davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

had spread even 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
man 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 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
lance to prevent defilement and avoid
contagion. But this leper seeing Je-
sus'' seemingly forgot the restrictions
which bound him as 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 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.
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 filed 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 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!
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

lAAAS ANOO - -
their speedy and
certain action.
Early indications
of kidney trouble
come from two
sources, the back
and the bladder.
The back becomes
weak and lame be-
cause the kidneys
are sick, and le-
lief from backache
can only be arm
plete when the
kidneys are set
right.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

DUT the glory of that scene is exceed
- ed by the glory which is revealed
when the sinner is cleansed and saved,
for the leprosy of sin is more terrible,
more deadly, and more universal. The
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 lepTosy 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 a 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.
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.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06


as far as the knee. "
This is precisely
what kidney trou-
BILE will do with the
body.
1t does not al
ways show itself
at first, but ap-
pears just in this
way, when some
unusual movement
or action brings
sharp pains and
exhaustive aches,
telling Of sick kid
neyS.
So Mr.. Plang-
49, -
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06
DUT HOW long will He keep the sin.

DUT HOW long will He keep the sim
- ner waiting? All, how long did
Jesus keep the poor, wretched leper in
the dust at His feet? AS quickly as
that gracious hand could be raised and
stretched forth and laid upon that foul
leper, that quickly was it done And
as the hand touched, the voice spaze:
81 will; be thou clean" And immedi-
ately the leprosy departed from him
Even as the Gospel invitation is in the
| present, so is the promise of forgive
ness and salvation. God never deals in
futures with the sinner. God never says
to the sinner: Tomorrow is the day
of salvation" And He never says to
the sinner when he comes: "To-mor-
row l will consider your case and
grant your prayer" We cannot con-
ceive of the Lord doing that way. But
God calls to the sinner to-day, and to-
day Jesus stands ready with cleansing
touch and forgiving word to deliver the
sinner. What if the leper had waited
to present his case to Jesus? Suppose
he had reasoned that tomorrow he
would be better prepared to meet Him :?
Perhaps Jesus never passed that way
again, and if he had missed his oppor-
tunity that day it would have been
gone forever. And so it is with the
sinner. There is danger in delay.
The story is told of a certain woman
who had a case of litigation which she
delayed putting in the hands of her
lawyer. He, of all others, was able to
handle her case successfully. His abiI-
tiles and his knowledge of her case
made it almost necessary that he act
for her But she kept putting the mat
ter off, until at last one day, when de-
lay was no longer possible, she sought
this lawyer out, and asked him to be-
come her attorney. Madam" he said.
cit is too late. l cannot now be your adj
vocate and plead your case You have
put ii off too long. l am now judge"
Some day Jesus, who stands waiting to
receive the sinner and is ready to forgive
and save, will become Judge and then Il
will betoolate to submit the case into His
hands, but as Judge He will be forced to
condemn us for having neglected the day
of salvation. Jesus is waiting to save. but
He will not keep the sinner waiting. AS
soon as the cry goes up to Him: Lord. il
Thou wilt, Thou canst make me Clean"
His hand is outstretched to save, and His
voice speaks the words: az will; be thou
clean" And Immediately the redemp-
tive work is done and the sinner is sent
away, not with the cry, "unclear, I'M
clean" but with the song of praise in his
mouth because of the wonderful Saviour
and salvation received. Oh that the
world might turn from its sin and give
Jesus the opportunity of touching the
leprous spots and healing themi He is
ablei He is willingi Oh, the sad tragedy
of the ages that the world should cling
to its sin and turn from the One Who is
mighty to save!
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

Mr.. Jones-"Tt is useless my arguing with
woman who says she is always right" Mrs.
Jones-"It never made any such assertion,
and it's utterly cruel and unkind of you to
say so. did not say ] was always right;
simply asserted that was never wrongi''-
Comfort
Pearl Peach-Here is 10 cents but / hate
to encourage you to drink" Weary Walker
All l need Is de money. De encourage
ment is not necessary. IN. Y. Sun.
Putnam Fadeless Dyes color more goods,
per package, than others.
Fair words never hurt the tongue-Chap-
man.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

