The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-08-04

The camel OF idolatry first got his
head into the tent of Israel. and then
in the shortest time possible he was
all in, hump, hoof and tail. At first
there was no notion of supplanting
the worship of Jehovah. The golden
calves were only set up as substitutes
for the awe-inspiring furniture of the
temple to which for political reasons
the people were no longer to resort.
/ These represent thy God" was the
language in which they were dedicat-
ed. They broke the second command
nent in an effort TO keep the first,
making Il craven image to remind
them that they must have mo other
God but Jehovah. Thus idolatry be-
gan in the mildest form possible.
But it was a start on a down-grade.
Velocity augmented. A few decades,
and the whole kingdom landed in
total apostasy. Priests of God were
in exile, and his prophets shut in
caves. Under patronage of Jezebel,
her ancestral worship was made the
State religion. The cruel and las
civious worship of Baal and Astarte
were substituted for the pure and
elevating theism of the Old Covenant.
On the very spot where Abraham
had worshiped the invisible and HOLY
One, We're now affairs for human
sacrifice and groves for the goddess
OF love. Such disease as this needed
| heroic treatment. The case brooked
no delay. Elijah was a physician
after the Lords own heart. He was
not lacking in nerve or skill. He con-
suited with the Lord only.
The accepted idea of prophet is
too mechanical. We have been ac-
, customed to imagine one called to
this office as so possessed by the Di-
vine Spirit that his personal will and
Judgment are practically supplanted.
He is moved like an automatOn. \
verse in st. James epistle turns a
strong light upon the prophetic
office, and corrects our misapprehen-
sion. Elijah was man of like
nature as we are In and out of his
special function, he was a perfectly
normal character. Over in Tishbe of
Gilead he contemplated the disgrace
and impending ruin over his coun-
| try. His heart was stirred with pa
/ triotic feelings, as ours are by events
out of the category of perfectly nor
NAL human life. st. James says his
feelings and emotions were just such
as ours would be under similar cir
cumstances. In his distress he COM
muned with God. Is the evil remedi-
less? Can not the people be chasten-
ed? Will not drought and fami ne
bring them to repentance? He believes
so. He prays that it may not rain.
Can he aspire to be Jehovah's ambas-
sador to the Court of Ahab? If so,
he places himself unreservedly at the
disposal of the Almighty. So, of his
own will, with use of his own iudg-
ment, in normal manner he becomes
Israel's reformer. Some scholars
have been annoyed at the abrupt
ness of Elijah's appearance in the
narratives. The Jerusalem Talmud
fills in the apparent hiatus with an
imaginary conversation between
Elijah and Ahab. 1t is gratuitous.
Abruptn ess is in appearance only.
From st. James we know now a
season of prayer prepared the prophet
for his mission. The people would
recognize him as Jehovah's messen-
gel. Conscience would tell them
why the scourge was sent.
Next this portrait of the prophet
hangs that of the widow of Zarephath.
Plague of famine has fallen upon her.
She is gathering fuel to bake the last
cake. A footstep! She looks up. A
stranger; a Hebrew; prophet. Pos
sibly the prophet whose word has
brought the famine. However, she
! recognizes in the alien a FELLOWSHIP
ferer. He, too, is famine-stricken
Her benevolence rises to subdue her
: racial prejudice, and even the stron-
ger passion, her religious prejudice.
The prophet makes as great requisi-
ton as was ever made upon himself
She nonors it. So this heather wo-
man, whose faith excelled that of
any woman of Israel, received a
prophet, and with him a prophets
reward. 1t was no accident that
Elijah was sent to her. She was
worthy. Now she stands forever in
censed with the Savior's commenda-
ton and hallowed with His praise.
The Teachers Lantern.
The prophet needed no introdu c.
ton. His very name, Elijah, "Jeho-
yah is my God" is rebuke to the
current idolatry. To have given the
pedigree of Elijah, would be merely