The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1924-04-17
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
Prepared especially for The Republi-
can by Rev. U. S. Wright D. D.
SUNDAY, APRIL 20.
ELISHA: TEACHER AND
SVATTGN

lament. He had the same fiery tenn
per that blazed in the demand to de
stroy the Samaritans, for in his own
youth as a prophet he cursed the
Knockers of Jehovah's messenger. He
had the same affection for folks that
made him at home in cottage and
court alike and John, comrade of fish
ermen, entered the High Priests pal
ace unannounced. He had the same
daring courage in facing peril for
conscience sake; one daring death in
Samaria, the other in Jerusalem. And
he was so conscious of the Spirit
world that Gods chariots drove in
Dothan while John found both angels
and his Lord in Patmos. And both
were growing men which after all is
the hardest test of real life.
! This boy from the farm lying in
the rich valley where he drove his
yoke in company with eleven servants,
perhaps hired, who each drove an
other, knew nothing of the aceticism
of the desert or the pinch of poverty.
Loving his parents he could not obey
Elijah's call until he had kissed them
good bye" and had made feast for
his friends, including the Glands" on
the farm. 1t was in such surround
ings that his democracy was born, his
ability to mingle with all sorts of men
fostered, his religion humanized, and
his broad mindedness assured. Fol
lowing Elijah for a few years he
caught his passion for living faith
and his hate for the Tyrian Baalism
introduced by JeZebel. Keeping close
to both the king and the common peo-
pie he had the entry into all homes
and was beloved wherever he went
for his kindly helpfulness. If it was
trip to a lumber camp he was
asked to go along; if it were a rich
home room was built for his use; if
it was a military expedition he was
called to accompany it. He was cas-
/ ily the most loved and the most in
!, fiuential figure in all Israel, and his
fame spread far beyond its borders.
AS a prophet he was so tolerant
that he absolved Naaman from any
wrong when he went to the house of
Rimmon as an official duty and amorg
the young men who refused to a
cept his version of Elijah's death Re
simply allowed them to carry on the
quest fora material explanation ofhis
spiritual vision. But for Tyrian Baal
he was as uncompromissing as Crom-
we'll or a Turk. Yet he advances lit
tie over the ideas of Eliiah-the
change was in his method of work.
THE PATRIOT
He was devoted to his country and
determined that his best service should
be given her. When the expedition
against Moab was in danger he gave
his best thinking to finding way out
of the difficulty. When Samaria was
so closely beseiged that horses had
been killed and children had been eat
en-, he still counselled its defense
rather than it's surrender. When he
was almost dying he faced toward
Syria and ordered the king to shoot
the arrow Of victory and was bitterly
displaced when he stayed his hand
too soon to suit the prophets desire
for its overthrow. In the text set for
today he appears as the head of the
Israelitish spy system that was so eff
fective that its findings seemed I'M
canny to the enemy. And when in
the early dawn he faced the soldiers
who were seeking his capture it was
| with a chuckle in his throat that he
assumed the command of the enemy
| forces and led them into Samaria
| where he Toasted his prisoners anc
! sent them away his friends. That is
;. the greatest capture possible and is
| the one commended by Paul in the
| golden text. If the world had few
shrewd, human, lovable leaders today
who would feed instead of fight there
would be less talk of the next war
His whole theory was based upon his
discernment of the might of the spir.
itual against that of the material. He
believed that the strengthening of the
perception of spiritual forces was the
surest defense of Israel or of any
other nation, and he gave himself to
the doing of the thing. He fostered
it in his own life by prayer and help
fulness and aided others thru his
teaching and his insistence so that
the whole life of the land was in some
degree affected by his attitude. For
he was the outstanding figure of the
period and his name will live when
the kings are forgotten.
THE REVOLUTIONIST
Elisha came to the belief that the
| situation could not be remedied by the
house Of Ahab and he set himself
quietly enough to foment a revolution
that would break the connection with
Tyre. 1t was in the interest of re-
ioions and Of the older desert tvne