Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1914-05-20
FEW GIVE THANKS
Gods Special Mercy and Favor
So Freely Bestowed Meets
With lngratitude.

AS the master entered a certain viii
lage he was net by ten men that were
lepers. who lifted up their voices, be-
seeching him TO have mercy upon
them. Their prayer was answered
They were all cleansed and cured
from their dread malady. But only
one OF the ten showed gratitude for
the mercy received. He. 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-
flied. did not return TO give glory to
God
In the plaintive words OF disappoint-
ed love, the master exclaims, Were
there not ten cleansed? But where
are the nine?"
1ngratitude is grievous disap-
pointment to benevolence-yet II is a
common experience in life. or all
the multitudes who are shown mercy
and special favor. how few give recog-
milton by grateful acknowledgment
and Thanksgiving. The instance given
OF nine out of ten being ungrateful
shows that the proportion of the un-
grateful Is very great How great
God alone knows.
Leprosy represents the extremity OF
calamity that may befaIl men. Lep-
rosy is a painful loathsome and an
fncurable 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.
Instinctively Turn to God
The lepers found themselves in the
extremity OF physical peril. and they
called upon God for help. All men at
a time of great calamity turn instinc-
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 for his name
Sometimes the prayers OF the I'M
cody are answered. All OF the ten
lepers were healed, yet only one of
them was a 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 leper 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 a 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 a
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 his 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 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 a spirit has no element Of graft
tude in IT, 1t is not what others do
in return for mercies, but what we
do. that counts in our lives
Most men, like these ten lepers. cal!
upon God I'm 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 affiiction or evil Many
have this belief at all times. but even
the hardened sinner in the hour of
dread trial has awakened in his soul
some response to its creator
But there is distress greater thar
the greatest temporal afiiction. LepS
rosy in the soul is far more dreadful
Than lnnrnev I'm tho hndu Thnrn g. N