Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-09-10
ELIJAH SUFFERED
FROM LONL|NESS
Was a knight ETant of God, Who
Gave Him an Object
Lesson
(By William T. Ellis.)

Literature is full of dramatic con-
trasts, because 1t is reflection. even
though Inadequate, of real life. An
up-to-date writer of scenarios for the
movies" could scarcely devise more
unlikely situation that that n whiSn
this weeks lesson mas Ei1sn' 3Se man @
who had bent a king to his VIII. ntlea
the eye of a nation, ana, IN the mos
dramatic religious eompat tn OF ar nr,ests nt
His prayer had brought nre 1roIn
Heaven. and his prayer had enoeo .tne
long and bitter drought OF three years
The accolade of God had been on MS
Now we see him running away from
vindictive woman!
which had followed the spectacular
victory of Mount Carmel. Eli1ah'
reconciled to the convinced and con-
all the way to Jezebel. feat possible
only to such a hardy and conditioned
physique as that of this desert-dWeIi-
assumed that now the worship of Je-
hovah would be restored at the ,pai-
ace. What great plans OF re-esta onsh-
ing the honor OF God IN d israei inrohhsi Inrohssi
Both king and prophet. however had
reckoned without the woman IN the
case. If Ahab had thought that MS
Jezebel More than most women. that
tigress was dominated by personal
reason. She gnashed in fury over the
fate of her pet priests. As for her
arch-enemy, Elijah. she could not with
hold the treat that. "As surely as you
are Elijah and I am Jezebel, may the
gods do to me what they will, II l do
not make your life as the life OF one
of them by tomorrow about this time.
A nice, lady-lilSe sentiment that!
The prophet who had conf onted a
hostile king and nation. with jeers and
sau4ti f5s an6 fnrx Ths
succlnctly says, '.Hc was afraid and
arose and went for his life"
Riscouraged deespsairing and an HE seem esro
life. and fled south across country to
far Beersheba. Public speakers can
understand his mood Often man has
turned to the Loneliness OF his hotel to
'eat bitterness" as the Chinese say,
in the full assurance that life is not
preachers blue Monday" 1t was
opera singers nerves." the athletes
day after"
went. taking to the desert in all his
troubles as naturally as a bird flees
to t.. its nest or a fox to its hole and
that he might die. The blue devils
of discouragement had him on the run
TT is enough" he cried; he was ready
to quit. What a succession of Eliiahs
have sat under that juniper tree: 1t is
one. of the most popular vacation re-
sorts on earth. although no place is
worse for the health.
Now what Elijah thought was a
spiritual experience was primarily a
matter of physical health. He needed
sleep and a square meal, which God
belief Many a minister since has had
his blues cured in the same way.
though the wise angel that provided
leader who can find refreshment after
exceptional toll in a fishing trip, a golf
course, or a tramp through the woods.
Elijah needed relaxation for his nerve
strain, and he needed to go apart where
his vision of relative values would be
clearer. Cheer up. Elijah; you are not
a coward because you have let your
you should sequester yourself quietly
for a fresh revelation of the mind of
God.
In an ideal state of Christian or
ganization we shall take better care
of our prophets. Some saints will pur-
sue day after" ministry, providing
night before inspired a multitude
Every convention might have conf
Dental "cheer-up committee" to show
appreciation sp ,sa to speak speakers It is rare
paper reports of his addresses, as he
goes from place to place; and letters
of thanks are almost as unusual. Once
in Baltimore a man spoke to meeting
of laymen; and the next day he re-
ceived a long telegram signed by
dozens of men. thanking him for HIS
that: however Such thoughtfulness
would soon depopulate the juniper tree
With hearty meal under his leath-
er girdle, and with his frazzled nerves
prophet turned his back on the Juniper
tree and started on desert iorney.
The desire to die had departed In
stead. he wanted to be up and doing.
So he set forth to the southeast, for
the mountains of Sinai. This trans
forming experience which he had un-
thoughts to that other mountain of
Gods presence, Horeb, or Sinai, where
the law had been given. He would go
and fellowship in spirit with that 9TH
Leisurely. and with many excur-
sions. Elijah Travelled to Horeb. spend
could enjoy such desoiate surround
ings only lovers of the desert know.
This was his native air. Here. rather
than in PALACES. was his home. In the
wilderness, II anywhere, Elijah must
get his messages from God. To him
the sparse camel thorn. the flinty
gray desert, the distant red rocks. were
Businesses. With real relief he took up
his lodging in a cave in the holy noun !
tain. |
All Ine Wnlle, EllJdn was SuTering |
with the familiar prophet maIady, |
loneliness. He saw too much of him
self. Ingrowing self consciousness had
attacked him. He needed a newspaper.
and intercourse with fellow servants
of God The prophet who keeps out |
of touch with his fellows sins against
his own soul. Sam Jones once said
to an Ohio audience, You sisters are |
dear old things. but you are not post |
ed That is what allied Elijah, as IL |
ails myriad lugubrious and pharfsai- |
cal saints in our own day; he was not
posted" He did not know what God
was doing, or what forces the Lord had
under His banner. Many lonely |
christians faith would be rejuvenated |
by attendance upon a religious conven-
tion or conference. There can be ton |
much OF any good thing. and there was
too much of the wilderness for Elijah |
for he himself bulked too large in the
landscape. N''S
There is implied rebuke in the sim
pie fact that the prophet, who had
himself been given an object lesson Of
Gods greatness. had himself to he |
taught an object lesson For Elijah
had no sooner settled comforta blv in
his cave than the voice of Jehovah
came To him, saying. lovingly, as n
We're: We'll how about it, Elijah
Whereupon the unconscious eeottsn,
OF strong man engrossed in himself
ana In MS work burst forth, "I have |
been very jealous for the Lord Goa ~ |
fhA .I.a ~