The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-02-04

home has ever been woman
throne and her hospitality has
been one OF the Jewels in her
crown
The prophet, anxious to make
some suitable return for the wom-
ans generous thoughtfulness, sent
for her and said:
Behold. thou hast been careful
for us with all this care; what Is
TO be done for thee? wouldst thou
be spoken for to the king. or to
the captain of the host?"
He suggested the rewards that
would ordinarily be acceptable. He
was in q position TO secure for
her whatever her heart might
wish. She modestly declined any
thing that king or captain could
give, preferring. she said to dwell
with her own people.
When she had gone Elisha
asked Gehazi IL he could think
OF anything that could be done
for her. The prophets servant
answered that she had no child,
the greatest misfortune that could
befall her. Then Elisha called
her and told her that a son would
come to bless her. The woman
could hardly believe him and in
her joy begged him not to lie to
her.
A Mothers Love.
In due time the son was born,
and when the child was old enough
to help in the harvest he went
out into the field with the reapers
and fell sick. probably overcome
by the heat The father, feeling
as helpless as fathers usually do
at such a time. had the lad car
ried to his mother. The mother
nursed her son until he died upon
her lap
In her grief. there wac just one
person to whom she could turn
Elisha. She took the child up to
his room and laying him on the
prophets bed, she shut the door
upon him and went out.
Her plans were made in an in
slant. Calling to her husband. she
asked for a servant and an animal
upon which to go in search Of
Elisha The father did not seem
to guess the purpose OF her visit;
possibly he did not think that the
IL he had known that he was dead.
he might not have had the faith
she had in the prophets power.
She found Elisha in Mount
Carmel. who. seeing her afar OF.
sent his servant to inquire what
was the matter. Answering in the
usual language, 1T is WELL" she
hurried past the servant and fell
at the feet of Elisha.
Gehazi, OF whom We shall hear
more and worse later. tried to
thrust her away. but Elisha re-
buked him, seing that something
distressed her-something which
he said the Lord had not revealed
to him. In her anguish. she re-
minded the prophet that she had
not asked a son-that she had
even begged him not to deceive
her.
Reward for Her Faith.
Elisha correctly interpreting her
words. sent Gehszi with his staff
to restore the child to life, warn
ing him not to delay by the way
to give or to receive salutations.
Rev. Herbert Booth. a son of
the founder of the Salvation Army.
has a sermon on the Shunammite
Woman. IN his inimitable way
he describes Gehazi as he de-
parted on this errand. pulled up
with a feeling OF Importance; and
then he describes Gehazi's sur
prise when he found himself I'M
able to use Elisha's staI as sue
cessfully as the prophet used il.
The Shunammite woman did not
seem to have as much faith in
Gehazi as the servant had in him
self. She did not follow him when
he started toward her home, carry
mig Elisha's stan. She remained
with Elisha and used the same
language that Elisha had en-
ployed in addressing his master.
Elisha: "As the Lord liveth and
as thy soul liveth. ! will not leave
thee"
So the prophet went with her.
Somewhere along the 12-mile
journey they met the serv-
ant and received from him the re-
port that HIS mission was a fail
ure. In due time Elisha reached
the woman's home and looked
upon the child as he lay upon the
bed. Then follows the record Of
the miracle. The scene closes
with the mother bowling to the
ground in gratitude and taking
her living. breathing son back to
her arms.
A wender-working God.
We see in the story Of the
Shunammite woman an exhibi-
ton of the power of the Al
mighty. and, as usual, the power
is called forth by faith.
Here are present the three fac
tors that appear again and again
throughout the Old and New Tes-
taments. A God all powerful,
acting through. consecrated
servant, rewards the faith Of one
in whose heart there is an I'M
faltering trust.
A miracle? Yes-but why
should a miracle disturb q Chris
tian?
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