Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-02-15
Gods Judgment ON sodom.
INTRODUCTORY.

I
INTRODUCTORY.
The lesson for Sunday, Feb 16, may
be found in Gen. Is: 22-33 SNl
In this lesson Abraham and Lot are
brought into comparison, and their re-
spective modes Of living are thrown
into startling contrast. They started
out from Haran on the Godward life
together Presently we see them sep
arating, one to take the course of a.
kind of conformity with the world,
felf-seeking, ease-loving. He pitched
his tent toward Sodom. The other is
q dissenter out and out. He also has q
city in view, but it is not Sodom: "for
he looked for city which hath foun-
dations, whose builder and maker is
Gen. IL. 10: And Abram iourneyed,
going on still toward the south" Lit
orally, pulling up tent pins. That IL,
Abraham pitched his tent toward
Jerusalem.
POINTS IN THE LESSON.
Angel messengers with two errands:
one OF mercy ". 10y, and one of wrath
Tvs. 20-22.)
Have faith for either message. Does
Gods angel say, Thou shalt have? Be-
lieve and be thankful. Does Gods
angel say, Flee for thy life? Believe
and flee.
Happy the man who has faith to au-
ticipate sight. And this for things
threatened as well as things promised.
All the world shall see it some day and
direfully realize it, the worlds de-
struction. The man who anticipates
it by faith is the man who escapes.
Alas, poor Lot. Sratched. himself,
like brand from the burning. Hustled
out of Sodom almost by main force.
Did he not know beforehand the wick
edness'of the place? And did not he,
as we'll as Abraham, hear Of the wrath
to come? lord, increase our faith"
Lord, believe, help thou mine unbe-
lief"
The men turned their faces from
thence and went toward Sodom." Here
is pitching of the tent toward Sodom
that means something. This is not
like Lot for conformity. 3 that Sodom
might know Of the coming OF these
And did she not know? peter speaks
of Lot as having his righteous soul
vexed frem day to day with the filthy
conversation and the unlawful deeds of
the wicked. However unworthy and
inadequate the testimony rendered by
Lot, the Sodomites were given at least
evil. They, at any rate, knew their
own ungodlness.
See Abraham standing yet before
the Lord" See him drawing near to
plead for Sodom. That city is not
aware, perhaps, of such undeserved
advocacy. After ALL the worlds best
helpers are the unworldly: the other
worldly, as they are sometimes called.
Let that figure standing there plead
ing for the wicked suggest to us the
right attitude of the man Of God, pour
ing out effectual prayer for the COM
munity. He may himself. be in it, but
he is not of it: yet with his supplica-
tions he is its best earthly friend.
HINTS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
Which did the most for Sodom, Lot
or Abraham? II is rational question.
Put it to the class. Each had to do
with the city. Lot went down and
joined himself to it, becoming part of
it. He pitched his tent toward Sodom;
presently he was q citizen of Sodom.
Abraham stayed on the outside. But
he too had to do with the city. On two
particular occasion he gave Sodom
earnest thought and earnest help.
Once when the city was sacked by
marauding kings he came effectually
to the rescue. Once again when the
city was threatened with the wrath OF
God his importunate prayer obtained
the promise that If there were but
ten righteous men in tthe city it
should be spared. What was Lot doing
all that time? Protesting, but very
weakly it would seem. Mingling with
the people, countenancing perhaps to
some extent their evil deeds. And
what did he have to show for his works?
With his own family he could not mus
ter ten righteous men to fill the condi-
ton OF Abraham's prayer Alas! Here
we are at the crossroads. Which way
shall we take? The guide-board reads,
"To Sodom." 1t is short path, a
primrose path, but it ends in ashes.
The other arm of the guide board,
pointing up the hill road, the long,
hard way, with many hill and valley,
says, ITO the city Of God" Which way
will you take, Lots or Abraham's?
Which end best? Choose We, lis day..
"For they that say such things the
things of faith declare plainly that
they seek (are still seeking country"
and, blessed declaration of fact: "He
hath prepared for them a city," It is
there awaiting; fear'not.
20. sweet and blessed country,
The home of Gods elect;
o. sweet and blessed country.
That eager hearts expect
Jesus, In mercy bring us
To that dear land Of rest.
Who art with God the Father,
And Spirit ever blest
DR.. Maclaren, Of Manchester, re.
marks upon that Scripture, Have no
fellowship with the unfruitful words OF
darkness. That 1t is equivalent in
the original to do not go partners
with them" Greek: accomplish
And he goes on quite truthfully and
trenchantly to say that the world very
largely depends upon world-conforming
Christians to give countenance and
effectual furtherance to their ill-doing,
instancing for example the old slave
traffic. 1t is so to-day with reference
to the card-table, the theater, the
dance. Paul's word is still the best,
BE We, therefore, followers Of God, a.
dear children" That is better than to
be followers of the world.
Whether the dance, the theater. or
the card-table are intrinsically evil or
not, the world has taken them for
her own and in the estimate of the
wcrldling they are the signs and to-
kens of conformity to things earthly.
A young lady said to the writer not
! )ng since, II do not believe ought to
be considered Christian any longer"
-Why?" Because have become ad-
dicted to theater-going and love it
n l. 4 4 -