The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-08

The Widows oil Increased.
 The old Testament abounds in rural scenes, quaint and fascinating. Here is one. See, if you will young man blowing The place is called the meadow of the dance," because, per haps, near by the harvest-home Is cele- brated with rustic festivity on the will lage green. This soil Is ready for the plowshare, having been drenched by copious showers after a long drought. Across these broad acres eleven yoke of oxen are dragging as many blows. Our hero guides the twelfth yoke, and has his hands upon the twelfth blow. He blows in the rear. that he may ob- serve the others, for he is son of the owner and overseer of the hands. Sweat of honest toll is on his brow, and earth stains are on his person and clothing. He is the impersonation of manly in- dependence and industry. He Is not ashamed to be plowman. though his ather is a man of wealth. Yonder Is the ancestral manor and the capacious barns. The measure of mans com petence in those days was live stock. and the father of this young man could set twelve yoke of oxen in field at once. But this scion of wealth is no leech upon his fathers bounty. That is the style of man God delights to honor. How many before and since the days of Cincinnatus Providence has called from the blow handle to posi- tions of honor and trust. And God is going to call this young man, though he is all unconscious of 1t, and put upon him the holiest and most responsible distinction possible to a mortal. And 1t is no matter of caprice. The young man is worthy and qualified. He is not laying pipes or rolling logs to secure promotion. He is simply acting we'll his part in the station Providence has given him. He Is loyal to God, to his fathers interests, and to his own sense of duty. That Is the spirit which prepares for promotion. Such a mind makes life a success, whether promotion comes or not.
 Across this field, running diagonally. probably, was a footpath. sacred to public conveniences, never turned up by the blow. It is the wayside on which the seed of the parable fell. On such a path Jesus and His disciples walked one Sabbatah, when the Pha- risees rebuked Him for plucking the ears of corn. The young man has just crossed the path and Is planting the blow on the soil beyond, and. absorbed in running the new furrow straight, is unconscious of the approach of a stranger. That stranger Is of conn manding mein. He Is accustomed to stand undaunted in the presence of royalty. Armies of aliens could never alright him. Tall. stalwart, venerable. He gazes a moment on the young blow man, then smiling, as If in recognition, he loosens the sheepskin mantle from his shoulders and places 1t squarely and firmly upon those of the plowman. By that token the young man. who might have died an obscure rustic. Is lifted to the goodly company of the ever-liv- ing men of Providence. All who saw the sign knew it's significance. As oil on the head means installation in the kingly ofice. so the sheepskin mantle on the shoulder meant induction in the nobler and more responsible once of prophecy. The young man yields in- stant obedience to the call of Provi- dence. But in the excitement of the moment. when there must be perfect tumult> of emotions in his heart, he forgets not his parents. He asks a furlough long enough to bid them fare well. He cries. let me, pray thee, kiss my father and my motherr When boy can forget his mother, nothing noble can be expected of him. Again he loses not the fraternal spirit toward HIS ICiAo" piOH lneh ne uOeS not reel himself exalted above them by what has happened to him. On the spot he stays his own oxen and roasts them upon the blow he will never follow again. and with this extemporized bar becue he gives the whole company a farewell banquet.
 What made this young man A good plowman makes him also a good proph- ct. Long after the woman of Shunam spoke of him "as the holy man of God which passeth by us continually" For sixty-five years he continued to dis charge the duties of his high office.
 The plowman of this picture is Eli Eha. He who casts his mantle upon him Is Elijah. Each of these holy prophets is true to his mission. but how unlike in character and deed, The contrast between them is the contrast between Mount Sinai and the Mount of Beatitudes. Elijah Is Gods fail beat ing the idolatry of Israel into small dust. He is the prophet of drought. of fire of curse and of death. Ahab and Jezebel. the captain of ffties. and the priests of Baal go down before him. A prophet such as had not ap- peared in Israel since Samuel. More august. more terrible even than he: in- deed, the most unique and imposing character of Jewish history. His first