The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-06-26
s. Snnncstiors

| l. bo allow SilalA W
| keep you from Gods house at the stated times
of public worship. Deformed as was the wo-
man in our lesson-an invalid for nearly two
| decades Of years-infrm. bowed down, de-
! forIned-yct she went TO church. She did not
| know Christ was to be present We do not
| learn she went TO the Bynagog for any other
| purpose than was her wont. We have reason
TO believe she was in the habit Of attending re-
| ligious services in the place appointed in her
neighbornood for public worship. Jesus asked
no questions of the woman, intirm and bent
| almost double. rs to her faith. She was doubt
| less woman recognized as devout, believing
in the true God, and seeking comfort in the
| hopes inspired by religion, genuine woTshiper
| of Jehovah, and expectant Of the coming of the
Messiah. Had she not been in the path of
regular religious duty, she might not have
met Christ and been restored to health. We
derive many blessing when pursuing our
courses as laid down by Providence
Rev, Clarence Greeley translated from the
German the following:
Forsake not proudly the place OF public prayer,
because you know that God IL cveTywhe
True, God Is ia the part well IA In the Whole
Nf5 present ia the church II absent from the soul
Stli, where the flames from many logs uniiedly
arise,
A warmer glow OF light and heat mounts upward
To the sEiea."
shakspcre In ia You Like II says; "Get
you 10 church." We miss many n rich favor
from Heaven by failing to attend services in
Gods House. Bent down by the cares aud
worries of life one. while worshipiug with
Gods people, rises in strength and goes forth
quite ready anu erect for the varied duties of
business or trade, or domestic routine.
2. Thank God for health. Be grateful IL
yoar bodies be without noticeable defect. We
more inclined TO complain at Affections
than to appreciate blessings. IL would be far
more consistent for us TO show thank lulness for
ron f1t. fnP he's
and deformed to complain. We take blessings
as matters of course, aud are brought to serious
consideration only by tho scourge. In IIHloH
II Athens Shakspere says:
"Ingrateful man, with iquorish draughts,
Aud morsgis uuctuous. greAses his pure mind,
And from It all consideration slips"
They who have been sick for IS years could
appreciate health il it were given them, aud
would not forget to return thanks for such a
great favor from our Heavenly Father. Shame
on the pessimist who sees nothing for which to
be thankful.
8. We ought to treat kindly the deformed or
crippled. The woman of whom We study mast
have looked queeriy working her way to the
synagog. bent almost double. IL may be- the
boys of the town laughed at her. She could
not lift herself erect, and so, while she heard,
she might not DO able TO sec their imperti-
nences. Was it not enough for her TO suffer
from her infrmity? Why add to her pain by
making fun of herr We ought TO sympathize
with the deformed aud try To help them. There
is something depraved about human nature
In every community there arc persons one
eyed, limping, suffering, hair-lipped, or other
wise peculiar. We have talked with hundreds
of such and they all tell how embarrassed they
are by people staring at them, mimick ing them,
bowling Mt them, making sport of them All
these acts are shameful. We ought rather to
pity tho deformed. We should not render
them uncomfortable by looking at them Gu.
riously, sharply aud continuously. Shakspere
in TUeifh Night asserts:
"None can DO called deformed but the unkind,"
4. Praise God for recovery from sickness.
The first FIVE verses Of Ps. l03 show how CRATE
fui David felt for all of Gods merees: Bless
tho Lord, . my soul, and all that is within
me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O
my soul, aud forget not all His benefits: who
fOrgivcth all thine iniquities who healeth all
thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from do
structi0n; who crowneth thee with loving
kindness and tender mercies who satisiieth
thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth
is renewed like tho eagles" We are quite
willing TO ask God for health. We are too in.
cined TO forget 10 render him thanks after he
answers our prayers. As soon as the woman of
our lesson was able TO be erect she glorided God.
The English Church Prayer Book is consistent
In that, while 1t Turn isles prayer =" For a Sick
lSlhuuJ ~ kUful Tor kG-
covery from Sickness" The eminent divine.
Fuller, wrote thus:
Many favors which God giveth US rnyeI ont
for wnnt OF hemmng, through our own unthank-
fitness for though prayer purolHseth blessings
giving praise doth keep the quiet possession OF
Them"
The woman restored to health realized Gods
goodness. She did not forget his benefits TO
her.
5. Ii is not wrong TO minister TO the sick on
Sunday. Healing, IL 10 DO indeed elassed with
work, is work of mercy. If i'll. one may send
for doctor, even though it be the Lords day.
physician is not called on to decline appeals
for medical help on Sunday. Ii ono have ID in
his power to designate the time when he shall
be i'll, he ought not study To fix 10 on Sunday.
II he be- sick on Sunday he ought not feel glad
that It chances not 10 he week day. Surgical
operations, not absolutely necessary on the
Lords day, should be- performed on a secular
day. Ii is rather curious fact causing the
observer almost TO suspect malicious intent to
yoate the sacredness of the Lords day, that
physicians are kept more busy praetcing on
Sundays than on any other of the days of tho
week. Ii is ordinarily held that drug stores
should be kept open OH Sundays. 1t is certain
people do get sick on the Lords day, aud that
said illness does not suspend the progress till
Monday.
6. We ought to work six days each week.
The ruler of tho synagog said in SO many
words There are six days in which men
ought TO work." He was correct. The COM
mand to work ID IN binding AS the one ~ rest.