for him to keep; and hard to use. 8., "If thou see." ' That would witness' to his fit- ness, and the choice of God. 9. "Elisha saw It." The "chariotry" of Israel;, the body- guard of the prophets and of the sons of God. The vision was an abiding inspiration to wear worthily the mantle of the departed "father" in Israel. Elisha rent his mantle in sorrow and bore away Elijah's in triumph. 10. When Jesus went up there fell a double portion of His Spirit, Acts 2. Let us wear it in His name till— 11. —we follow Enoch, Elijah, and Jesus, with the host apd char- iots of Israel through and te the skies. § them to their loved ones, brought back from There is a great lesson on soul saving, here. In the first place-the mother believed that her son would be raised from the, dead. Perhaps the story of Elijah's experience had . been imparted through Elisha' and she as- sociated power from God with the' man of God. She lovingly catried the boy to the prophet's bed and left him there. She sought the Prophet. She would take no formal death to life. , , » crossed with a •'/double 1 portion" of his spirit. 3. If we are baptized into death with Christ we should also be clothed with power from above because when He ascended He gave 1. The" .prophets 'Saw this miracle and "bowed" to Elisha, owning and honoring the Spirit that was on him. The moral and spiritual wonders "-wrought by the Bible should" constrain us to bow to the authority of tile prophets. 2.' If the same Spirit is on us our works should prove'that we "have" ' been with Jesus and have learned of Him (Acts 4:13) that may all see and approve our faith and our profession. III. BLUNDERING UNBELIEF. 1. Before Elijah's translation the prophets had intimation, and after it information of it, yet they, like Thomas (Jno. 20:25), woijld not believe. 2, Elisha remonstrated b,ut they insisted. They made a vain search and came' back crestfallen. Better to heed ' the prophetic word and avoid the blunders of unbelief. 3. Similar skepticism seems to have attended the first translation; they searched for Enoch buts he was not found (Heb. 11:4). Will it not be so at the last translation (2 Thess. 4:1)? 4. Four persons are known to have been translated, Enoch (Gen. 5:24), Elijah (2 Kgs. 2:11), Jesus (Acts 1:9), Paul (2 Cor. 12:2). Elijah (Luke 9:30, 31), Jesus (Acts 9:3-5), and Paul, returned again. And yet men speak of "That bourne from which no traveler returns!" 5. "The gifts from above (Eph. 4:8). II. BOWING TO ELISHA.
osition, "Ask," etc. What had that poor ^ man to give? A. good man's blessing? It is not to be despised. It is backed by the good man's God; a substantial thing. 6. "A double portion." There is no greediness in spiritual desire. If a son of the. First Born, then a first-born's portion. God is » pleased if we "expect great things," that we may "attempt great things," for Him. Alexander gave a blank draft on his treas- 1' ¡urer. to a man. He drew for 10,000 talents. •Give it to him," .said the monarch, "he honors my sincerity and my ability." 7. "You ask a hard thing." Not hard for God cm grant, but hard for man to receive; hard ' We are prone to send the staff rather than ' go to the lost. We believe in the power of I the gospel to sav# sinners, we are more will- ins to pray in our homes for them than to , go to their homes and pray with them. We ' think our dollars will do the duty, that our hands and feet ought to do. Much of our soul-saving work is useless 'i because it is so lifeless. Nothing can take the place of personal contact. There is tré- mendous power in the tender touch of a
PITH AND PIVOT—T. C. H.
j n swer to her prayer. She would have the Jesus Christ was incarnate man.,and his . prophet himself. The staff of Elisha borite vhole life was poured out. He torches us by the ungodly Gehazi was powerless to help hrough the cross with His wounded Hands the dead. It lay upon his cold form as dead and feet. When we are willing to give up the child himself. The ^Prophet must our lives in order that we may reach those come jn living contact with the dead child, who are dead in trespasses and sins, when In the upper room with closed doors alone we reach them with pulsing hearts and pray- with. God he gathered, power and measured ing lips we shall have the joy qf restoririg himself with the giant i death, and overcame. g heart ' '
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Lesson for March 12, 1911
SELECTIONS FROM SACRED STORY. 1 Kings 2:23-4:44. Elisha now succeeds Elijah. "Elijah" equals "God is Jehovah;" "Elisha," "God is Saviour." The characteristic of E l i j a hs ministry was judgment, that of Elisha s grace to the penitent. Elijah came in the whirlwind, Elisha in "the still small voice, . 1 Kgs. 19:11-14. Jesus, "Jehovah Saviour i followed John preaching repentance. This i is evangelic order first repentance (judgment ' of sin), second salvation through grace. I. BAPTIZED IN JORDAN. 1 Elisha sayx ¡the ascension and put the " promise (2:3) to the test— "Where is the !jod of Elijah?" With Elijah's mantle he smote the Jordan; the waters parted; he ' crossed in triumph. 2. "Jordan" is, to some, by derivation, "Judgment;" to others. The descender." In baptism we pass under judgment of death and rise unto newness of life (Rom 6:4). We are baptized into death, we are baptized by t he Spirit, "the De- scender." Jacob went through Jordan an exile under sentence of death; he recrossed | with two bands a Prince with God (Gen. 27-42- 32:10, 38). Israel crossed in great mourning (Gen. 49:7-10) and recrossed to the conquest in triumph. David crossed with his people with weeping, recrossed to his throne in honor (2 Sam. 15:23; 19:15). Israel crossed it into captivity and will re- >- cross it to Milleinnial glory. Elisha crossed into separation from his "Master," he re-
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