The Nevada County picayune., 1911-04-07

! GOLDEN TEXT-"For he shall give l Ills angels charge over thee, to keep thee | In all thy ways.-Psa. 9l11
 | TIME-According to most scholars. this
 event occurred in the reign of Jehoram | (B. C. 904-S9i, Beecher, S6l-S49. Hastngs). | Mrs. Houghtop. however. holds that the l Syrian king of this story was Hazael and l the king of Israel was Jehu.
 | PLACE-Dothan, a small town about | ten miles north of Samaria situated on
 remarkable isolated bill, surrounded on | three sides by hills. Traces of walls may | still be seen all around the hilltop. Also Samaria, the capital of the Northern ktngdom.
 How did Elisha show himself to be
 a true Datriot2 By using for his coun- try his supernatural knowledge, as we should use for cur country our lesser knowledge, and all our powers. Assy. ria was not at the time pressing upon Syria, so that Syria could attack her
 hereditary enemy to the south But the plans of Benhadad H. were frus- trated over and over. Elisha was then living in Dothan, about ten miles forth of Samaria Dothan was "a small town, of which some ruins and we'll still mark the site" The caravan route from beyond Jordan passes, from the Plain of Esdraelon, close to it. Prob. ably Benhadad's route on his preda. tory expeditions lay through this pass, which was narrow and easily defend ed, Therefore when the Syrians com ing was revealed to Elisha and told by him to King Jehoram, a comparatively small body of Israelites, posted a little | north of Dothan. would effectually check their progress.
 How can we apply to ourselves Eli sha's advice, Beware that thou pass not such a placer By recognizing all places of special temptation, and being on our guard there Think of the men who cannot get past any gam bling resort to save their souls! There are certain stores and hay-lofts and street corners and vacant lots that are more dangerous to boys than pest
 houses. There Is absolutely no pos | sible safety except in avoiding them.
 Boys, and men, too, beware!
 How did Benhadad plan to circum- vent Elisha? Sending spies, and learn ing that the prophet was living at Gotham, he sent a large body of cav airy and chariots to capture him. To secure such a man was vital. It would at once deprive Jehoram of one who was inspired by the gods and put him at the service of Syria, for 1t would be as sumed that he could be bribed to help either side.
 How did Elisha. in the knowledge of his heavenly helpers. meet the Syrians? Our version. the Hebrew. implies that Elisha and his servant boldly went down from Dothan into the valley, and that the leaders of the Syrians came down from the heights | on which they were encsmped, to par ley with the prophet. He prayed; for prayer is the recourse of all the strong est men in the time when they need to be strongest. Prayer Is a powerful thing for God has bound and tied him self thereto. He prayed that blindness might fall upon the Syrians, and at once his prayer was granted Not lit. eral blindness is meant. probably, for they were able to follow Elisha to Sa- maria, but a confusion of vision or of
 
 luded Perhaps only the leaders were affected.
 Why did Elisha lead the Syrians ten miles to Samaria? To show them, and also to show the Israelites, how power less they were before Jehovah. Elisha made the pompous and confident inya- ders appear ridiculous which Is the most thorough defeat that can be given to any enemy. Besides, one req son why Elisha had led the Syrians to the capital was that they might be kindly treated, feasted and sent back 10 Benhadad with coalD of fire heap ed upon their heads.
 What Is the great teaching of our lesson for modern people. The real fly of the invisible world, and it's pow CT to help and comfort To have no sense of the invisible is the ruin of art It Is the ruin of all life also Many will believe only what their uninstruct- ed eyes can see.
 Christians should be continually up held by the realization of their angel. ic helpers. The brave man need not see any celestial form with spear and helmet by his side, yet he may know as he goes out to the battle that the spirits of justice everywhere are sym pathizng with him and helping him in unknown ways. The mother may not discern an angel bending over the bed on which her child is laid but still she may know that there are other watchers by it's bed beside herself, spir- its whom God has sent to see that none of his little ones take any harm | The soul in it's bereavement may not 1 look to see here again the very pres enee and feature of ths friend whom God has taken. yet strl may be sure that even now, In such unknown ways l Il