The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-30
THIRD QUARTERLY REVIEW.

Gl)DDEN IEAI: Let q
upon me. III Kings ii:9.
BY Rev J. b. Gilbert, D. D., Secretary
.CoNNEcTlNG WoRDs-The writer Of I
on September 18th the historic. narrative
was broken In our studies and q lesson
taken from the book OF Amos, which most
scholars place q whole century ai i,.r
Elijah's time II any desire to know the NJ
reason for this change they must inquire
Of the International Lesson Committee,
who will be able t. answer. The inter-
ruption, was no serious mater, nowey ,s,s
az q glimpse wa.e thereby afforded or the
spirit and work of man OF God at q
much later date, showing that he had the
same general characteristics anu $1,000
sabbaths, one for review. we are per-
mitted to resume our studies at the very
point where they were suspended Septe,n-
Der 18th. The student will find 1t proilt-
again the passage assigned for that date.
thus preparing himself for tho invcstlga-
ton now to be made. Elijah disappeared,
to be sccn no more among men u a,nt ne ns
TRANSPORTATION Matt: xviii, -; ELISHA
came after him to be the honored prophet
in Israel. and we shall consider the early
events Of his ministry.
RDVERENT s WONDER-(Vers 12).-
The disappea rance Of Elijah in fiery.
chariot, ascending into heaven, was Wen
calculated to stir the heart Of his disciple.
ave natare soud avs been uanod
by such spectacle. or unimpressed, by It.
As Elisha lifted his eyes and ga gaz;;sd =, upon
the receding form he broke forth ~. a. an
superior e Kings, Kill, az. Whatever he
may have felt previously concerning n, :;
Eas h wondeP Besae Is Was
Chariot io and hcrscmen. the emblcms Of
might8an security to Israel, the promise
the chosen Of the Lord. The ascension
sig1.ihed to him that there was yet ground
for expecting a better day. But, as the
man in the chariot finally passed out OF
his lonely condition succeeded in the mind
Of Elisha, who in oriental fashion under
strong emotions ezra. ks, y, rem t ms
clothes In two PIECES !gnlfyyhn n py tnG
of SO good affriend and master. :, Ak
FALLEN 5NfANTLE-(Ve Verses II and b.
The outer garments worn by men In the
east were very beautiful and expensive e
disposed of by lot because Of Its value:
SGNiatt. xvii, $50 The loose mantle OF
Elijah at his ascension was left behlhq q
the last precious gift to his associate. Il
was eagerly caught up by the wondering
Elisha and borne away. nemento OF de-
lightful associations, insignia Of office.
emblem Of authority. a thing 70 De ven,
Grated and kept unsullted Backward 1;k,',nai
along the way to the ] ordan went Elisha;
over ground trodden SO recently in cong
pany with Elijah, sacred ground now be
at the ieft bank Of the river he beheld
its mighty waters and recalled the re-
cent crossing e Kings, H., 81. and the
miracle which afford afforded a dry4, WALK
not With longing for his absent master,
served. Shifting the floods with the man,
tie he shouted. here is the LORD !, Cog
voking Divine help known to him. QUICK
" came the presence and power. and ne
went over to the west side by the path
way prepared. 6s3 z. sE5
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
The one man whose companion had de-
parted for the heavenly world came soon
to Jericho, the last place visited before
the journey to the trans-J orda =, country
began Fifty men Verse y Of the = th tba
prophets, were waiting for him outside the
town. They had gone forth, knowing
something Of what was expected. az; ana :, ,iia a.
stood IS sentinels to announce the com =
pletion the wonderful series Of deeds:
They quickly recognized Elisha wearing
Elijahs robe, proof of the succession, and
they exclaimed that the spirit Of the oid y
they meant that, as his outward appear
ance in his masters garb indicated, 50 he
had come intoithe place OF the former t.
do his work and to rsceiye me same ms
under the Christian dispensation (Luke
xiv, ,4a, /, 1T was held that the minister l5
qualified orly BY grace, TIE sure ana
same as that of apostolic authority. There
church. Tkat came latersin lesser minis
tries for good reason. Prompted by thclr.
selves to the ground accepting Elisha
with reverence as their master
PROPOSED SEARCH Verse 1G)3@lt
is probable that Elisha gave to those
thus reverently gathered about him some
Sin the ascent Of Elijah in the chariot
In some way at least they We're made
aware OF 1t, and yet thay appearea not
IL be fully satisfied. There had been no
such event In all the yorld 8 Is =, ~
far away time before the food (Gcn.
": "a, distant twenty-five centuries. SINCE
then the most sanity and prominent men
had gone home by the way Of the narrow
house Josh. xxiv: 22) It is not sur
prisihg that the narrative by Elisha
should be received with doubt His state
ments were not questioned He evident
ly told the truth as to what he saw.
And Yet they suggested that Elijah may
have been taken up temporarily by tho
5spirit-he may have been cast on top of
one OF the mountains near by, His body
might thus be exposed to the elements
or might be devoured by wild beasts:
The reverence felt for him would not
permit those men to suffer such4a calam-
| ity to befall the/ man of God. They
there fore proposed to send of heir num-
Der party who should make dillgent
search. Z
EXPECTED FAILURE.-C Oversees l7-1S,)
Confident that he had the true Inter-
probation of the facts. Elisha resigned
the ways Of God. But after their per-
measure foolish and Improbable un-
dertakIng, withal an expression Of un-
belief and an ,inwarranted inquiry into
the ways ofu God But after their per-
sistent pleading he yielded. It was the