The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-05-21
CHRISTIAN ENpEAVOR.

Topic For the Week BEG - may &c.
Comment by Rev. >. y -joyic.
TopIc.-Peace: when TO seek it and how
Gen. xiii, sis.
Having obeyed the call Of God,
Abram, taking with him Lot, his neph-
ew, has left his home i'll Ur of the
Chaldeans, journeyed down through Pal
estine to Egypt and has returned, after
a sad experience III Egypt, to Palestine.
In worldly matters they have both pros
pered "Abram was very rich in cattle,
in silver and in gold" LOT also, which
went with Abram, had fiocks and herds
and tents. Riches, however, did not
bring unalloyed blessings. Their herds
and focks were so large that there was
q scarcity Of pasture, and as result
strife arose between their herdmen.
Abram, however, deprecated the strife,
earnestly desired peace and went to Lot
with this pacific speech, LET there be
no strife, / pray thee, between me and
thee and between my herdmen and thy
herdmen, for we be brethren. /"
Peace is most desirable Christianity
emphasizes it, urging us as far as lieth
in us to live peaceably with all men.
Yet how much discord, strife and con-
tention there is in the world, and how
many homes, churches and nations are
distressed by these thingsl Abram
teaches us two important lessons con-
corning peace-when to seek it and how.
/. Abram sought peace at the first APP
proach of strife. No sooner did strife
| break out between the herdmen OF
| Abram and Lot than Abram went to Lot
| and expressed desire for peace. The
| strife had not even as yet extended to
themselves, but Abram knew that 1t
soon would do so, and by vigorous,
timely action he warded off the danger.
The time to seek peace is at the approach
of strife or in its early beginnings.
Many a strife and contention in home,
church, state or among friends might
have been peaceably settled if an effort
had been made in the early days OF Its
history, but it is allowed to continue
from time to time until neither OF the
contending parties is willing to yield
The parties concerned become suspi
cious. Words and actions are miscon
strued and add fuel to the flames, ant
what might have been easily extln
guished at the start becomes an un
quenchable fire.
2. Abram to obtain peace made per
sonal concessions. Abrams magnanim
ity to Lot will always stand as one
the bright spots in his character. Lo
,wed everything he was and had t.
Abram, vet to secure peace the benefac
tor Welded his interests to the one VIII
had been benefited When strife ant
! contentious arise, peace can only be oh
tanned by Weddings and concessions
Even when assured that our cause
: lust we should be willing to make con
cessions if thereby we sacrifice no prln
ciples. No man loses by self sacrifice TO
such purpose. Abram did not. N
, sooner was he separated from Lot unit
the Lord said unto Abram, Lift u
t now thine eyes and look from the plac
| where thou art, northward and souti
ward and eastward and westward, Il
all the land which thou seest to the
] will give it and to thy seed forever.
o God rewards those who sacrifice then
? selves for the sake of peace. Blessed al
$ the peacemakers, for they shall be Gale
q the children Of God. "
. Bible Readings. Mum. vi, 24-2'
i XIV, 1913; / Sam. XIV, 3, 6; Ps. XXI
g IL; xxxiv, ID; cxxii, 60; lisa. XVI,
Q lvii, 1921; Luke j, 1919; x, 3; job
{ xiv, 81; xvi, 33; Rom. j. Z; v, j; Epl
o ii, IA; Phil iv, 6, 2; Pet. iii, II.