HE incident from
which our text is
taken is one of the
few which is found
III all three Of the
synoptic Gospels. 1t
reveals the depth
of human need and
the fullness of the
mercy and power of
God to meet that
need. 1t was dur
ing Jesus first
Galilean m i n i s.
try, and when His
fame as a healer
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06
M0uNkt had

neys, and thus making the action Of the
kidneys regular and natural.
Aching backs are eascd. Hip, buck, and loin
pains overcome. S,Celling Of the limbs, rheunG-
tiSns and dropsy signs VaniSh.
They correct urine arith brick-duSt sediment,
high-colored, excessive, pain in passing, drib-
bling, frequency. Dodn's Kidney Fills dissOlre
and renaove ealcuzi and grayel. Relieye heart
pdlpitdtion, Sleeplessness headache, nervousness.
-Milburn Co., Buffalo, N Y.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

GRITTY Of a high
er recommendation
than I can find
words to express"
This is what Mr..
j. H. Plangman (of
Sherman, 7 e Ky
says of Doan's
Kidney Pills. He
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

Never fail to do most of the talking, as the
others must be tired of the sound OF their
own voices.-N. Y Herald
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

Kidney trouble and who have been for
tunate enough to test the merits OF
Doan's Kidney Pills.
There is nothing wonderful or mag
ical about this remedy, it simply does
the work by direct action on the kid
neys. Doan's Kidney Pills are for the
IzidnevS only and this accounts for
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

Do not believe Piso's Cure for Consump-
ton has an equal for coughs and colds-J.
T. Boyer, Trinity Springs, Ind, Feb. Is, 1900
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

However, necessity knows no law and
Mr.. Plangman paid half down and took
the treatment and followed it faithful
ly for four weeks.
Naturally, he thought that he would
soon be rid of the trouble, but in spite
of the doctoring he goes on to add. 81
was in such misery that it was almost
impossible for me to do my work"
cit was at this juncture that Doan'S
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

Text:-'And He put forth His hand and
touched him, saying, 1 will; be thou clean.
And Immediately the feprosy departed
from him.'-Luke 5:I3I
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

Irritation Of the
bladder shows that
the kidneys are out
of order. Delay in
prompt attention
often causes seri-
Gus complication.
Relieve and cure
sick kidneys and
ward off dangerous
diabetes, dreaded
dropsy and Bright'S
disease, by using
D o a n s Kidney
Pills.
They begin by
healing the delicate
membranes and re-
ducing any inf1am-
nation of the kid
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

Kidney Pills came
to my notice and I
procured some from
the drug store Of G.
z. Craycroft. i
used these pills
according to direc-
tons and to my
surprise I was con-
siderably relieved
on the second day
and in a short time
completely cured"
This is the uni
versal experience Of
those who have
been sufferers from
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06
Stops the Cough

, and works off the cold. Laxative Bromo
Quinine Tablets. Price 25 cents
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

The secret of success is constancy to pu
pose.-Disraeli.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06
TT WAS not long-distance or 2

1T WAS not long-distance or absent
l treatment which Jesus gave to this
man. He put forth His hand and
touched him" All, what a picture we
have here of our Saviouri The foulest
leper upon appeal to Him could feel the
touch of His gracious, loving hand, and
the vilest sinner may cry with the pub
lican in the Temple: God, be merciful
to me, a sinneri" and the arms of the
Saviour are at once thrown around the
penitent, and the blood of Jesus cleanses
from all guilt. HE put forth His hand
and touched him" F. B. Meyer says:
mo one else would have dared to do
as much. To touch that flesh, according
to the Levitical code. would induce I'M
cleanness But Jesus shrank not. On
the one hand, He knew that the cere-
monial restrictions were abolished in
Himself: on the other, He desired to
teach that sin cannot defile the Divine
holiness of the Saviour. Whatever be
the series of sin that are breathed into
His ear; whatever the bruises and putre-
flying sores which are opened to His
touch; whatever the sights and scenes
with which He has to cope-none of
these can leave a faint of evil in His
sinless heart. 1t would be as impos-
sible for sin to soil Christ as for
plague to contaminate flame. And He
will heal thee. Dare to claim it,"
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

