The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-08-13
THE sJNDAy-SCHOOL LESSON.
For August II. elijah on Mount
Carmel"

CONTEXT-The meeting between Ahab
and Elijah. by arrangement made through
Obadiah, a servant OF the former. was full
Of interest, ir that it resulted in an agree
ment to test the relative strength of Jeho-
yah and Baal. 1t was agreed that the test
should be publicly made on Mount Carmel.
a bold promontory jutting out into the
Mediterranean. d favorable spot An altar
was TO he erected. sacrifices laid thereon.
and the God who answered by tire should
be acknowledged to be tie true God. The
prophets of Baal made the first attempt.
They cried aloud and cut themselves with
knives from morning until evening, 6ut
there was no response. Inc kin ana ms
cou-ticrs waited anxiously only TO find
that the god who had been worshiped an
swercd not when the priests called upon
him, that he did not yindicate himself.
THE WITNESSES-It was after this
day of total failure had passed that
Elijah stepped forward. As the repre-
sentative of Jehovah he presented a strlk-
prophets of BaaI. His first act was to IN
wife the people to come near him. Verse
3o.J They had gathered about the altar
of Baal. He nov desired that they should
surround him and be witnesses of all that
might transpire- He did not propose any
cunning art, any trick or imposition. All
should be open to the inspection OF All.
And the people came. Ahab. the Princes,
NAAV NAA'AFE P'Cp-S
prophets were in the company. 1t may
be that some were there VINO knew
Elijah and V.cretiy believed In God ana
expected d demonstration that shouln
convince all. 1t may be that many drew
near with contempt. and others with fear,
desiring that this brave advocate of right
eousness should fail. and dreading the re-
suit of his triumph. The assembiage was
one qualified to judge, and 70 give tes-
timony to the events that might follow.
VI ALTAR-The audience having been
conrrvaI Ififgt Irnraafai IN erect an
altar. 1t was no difficult task. and with
the aid of the scrvant might be specify
completed. Twelve stones were selected
for the structure. one for each tribe. thus
recognizing. not the northern kingdom
only. but the entire nation. Although d.
vided eighty years before the people We're
still one In the prophets thought ds truly
as when at Gilgal they set up their mon
ur1ent of Geliverauce. tJosh. ". -Ob. Inc
political strifes of the centurics had not
annulled the old covenant. The Twelve
stones were not buildcd into a new altar.
They were rather used 10 repair an Old
and neglected altar. which. during the
years of idolatry had fallen TO decay.
Verse 30) The emblem OF the ancient
faith was restored. Verse 81 Proud day
it was for the prophet. With ~thankssiv-
ing for the privilege and with loyalty 10
the Almighty. he continued in his holy
service until all was finished. Had moth
ing more been done that altar might have
testified to all behoidcrs- the faith of &
good man a rebuk to the apostate nation.
AMI ~ 1'A" tf'@S -.'a
pleted. the wood was laid there in order
There was a prescribed mode, We'll unCer-
stood. for preparing fuel for sacrifice. a
mode Instituted in the patrtarchal Tin
Gen. xxi. 81. and followed with cnnserv-
atiyc exaCtness in subsequent centuries.
Afterwards Elijah cut the bullock in
pieces, following the direction Of the law
Iey., i, So. as given 30 Moses. the reg
u~lations dviuely appointed for a burnt
Offering. This sacrifice was TO be more
than Il test. II was a formal restoration
of that which the law required each even
ing. but what had been. ~ order of the
wicked King displaced. The burnt offer
ing signified the presentation of the sac
submission Of his Will to the will Of the
Lord. II typifed our Lords Offering. the
perfect sacrifice of his will TO the will OF
the Father. CPkil.. ii. s.. Elijah was bring /
ing back again tina; which the patriarchs
had Gen. iv. ~. which Abel observed, and
Noah Gen. will. 2y. and Abraham Gen.
xii. 49, preserved and transmitted, and
which ought to have been maintained
Until the lamb was offered once for all.
CROrn., vi. l0.
THE WATE2-It was the purpose of
Elijah to shOT to those about I'm that
there was no deception in anything he did. I.
They had seen him build the altar and
they, therefore. understood its ccnstrIc-
ia it's regular order. and they had seer
the bullock slain. cut I'D and laid upon
the wood. All this. done before their
eyes. was sufficient TO remove from any
mind any thought OF dUpIicity. one .
other point needed to be guarded in or
to produce the best effect. The heath
On were accustomed TO dig holes in the