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

A HUNTED PROPHET.
commeats BY William r. Eli.

The series of stories of Jewish King
which Sunday schools nave been study
Ing for five weeks past is interrupted 4
admit Il more interesting characte
h any of them, who. for six week
to come will occupy more attention
h all these kings combined. In tn
main. these royalties were a sorry lot
Elijah Is a more attractive figure thai
any of them because he was more O
q man. And after all. a man is bigge
h any office. Unheralded and un
accredited. this rough Tishbitc emerged
from obscurity with startling sudden
ness and at once assumed the center o
the stage.
He was not of those who live deli
cately and dwell in kings palaces. In
stead of the dress common at curt
he wore a sheepskin garment and bore
n stamp of a man of the wilderness
His stern features and unkernpt appear
ance marked him as unusual. Yet hs
was more unuSu in character, for hi:
rude man from the desert was the mar
for the hour in Israel.
0OWlE AND THE REAL ELIJAH.
Popular and present day interest ir
this ancient prophet is stimulated by
n fussy little man from Chicago who
claims to be Elijah Ill. come again t.
restore all things. Dowie. with his
~broadcloth and gold chain and luxur-
ious living and boastful presumption
scarcely looks h part of Elijah. The
contrast between the original and the
pretender Is so great as to be amusing
II n knows aught of the former. The
New York reporters apparently did not
They had very hazy notions as to 10Y
many E;lijahs there had been and what
numeral should be affixed to the self
title OF the Lord Of Zion City
when he led his invaders to the me-
tropolis. DIR. Dowie is a self deluded
fanatic, but he serves as n foil to bring
into strong belief some characteristics
of this old testament hero who was So
great that $4,000, 900 persons the world
o will spend part of six Sundays
In studying about him. The quickest
way to offend DIR. Dowie is to criticise
him personally. The real Elijah cared
nothing for himself or his reputation
The modern usurper of the great name
display his authority most arbitrarily
while Elijah was satisfied to make his
home In a wilderness cave or to share
the humble dwelling of an impoverish-
ed heather widow. This false prophet
from the west Is not without his uses
for he shows by contrast with himself
the greatness OF the character Of the
true Elijah.
CONCERNING A KING.
AS last weeks lesson indicated, Kine
Ahab. h ruler Of the seeding ter
tribes of Israel had become a stencil II
the nostrils of God. He went the Who'll,
way Into h grossness OF h~eathcnisn
and idOlatry. He opposed his people
and made them commit those sin,
which were most unseemly in Jews
He had taken to wife the worst woman
Of his time. the u~nspeakable Jezebel
At last. God was provoked by a wroth'
full action. There Ia a limit to God,
patience. He forbears SO long that mel
:Nften think him Indifferent to wroni
doing. But the day Of reckoning ii
inevitable. Sins harvest IL as sure a.
the sun.
So, In the midst of Ahab's prosperou,
w~ickedness dramatically sprang Elijal
with his startling prophecy-a predic
ton OF drought that should last TO
years. until God should bid the rain I,
fall. The scenes Of the intrepid prophe
fearlessly faced the amazed and con
science-smitten king appeals to tn
imagination. 1t belonged in that grea
gallery of noble events where Moses Il
seen before Pharoah. David befor,
Saul, Christ before PLATE. the apostle
Felix. Luther before the German Diet
and Knox before Mary. Queen of Scots
In this first appearance OF Elijah OF
the pages of history he proved himsel
a great man and a hero by his darinJ
to rebuke a corrupt king to his face.
BENDING BEFORE THE STORM.
The prophecy created a sensation
1t grtpped many hearts with a vagu,
and chilling fear, the kings anon,
them. The magnificent courage an,
sOlemnity OF Elijah had something O
divinity nhn1at ~ vryh}1h o~~nrOol q.
to these sodden sensualists. They wer,
too dased to make reply OF apprehen,
this daring visitor from the wilderness
But shortly the powerful machin
cry OF the palace was put into opera
ton. The emissaries Of a king-an,
there IL no king DO corrupt as not I,
have many to do his worst bidding
Elijah. But action followed too lat
upon the period Of breathless astonish
ment. Prophets were slain, Elijah.
family and friends doubtless suffered
The excitement Of the chase somewha
allayed for the moment the kings er
ror OF the predicted disaster. The bite
ana relentless fury Of an angry poten
tate II awful to contemplate. We ar
thousands OF years removed fror
Elijah's time. yet many a gentle schola
or preacher or honest employee ha
found the fury Of vested interests pro
voked by Righteousness.
Elijah had shown bravery, and nov
he was called upon to exhibit discre
ton. Jehovah had commanded him I
90 up; now he babe him come dowr
Useless courage Ii folly. The word q
the Lord babe him hide by the broo
Chertth, near the Jordan, possibly
retreat known to Elijah from his boy
hood days, Of from his latter wilder
ness life. II was q desolate place, bu
q good spot for his blood to cool an
his lashing eye to grow quick. He ha
done q hard duty well. now he shout
turn aside for meditation and to max
sure that his perspective was true. TIL
desert should play = large part In tn
most active Of lives. A DR.. James +
8noW0en has said. THAT mountai
gorge was . place OF meditation and
communion with God" In that still
neoe Elljah heard the stu. small vote
Of the Lord. He gathered energy "a
coming conflicts. II h the men-wh
bury their roots In solitude and silenc
that tower strong and staunch In I'll
storm. Beware Of the man who hide
himself frcm the crowds far away 1
comes forth hc shall stand before Ia
FGD ~ RAVENS.
AZ facing Ahab had been one tes
OF Eli5ahis faith. - In this desolal
gmall tr5al-to be sent TO . desert {
III unto AhgahAsmbswheh heaskea4-es
f6oUezoe ~ Chaj62 npt kncV
IN. vhlfoer h4zWe0s. To-go ahead 1
GsSapn n0Aonna0 sa& AA& - ~ cSJ-S