Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1904-10-14
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR OCTOBER Is.

mentary on the Days Lesson.
/. Kindness rewarded Tvs. SID. Elisha
in his work as a prophet and religious
leader of the people Travelled from place
to place. on foot, with Gehazi, his attend
ant. There seems to have been public re-
lgious services on the Sabbath and first
DAYS of the month ". 23). Elisha fire
ouently passed by the village of Shunem,
and was invited to the house of one of the
leading families for refresbment and food
The lady of the house seems to have been
much more intelligent and religious than
her husband, who was wise enough to
know it and to trust her, while she showed
due Difference to him. This woman was
chiIdless which was great sorrow in her
life. and as a reward for her kindness
Elisha promised that within year sh'
should embrace a SON"
III. Death in the home Tvs. 1924. In
due time a son was born into the house
He grew I'D to be four or five years old.
He could not have been much older If this
part of the story took place during Jeho'
rams reign. But the story may have be
gun then, but run on to a later period
One morning the boy went out into the
fields where his father was gathering IN the
harvest In this valley which Is to-day one
of the richest wheat lands on the Wioe
globe, he was taken suddenly SICK Con,
sidering the symptoms and the, season OF
the wear there is little doubt that a sun,
stroke was followed by inflammation OF
the brain. The boy was sent home to ms
mother, who held him till noon, when he
died. She took him up to the ittie cham
her by the roof and laid him on the pro-
nhet's bed. 1t was strange affection that
God should take away the child He had
given as a reward for her kindness to the
prophet, while her kindness had been con-
tinued and increasing year by year. o,
TIT. Meeting the prophet Tvs. 25-cS)
o. aShe went.s The mother Immediately
fastened across the plain to Mount Car
mel. sixteen or seventeen miles distant, IN
search of Elisha. MAN of God" That is,
Gods representative. So called, l. Be
cause of the integrity of his character. 2.
Because he instructed the people IN divine
things. Ten times in this chapter is Elisha
called by this title, "Saw her." From the
hilltop looking down into the valley. ,
26. "Run now" This was mark or
courtesy showing his great esteem mi, Is III II
the Hebrew only the word peace is
used. She gives this answer to Gehazl, s
question that she may avoid more words;
she has no thought of deception:
q. Caught HIM by the feet" The attl'
tude of humblest suppEcation: She hum
bly, reasoned with him concerning her pres
emit affection; she threw herself at ms feet
as one troubled and in grief, which she
never showed until she came to Elisha, the
one whom she believed could help her.
''Thrust her away" In his officious zeal,
angry at the slight toward him, or deem
ing her touch defilement, or her importui'
nifty excessive, or such liberties; beneath
his masters dignity. LET her alone. A
noble mind does not pass sentence before
hearing the case. Elisha's gentleness was
an evidence of his greatness. Soul IS
vexed" Sympathy is penetratlve, Cu,ti-
yate earnestly the Christ-like talent OF dis
corning the sorrows of others. Lord hath
hid" In reference to this point he had
not the discernment of spirits. This and
the gift of prophecy were influences Goa
gave and suspended as in His infinite WIS
dom and love He was good. :,
2S. "Did desire a SON." She reminded
him that she had not asked for the child,
but that he had come to her as free gift
from God. Why should God, she argued,
give her the child of His own will, only to
take him away? Had she not besought the
prophet not to mock her with false hope!
Thus did she reason. ~
w. The servants failure Tvs. 9-3l). ~.
"Gird up thy. loins;" BY Tightening the
d sv and be q ss ting @a a The b so
of the prophetical gift which he had re-
ceived from God, of might and strength
"Salute him not" In the East salutatlons
are full of form and consume much time.
The command showed the urgency OF the
mission and the necessity for the exercise
of faith and PRAYER. 30. "Will not leave
thee" After the heartless attempt of Ge-
hazi to thrust her away she has no CONN.,
dence in his ministry even though he
carry the staff of Elisha. Sacred vest
ments and holy commission will not COM
mand the confidence of earnest souls I'M
less they be associated with true and ten
der heart. >, WV,
81. "Neither voice, nor hearing" Why
was Elisha's mission fruitless? Everything
goes to show that at first Elisha did not
intend to 90 to Shunem, but when he saw
the persistency of the mother he changed
his purpose. 1t was probably IN conse-
quence of this change of plan that no re-
Spouse was made to the first claim of faith
by means of the staff. That appeal was IN
fact superseded the moment he resolved to
go in person, the Lord thus reserving for
the personal intercession of His prophet
the honor of this marvellous deed.
V. A great miracle Tvs. 32-37). %.
"Child was dead" This statement clear.
~ forbids the supposition that the child
had merely tainted or fallen into trance.
He was really, not apparently, dead. 50:
"Shut the door," He prayed in secret and
his Father rewarded him openly. Prayed
The best things in life come through
prayer. "a. LAY upon the child" He
used what means were in his power, though
the means alone could never have brought
the child to lfe So James tells the ED.
ers to pray with the sick and to anolnt
them with oil (James 5: ID, 49, "Put his
mouth" etc. Elisha followed the example
of Elijah as nearly as possible Il Kings II:
1924. "Waxed warm" Returning life
is slowly given, but the first signs of re.
storation must have strengthened his zeal
and given fervor to his prayers.
50. Returned" Left the bed; Walked
to and fro" His own animal heat might
have become much reduced by absorption
into the cold body of the child. Possibly,
too, there was struggle of faith IN the
times" When the nervous influence be-
gan to 1T on the muscular system cneez-
ing would be a natural consequence, as
distractions must have taken place in the
head, the cause of the disorder of which
the child died. SO. "Take up thy SON."
Joyfully the child was returned alive to
his mother. See the power of prayer; as
it has the key of the clouds, 80 it has the
key of death See the power of faith. That
fixed law of nature, death, shall be dis
pensed with rather than this believing
Shunamite be disappointed. 81. Fell at
his feet" In overwhelming gratitude.
When God has done great things for US, we
should bow humbly and say, Lord, am
not worthy" See Gen. 80: 10.