Connecticut western news., 1902-03-13
GENEROSITY.
A Lenten Sermon Preached Last Sum day Morning In Christ Church, by the Rector. the Rev. M. H. Mill.

hand, then will go to the left. -Genesis IS: 3.
 The simple, romantic and beautiful life of Abraham, no matter where one may come in touch with it, always IS both interesting as we'll as instructive However, perhaps no whore else, does he stand out so ideally great and com manding our admiration and love, as here in his dealings with his nephew. After Lots father died, he practically adopted him as his own son. He lived in his family, he accompanied him in his journeys and became the sharer of his good fortune. The two were united by ties of kindred, by ties of religion, by ties of memory. and by ties of sym pathy and gratitude. It therefore would seem but natural, that men SO bound together never could be sunder- ed, but remain faithful and true friends always. h this. however. we are most sadly disappointed. Later on in the story we are told that: "Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver and in gold" And Lot also had hocks and
 herds and tents," In every step they
 had taken together. in their migration from Mesopotamia to the land of Ca naan, in their removal from thence to Egy pt on account of famine, and in their return afterward, they had ex. perienced one unbroken flow of bless ings, but tue blessings of God in the shape of material possessions do not | always make those who share them in common more generous or kind to each other" All this was only too true here,
 as we presently shall see
 Following up the story of these two
 interesting characters, both of them | grown rich new in possessions and lead | ing the life of wandering nomads, hay ing large herds of cattle and many
 servants, the same human nature just as
 we find it today, is most clearly maui
 tested, since in the seventh verse of this same chapter we are told: "And there
 was strife between the herdmeE of Abrams cattle and the herdmen of Lots cattle" In other words: Abra- hams servants and Lots servants had
 been quarreling with each other, dis
 putting as to whose cattle should be
 pastured in this field or that, or whose should be watered first at the well.
 Just to what proportions the difficulties
 between them had already grown, the narrative does not tell us. Yet sufficient
 they were, however. SO as to hre up Lot, who not only took up the cause
 of his own herdmen. but also strove
 against his uncle Abraham. who so Kindly had befriended him. In his own mind at least 1t had become clear
 that he and his uncle must seperate,
 and they parted. But mark please, the
 kind, generous and fatherly character
 here revealed on the part of Abraham
 toward the quick. temperei and selfish
 Lot; That if they no longer could
 dwell together, they would separate at
 least peaoeably, and this is what
 Abraham said unto Lot! Let there be
 no strife, praT thee. between me and
 thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen, for we be brethren" If
 the time has come that we must part,
 let us part not as foes, but as friends.
 And in order to bring this about I am
 perfectly willing to meet you more than
 half ways. Decide for yourself what
 portion of the land you will have and l
 will take what remains. or in the words
 of the text. If thou wilt take the Jeff I
 thou depart to the right hand, then
 will go to the left"
 challenge you to go and search all
 history, both sacred as we'll As profane,
 and you will not be able to find more
 manliness and unbounded generosity
 conduct toward Lot And only the
 more strikingly will appear his magnan
 imity when one realizes that the lan6
 really was his by divine gift; it was hii
 by the right of precedence and on either ground be might have asserted his righ
 to choose first where he would dwell
 and might have told Lot that he must b' satisfied with what remained. Abra ham did not do this, although he had perfect right to do so, because he wa not only wise, but also great an( good man. He readily foresaw the pos sibility of impending danger. H knew human nature well enough g. that he deemed 1t wise to substitut
 kind words loaded down with generos Ity, where perchanee even justice migh l mlscarry. y.-Even during those earl 3 days he already felt that: "Hard speecl I between those who have loved Is hid eous in the memory, like the sight 0 greatness and beauty sunk into vic and rags" and he felt that he must b 8 uo stumbling block, but much rather t shining and inspiring example to tn
 heathen Canaanites and Perizzites abou
 them. And certainly he succeeded Ii
 doing this and doing it most beautiful , ly. And all the more beautiful wne 7 one takes into consideration the az t during which Abraham lived. fully fou q thousand years ago-an age whe , ignorance and barbarism reigned SD a preme. Yet out of this night of darl e ness, out of this dismal gloom, hi 6 noble character shines out with a rad Q ance and splendor that brings light an, 2 hope to millions.
 We have in this transaction brough j. home to us fact, which as Christian @ We do we'll in always solemnly bearin h in mind. Abraham, although willing ', ly consenting to Lots selfish choic, i that he should have the richest an r. most productive land, by no means we o the poorer for his generosity. Simpl Ia because he was so generous, God als If was the more generous with him. H
 riches kept on increasing and temptin e as this always Is, he under it all, mail le tains himself, the same simple, obedier @ and loyal servant of his God. His riche III may have tempted him. but certainl
 did not deprave him. There is not as grain of sverice or worldly ambitio 7, about his character, but in spite of h. o. wealth, he remains the same simpl te generous and humble believer in lii
 who has given him his wealth, as | always has been. And right here let | Id notice in particular a divine and il y exorable law. which must be obeyed | D. the true christian always. For iustanc = after being so abundantly blessed | the Lord, and it did not make him va ID and proud and grasping only Il 1e harder for more. but on the other har Id showed his gratitude in being on ,o more humble and generous as b lo uaalth incraaaad Naithar uas ha m a