The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-03-31

her captors as to wish them evii and
be glad that Naaman was a leper, but
she evidently had the spirit of Him
who taught to love our enemies and
to be subject even to perverse people
Matt v, A; l Pet. II, 49,. So she
pitied NaamRn and told OF the prophet
in Ssmaria, Of whom she knew or had
heard many wonderful things. From
the Hlowness Of believers to tell of the
Lord Jesus and His wonderful redemp-
ton the world has a right to conclude
that they have nothing wonderful to
tell.
The result of the little maids testi-
mony was that the king of Syria sent
Naaman to the king of Israel with a
letter and lot Of silver and gold and
raiment, asking from the king health
for his servant. There was a double
mistake In sending to the king In
stead Of the prophet and in supposlng
that money could purchase heavens
gifts. The maid had spoken Of the
prophet In Samaria, not the king, and
a true prophet Is a spokesman for
God. But royalty can only deal with
royalty and, as a rule, has no use for
poor men even If they are prophets.
Such pride must be laid low before
God can help such people.
The king Of Israel thought that the
king OF Syria was seeking quarrel
with him in making such q request,
and he rent his clothes. Elisha, hear
ing Of it, said to the king, Let him
come now to me, and he shall know
that there is prophet in Israel" So
Naaman came In all his pomp and
pride to the door of the house OF
Elisha, thinking that the prophet would
make a display Of his power and in
some striking way give him health.
When the prophet did not deign even
to come to the door, but sent q mes
senger, saying, eco and wash in Jor-
dan seven times, and thy flesh shall
come again to thee, and thou shalt
be Clean" Naaman was so angry that
he turned and went away In a rage.
When we remember that even Abra-
hams thoughts brought him trouble
Gen. XIX, III and Mary's supposing
gave her three days of sorrow duke
II, 44-48 we do not wonder so much
at the result of Naaman's thoughts.
Simple faith In God and prompt obedi-
eRce 1s the only safe way. Servants
sometimes have more sense than their
masters, and so II proved in this case.
for, as they reasoned with Naaman
that he would gladly have done some
great thing, then why not do this sim
pie thing? He went and did as Elisha
had said, and bis flesh became as the
flesh of little child, and he was clean.
There was no special value or ef1ca-
cy in the waters of Jordan, but it was
to Naaman a lesson In humility and
obedience and submission to the true
God. In the matter of salvation for
the sinner there is only one way, one
name, one sacrifice, one precious blood,
and he who disdains It cannot be saw
ed. Naaman, being healed, returned
to Elisha with a good confession, "Be-
hold, now / know that there is no
God In all the earth but In Israeli 10,
and he would fam have rewarded the
prophet. How grand is the dignity of
the soul that can turn down eartb's
silver and gold aud say to such as
Naaman, "As the Lord llveth before
whom I stand / will receive none"
Compare Gen. xiv, 22-23; Dan. v, II.
See also the rich young ruler who was
told by our Lord to give all that he had
to the poor Duke xviii, 22) and then
follow Jesus, thus revealing to him
his own heart, and that his possessions
were his god, and that he was break
ing the first commandment / expect
that Judas Iscariot was troubled by