The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-03
Sunday Study.
DEATH OF JOSEPH.

The international Sunday school lesson
| for Nov. is found in Genesis l., 1925
and relates to the death of Joseph The
| time is 1885 B. c., and the place Mem
| plls, Egypt The golden text is from
| Psalm xc., 3d. $50 teach US to number
our days, that we may apply our hearts
unto wisdom
| Our studies for this quarter have made
| it evident that God not only overrules
evil for the good of His people, but also
| plans their lives for them. At that time
| the Egyptians were equaled in the arts
and sciences by no other people. God
| chose Egypt to be the shelter and nur
sery of His infant nation that it might
| have all the advantages which that coun-
| try SO pre- eminently afforded. When the
lsraeliteS went up out of Egypt, they
| had among them their own carpenters.
| goldsmiths, engravers, wood carvers.
spinners, weayers and artificers of all
sorts
After the death of his father Joseph
was the head of the family. He had
thus great power over his brothers.
Then, too, his position in Egypt was
such as to make it possible for him to do
what he pleased. The fear of his broth
ers was therefore natural It is uncer
tain whether the message from their IA
Their was genuine or invented. 1t prob
| ably expressed Jacobs real wish. Jo-
seph wept because the message Indicated
distrust of his forgiveness, and because
Of strong emotion caused by the mem
DRY of the past The sons of Jacob came
into Joseph's presence as petitioners for
mercy. Joseph gave them two reasons
for his full and free forgiveness: o.
That the right to punish belonged to God
| and not to him; (2) that good had been
wrought through their crime. Joseph
cherished no regret for what he had suf-
fered.
| Verses 22-23 give picture of happy
| Old age Joseph's life had been success
! full and prosperous, and the sight of his
| Grandchildren completed his happiness.
| Joseph's faith in the deliverance of his
| people was remarkable because of his long
| separation from his family. Despite Jo-
| ,seph's loyalty to his family traditions
| his body was treated. according to the
Egyptian fashion, but that very treat
ment made it possible to carry out his
| desire, since bodies SO treated endured
long time as mummies. The coffin
was probably stone. deliberately carved,
| and very costly.
The lesson teaches that:
l. God is always overruling, making
| things which were meant for evil work
| out a blessing.
2. If God did not so overrule in the af-
fairs of men, the world would soon work
| out its own destruction.
8. In the overcoming of the evil the
| most powerful force that can be used is
| love.
| 4. To overcome evil with good is to
! convert an enemy into a friend.
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD.
The Epworth League lesson for Nov 3
is that wonderful Esd Psalm, 1.-THE Lord
| is my shepherd 1 shall not want" No
one utters that deep in his soul until he
/ las felt want, known his own emptiness
and longed for filling with good things.
/ Enjoyment of food depends less Oh the
richness of the provision than on the
keenness of the appetite. Soul hunger
| gets one in condition to appreciate heav-
/ emily mama.
Not until we are ready to be led can
the Lord become our Good Shepherd.
+, When we feel able to feed ourselves and
| prefer to choose our own grazing ground
we know no need of q shepherd and will
follow none.
Blessed are the poor and meek and
| hungry, for, being needy, they will be
| led, and when they are willing to fol-
low God, they shall be filled with the
! best of His pasturage.
What comfort beyond expression
/ breathes in this psalm, which through
| ages has been the language of devoted
souls in many lands and under most di-
] verse conditions.
| 1t has a tone of joyous confidence bet
| ter than abundance of good things could
inspire Not the satisfaction of the rich
man who said, 81 have much goods laid
up for many years" The reliance is not
on goods, but en- God. The soul Graves
companiorship with persons and starves
in the midst of possessions. In the pres
| enee of its loved ones true affection finds
| its fullness.
/ Poverty and distress and hardest or
deals of endurance are not evil, but
| shall yield deepest and abiding comfort;
for correction of wrong aims and amh!-
/ tions is accomplished and the sympa-
| thetic nearness of the Leader is realized
as never before ''Rod and staff give
comfort Oh, what blessedness comes
| to the heart as it gradually comes to
the consciousness of the abiding helpful
| ness and nearness of Cod
The ordinary routine of life may be
| dull indeed and wearing, but to every
heart is given the privilege of knowing
the shepherding of the Christ and to feel