The Globe-republican., 1894-04-20
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL

Joseph Rulsr In Egypt-GeA l1:S3-lA.
tSpecsally Arranged from Peloubet's Notes ]
GOLDEN THxE-Tkem that honor Ne win
honoE.-l Sam. e:0
TIE SECTION OF HIsroRY-Chapters3 oN Q
PSALM los refers Tin vs.. 1872, to Gods Won
derful and loving providence over His people At
this time.
T1xk-R c. TIA Thirteen years after Josepn
Vas sold to the MidianitesL
PLACK-It u generally supposed that the
capital Of Egypt 1T this time WAS Zoan. the
Greek Tanis. and modern San. near one Of tho
mouths Of the Nile, where the Egyptian explor-
alton fund have recently made important *.
cavstions and discoveries
According to Osburn Monumental Egypt,
''the scene Of the bondage, the imprisonment
and the subsequent exaltation and marriage. of
Joseph. was the city Of Heliopoiis. the most
ancient capital Of Egypt" called also On. and
situated near the head Of the delta OF the Nile,
twenty miles north Of Memphis, and SIX or
seven northeast Of modern Cairo Certainly
Joseph's wife belonged here.
PLACE IN SECULAR HIsroRY-It Is gener-
ally thought now that the Pharaoh Of Joseph
was Apophis (ApepD one OF the last Of Hyksos
or shepherd kings Who had ruled In Egypt for
Q long time before Abraham Egypt at this
time was the most dourishin9 kingdom tho
world had ever known. 1t Was cultured In the
arts-in learning. in architecture. printing,
Wof0
Heliopolis, Memphis, Thebes and Zoan (Tanis),
the capitals Of different districts
JOSEPH was now thirty years old Hl:46,. He
Was seventeen years old when he was sold into
Egypt (S7:2i. 1t Is supposed that he spent ten
Of the thirteen intervening years rs Q slave of
Potiphar and three in the kings prison.
JACOB. now one hundred and twenty-one
years old. still living In Hebron
LESSON NOTES.
I. Thirteen Years of Preparation.
Joseph in 1.-The Smelling Furnace" Of
Life.-Ten Years of Service and of
Trial. Joseph when he reached Egypt
was sold to Potiphar the captain Of
the guard" The military caste in
Egypt ranked next to the priesthood;
and the entire force consisted of no..
600 men. who were divided into two
corps. thousand serving each for
year as the kings body guard QIerod
2. 164-16s). Potiphar was probably the
captain of enc of these thousands. and
consequently man of great honora and
influence.-Thornley Smith. Joseph
was so wise. so faithful, so manifestly
to high position in Potiphar's house.
hold. and had general control of all
his affairs.
Three Years in q Prison. At the
end of ten years another bitter trial
came to Joseph. After long resisting
temptation, his very goodness and
truth are made the occasion of an un-
just accusation, and without trial he is
cast into prison. In the present case,
the term very probably implies an edi-
flee, or portion of the official mansion,
mostly subterrancan, of which the roof
or vault. rising Immediately from the
surface of the ground, was round, or
shaped like an inverted bowl. 1t is
called, in chapter 41:14. 1.-The dungeon"
Such dungeons are still, under similar
circumstances, used in the east.-Kit-
to. In Ps. 1O5:17-1S, we are told that
his feet were hurt with letters; he was
laid in iron. The imprisonment was at
first severe. But God favored him, and
tie afterwards had . freer and better
life in waiting upon the other prisoners.
Steps in Joseph's Trimming and Prep
aration. ~ His discipline was Sc
we're. His prison life was hard to en-
dure. He was practically a martyr.
(2) He learned trust in God. We see
no signs of distrust or Of complaining.
He simply c1ung closer to God and be-
came acquainted with God. (S) He
had long opportunity to study himself
and his needs. There are times when
character grows best by rest from
work, by slow, unconscious growth.
(D Wherever Joseph was, and in what
ever circumstances, he did what was
right. He made the best of every
thing. He not only looked on the
bright side, but he did what was bet
ter-he worked on the bright side. The
way to be ready for larger fields is to
be faithful in the smaller. The way to
reach a wider sphere is to fill full the
narrower. It is we'll to remember that
the particular sphere we are in is of
very small importance compared with
what we do in the sphere. Piety is
Just as beautiful in howell as in a pal
ace; faithfulness. truth, courage, honor
are no more noble on q throne than in
q factory or on a farm; love. gentle
ness, self-denial are as blessed in the
as in the parlor, in the prison
as in the court. (5) He grew in helpful
ness and kindness. The injustice done
to him did not make him unjust to
others; the harshness of his treatment
dill not harden his heart. (G) THE
you're Hebrew slave was, we imagine,
thou. 'ul and observant and ex-
<roypeIv dil;Oonf in tho cu1furo ~ hia