Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1904-08-11

mands impossibilities; his will is al
ways practicable. The birds of the al!
We're about his business and obedien'
to his word as truly as this prophet
So, morning n evening. the ravens
brought bread n flesh to Elijah and
the brook outside his shelter allayed
his thirst. True. 1T was not palace fare
but 1t vas royalty appreciated and re-
ceived like q king. This was a strange
providence. so strange as to be q
miracle. Yet there are children of God
who will read these words who can
they have known providence as strange
or stranger. Gods ravens are not all
dead yet" was the of a youne
Quaker missionary now in this country
who within the past five years has
been tested in Africa as sorely as
Elijah was tested by the brook Cherith,
A MAN UNDER ORDERS.
Theirs not to reason why.
Theirs not to make reply
Gods commands are to b. obeyed,
moi to be speculated upon While Elijah
brook that had babbled in front of his
cave grew less and less until finally 1t
ceased altogether. The exile struggled
on undauntedly as, day after day, he
saw the silent. trucking stream grow
smaller and smaller until at last 1t dis
appeared. He stayed on until orders
ca me for him to move. Then he prompt
~ arose and sat out for far away
Zarephath, which was perhaps a hard
err test of his obedience than sitting
still. For Zarephath was a long jour-
ney distant and in h e%-rountry of the
cruel Jezebel. This instant obedience
of Elijah is the more wonderful be-
cause he had nc knowledge of what
awaited him at the end of his journey.
Cod had n n1oy, f~~ Il~, L-.z u
divine providence Is ever waiting to
greet us, or running forth to meet us.
Up In that heather country there was
a starving widow of whom Elijah had
never heard, or who had never heard
OF Elijahv. but God knew them both and
had them both in his design. How won
derful and fnexhaustible are the re-
sources of God. What a variety OF
there are that serve his pur-
pose IN the heaven above and in the
earth beneath, in air and sea, and in
the heart of man. Heaven and earth
are crowded with Gods ministers, every
one OF whom he will call to the relief
OF his feeblest child ere he will permit
faith In him to be in vain.
IN THE FAMINE DISTRICT.
The famine which had come upor
Israel had stricken the region Of Tyre
m Sidon to the northeast. Neither
bane nor blessing can be limited to one
spot or to One Individual. Humanity
Is bound up in the one bundle OF life
n scourge had come upon the widow
of Zarephath with full power and she
was facing the end. Those who hat
oread hoarded 1t as is h cruel custom
In the famine districts Of India today
This oma Of better heart had per,
haps shared her store. She and her sor
had subsisted on scanty fare, but an
parently In vain, for now she though,
that her time to die had come; she wa.
at the limit OF her resources, powerless
That is when God enters. MANS ex,
tremity Is Gods opportunity Behint
the last crumb and the last drop Of wa,
ter stands God. We never know HI,
own powerlessness.
AS she gathered a few sticks for tn.
last fire with which to cook the las,
meal there appeared before the widow,
z a strange apparition-a big gaun,
hairy man with luminous eye, like untt
no other man h had ever seen. Hun,
ger was written on his face also. ant
OF her a morsel Of food. His comins
seemed to be the final visitation Of de.
privatton. Seemed to be. but in truth
1t was an unexpected blessing. we
cannot tell what clouds Of blessing
Gods dark clouds hold. The friend whe
asks OF our time and ms,
seem to us to require more than w
can conveniently give. but 10. we fint
him laden with richest treasures.
THE WIDOWS CRUISE.
As the poor woman protested her nov.
erty Elijah answered her with a new
note, not Of entreaty, Fear not
Strange words were these to speak Il
h dying. and stranger still the re-
quest that she should first make him 8
meal n afterward feed her son AND
herself. But the prophet supported III
words with a thus saith Jehovah
which is h only substantial basis o,
iai.n. Elijah founded r rust ant
Oade the widow found nars on thu
eternal word Of the unfaii,,.. God. Tn,
beautiful promise which he quoted &
ruiz OF ~Bt8niiicance still was this: "Th1
jar OF meal shall not waste. neithe,
shall h cruise Of oil fail until the day
that Jehovah send ratn upon IN
earth" A
Well for that woman and for the un
counted hosts since whose faith ha,
been strengthened by her example
that h went and did according to ia,
saying of Elijah. For the nreciouu
words which cling to the memory an,
repeat themselves like q refrain wer
abundantly fulfilled to that household
Even more than she sought had Ia
~" 8otttSOp AOG uSr own D00'D ll0
WA saved by this man Of GOD whom
she had admitted to her hospitality.
While this whole lesson 10 q tory Il
trust. It 10 summed up In the text Wit
tts present tense. HE careth for Won.
Elijah's God still lives. His docks q
ravens have not grown less, He m
has q cruise OF oil and q lar OF meal IA
every needy child Of His. Thereforo Is
message. Have faith In God"
a GOOD GUIDE ron A LONG louR
Every day or 70 We read Of som
man who commits suicide because Ia
struggles and burdens and problems q
existence r too much for him. Al
small wonder. For life, with ali
holds OF banning mystery Of compiexit
OF relations Of hostile conditions "a sui
ncient to daunt eve q brave Sou
when ! look out on the world, wit
my present knowledge Of the difncultie
which Il presents to men, ana thin
what II means to have TO face NJ
single-handed with all Of one mans n
biltty to. error. ] am overwhelmed.
say Q Christian man.. Indeed.
frankly confess that tf I had to Z
through life alone, dependent only Q
my own resources. I would almost b
ready to confess myself Defeated {
the outset. The world - too much "a
M. The only reason I am serene an
I~oonddent = my conviction ana Cor
sc3euene6o that my lie u Ia 0od's car
ana that may rely Absolutely on hi
u >aaGAA~AA~N 49, -~> -