The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-10-02

son Methodist Episcopal church,
preached the third sermon last even
ing in the series on the Women of the
Old Testament" His subject was
"Hagar and Her Trouble" and the
text was taken from Genesis 21:1I
What Aileth Thee, Hagar?" Rev.
Sweet spoke in part as follows:
It is not an easy task to take up the
life of Hagar and speak in detail of the
events which constitute her history.
That she. a slave should occupy so
prominent a place in the annals of her
time, should affect the history of after
ages, and that we today should be
within the ring of her life seems
strange, passing strange.
The providpnces of God are not con-
fined to the free-born; the mistress
may presume upon birth and position,
this is of Cod favoritism is His provi-
dence, but "He setteth down the
mighty from their seat and hath estab-
lishcd them of low deree."
Sarah was the wife of Abraham.
Hagar was her slave, but there is II
providence in the life Of Hagar just as
truly as in the life of Sarah. If Sarah
is to be the mother of nations Hagar
is to be the mother of a nation whose
national traits are to be preserved and
whose descendants shall continue as
long as there is a desert to wander in
TROUBLE AND MISERY.
Now observe that out from prom
ised blessing trouble and misery are
produced, not because of the blessing.
hut because of failure to grasp its
truth. Six times had God asserted
unto Abraham that his seed should be
numerous great and important, but he
is now q childless old man: Sarah, his
wife, is skeptical concerning the prom
Use, and the question, How can these
things be? Is most pcrpleXing one.
But by and by she thinks she has
solved it and she proposes a kind of
pOlygamOus proceedings. Abraham does
not hesitate in consenting to her propO-
sitiOn and Hagar comes to the front to
be the presumed fulfllero of Gods prom
Use in the minds Of this aged couple.
We cry out against any act that WITH
ates a home.
Shame to Abraham and Sarah; have
they forgotten the moralizing OF the
Almighty as recorded in the second
chapter Of Genesis: Therefore shall a
man leave his father and mother and
shall cleave unto his wife. and they
shall be one flesh"
IN OUR OWN LAND.
DO we remember tlldC l1lS was lOur
thousand years ago and lest we forget,
1t may not be out of place to state
that today, clamoring for admittance
to the Hall of Congress" in our own
land is man who, with three living
wives. would stand as an illustration
of polygamOus living to be continued
under the cloak of Mormonism.
How far are we today from Abra-
ham? But, like the drink traffic. there
is no good coming out of it; for soon
Sarah becomes Jealous of Hagar When
she found that her own plan was sue
cessful then she despised her plan and
hated her maid servant. and Abraham
had q disagreeable time of it in his
tent harem with the repinings and re-
Vilings of his wife, and the overbear'
ing actions of Hagar, until in sheer
desperation he gives in. unqualifiedly.
Sarah dealt hardly with Hagar, unit
Hagar could endure it no longer, and
saying, Better the wilderness and
death to this tyranny" she fled from
the face of her mistress.
If you will carefully read the six
teenth chapter of Genesis you will
there find why she returned to the ten.
Of her mistress and submitted herself
TO whatever of hardship she might be
called to endure; the fifteenth VERGE of
that chaDter tells us that Hagar bore
Abraham a son, and he called his name
Ishmael.
CASTING OUT OF THE BOY.
l question whether Sarah ever be-
came reconciled to the condition which
now for sixteen years was in evidence
Perhaps, in the rejoicing which came
with the birth of her own child Isaac
she might have been inclined to be for
Setful of the past but when the feast
ndn in hn,nt. AF ,t,,1
time and she found Ishmael making
fun of it all, then in rage and jealousy
she demanded the casting out of the
boy and his mother
And the thing was very grieVouS in
Abraham's sight" This is the result
of their wrongdoing. Sarah inhumanly
determined upon revenge. Abraham
was grieved and in despair. But there
is providence that shapes our ends
rough hew them as we may"
Gods promise was to Abraham fol
Isaac twenty years before Isaac's birth
Gods promise was to Hagar for Ish,
mael just previous to his birth "Sent
them forth for the sake of peace an(
harmony" SO Abraham answers Sarah
saying: "They shall go in the morn
ing" When the morning dawns, Abra'
ham sends them forth, after providing
them with meagre provisions--breaC
and a bottle of water.
YOnder is the wilderness of Beer.
sheba-"COme along Ishmael, better
the rugged rock and sterile soil better
the deSolatiOn of nature with thee, my
son, than the abundant plenty of thu
camp Of thy father, with constant
pickering and disputing. Better breac
and water in the wilderness with thee
my lshmael, than the feast of wean
ing and attending miseries. God hell
us! Come along"
WANDERED IN THE DESERT.
When hunger came they ate theil
frugal meal; when night came, under
the protecting ledge of rock yondpI
they sought rest; when the morninf
dawned, they resumed their wander
ing, and when night came they, hav
| ing exhausted their bread and water
hunsrily, yet vainly, sought food ant
| shelter.
Next mornings sun rose hotly; Will
hunger increased and thirst aggra
waited, they staggered on, the grea
wilderness taunted them with it's bar
renness. a few little shrubs here ant
| yonder; no protection from the scorch
! ing, burning sun, no rocks even wher
| now they might find shelter.
"Water! Son, my son. Water
| Courage, Ishmael; soon shall we com
| to some camp where thou shalt hav
| all that thou canst drink Water
| Yes, yes, my boy. I can almost hea
| the murmuring OF streams. Water
| Water! Water!"
Staggering blindly the boy fall
down, with swollen tongue and glazinl
| eyes. Tenderly the mother, witt
/ strength born of desperation, lifts AM
carries him to the shrub Yonder lay
| him down by it, and then, unable T.
| look upOn the SUFFERING, which she can
not relieve, or listen to the moan
which cut her heart as a sharp knife
she moves yonder, crying: LET m
| not see the death Of NV chlldn an