The farmer and mechanic. [volume], September 07, 1915, Page 4, Image 4

About The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??

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4
THE FARMER AND MECHANIC.
In The Religious World
a Victor with the blues.
The International Sunday School Les
son for September 12 is "Elijah's
Flight ami Keturn' 1 Kings eh.
19.
(By WILLIAM T. ELLIS.)
con
oven An
soon depopu-
Asrain.
Literature is full of dramatic
trasts, because it is n rellection,
though inadequate, of real life.
up-to-date writer of scenarios for the
"movies" could scarcely devise a more
unlikely situation than that in which
this week's lesson finds Elijah, the
hero of last week's study; the man
who had bent a king to his will, fdled
the eye of a nation, and, in the most
dramatic religious combat of all his
tory, had defeated the heathen priests.
His prayer had brought lire from
heaven, and his prayer had ended the
long and bitter drought of three years
The accolade of Cod had been on his
fchoulder.
Now we fee him running away
from the vindictive woman!
In the mood of spiritual exaltation
which had followed the spectacular
victory of Mount Carmel, Elijah, re
conciled to the convinced and con
verted king, had run before his
chariot all the way to Jezebel, a feat
possible only to such a hardy and
conditioned physique as that of this
desert-dweller. Doubtless, in a vague
way, Elijah assumed that now the
worship of Jehovah would be restored
at the palace. What great plans of
j e-establishing the honor of God in
Irrael thronged his brain as he ran
toward Jezebel.
Both king and prophet, however,
had reckoned without the woman in
the case. If Ahab had thought that
his wife would be converted by the
dramatic trial by fire, he little knew
Jezebel'. More than most women,
that tigress was dominated by per
sonal prejudices, and not by principles
of reason. She gnashed in fury over
the fate of her pet priests. As for
her arch-enemy, Elijah, she could not
withhold the threat that, "As surely
as you are Elijah and I am Jezebel,
may the gods do to me what they
will, if I do not make your life as the
life of one of them by tomorrow about
this time." A nice, ladylike sentiment
that!
The prophet who had confronted
a hostile king and nation, with jeers
and taunts and easy assurance, col
lapsed at this woman's fury. The
was
his
narrative succinctly says, "He
afraid and arose and went for
life."
Under The Juniper Tree.
Discouraged, despairing and seem
ingly defeated, Elijah resumed his
exile life, and fled south across country
to far Beersheba. Public speakers
can understand his mood. Often a
man has swayed a great audience, and
then returned to the loneliness of his
hotel to "eat bitterness," as the
Chinese say, in the full assurance that
life is not worth living. This was for
Elijah the "preacher's blue Monday."
Jt was opera singer's "nerves"; the
athlete's "day after."
Out from Beersheba the prophet
went, taking to the desert in all his
troubles as naturally as a bird flees
to its nest or a fox to its hole, and
sitting down under a juniper tree
(probably the broom plant) prayed
that he might die. The blue devils
of discouragement had him on the
run. "It is enough." he cried; he
was ready to quit. What a succession
of Elijahs have sat under that iuniner
tree: it is one of the most popular
vacation resorts on earth, although
no place is worse for the health.
Now what Elijah thought was a
spiritual experience was primarily a
matter of physical health. He need
ed sleep and a square meal, which
God gave him, rather than a lecture
en unbelief. Many a minister since
has had his blues cured in the same
way, though the wise angel that pro
vided the food was his wife. Happy
is the leader who can find refresh
ment after exceptional toil in a fish
ing trip, a golf course, or a tramp
through the woods. Elijah needed
relaxation for his nerve strain, and
he needed to go apart where his vi
sion of relative values would hA
clearer. Cheer up, Elijah; you are
not a coward because you have let
your body get the whip hand this
once; but you should sequester your
self quietly for a fresh revelation of
the mind of God.
In an ideal state of Christian or
ganization we shall take better care
of our prophets. Some saints will
pursue a "day after" ministry', pro
viding cheer for the lonely man who
the night before inspired a multitude.
