Evening star., 1939-08-05

up its slopeS-and from that roof
top I saw a cloud the size of d
mans hand rising above the Medi-
terranean. Down below runs the
Brook Klshon, scene of the sangui-
nary fate of the priests of Baal
The whole site is a natural stage
and ampitheater for the enactment
of heroic drama.
Central to this great story-which
is not without its analogies in our
present-day life. was the hairy. un-
couth wilderness figure of Elijah
the greatest of the Old Testament
prophets, whose life of stress and
suffering was crowned when he,
along with Moses. was sent to keep
rendezvous with Jesus on the
Mount of TRANSPORTATION. At the
very outset of our study, let us bear
in mind the ultimate triumph of
Elijah. THE end proves all"
One Man Against Many.
This man, Elijah, the Tishbite, a
sojourner in Gilead. emerges sud-
denly upon the scene. We are left
in ignorance of his antecedents and
background What forces shaped
him into his mould of audacious
heroism?
We do not know. If we had the
recipe or program we would turn 1t
over to the Christian youth, espe-
lcially the Young preachers. of our
own day. For another Elijah would
be worth more to the country than
carload lots of politicians and pro-
fessional experts" There were
many men in Israel better educated
than Elijah and better equipped for
public service by training and ex-
perience. His one great qualification
was that he knew God. Therefore
he had deep intolerance of sin. He
cared, above all else. for the honor
of Jehovah. and for His King rights.
The true prophet is a real radical,
in that he deals with the root of
things, which is religious.
Some of us believe that an Elijah
for our times will yet appear. Many
looked to the East for him, and had
hopes of Kagawa, but he has bowed
in the house of Japan's Rimmon.
Ghandi is too passive and provincial,
though the real leader of India. Our
North America has an abundance of
good preachers and teachers and
public men; but no Elijah. He may
one day rise, in the pulpit in the
classroom, in the halls of legislation,
IN an editors chair, in the labor
movement, amongst the unemployed
BY this shall we know him: He will
call the people back to God. Re
pent! Return!' will be the burden
of his cry. For only by simple 10y
atty to the clear will of God can our
times be saved.
A Message of Disaster.
In Elijah's day the great Jewish
apostasy was represented by King
Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife
stirred up" She was the daughter
of the King of the Sidonians, a de-
votee and fanatical servant of Baal,
whose worship she established, feed
ing 400 priests of Baal at her own
table. Jezebel who has had name
of infamy throughout the ages,
ruled her royal husband; and it is
always i'll for the family, whether
royal or plebian, wherein the wife
rules.
Suddenly. in the narrative, the
uncouth Prophet Elijah appeared
before the King and predicted three
years of drouth. A messenger of
such tidings, openly speaking in
behalf of Jehovah, had to put him.
self beyond the reach of a ruthless
King, and his still more vengeful
wife. So Elijah fled to the great
ravine of Cherith, which debouches
on the Jordan Plain, where he was
fed by the ravens.
When the water of the Brook
Cherith dried up, Elijah was sent to
zarephath, far up Sidon way,
where a widow shared with him her
last small portion of meal and oil:
but neither meal nor oil failed so
long as the prophet abode there. He