Connecticut western news., 1894-11-22

that awful night. 1t was hard, hard, very hard, but If that little one on it's dying bed had not pointed me to Christ don't think I ever would have got rid of my leprosy." Go into the Sabbath school any Sunday, and you will find hundreds of little fingers pointing in the same direction, toward Jesus Christ and toward heaven.
 Years ago the astronomers calculated that there must be world hanging at a certain point in the heavens, and a large prize was offered for some one who could discover that world. The tel escapes from the great observatories were pointed in vain, but girl at Man. tucket, Mass, fashioned telescope, and looking through it discovered that star and won the prize and the admira- tion of all the astronomical world, that stood amazed at her genius. And so 1t not see the light, while some little child beholds the star of pardon, the star of hope, the star of consolation, the star of Bethlehem, the morning star of Jesus. "Not many mighty men, not many wise men, are called, but God hath chosen the weak things of the world to con- found the mighty and base things and things that are" Oh, do not despise the prattle of little children when they are speaking about God and Christ and heaven. You see the way your child is pointing. Will you take that pointing or wait until, in the wrench of some awful bereavement, God shall lift that child to another world, and then it will beckon you upward? Will you take the pointing, or will you wait for the beck oning? Blessed be God that the little Hebrew captive pointed in the right di- rection. Blessed be God for the saving ministry of Christian children.
 A Sick Man.
 No wonder the advice of this little Hebrew captive threw all Naaman's E mansion and Ben- 8 palace into ex- citement. Goodby, Naamanl With face scarified and ridged and infamed by the pestilenoe and aided by those who supported him on either side, he stag gers out to the chariot. Hold fast the fiery coursers of the royal stable while the poor sick man lifts his swollen feet and pain struck limbs into the vehicle. Bolster him up with the pillows and let him take lingering look at his bright apartment, for perhaps the Hebrew cap tive may be mistaken, and the next time Naaman comes to that place he may be a dead weight on the shoulders of those who carry him, an expired chief tain seeking sepulture amid the lamen- tations of on admiring nation. Goodby, Naamani Let the charioteer drive gen. tly over the hills of Hermon, lest he jolt the invalid. Here goes the bravest man of all his day a captive of horri- ble disease. As the ambulance winds through the streets of Damascus the tears and prayers of all the people go after the world renowned invalid.
 Perhaps you have had an invalid go out from your house on health excur- sion. You know how the neighbors stood around and said. "Ah, he will never come back again alive" Oh, it was solemn moment, tell you, when the invalid had departed, and you went into the room to make the bed, and to remove the medicine vials from the shelf, and to throw open the shutters, so that the fresh air might rush into the long closed room. Goodby, Naamanl
 There is only one cheerful face look ing at him, and that is the face of the little Hebrew captive, who is sure he will get cured, and who is so glad she helped him. As the chariot winds out and the escort of mounted courtiers, and the mules, laden with sacks of gold and silver and embroidered suits of ap- parel, went through the gates of Da- mascus and out on the long way, the hills of Naphtali and Ephraim look down on the procession, and the retinue goes right past the battleields where Naaman in the days of his health used to rally his troops for fearful onset, and then the procession stops and reclines awhile in the groves of olive and clean der, and General Naaman so sick, so very, very siokl
 How the countrymen gaped as the procession pascal They had seen Naa- man go past like whirlwind in days gone by and had stood aghast at the olank of his'war equipments, but now they commiserate him. They say: "Poo1 man, he will never get home alive! Poor manP'
 His Two Diseases.
 General Naaman wakes up from 8 restless sleep in the chariot, and he says to the oharioteer, "How long before we shall reach the Prophet Elisha?" The charioteer says to waysider, "How far is it to Elisha's house?" He says, "Two miles, 1.-TWO miles?" Then they whiI up the lathered and Jagged out horses. The whole procession brightens up al the prospect of speedy arrival They drive up to the door of the prophet. Tn oharioteers shout "Whoar" to the horses, and tramping hoofs and grinding wheels cease shaking the earth. Come out, Ell sha, come out. You have company. Int grandest company that ever came tt your house has come to it now. No stil inside Elisha's house. The fact was the Lord had informed Elisha that tn, sick captain was coming and just how to treat him. Indeed, when you ar sick and the Lord wants you to go well, he always tells the doctor how tt treat you, and the reason we have s' many bungling doctors is because the, depend upon their own strength ant instructions and not on the Lord God and that always makes malpractice Come out, Elisha, and attend to you business. .. z
 General Naaman and his retinue wait ed and waited and waited. Tho fac was, Naaman had two diseases-prid and leprosy. The one was as hard to ge rid of as the other. Elisha sits quietl. in his house and does not go out. Afte awhile, when he thinks he has humblet this proud man, he says to servant "Go out and tell General Naaman t. bathe seven times in the river Jordan out yonder five miles, and he will ge entirely well. " The message comes out "Whatp says the commander in chic of the Syrian forces, his eye kindlinl