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HON. SAMUEL WALKER MCCALL, A. B.,

Member of Congress from the State of Massachusetts.

IN

CHAPTER XVI

PUBLIC SPIRIT

N an old Jewish chronicle there is depicted a beautiful scene which suggests a deal of gospel for our day. The great prophet of Israel, Elijah's successor, lies upon his deathbed. King Joash bends over him, and, mindful of the eminent and unremitting service of the man, who will have no successor in this, cries out in agony that Israel's central hope, the main defense of the state, is departing, its standing army as it were for the war chariot was in Israel now the chief arm of military strength"My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof vanish in thy death! Our army is no more. We are a prey to our foes soon as thou, with thy wise counsels and thy patriotic heart, art gone."

Elisha was worthy of this tribute. Unlike Elijah, he was no monk. With him duty meant not meditation, still less moping,

but life-earthly life, too-actively, practically lived. According to his creed, the perfection of walking with his Maker was usefully to walk with men. He had not

immured himself in a cave in order to be at peace with his conscience. His goodness had shown itself rather in all sorts of acts useful to his fellowmen. According to the story, which is unquestionably a good analogue of the exact facts of Elisha's life, it was his joy, when need arose, to increase a widow's stock of provision. At his intercession a dear child given up for dead had been laid back living in its mother's arms. He had furnished food for one hungry company and rendered innocuous that of another when it had been poisoned.

Not alone kindness and charity to special individuals marked the temper of this religious hero, but still more an intense civic spirit, broadening out into philanthropy, a zeal for the welfare of men far and wide. A benign act at the request of the citizens of Jericho, purifying their water supply, began his prophetic career. Though not a

fighting man, he took the field with the armies of his country, placing all his natural and all his prophetic skill at the service of kings and generals. Once when the forces faced the enemy but were dying of thirst he won the campaign by revealing copious supplies of water. In civil matters as well he was always ready with his aid. Prophet, he was often virtually prime minister. Imperfect, unrighteous as his country and its institutions were in his age, he would not desert or renounce them. Even amid siege, famine and death, Elisha remained by, content to fare-nay, determined to fare-no better than the rank and file of Israel.

The prophet also had an enthusiasm for humanity which for those times was veritably miraculous. It made him cosmopolitan in his feeling. He healed of a deadly disease the chief captain in the host of his nation's worst enemy, Syria, sending him back to his home and his sovereign whole and happy. Having captured a hostile force by special stratagem and not by superiority in war, he forbade that they should

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