Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-08-12
CLEANSING THE LEPER.
Gospel Meetin. attn. oper. House-1arg,

Gospel Meeting at the Opera House-Large
and Inter stsd ACCOMPLISHMENTS |
and Entertaining Disoourssb BY Rev. u. d.
Edwards.
The largest congregation gathered at the
Opera House last evening of any assembled
within its walls since the commencement of
the Gospel Union meetings. The street on
both sides in front Of the house was lined
with priv te carriages, showing that not q
few of the vast assembly belonged to the
class of Dives rather than Lazarus.
The house was filled in every part by the
time NAMED for the con mencement of the
services. On the platform were the Revs.
Gross, Breed, Edwards, McKibben, Dana,
menced in the usual way by singing and
prayer, tho Rev. W. McKibben leading in
prayer.
The Rev. NJ. D. Edwards,ot Dayton avenue
Presbyterian church, lad from the fifth chap
ter of the second book of Kings the beautiful
tale of Naaman and the Hebrew maid. aud
then delivered most telling and well di-
gested discourse upon the cleansing of the
leLer.
He introduced his subject by referring to
the sermon Of the Rev. h. Cross of the pre-
vfous S.nday-the way of salvation-and
stated that his objebt would be to show how
to get on to this way, how the soul must
come to Ccrist and obtain healing. He
first showed who Naaman WAS, his
wealth. his power, his honors, his
great popularity among his people.
How 10 was envied when returning to the
grand old city of Damascus conquerpr, and
how the multitudes, shouting his plaudits,
did him homage more than that given to the
king, and yet beneath the embroidered tunic
was lid "a dread and fearful secret-"but''
he was a leper And this IS true of every
one, whether wealthy or poor, of high rank
or low egree, there is .'but." At least
there is one '.but'' to mar the even tenor of
the life of the most happy-but we are all
sinners; ''all have sinned and come short of
the glory of Gods Sin, like leprosy. is not
a skin disease, but deep, vital sore. and
however strong and robust person looks if
he has the smallest sign of the disease the
danger is imminent and to all earthly power
incurable and it is only question of tin. time
az to when it shall become manifestly fatal.
The FIRST thing he called attention to was
the cure. The little Hebrew maid conveyed
the information to her master. 1t was q
simple tale and ca lily told, but of what i'm
portance to her master! Simple, however, as
was the maiden's story, Naaman made sew
eral mistakes. He brought letter from his
king to the king Of the Hebrews-he thought
he must bring some influence to bear, tie
same as many seekers after salvation, they
imagine that some one must pray for them,
that an intercession is necessary but God
| is ready always to receive every one who
comes to him. Him that cometh to me
will in no way cast OUT Another
mistake was that Naaman sought
to offer compensation ; he brought
money aid raiment to buy a cure
Many do tho same in the search for eternal
life, not needing that it is the free gift OF
God-the wages of sin is death, but the gift,
of God eternal life. Illustrating this he told
an anecdote OF poor woman getting some
grapes of king tor which she was about to
pay. The king said: II am king, not 8
merchant; / do not sell.'' He urged the
folly OF the sinner, pleading good deeds OF
that he had done no gross evil. II he did
lot love God he had lived in sin from hi
birth, and no good deed would work away
tho great sin-whosoeve will, let him partak.
OF the waters of life freely.
Many things almost prevented Naamar
from getting the great good he sought, TO
just as the young man coming to Christ hat
salvation within his very grasp; he turned
away without selling the precious prize
Pride was in the way. Heidi not think tn,
prophet had treated him with sufficient re
spect. He was treated merely as a leper-
the vilest and most loathed of humanity
There was one Experimentation repentance
and belief-the true greatness of humanit..
is to walk humbly before God, the high an.
holy one, and though he dwells in eternity
yet be honors humble and contrite heart
, He Illustrated, by reference to the tomb o
Christ, when the visitor must bow the hea,
to n er-if the headis not bowed-excepty
b Come a little child ye cannot enter III
kingdom of heaven.
Nsanan was not healed in the way b
expected. He had, as many seekers ate
r Christ do, planned out the whole procedur
himself, and becluse it did not come as b
! expected he was well nigh refusing til
precious blessing. The simplicity of til
! cure, too, was another stumbling block
wash iE the turbulent, muddy waters Of Jo1
dan, when there were such magnifce1
rivers as Aban and Pharpar. No penance
required, no walking bare foot and hungr
many weary miles. Simply accept jest
Christ.
: Faith, humility, obedience = these thre
will always bring blessing and etc!
nal healing. Simple faith, however, dot
} not save, but it is that to whic
we cling by faith, that which we get hold {
!. faith starts the power of God like the Ell
= Cite starts the machinery. Naaman's fait
y was tried. He had to wash seven times; til
first, nor the second, nor the sixth. had til
slightest etfec !, but on the seventh his fes
: became as q little child's, and not only di
: he receive physical healing. but spiritu
N blessing also. And this experience is true
+ all seekers i'll the path of lite. All you ha,
IS to do is to go on, do not stop-that Is fata
Il but go on asking and searching even I
seventy times seven times, for He hi
n promised to answer prayer; but
s does not necessarily take long. 1t is on
y our blindness which delays by our goil
: round about.
il The reverend gentlemen concluded an Ell,
t quent, earnest address by pleading el
: treaty to all to come 10 Christ aud be heale
IS of the leprosy of the soul; showing what it
n to live with and without Christ. He urge
/. his hearers not to harden their hearts. but
n embrace the opportunity and not miss Il
. tide which had taken on the flow will lead {
n to God and His salvation.
! At the conclusion of the sermon the Re
i 81. Cross offered an earnest PRAYER, aft
e WHICH NlF. lno'ndS CocuIan uellVereu d Stl
Ii ring address upon the same subject of Il
9 two leprosies, and finished with prayer.
, Rampant Rutfianiem.
' The excursion yesterday by the Aunt Be
: sy and barge to Minnehaha resulted at Il
It falls in perfect Denny brook. In the fiji
II place, number of fuul-mouthed rufia
e took possession of the steamer to the inten
d disgust of number of ladies and gentleme
II who were simply bent on quiet pleasure a,
'e pleasant spot. On the voyage up, the scou
IL drelS behaved in Che most unseemly fashiO