The Reward of Scoff-Bearers.
By D. H. Lamson
It has ever been the duty of God's prophets and teachers, to cry out against the sins of the people in high and low places; and one can scarcely help comparing the prevailing character of the past with the present, since our great Teacher has said, "As it was in the days of Noe, so also shall the coming of the Son of man be." We are not told what the expressions of the people were in regard to the building of the ark, but it is evident from the record, that they disbelieved the words of the great builder, and treated him with derision. So with Elijah the prophet. When he prophesied evil to Ahab, he had to hide himself for fear of him, although he had told the truth. But Ahab in his extremity was at last compelled to call upon him whom he condemned to death. But his pride was not yet sufficiently humbled; for he directly charged the cause of all the trouble to Elijah, who replied boldly by putting the blame where it belonged, namely, upon the king and his father's house in forsaking the commandments of the Lord; and the truth of his words was clearly shown by the acceptation of his sacrifice and the destruction of the prophets of Baal. He was nevertheless again pursued and his life hunted by the cruelty of a Jezebel and others, till the Lord took him to Heaven in a chariot of fire. How often is it the case, and yet how strange, that those upon whom are conferred the greatest favors, become the worst enemies of the Giver. In this way does the world hate the Saviour, who died for them. But the mantle of Elijah fell upon Elisha, and a double portion of his spirit; yet he had scarcely returned to Bethel, before even children came out, and mocking him said, Go up thou bald head, so soon did they wish to send him after Elijah, almost the only one who could lead them into truth and through whom they could obtain the blessing of God, but they paid dearly for this wickedness, meeting a horrible death. It was a very great disappointment with which the people of God met not many years in the past, in not realizing their hope of translation from the trials and sorrows of earth to the everlasting joy and bliss of Heaven; and although not a believer at that time, it is very easy to conjecture, in a measure at least, what must have been their feelings at so sudden and severe a trial. And then to bear the taunts and jeers, scoffs and revilings of ungodly sinners, and also those professing godliness, must have been harrowing indeed to the already lacerated heart. O soldiers, worn and tried, burdened, but still sustained by the mighty hand of God, your trials and disappointments, your tears and sighings, are all recorded in the holy temple. You shall yet reap everlasting joy, and dwell in the paradise of God. And the gibes and sneers, frowns and derisive jests, shall be lost with their authors in eternal oblivion, when we shall have "gone up" through the portals of the city of God to bask in the smiles of his face, and live in his favor forever. P. S. The above thoughts were called out by hearing the stereotyped expression about "going up," which hangs so universally on the lips of the latter-day scoffers of our land.
D. H. L.