Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-11
would worship Him must worship Him i'll
spirit and truth
Conservatives and Progressives.

The prophets of Baal were conServa-
tivcs. satisfied with the present political
ard religious life of the nation. They
met the demands of the people crying
peace-peace when there was no peace.
With them were all the political. COM
mercial and religious forces of the ma
ton and nearly all the people.
Elijah. the progressive reformer. saw
the grave danger that confronted the ma
ton. He determined to save it by a test
that would publicly demonstrate the
power of Jehovah and the falseness of
Baal worship. A spiritual appeal would
be of no value, but a spectacular and
sensational demonstration by fire would
convince the people and destroy the
power of the priests of Baal They were
away from their temple, so that no fraud
could be perpetrated. Farrar tells us
deception. At Pompeii may still be seen
the secret staircase behind the altar and
the pipes let into the head of Isis from
behind, through which the priests spoke
her pretended oracles.'
Our appeal today is the fruits of Chris
tan labor. Father Damien among the
lepers, DR.. Grenfell in Labrador, Mackay
in ugandana. Patton in New Hebrides,
Clough in India. The missionary and
rescue work of the churches are demon
STATIONS of spiritual power today that
p.oves the presence of God with His peo-
pie. The test today is not sect, but
service. The Spirit of Christ produces
service for Him among all that love our
blessed Lord in every denomination.
All the circumstances OF the contest
were providentially arranged so as to
prove complete and conclusive. Baal was
the god of the sun, but the p. ayers of
his priests failed to product results. ex-
cept to arouse the satire of Elijah, who
was anxiously awaiting the evening hour.
Movers describes the worship around the
altar Of the sun-god: "a discordant howl
ing opens the scene, now they fly wildly
through one another with head sunk
in circles. so the loose flowing hair drags
through the mire. Thereupon they first
bite themselves on the arm, and at last
cut themselves with two-edged swords
which they were wont to carry. Then
begins new scene. One of them who
surpasses all the rest in frenzy, begins
to prophesy with signs and groans, open
ly accuses himself of past sins, which
he now wishes to punish by the mortify-
ne Of the flesh. takes the knottei whip
which the CALI are wont to bear, lashes
his back, cuts himself with swords. till
the blood trickles down from his man
gled body
In contrast with their feversh and rest
less prayers was the quiet dignity OF
Elijah repairing the altar of Jehovah and
seeking power from above. Is there not
na7 a renair family affairs in our
nation and seek Gods presence? Elijah S
prayer was answered by fire. The proph-
cts of Baal had failed: upon the people S
minds was flashed in vivid form the
teachings of the first two command
ments. One man filled with love of
God and his country had won victory
that established the truth. as Ewald says,
THAT no human authority could arbi-
trarily change, still less corrupt religion =
The people declared for Jehovah and the
victory was won. THAT was of greater
advantage than any other Of that era
The nation had been converted in day
through the personality Of Elijah preach
ing the truths Of God.