Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-12-06
THE LEPROSY OF SIN.
Rev. DR.. Talmage Tells How It May
be Healed.
A Lesson Drawn from the Story of the
Naughty Naaman and the Prophet
EIisha-God Sends Affections That
We May Not Become Enrap-
tured of This World.


Was Leper."
Here we have warrior sick; not with
pleurisies or rheumatism or consump
tions, but with disease worse than all
Z these put together A red mark has
come out ON the forehead, precursor OF
complete disagreement and dissolution.
! have something awful to tell you.
Gen. Naaman, the commander-in-chiet
of all the Syrian forces, has the lep-
-osyl Ii Is on his hands, on his face,
on his feet, on his entire person. The
leprosy! Get out of the way of the
pestilencel If his breath strike you,
you are dead man. The commander
in-chief of all the forces of Syria. And
yet he would be glad to exchange con-
ditions with the boy .. MS stirrup, or
the hostler tkAt blankets his chafger
r aews goes like wildfre all through
ae realm, and the people are sympa-
hetic, and they cry out; is il possible
nat our great hero, who slew Ahab, and
round whom we came with such voeif-
ration when he returned from victori-
rs battle-can it be possible that our
grand and glorious Naaman has the
leprosy? Yes. Everybody has some
thing he wishes he had not. David,
an Absalom to disgrace him; Paul,
thorn TO sting him; job, carbuncles to
plague him; Samson, Delilah to shear
him; Ahab, a Naboth TO deny him;
George Washington, ehildlessness to
affiict him; John Wesley, termagant
TO poster him; Leah, weak eyes:
a crooked back; Byron, club
~; Joan Milton, blind eyes; Charles
NIB, an insane. sister; and you, and
a, and you, and you. and You, some
ng which you never bargained for
d would like to get rid Of The rea-
4 of this is that God does not want
world to be too bright; otherwise,
ould always want to stay and eat
Sc fruits, and lie on these lounges,
I'D shake hands in this pleasant soci-
ely. We are only in the vestibule of
grand temple. God does not want us
TO stay on the doorstep, and therefore
lie sends aches, and annoyances, and
sorrows. and bereavements of all sorts
to push us on, and push us up toward
ripper fruits, and brighter society, and
more radiant properties. God is
only whipping us ahead. The rea-
SON that Edward Payson and Robert
yall had more rapturous views of
eaven than other people had was be-
A4use, through their aches and pains
God pushed them nearer up to il. II
God dashes out one of your pictures. IL
s only TO show to you brighter one
He sting your foot with govt, your
-An with neuralgia, your tongue with
tinguishable thirst, it is only be-
He is preparing to substitute a
body than you ever dreamed of.
Ne mortal shall put on immor-
II is TO push you on, and to
lou up toward something grander
liter. that God sends upon you.
fd upon General Naaman. some
NfN lou do not want. Seated in his
tnansion-all the wall glittering
fields which he had captured in
the corridors crowded with adj |
fisitors who just wanted 10 see
y; music and mirth, and ban
4 filling all the mansion. from |
tted floor to pictured ceiling
ian would have forgotten that |
was anything better. and would |
been glad to stay there ten thou |
years. But o, how the shields |
I'd how the visitors fly the hall. |
fhe music drops dead from the |
! hd how the gates of the man
IN shut with sepulchral bang. |
read the closing words of the |
nm: HE was leper! He was a
e was one person more sympa-
sYith Gen. Naaman than any |
person. Naaman's wife walks
cor. wringing her hands and try
> think what she can do to allevi-
er husbands suffering. All rene
ave failed. The surgeon general
he doctors of the royal staff. have
Ind.they have shaken their heads.
J as to say: mo cure: no cure"
that the office-seekers had ali l
mp their recommendation and
me. Pro badly most of the en-
pfthe establishment had dropped
Dirk and were thinking of look
some other situation. What
ow become OF poor Naaman's
She must have sympathy some
In her despair she goes to
Few captive, a servant girl in
, whom she tells t4e whole
etimes, whe overborne
of the world, and find
Akhy anywhere else. You
nd found in the sympa-
--inble domestic-Rose. or
~. Or Bridget help which the
/, orid could not give you.
What scene it was; one of the
yrandest women in all Syria in cabinet
council with a waiting maid over the
leclining health of the mighty general!
I know something, says the little cap
maid; II know something as she
to her bare feet. In the land
hich ! was stolen there is GER
>1sS4phet known by the name of
f7fho can cure almost anything, |
uldn't wonder if he could cure
r. Send for him right away
you said IF the highest ,
alent in all the land can
chat leper. there is no need ,