students were subjected, there were not likely to be temptations to falsehood or to avarice; and this young man may have been all unconscious of the defects of his moral nature. But when Elisha called him into his service, a new world opened to him. A knowledge of camps and courts-the blare of trumpets, the glare of royalty, the excitements and grandeurs of public life, the restless play of ambition, the splendors and pomps and hilarities of life in Samaria, contact with kings and princes and generals, and a knowledge of the wealth. and fashion, the pride and extravagance of the favorites of fortune for Elisha was a man who mingled with men, and was on familiar terms with kings and nobles and military commanders and the nabobs of the landall these were new and bewitching influences, and they kindled a flame within him, or they found a flame already kindled, of unholy ambition-a desire for wealth, and for the luxury and splendor and distinction which wealth could purchase. True, his master was poor, and likely to remain so; but he laid the rich and the great under heavy obligations by his services to the throne and the people-and Gehazi began to watch for an opportunity to secure to himself the riches which the prophet so firmly and persistently rejected. His avaricious desires grew upon him, for from their first budding he secretly nursed them into stronger life. Like Judas, who was willing for a time to share the privations of the ministry of Jesus, and be purse-bearer to the poverty-stricken company that gathered about him, hoping that in a little while the Messiah would set up his kingdom in great power, and he, the humble treasurer of the apostolic band would become lordtreasurer of a universal empire; Gehazi was willing to be

for a time the slave of the moneyless Elisha, in hope that by virtue of his relation to the prophet of Jehovah, so familiar with kings and the great and honorable of earth, he might in the end grasp some portion of that wealth which was pressed upon his master in vain.

The opportunity came. Naaman, the proud Syrian chieftain, came to Elisha to be healed of the leprosy. He was healed; and in pious gratitude he returned from the Jordan to Samaria—a distance of some thirty-two miles to acknowledge his new-born faith in Jehovah, and to make a suitable present to the prophet at whose word he had been redeemed from so fearful a curse. He had brought with him from Damascus, as a present to the king of Israel, "ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of raiment" (II. Ki. v. 5). The money, apart from the raiment, would amount, at the least calculation, to more than $50,000. It it hardly supposable that the king of Israel, scornfully rejecting the message that accompanied the present, would receive the money. Out of this treasure, therefore, Naaman was at liberty to bestow on the benevolent prophet whatever amount he thought proper of the present rejected by the scornful king; and we may be sure that the healed leper and the noble chieftain would bestow his gifts with lavish hand. But Elisha would receive nothing. He would not debase the gift of God by making it a thing of barter, or bring his own prophetic work on a level with the impositions of greedy and venal heathen priests by the acceptance of a gift. Naaman must understand that he sought not his, but him; this idolater must be won to Jehovah by a free gift of Jehovah's grace, unsmirched by even a suspicion of selfishness or venality. And so he sent

his noble guest away with his benediction, leaving him to meditate not only on the greatness of the cure wrought on him, but on the marvelous disinterestedness of the prophet of Jehovah.

Gehazi watched all this proceeding with absorbing interest. His heart had already become dead to all interest in the cause of Jehovah—if, indeed, it had ever been genuinely alive to the interests involved in the great controversy between Jehovah and Baal-except as it might be made to minister to his own advantage. Elisha's noble disinterestedness was to him the merest folly. What recked he of the honor to be won for Jehovah's name in Damascus and Syria by this unsullied benevolence in Naaman's behalf? What concern was it of his, if the prophet's work should be degraded to the base level of the greed of idolatrous wonderworkers ? What was it to him that Jehovah's name should be dishonored in the eyes of the heathen? Nothing. Here is the money he had so long craved, and this he will have at all hazards. He said to himself, "Behold, my master hath spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought as Jehovah liveth, I will run after him and take somewhat of him." It is not surprising that profanity-for, under the circumstances, the use of the phrase "As Jehovah liveth" can only be regarded as a profane utterance-should be joined with his wicked purpose. Sins grow in clusters. A wicked thought utters itself in wicked speech. Stealing away, as he thought unobserved, from his master, he followed after Naaman, concocting a lie on the way with which to ensnare him. There is something worthy of note in the manner of his reception by the Syrian captain. As

soon as Naaman perceived his approach, he halted his chariot and came to meet him-this eminent chieftain alighting to meet a slave-thus honoring the prophet in the person of one whom he took to be his messenger. It is difficult to imagine how this lying, covetous wretch could stand in the presence of such gratitude and courtesy, and receive such an unspeakable honor on the strength of his master's worth, without extreme embarrassment or relenting in his wicked purpose. But he knows no relenting. "Is it well?" anxiously inquired Naaman-for he evidently feared some evil tidings from Elisha. "It is well," calmly replied Gehazi. "Only, two young men of the sons of the prophets from the hill country of Ephriam have come unexpectedly, and my master, unprepared to care for them, begs for a talent of silver (about $1,700) and two changes of raiment." This, for the purpose named, was a large amount; but it was probably small in comparison with the amount offered to Elisha. It was the design of Gehazi to satisfy his greed as far as he could, without exciting suspicion of his own infamous purpose. Naaman, only too glad of the opportunity to render a grateful service, doubles the amount asked for ; and sends his own servants to bear the burden of silver and the changes of raiment, which Gehazi carefully stowed away, and appeared again in his master's presence, apparently as unconcerned as if nothing had occurred. But Elisha, as if merely conscious of his absence for an unusual length of time, asked him, "Whence comest thou, Gehazi?" And now another lie must be added, to cover up the sins already committed-for when one begins an evil course, not only does one sin beget another, but every sin necessitates

additional sins to support it, to conceal it, or to justify it. One of the most fearful things in sinning is the power and the necessity of sin to multiply itself. "Thy servant went no whither," responded Gehazi, and he evidently thought that this lie would cover up the whole wicked business, and leave him free to enjoy his ill-gotten gains without further trouble. This leads us

to note another inherent characteristic of sin-its tendency to reveal itself. By the everlasting laws of the moral universe, wrong perpetually works to the surface and crops out. Efforts to hide it may be partially or temporarily successful; but sooner or later, and generally in unexpected ways and at unexpected times, it comes into view, and that which was spoken in the ear is proclaimed on the housetops. In this case, the end. was reached right speedily, and in a way altogether unexpected. "Went not mine heart with thee," said Elisha, "when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards and vineyards, and sheep and oxen, and men-servants and maid-servants ?" Elisha now understood that his servant's covetous heart was going out after all these things-that he meant to gather about him, if not by fair means then by foul, all that could minister to pride, luxury and self-aggrandizement. "The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee and unto thy seed forever.' And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow."

It requires but a few minutes to read all that is said. about this in the sacred narrative, but it is worthy of long pause and serious reflection, and should lead to heart-searching introspection. Look at the develop

ments of covetousness in this case.