Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-02-08

| KinyS lesson VII.
Golden Text: Verify, verify,
say unto you. the hour cometh.
Anu anu now is when the dead shall
and they that hear shall live
John V. 20.
H. Elisha lL aud the shunnmmite.
bied stream of public life. One STUN
pres pres upon the comparatively small
domestic incident In the very midst
o oi ware, wars and affairs of kinEcraft. Hos
bereavement. grief. faith and impor-
tunity all are shrined In this story.
tho tho a rhar Sweet. casts It's light upon
,tcuinr and upon tho human life OF
thirty centuries ago In general,
Shuhem Of tho tribe OF Issacher, and
, ,Sns petween Samaria and Carmel.
WIS IN the wheat bolt of Palestine
ana on the highway OF travel. Here
on his own estate lived an independ-
en- .iarmer. whose wife was charac-
piety. She recognized Eiishm nv ana
servant OF the Lord and as such ex-
Tended her hospitality to him The
has nsn' p sne made e. Tor him ON tho wall
prophets chamber" This hospitality
was marked by thoughtful consid,
eratlon 20. or the needs OF II professional
on the roof. and approached by an
outside staircase made IL possible
Tot the prophet to come and go Mt
VIII without ohservation on the part
or the family. Thus he could have ns
much privacy as IL he was In hi.
own home. Another jewel set in
the the hligree OF this story is Content
ncnt when tho prophet asked his
hostess. In appreciation OF her hog
pi,ality. If he should name her hus-
band ut court for prefcrmcnt there
or IN inc army. her answer was. II
dwell with mine own people" She
might have said:
My crown Is in my heart, not on my
Not decked with.diamonds and Indian
stones,
Nor TO be- seen: my crown is called
Content
y crown IL is that seldom kings enjoy
49,: Another jewel shines out In
me dark hour OF her bereavement.
fhith. She believes that the son
gwen 10 her under such unusual CON
ditions and taken from her in such
an incxplicable manner could be re-
stored to her; She would no doubt
In due time have. shown the grace
OF resignation, hut II IL to her credit
mat she did not too quickly say. ''The
Lord hath taken away" Not until
she had made strenuous effort at re-
covery was she ready To say sub
missiveiy: The Lord hath taken
away: blessed be the name of the
LORD The prophet from his cyrie
on Mount Carmel saw the Shunam-
mite approaching. The unusual hour.
toward evening. and not a Sabbath or
new moon, as well as the speed with
which she travelled excited his appre-
hchsi0n. But he fnilcd not in cour-
tcsy. His servant was dispatched
with salutations. The emptiness OF
average greetings Is illustrated. II
was a meI. passing of the word OF
with the prophet. not with his ger
want. moment later the be-
rravsh woman was ciasping the feet
appointed guardian OF his masters
dignity, cold and Obtusc. was for
thrusting the woman aside. sym
pathy. on the other hand. Is pcnetra-
tive. and Elisha had hand open as
ficious servant: Let her alone. Tor
hcr soul is'vexcd within her" The
outcome is familiar: the prophets en-
pedient OF sending his stan To he laid
upon the face OF the dead child: the
mothers importunity. exriaiming.
"As the Lord liSeth. j Will not leave
of the stan: the night Journey TO
Shuncm; the restoration OF the child:
the announcement OF the prophet,
Take up thy chtid"! brief. pathetic.
beautiful! Success ls never vuluble
The study Lamp.
The world was delighted when
I.aynrd uncovered the bass-reliefs
which which depict civilization long ex
contained pictures which yIvify tho
common life OF thirty centuries ago.
This little domestic Incident is
s ems I In writing which bears
Kings; .... Hospitality which liz
gracch and inspired by picty will not
lose It's reward. What the social
functions of the day need liz more re-
lision, The spiritual analogy OF this
incident has been familiar since the
days Of Origen. For example. the
s,an OF formal religion can never
4 gold and jeweled crosicr Only the
breath OF the Divine Spirit can
quicken Into life. But caution
must be had In 'spiritualizing." No
figure must be made to go on all
iours The strength or mother
love expresses itself in the command
20 'he servant slack not thy riding
coming At top speed was not less than
thlrty-four miles. =. GchaZi thrust
Ing The woman aside reminds one OF
,ne nlsslp,e ha when they rebuked the
Tor Jesus blessing. 1t Is the con-
Nifty the dignity OF his master.
m r.. ISM motive in sending Gehazi is
Vhriously interpreted: namely, to
prove that miracles were not con-
hectcd In any magical way with his
person or belongings. but resulted
aome a sax o wtn faIeh hr1Eh faith
his unworthiness. others because the
prophet withdrew his power while
his servant was on The way. Rut
the most natural thing TO say is that
Elisha erred i'm Judgment when he
adopted the device. :. The Shunau-
mites affirmation OF contentment. III
dwell among, my own people" clashes
with the vulgar slang. Get there,
which, being interpreted, means sac
riiice peace, domestic comfort
friends. conscience and God for
money. honors. grandeur and parade.
Analysis md Key.
Domestic Life OF Thirty Centuries
Ago.
Incident Reveals 1t.
Like I.ayard's iIass-rcliefs
Scene: Wheat Belt CO Palestine.
Persons: Independent Farmer
Ills Wire: Her Piety: Recognizes
Man OF God.
Hospitality: 1.-THE Prophets Cham
Der"
contentnent: Dwelling Among
Own People"
Faith: Child Restored.
PrPsenf-Dny Applications.
Has the hour struck TO read the
burial service over oid-time Chris
tian hospitality? Conditions have
confesscdly changed. Spare chambers
for guests have gone in the average
home. Newspaper and post have dis
placed the guest as a vendor of news.