The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-27
Sunday Study.
NATURE OF FORGIVENESS.

son for Oct. q is found in Genesis, XIV,
lis, and relates to Joseph making HIM
self known to his brethren. The golden
text is from Romans, vii, 2l: Be mol
overcome with evil but overcome evil
with good" The scene is located at
full benefit of the lesson to be learned,
Genesis from the forty-second chapter
to the forty-fifth should be read.
The story as told in the intervening
chapters between the last lesson and this
one is most fascinating in its detail of
Josephs dealings with his brethren, but
especially in It's foreshadowing of COM
ing events in connection with the return
of Christ and His revelation to His
brethren. The first visit of Josephss ten
brethren to buy corn, Benjamin being
carefully kept at home lest evil might
befall him, Joseph's recognition of his
brethren. his trying them by calling
them spies and putting them in ward
three days, their remembrance of their
sin and conversation concerning it In
the presence of Joseph, whom they sup
posed did not understand their language,
as ne had spoken to them through an
interpreter; his holding Simeon as a
hostage till they should bring their
younger brother; his sending the others
back with corn, and each mans money
secretly put in his sack, and Jacobs pit
CRY HASn lOiQ IHdI the TulGFrEOI
Egypt would not see them again unless
Benjamin was with them-this is all told
IN chapter xiii. Their second visit, taking
Benjamin and double money (the re-
turned money and money to buy more
eorn) and present for the man; Jo-
: Seph's reception of them and feast for
them in his own house. with his special
interest in and favor to Benjamin, are
told in chapter Kill: Joseph's plan,
seemingly, to retain BENJAMIN, and the
earnest and eloquent plea of Judah who
had become surety for BENJAMIN. are
the topics of chapter xiv. Now follows
in cur lesson Joseph's revelation of him
self to them. sEs9 /.
The strong emotion Of Joseph appears
In the abrupt dismissal of all the attend
ants, the loud weeping, the confused
manner Of declaring himself, the en-
braclng and weeping with his brothers..
The weeping and kissing and the COM
munlon atterward make US think of the
welcome which the prodigal son received
and the feast that followed. This is the
fourth OF the seven weepings OF Joseph,
Two OF which are in our lesson (yerse
two and here), two in chapter ! and
one each in chapters xiii, xiii, XVI.
Ihey are worthy of particular study
Note also the three weepings Of our
Lord-at the grave of Lazarus over
Jerusalem and in Gethsemane, and con-
slder that by His great humiliation and
sacrifice He has made provision for the
forgiveness and bringing near and ever
lasting care of all who come to Him.
Inc Tear of the brothers was entirely
natural And Joseph said unto his
. Dfetnren, Come nearer to me / pray
you. Nothing in his heart but loyesauu
pity and forgiveness for them as he
yearns over them. He would take them
to his heart and bless them,. bidding
eheIn not to be grfeved nor angry with
themselves because of their past mis-
conduct, assuring them that God had
overruled it all for the good of many,
His words, while comforting, were truly
heaFt searching, for we cannot know the
comfort of forgiveness in its fullness till
We nave seen and felt something of the
enornaity of our sin To his first words.
I am Joseph" he now adds 81 am
JcSeph, your brother, whom We sold into
Egypt. There could be no mistaking
this He was the very same Joseph
whom they had envied and hated and
sold as a. slave to the Midianites as they
said, I'VE shall see what will become of
his Dreams"
Joseph to- the attempt to comfort them.
His address to them recognized their
fauit, but, on account of their penitence
and fear, Joseph understated their guilt.
Father to Pharaoh (verse 81 seems a
sort of technical expression for high
counselor of the king, perhaps
the title only of the highest lord in the
realm The urgent call for Jacob to re-
move to Egypt was natural because of
Jesephs desire to see his father and
necessary because of the prospect of
long-continued famine. Verse II is an
assurance, intended to be reported to
Jacob, that the offer to care for the
family during the time of want would
be fulfilled. The land of Goshen was a
thinly populated and not very fertile
region in the northeastern part of Egypt
where the lsraelites could prosper as
keepers of cattle. Joseph secured from
the king the seconding of his invitation
to Jacob, and provided wagons for the
transfer of goods. Jacob could not real
lily believe his sons account, but the
wagons convinced him. The lesson
teaches:
/. Sooner or later one has to stand
face to face with his sins and his Judge.
z If one has thoroughly repented of
his sins, he will find that his Judge will
be his Elder Brother
3. Those dealings of God which men
think are against them are for their
highest good
4 One should forgive repentant wrong
doors freely, fully, without censure re-
membering ones brotherhood
DAILY BIBLE READING.
The Christian Endeavor topic is found
IN Acts xvii, 10-12: Search the Scriptures
daily, whether these things were so.''
There are many reasons why we should
study the Book of Books:
1st-We need it as an aid TO devotion
The rush of business, home cares and
social duties crowd religious thoughts
and exercises too much from the mind
But healthy soul life is as needfuI as
sound bodies and minds. We must have
1000 for thought, affection and devoted
determination. Some time reserved each
Gay for Bible feeding is needfu1 to every
growing Christian Read carefully those