The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-10-06
The Widows Oil Increased.

The Old Testament abounds in rural
scenes, quaint and fascinating. Here
is one. See, if you will, a young man
blowing. The place is called the
meadow of the dance" because, per
haps, near by the harvest home is
celebrated with rustic festiyity on the
village 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 plOws. Our hero guides the
twelfth yoke, and his hands upon the
twelfth pillow, he is a 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
independence and industry. He is
not ashamed to be a plowman, though
his father is a man of wealth. Yonder
is the ancestral manor and the capa-
cious barns. The measure of man S
competence in those days was live
stock, and the father of this young
man could set twelve yoke of oxen in
a field at once. But this scion of
wealth is no leech upon his fathers
bounty. That is the svle of man God
delights to honor. How many before
and since the days of Cincinnatus
Providence has called from the plow-
handle to positions of honor and
trust. And God is going to call this
young man, though he is all uncon-
scious of it, and put upon him the
hottest and most responsible distinc-
ton possible to a mortal. And it is
no matter of caprice. The young
man is worthy and qualified. He is
not laying pipes or rolling logs to Sc
cure promotion. He is simply acting
well 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 diagonal
ly, probably, was footpath, sacred
to public convenience, never turned
up by the pillow. 1t is a way side on
which the seed of the parable fell. On
such path Jesus and His disciples
walked one Sabbath, when the Phar-
isees rebuked Him for plucking the
ears of corn. The young man has
just crossed the path and is planting
the pillow in the soil beyond. and, alb
sorbed in running a new furrow
straight, is unconscious of the ap-
proach of a stranger. That stranger
is of commanding mein. He is accus-
toned to stand undaunted in the
presence of royalty. Armies of aliens
could never efright him. Tall, stall
wart, venerable. He gazed a moment
on the young plowman, then smiling,
as if of recognition, he loosens the
sheepskin mantle from his shoulders
and places 1t squarelY and firmly up
on 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 eyer
living men of Providence. All who
saw the sign knew it's significance. AS
oil on the head means installation in
the kingly office, so the sheepskin
mantle on the shoulder meant Undue
ton in the mobiles and more response
BILE office of prophecy. The young
man yields instant obedience to the
call of Providence. But in the excite
ment of the moment, when there
must be perfect tumult of emotions
in his heart, he forgets not his parents.
He asks furlough long enough to
bid them farewell. He cries, Let
me, | pray thee, kiss my father and
my mothern' When a boy can forget
his mother, nothing noble can be ex-
pected of him. Again he loses not
the fraternal spirit toward his fellow
plowmen. He does not feel himself
exalted above them by what has hap
pened to him. On the spot he Stays
his own oxen and roasts them upon
the plow ne will never follow again,
and with this eXtemporized barbecue
he gives the whole company fare
well banquet.
What made this young man a good
plowman makes him also good
prophet. Long after the woman of
Shuman spoke to him las the holy
man of God, which passeth by us
continually" For sixty-five years he
continued to discharge the duties of
his high office.
The plowman of this picture is Eli
sha. 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