Then lock! sinner look! unto Him and be
saved,
Unto Him who was nailed TO the tree"
w HERE the sinner stands is hope
w less despair, is soul pollution, is
soul death, but where Jesus is may be
found hope, and healing and salvation.
Some one has said that eff there is any
bright side to human sin, it is that it
serves as a background on which God
can paint with rainbow brightness the
colors of His grace; it is that it serves
to bring out the beauties in the Divine
character which possibly we could not
know If we had not rebelled against
Him." That leper was only a despised,
repulsive leper before he met Jesus,
but the bright side came when Jesus
spoke the words and bestowed the
touch which removed the disease.
There is nothing but blackness and
pollution in the sinners heart, but
when the presence of Jesus is gained
and in response to the cry Jesus
cleanses from all sin, then the bright
side of sin is found in the experience
of forgiveness and salvation. RE
prieves," says Matthew Henry, "are OBJ
tanned for us by others, but not par
dons. These must be sought by our
selves" The leper came to Jesus and
obtained cleansing and the sinner
must come to Jesus in person if he
would be saved.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

lie was full of leprosy," so says the
L physician-evangelist Luke. Terri
BILE, you say, and so it was, but sin is
more terrible in its effects and more
widespread. This man was probably in
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 a
small blotch 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-
ton which we see realized in the man
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 it 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 it 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
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"
II HIS man needed not to be told that
L he was leper. He knew it. But
not all are willing to admit that they
are sinners. Notwithstanding that God
says: 'All have sinned and come short
of the glory of God" There is none
that doeth gook, no not one" And eff
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

tells his experience in the following
words: He says, Sometime in Septem-
Der was taken with dull aching pain
across the small of my back, directly
over the kidneys. 1 paid small attention
to this at first, thinking it would pass
off, But instead of getting better 1t
became worse and in a short time the
pain conferred through my left hip and
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

D UT the leper not only came where
- Jesus was, but he threw himself
upon his face at His feet and poured his
poor, afflicted soul out in earnest pray
er. A good many people never obtain
salvation because they are too proud
to kneel. They want salvation, but
they want to get it in what they call
dignified way. But the soul that
wants deliverance from the conse-
quences and power of sin must want
it bad enough to get right down in the
dust of humiliation and self-surrender
in order to get it. Mr.. Moody used to
tell the story of a boy who was used
to Methodist ways and who, after re
vival meeting, went home to his moth
er and said: Mother, John So-and-so
is under conviction and seeking peace,
but he will not find it tonight, moth
err" ''Why, William?" said she. Be
cause he is only down on one knee,
mother, and ne will never get peace
until ne gets down on both knees"
And until conviction of sin brings us
down on both knees before the Saviour,
until we are Frustrated in the dust of
humiliation, we cannot obtain from Je-
sus pardon and salvation. But hear
the prayer of the poor leper: Lord,
if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me
clean" There was faith, there was per-
feet submission. No doubt as to Jesus
power. Willingness to rest his case in
His hands and receive from Him what
was best. And the sinner who is not
willing to place himself unreservedly
in the hands of Jesus does not know
what real faith and submission are
Perhaps there was some doubt as to
what Jesus might do in the case of the
leper, but in the case of the sinner
there is no doubt, for Jesus came into
the world to save sinners He is able
and willing this moment to save. A
young woman in an after meeting was
weeping for her sins, but could not
feel that she was pardoned.
Suppose" said the evangelist, that
Jesus was in this room in very physi-
cal presence, what would you do?'
81 would go to Him at once" she re-
piled
and what would you tell Him?'
THAT 1 was a lost sinner
"And what would you ask Him."
ooh, would ask Him if He would
forgive me-"
And what would Jesus answer"
She hesitated for moment, and then
she looked up, smiling through her
tears, for at once she saw it all
why" she said, He would answer
yes 4" And Jesus will always answer
yes to the sinners cry for cleansing
and healing from sin.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

Copyright, 1908. by ]. M. Edson.)

