The Williamson enterprise. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1907-1911, 1911-03-30

WIN -tuiS anu Iud pTSCSulHS VcluS Ill
time of famine; healing Naaman;
making lost ak head return to thu
surface Of the water.
| Who was Naaman? He was com
mander-in-chief under the king Of Sy
ria, Benhadad II. Benhadad, who hat
been wont in his youth and middle
age to lead his armies into the field In
person, seems now in his old age tc
have found 1t necessary to entrust the
command to a general. Naaman had
gained renown by freeing his country
from powerful foe. probably Assyria
| for the black obelisk mentions wars
Of the Assyrians under Shalmanezel
II. again Israel and Benhadad.
Honored and powerful. what was the
| flaw in Naaman's fortune? He was Q
leper. Leprosy Is of slow develop
ment. and as Naaman retained his
military command his malady cannot
have reached very advanced stage
| 1t is not likely, in any case, that the
| Syrians observed the same strict rules
regarding it as the Jews. Leprosy
| however, Is terrible disease, fifty
used throughout the Bible as the sym
Dol of sin and death. The disease IL
contagious. 1t is most loathsome. /,
Is incurable, at least In the present
state of our knowledge. Sin is cur
eble, but not by man.
Naaman was a great man, with q
great need; and God prepared great
deliverance for him, as he has a great
deliverance for all the great needs
Of his children. But Il was brought
about by four very simple agencies
Only inferior artists make parade OF
complicated processes; the most skill
full workers use few tools and unpre
tentious methods, and God is the most
skillful of all artists.
Why did Elisha bid Naaman to wash
seven times in the river Jordan? TIC
test and strengthen his faith. The
journey would give him time for medi
tation, for the nearest point OF the
Jordan was 25 miles in straight line
but much farther in distance to be
travelled, from the winding of the ra
vines down which 1t must be reached
Moreover, the simplicity OF the act
would turn Naaman's thoughts away
from outward forms to the true God,
He would be sure that the water itself
did not accomplish the cure, else there
would be no lepers in Israel. And he
would not, at the distance Of rs miles,
| be likely to ascribe the cure to- the
prophet.
Why was Naaman angry at this
message? How was he to tell that
this man Of God did not design to
mock him by sending him on fools
errand, SO that he would come back as
laughing-stock both to the Israelites
and to his own people? Naaman had
expected the prophet himself to come
forth respectfully and wave his hand
over the place" and go through some
mystic ceremony. The sting lay In
the fact that the prophet himself took
no part in the cure; that, instead OF
being proud to have 80 august pa.
tient, he had calmly handed him over
to one of his assistant physicians-to
the medical skill of the waters OF Jor.
dam
AS Naaman went away in rage
how was he put in more sensible
frame Of mind? BY one of his serv.
ants: Naaman seems to have had
great fortune In his servants. MY "a.
Their, said the servant with respectful
affection, II the prophet had bid thee
do some great thing. wouidst thou not
have done 1T? Yes! OF course he
would. and the greater the better.
What was the result Of Naaman's
obedience? The result that always
comes when men obey Gods com
mands. he was instantly and com
pletely cleansed from his leprosy
1t is shame that this beautiful
story must close with recital OF Naa,
IAan's perfidy. We may be sure that
It would never have been inserted II
the tale were not true one. Gehazi
is the Old Testament Judas. Gehazi
misrepresented the true religion to
Naaman and through him to the en-.
tire Syrian nation His punishment
was not too great. Gehazi had taken
Naaman's gift; he should take with II
his malady. He would entail the one
upon his heirs; he should entail the
other.
The story Of Naaman has been said
TO be the best illustration in the Old
Testament Of salvation from sin. How
IL this? 1t indicates the hideousness
Of sin. Sin is like leprosy, eating,
insidious, defiling. mutiiating. disfig.
uring. It is the disease most to be
dreaded. 1t indicates the universally
i sin. No rank is exempt from the
c;.rse and no condition Of life. 1t pic
lures false views regarding salvation
from sin. Men seek the wrong means
Of salvation, as Naaman was sent tc
Jehoram instead OF Elisha. Men en-
terrain their own ideas Of salvation
and want It accomplished in their own
way. as Naaman would dictate to Ell
sha the method Of his cure. 1t shows
the simplicity OF the plan OF salvation
The surprise of Christian revelation
is always In the direction OF sim
plfcifv