Evening star., 1922-11-25
Sunday School Lesson

darene presents moro perplexity ana
problems than any one OF the several
specific cases recorded IN the gospel
Of those whose ailments are described
as demoniac possessions. The popu-
lar idea was. as it is in China today.
that evil spirits were accustomed to
take their abode in men. spsAking
with their, tongues ana Aoting upon
their bodies, affecting them with va
rious physical diseaseA When we re-
alize how germs enter. into the body
and turn parts Of It Into q mass OF
putrid flesh we can readily see how 1t
is possible, for evil TO enter into our
brain and derange the power OF rea-
son. The demoniacs OF the New !Testa-
ment resemble persons who are tor
evil passions that dominate the hu-
man soul. .EE
The condition Of the shameless,
homeless and mad man would appeal
to the Lord Jesus for help. There
were no asylums for the mentally
product Of Christian sympathy and
teaching. Probably the Gadarene was
suffering from a worse form of dik-
ease than insanity. The Master did
not diagnose the cause OF his afhic-
tion or assign any name to the trou-
bic. Christ saw that he was a source
of danger to the community. The
the Lord is seen in the manner in
which he controlled and cured the de-
mof1iac. Modern mental healers who
use psychological laws that form the
basis Of phycatry find in the methods
used by the Great Physician in the
lustratfcn Of their methods. No mat
ter how men may explain the cure.
Jesus claimed that the power by
which He restored the demoniac to
society was divine. He placed great
Importance upon such cured. claiming
that He performed them by the finger
of God.
Selfish interests always oppose
every modern reform. The selfish
citizens Of the Gadarene county prefer
red profit upon hogs rather than see the
demoniac saved to society. This
caused Jesus to leave the country and
return to Capernaum. The restored
Master. who ordered him to witness
among his own townspeople and home
what Jesus had done for him. While
these foreigners rejected the Lord.
he LEFT them preacher OF the gospel
whose life would be a living demon
stratton Of the helpfulness and heal
ing power Of the Master.
The peculiar manner in which the
spoor. afflicted women and the raising
OF Jairus' daughter are interviewer
with one another in the gospels clear
~ proves we are dealing with facts
In. IN curing the demoniac Jesus proved
HIS supremacy in the spiritual world
In raising the daughter OF the ruler
OF the synagogue Christ demonstrated
His power over death. In healing the
poor, shrinking woman who had
been made more timid by her long Ill
ness disappointed hopes Of ever be-
Jesus proved that He could cure
chronic cases that had baffled the
physicians Of His day. The consider
ate treatment that the founder of
Chrlstianity gave to women has re-
suited In the large place they hold
today Senator FELTON, owes her place
that she occupied for a day in the
senate to the Masters attitude tow
ard women.
Jesus was not seeking a testimo-
mai OF her cure when He insisted that
she acknowledge her blessings. He
wanted this poor soul. whose life was
a social and religious outcast, to
know the power of His personality.
He wanted the. one whose imperfect
faith could secure instantaneous heal
ing to have the Joy of confession and
greater blessings as a result of her
and physical blessings were united
because there was in her genuine
faith.
Jairus had his faith tested while he
watched the Lords wayside healing
ministry reach out toward the lowly.
Christ called for him to "fear not and
believe" when he was overcome by
the message that the child that he
loved was dead. His voice is the only
one that has carried hope throughout
the centuries to those who are called
to walk in the valley and shadow of
death. He fills the world with hope to-
day concerning a future life, as did
Jatrus. His victory over death in the
home OF the religious leader was pro-
phetfc OF His personal triumph over
the grave and our victory, through
Him. over death. Faith played an
important part in all Of these cures.
Faith opens the way for us to be
healed by Him of our sin and share
His fellowship in glory,