The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-09-11

DTOpHelS Oh Dddl NHlCl iSouA'ON
their determination is followed by q
most notable prayer service on the
top of Mount Carmel 1S:42-45). so
confident was the prophet that at the
arising of "a little cloud" he hastily
summoned the feasting king and urges
his departure to his home, that the
rain stop thee not" The God whom
Elijah had honored so signally that
day laid his hand upon the prophet
lS:46) so that he was able TO outruu /
the kings horses TO the entrance OF
Jezreel There he is met by mes
senger of the wicked queen tlS:D
who had been the protector and pro-
wider of the slain prophets. Getting
his eyes of of God and seeing only
vile and wicked woman EliJah not
only ran for his life out of Ahaos 10
mains but also went days journey
into the wilderness" to the protecting
shade of a juniper tree ". ~.
I. The Discouraged Prophet, w.
48. Old and young. great and SMALL
we all have our periods of discourage
ment and frequently despair. Chris
tian's encounter with Giant Despair
appeals to us all for ii is so true 10
life. At Carmel. Elijah controlled the
| king; in his palace at Jezreel, JezeDel
soon shattered his good resolutions
if he had any. We must recall that
it was her prophets Elijah had de
stroyed. There is a suggestion IN the
fact that Elijah did not enter her
presence 1S:46l. Yonder in the VII
derness, his Gethsemane, EllJan
prayed a vastly different sort d
prayer than upon Mount Carmel
Jezebel is still in power. Heathenism
is not overthrown, his efforts had peen
but trying to dam Niagara with oui-
rushes"
No one who has ever heard the ora
torio Elijah" sung will ever torge'
the bitter agony of 1T is enough.
The prophet who alone had been eN
allied to the heights was alone capable
to sounding such a depth Of human
despair. The sources of his dlscour
agement were his physical condition
his loneliness. inactivity, mental reac
ton and a feeling that his cause Wa'
lost.
History is lined with similar expert
ences in the lives of the leaders
men. Elijah's experience under TN
, iuniper tree came chiefly from repre-
. senting feelings as though they wer
, facts.
Gods first remedy was to feed nj
fainting servant and then give him
!, task to perform, viz, journey |
q Mount Horeb Mount of Cod, for Go
), loved him just as truly now as pr
viously at Carmel. In this ne
!, strength Elijah went forty days" {
! 8; Pet. 2:2).
a 10. The Encouraging God, w. 81
Gods second remedy was to civ
n Elijah his word though this time
= suggested reproof What doest the
% here?" Elijah is out of place. In r
h ply he begins to rehearse his loyal'
"a to God, and how bad the others We
A., and then in seeming petulance
:, adds. land they seek my life"
a. only." are the words of the selfish m;
- and when Elijah used them he t
., was a backslidden servant. 1t is tn
n that there was great apostasy in lsra
hut the prophet was far from bel
the only true servant remaining. Is
=. 1874; 2O:13; 22:35, Al; 22:S. tt
~ Is a favorite way the Evil One has
AA paralyzing our efforts. There is
10 hn
brave, certainly at that moment me
b., so than Elijah. God then continu
:, his treatment by giving the propf
a yision of himself and of his me
"t DDS for advancing his kingdom.
p. series of symbols made the tn
mt palmer and more impressive tn
ar words alone could possibly hs
4" done. Leaving the protecting CT
ce. Elijah first met wind which n
; the mountains" type of Elijah's p
activity. This was not Gods ct
rower nor method. The mighty W
the which destroys is as nothing CT
payed to the silent forces which {
vas ate.
It is not always the cyclonic
and earthquake men and women
The WELD the greatest power and in
il ence. We are told that man ne
eep feels so abjectly helpless as in
earthquake. but the Lord was no
- the earthquake" ". ID. After
earthquake a fire" ". 12), and
had been Gods symbol on Mount
mel. Men who crave such visible
dences of power frequently igr
al those more silent but none the
effective forms of ministry as
gested by the still small voice.
literally, "a sound of gentle stilln
= ". 12). Stirring revivals are ne
sary. even as Ahab needed rain U
Q his parched land, but the silent ?
= ress of a religious life is not !
passed over for it goes on in the |
er of an endless life. After {
symbols Coo again asks his sea
ing question: What doest thou
Eliiah?" He had had his lesson:
II is time for him to do something
e M. The Result, w 1913. AS a
ereign remedy God now sets bt
. Elijah three definite tasks to peri
Till Elijah still speaks of his faithful
Hi as though the success OF The c
Hill depended upon him. The man
Hill assumes that attitude in the VOL
Hill Cod,s kingdom will like Elijah