The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1891-03-04
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
AN INTERESTING AND INSTRUC-
TIVE LESSON.
Reflections OF an EIevating character
Wholesome Food for Thought = study
ting the scriptural Lesson Intsiiigentiy
md Profta bIv.

Reflections of an Elevating character
Wholesome Food for Thought = study
ing the scriptural Lesson Intslilgentiy
and Probably.
The lesson for Sunday. March 8. my be
found In H. Kings 81 IA.
Golden text-who forgiveth all thine
iniquities; who healeth ali thy Diseases
Ps. 1903: 3.
INTRODUCTORY.
We have before us a beautiful lesson: nc
difficulty I'm interesting both young and old
In Its incidents And the spiritual teach
lngs, too, are quite apparent. IL has
strong Calvinistic flavor, the Douay version
especially bringing this out (Sed Varia-
tions) In the latter we read that he was
IA valiant man and rich,n and yet his yalor
and riches could do nothing for him. We
read also that IL was r,bbersr who had
brought this little serving ma d into their
midst And so our part In the transaction
OF the cross which brought the world saliva
ton was only violence and murder. More
over, We read the directions, "Wash and
thou shalt be clean;n furthermore, "Ano
he was made clean" Surely, IL is "not by
might nor by power, but by my Spirit,
saith the Lord OF hosts.n
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
Now. Introducing another incident from
the life OF Elisha, probably one OF the ia
miliar folk-stories OF the time-a true folk
the word signifying grace favor 1t is this
same word that occurs I'm the well-known
passage, "her ways are ways OF pleasant
ness" prov. 3: 17.)-With his mas or.
Literally, Before his master, or I'm the eyes
Of, 4. e., he was a favorite. ---Deliveranc
Hebrew, salvation. "With an everlasting
salvation.n lisa. 45:17 has this same word.
AT Samuel 49, the word Is again used az
here. Mr.. Lunby OF the Cambridge Bible
suggests that this was the Hebrew way OF
putting II, !. g., "the Lord had given. "A
mighty man in valor The Douay, taking
the word as used here in the sense accepted
at Gen. "a 20, renders it a valiant man and
rich. See Variations. A leper. Hebrew,
smltten.
With his borzes. In ceremony.-And
stood at the door. More ceremony.
Sent messenger The healing was not
through the person OF Elisha. Wash.
From the word meaning To overwhelm.
In Jordan. OF course implying entrance &C
the stream.-And thou shalt be clean.
Imperative form, Be thou clean. So al
Matt. 8: 3.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
leper. Here are u succession OF sug-
gestive pictures in this lesson. And the
arst is a representation OF the sinner. Sin
Is moral leprosy, and IL has taken hold OF
all the race. LeprOsy spreads through all
the body. step by step. So sin. Says DR..
Guthrie: "Sin is like the descent of a hill.
where every step we take increases the diff
hculty OF our return. Sin is like river in
its course; the longer il runs IL wears n
deeper channel, and the farther from the
fountain IL swells in volume and acquires a
greater strength. Sin is like a tree i'm its
progress; the longer it grows it spreads its
roots the wider; grows taller, grows thicker.
till the saplng which once an infants arm
could bend raises its head aloft, defiant OF
the strongn Sin Is "A very cancer for hide
Gus growth.
A little maid. Here was the instrument
God uses agents, and hIe IL is, little
child again that leads. She found her cry
where the prophet could not. They tell US
that n company of dissolute and wicked
men used To meet 10 exchange ribald, slSep-
teal words I'm "a certain drinking club.
George Whitfield was preaching near by, but
~ course had no access 70 this vile throng.
But n negro boy had And one night they
had him exercise his unusual power OF min.
icry by "taking or" the great preacher.
He protested, for his own heart had been
reached, but they compelled him, their
slave, To go on. lie did so: "Me speak de
truth In Christ me lie not.r Then, forget
ing himself and his African patois, no ut
tered enc OF George Whitfleld's great texts:
Except We repent ye shall all likewise per-
ish." 1t went like an arrow 10 their hearts
and the club was broken up.
j Will send a letter. Such, indeed. Is
prayer-a letter sent unto the king. The
king here was the wrong person. but il
found right destination when IL reached
Elisha, the servant OF God who is the true
king. That letter was n small thing, but IL
led 10 Naaman's recovery. Prayer seems
4 little thing. but IL sets mighty engines In
operation for us. "What can that little boy
1oYn said the thames when they tried TO
lake his fathers estates away from the
young King Alfred. ~ can pray to God In
Heaven" was the truly royal reply.
A nd stood at the door. Here is DersOnal
sesOrt, 10 properly accompanies prayer
Take with words" says Hosea. sand turn
30 the Lord.n Some of Us are satisfied with
sending on the words; we do not ourselves
turn 10 the Lord. III so the words are
meaningless. They 60 not higher than our
heads. The Lord wants to come our
selves to the door. Prayer Is but the meth
ID of approach, the roadway, as IL were
McCheyne we hear, was accust omed TO say
that he spent great part OF his time In
getting in tune for prayer. T. e., for the per-
sOnal presentation. Says Gunnell: alt Is
harder to get bell up than it is to ring 1t
when IL is up.n
Go and wash. Our part is cleansing. The
healing Is OF God, but he acts through our
activity, not through our inactivity, God
working In us of his good pleasure. The
trouble with men to-day Is In their failure
To live up TO these two words, go. wash.
The way is open. the fountain lies broad.
III we fail OF salvation IL Is because OF
something we fail TO do. God can do no
more for us than he has, until we accept
what he has done. On the pavement OF a
cell across the water is written the word
"Rosist.n 1t Is the word that tells the
secret OF impenitence In every sin receptive
heart.
Wash and be clean. Why not? Our leprosy
seems past this cleansing OF this water but
so he bids us; respond i'm faith. "Everything
is clear TO me now,n said some one TO the
pastor; al do not know how nor why IL is so.
these words
a'A guilty. weak. and helpless worm,
On thy kind arms fall;
BE thou my strength and righteousness,
My Jesus and my all.'n
al saw then at once had nothing 10 do
but TO trust Jesus. .. Why, sir. don't you
think that the reason why we do not get
out OF our darkness soon~ Is that we don't
believe?n
And he was clean. w. clean, that was