The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-05
FAMILIAR BIBLE STORY DISCUSSED The Staying of the Prophets
 of BaaI DIR. SHELBURNE'S SERMON Pastor Delivers AreumentatIve Dis course, Stating Objections and An swerlns Them-EllJah Slew
 by Jehovah's Command.
 
.DR. SHELBURNt'S SERMON

 the East Lake Baptist church on the ''slaying of the Four Hundred and Fifty Prophets of Baal." The text was from Kings 18th chapter and 10th verse And Elijah said unto them, take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kisham and slew them there.'
 The preacher said in part:
 Time was when we passed over this bit of history and accepted 1t without dues- ton. But we are upon an age when the record of a fact like this in the sacred story gives trouble.
 This change of attitude is accounted for in the main by the scientific spirit of the times and shifting of the viewpoint as regards the authority of the Bible.
 The critics say that the orthodox must show that Gods responsibility in the case does not commit Him to the authorj- zatlon of this slaughter of the prophets of Baal.
 | While think men may be unduly com cerned about Gods responsibility-they owe 1t to themselves to be more concerned about their own responsibiity-yet think we have a perfect right to look into case like this and try to know whether God did authorize Elijah to do what he did. and. if we believe he did to try to show, if 1t can be shown, that there was nothing contradictory to the good ness or mercy of Gods character in or der that unbelievers may have as few obstacles as possible.
 Explaining the Incident. There are two ways of explaining the incident, viz: First, that the killing of the prophets was a matter for which Elijah was alone responsible. That he did 1t entirely without Gods permission Those who take this position cite Elitah's flight and depression as Gods express sion of dlsapproval and the whirlwind and the fire and the earthquake as sym polio of Elijah's violent methods over against the still small voice as express sive of Gods method. To be sure this Is an ingenious explanation and. 1t may be added, a possible explanation. But 1t is also plain that such an explanation does not provide a principle which will
 
 meet like difficulties in a hundred other places.
 Preachers View.
 To me 1t seems a saner view and more in keeping with the recognized cannons of scripture interpretation to take the matter just as 1t Is given and confess that the staying of the false phophets by Elijah, Jehovah's prophet, was di- vinely ordered.
 Two objections are offered to the view that Elijah did what he did with divine approval.
 l. Such view violates the sixth com mand, Thou shalt not kill" 9. Such view also does violence to the ethics of the New Testament. The teach ings of Jesus and the apostles concerning God and the duties of human life forbid the adoption of such a cause by anyone acting under divine direction.
 Objections Considered. 1. As to the first let us see what is meant by the command thou shalt not kill" Certainly not that human life shall not at all be taken, for we know that under quite a number of given circum- stances human fife not only might be taken but must be taken. Idolatry. blas- phemy, certain forms of adultery. mur- der, etc. were punishable by death. Under such circumstances 1t was the duty of certain persons to take human life.
 Now what Is forbidden is taking of hu- man life malcousy. That is to say. one II toIr ifa tn aFu pu personal feeling that one may have to- ward another Not for vengeance, noi for personal advantage must one slay his fellow man. I think the right to de. fend ones life Is clear. Murder Is tn, thing that Is forbidden. If you make mt angry and I slay you I am murderer ] If take your life to get your money ol for any consideration I am a murderer If I am juror and for any reason vot, except conviction of duty to sentenc, to death I am a murderer. Those wht participate in mobs are murderers.
 Now If Elijah being provoked and an gered at these wicked men, having gain ed an advantage over them puts them t , death he is clearly murderer and hal acted without divine authority. But 1t Ii easy to show that such is not the cas' at all.
 Under Theocracy.
 The people of Palestine lived under { theocracy They had king but the kinf could speak only when Jehovah gave di rection. To be sure they had laws, but the laws had been given by Jehovah upon their entering into the land. Now one of the statutes was an enactment against idoatry. The penalty for idola- try was death The great sin was idolatry. That which was most guarded against was idolatry.
 The entire social and political fabric was constructed upon plan to protect the people against idolatry. They were not to marry with strange peoples; they were not to enter into alliance with foreign nations, and many other safeguards were thrown around them solely for the pur- l of thatx, lI1fa