The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-02-07

EilJahs character; even in this hour
OF supreme combat he was oppressed
by the conviction that Il. even 7 onlv
am lett a prophet OF Jehovah" None
the less, he dared fling jagged words
Of scorn, which smofe like stone mn
on the conscience of Israel. How
long go yet lilnping, between two
sides? II Jehovah be God. follow him;
but IL Baal, then follow him." There
was never any uga and water about
EIlJahs preaching. In speech, as
IN habit and outward appearance he
was q rough man.; like the Dare
rocky mountains Of rhebes, where
slightly to the eyes; but within
royalty n kingly treasures.
The prophet had In ally in the
peoples conscience; they knew that
they had departed from the worship
Of God of their father. Moreover,
MS proposition that the priests OF
Raal p one altar with a sacri-
flee and he another, and that the God
who answered by fire should be the
God Of the people, appealed to their
instructive sense Of justice. People
generally love to see fair play. They
love a contest. if they know it to
be free from fraud. Doubtless the
priests OF Baa1 would have evaded the
test had it not been for this te~ti-
ment on the part of the people and
1t is generally the politician who IS
open debate.
The Test OF lire.
There was a gameness-a about Eli
jah that touched the sporting pro-
clivities Of the people. lie gave ali
possible odds to the four hundred and
fifty priests Of Baal; they had the
choice Of bullocks and the first
chance at the ordeal. From morn
ing until noon and from noon until
evening they prayed and cried about
and leaped about the altar ain frenzy,
gashing themselves With knives until
the blood streamed. What q Specta-
cles was that which the cloudless and
piti1ess sky, and the straining eye,
of the nation looked upon. How Gag
erly they watched for u spark, a puff
OF smoke.
We may imagine Elijah standing
scornfullN by until midday. his man
ner speaking his disdain for the sulnp-
tuously-clad and fulfilled false pro-
phets. Then he CAV tongue to his
contempt, and in hooking words that
burned, he tainted his opponents.
He babe them cry louder: perila ps
their god was musing, or on Il jour
neN: or peradyendure asleep and
must be awakened. The impotence Of
the cries and commissions Of the
| priests of Baal but heightened Elijah's
m~OckingS.
Then came his turn. and now the
excitement among the people grew
more intense. They climbed higher
on the hillside, crowded one another
more closely on the plateau and
sought for vantage points on bou1d-
ers and trees. The Spectators We're
breathless with interest as they
4h-o,r,l fou-orl tho cnnf whoro Hi
jah stood. Their i~naginations We're
stirred, and pricked, as he recalled
their past history, by choosing twelve
stones for an altar-one for each of
the tribes. Curiosity quickened as he
dug q rench about the altar Then
he the wool, with the slain
| bullock upon it. To the aInazeInent
of all he ordered twelve jars Of water
that memorable number again-ot
water poured upon the altar. until the
whole was drenched, and the sur
rounding trench filled. With true
dramatic instinct he did his task lels-
urely and also intensified the diff
culties of his ordeal.
The Answer From the Sky.
After Elijah had prayed, in the
hearing Of the host, then the fire Of
jehovah fell and the bull
lock. the wood, the stones, the water
while the woe-stricken people fell
prone on their faces crying to Jeho-
yah for mercy. The duel was over.
Once more the God Of HOSES had
INDICATED Himself.
The imagination is not equal to
that scene. l ~pondered the s1or" as It
is III Holy Writ as | stood on the
flat roof Of the monastery at noon
! 1ay. the environment OF it all spread
out at my feet as q picture. Prob
ably it was about yonier in the mid
die OF the plateau, where the clstern
now is, that the affairs We're built
Down below is the bed Of the klshon;
| doubtless it was at tliat neafest
noint. where an apparently artificial
n,o,nd now rises. that the priests Of
Paa1 were taken and slain. And see
strange coincidence.-as ! look
ed there appeared on the horizon Oh