Morning journal and courier., 1893-10-09
"WHRRR ARE THE NINE.''

sswHRRE ARE THE NINE.'' The Ingratitude Of the Lepers " whom Christ Healed-A~ Most Interesting Sermon Preached Yesterday Morn ing by the Rev. Frederic Bailey, the New Rector of the Church Of tne 1 Ascension. Rev. Frederic W. Bailey, the new rector of the Church of the Ascension, and for nnerly assistant rector of All Saints church, l Worcester, preached an interesting sermon yesterday morning to large congregation.
 His text was, And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten oleanseda But where are the ninei"
 He spoke in part as follows: The incl dent of our Lords life herein related is in itself instructive not only in the fact of the increased knowledge gained of the prevail ing conditions of human lifs at that time, with all its surroundings and hsrdships, but of the bearing which that divine life had upon these conditions.
 AS we learn more and more of human AoeuA0 o4A Ok tuOa0 h0tcA0A Ro"OAD VA S>> pression which are unconsciously employed by us all in the communication ot thought we the more clearly see how inadequate IS the gospel narrative to convey all that our Lord might have said and how much in- deed is left for imagination to do in com- pleting the word.
 It is just this sort of uncertainty that arises as we read the passage in which our text is found. We are left somewhat in doubt as to whether Christ really con demns tho nine healed lepers and are obliged to answer his question from our own best understanding of human na- ture.
 You remember the story. Briefly 1t is this. Jesus accompanied by his disciples was passing down through Samaria on his way to Jerusalem. As he approached a certain village, in quiet converse with his followers, who should meet him but ten of those most dis tressed creatures, the outcasts of society, who by public opinion and force of cir cumstunces were compelled to live together in uistsnt caves ard dsns. No man loved a ieper and DO man sought his companion obliged to. Then and only then did he retire to the barren wilderness to pass the remainder of hls life in solitude and suf- fefing. His was living death unbroken by any loving friendships or hopeful an- ticipations. If consolations came to him they were offered by others with like miseries who with him could pray for the hsstening of those slow and intensely painful processes of dissolution.
 How these distressed creatures should have known Jesus ss he passed on his way understand that his fame had preceded him everywhere. If mingled with bitter hate among the ruling classes 1t was with hope to the ruler and with joy to every affl,cted home circle.
 If we could only determine just what thoughts occupied his mind as he heard 1t and was moved to grant the mercy they plead for. If we only knew why he should have commanded them to 'Go and show themselves unto the priests" when those same priests were most steadfastly set against the new faith. They were not de- 1 pendent upon any priestly power for their cure since it was while oo their way that | the cure came to them. GAS they went, they were cleansed" and when the actual truth dswned upon them and they for the | first time realized that they were healed no more leprosy, no more pain, no more | solitude, no more despsir-then it was that | their human nature showed itself. Only | one of the ten returned to Christ to mani fest his gratitude and that one was a Samar- itsn, man held in very poor estimation by the Jews and man who in like man. ner responded to their dislike end who would much rather return to Christ than show himself to any Jewish priest the country round.
 From the reading of the narrative one may be led to infer that this man alone of all the ten, manifested any appreciation for the miraculous blessing conferred, and that he was even entitled to greater praise ! because of his deficiencies, both in birth and education. Were there not ter cleanscd? But where are the nine. sayt Christ Only one returned to give glory to God, says he. We have not the Iighi to infer, ss has sometimes been the case that the others were not grateful merely Christ himself. Nor am I quite satisfied with the common impression that our Lord himself was disappointed with those min. whom he had commanded to go and show themselves unto the priests. One had in sense dieobeyed that command and we car see for the reason that it was certainly dis tasteful. But what more proper for thu the message. I want to make clear to yer that from nine different happy Christian homes and p'ne varied csnters of influence Christ he1 been preached and was con | RAoo tical and more convincing than any sermon could possibly bs. That He by thogs mar velous cures had multiplied himself nint times, and that He had. prepared Himself thus for the sure conquest of that city a. never could otherwise have besn done. Il was no wonder the multitudes followed Him or knew of His approach.
 l No wonder the poor, the halt, the blind the miserable and the sinful of this world awaited His coming and hung upon Hi word with longing born of uneeasing dis tress.
 Where were the ninea would yo1 ask. They were convincing ths self-righteous Jewish priest be fore whom they had come; or the, constantly relating the story of their won derful cure were preaching in a most con vincing way the gospel of Jesus and un consciously, perhaps, were preparing many doubting hearts for the full accept snce of the truth, They were the livint witn' sses every day and hour of the com pl-'s salvation our Lord offered to tn, race.
 Aud We are to come back again to tn, original thought of our discourse which involved the fact of the gratitude or tho se aming ingratitude of these nine restored lepers. Were they indeed ungratefuls I am elow to believe, brethren, that grat itude has or can have but one form of ex pression. Nor am prepared to say ir case there Is more than one way which way is the more acceptable to Gcd. In z world possessing varied types of trus manhood we must expect different results in the manifestation of the game feeling, We are by necessity obliged to concede the fact that all men are moi alike devoted, if the expression of that spirit of devotion is to bsar but one test And yet it is not 50 certain but that all men possess more or less of the spirit dor. msnt within them and may make the most consecrated disciples if rightly encouraged. We have sometimes to remember that the hsnded knee, or prostration of the body or the humble attitude of the prayerful heart are all more or less matters of edu- cation. It is as we all know much as we are brought up and not something which nature alone led us to do. Consequently that man makes 8 serious mistake who vsinly thinks that he alone possesses any religion merely because he alone observes the true attitude of prayer and praise.
 The same facts hold true with the ques. ton of real gratitude. As being one of the attributes of a religious life it is capable of more than one significant and worthy form. That sometimes the very way most commonly expressed may not always be in itself most acceptable to God. You recall the well known story of the rich young man who one day came to Christ greatly disturbed about his future and his pros-