The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-01

M.12-22, October 2, 1e04'
 ELISHA SUCCEEDS ELIJAH.
 There is moral grandeur in the rlose of Elijah's career. which can not fail of recognition. The end is unique and fitting. The coming event casts no shadow. but ray of glory before which even the sons of tho prophsts could recognize. The prophet made stately promenade from Gilgal to Beth el. from Bethel to Jericho. from Jeri- rho to the point beyond Jordan. where he was to make connection with the chariot of fire. Perhaps Elijah enter tained some misgiving as to the legiu- macy of Elisha's successorship. IT so' it arose from the opposite temperament and, method of the l1tter. It is so halo for us to learn that God may have oth- CT wayr than the one in which We may have been called to work. But Elishe proves the might and perseverance Of his eentieness. in his thrice cepeateo asseveration. 'T will not leave Thee. The question of successorship settled. EIiiah. who to the worldly view had nothing but his mantle to bedueath. asked his companion to designate what portion of his estate he would select. Elisha again gives new evidence that he is in the Sine by the choice n" makes It Is that he may have an elo- CT sons portion of the Spirit whlcn moved Elijah. Not that he may re- semble his spiritual father In personaI anpearance. temperament, or deed, but +bat the same Spirit that operated in Elijah may work in him also, and twice as powerfully as in any other son or the prophets. The thing asked was hard" because 1t was beyond the prophets Jurisdiction. He could only say that If. in the hour and article oS his translation, now so Imminent Elisha could with eye of seer pene- trate to and behold his entrance to the spirir world. then he would be of such cbaracter as to receive the same Spirit that had illuminated Elijah himself.
 No studied phrase could have been so appropriate as Elisha's unpremedl- tated ascription to the ascending prophet The chariot with it's horse men was the most formidable part or an Oriental army, corresponding to ar tillery in modern times. The very weight of the machine, its wheels arm ed with hooked blades, the archer standing within 1t like a tower Of brass, the horses driven four or SIX abreast. Nothing could stand before such a terrible engine. So when an army lost a chariot. 1t was real ca lamity. It was irreparable, and the force was correspondingly weakened.
  he stands in the swelling of Jordan: : My fatheri my father! chariot and horseman of Israeli" It signifed that he was greater than any chariot which even heaven itself could afford. and. in addition, that he was both chariot and charioteer the nations strongest defense Elisha himself had no such exit from the world at Elijah. It was in his quiet home in Samaria that Eli inLr of h sickness whereof died. as the account quaintly says. Jor- dan only parted at the beginning of his career to let him come back to his na . tive land and toll for God and his fel- lows There was no miraculous di- vision of the river, no chariot, or whirl- wind. His death was natural and his burial according to the custom of the country.
 But in spite of this contrast. it is worthy of note that his epitaph is iden- ticaI with that of the Tishbite. When Joash, the king of Israel. came down to visit the dying prophet in the touch ing language of the narrative. he wept over his face, and cried, 70, my father, my father, thou chariot of Israel and horseman thereof" So this prophet of benignity was the strongest armament of Israel His gentleness made his nation great. For sixty-flve years this holy man of God continually passed by. mainly on his errands of mercy and healing3 and to those sacred services which he conducted on Sabbaths and new moons, and to his professors chair in the various schools of the prophets, which he had founded. His career of benediction was just as efficacious for Israel as Elijahs career of malediction. Both were woven into the plan of Providence, and were as indispensable as warp or wool. So there are yet diversities of gifts, but the same spirit. differences of administration, but the same Lord, and there are diversi- ties of operation, but it is the same God.
 However. the chronological order in which these dissimilar prophets ap- peared must be remembered. Elijah. the iron fail of Jehovah, came first and beat down a path through the foul tdolism of Israel along which Elisha. inc aImoner of Gods mercy could walk