The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-08-15
THE UNWIsE CHOICE.

n , "Jhen Lot chose him all the plain OF
n cities OF the plain, and pitched his tent
y toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom
Il were wicked and sinners before the Lord
s exceedingly. y."-Genesis xiii, 1'-13.
Out of Egypt Abram brought vastly
4 Increased wealth. Each time he en-.
campcd, quite a town of black tents
quickly arose round the spot where
= his fixed spear gave the signal for halt
ing. Along with him there journcyed
his nephew, apparently of almost equal
wealth. lie was not dependent Oh
Abram, nor even his partner "Lot
also had hocks, and herds, and tents. -
: So rapidly was their substance III.
creasing that they found that the land
was not able to furnish them with
pasture. AS the inevitable result, the
rival shepherds, eager to secure the
best for their own cattle, came to high
words, and probably to blows.
Thus early did wealth produce quar-
reling among relatives. The men who
had shared fortunes when roor, no
sooner became rich than they have TO
part.
Abram prevented a quarrel by sepa-
ration. "Let u.s." he says, "comc to
an understanding, and rather than be
separate in heart, be separate in habi-
tation." 1t Is always a sorrowful time
III the family when it comes to this,
and it is painful to confess that legal
forms arc more binding than broth
crs kindness.
AS yet the character Of Lot has not
hpnn !,
ness his reply to Abram. We know
(and he does, too) that Abram has
been the making Of his nephew, and
that all the land belongs TO Abram and
we should expect that IN common de-
cency Lot would set aside the generous
offer of his uncle and leave him to de-
terminc the whole matter. He might
say cit Is not for me to make choice.
My future does not carry the import of
yours. 1t is small matter what get
or where locate. Choose for yourself
and allot to me what you think right"
What a safeguard of happiness III
life is right feeling. The heart which
feels gratitude is beyond the need of
being scheduled and compelled to do
justly. But such instinct was wanting
in Lot. Generosity is not always in
fectious ; it often, alas, encourages
sellishuGss. And so Lot traded on the
noblcncss of his uncle, and, without
demur, chose him all the plans Of Jor-
dan, the richest part Of the land, ad ia
cent and controlled by the wicked city
of Sodom.
He is the type of very large class
of men who have but one rule of con-
duct. He was swaycd solely by the
hope of worldly advantage. He has
nothing deep, nothing high in him. He
recognizes no duty to Abram, DO graf.
itude, no modesty, no perception of his
spiritual relations, no idea of his daily
dependence on God. 1t would be too
great change from the godly tents
and compauionsilip of Abrai1i to go al
once and dwell in Sodom. He only
took short step aside and "pitched
his tents towards Sodom," thinking,
: perhaps expecting, that after little
he would return to his former life.
What vast issues hung on that step |!
And on all steps not ordered by the
Lord.
This choice was the great mistake Of
Lots life. He saw a quick, though
seemed certainty of success with only
a risk of moral disaster. Lot would
have been Mortified that day he made
his choice had it been predicted his
daughters would marry men of Sodom.
He shut his eyes to any risk that he
might grasp the wealth, and IN 80 do
ing ruined both himself and family.
(His family grew up in very different
Tatmosphere from that which had nour-
ished his own youth in the tents of
Abram. We are safe to say that Lot
never again enjoyed free and happy
days. The men born and reared in
Sodom were possibly happy after their
: kind and in their fashion. Lot was
not. His soul was daily "vexed.''
Many time must he have gone out
with sore and heavy heart, looking
at the distant hills, which hid the tents
, of Abram, longcd for an hour Of the
| company he had once enjoyed and
8 sclfshly abandoned.
/, DO you blame IIot2 Look into your
c own heart and over your life and judge
L, for yourself, as memory brings back
c step by step, your past. Have you
= never turned aside for worldly gain {
c You cannot forget the thoughts you
G once had, the tricLds you once cher
8 ishcd, The hopes which animated you
II You cannot blot out the ideal that once
e dominated your life. Every day there
n is the sharp contrast of your past ant
II tho present life. You may dcspis
d your companions for their shallow
3. worldly ways, but you will dcspis
is yourself still more, being consciou
IS that they were what they arc throug
s. Ignorance ; you in virtue of your owl
ID foolish and sordid choice. Your life
now taken out of your own hands
You arc in bondage to the circunl
y stances you have chosen and your arc
" indeed, learning in bitterness, disar
~ ~ pointment and shame the cvcrastin
nf truth, GA mans life consstcth not i
W W the abundance of the things which h
~ possesscth."
le " Nonsense" said the faith hcale
i'll to Tho man who WAC ralIipu for ,,nr