Every convention might have a con
fidential "cheer-up committee," to
fhow appreciation to speakers. It is
rare for a man to receive even the
newspaper reports of his addresses,
as he goes from place to place; and
letters of thanks are almost as un
usual. Once in Baltimore a man
fpoke to a meeting of laymen; and
the next day he received a long tele
gram signed by dozens of men, thank
ing him for his address. I know of
no parallel for that, however.' Suph
thoughtfulness would
late the juniper tree.
On The Road
With a hearty meal under his
leather irirdle, and with his frazzled
nerves soothed by long and repeated
sleep, the prophet turned his back on
the juniper tree and started on a
desert journey. -The desire to die had
departed. Instead, he w-anted to be
up and doing. So he set forth to the
southeast, for the mountains of Sinai.
This transforming experience which
he had undergone on Mount Carmel
turned his thoughts to that other
mountain of God's presence, Horeb,
or Sinai, where the law had been
given. He would go and fellowship
in spirit with that other discouraged
servant of God, Moses.
Leisurely, and with many excur
sions, Elijah traveled to Horeb, spend
ing forty days in the trip. How he
could enjoy such desolate surround
ings only lovers of the desert know.
This was his native air. Here, rather
than in palaces, was his home. In
the wilderness, if anywhere, Elijah
must get his messages from God. To
him the sparse camel thorn, the flinty
gray desert, the distant red rocks,
were beautiful. He was at home in
the fastnesses. With real relief he
took up his lodging in a cave in the
holy mountain.
All the while, Elijah was suffering
with the familiar prophet malady,
loneliness. He saw too much of him
self. Ingrowing self-consciousness
had attacked him. He needed a news
paper, and intercourse with fellow
servants of God. The prophet who
keeps out of touch with his fellows
sins against his own soul. Sam Jones
once said to an Ohio audience, "You
sisters are dear old things, but you
are not posted." That is what ailed
Elijah, as it ails a myriad lugubrious
and Pharisaical saints in our own day,
he was not "posted." He did not
know what God wras doing, or what
forces the Lord had under His ban
ner. Many a lonely Christian's faith
would be rejuvenated by attendance
upon a religious convention or con
ference. There can be too much of
any good thing, and there wras too
much of the wilderness for Elijah: for
he himself bulked too large in the
landscape.
An Object Lesson For Elijah.
There is implied rebuke in the sim
ple fact that the prophet, who had
himself been given an object lesson
of God's greatness, had himself to be
taught an object lesson. For Elijah
had no sooner settled comfortably in
his cave than the voice of Jehovah
came to him, saying, lovingly, as it
were, "Well how about it Elijah,
What now?"
Whereupon hte "unconscious egotism
of a strong man engrossed in himself
and in his work burst forth, "I have
been very jealous for the Lord God
of hosts: for the children of Israel
have forsaken Thy covenant, thrown
down Thine altars, and slain Thy
prophets with the sword; and I, even
I only, am left; and they seek my
life, to take it away."
That sounds familiar. It seems to
me I have often heard that priggish,
Pharisaical, "I, even I only, am left,"
a good many times. There are whole
groups of us Christians who have so
little sense of proportion or of humor
that we think the Lord wrould be in
a sorry way if it were not for us. We
are sure the Church as well as the
times are decadent and that we few
are the saving remnant. Which
means that we are not "posted"; our
ego has got in front of our eyesight,
hindering our vision."
Bidding the self-entered prophet
stand on the mount, God gave him an
object lesson, wThich has passed by a
mighty wind, an earthquake and a
fire, but the Lord was not in any of
them. Then, came the still, small
voice, and lo, that was the voice of
God. Now, as then and ever, the
mightiest influences are the quietest
the growth of the vegetable kingdom,
the shining of the sun, the rise of
the tides, the development of the
human will and mind There are pur
poses today forming, all unsuspected,
in individual human hearts which
may eventually mean more to the
world than this great war itself. The
voice of God in the spirit of man is
unheard by the nearest person, but
stimulus of seven thousand others
who had not bowed the knee to Baal,
and who were as loyal as he to
Jehovah. Also it had deprived this
seven thousand faithful ones of his
leadership.
So the startlingly practical message
that came to Elijah from the Mount
was to this effect. "Go back among
men and organize your work. Do
your job thoroughly, but it is among
people that your work must be done.
