Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-01-19

First quarter: Lesson w. Kings
NIX III. January 80, l922
Golden Text: | waited patient
~ for Jehovah and lie Inclined
Psalm xl. |.
iilijnhs Flight nnd Return.
ono OF the most significant nets or
I:Iitah's life IN recorded in Il single
verse lilo ran before Ahab to tho
entrance OF Jczrecl." lie had rebul<.d
the King. but now he threw tho fun
weight of his personal and oifci,i
character on his side by acting as
his herald. recognizing him by that
very iced as sim the lawful ruler nf
Israel Tho Queen from her lat
ice saw the chariot coming aud
F'llJah running before. Although shn
knew perfectly well the meaning OF
.nnt Generous and patriotic act. IL
lai!cd to soften her heart. The en-
RACED and mcrciicss woman instantly
vowed that the next day h. should
snare the fate Of hor own prophets
-. Then IL was that IL dawncd upun
inc prophets mind that a nation can
'o' Us reformed in "a single day. The
seen. on Carmel had been very grand.
rir"h,ca! Hut II was an Incident in
ne, nc rtlyrmntion. not Its consumma-
'i"h, Ihc trend OF three gcneratious
vi inoih,r? could not be reversed
":rhrn nS me ro9nle vociierating.
ior EIiJah To be shocked and disap-
pointed by the discovery OF Tho in,
character OF his rcforna-
non. The cownrdiy thing for him to
nave done under the circumstances
hhrad"Nical az II may seem, would
i remained ana died. That would
I nave been = quick and easy exit from
| IN impending Had OF woes. I,ut
clilah ala the courageous thing: h.
nut himself beyond the reach OF tho
nufdcrous Queen and saved hInscIr
Tor further service to God and his
COUNTRY. So in his flight at length
he stood where Moses had COO years
II IL
=, hhu' IKE him. witnessed IN
,hnt mount OF Cod the majesty OF
Jehovah. Nature in her various fcn-
lures. iurc"S and moods, is both nurs,
IN" I'M medicine Tor minds distressed. In
~ tuinHIt Of the storm Elijah re-
Ehihed ms own equilibrium. But ,hcso
1nth"imShh were not merely Il soda
.nNS.' 1hcy were an al!ogory ns well.
nc prophet was In his I.ord'e kinder
t;'rien' lie was becoming a iiiti.
Ghlld again that he Nigh, 10 tnmght.
WIN what patience aud rcccptiyi,y
i he waited MS me Infinite Teacher put
hrl"t" nam one object lesson after
"hpthcrl cyclone volcano and cleo
,fi'Hl storms were ;tWcsonlc certain
y. hut IN tho rnal analysis God was
| iPtrtseni.d His chosen method OF
moral reform. So tho prophet saw
mat forces seemingly lrrcsistabic
was not thc real ana ultimate method
~ which Israel was to DO reformed.
ihcy might awaken: they could not
convert Then at length cano 10
49, NHi7ItE, a voice, sun md
small impotcnt apparently I'm com
rnriaon 10 lightning. quake mud Tor.
hhi". but Yet representing IN. ro,l
.nninE po%er OF God. by this ALE
torS ELIJAH Was taught that his iur-
,her WORK was 10 be gradual After
IN" h"ry manifestation which had
made Carmel the rival OF Sinai. there
N"S 10 hc the silent. continuous
powerful operation. tho fInal ana ut
srcSatc results OF which woull /,
Sreht"r aud more enduring than
those OF any moral cataciysm
Under the study Lnmp.
l:liiah IS viewed from n now nnr,o
ana tho sight. though not so pleasing
ma ,Nh.larnting az other vic,ys az
,h'S INDUSTRIOUS man. may yet he high.
~ pinh'hnl". This view teaches one
defeat and disastcr may yet ho made
I" s,rEc a purpose ~ the evolution
I ,h, t ,Mrmi -. liPd Elijah stood
fact that his reformation was no,
complete. orc would hc almoe, in
ciin"i TO believe tho Jewish legend
INA rn.' u" was an ans"l inC"rnatc and
proves the Ecnuin.Acss OF his human
!'S. lie Mas as 81. James calls him.
a man OF our own nature" So ho
VIII ever remain n splendid ana IN
SrIr!nE Illustration and nr0Of OF the
PosSlbilit tcs % human nature. cspc-
olhi!y when II is divincly inspired
ana led There Is fOrcglcam
here OF Jcsus' own method Of dealing
with minds distressed. lilo FIRST made
men comfortable in their bodies. So
ne i-"yd hrst gave Elijah food ana
sleep; Two successive nights OF pro-
found rcposo. each followed by a sub
sthni!al breakfast. nppctizing and
p!p!ng hot, with an angel 10 serve IL.
mat went Tar toward the suNcrcr's
recovery. Comfortahln physical con
ditions are almost Indispensable. 1t
has been puairtly said you can't get
religion with cold feet, So our Asso-
cinted Charities and other humane so
cietics are justified In their methods
81 snivaGtnE human WRECKS. To
look up 4 Colorado canon may lie AS
religious as to so TO a prayer meet
inE under some conditions Nature
Is Code nurse 10 soothc. sustain nnd
elevate. Ana no oNpensivc journey
need bc taken 10 avail one self Of
hor Offices. one need only look ny
To have The heavens tell him OF tho
glory OF God. Elijah. may have
well said that the blessed work az
helping the world forward does not
wait to be done by perfect men. no
such ns think there must always be
wind. earthquake and fro or there is
no religion. this chapter may well
b" commended. It is in perfect har-
mony with tho Masters own teach
ing. The Kingdom of heaven" Is Il
lohycn. Again II comes not with
such a demonstration as to make IT.
self observed. Savonarola was II
nfe"nth century Elijah; Lorenzo do
differed from the prophet. lIr took M"
civii power into HIS own hands and at
tempted AN instantaneous reformation,
hrooking no delay. allowing no time for
moral evolution. rho reaction against HIS
reform was Inevitable. Bu; thu martyrs
sincerity. Observation-Disclosures, courage ANA
Holiness arc beyond all dispute.
Analysis md Key.
Elijah Serving hs Ahuh's Herald
Object lesson: Obedience still Duo.
R"hukcd Monarch Not Dcthroncd.
Queen Observes act: Significance known.
Not Pln Gated: Prophets Death Vowed
Elijah Recognizes incompletcness OF
Reform.
Flight Courageous: Not Cowardiy.
MI. Sinai. Natures Nurse and Mcdl-
cine.
Prophet in lords kindergarten.
storm VS.. Small Voice.
Farther Reform Gradual
Present Day Applications.
Sanc,ity OF Civil! 0iilcc.
Regardless OF Character OF Incumbent.
Guie; VS.. Spectacular Methods OF Re-
form.
f-on,t,uopco In nofo re