Zebulon Rudulph

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A View From Mount Carmel

And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down
upon the earth, and put his face between his knees. And said to his
servant, 'Go up now, look towards the sea.' And he went up, and
looked, and said, 'There is nothing.' And he said, Go again seven
times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said,
behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's
hand.

-I Kings 18:42,41.

Up Carmel's wood-clad height an aged prophet slowly creeps,
And sadly drags his weary limbs o'er rocks and mossgrown steeps.
He bows himself upon the earth, 'his face between his knees,'
And thus he to his servant speaks, beneath the lofty trees.

'Go further up this craggy steep, and seaward look, I pray-'
His faithful servant goes, and strains his vision towards that way,
But says 'there's nothing.'-'Go sev'n times,' the prophet says 'for me,-'
And on the seventh time, behold! arising from the sea,

A little cloud, as 'twere, no bigger than a human hand,-
But swiftly, darkly spreading o'er the parched, thirsty land,
It widely displays its threatening armies thro' the sky,
Its lurid lightnings flash in forked streaks upon the eye.

Like countless fiery serpents thro' the troubled air,
Whilst loud the roaring thunder bursts amid the flaming glare;
And rage the winds, uprooting mountain oaks before the view,-
Refreshing show'rs descend, and quick the fainting earth renew.

Scarcely could Israel's monarch in his chariot reach his court,
Ere nature's pent up elements broke forth in airy sport,
And to earth (which for three long years had known nor rain nor dew,)
The long desired drops, their welcome downward course pursue.

Once more Samaria's people gladly tune their harps and sing
The praises of Jehovah, God, the everlasting King:-
Once more, the voice of gladness sounds where naught but anguish dwelt;
There, once again, the gush of rapture, absent long, is felt!

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