Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1908-05-27

| bur the nrst fruits belong 70 the
Lord and to those who minister In the
Lords service" was the response
| True exclaimed the ..rst speak
err. but what seem the pet pie to care
fer the claims Of God upon them?"
And for that very reason let us
not by our conduct make it appear
that neither do we fear God"
| But our last meal is gone. and we
| shall starve even while we wait"
| Thus was there murmuring and dis
couragement throughout the school.
and 1t seemed as they went su. PEERLESS
to bed that night that there renamed
nothing for them to do but abandon
the school and shift for themselves.
Even the prophet was perplexed and
seemed at the end of his resource :. for
as he left the students after the sven
ing worship, he said:
Except the Lord spread his sable
for us we shall eat no more here in
the school OF the prophets at Gilgal."
And the students as they separated
for the night were uncertain whether
the words of the prophet betokeced
encouragement and doubt, or hope Df
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 that he was Civ.
ing himself to prayer.
Thus matters stood when along in
the afternoon 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; he
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 thew he
gan to question in their hearts how
they should all be fed from such q
meager supply.
twenty small, round. thin cake,
OF barley bread. and the unthreshed
gram In the sheaves," muttered one of
the students, standing near when the
ass was unladen and the offering had
Deen laid at the feet of the prophe.
and he turned away in a disguised
manner, as did the rest of the stu
dents.
Enough for the prophet. but where
"lthal shall the hundred students gath
cred here be fed?" they said one to
another.
NO one stood near the prophet now
save his faithful servant aid the man
VINO 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 the
prophet that they did not see
MIN as he placed his hand upon the
mead OF the man whose offering he
mad received, nor hear as he blessed
MIN In the name of his God But sur
prised 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 menu"
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 smoke I'M
the man who had 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 crumb for each man"
Give the people that they NAV 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. I'm.
credulously, as they watched the serv-
ant obediently take the 20 loaves I'm
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 SIN.
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 thev had more
| than at the beginning TITO, dii 81.