The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-09-29
Elisha Succeeds Elijah

close of Elijah's career. which cannot
fail of recognition. The end is unique
and fitting. The coming event casts
no shadow, but ray of gloly before,
which even the sons of the prophets
could recognize. The prophet made
stately promenade from Gigal to
Bethel, from Bethel to Jericho, from
Jericho to the point beyond Jordan.
where he was to make connection
with the chariot of fire. Perhaps Eli
iah entertained some misgiying as to
the Legitimacy of Elisha's successor
ship. If so, it arose from the opposite
temperament and method of the lat
ter. 1t is so hard for us to learn that
God may have other ways than the
one in which we may have been called
to work. But Elisha proves the might
and perseverance of his gentleness, in
his thrice-repeated asseveration, II
will not leave Thee The question of
successorship settled, Elijah, who to
the worldly view had nothing but his
mantle to bequeath, asked his COM
panion to designate what portion of
his estate he would select. Elisha
again gives new evidence that he is
in the line by the choice he makes. 1t
is that he may have an elder sons
portion Of the Spirit which moved
Elijah. Not that he may resemble
hisspiritual father in personalappear-
ance, temperament, or deed, but that
the same Spirit that operated in Eli
jah may work in him also, and twice
as powerfully as in any other son of
the prophets. The thing asked was
'hard,n because it was beyond the
prophets jurisdiction. He could only
say that if, in the hour and article of
his translation, now so imminent. Eli
sha could with eve of seer penetrate
to and behold his entrance to the
spirit world, then he would be of such
character as to receive the same Spir-
it that had illuminated Elijah him
self.
No studied phrase could haye been
so appropriate as Elisha's unpremedi-
tated ascriptiOn to-the ascending pro
phet. The chariot with its horsemen
was the most formidable part of an
Oriental army, corresponding to ar
tillery in modern times. The very
weight of the machine, its wheels
armed with hooked blades, the arch
er standing within it like a tower of
brass, the horses driven four or six
abreast. Nothing could stand before
such terrible engine. So when an
ar Ill st a chariot, it was a real ca
lamity. 1t was irreparable, and the
force was corrsepondingly weakened.
That is the meaning of Elisha's cry
as hestands in the swelling of Jordan,
My father, my father! chariot and
horseman of Israeli 1t signified
that he was greater than any chariot
which even heaven itself could afford
him, and, ii addition, that he was
both chariot and charioteer, the ma
tion's strongest defense. Elisha him
self had no such exit from the world
as Elijah. 1t was in his quiet home
in Samaria that Elisha fell sick of his
sickness whereof he died, as the ac-
count quantity tsays. Jordan only
parted at the beginning of his career
to let him come back to his native
land and toll for God and his fellows.
There was no miraculous division of
the river, no chariot, or whirlwind.
His death was natural and his burial
according to the custom of the couu-
try.
But in spite of this contrast, it is
worthy of note that his epitaph is
identical with that of the Tishbite.
When Joash, the king of Israel, came
down to visit the dying prophet in
the touching language of the nara
tive, he wept over his face, and cried,
80, my father, my father, thou char
lot of Israel and horseman thereof!''
So this prophet of benignty was the
strongest armament of Israel. His
gentleness made his nation great. For
sixty-five pears this holy man of God
continually passed by, mainly on his
errands of mercy and healing, and to
those sacred services which he con.
Quoted on Sabbaths and new moons,
and to his professors chair in the var
ious schools of the prophets, which
he had founded. His career. of bene-
diction was just as efficacious for Is
rael as Elijah's career of malediction.
Both were woven into the plan OF
Providence, and were as indispensa.
BILE as warp or wool. So there are
yet diversities of gifts, but the same
spirit, differences of administration,
but the same Lord, and there are di.
versities of operation, but it is the
same God.
However, the chronological order
in which these dissimilar prophets ap.
peared must be remembered. Elijah,
the IRON fail of Jehovah, came first
and beat down a path through the
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