The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1885-01-29

When Lot and his Uncle, Abraham
separated because their servants could
not agree, and thus sought peace in sepa-
ration, the former went into Sodom, one
of the "cities of the plain the exact loca-
tion of which cities is subject for diver
sity of opinion on the part of writers
upon sacred history. Some writers claim
that the site was the plain of Siddim,
which was first burned, and afterward
overf1owed by the waters of the Dead
Sea, near the salt hill of Usdum The
plain where the four cities, Sodom, Co
morrah, Zeboim and Admah all de-
stroyed on account of their wickedness-
were situated, is said to have been very
fruitful plain, perfect Paradise abound
ing in plenty.
But in the midst of all this plenty, in
the midst of all these blessings, man per-
mitted the sinful side of his being to gain
completee mastery-to deaden his moral
sensibilities, to such an extent that He
who had created this scene of plenty,
and these human beings, decided to de-
stroy it and them because of the utter
wickedness of the people. But God is
ever just and merciful, and never COM
pletely shuts out human hope in the
world, though that hope ofttimes must
be based upon human responsibility, and
mans free moral agency. Therefore at
the urgent prayer of Abraham, God
offered to spare Sodom, if there be ten
righteous men found in the place. That
offer, magnanimous as it was, practically
settled the business for Sodom Abraham
did not chance to be acquainted with ten
righteous men in Sodom, and he did not
know anybody who was. But God man.
aged it well for Abraham's nephew, Lot
1t happened that Lot sat in the gate of
sodom when the two angels of the Lord
game to destroy the city. He saw they
We're strangers, and hastened to offer
them the hospitalities of his habitation.
While entertaining these strangers,
Lots house was beset by the inhabitants
OF the city, but he protected his guests
within his house until the mob were
about to break in, when those nearest the
door were stricken with blindness.
Then it was that Lot, having been in
formed by the angels of their mission,
went to warn his spns-in-law of the wrath
to come. But they only thought the old
man had one of his spells again, and
didn't believe word of his talk abaut
the destruction of the city. So the father
in-law was compelled to leave them to
their fate and take his wife and daugh-
ters and fly from the wicked place. Out
of his love for Abraham, God spared Zoar
from destruction. For the sparing of this
city, Lot also pleaded with the angels.
We all remember to have read the story
of how Lot set out with his family, and
how-having been warned not to look
womanly curiosity, looked back to see
what was going on, and became pillar
of salt. And we all know how
women have wept salt tears ever since,
when led into trouble by their curiosity.
This act of Lots wife finds too many par
allels in the present day. Say to young
man, or young woman, "this thing you
must not do, lest you rush into danger"
and that is just the thing, of all others,
that he or she will do, if death is the
result. After the departure of Lot and
his wife and daughters, "a smoke, as of
furnace" went up from SodOm, and the
work of destruction was complete. These
sons-in-law and their fellows, when the
heat began to grow intense, doubtless be-
lieved what Lot had told them, though
no amount of warning could induce them
to believe it before. So impressed was
Lot with this skepticism and natural
wickedness on the part of the people, that
he would not go to Zoar, but repaired to a
cave in the mountain side, and dwelt
there with his children.
1t is deplorable trait in human char
acter, and one too frequently met with,
that warnings of danger, even though
given by dear friend or relative, are
scorned, and the person giving the admo-
milton laughed at as croaker. The peo-
pie of Sodom did not believe God was 60
ing to destroy their beautiful city, be-
cause they had become so accustomed to
a life of sin that they persuaded them
selves to believe it the right course "by
common consent" What everybody did
must be right, no matter how wicked,
and had there been ten men found in that
city whose lives had been such that they
might be called righteous, the rest of the
community would have denounced them
as cranks and hypocrites.
That skepticism has come on down the
ages to this time, and as little heed is CIV
en- to a friendly warning. given in good
faith, as was given to the admonitions of
the Sodomite, so long ago. Take, for in
stance, the man who engages in the sin
of intemperance. The friendly warning
of those who feel an interest in him is