Learn to be a co-operator. At this
vesy moment, there are two kings to
be anointed and an apprentice prophet
to be chosen, in order that my work
may be carried olt. And don't forget,
my self-centered Elijah, that you are
not the only righteous man in the
land. There are seven thousand true
hearts in Israel. Go, work with and
for them: and quit your mooning off
here in the desert."
Thus it came to pass that Elijah
had his lesson; and wrent back among
the people to do his work. There he
chose Plisha. a different type of man
entirely, to continue the work which
he had begun.
us is a controlling fat to
ing character.
They are best friend .
wno are inends of ?
e
r.. j,
1
Propinquity flincs f,,1
other's heads, and so
out ajiomer name for Pi
is doubtless as it shoni.i
tnend should be
thoroughout the whole w,
price is too high to pay f,.r
ing of a true friend, a s..u'.
All else save honor is t i
as less man tnis. even
prized the love of Davi
throne of Israel.
a s
A FRIEND, THE BEST FORTUNE.
Terse Comments on the Uniform
Prayer Meeting Topis of the Young
People's Societies Christian En
deavor, etc. for September 12.
"Friendships That Are Worth
Forming: Makingr Them, Keepinj
Good people make n . m t-
Scr it is when the hi'rn
of the soul are held in
religion, patriotism, educate
purpose that the noblest f ri
are achieved. Kindred ..t. '
kindred aims are timber .f v...
house of friendship is cohmi
There are some men and w.;
whose company we are nhv.iv.
best. All the best stons in .!:
are drawn out by their int, r
and we find a music in . r
never there before. Henr
mond.
Them."
19.
Prov. 27:5, 6, 9, 10, 14, 17.
(By WILLIAM T. ELLIS.)
Like love, friendship is one of the
big words that is often used in little
ways. some loose-thinking persons
label the last casual acquaintance,
"Friend." Most prodigals find "a host
of friends while their inheritance lasts.
A successful politician has "friends"
to the point of embarassment. But
real friends are few; he may count
himself successful wno in life has won
a friend or two, of the sort worthy of
that royal name. And the man who
has amassed wealth, but no friends,
has missed life's best fortune.
There never was a true friend who
ceased to be such when adversity
came. "Love is not love which alters
when it alteration finds," said Shake
speare. The Bible, which contains
the last word on so many subjects,
put the situation succinctly: "A friend
loveth at all times."
Since friendships are a paramount
part of life, the art of making them
is to be studied. Here again the
wisest word is in the old Book, "He
that would have friends, must show
himself friendly." A spirit of friend
liness wnicn is reaiiy unselfishness, is
at the basis of lasting friendship.
Perhaps we can best express this art
of arts by paraphrasing Pauls im
mortal passage no love:
"A friend suffereth long, and is kind;
A friend enevieth not;
A friend vaunteth not himself,
Is not puffed up;
Doth not behave himself unseemly,
Seeketh' not his own,
Is not easily provoked.
Thinketh no evil;
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but
Rejoiceth in the truth;
Beareth all things,
Believeth all things,
Hopeth all things,
Endureth all things.
A friend never faileth."
SEVEN SENTENCE SERMov
Heaven never helps the n.m
will not act. SoT3hoeles.
Those who bring suns-hir.,- ;,,
lives of others cannot keen '
themselves. J. M. Barrio.
It is not what we have
life,
Nor yet the circle where
cast;
a i sw-
t
It is contentment with the Md,...,
know,
With tasks our earnest hnnds .m ,
as ours,
With nature as we find it, ;rd v.
love
It is contentment sweetens all :
hours. George Kiinidv.
If thou thinkest twice befr- :h
speakest once, thou wilt peak tv-k
the better for it. William IVin..
the principal ihhi.tr;
wisdom; and with iCl
get understanding.
Wisdom is
therefore get
thy getting
Proverbs 4:7.
Quick in a moment, infinite frevr.
Send an arousal better than 1 rn.
Give me a grace upon the faint !:-
deavor,
Souls for my hire and 1 v i r -. ,.t
today. A n r..
