aptive maid.
Naaman knew nothing about her, though she was one of his household. He
knew nothing about this little Israelite. I can imagine her one day as
she said to Mrs. Naaman, her mistress, that there was a prophet in her
country that could cure her master of his leprosy. "Would to God," the
maid said, "my lord were with the prophet in Samaria! for he would
recover him of his leprosy." There's faith for you! "Why," says the
mistress, "what are you talking about? Did you ever hear of anybody
being cured of leprosy?" "Ah," said the little girl, "it is true, I
can assure you; we have got physicians down there that can cure any
one."

So at last some one told the king about what the little maid of Israel
had said. Now, Naaman stood high in the king's favour, for he had
recently won a great victory. He was called a lord, perhaps he was a
prince, a sort of Syrian Prince Bismarck, who stood near the throne.
So the king said, "You had better go down to Samaria, and see if there
is anything in it, and I will give you letters of introduction to the
king of Israel."

MONEY WILL NOT BUY SALVATION.

Yes, he would give Naaman letters of introduction to the king. That's
just man's idea. The notion was, that if anybody could help him, it
was the king, and that the king had power both with God and man. Oh,
my friends, it is a good deal better to know a man that knows God! A
man acquainted with God has more power than any earthly potentate.
Gold can't do everything.

Well, away goes Naaman down to Samaria with his kingly introduction,
and he takes with him a lot of gold and silver. That is man's idea
again; he is going to pay for a great doctor, and he took about
L100,000 sterling, as far as I can make it out, to pay for the
doctor's bill. There are a good many men who would willingly pay that
sum if with it they could buy the favour of God, and get rid of the
curse of sin. Yes, if money could do it, how many would buy salvation!
But, thank God, it is not in the market for sale. You must buy it at
God's price, and that is "without money and without price." Naaman
found that out.

And now, my dear friends, did you ever ask yourselves, Which is the
worst--the leprosy of sin, or the leprosy of the body? Why, for my own
part, I would a thousand times sooner have the leprosy of the body
eating my eyes out, and feet, and arms! I would rather be loathsome in
the sight of my fellow-men, than die with the leprosy of sin in my
soul, an