It came to pass, after these things, the widow's son fell sick and died; and now Elijah was favoured with an opportunity of making her some return for her kindness, for he entreated the Lord for the child, and the Lord was pleased to restore it to life again. "And the woman said unto Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth." (1 Kings xvii. 24.) This was a wonderful instance of the power God Almighty; it was a great honour to the prayer of Elijah, and the best return that he could make for the poor widow's kindness no doubt he was pleased thus to show his gratitude. May we never be unthankful, but endeavour to think aright of every favour shown to us, and try to make proper and suitable returns.

of

Sent by the king, the prophets came, But could not make the altar flame; All day they try. Elijah prays, And all the altar round him blaze.

ELIJAH'S

SACRIFICE.

BEFORE CHRIST 906 YEARS.

"Your Idol sleeps," Elijah cries,
"And wots not your sacrifice,
Behold! my God his presence lends!"
The sacred fire from Heaven descends.

THE Lord was pleased to bless Israel again by sending rain, and remove the famine from the land: he directed Elijah to go and present himself to Ahab.

The prophet accordingly went to show himself to the king, and by the way met with Obadiah, who was governor of Ahab's house; he was a good man, and when Queen Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, he hid an hundred of them in caves, and fed them with bread and water, which proved him a servant of the Lord; for in

the time of so grievous a famine, even bread and water was almost invaluable; and had he not feared the Lord, and loved his prophets, he would not have undertaken so great and serious a charge.

To this good man Elijah presented himself, and by him sent a message to Ahab, that he wished to see him; to this message the king attended, and having met the prophet, he charged him with being the troubler of Israel; but Elijah could, and did charge the calamities of the land upon him.

It is thou, and thy father's house, that have troubled Israel, because ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and have followed Baalim." (1 Kings xviii. 18.) He was not afraid of Ahab, for he was sent with God's message, and his Master in heaven would bear him out in all he said; he, therefore, boldly reproved wicked Ahab for