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SUNDAY EVENINGS.

FORTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY EVENING.

ELIJAH TAKEN UP INTO HEAVEN.

MOTHER. Last Sunday, Edward, I gave you an account of the miserable death of Ahab. To-night, I am happy to say, I have a much more pleasing subject to talk about; for we are now come to the history of the prophet Elijah's blessed departure from a world, which to him had been full of trouble. You have already heard, my love, how much this holy prophet had suffered while engaged in doing his heavenly Master's will; how he was driven away from his country by a cruel king, and a wicked people; how he was obliged to wander from place to place, even in deserts and mountains, in dens, and in caves of the earth, to save himself from the cruel violence of his enemies, who sought to kill him, only because he told them the truth, and called upon them to forsake their sins. But the time was now come, when all his sorrows were to be at an end; when he should neither weep, nor hunger, nor thirst, nor be weary any more; when he should no longer

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be vexed by the wickedness of those around him, nor grieve over the sins of his own heart. Almighty was about to reward his faithful servant for all his sufferings, by taking him away from this world of trouble, and that in a very wonderful manner, even as he had done the holy Enoch so many years before.

EDWARD. What, mother! was Elijah taken up into heaven without dying? Oh! go on, and tell me about it.

M. It pleased God, my son, to make a vast difference between him and other men; for "the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, without suffering him to die like the rest of mankind." I will tell you all that is written in the Bible about this very interesting event.

Elijah knew beforehand the good pleasure of the Lord towards him. He knew that he was not to die, but to be taken up into heaven alive. The time was now come, and he went with Elisha to the river Jordan, from the banks of which he was to be taken up. Elisha, as you heard before, was to be prophet after Elijah. He was greatly attached to him, and could not be persuaded to leave him, but followed him to the very end, that he might hear his last words, and receive his parting instructions and blessing, and see, if possible, what became of his beloved master.

When Elijah found that he should grieve Elisha if he sent him away, he allowed him to continue with him, and to witness the closing scene of his useful life. So they went on together, first to the city of

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