The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-10-21
MORAL LEPROSY MUST
Be QUICKLY CLEANsED
REV, G. G. HUNTING BREACHES
ON LOCAL CONDITIONS-CUR
IN HANDS OF PEOPLE.

Inc subject OF the Seriuol pIcdCH-
ed by Rev. G. c. Hunting of st. Bar
tholomew's Episcopal church, at Good
Times hall last night was 1.-THE Lep-
ROSY of Naaman." The text was from
the twelfth verse of the fifth chap
ter of the First Book of Kings: Are
not ALBANIA and Pharpar rivers of
Damascus, better than all the rivers
of Israel? May | not wash in them
and be clean?'
I'VE read in the Book of Kings"
said Rev. Mr.. hunting, that Naaman
was captain of the hosts of Syria,
and high in the esteem of the nation,
generous, wealthy, of good name and
high in all the heather virtues but
the first verse of this chapter ends
with the pathetic announcement that
he was a leper.'
.Naaman certainly was type of
humanity. How many men are high
in the esteem of their fellow men, of
good name, practicing the virtues rec
ognized by the world, and ye5 as pa.
thetically can it be said of them that
they are sinners.
''Naaman, having heard of the
great prophet of Israel from the little
maid in his household, desired TO be
cleansed of his leprosy. But he
would have it in his own way. So
would the world be saved. Human
ity recognizes it's need and that
health can come from God, but it de-
sires salvation in its own way and
of certain kind.
"Odd as it may seem men are con-
cerned with things inversely with
their capacity and opportunity. Great
men have reached their high estate
because of small things, and are now
concerned with the details of their
business. Small men are not content
with the opportunity and strength
that is theirs, but desire a day OF
great things.
God and man show the same char
acteristics. God would work out
Naaman's cure in quiet, simple way.
Naaman would make great show,
for between the cure and Naaman S
estimate of his own importance there
ought to be some relation. The COM
mand was GO to the prophet, but
Naaman must go by royal road,
with a letter from the king of Syria
to the king of Israel, with horses and
chariots, silver and gold, and SER
wants.
when he came to the prophets s
house the prophet sent out his SER
want and told him to wash in the
river Jordan seven times. Naaman
thought the prophet would come out
and lay his hand on the sore and call
upon his God and cleanse the leper.
When this was not done he said in
anger, Are not Abanar and Pharpar.
rivers of Damascus, better than all
the rivers of Israeli
I'm mans relation with God, man
expects to be treated with personal
consideration. He forgets that his
God is no respectOr of persons All
that God sees is a sinful soul that
needs to be cleansed.
Man like Naaman expects an in
stant cure, whereas, salvation comes
only as the result of growth in grace.
Men are jealous because of the con-
tempt put upon their personal re-
sources. Neither their good name,
position, wealth or deeds are con-
sidered. Men are incredulous as to
the means. 1t is too simple to sim
ply believe and live in order to gain
salvation.
1.-The leprosy of mans life is
cleansed by the power of God. The
leprosy of the world is cleansed by
the power of man. Our little COM
munity is isolated. We must live
within ourselves and work out the
salvation of our community with our
own strength. We have seen lately
that our little town is as sorely in
need of cleansing as was Naaman of
old. We cannot fulfill our duty by
paying salaries to men whose work
is to be the cleansing of the COM
munity. Such work can not be
bought. A mans life is cleansed by
the power of God working upon it, a
community is cleansed by the power
of men and women working on the
life of the community.
Men and women in this town must
work out their salvation and stand
as cities upon hill to be seen of
all men, the light of their life must
shine. Your work and mine is to in
fluence every one with whom we
come in contact for the better. Our
morality must be of the best and
we must endeavor to make the NOR
ality of every other man and woman
equal to ours.
This community must be swept
clean of the sin and the sinful in.
fiuences that dwell here. Every man
and woman must aid in the work in
order that the community may be
what we would have it be when those
from the outside come to see us as
we are. We want community oi
which we are not ashamed. A com
munity into every corner of which we
may take our visitors with pride
knowing that there is nothing hidder
Of nh
and out must the platter be cleans
od