ourselves and the truth IS not IN us.
All, then, are sin lepers.
And If sin lepers we need cleansing
and healing as much as did the leper
referred to in our text. The latter
realized that no human help could save
him, but it is not so easy to lead the sim
ner to see that there is no hope for him
save in the Great Physician, Jesus
Christ. He may be willing to admit that
man is a sinner, but he will not be so
ready to cencede the point that there
is no hope for him in himself. But as
surely as no leper ever healed himself
of the terrible disease, so surely has no
soul ever been freed from the leprosy
of sin by its own efforts or other human
aid. But Jesus could cure the leper, and
he can cure the sin leper. HE is able
to save unto the uttermost." The most
desperate case of leprosy had to yield
to His Divine power, and the worst
case of sin leprosy can be cured by the
same marvellous touch. No leper need
have gone without healing in Palestine
during Jesus ministry, and no sinner
need go without cleansing and salvation
to-day. Jesus power was not exhausted
health and home and friends, and Jesus
is as mighty to save to-day from the
consequences and power of sin as He
was when He met the chiefest OF sinners
on the road to Damascus and delivered
him from the power of the devil which
was driving him through the land like
a mad man.
A MOTHER thing about this mans
y leprosy: 1t separated him from
everything in this life worth having
home, friends, loved ones, and active
useful share in life's activities. And
turning to the sin leper we find that his
sin shuts him away from God. Sin, like
a thick cloud, rises between the soul
and it's Creator, and shuts out the
brightness of eternal hope; it shuts
out the joy of real abiding happiness;
it blinds the soul to that real success in
life which makes God its center and its
ultimate aim. Sin separates from God
The sense of that separation may not
be present in the soul in this life, but
what that separation will mean through
out eternity, only eternity will reveal
The rich man in hell, of whom Jesus
gives us a glimpse in the parable of the
rich man and Lazarus, realized what
separation from God meant as the tor
ments of the damned laid hold upon his
soul, but while he sat within his sump-
tuous palace and Lazarus lay at his
gate, he was utterly unconscious of that
separation and Indifferent as to its con-
sequences. But the days of self-ease
and qualification were soon ended, and
his soul was at last forced to realize
what separation from God meant. And
the sinner, like the foul leper, is an
outcast. His soul is separated from all
its highest and best possibilities. 1t is
feeding on the husks of the world when
God made it with a capacity for things
spiritual, things eternal and Heaven
ly. Jesus was glad to heal the leper
and restore him to his home, his family
and his friends, and it gives Him I'M
speakable joy to cleanse the sinner and
restore him to right relations with God
and the world, for that is what He came
into the world to do.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

1.-TWO things are noteworthy in con-
| nection with Jesus touching and
healing of this leper. He came and threw
himself at Jesus feet, and besought Him
for the healing which he knew Jesus was
able to bestow. If this leper had re-
NAMED in his lazaretto or retreat, if he
had not made bold to violate the Levitt
cal restrictions, he would not have felt
the touch of Jesus hand. And the sin
ner cannot feel the touch of Jesus nail
pierced hands while he stays in the
haunts where sin has drawn him. He
must will to see Jesus, and, leaving the
desires of his own sinful heart, he must
come and find Jesus. And how Jesus
draws the sinner who is sick of sin and
willing to turn from it! What compass
sion Jesus has upon the one who real
ICES his sinful condition; how ready He
is to receive and heal the moral outcast,
the wreck from sin, the man full of
SIM This is strikingly and beautifully
brought out in the incident before us,
when it is remembered that the leper
came with such confidence and boldness
to Jesus, but dared not approach Jew
ish rabbi, the religious teacher and lead
er of his day. 1t was the latter who
pronounced him a leper; it was the
rabbi who banished him heartlessly to
the deserted places outside of the town,
and then forgot all about him. But
when Jesus, Rabbi, Master, came He
drew the lepers, the poor and weak and
halt and blind to Him. And it is the
same loving, compassionate Jesus who
is drawing all sinners unto Him. as His
disciples hold Him up to the world and
cry:
There is life lar a look at the Crucifed
One,
There 10 life 1T this moment fog thee:
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06
w. /. DOUGLAS
$50 & s. SHOES E Ss59I

You can save from So to So yearly BY
wearing W. I. DOUGLAS SIS. so or So shoes.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-06

Fair words never hurt the tongue.-Chap-
n
Newport daily independent., 1903-01-19
BODIES PETRIFY IN GRAVES.
Cemetery Located at Ely, Mtnn, Turns All Remains Inferred
 Into Stone.

The old cemetery at Ely, Minn., is bed of petrifactions, many of the bodies buried there having turned 70 stone, The discovery was made the other day when the work of trans ferring the bodies to the new ceme- tery was begun. The first graves opened were those of Henry Polking- horn and Adam Penglase who died ten years ago, and when the work men undertook to lift the collins out of the graves they were unable 10 move them.
 When the lids were raised it was found that the bodies had turned to stone, The flesh tints still remained and the clotaing looked as bright and fresh as it did the day of the funeral until exposed to the air, when it crumbled to pieces. So heavy were the bodies that it took the com bined strength of five men to remove them.