Newport weekly independent., 1903-10-30

had spread even to the secluded retreats
 where the lepers were forced to abide in solitary misery, that one day while Jesus was in certain city, behold, a
 man full of leprosy'' came and threw
 himself at the feet of Jesus and be- sought Kim for cleansing from his loath- some disease. He was full of leprosy
 and must have been 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 safe dis tance to prevent defilement and avoid contagion. 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 ono 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 even 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 It was abhorrent to the Jews, but their astonishment 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 shSss~-s 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 a scene that was! How dramatic! How glorious!
 DUT the glory of that scene is exceed D ed by the glory which is revealed when the sinner is cleansed and saved for the Ieprosy of sin is more terrible, more deadly, and more universal. The Ieprosy 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 he'll. 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 it's normal condition and functions, but it took Christ on the cross, it 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 ago has its vital message for the world to-day. It is suggestive of the condition and need of the people of the world and it re- veals 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- tion involved.
 LIE was full of leprosy," so says the Il physician-evangelis Luke Terri ble, 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 leprosy" But when the disease started it was only B small blotch upon his body. He could cover it up. He could hide 1t from the eyes of others. But notwithstanding how small and insignificant the indica- tions of the disease at the start it had within it the possibilities of the condi- tion which we see realized in the man who was full of leprosy." It was only a question of time when the one with the leprcus 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 it is with the leprosy of sin. It is so little, so small, so innocent looking at the start, one would scarcely realize the connection between it and the finished product of sin, but it is thsTe. Oh, the exceeding sinfulness of