Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1898-08-17
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON ". THIRD QUARTER. INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, AUG. Fl.

Memory Verses. IS, IL : Golden Text,
Jer. xvii, IA Commentary by the Rev.
ID. M. Stearns.
/. 'Now Naaman, captain of the host
Of the king of Syria, was great man with
his master and honorable. The verse
goes on to tell why, but closes with the
sad statement that he was a leper. The
Word of God from beginning to end reveals
God to US working in and through and for
| His people and for all who are willing to
receive His mercy. Even by those who do
not know Him He sometimes works as in
this case, delivering Syria by Naaman.
All the great and honorable men of Scrip
turc, such as Boaz, the mighty man of
wealth (Ruth Ii, u; Mordecai, who was
great among the Jews (Est. K, 81, and
others lead the believer to say with heart
felt gratitude, II know greater and
more honorable than all others, and He
can heal even lepers.
g. Brought away captive out Of the
land of Israel a little maid, and she wait
ed on Naaman's WIFE" Thus did the
Syrians with Gods permission, but what
about the little maids father and mother,
and what about her own poor little heart?
1t is very evident that God does not al
ways seek the comfort of His people, but
He does always seek the highest good, and
the greatest eternal glory of each one.
Consider Joseph and Daniel, etc.
8. would God my lord were with the
prophet that Is in Samaria For he would
recover him of his leprosy." But for the
love Of God manifested through the little
maid we might never have had the story
of Naaman. The faithfulness of the little
boy Samuel and of this little girl are great
lessons for all boys and girls. Jesus at
! the age of 12 was about His Fathers bust
ness, and it is the business of all who know
Him to make Him known to Others.
4. "Thus and thus said tho maid that is
of tho land of Israel" So said ono to the
king, and thus the message of the little
maid Is passed on to headquarters, even
the words of little boy or girl are worth
being passed on and will accomplish God S
pleasure If they concern Him or His serv-
ants who live unto Him. He will use any
vessel that is willing to be used by Him
that He may be glorified.
8. "And the king of Syria said, Go to-
60 and I will send a letter unto the king
of Israel" So Naaman departed, taking
as a present 10 talents of silver, 5000
pieces of gold and ten changes of raiment
God gave His Son freely and with Him
freely all things (Rom. iii, "a; viii, 32).
Those do not know Him who think to buy
His gifts, neither do those know Him as
they should who bring Him no thank
Offering.
6. "Now, when this letter is come unto
Al
man, my servant to thee, that thou may
est recover him of his leprosy." Our mes
sages for God often get twisted and per-
verified by those who hear them, but God
!. will somehow accomplish His pleasure.
1t is not for us to worry il We have acted
according to Jer. xiii, 2S. The little girl
had said that the prophet, not the king,
would do it.
2. "Am I God, to kill and to make
alive, that this man doth send unto me to
recover man of his leprosys" Thus said
the king of Israel when he had read the
letter and imagined that the king of Syria
sought to quarrel with him. True, he
was not able either to kill or make alive,
but he should have known the God OF
Israel and His servants, the prophets, and
have been able to point people to the one
only living and true God.
8. Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothesi
Let him now come to me. and he shall
know that there Is a prophet in Israel. y
Thus sent Elisha to the king when he
heard that the king had rent his clothes.
Here Is man conscious of the fact that
he Is on earth for God and that God IL
with him. He has seen the power Of God
In the dividing of the waters, the healing Of
the waters and In the miraculous supply
of water, in the increase of the oil, the
raising of the Summarizes son and the
healing of the pottage. He knows Goo
and feels free to expect whatever viii
glorify Him.
o. $50 Naaman came with his horses ant
} with his chariot and stood at the door o.
the house Of Elisha" A wonderful sigh
truly to be seen at poor mans door! i
makes us think of the time when all kings
shall fall down before Him whom Elish,
served, when every high thing shall b
brought down and the Lord alone shall b,
| exalted in that day FPS. lxxii, IL; lisa. Ii
III.
10. go and wash In Jordan sever
times and thy flesh shall come again t
} thee, and thou shalt be Clean" Thus salt
the messenger whom Elisha sent to tn
door, for Elisha thought 1t not necessar.
! to go himself. He stood like Elijah befor
God and considered no greatness that wa
not of God.
H.. "But Naaman was wroth and wen
away and said, Behold, I thought he will
surely come out to me-" Naaman had !
: all planned in his own mind just how !
: ought to be done, for was not he q grea
and honorable man and did he not deserv
to be honored before his soldiers and b,
this Israelites Was he not prepared to pa,
: we'll for all he got and was this any kline
! of way to treat such as he? His prid
would not stand it, and no went away Il
a rage.
12. "Are not ALBANIA and Pharpar, riv
. ers of Damascus, better than all the wa
q tiers of Israeli" The water might BIO a
| good or possibly better for some purposes
' but they were not Gods way for hi
I cleansing. Gains fruits were probabl
much more attractive than Abel's blood
lamb, but they were not Gods way. Goo
works and good moral character are YER
beautiful and all right In their place, bu
they are not Gods way Of cleansing tn
leprosy of sin, and therefore Of no avail
/ IS. "How much rather then when
Y saith to thee, Wash and BIO clean?" Hi
!, servants, wiser than he, thus reasone
with him that he would gladly do som
; great thing, and why not this simpl
- n a