The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1921-06-09

will tell you what Elijah was hidden
do. He was hidden to go, seek out,
and strengthen the 1000 in Israel
who had not bowed the knee TO Baal.
DO you think Of them as change
able, sordid, penurious, provincial
Think rather how suddenly they rise
to heroism, 10 sacrifice, to sainthood.
Do you remember what was hap
pening less than three years ago7
Women down there in the common
life, making beds, baking bread.
smiling thru their tears; their boys
in France. And the boys themselves,
careless fellows, whose sole interests,
as we supposed, were the movies and
the dances and the theatres and the
drinks. wallowing amid the mud and
blood and rats and wire fence en-
tanglements, over there. What won
derful people they are. Give them a
leadership they can trust, and they
will follow that leadership from the
inferno "to the fair world and the
beautiful lights Of heaven"
Oh, yes, my brothers, the great
ones are all gone; the men who oc-
cupied the thrones Of the world and
the thoughts Of men: Ben Hadad.
Tiglath Pileser, Sennacherib-they are
all gone. Great captains with their
guns and their drums disturb the
Judgment for the hour. But at last
silence comes and out from the sill
ence speak TO us today the voices Of
prophetic men, who, tempted just as
you will be tempted, went back into
the common life Of men, - declare
the justice of God, to identify and
consecrate the political and prophetic
leaders Of men; TO seek and strength
en- the number of those who, them
selves saved, would go forth to save
mankind. And you follow in their
train.
I hear a man say: "Oh, that
sounds all right, but Elijah was a
prophet, and am just an ordinary
member Of my class, a very common
place man, too, If the truth were
told, but ! believe the word comes to
each Of us today-Go, return upon
your way. Go; but you will 60 with
the blessed thought Of that cloud you
saw the other day, as small as a
mans hand. That cloud will be for.
ever to you a symbol Of the begin
nings and the swift on-moving Of the
Divine in life. Surely, our studies
have been helping us to understand
the meaning Of that cloud, the size
Of mans hand, symbol, this, OF
the small beginnings and the swift
on-movings Of the divine in life.
Again as you return upon your
way, you will be blessed by the
thought Of the fashion in which Goo
most dearly loves to speak. A great
and strong wind rent the mountains
and brake in pieces the rocks before
the Lord. E. and after the wind ar
earthquake. . . and after the earth
quake a fire. .. and after the fire &
voice Of gentle stiffness.
It pays to advertise. If il pays
so well, it is curious that Jesus die
so little advertising. The miracles
were glorious advertising material
But when he healed a man, Jesus
would that none should know it.
II is said Of Washington that Ger.
tain stiffness enveloped him, as II he
were hiding himself behind great
deeds. Light does not need to adver,
tise, and the God who speaks to yor
in voice Of gentle stiffness will per
haps bless you Just because you re-
ject the megaphone and the spot.
light and speak straight to the hear
of Israel.
And then, as you go and return up
on your way, you will be strength
ened by another memory, the memory
of the cakes baken on the Goals, the
thought of the cruise of water left by
the angels hand; strengthened by tn,
assurance that as your day is, you
strength will be.
II is to me one Of the signal proof,
Of the growing self-revelation Of God
that in the old days, when Israe
was surrounded by the devotees O.
angry, vengeful, licentious deities
there were men in Israel who hear,
God say: 'Ho, everyone that thirst
eth, come We TO the waters. and h,
that hath no money. come We, yea
come buy wine and milk without
money and without price" Men VIII
thru the thunder heard the humal
voice saying, "Arise and eat, the
Journey is too great for thee" Blu
Jesus has put forever beyond thu
reach Of honest doubt the fact tina
for the great task Of the prophet Il