Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-10-14

DeODle, n,
wade a stream 100 feet wide and at
least two feet in depth and perhaps
much more, so far as they knew. At
the particular season, though, when the
children of Israel reached the Jordan 1t
had "overfowed all it's banks" and was
past fording. And yet they must cross.
How could them cross? XerXeS solved
a similar difficulty at the Hellespont, you
remember, by throwing a pontoon bridge
over It, on which his army of 2,5OO'OOO
men might cross. But Joshua had no
boats. He had no tools with which to
construct them. What should he do? l
imagine he must have been at his wits
end. And the children of Israel, with
their propensity for murmuring, prob
ably broke out into loud complaint. Al
ter all their 40 years of wandering In
the wilderness, with the labor and suf-
fering attendant upon it, were they to
be prevented from attaining the goal or
their ambition, even when in sight of IT,
by a muddy, crooked river? They did
not see the way out of the difficulty.
Nor did Joshua. But the Lord did
MANS extremity is Gods opportunity"
And he made use of 1t. AS at the Red
Sea, he opened the way for them. Here
is the simple but impressive account
given by Joshua of how they were en-
abled to cross the Jordan. And 1t came
to pass, when the people removed from
their tents, to pass over the Jordan, the
priests that bare the ark of the cove
nant being before the people; and when
they that bare the ark were come unto
the Jordan, and the feet of the priests
that bare the ark were dipped in the
brink OF the water (for the Jordan over
fioweth all it's banks all the time of
HarVesO, that the waters which came
down from above stood and rose up in
enc Leap, great way off, at Adam, the
city that is beside Zarethan; and those
that went down toward the sea of tn
Arabah even the Salt sea, were wholly
cut off: and the people passed over
right against Jericho And the priests
that bare the ark OF the covenant of
Jehovah stood firm on dry ground in
the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel
passed over on dry ground until all the
nation were passed clean over the Jor-
DAN" (Joshua 3:14-17) Call that mira
Gle or what, there are the facts plainly
stated.
ELIJAH
Nor was this the only time that this
unique river was crossed in this unique
way. When Elijah, the great prophet
of God, was on his way to the country
on the east of the Jordan wnere ne was
to be translated to heaven in chariot
of fire, he and his successor in the
prophets office, Elisha, came to the
banks of the Jordan. There was no
bridge, perhaps at that season no ford.
How should they cross? Elijah did not
hesitate one moment Prophet of God
that he was, he knew that Gods power
was back of him. And so, as the record
reads: Elijah took mis- mantle, and
wrapped 1t together, and smote the wa
tiers, and they were divided hither and
thither, so that they two went over on
dry ground" e Kings 2:s.)
ELISHA.
Nor was this all. When the glorious
translation of Elijah had been accom-
plished, when the chariot OF fire and
horses of fire" dipped down to earth for
him, and he stepped in and went up by
a whirlwind into heaven" his mantle,
and with 1t, as promised, double portion
of his spirit fell upon Elisha. He went
back and stood by the bank of the Jor-
dan." But like Elijah, he did not bes-
itate. Armed with the mantle and spirit
of Elijah he took the mantle of Elijah
that fell from him, and smote the wat
ers, and said, Where is Jehovah, the
God of Elijah? and when he also had
smitten the waters, they were divided
hither and thither; and Elisha went over
G. Kings 2:14-"went over" on dry ground
In the same unique and miraculous man
ner that Elijah only few hours before,
and the children of Israel several hun
dred years before. had crossed the same
river at about the same place. Was ever
any other river In all the worlds history
crossed in so wonderful a way?
NAAMAN THE SYRIAN.
When Naaman, captain Of the host of
the king of SYRIA" the commanding gen.
eral of the army, came tc Elisha at the
recommendation Of a capuve maiden to
be healed Of his leprosy, elisha sent
messenger unto him, saying, Go and
wash in the Jordan seven times. and thy
flesh shall come again to thee, and thou
shalt be clean" e Kings 5:10). No Won
der Naamar. was "wroth' and said, Are
not ALBANIA and Pharpar, the rivers of