The Tupelo journal., 1908-05-08

the school and shift for themselves.
Even the prophet was perplexed and
seemed at the end Of his resources, for
as he left the students after the even
ing worship, he said:
Except the Lord spread his table
for us We shall eat no more here in
the school of the prophets at Gilgal."
And he students as they separated
for the night were uncertain whether
the words of the prophet betokened
discouragenent and doubt, or hope of
what God would do. Some whose
faith was strongest held the latter
view, and waited eagerly for the morn
ing, but when no breakfast was fol-
lowed by an equal lack of food for din
ner, even these began to question and
doubt. Since the night before when
the prophet had declared that except
the Lord spread the table for them
they would not eat, he had remained
in seclusion in his apartment, and 1t
was whispered about hat he vas CIV
ing himself to prayer.
Thus matters stood when along in
the afternoon a dust-covered traveller
was seen slowly approaching leading
an ass upon whose back even in the
distance could be discerned the
sheaves of wheat.
Some one is bringing of his first
fruits" joyfully shouted one. and they
all took up the cry, so that Elisha,
: who was still tarrying within, came
forth to see what the commotion was
all about.
See yon traveller" they cried; che
comes bringing an Offering"
Eagerly and breathlessly they wait
ed, but as he approached nearer and
at last turned up the lane which led
to the school, they saw how paltry
was the burden of the ass, being little
but the loose grain in sheaves, and
their countenances fell and they be-
gan to question in their hearts how
they should all be fed from such a
meager supply.
Twenty small, round, thin cakes
of barley bread, and tie unthreshed
grain in the sheaves,' muttered one of
the students, standing near when the
ass was unladen and the offering had
been laid at the feet of the prophet.
and he turned away in a disguised
manner, as did the rest of the stu
dents.
Enough for the prophet, but where
withal shall the hundred students gath
cred here be fed?" they said one tc
another.
No one stood Ell the prophet now
save his faithful servant and the man
who had brought his offering. And
so busy were the students with their
low muttered complaints as they
talked together and slowly edged far
Their and farther away from tbs
prophet that they did not see
him as he placed his hand upon the
head of h man whose offering he
had received, nor hear as he blessed
him in the name of his God. But a sur
prlsed exclamation from Elisha's serv-
ant arrested their attention, and the
group of discouraged and hungry
students turned to see the servant
pointed to the barley loaves and
heard him ask in establishment:
What? Should l set this before an
hundred mem"
Yea they heard Elisha say, with
calm assurance, give the people that
they may eat"
Twenty barley loaves, scarcely
enough for ten men, to be distributed
to a hundred? What could it mean?
Nay, my MASTER" now spoke up
the man who mad brought the gift,
these are for thee, and are scarce
enough to supply thy present need.
Waste them not by scattering them
among so many, for there shall be
scarcely a crumb for each man"
Give the people that they may eat"
was the only response of the prophet,
addressing himself again to his serv-
ant, for thus saith the Lord, They
shall eat, and leave thereof"
They shall eat and leave thereof"
repeated the group of students, In
credulously, as they watched the serv-
ant obediently take the 20 loaves in
his hands and pass through their
midst, giving to each man as much as
he desired.
They ate as only hungry men
can eat, and when one mans sup
ply was gone, he found the servant of
the prophet ready to serve them with
more. So they all did eat and were
satisfied, and behold when the frag-
ments were gathered they had more
than at the beginning. Then did they
recall the words of the prophet spoken
the night before, and said one to the
other:
Surely We have Toasted at the
Lords table and have left thereof"