A man has no more right tu s.
uncivil thing than to act one: r.o
right to say a rude thing to a:
than to knock him down. Pr.
son.
an
rinT
U-hr..
DuPONTS REORGANIZE AT
$240,000,000 CAPITAL
a step in choosing
a
it is the greatest force in the uni
verse. The Knight Errant's Blunder.
Picturesque beyond most figures is
that of the knight errant, riding
alone to champion whatever wrongs
he may encounter. Elijah was a sort
of knight errant of God. He worlded
alone. A wilderness type, he felt no
need of people. Now, in Mount
Horeb, he was given his lesson. God's
type of a good servant is not the
knight errant. His plan is for all His
helpers to be "workers together." Co
operation and coordination are the
laws which he has written deep in
nature. No man liveth to himself,
and no man worketh to himself.
Elijah had committed more than one
blunder by his bent for solitariness.
It not only led him into needless
mood or depression, but it had also
depriped him of the fellowship and
"Ascend
friend."
The gift for self-detachment, and
for living in another's joys and sor
rows is the genius of friendship.
This ability to get out of one's self,
and to think from the standpoint of
another, is more than a quality of
imagination: it is love itself. A selfish
person cannot be a true friend and
being a friend is more blessed than
having a friend. Self-giving is the
fibre of friendship. The old oriental
symbol was for friends to transfuse
their blood, in the most solemn coven
ants. That represented the reality,
for friendship is the sharing of life
itself. The true friend is the one
for whom you would willingly suffer
or die. That ideal exalts friendship
to the Christplane; for Jesus said,
'Greater love hath no man that this,
that a man lay down his life for his
friend."
Acquaintance and friendship is one
secret of business success. . Many an
employe's value to his firm depends
on the extent of his acquaintanceship.
Shrewd fathers often send their sons
to the large universities, for the simple
reason that they believe their class
mates will be of service to them
later life.
As frost blights the most delicate
nowers, so self-interest destroys
AnVii'r T7 XL .
niciiuoiup. -IL.YCH mu suspicion tnat a
mend is being "used" for personal
aa vantage, ends the reality of that
inenasnip. fehouid a wife discover
that her husband had married her for
dowry, there would be a sudden death
or romantic attection. The quality
of disinterestedness is the vory soul
of friendship.
m
I had a friend," was Kingsley's
explanation of his success. The am
bition, to be worthy of those who love
(By the Associated Press
Wilmington, Del., Sept.
plication for a charter for
posed reorganization of the
Powder Company was filed
Dover. The caDitalization of
concern is $240,000,000 and its
is the E. I. DuPont, DeNemour;
Company. The incorporators in
Pierre S. DuPont, John J. I la
John P. Laffey, all of Delaw:
capital stock is to be divided
400,000 shares at a par value
each.
4. A
the W
I)ul'.r.t
toil ay iit
th I '
.: Hi'
i I i
ire
if'.
QUARANTINE OFFICERS
WARNED OF CHOLERA
in
b
(By the Associated Pi'.--
Washington, Sept. 4.-
General Blue of the public h
vice has instructed quaramir:
at immigrant norts to w.'uc
from Greece, Italy and H"l! ;.: :
active cases of cholera r
carriers.
Cholera was reported in th
camps or uermany in n ioc; ,u ..
of which was traceable, it is t '
to the seat of war in the -.tT
sation of hostilities in Ruroj-e. r
health authorities, believe.
require greatly increased vigil.
American quarantine official?.
Mrs. Julia A. Kingman, ag'-d '
Everett, Mass., celebrated h'-r .
day by winning the first priz
whist party at her home, i n
woman has won seven such rv-(
the last year. She has present
the Whidden Memorial Hospital :
nuilts of her own manufacture
of which-is eomnosed of 3,'
of silk, and all made within
year.
FOR SAL E FANCY CKl M ! '
clover, high in germing;-
purity, 5.50 per bushel I
Asheville. L. It. Strickh-r.
man, Asheville, N C.
9-7-14
BROTnER ACCIDENTALLY
covered root cures tonacc
and indigestion. Gladly
ticulars. T. E. Stokes
Fla.
Id
ee
M