Evening star., 1923-02-03

While those interested in psyche
analysis" would find much material in
the section assigned for this weeks
lesson that would aid them in un-
derstanding the mind OF our Lord,
as He faced the shadow of the cross,
the topic calls for US to focus our
thought upon that portion Of the
chapter which tells about the heal
ing OF the ten lepers. Jesus had set His
face steadfastly with a fixed determi-
nation to go TO Jerusalem. knowing
that this would be the last time He
would see the valleys and hills which
He loved. He had probably look ed
upon the blue waters of Galilee, that
had been the scene Of His ministry,
Tor the last time. While there Is no
indication Of the community where
the events OF this lesson took place
II was in all probability near some
unnamed village along the borders of
Samaria and Galilee.
Jesus was moving toward the cap
ital city in response to the call OF the
cross. He was accompanied by His
oeciples, who were receiving the
completion of their training as they
Journeyed toward Jerusalem. They
were about to enter a certain viii
lage when Christ heard the lepers
crying unto Him for mercy. AL
though the Master knew that He was
due at Jerusalem at a definite time
He appears never to have been in
such haste that He could not stop
TO help the needy and minister to the
distressed and suffering. The physi-
cal wrecks with their disfgured fea-
lures and mutilated bodies were com
PEELED by law to stand "afar off," Ad-
fersity had removed the barriers OF
race and religion. for in the group
were Jews and Samaritans, who would
not have had fellowship with one
another except for the fact that, being
outcasts, they had lost their social
probably had heard that Jesus heal
ed lepers, so they lifted up their
voices, which required a great ef-
fort on their part, so that they could
be cured Of their infirmities.
Leprosy has been considered from
the earliest days of history as a sym
bol of sin. Nothing else shows forth
its fiery and fatal nature so vividly
and terribly. 1t has been called God s
language by which He describes sin
as 1t appears in His sight" A num-
Der of unclean and loathsome dis
eases are referred to in the Bible as
leprosy. 1t is an insidious disease. II
gives no sign Of Its presence in the
beginning. 1t may conceal its unsus-
pected poison for years. while all the
ing in the blood: 1t develops grad
ually until it INITIATES the entire
blood, consequently the vessels which
contain it become incapable OF OK
pansion, contraction or compression
and they fail to dissolve and expel the
salts and foreign bodies from the
blood. Therefore. impurities form
and solidify. adhere near the surface,
changing the complexion and natural
color of the body, with the further
wasting of the muscles and the joints,
and the general Inflammation and ab-
scesses in the skin, and when this
disease reaches it's final stages II is
impossible for cure by human means"
In the latter stages the body rots away
Joint by joint, limb by limb. present
ing a spectacle from which pity would
fain hide it's face: Twisted limb and
crumbling stump. visages from which
the gracious human lives have been
obliterated by slow. fell process
more awful than the snakes fang or
the lightnings stroke"
Isolation is the lot of lepers. Theirs
is a quarantine almost without hope.
although the use of chaulmoogra oil
has apparently cured large number
in the leper colony of the Hawaiian
Islands after they have undergone
treatment with this new remedy. This
emissions to the lepers,' that Chris
tians of all faiths have established In
various parts of the world. The Mas
ter's attitude of compassion for the
iepers ought to inspire US to aid those
who have been separated from all
human sympathy and help. with de
snaIr written in awful characters on
their faces. the great gulf that their
malady has dug between them and all
that they hold dear" The united cry
for help that the ten shouted across
the barrier attracted the Lords atten-
- d. fAo Il
ed like angels voices with Him who
had come to make all men whole. He
detected in the lepers' cry for mercy
the germ Of faith.
The Great Physician invariably
adapted His methods to the character
had appealed to Him. He applied two
test to the ten. The Master built