The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-09-01
Elijah Encouraged.

Elijah, the exile and fugitive, left
his last companion behind him at
the last outpost OF his own country,
Beersheba. He gave himself oyer. to
the mystery of the desert with its
mirage for the eye and unearthly
whisper for the ear. On he sped, un-
til, at length, on the rim of the hori-
zon, rose the thunder-smitten pile
which marked afar one of the most
sacred places of earth, Mount Sinai,
towering like beauteous dome in the
azure. He had consciously reached
the goal of his solitary journey.
The awesome loneliness of the
mountain, only peopled with the
stirring memories of the past, was the
fit environment for the prophets all
night vigil. He would naturally re-
view the past. Measured by the cal
endar it was short time since God
called him out of Gilead Tito Samaria
But, measured by events and issues,
it must have seemed an age. His task
was the recovery of a backslidden
nation. To accomplish this he had
denied his countrymen the greatest
boon of nature in the Orient, rain
of heaven, and had, after prolonged
season of suffering, restored it. He
had presided at the duel between Je-
hovah and Baal on Carmel in sight
of nation and its unworthy ruler.
He had put four hundred infamous
priests to death. No prophet before
him had done greater works.
Great and pitiful must have been
the prophets striyings in his solitary
cell, the mountain Ecave. He had
lost himself and his clew to Proyi-
dence. All his calculations were at
fault. He had fully expected to lead
penitent people to JehoYah's altar,
but at that very moment he must
needs himself become a fugitive.
The bitter cup of defeat was pressed
to his lips. Chagrin and veXation
took possession of him. Yet he could
not but know he had come to the
Mountain Of the Burning Bush. On
this very spot God had once spoken
to another, who, under trying cir
cumstances, stood forth as the repre-
sentative of Israel. God,had spoken
to Moses. Elijah here might expect
to hear the same voice. The harp of
the human soul was strung for the
breath of the Divine Spirit. The pre-
pared message as ever came to the
prepared ear.
JehOvah's challenge came first. 1t
is not necessarily rebuke, as if God
had said, What are you, prophet
of Samaria, doing here in Arabian"
1t is, perhaps, only intended to awak-
en- him and lead him to give free ut
terance to the thoughts and feelings
of his own heart. The reply is thor
oughly human and natural. The
prophet protests his jealousy for Je-
hovah, He could not brook a rival
to God III the reverence and worship
of the people. In a single dash he
paints the dolorous nocturne of his
times-covenant forsaken, alt ars
thrown down, prophets lain, and
the life of the last represe ntative of
pure worship sought by a cunning
murderess.
In response to his plant, the
prophet is called to the door of his
retreat to witness parable of ma
ture. First came an irresistible hur-
ricane, which leveled granite barriers.
1t was synonym of invincible might.
Mountains were rent and rocks brok-
en- in pieces. Certainly this must be
God Yet the prophet knows by in
tuition that though the scene is
awful it is not the best revelation of
God. He records that comparatively
it is as if God was not in the. wind at
all. Next comes the earthquake
Stable old earth sways horizontally,
and at the same time rises and falls.
Certainly He who laid the founda-
tions TO the earth only could remove
them! But after consideration the
prophet concludes also that even an
earthquake is not an adequate revela-
ton, and that compared to other
forms, God is not in the earthquake
at all. Next came fire. All the
mountain was living flame, as in
the day when Moses had stood on the
very spot. The prophets night was
turned to dav. All the rocky scenery
in its height and depths, stood reveal
ed. But even the !purest element of
nature, so dispensible ito man, was
not the best revelation of God So
every element which could indicate
the Divine presence in the might OF
His power had passed before the
prophet as in panorama, only to
have the verdict passed, "God is not
here" Following these connections
of nature came period of stiffness
The contrast was so marked that it
was as if the very silence was vocaliz-
aI In r;eoY - 1o.-.-.-