The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1914-05-27
Sunday School Notes
Side Lights on Next Sundays Lesson
for Teachers and Pupils.
Edited by Charles X. Meyers

son made up from the sayings of
Jesus when here on earth. This time
we are to learn about the quality of
gratitude which alas, does not find
sufficient expression in the world gen
orally.
1t would appear that Jesus in one of
His missionary trips had occasion to
pass through the two northern divis-
ions of Palestine, known in those days
as Galilee and Samaria. Many will
remember one other tour through Sa-
maria when Jesus met the woman at
the we'll and there made known the
truths of His kingdom and that re-
markable thought GOD is spirit and
they who worship Him must worship
Him in spirit and in truth" Well lin
the lesson of today as Jesus journeyed
there came in view a group of ten
men who were suffering with the
dread disease of leprosy. 1t is hardly
necessary to say that lepers were out
casts from men, much the same as one
known to be suffering with smallpox is
in our day. That is, no one wished
disease. In it's last stages one effect
ed simply rottcd away inch by inch,
and his condition was thus most hor-
rible.
What indeed must be the JOY of the
ten, when it came to them that by
faith in Jesus, the man before them,
they might be rid Of their foul dis
ease. Is it any wonder they called
Master, have mercy on u.s." in tones
of the most earnest pleadings. The
heart and attention of the Master
was enlisted He knew their needs
and took steps Tor their relief. In
Leviticus the 18th chapter here is
found the law OF the olden days given
by Moses as to what We're the signs
of leprosy and how the patients should
be treated. When the afflicted one
believed himself cured it was directed
how he should go before the Jewish
priest, show his condition, submit to
certain tests and if these We're salts
factory he could be called officially
"clean' and permitted to take his
place among the people. All this was
well known and so there was no
misunderstanding of what Jesus
meant when he commanded the ten
lepers to go show yourselves to the
priests" 1t was the same as saying
"You are cured of leprosy."
We now come to the most remark
able statement of the lesson. The
record says "As they went they were
cleansed." Here was faith in its pur-
ity. There they stood, filthy outcasts.
There had been no direct words OF
command that they be healed. There
had been no touch of the hand; they
had approached no nearer. There was
nothing to base the belief of a cure
except that they had been told to walk
to the priests and show their condi-
ton. Praises be to God, they started,
believing tile words Of Jesus, and "as
they went they were cleansed.''
In the comments on the lesson OF
last week ! gave what well might be
a statement of what is faith, and said
it was believing that what God and
the bible says is true, and then act
ing as if it were true, and already done
as promised. 1t was that kind OF faith
which was shown by the lepers, for
they believed that a cure was theirs
and started to show themselves to the
priests, to obtain official acknowledge
ment of the same. What we want to
do is to hold God to His promises. do
ing our part in the matter, and then
the desired things will be ours. he
has said that all who believe on Jesus
shall have eternal life; that If we
confess Him on earth He will confess
us in heaven; that Jesus has gone to
prepare a place for us and will come
again and take us to be with him.
that if we confess our sins He is ready
to forgive us and cleanse us from all
unrighteOusness. Like the lepers OF
old, we want to believe these things
are true and act as if they were IN
deed true right before our very eyes.
Then we will gladly obey the bible
commands and the directions OF Pall
and as we proceed along the way OF
life, thus believing, we are saved,
healed, kept and finally come to
blessed eternal life.
There was one of the men who won
for himself never ending renown, IN
that when he found he was cured he
turned back and with a loud mouth
glorified God and came near and fell
at the feet of Jesus, giving Him
thanks. The record says, He was a
Samaritan" Jesus asked, "Who are
the nine" and noted that the one
ready to give thanks was Samaritan,
-yho ranked as a stranger in the eyes
of the Jews. Giving thanks, showing
gratitude, making public acknowledge
ment of favors and mercies received,
all are brought up by the conduct OF
the thankful one, in the days OF Jesus
Most of US do feel grateful for what
is done for us among our fellow men,
but we do not tell about it. There
is where we do wrong. The world
would be even more full of good deeds
if more gratitude were shown. Many
find themselves discouraged in well
doing when it would seem as if favors
of love and effort and money were be-
ing thrown away on those showing no
appreciation and gratitude.
1t is our duty also to make public
words of thankfulness and gratitude
to God for the gift OF Jesus, for the
salvation He came to make known;
the example He set before the world;
for the civilization which we all enjoy
because of the results of bible teach !
ings; for the blessed eternal life made
sure by His words. BY expressing
these thanks, others are helped as
well as ourselves, and the cause OF
God is advanced in the world. 1t will
bo wa1l IN cneak word to the chill |