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JESUS HEALING THE LEPER.

Teacher. The subject, children, of our conversation this morning, is the healing of the leper, related in the eighth chapter of Matthew the four first verses; do you all remember it, or shall I read it to you?

Mary. I would rather that you should read it, for I have not found time to read it myself during the week, I have had so many lessons

to get.

Teacher. Think again, Mary, before you speak, and then tell me if you could not possibly have found time to read fifteen lines.

Mary. I did not think when I spoke; I have read a story book through, which I need not have read, but then-( Mary stopped.)

Teacher. Then what, Mary? speak out and tell the whole.

Mary. I was interested in the story, so that after I had begun I could not stop; and then I knew all about that miracle, for I had read it before, when I used to get the Testa, ment by heart at school,

Teacher.

You recollect that I asked you all to try and think what this miracle of our Saviour's might and was intended to teach; I think that there is a great deal taught by it. I will read it to you; I wish that all of you would attend, and tell me what you think can be learned from it.

• When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

And behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean.

And Jesus put forth his hand and touched him saying, I will; be thou clean.

diately his leprosy was cleansed.

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And Jesus saith unto him see thou tell no man; but go thy way and show thyself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.'

Now will you tell me what you learn by this miracle?

Caroline. Why you know that the Jews would not believe that what Jesus said was true, unless he performed miracles to prove it.

Teacher. True, that was the great object of the miracles, but it could not have been the object of this one, for the multitudes that fol

lowed him when he came down from the mountain must have left him; for if otherwise, how could he charge him to tell no man? It is probable that none but his disciples were present, and they had already witnessed many miracles, and were fully convinced that Jesus could perform them.

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Mary. And now I think of it, the leper must have believed that Jesus could perform miracles, because he says, Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean;' and you know he worshipped him.

Teacher.

That means that he saluted him with great respect and reverence, that he did him homage; this is the meaning of the word worship, in the Bible whenever it is applied to any but God. Your remark is just that the leper already believed in our Saviour's miraculous power, and it may be that his cure was in part the reward of his faith. But this miracle teaches me something more than the divine power that was given to Jesus. Can you think

what it is?

Jane. Is it not his compassion and kindness?

Teacher. It is; but you can hardly think how much tenderness he showed, and how af

fecting was the lesson of compassion that he taught, unless you know something of the situation of a leper and what was the common treatment and feeling of the Jews towards any one who had this terrible disorder. The leprosy was a very disgusting disease of the skin; whoever touched a person who had it, or anything that they touched, was in danger of taking it; the law obliged them to live by themselves, for fear they should communicate it to any one, and no one would approach them; they were even obliged to warn every one who came near them that they were unclean. I will read to you from the Old Testament a part of the Jewish law with regard to lepers; you will observe that it is called the plague, and from reading it you may form some idea of the sufferings of a leper,

And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent and his head bare, and he shall p put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry unclean, unclean.

All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean; he shall dwell alone.'

In addition to this, if any one ventured to admit him into his house, eat with him,or even

touch him, he was liable to the same exclusion: from society.

You must also remember that Jesus was educated by Jews and under the Jewish law, and that nothing but the divine compassion that was in his heart, could have overcome the disgust that it was so natural he should feel at the sight of this disease, and his fear and unwillingness to touch any one infected with it; you must remember too that he could have cured him with a word, a look, or a meie act of his will. But what does the compassionate Jesus do? What no other man would do; what subjected him to the punishment of the law, and to the danger of taking the disease.

He touched him. And why did he so? That he might soothe the hurt feelings of the poor leper as well as heal his disease; and give a lesson of true compassion and heavenly love to his disciples who doubtless witnessed the act. He did not perform the miracle to astonish, or even convince the multitude, for he said to him, tell no man; but that he might give consolation to one aching heart, and health and comfort to one human being.

Another object perhaps our Saviour had in view, when he healed the leper by a touch; it.

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