Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-05-14
FEW give THANKS
Gods Special Mercy and Favor
So Freely Bestowed Meets
With lngratitude.

As the master entered certain viii
iage he was met by ten men that we're
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 or the ten showed gratitude for
the mercy received. He, when he
realized that he had been healed.
turned back. and with a 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 plaintive words of disappoint-
ed love, the master exclaims. Were
there not ten cleansedg hut where
are the Miner"
Ingratitude is grievous disap-
pointment to benevolence- II is a
common experience in life OF 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 befall men. Lep-
rosy is painful, loathsome and an
incurable disease by any natural
means known. Its cure has never
been effected, except through super
natural agencies. 1t Is type Of sin
in the fact that 1t Is hereditary. in
fectious. loathsome and incurable by
ordinary means The sin-sick soul.
like the maiady OF leprosy, cannot be
cured. except by the divine physician
Of both soul and body.
instlnctIvely Turn to God.
The lepers found themselves In the
extremity OF physical peril, and they
called upon God for help. All men at
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 un-
godly 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!
Ten were healed. but one only gave
thanks. Where are the miner" The
question teaches that gratitude IS ex-
pected from all, and Is an obligation
resting upon all The one leper who
showed 1t 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
asone.
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
1t would have been voluntary, hum
Bile and Independent expression OF
gratitude. Some people manifest APP
probation of an act OF kindness be-
cause they see others praising It.;
such 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 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 soul
some response to It's creator.
But there is a distress greater than
the greatest temporal affiction. Lep-
rosy in the soul 10 far more dreadful
than leprosy In the body. There is no
remedy for 1t. except what has been
provided BY the divine physician who
healed the ten lepers