel was SO distraught.
Elijah was dwelling in Zarephath In
the humble household of the grateful
widow n her son He was at peace.
watching the working out of Gods
promises. Every day of famine was an
added day of vindication for him end
his Master. 1t was a quiet. sequestered
life which Elijah lived and n which
he sorely needsd, as does every SER
want of God and his fellow men. Here
he was taught the great lesson of the
value of awaiting f''~a. Something OF
the patience stole into his
spirit. The n nrks for God
must know h ror God. His
mills all grin6 T. a thousand
years In his ST Ia day. Error
must hasten. 10. ..e dies tomorrow:
truth can wait for the eternal years
of God are hers. When Elijah emerged
from his retreat 1t was with Il new
strength and a new dignity which
amounted to kjngliness. In his time
apart ne had grown in soul. He had
God had in store for him. Surely the
discipline was worth while. in the light
Of Mount Carmel.
Doubtless the waiting-time had often
seemed long and hard for Elijah. who
was a man of II naturally impatient
temperament. 1t was after many days
that the word Of the Lord am to
Elijah" Gods word is often many
days in coming. but it always IN
He who waits Gods time always sees
Gods triumph.
A CALL FOR HERoisM.
When the word did come 1t was an
astonishing one. GO, show thy self
unto Ahab." Had God forgotten that
Elijah was hiding from Ahab? Did he
rot know that there was n price upon
the prophets head and that whoever
should kill him would be winning the
kings favor?
Nevertheless the word was plain. God
knew, what only a few men yer learn.
that the bold course is best. An ag-
gressive policy is usually the winning
one. In war and in life. besides. IN this
particular case. conditions had been re-
versed. The naughty spirit of Ahab
had been humbled. Il great. primal.
human necessity had him in It's grip.
and he saw Things In a new light. A
national disaster and a national crisis
sobered him to the degree that he was
willing to stultify himself and entreat
q favor of Elijah. The religion that
men despise and neglect in their care
free, prosperous days they seek with
humble hearts in the night of sorrow
--H -I~r~~.k., A. ssgNi- 49,. rT---s
once said: Some mel never look up
till God. throws them prone on their
backs" When a mans soul staggers.
and he il face to face with the mighty
verities. the true prophet appears to
him to be the biggest mar in the
world.
A KING ll A coR.ER.
In obedience to the command that he
should show himself unto Ahab and
promise the return of rain. Elijah sci
forth. and as he journeyed he beheld
everywhere the effect OF drought and
famine. What three years OF drought
meant to u nation Is hard for us in our
favored land to imagine. Three long
years this one hnd lasted: how long a
year Is we know when we recall what
may be crowded into 1t. When the
breadwinner Of the family is laid aside
for even n single month 1t usually
works hardship that is long in repair.
ing.
Face to face with the situation the
king and Obadiah, who was over his
household. set out TO inspect h LAM
In the hope that they might somewhere
find water for the saving Of the lives Of
the beasts. 80 they divided the land
between them. n going m way and
another. Day and night they heard
the cry. water, water. water Meth.
er was successful. though Obadiah
found that which led to an nbandon'
ment of the search. for on his way he
met Elijah.
4 PREACHER COMMANDS A KING
As soon as the two men. one clad In
the habillments of the court and the
other in q camel's hair coat with 9
lcathern girdle, met FACE to face, there
was an abject oriental prostration. II
vas not. however. the prostration Of
Elijah to the kings representative. but
the reverse. 1t was the dlgnitary who
affixed 4 title to the prophets name
s'ls It thou. my lord, Elijah?" There Il
q deal Of history wrapped up In that
phrAee. It tells of the three years whcr
EllSah had become the most colossal
figure In his nation. Every lip named
his name with fear, II not with rever.
ence. Honor and luster had been addet
to him and thus to the Master whom h(
represented. He Was no little IA mys.
steey to the people. but to them al, from
king 10 peasant. he had become I
mighty nan to - feared. Therefor(
Eoea4iah tell In The duot hefove him.
Elish Aspepted the pew GtqAtlqg