Evening star., 1922-02-11

shall hear the voice Of the Son
OF God: and they that hear
shall live.-John. SIS.
Il BY REV. HUGE 4. STEVENSON. 81
Ensha's mission differed, u greatly
|'from that of&Aiijah. His methods
-were1n striking gicontrast,s with stall
wart Tisbite, whose spectacular ef-
forts to wig the people for God have
given him nfst rank among the
prophets*.- The preacher yof:repent-
ance. awkos proclaimed ethe. nations
danger Of suffering the vengeance
and wrath Of Jehovah. was followed
by the prophet Of peace. The will
derI SIS was the place !svhere' Elijah
loved to commune with God. i. Elisha
during dwa,,s ,,tn. a ministry Of over f,fts.yesrs
maria, at the foot Of the hill: that
was the center t..of his Wonderful
work, which would. stand outs,tn his
tory with startling 'dIsttnotneas,,.if he
had not tfolloweds so ciossly An time
that OF his eminent predecessor.
going about doing good. Elisha. by
his many miracles. revealed to the
poverty stricken widow, famishing
prophets, suffering farmers. troubled
toilers. as we'll as to. king, and mill
tary, leaders Of his own and other es
In their daily needs. He demonstrated
to them that God was not Indifferent
to their water supply and irriga-
tion and pure food" His system of
trenches turned q defeat into a VIC
tory for the army Of Israel and her
nations enemy to send out a spe-
though tho Elisha did hot do greater
works than Elijah. he,did more great
works than his great teacher.
nsns sy hs shloem vafe
about twenty-five miles north OF
Samaria. his home. in the rich fertile
plain Of Esdraelon. A great woman
of this community had not only wei
coined the prophet, and Gehazi. his
attendant. to her home. but had per.
n roof chamber. which is always ap.-
preciated in the near east. as it is COOL
airy and private sleeping place. This
was fitted up and furnished. ready
at all hours and times Tor Tor the
ing the centuries that have passed
have followed the worthy example OF
the Shunammite. in providing "a
prophets chamber" have reaped their
merited reward for being hospitable
to the servants OF the Lord: ORD. ...,,
eth q prophet in the name of a
prophet shall receive a prophets re-
ward" The faith and kindness Of the
Shunammite matron did not go un-
rewarded. She revealed her great
ness and absolute unselhshness IN
ministering to the needs Of the weary
prophet by declining his lthe proph.
et's) offer to secure her advancement
in social life byintroductng her to the
court. When Elisha Learned the desire
Of the God-fearing woman, who was
satisfied with her home and friends. to
be a mother so that she might train
her own child around the family table
for thesglory Of God. he had Gehazi
call her so tina. he might assure her
that she would in due time fold in
her arms a son.
In accordance with this prophecy
the home at Shunem was: filled with
joy at the coming Of the e'long-hoped-
fog. child. He grow in stature and
wisdom until he was considered :
pable of assisting his father and the
reapers in the harvest field. The in
tensity Of the heat brought on sun
stroke. The father. not realising the
seriousness Of the lads condition. sent
him home to be cared for by the
mother. Nothing that she could do
for her only son could save his life.
left his body. when she carried him up
to the prophets chamber. placed him
upon the bed of the man. Of God and
determined to apply to him for help
in her bereavement. She closed the
door behind her. possibly with the
view ito keep the spirit. which the
neighborhood Of the body. which it
had just left. from getting away"
Elisha was at Carmel. The Shu-
nammite's faith In Gods power
caused her to turn to His servant
with confidence that he would restore
her son to her. II she applied to His
carry the message seeking help but
she proved her faith in Gods power
by seeking personally the prophets
aid: She requested her aged COM
panion to send Immediately to her
one OF the reapers and an ass, SO that
she could go to Carmel to confer WITH
the prophet. She haG refrained from
asked his consent. as he was the head
OF the home. Although he tried to
persuade her not to go, as it was not
the time, for q religious service, she
prevailed upon him to let her have her
way, for he sent his servant to drive
the ass. Under her instructions he
Forced the animal to go at top speed,
SO that in about Ave hours she drew
near Carmel. Elisha detected her ap-
proach and sent his servant to and
out the cause OF this unexpected
visit.
She refused to make known to hin,
her problem. She had come to plead
with Elisha, with confidence that
her faith would be rewarded. Social
usage called tor the prophet to speak
to the Shunammite through his serv-
ant whom he had sent to her. realiz-
Ing that only some emergency called
for her to visit him, driving as swift
ly as She was at that hour Of the day.
She replied with the usual courteous
manner of ithe near east. but moved
on: on. d determined ct to speak with. the
ed Elisha her pent-up feelings gave
way. Her sorrow found expression
for she grasped the prophets feet as
she begged him, in tears and in
agony, to help her at that moment.
Gehazi, who lacked the tact of his
master, tried to turn her aside, Just
as the disciples Of our Lord tried to
turn aside the mothers who crowded
about the Master on: his farewell
journey to Jerusalem, presenting
their children to Him for His bless
ing. Jesus rebuked His disciples for
interfering with those who would
bring their children to Him. so Elisha
rebuked his servant. JESUS took the
children up In His arms and blessed
them. Elisha. when he realised the
trouble was about the child, dis
patched Gehazi at once to the home
at Shunem to restore the. child by
using the prophets stan. The emerg-
ency called for him not to stop on
the journey. for tho usual form Of
greeti;nssi gre ~ ,ha which aas consume 50 much
|; The rreafneso NJ tho chv..n,r.s+o