Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1914-07-01
FEW give 1HANKy
Gods Special Mercy and Favor
So Freely Bestowed Meets
With !ngratitude.


seeching him 10 have mercy upon
them. Their prayer was answered
They were all cleansed and cured
from their dread malady. But OILY
one OF the ten showed gratitude laI
the mercy received. lie. when he
realized that he had been healed
turned back, and with loud voice
glorified God and gave thanks; but
the others. who were equally bene'
fitted. did not return to give glory to
God.
In the plaintiye words Of disappoins'
ed love. the master eXclaims, Were
there not ten clcansed? But where
are the nine?''
Ingratitude is grievous disap'
pointment to benevolence-yet 1t is a
common experience in life. Or all
the multitudes who are shown mercy
and special favor how few give recoS'
milton by grateful acknowledgment
and thanksgiving The instance given
Of nine out of ten being ungratefui
shows that the proportion of the un'
grateful is very great. How great
God alone knows.
Leprosy represents the extremity OF
calamity that may befall men. Aep'
rosy is a painful, loathsome and an
incurable disease by any natural
means known. It's cure has never
been effected except through super
natural agencies. 1t is a type OF sin
in the fact that it is hereditary, In
fictitious. loathsome and incurable by
ordinary means. The sin-sick soul,
like the malady of leprosy, cannot be
cured, except by the divine physician
Of both soul and body.
lnstinctively Turn to God.
The lepers found themselves in the
extremity of physical peril, and they
called upon God ior help. All men at
a time of great ca.amity turn instlnc-
lively to the supernatural for deliver
ance. In the hour of great trial
wicked men recognize the existence
and ability OF God They call upon
God for mercy, though in the times OF
prosperity they have no reverence or
respect ior his name.
Sometimes the prayers Of the un-
godly are answered. All Of the ten
Iepers were healed yet only one OF
them was good man. How often
men who in distress cry unto God and
are delivered forget or ignore the obli-
CATION of gratitude. the deliverance
imposed upon them. They go on
their way. like the nine lepers, and
return not to give glory to God.
Ten were healed, but one only gave
thanks. Where are the nine?' The
question teaches that gratitude is ex-
pected from all, and is an obligation
resting upon all The one lcper who
showed it was made whole and sent
on his way rejoicing. Gratitude never
fails Of reward.
The one In our narrative promptly
showed his gratitude. AS soon as he
saw that he had been healed he
turned back, and with loud voice
glorified God and gave thanks. His
action was voluntary, and every ex-
preston of true gratitude must spring
spontaneously from the heart in
spirit of humility.
He fell down on his face at the
feet Of his healer. giving him thanks.
Humbly and Independently of what
others might do or think, he came
alone.
There were ten cleansed, but there
were not found any that returned
save this one, yet the presence Of
others would not have made hi: graft.
tude less independently his own.
Only Acts That Count.
Had the whole ten returned, glorify-
ing God and giving thanks, with each
it would have been a voluntary, hum
BILE and Independent expression of
gratitude. Some people manifest ap-
probation Of an act Of kindness be-
cause they see others praising it;
such spirit has no element of graft
tuOC. III ll II 10 loI pIhClS w
in return for mercies. but what We
do, that counts in our lives
Most men, like these ten lepers. call
upon God In time of great physical
distress. Realizing that there is no
help from any visible means. they
turn to the invisible power for relief.
There is an innate belief in the exist
ence and ability of God 1t may not
be recognized until confronted by
some great affection or evil. Many
have this belief at all times, but even
the hardened sinner in the hour of
dread trial has awakened in his @oul
some response TO its creator
But there is a distress greater tha,
the greatest temporal affliction. Lep-
rosy in the soul is far more dreadful
than leprosy in the body. There is no
remedy for it, except what has been
provided by the divine physician who
healed the ten lepers.
He is ever ready and anxious to ap-
ply the remedy TO all who seek it.
Oh, that the sin-sick souls of men