to Elisha, who was the acknowledged head of the prophetic school. But what a calamity had come into her widowhood! Her husband had not only been taken from her by death, but now, after bravely struggling to provide for her family, the creditors had come to take her two sons to be bondsmen. If that will not touch a mother’s heart we do not know what will. And so she hastens away to relieve her burdened heart in the ears of the sympathizing prophet. He listened to her story, and then asked, “What hast thou in the house?” What a question to ask a mother whose sons were about to be sold into slavery for debts! What could she have of value she would not gladly dispose of to save her children? She answered, “Thine handmaid hath not anything in the house!” Not anything? Oh yes, there is “a pot of oil.” She was in a more deplorable condition than the widow of Sarepta, for she, aside from the cruse of oil, had a “handful of meal.” But this one was entirely destitute, even of the oil so essential in the preparation of food--she had only a little pot for anointing purposes. But even this was enough for God and faith to work on. “Go,” said Elisha, “borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.” Comforted in her heart, she went home and told her anxious sons what the prophet had said. “It is vessels you want, is it mother?” “Yes,” she answered, the prophet said, “borrow not a few!” So all that morning, and far into the afternoon, the widow’s sons were calling on their neighbors for empty vessels, crocks, great waterpots, casks, firkins, in short, anything that would hold oil. As the boys were going empty-handed down the streets and returning loaded with vessels, the people began to wonder what that poor widow of the prophet should want of so many vessels, especially as it was known that she had nothing in her house. But the boys kept at their work until every neighbor was borrowed empty, and her house looked more like a depot for freight, than a poor woman’s cottage. All the rooms were filled, the open court was filled, and all the approaches were filled. The widow’s sons, if their industry in borrowing and carrying home vessels would save them from being sold into slavery, they certainly would escape out of the hands of their mother’s creditor, for was there ever such a sight of empty vessels! And not until there were no more to be borrowed did they cease from their work.