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for she had suffered much in the
famine, and she looked as if she
must soon die. Was this the woman

whom God had chosen to take care -

of Elijah? Yes; she was very
poor; but God could help her to
find food for herself, and for Elijah
also. The good prophet knew she
was the right person, and he knew
how poor she-was; but he had great
faith in God; he knew that God,
who made the ravens bring him
food, could help this poor widow
to feed him too. So Elijah called to
the woman, and said, “ Bring me a
little water, that I may drink.”
The poor widow was very kind;
she was willmg to give what she
could; and she went directly to
fetch the water. But Elijah called
again, and said, “Bring me, I pray
thee, a little bread in thine hand.”
Then the poor woman looked very
sad, and said, “I have no bread; it
is all gone. I have only a little
meal, and a little oil; and now I
am gathering two sticks; and I
shall go and dress it for myself and
my son, and we shall eat it, and then
we must die.” This was sad indeed;
but Elijah had a message for the
poor widow, to comfort her in her
sorrow. He said, “Fear not; go
and make first a little cake for me;
and afterwards make for thee and
thy son. The Lord God of Israel
says, the barrel of meal shall not
waste, nor the cruse of oil fail, till
the Lord send rain upon the
ground.” Did the woman believe ?
Yes, she had faith in God; she be-
lieved that he had power to do this
miracle, and she went and obeyed
Elijah. She first made a little cake
for the prophet, and then she made
tor herself and her child. Were the

 

 

THE WIDOW OF ZAREPHATH.

meal and oil all gone then? No,
there was as much as there was be-
fore she made the cakes. So she
put away the meal and the oil, and
next day she dressed them again.
Where they gone then ? No, all was
the same as before. God added to
the meal and the oil, every day, and
made them increase; and the poor
woman, and Elijah, and the child,
eat in comfort and plenty many
days.

After a time a new sorrow came
into the poor woman’s little family.
They had lived happily together a
long while; now God was pleased
to send them trouble again. The
widow’s little boy fell sick and died.
The poor mother was very sorry to
lose her child. She went to Elijah,
and told all her trouble to him.
Elijah was sorry too; for he loved
the little boy. Elijah himself had
no power to raise the child, but he
knew that God could if he pleased ;
so he took the dead boy out of the
mother’s arms, and carried him into
his own room, and laid him upon
the bed. Then Elijah threw him-
self upon the child, and prayed to
God, and said, “O Lord, let this*
child live again.” And did God
hear the prayer? Yes, “The Lord
heard the voice of Elijah; and the
soul of the child came into him
again, and he revived.” Then Eli-
Jah took the little boy, and brought
him to his mother, and said, « See,
thy son liveth.” The widow was
happy now, and thankful to God
who raised her child. She knew it
was God’s power that made her son
alive again, and she believed God,
and the words that His prophet
spoke.