Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1904-11-03

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overcome Elisha by numbers. Let the
preacher. or he writer, or the teacher.
or other leader. lift UP his voice in
clear. tones against what he believes to
be vested wrong and he 10 sure to hear
h retort OF the mailed INST: well
crush you." Small wonder that many
such VIII ose vision Is stronger than their
courage have quailed before the on
slaught Of temporal power.
Elisha's servant vas OF this latter
sort. When he awoke early norm
ing and went forth to the edge OF the
town Of Dothan he beheld an awe
some spectacle. A host Of Syrians had
compassed the city about. Not a living
creature could pass their Gordon. and
within the beleaguered community was
no visible means Of resisting such a
powerful enemy. The horses and chari-
OTIS and men Of war struc terror to
, his Imagination. It 10 quite UNDER
standable that he ran to his master. as
the weak always fly to the strong for
refuge, crying, ALAS. my master! how
| shall we do?"
sha saw another. The prophet was not
dismayed by all this display Of pomp
! and power. for he was IN the side OF
the invisible legions Of truth. with q
faith therein which enables a man to
face any emergency unmoved. He had
the instinct hat can tell that God IL
! on the field when he 10 most invisible"
The underlying sentiment Of Elisha was
merely one of pity for the blindness Of
his assistant. and he exhorted him to
courage in words hat might well be
yer before the eye Of every worker for
righteousness: Fear not: for they
that are with US are more than they
that are with Them" Elisha's compass
sion was characteristic Of a great souls
attitude in the presence OF q weaker.
So Christ had compassion on h multi
tude: 80 the man Of vision everywhere
should feel pity and a yearnlng to help
the blind multitude about him.
WHAT OPENED EYES SAW.
Elisha prayed for his servant-the
highest Office friend can perform for
friend. So Tennyson sings:
Pray for my soul. More things are
wrought by prayer
Than this world dreams OF. Where
fore let thy voice
Rise like a fountain for me night and
day. %.
For what are men better than sheep
or goats
That nourish a blind life within the
brain,
II, knowing God. they lift not hands
Of prayer
Both for themselves and those who
call them friend?
For 30 the whole round earth 10 every
way
Bound by golden chains about the
feet OF God.
It was a great prayer that the prophet
see" For vision IL the handspring Of
faith. fearlessness and service. The eyes
Of the young man were opened. and be-
hold. that squalld little Oriental village
was encircled by heavens chariotry
Of fire. What would We not see were
U syes "a be opened-the attendant
ons OF heaven, which In this world are
doing the will Of the Father. There
was no fear for that servant after
his eyes had been opened. for fear il
born OF imperfect faith.
The soldier who IL conscious Of VIC
torious reserves right behind him will
not falter or run. 1t is q wonderful
secret Of courage to be aware Of the
forces that support US. Every Chris
tian worker should cultivate this
knowledge as q part OF his equipment.
By attendance upon h great religious
conventions. by a regular perusal OF
the news Of the kingdom, and by a
constant study OF he book which tells
OF heavens help for earth's need, he
should prepare himself for the mo-
ments Of fear and gloom and loneliness
which are inevitable to every life.
FolLED ~ STRATEGY.
Diplomacy often wins greater battles
than war. and 30 Elisha encompassed
the defeat Of the Syrians In a manner
that was more effective than their an
initiation. He prayed the Lord to make
them blind for a season or. as the
their vision imperfect and distorted
and untrustworthy. Then. by a clever
and wholly justifiahle ruse. he led the
, host Into the very city Of Samaria
whore dwelt the king, and where the
army Of Isreal had its headquarters.
The journey was a picturesque one and
luded Syrians going forward, swearing
vengeance upon Elisha when they
should ind him. not knowing all the
while that he was their leader. Then
at the close Of the march. when the i'm
vaders We're in a sure trap and power
less to wreak their vengeance upon
him, elisha revealed himself and the
entire situation.
COMPOUNDED. the prisoners expected
nothing better than slaughter: and that
was the thought Of the king Of Israel
too. for he inquired. MY Father, shall
smite them? Shall I smite them 2
But the magnaminous prophet re-
strained the eager sword and instead
sent back h Syrian invaders to theil
hOmeS. fed and refreshed. an conrlnto-
ly vanqutshed by the wonderful hap
penings of the day that they. and all
the band like them. never returned t.
vex the borders of Israel. In q crude
indefinite way they carried away the
conviction. which was much clearer t.
backsliding Israel. and clearer still e
US. that The angel Of the Lord en-.
campeth round about them that feal
him. and delivereth them"
THE MONEY TEST.