The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1894-12-07
,, stupendous

alternative!
We'll, General Naaman could not stand the
test. The charioteer gives jerk to the right
line until the bit snaps in the horses mouth.
and the wbir OF the wheels and the flying OF
the dust show the indignation OF the great
commander. "He turned and went away in
rage" So people now often get mad at
religion. They vltuperate against ministers,
againstchurches, against Christian people.
One would think from their irate behavior
that God had been studying how to annoy
and eXasperate and demolsh them. What
has de been dong2 Only trying to cure
their death dealing leprosy. That is all.
Yet they whip up their horses, they dig in
the spurs, and they go away in a rage.
SO, after all, 1t seems that this health exc
cursion OF General Naaman is to be dead
failure. That little Hebrew captive might as
well have not told him of the prophet, and
this long journey might as we'll not have
been taken. Poor, sick. dying Naaman
Are you going away In high dudgeon and
worse than when you came2 As his chariot
hats n moment his servants Chamber mn in
ii and coax him to do as Elisha said. They
say "It's easy. II the prophet had told
you to walk for mile on sharp spikes in Or
der to get rid Of this awful disease. Won
would have done it, 1t is easy. Come. nv
lord, just get down and wash In the Jordan.
You take n bath every day anyhow, and in
this climate it is so hot that it will do YOU
good. Do it on our account, and for the
sake of the army YOU command, and for the
nation tnat admires you. Come, nv lord
just try this Jordanic bath" ''Well.'
ne says Ito please you I will
drive to the brink Of the Jordan The F Sorsas
paw and neigh to get into the stream them
selves and cool their hot TANKS. General
Naaman, assisted by his attendants. gets
down out of his chariot and painfully comes
to the brink q the river and steps in until
the water comes to the ankle, and goes on
deeper until the water comes to the girdle,
and now standing so far down in the stream
just a little inclination of the head will
thoroughly immerse him. He bows once
into the food and comes up and shakes the
water out of nostril and eye, and his attend
ants look at him and say, "Why, general,
how much better you do look ~
And he bows second time into
the food and comes up, and the
wild stare is gone out of his eye. He
bows the third time into the food, and comes
up, and the shrlveled skin has got smooth
again. He bows fourth time into the food
and comes up. and the hair that had fallen
out is restored there are thick locks again
all over the head. He bows the fifth time
into the food, and comes up, and the hoarse-
ness has gone out of his throat. He bows
the sixth time and comes up, and all the
soreness and anguish have gone out Of the
body. "Why," he says, at almost well,
but l will make a complete cure, and so he
bows the seventh time into the flood and he
comes up, and not so much as tester or a
scale or an eruption as big as the head OF a
pin is to be seen on him.
He steps out on the bank and says, "Is 1t
possibe?" And the attendants look and say,
"Is it possible?" And as with the health Of
an athlete he bounds back into the chariot
and drives on there goes up from all his at
tendants wild "Huzza, huzza" OF course
they so back to pay and thank the man OF
God for his counsel so fraught with wisdom.
When they lett the prophets house, they
went off mad. They have come back glad.
People always think better Of minister at-
ter they are converted than they do before
conversion. Now we are to them an intoler-
able nuisance because we tell them to do
things that 90 against the grain, but some OF
us have a great many letters from those who
tell us that once they were angry ut what We
preached, but afterward gladly received
the gospel at our hands. They once called
us fanatics or terrorists or enemies. Now
they call us friends. Yonder is man who
said he would never cone into the church
again. He said that two years ago. He said,
My family shall never come here again II
such doctrines as that are preached" But
he came again, and his family came again.
lie is a Christian, his wife a Christian, all
his children Christians, the whole house
hold Christians. and you shall dwell with
them in the house of the Lord forever. Oul
undying coadjutors are those who once
! hg1rl rho rrpCnnl and GgXvapt
rage"
Now, my hearers you know that this Gen
eral Naaman did two things in order to gel
well. The first was, he got out of his char
lot. He might have staid there with his
swollen feet on the stuffed ottoman, seateC
on that embroidered cushion, until MS last
gasp, he would never have got any relief
lie had to get down out Of his chariot. Ant
you have got to get down out OF the chario
of your pride If you ever become a Chris
tian. You cannot drive up to the cross wit
a coach and four and be saved among al
the spangles. You seem to think that tn
Lord is going to be complimented b!
your coming. On, no, you poor, mis-
cradle, scaly, leprous sinner, get dow
out OF that. We all come in tn
into the kingdom of God. Neve
!
mercy The Lord has endorsed us, III
charioted us. Get down out OF your pride
Get down out OF your self righteousness an
your hypercriticism. We have all got to d
that That is the journey we have TO max
on our knees 1t is our internal pride this
keeps us from getting rid OF the leprosy g
sin. Dear Lord, what have we to be prou
OF? Proud of our scales? Proud Of our III
cleanliness2 Proud OF this killing infection
Bring US down at Thy feet. weeping, pray
ing, penitent, believing suppliants.
For sinners, Lord, Thou cam'st to blee(
And I'm a sinner vile indeed.
Lord, / believe Thy grace is Tree;
Oh, magnify that grace in me.
But he had not only to get down out
his chariot. He had to wash. ION" 20
say, II am very careful with my abIution'
! Every day plunge into bright and oeaut
ful bath" All, my nearer, there IS moo
: brighter than aoy that pours from ines
hills. 1t is the flood that breaks from IN
, granite OF the eternal hills. 1t is the hoo
of pardon ana peace aud life and HEAVIER
That fool started in the tears OF Christ an
. the sweat OF Gethsemane and rolled on, a.
cumulating food, until all earth and heave