till they reached the ears of the king of Syria, Naaman's master, and he sent Naaman to the king of Israel, with a rich present, and he wrote a letter asking him to recover Naaman of his leprosy. When the king of Israel had read the letter, he rent his clothes, as a sign of grief, and said, 'Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? Wherefore, consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.' But when Elisha heard of this he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.' So in due time Naaman came, with his horses and his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha; and Elisha sent a messenger unto him with these words, 'Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thou shalt be clean.' But Naaman was very angry, and said that he thought Elisha would have come to him, and stood before him, and called on the name of his God, and struck his hand over the marks of the leprosy, and cured him. He said, too, ‘Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean?' The rivers of Damascus, to this day flow bright and clear through valleys, which are changed into dark green groves of stately trees, and gardens of abundant fruits, as far as the waters can be carried by little canals, while all beyond and above is rocky and barren. The Jordan is very different, for the most part it has little either of beauty or richness on its banks; which explains the speech of Naaman, and why he was so proud of the rivers of his own land. But Naaman's servants were wiser than their master, and as they stood at the door of Elisha one of them came near and spake unto him, and said, 'My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldst thou not have done it? How much rather, then, when he saith unto thee, Wash, and be clean?' Then Naaman went down and dipped himself seven times. in Jordan, as Elisha had told him, and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean, and he went back to Damascus rejoicing in health and strength. Surely he would send back to her own home the little maiden whose kindly words had led to the miracle of his recovery! May the story teach many children, living in free and happy English homes, that even their words have power to bless those older and wiser than themselves, and that it is self-forgetting and loving hearts that prompt these words; and may they ask of God to make their hearts and lips overflowing fountains of happiness and comfort to those around them! may |