PRAYING FOR RAIN.


It was the first of July. There had been no rain for several weeks.
Every one feared there would be a drought. The farmer looked anxiously
upon his fields of corn, whose deep green leaves had not yet begun to
turn yellow, and upon the potatoes, whose blossoms were still
unwithered. They could not long remain thus beautiful and thriving, if
the refreshing rain was withheld. The ground was so dry that, in
hoeing the garden, no moisture could be observed.

Mrs. Dudley talked with her children about the need of rain, and the
propriety of praying to our heavenly Father to water the earth, that
it might "bring forth and bud," and "give seed to the sower, and bread
to the eater." She told them how Elijah prayed for rain, after there
had been none in the land of Canaan for three years and six months,
and how God heard his prayer, "and the heaven gave rain, and the earth
brought forth her fruit."

This great drought was a judgment upon the people of Israel for their
sin in departing from God, and worshipping idols. There had been, in
consequence of this want of rain, a "sore famine." We read in the
book of Kings of one poor woman, who had only a handful of meal in a
barrel, and a little oil in a cruse. When Elijah met her, and asked
her for water, and a morsel of bread, she told him this was all she
had, and that she was gathering two sticks, that she might bake it for
herself and her son, that they might eat and die! She know not where