Norwich bulletin., 1909-10-30
MOTHERS DAY OBSERVANCE
Big Gathering Armory During Afternoon and Evening
Motherhood and Christ Saving the Leper the Topics

I companying. Prayer for this service
wasvby Rev. Charles Fl. Ricketts,. Rev.
Mr.. Cunningham announced the mems
| meeting on Sunday afternoon, when
DIR. Slough will. speak on Claiming the
Giant. There Will be a young peoples
rally at 5.45 p. m. Sunday at the Trim
| ity Methodist Episcopal church and
the evening service at the armory.,
Rev. NJ. S. Kaufman. DID,, said that
| 81 900 was needed by the finance com
| mittee. He defined the difference be
tween an Offering and a collection and
asked for an offering. Fourteen re-
quests for prayers were read and
prayers offered in response by Rev.
Mr.. Cunningham. A solo by Mr.. Her
ring, Saved by Grace, followed.
Healing the Leper. ~
Rev. NJ. Cunningham Scripture les
son and text for the evening was the
story of Christ's healing the leper,
found in the first chapter of st. Marks
gospel. This story was used to draw
picture of sin and the cure of sin
mans tremendous and deep need.
Leprosy and sin are analogous in
many ways. They are both hereditary.
In only a few years after birth the
tendencies to sin begin to show in the
child. There are people all around
who are proofs of this. Leprosy be-
gins in small way, a small spot,
which grows and grows until it
spreads over the whole body. So sin
begins in a small way-an indulgence
or a habit which grows and grows,
until at last sin manifests its baleful
presence and its terrible power Lep-
rosy is deep seated in the blood-So is
sin. Those people are foolish who
think that discussion of its power is
only for theoIogians or for the church
to deal with. 1t is not a doctrine or
H. = III
in the world, which walks up and
down our streets, making for things
injurious and vile. 1t is deep-Seated
in the blood and hard to crush out
utterly, it is SO treacl1erous and in
sidious.
Sin Is Universal.
AS leprosy spreads over the whole
body, so sin is universal. Unless I'M
checked, pardOned and removed by
God, it spreads over the whole man
until he is enveloped and ehgrafned in
it's results and in its nature Lep-
rosy is a loathsome disease and shuts
it's victims off from the life and So
ciety Of others. The loathsome re-
suits of sin are seen every day on our
streets. Sin segregates them from the
society better than theirs. They
shrink from the society of the good
and pure and are not happy in it. That
10 WHY lnty are liOL mere LOLlSlll.
Both leprosy and sin are contagious.
A man with either is a spot of con-
tagion-sin spreading. moral poison.
and destroying good Both are in
durable by human power. Only when
the Lord converts q man does he re-
main converted. The perseverance and
power of Christ alone enables men to
hold out.
Both Terminate in Death.
Both terminate in death Satan is
a past master in the art of slow APP
proach and sin stupefies like an an
esthesia until the man is lost before
he knows it. This picture of the leper
is one of doom-but he comes and
bows before the Christ. He says that
Christ can cure. And first Jesus has
compassion on him. He sympathiZeS
and suffers with him, and takes his
burden upon himself. Are we touched
with compassion as we walk the
streets and see the victims of sin?
Then Jesus touched him, so as to
identify himself with him. He cam
not save. men at arms length We
must come into close relation with
them in order to lift them up. Then
came the command BE cleanl'' This
put life into the leper which gave
him power to cast off death The same
voice which spoke healing to the leper
can speak peace to the sinner and
give him power to conquer death. The
leper came he worshipped, he be-
seeched--and he was healed. Christ
fought out the great battle with sin
1900 years ago and there is no anxiety
for those who come to him.
The service closed with the singing
of My Sins are Forgiven. by Mr. Her
ring. and prayer by Rev. Mr.. Cunning
ham.
Sunday School Teachers.
The officers and teachers of the
Sunday schools hold a meeting this
evening at 7.30 o'clock at the Second
Congregational church to meet DR..
Slough.