Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1908-04-09

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while Elijah, tired though he was,
had felt no inclination to sleep So,
yielding to the spirit of meditation, he
let memory have free rein and in
rapid Kaleidoscope manner the stir.
| ring events of his life passed before
him.
How wonderfully God had kept him
and cared for him and used him. And
| yet, he thought, how little he had ac-
complished. How little impress he
had made on the religious life of the
nation oh, that they might know
that his God was the true and only
God! oh, that righteousness and
truth might prevail throughout the ma.
ton! What more was there that he
could do to arouse the people to
realization of their condition and their
need?
He had reached this point in his
| thought and reasoning and a great
| yearning for revival of religion in
the nation swept over him, when out
of the darkness came the voice, and
speaking the words with which our
! story opens.
Beyond Jordan will | meet thee
and take thee from earth to heaven"
He was going to meet his God
Just what that all meant he knew
not All he knew was that God had
summoned him over the Jordan there
to take his departure for heaven.
Would it be with him as it was with
Moses, God burying him in lonely
spot or would he be caught up to be
with God as was Enoch?
These questions came to him, and
then he prayed:
"Oh Lord, that my going might be
a blessing to Israel let the people
who know not thee and who doubt the
realities OF thy dwelling place known
that thou dwellest in the heavens and
that 1t is to thee to whom thy chill
dren go when the years of the earthly
pilgrimage are ended"
AS he ended his prayer there came
faint cry from the corner where
Elisha lay on his couch and he turned
to see his faithful follower and serv-
ant rise to his feet, suddenly ex-
claiming as he did so:
My master! Oh, my master'!"
II am here" spoke up Elijah
What troubleth thee?" he added as
he saw the agitated condition of
Elisha
"Ah, thou art still here" cried
Elisha in relieved voice. coming
hastily towards Elijah and claspng
him in affectionate embrace. for the
younger man had come to love the
sanity man as son might a father
1t must have been vision" he con-
tinued, rubbing his hand over his eyes
in a dazed sort of way, "and yet it
was so real"
And thy vision?" asked Elijah,
after a silence.
1T was of thee" slowly spoke
Elisha. Il thought | heard voices
calling thee, and then it seemed as
though a pathway of light opened up
from above from the direction in
which the voice had come, and when
next | looked thou had gone, and S&e
way by which thou had gone faded
from my vision. But thou art still
here" he exclaimed, earnestly. But
verify | believe that the Lord would
take thee from me-"
YEA softly replied the aged
prophet, this night he hath called me,
and | am going"
A half sob escaped from the parted
lips Of Elisha, but he spoke no word
The occasion semed too sacred for ut
terance from him. He would listen
for the words which his beloved mas.
ter, who was so soon to leave him,
might speak. All through the re-
mainder of that night he sat at his
masters feet drinking in with fever
ish eagerness all that the latter felt
moved to speak, and then when the
first faint streaks of gray began to APP
pear in the eastern sky Elijah arose
and girded himself as though for a
journey.
Without speaking a word. Elisha
arose also, and did likewise, inwardly
resolving as he dsi so t-at whittier
Elijah went he would go until God
should tale him.
"Tarry here" urged Elijah, as he
took his staff in his hand and started
lo"dIdS lhe uooI' rOr the LOru natn
sent me to Bethel
AS the Lord liveth and as thy soul
liyeth, | will not leave thee"
A glad light of loving appreciation
shone in the face Of the aged prophet,
and the two went on together, and in
the course of the day came to Bethel.
AS they drew near to the place they
were surprised to see company of
the sons CT the prophets coming to
meet them. With reverential awe
they looked upon Elijah, and when
they found opportunity they whis-
pered in Elsha's ear;
"Knowest thou that the Lord win
take thy master from thy head to-
day."
How knowest thou this?" ex-
claimed Elisha, almost impatiently.