The Tupelo journal., 1903-11-06

ANNNX Galilean m j s.
-~ try, and when His
fame as a healer
had spread ever to the secluded retreats
where the lepers were forced to abide
in solitary misery, that one day while
Jesus was in a certain city, behold, a
mar full of leprosy" came and threw
himself at the feet Of Jesus and be-
sought Him for cleansing from his loath-
some disease. He was full of leprosy"
and must have been a fearful sight. The
stringent Jewish law required that the
leper live outside the towns and villages
separated from his fellow-men, and that
he should cry: ""Unclean, %unclean," so
that the wayside traveller might be
warned and might keep at a safe dis
lance to prevent deflement and avoid
c%ontagion. But this leper seeing Je-
sus" seemingly forgot the restrictions
which bound him as a leper and, rush
ing past the disciples and those sur
rounding Jesus, threw himself at His
feet. Doubtless all but Jesus were dis
concerted and amazed. No doubt but
that the crowds and even the disciples
themselves hastily withdrew to a safe
distance and gave the leper the full COM
mand of Jesus presence. AS they watch
those two-the one bowed with his face
to the ground and pleading for help, the
other standing in calm confidence with
compassionate face beaming upon the
piteous object before Him for Mark
tells us that Jesus was moved with COM
PASSION, they see something which
startles them ever more than the com
ing of the leper had done. Jesus put
forth His hand and touched him" This
under the Jewish law meant defilement.
1t was abhorrent to the Jews, but their
establishment and even indignation are
forgotten in the transformation which
takes place before their eyes. The ghast-
ly white blotches upon the leper's hands
and face take on the clean rosy hue of
healthy flesh. The cavities in the face,
eaten out by the progress of the dis
ease, are filled out with new flesh and
bone. The fingers, which at the joints
were decayed and fallen away, were
made strong and complete under the
cleansing, transforming power of God.
And as the leper feels the transformation
which has been wrought in his body, he
raises his voice in wild exultation of
praise to God. But what a voice! The
sharp, thin, distressing tones of the leper
have given place to the full, deep, strong
voice of restored health and manhood.
What q coaro fhn% rrocf ITD~ I~o -, o4soy
How glorious!
DUT the glory of that scene is exceed
ID ed by the glory which is revealed
when the sinner is cleansed and saved,
for the leprosy of sin is more terrible,
leprosy of the body can work the de-
struction of the physical man, but the
leprosy of sin in the soul is able to COM
pass the ruin of the soul and cast it into
hell. Physical leprosy is operative only
during time, but leprosy of the soul con-
tinues through eternity. The creative
power of God could root out the disease
of leprosy and restore the body to its
normal condition and functions, but it
took q Christ on the cross, 1t took His
precious blood shed for the sins of the
world, to cleanse from the leprosy of
sin. And this incident which occurred
nearly nineteen hundred years e has
its vital message for the world to-day.
1t is suggestive Of the condition and
need of the people of the world and it re-
veais Jesus attitude towards the sinner.
His power to cleanse and save, and His
tender, quick response to the appeal for
mercy and help. And first of all let us
consider the leper and what his condi-
ton involved.
LIE was full of %leprosy," so says the
IL physician-evangelist, Luke. Terri
BILE, you say, and so it was, but sin is
more terrible in it's effects and more
widespread. This man was probably in
the last stages of the disease. From his
head to his feet there were evidences of
the terrible ravages which leprosy had
made upon him. The description which
Gen. Lew Wallace gives in Ben Hur
of the lepers of Jesus day gives some
idea of the probable condition of this
man who was full of l~eprosy." But
when the disease started it was only q
small blotcA upon his body. He could
cover it up. He could hide it from the
eyes of others. But Notwithstanding
how small and insignificant the indica-
lions of the disease at the start it had
within it the possibilities of the condi-
49, x-Lso1 ~ rna rao1;1aI 81 &h~---
who was full of %leprosy." 1t was only
a question OF time when the one with
the leprous spot would become the one
full of ~leprosy," forced to hide his
hideous face behind the cloth mantle,
and cry "unclean, unclean." And this
is the way 1t is with the leprosy of sin.
1t is so little, so small, so innocent.
looking at the start, one would scarcely
realize the connection between 1t and
the finished product of sin, but it is
there. /Oh, the exceeding sinfulness of
sin. whether it is the big sin or the little
sin, the sin clothed in the garments of
responsibility, or the sin which reeks
with the foulness of lust and passionate
desire. Sin is sin in Gods sight, and
"when it is finished, it bringeth forth
death" for 'the wages of sin is death"
m HIS man needed not to be told that
he was a leper. He knew it. But
not all are willing to admit that they
are sinners, Notwithstanding that God
saws: "Au have sinned and come short
of the glory of God" There is none