Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1889-07-13
Sunday RtaaiHs,
EDITED BY REV. F. L. LEEPER.
Inhrmities.

close about the Master! how much it
covers now with us who come to him
for healing and salvation! Our die
tionaries tell us that "infirmity" is
weakness, failing, fault" and no
human philosophy can say what just
proportion of earth's sin and misery
may be fairly counted as flowing
from that source.
We can imagine the weak, faint
ing, failing ones drawing near to our
Lord in a half-timid fashion, with
none of the boldness of those who had
positive, definite disease upon them.
They would scarcely cry out after
Christ as did the blind men, or urge
their suit with the persistence of the
Superintendent woman pleading for
her sick daughter. Nevertheless they
needed him, o, so sorely us many a
one needs him now who is compass
ed with infirmity."
There may not be always in the
gospel story just the distinction we
imply between infirmity and disease.
The woman who was "loosed from
her infirmity," doubtless, had a real
disease, as also the man at Bethesda
who chad an infirmity thirty and
eight years" But there certainly is
intended in the use of the word a
wide range of meaning, including
weakness as well as positive ailment,
and it will do us good to fix our
thought for a moment on our
Savior's wonderful care for the par
ticular class Of our many needs which
the word suggests.
"Himself took our infrmities."
That is the way in which Isaiah's
declaration concerning our Lord is re-
produced in Matthew's gospel, and il
is but another form of stating the
precious truth which we so love to
clasp to our hearts, that "our high
priest who is passed into the heavens
is touched with the feeling of our in.
tirmities." And "the Spirit also
helpeth our infirmities" when we are
trying, in our ignorance and poverty
to ask our father for what we need.
The same love-for it is "the same
Jesus"-which met the weak and
weary ones on Galilean or Judean sol
eighteen centuries ago, still turns 6
loving eye upon us and lends a pa
tient ear to the tale of our infrmities
| think he must have been very ten
der with those who struggled to hi:
side with a burden of moral anC
physical weakness, and who had only
that to lay down before him with {
plea for healing.
We are apt to be impatient with
each others infirmities. If our broth
er is weak when we are strength HI
falls when westand firm-if he yield
to the voice of the tempter when W,
turn resolutely away-if his feet stra!
into paths that have no charms TO
us-we cry out upon him that he ha
no business to be so easily led, tina
he must be infirm of will and I'm
stable in principle. Not so would on
Lord deal with him! He would shea
him of his imfrmity," draw hin
gently towards better life, ant
strengthen him in it, so guiding hin
that in the end by his very weakness
he should be made strong.
All, yes! we who are sorrOwfuli.
aware of our weaknesses, as distin
guished from our positive sins, may
if we will, reach the point when wit
the apostles of old we can say, I"
glory in mine infirmities !" Do yo
ask how can we-how could he-thu
glory in so poor thing? Pau
answers you, "That the power {
Christ may rest upon" us, maxim
us strongest in him just where we ar
weakest in ourselves, and thereb
gloryfying God "who giveth us vii
tory" Surely it is a wondrous "hea
ing" which can bring about chang
like this in our attitude towards il
trinity in ourselves or in others.
Are you, who read these words
conscious of some moral or ment;
weakness, at the thought of whic
you are Inundated and ashamed, an
which you would gladly hide frol
human eyes? That is just the yer
thing to take to the throne of grac,
to "obtain mercy" in view of ii
past, and "grace to help in time I
need" for the future.
On the other hand, you may |
strong in spirit, able to bear bravel
and do valiantly all that enters I'M
your appointed lot, but sorely trie
by the backwardness and weakne