Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-04

prophet pointed out to Israel the folly
of trying to serve God and Baal. With
out mincing his charge he called upon
| them to choose the God they would
serve.
Israers peril Is ours today-we can
| not serve God and Mammon.
Elijah saw the nations danger, so
he determined to save it by religious
] test, that would publicly prove the SUI
periority of Jehovah and the falseness
of Baalism. He challenged them to a
spectacular contest and sensational
demonstration by fire that would con-
vince the people.
The fairness of the test for Baal was
the god of the sun, appealed to the
multitude that had remained silent I'M
der the words of the prophet. that car
ried conviction home to the masses.
when he depicted their double dealings
in religion.
! Among the multitude probably were
some of the seven thousand who lad
not bowed their knee to Baal, but the
prophet thought that he was alone
standing up for Jehovah against the
priests of Baal. who were supported
| by all the political. commercial and re-
| ligious forces of the nation. The dis
! parity in numbers was magnified by
the concessions given to the heathen
priesthood.
All the circumstances were provi-
dentially arranged SO as to make the
contest complete and conclusive. No
were away from their temple.
Pagan priests" Farrar informs us.
ARE adopts at 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."
Baal, the god of the sun, in spite OF
the feverish and restless prayers of his
| devotees, who We're spurred by the
satire of Elijah. answered not by fire.
The long prayers, full of vain rcoeti-
tons. lacked both breadth and depth.
With the coming of the hour of eyen-
ing prayer Elijah with quiet dignity re-
paired the altar of Jehovah and then
offered a brief, benevolently broad p'Li-
ton that Immediately was answered by
fire. The contrast in the prayers of the
priests of Baal and Elijah is worthy Of
our study. 1t will aid us in our devo-
tions and possibly help US to repair the
family affairs of prayer that have been
broken down in our homes. The weak
point in modern Christian life is the
neglect of prayer Our requests should
not be long, but they ought to be like
the petition that Elijah prayed.
Short though it was, the sweep of his
petition included a historical reference
to Abraha Isaac and Israel, and it's
reach of faith touched the will of God,
at whose command he stood before the
people, while the purpose of his prayer
was the gloritication of God. that the
people might come TO Know Him ana
be won back to His service.
The emotions of a lifetime were
poured forth in that short spiritual re-
quest for God to reveal His supremacy.
The. battle was Gods and He answered
by fire.
The contest was won.
No chance for them to raise the ques-
ton of sharp practices or deception was
left the defeated followers of Baal. The
satura ton of the sacrifice and the altar
with water prevented that cry. The
prophets of Baal had failed.
One man filled with love of God and
country had won a victory that estab-
lished the truth, as Ewald points, that
no human authority could arbitrarily
change, still less corrupt religion. The
contest had been won and the nation
had been converted in a day through
the personality and prayers of the
prophet who dared to stand alone for
the glory of God