some of his ancestors, for it was hereditary) and lepers lived apart. It was necessary, for the safety of others, that they should do so, and the leprosy was deemed a punishment; and as leprosy was produced by wrong doing, that it might be transmitted to innocent children who were born to suffer with it. Should you not think that the sight of those solitary leper houses, those wretched leper villages, which no well person could approach, would have perpetually warned people from a wrong doing, that might bring such misery on themselves and others? In the southern states I have seen people called clay-eaters whose faces resemble clay. Homage. Why did the leper kneel? LEMUEL. Because he thought Jesus was so much better than himself. EMMA. Because he felt humility. MR. ALCOTT. Is it right to kneel before others when you feel very deeply, that they are better than you are? (A few the rest dissented.) ANDREW. We should only worship God. MR. ALCOTT. But when a man is full of the Godlike JOSIAH. As Jesus Christ. MR. ALCOTT. How many would kneel to Jesus Christ if he were here? (Almost all.) RECORDER. Why did Jesus check the young man who knelt and called him good? Emblem of MR. ALCOTT. Because he saw that he was insincere. And it is true that God alone is Absolutely Good. The young man did not apprehend the Spiritual Significance of the emblem. RECORDER. To kneel to a man I should think would always involve more falsehood than truth. We have too much se vility, are too liable to it, to trust such emblems. MR. ALCOTT. I am simply getting their impressions. Some parents are in the habit of having their children kneel to them, and ask their forgiveness, when they have done wrong. What do you think of that? SOME. It is of no use. SOME. It is not necessary. SOME. It is wrong. FRANKLIN. There can be no harm in it. MR. ALCOTT. But why should you be unwilling to prostrate yourselves, if you feel humble? (No answer.) How many would be willing to kneel to their parents? (Some.) How many would not? (Some.) How many could not feel that they did right, unless they knelt ? JOSIAH. It would not be right to kneel. MR. ALCOTT. Are you too proud to kneel? NATHAN. I think I am. MR. ALCOTT. Who think it would be pride that would keep you from kneeling? Subject. (One.) Now will you tell me what has been the subject of conversation. Say nothing about Jesus, or the leper, or even the leprosy - take it out of all these. LUCIA. Faith acting on the body. LEMUEL. Power of spirit over the body. ANDREW. Faith and compassion acting on the body; GEORGE K. Supernatural power over the body. GEORGE B. Compassion. EMMA. Faith. Compassion. Humility. NATHAN. Leprosy. MR. ALCOTT. We have spoken of the agency of Faith in restoring and purifying the Body, when rendered impure and diseased by self-indulgence, or by constitutional taint. CONVERSATION XLIII. APOSTACY OF SPIRIT. IMPIETY. Curing the Paralytic at Capernaum, from the Sacred Text.-Seat and Ground of Faith.-Generation of Disease. - Pictures of the Scene.Healing Efficacy of Faith and Repentance. - Spiritual and Physical Renewal. Congenital Disease. Origin of Physical Evil. - Temptation. — Blasphemy. -- Blasphemy of Humanity. Subject. Remarks. Mr. Alcott remarked to Charles and Samuel R., that since the conversation on the Miraculous Draught of Fishes, we had conversed upon several other miracles of Jesus, which they, being absent, had lost. He asked them whether they felt that they should be interested in the coming conversation. (The whole school signified they should.) He then read the passage for the day. CURE OF THE PARALYTIC. MATT. ix. 2-8. MARK ii. 1-12. LUKE v. 17-26. Vulgar Æra, 27. Julian Period, 4740. Mark ii. 1. Forgiveness of Sins. Mark ii. 2. Luke v. 17. VOL. II. Capernaum. And again he entered into Capernaum after some days: and it was noised that he was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, 16 Luke v. 18. Mark ii. 3. Luke v. 18. Matt. ix. 2. Mark ii. 3. Luke v. 18. Luke v. 19. Mark ii. 4. Luke v. 19. Mark ii. 4. Luke v. 19. Mark ii. 5. Matt. ix. 2. Luke v. 20. Matt. ix. 3. Mark ii. 6. Luke v. 21. Matt. ix. 3. Luke v. 21. Matt. ix. 4. Luke v. 22. Mark ii. 8. Matt. ix. 4. Matt. ix. 5. Mark ii. 9. which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judæa, and Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present to heal them. And behold, they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, a man which was taken with a palsy, lying on a bed, which was borne of four: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in, because of the multitude, they could not come nigh him for the press; they went upon the house-top, and they uncovered the roof where he was; and when they had broken it up, they let him down through the tiling, with his couch, into the midst before Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee: Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. And behold, there were certain of the Scribes sitting there, reasoning in and the Pharisees began to reason, saying And immediately, when Jesus perceived in his Spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, knowing their thoughts, he, answering, said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? *Job xiv. 4. Isaiah xliii. 25. |