The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1900-11-15
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR NOVEMBER ie.
Subject The Ten Lepers Cleansed, Luke
xviii, lille Golden Text: Col. iiis
15- Memory Verses, 1918 - Com
1nentary on the Days Lesson.

had been in seclusion. Through the
midst" This mention OF Samarla before
Galilee is confusing, being the opposite
direction to a journey to Jerusalemi
Probably through the midst IS TO be
understood as meaning "along the from
tiers Of"
-, "Ten men we're lepers." The lep.
ROSY was a disease which the Jews sup.
posed to be inflicted for the punishment
of some particular sin, and to be, more
than other diseases. mark of Gods dis
pleasure; therefore Chris toek past-7Tlar
pains to cleanse the lepers. There were
ten in this company, for though they were
shut out from the society OF others, they
were at liberty to mingle together The
law pronounced the leper unclean, and he
was obliged to warn passers-hy with the
type OF sin. The leper was (I detled,
and he defled everything he touched, (2g
extremely loathsome, and 81 shut out OF
society. This all applies with equal force
to the sinner. The surroundings OF the
leper were also unclean. Lev. l3: 47-59;
IA: 33-47. We must see to it that our sur
roundings are not infected. The clothes
we wear, the books we read, the company
W, keep, the places we frequent, the
scenes we visit. if leprous. will cause our
death. (Which stood afar off. They
were not permitted to come near to per-
sons in health. Lev. l3: 46; Mum: 5: 2.
IS. Lifted up their voices" Their re-
Quest was unanimous. The ten cried as
with one voice They had evidently heard
of the fame of Jesus and how He cured
faith in Him is sincere Although they
do not vet know the Saviour's dignity
as the Messiah, yet they account Him
prophet, mighty in decd and word. Have
mercy on us" They knew they were lep-.
ers, and that no human power could save
them; they accordingly, very. properly
plead for mercy. Jesus always helps those
who thus call upon Him. 1t is mercy that
the sinner must have. Justice would de-
stroy him in a moment. These lepers, l.
See their helplessness. .. Have faith IN
Jesus. g. Appeal to His compassion.
IA. "When He saw them" 1t was
sight that might have touched any heart,
for they were smitten with living death.
rallied to them Immediately. Show your
selves unto the priests" To obtain the
testimony of the priests that they were
really cured and rnig ght be released from
their enforced seclusion, and be again ad-
mitted into society. According to the
law Nev. IA: 2,32) the priest alone had
authority to declare q person clean or un-
clean. and whenever Jesus healed leper
He sent him Immediately to the priest.
See Matt s: 4. GAS they went. they were
cleansed." Jesus did not touch them as
in Matt. s: 3, but caused their faith IN
Him to be tested. They were. commanded
to 90 to the priest, and they, actually
started on the journey before they were
healed. 1t was strong. test. but their
perfect confidence in Christ was equal to
it. They had heard no words OF cleans
ing. they felt no change in their diseased
bodies; but they went. They acted their
faith. Every step they took away from
the presence of Christ proved that they
trusted Him. They took Jesus at His
word. This is faith. Many will not be-
lieve until they see what they call rea-
son for it. but such are never likely to be
saved. The best reason for believing and
obeying is that we are in harmony with
Gods express command. The person who
acts on Gods word is safe. .
Is. Zone of them. The Samaritan.
The other nine who were Jews would nat
urally separate from him as they started
to their priests ct Jerusalem. The Sam
aritan no doubt started to his own priests;
"When he saw--turned back" They had
not zone far until they saw they were
healed, and they should have returned. If
but for a moment. to thank their benefacI
factor for de,iverance from disease that
was worse than death. But the nine jews
were too much taken up with themselves
in their desire to obtain official certlhi
Gates from the priests to think OF this!
"NYith a loud voice giorified God" Bel
cause Of the wonderful cure that had been
wrought in him. He had been loud ln
PRAYER and now he is lcnd in nra'sel
cayed souls have special license granted
them to praise the Lord. See Luke 49,:
$40. David said. "Seven times day
do / praise Thee" Psa. ll9: l64. The
wonder is that we do not praise HIM
more.
Is. "On his face at His feet" Before
he was healed he remained at distance
but now he draws near, and in humble
posture he shows all who are present what
the Lord has done for him. Giving
Him thanks" The least any one should
do is to express thankfulness for Gods
rich blessings. Ingratitude is great sin.
1t is said of the heathen that when they
knew God, they glorifed Him not as God,
neither were thankful" Rom. /: q. "A
Samaritan" One who professed very
corrupt religion, and from whom much
less was expected than from the other
nine. ,,
II. "Were there not ten cleansed" He
knew that He had cleanscd the other
nine. How rich Christ is in doing good.
Here was cure by wholesale. There is
an abundance OF healing, cleansing virtue
in the blood of Christ, sufficient for all
His patients. where are the nine" A
sadness CT tone is perceptib'a in this
question. The nine received the healing,
but forgot the Healer. However great or
numerous the temporal favors God be-
slows upon men. few comparatively give
Him the glory due to His name. Jesus
noticed the slight offered Him, and called
attention to it. We should be careful
and not be one of the nine.
Is. "To give glory to God" They had