Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-04-08

Golden Text: mo man can serve
NS0 masters. We cannot serve
Tod and Mammon." Matt. 6:24.
Omri was the founder of a new
ynasty in the northern kingdom OF
israel. He removed the capitol to
$amaria and strengthened it might
II. He was succeeded by his son,
hab, who, the scripture says, did
bore than any king before him to
urn away the. children of Israel
rom Jehovah. He not only walked
the sins of Jecoboam the son OF
Eebot, who made Israel to sin, but
e considered it no light thing to
bake an alliance with the king of
Sidon, who was also a priest OF
baal: and to seal that alliance he
harried Jezebel, the daughter OF the
riest-lling. JezebeI was not only
q idolater herself, but a woman
4 great force, and she made her
Eeak-husband do as she pleased. She
ct her heart on not only maklns
i'm a worshipper of Baal, but also
f having all the people of 1srael
faal worshippers, too. How often
hose who belong to some false falth
DIVERS of the true God!
Now to follow Jeroboam was oao
nough, for in making the calves
e broke the second commandment
however, he was still a Worshlppel
Pc GOD through the medium OF the
"a ives But Ahab's sin was greater,
bTrHe substituted in place of the wor'
<hip of Jehovah the worship of Baal.
s. lie set God aside for another god en-
Erely, and for one that was horrible
a the extreme. Baal and Astarte
Fere the male and female deities rep
esenting productiveness. Baal wor-
hip was sensuous in the grossest
ense. 1t therefore appealed to the
bwest in human nature, and easily
box the place of the spiritual wor'
hip of an Holy God? People today
a civilized countfy.would not stand
pr the grossness fAsepsuousness;
ut the growing tendency in all the
churches today is toward sensuous-
ess in worship in a more refined
orm Ritual. form, ornate decora-
ons of church and attendants, mus
tal entertainment, elaborate prep
ration, and ear-tickling sermonlzing
re some of the modern appeals to
be senses that are more and more
liking the place of worship; for we
bust remember what Jesus said, that
God is a Spirit, and they that wor-
hip Him must worship Him in spirit
nd in truth, for the Father seeketh
UGH to worship Him."
Baal worship was grossly degrad-
ng, not only to the spiritual life,
ut also to the physical and national
fe.
elijah
One day. like a bolt out or. the
lue, there appeared in the summer
&alace at Jezruel a man of com
handing appearance. He was from
he mountains of Gilead across the
liver and belonged to the tribe OF
Tad, that tribe of troopers. The
rid moutaineer presented q strange
Ippearance> among the luxurles OF
he palace. Clad with a coarse gar
'nent, bound with leather girdle,
Ind with all the ruggedness of his
eature, Elijah, the Tishbite, burst
INTO the palace, and standing IN
.ront of the wicked king said: AS
he Lord God liveth before whom L
tand, there shall not be rain these
ears except at my word'-and be-
|bre you knew it he was gone, just
8 suddenly as he had come.
It may have startled Aha'b at
|irst, and then amused him, until
he grass began to dry up, and veg
Itation wither, and the streams get
bw, and crops fail to grow, and the
/ nd get more or more parched as it
|aked from day to day under the
blazing heat of a cloudless sky. No
- ain came, not even a shower, not a
kloud, not a drop of dew. Then Ahab
began to think. He became anger
Id at this bold prophet, and sent
here, there and yonder to find him.
- lie sought in. every country around
him, but Elijah could not be found.
MI of this time he was safe in Je-