The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1891-02-26
NAAMAN HEALED.


international Sunday-schooi Lesson for
March 3, 1891.
Especially Arranged from s. 8. Quarterly.1
LESSON TExr-e Kings B: LA
GOLDEN yxxr-who forgiveth all thine In
Equities; who heaieth all thy disessea-Ps.
,100;8
whittier than snow.
TmE--Between 800 and SS4 B. @.
PLAcr-(D Damascus, the capital of Syria.
o. Samaria the capital Of Israel, ITO miles dis
tnnt In an air line
HELPS OVER HARD PIA\Jns II. "Naaman:"
s'pleasnnS to look upon," |" beauty" Captain"
general, commander-in- chief. by him I.
deliverance unto Syria;" probably from the As
syrians. But he. was lepor:" either the
white leprosy, which turns the body to disa-
greeable white color. and has o scaly texture,
greatly disfguring the victims; or the true
fcprosy, a foul dcforrning, incurable, hered-
itary. contagious, painful disease that
shuts men out from the companionship Of the
pure. 1.-THE hnir falls from the head and
eyebrows; the nails loosen and decay and drop
on; joint after Joint Of fingers and toes
shrink up and slowly fall away; the
gums are absorbed and the teeth dis
appear; the nose the eyes, the tongue and
the palate are slowly consumed; and finally
the wretched victim sinks into the earth and
disappears" In the earlier stages one can at
tend his usual duties. Q. "Gone out by COM
panies:" on raiding expeditions over the bor-
der, when there was no regular war. 8. Would
Gods" merely "Oh, thatw l. "And one:'
probably Naaman himself "Went in and told
his lord:" the King Of Benhadad. s. IA letter
unto the King Of Israeli" supposing, Of course
that such q prophet would be under the Kings
control or influence ''Ten talents of silver:"
about sixteen thousand four hundred dollars
''6ix thousand pieces OF gold:" worth about
forty-eight thousand dollars Changes Of raj
"Eent his clothes:" sign Of trouble and ter
rsf. 'Seeketh Q Quarrel:" he misunderstood
the letter, never thinking 1t referred to his get
ting Elisha to perform the cure. g 'Elisha:"
probably living in Samaria. TO- ''Go and wash
In Jordan" thirty miles away. Jordan had
no power to heal; and thus while Naaman must
show his faith by doing something, the healing
would direct him to the true God. This plan
would test not only his faith but his obedience
and humility. Moreover the plan was 30 sim
pie and easy that no willing person could fail.
''Thy flesh shall come again," the flesh
wasting away with the leprosy. II. "Nnaman
was wroth:" angry; the plan was contrary to
his expectations and wounded his pride. Yet
II was the very one that would bring healing Of
tho soul with the healing Of the body. 12.
SA6ana and Pharpar:" the ALBANIA, now called
Bsrada, ran through Damascus in seven beau
tiful streams. The Phsrpar ran little dis
tance below tho city. "Better than all tho
strearn, running through o wilderness, with no
cities and few villages on its banks. The ALBANIA
was cleer, cool, bright, beautiful stream,
flowing by hundred villages, and through
charming scenery. IL "And dipped himself
seven times In Jordan notonly in tho journey
70 the river, but also in the repeated dippings
wes the faith of Naaman put to the test.
LESSON COMMENTS.
TILE VALIANT GENERAL Everybody
In Syria knew about Naaman, because
be was great General and had won q
famous victory. The King knew him
and honored him because he was suc-
oessful fighter. The soldiers all knew
him and admired him because he had
led them to victory. There was no man
In all Syria more popular than he.
But he was q leper. A fatal and
loethsome disease had fastened itself
on him, and the conqueror Of others
would soon himself be laid low. There
was no help for Naaman, and he knew
It. SO often there comes q ''but" into
our lives that mars our Joy. This man
= rich but he is nervously broken down.
That man Is well but he has no work to
do.
The LITTLE SLAVE GIRL. We do not
even know her name, but that she was
. believing, patient, kindly girl we
infer from the story. She sets us all q
very good example. She was (a) be-
Heving, as we see from her faith in
Elisha the prophet Of God. She was
fully persuaded that even leprosy
would yield to his power. Perhaps she
may have heard OF Elisha's raising the
boy to life, and have thought that since
he could raise the dead he could do any
thing. She was (b) patient, and (c)
kindly, as we see from her way Of
speaking. Many young girl, carried
eway as she had been from her family,
and sold into slavery, would have said
to herself: II am glad my master Is q
leper. It serves him right, for he had
no right TO buy me and keep me as q
slavA Elisha would cure him, but
never win tell him alout the prophet,
70 pay him for buying me.s SBut this
little girl thought very differently. She
was sorry for poor Nsaman, and 30 she
told his vito Of the prophet The very
tact that they believed her At once
elbows that abe had 80 lived among
tAem - TO win their confidence.
TIM ALARMED KING. II he had
known as much a. the nameless maid
about the true God, be would also have
thought at once Of Elisha and have
sedt Naaman TO him. But Jehoram
was wicked and know more about idols
than about Jehovah, and he knew that
no idols could cure leprosy. This king
was Ike many In our day, who have
never truly turned to God as their
friend So when trouble comes they
ere alarmed, and do not at all realize
that God Is very present help in time
OF trouble.
THE GENERAL HEALED. He came very
near not being healed at all, because Of
his pride and high temper. Pride and
anger have often come between man
and his highest good. It Is q great pity
when q mans servants are more reason
able than he Is himself. But so It was TN
Naaman's case. fortunately, however,
he cooled down in time, and did as the
prophet commanded him. And the re-
sultp The seventh time he dipped he
caSna nv, with all Tho h1ofrhos and ar~e.