also was to share in the sacrifice; he was to eat the sacrificial meal. But it must be in haste, for already Elijah heard the

sighing and low moaning of the wind in the forest of Carmel. Himself took no part in the feast. He had other bread to

eat whereof they wot not. He had climbed the topmost height of Carmel out of sight of the king. None had

accompanied him save his servant, whom tradition declares to have been that son of the widow of Sarepta who had

been miraculously restored to life. Most fitting minister, indeed, he would have been in that hour.\ Once more it was

agonizing prayer - not once, but seven times repeated.15

At each break in it the faithful attendant climbed the highest knoll, and looked earnestly and anxiously over the broad

expanse of the sea, there full in view. At last it had come - a cloud, as yet not bigger than a man's hand. But when God

begins to hear prayer, He will hear it abundantly; wh en He gives the blessing, it will be without stint. Ahab must be up,

and quick in his chariot, or the rain, which will descend in floods, will clog the hard ground, so that his chariot would

find it difficult to traverse the six miles across the plain to t he palace of Jezreel. And now as the foot of the mountain

was reached, the heaven was black with clouds, the wind moaned fitfully, and the rain came in torrents. But the power

of Jehovah16 was upon the Tishbite.

He girded up his loins and ran before the chariot of Ahab. On such a day he hesitated not to act as outrunner to the

convert -king; nay, he would himself be the harbinger of the news to Jezreel. Up to the entrance of Jezreel he heralded

them; to the very gate of Jezebel's palace he went before them, like the warning voice of God, ere Ahab again

encountered his tempter. But there the two must part company, and the king of Israel must henceforth decide for

himself to whom he will cleave, whether to Jehovah or to the god of Jezebel.