St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-06-17

~S~~A1
Judged by the company which he KEEP
Lot was an unregenerate and coolies
sinner. But in the light of the declara
ton OF Gods Word. it is certain that tn
germ Of truth was in his heart, and tina
he was a child of God, notwithstandin
his waywardness and his love OF tn
world and the things Of the world.
Lot is a type of the worldly-minde
Christian whose desire for the things Q
this life is allowed to SO dominate, tina
there is no spiritual growth Or real fe
lowship with God. Dare we sit in jud2
ment upon Lot when every day we ar
allowing the pleasures, and ambitions
and associates of the world to draw u
away from God?
What were the steps which led Lot int
Sodom? What was his life there? VIVA
kept him there?
| A wedding in Sodom. The househol
of Lot is all hustle and excitement il
preparation for the festival occasion, TO
the eldest daughter of the family. hand
some woman Of some 2Oyears, is to MARI
the kings son.
The ambitious mother is elated owe
the splendid alliance. But Lot, although
flattered by the distinction and prestig
which the marriage into the royal fam
lily will bring, has strange misgivirg
in his own heart, which he cannot un
derstand or explain. And this undefina
hoc :,
any degree by the message which he re
ceived that morning from Abraham il
answer to the invitation he had sent seV
eral days before, urging his uncle ant
aunt to attend the wedding.
1--WE may not come to thee in tina;
place, as thou knowest," was Abraham
message, "but thou and thy family ma,
come to US and it were better So
While feeling of resentment arose il
his heart over the terse and pointed mes
sage, still he understood it's import, but
turning bftndly from the warning he
sought to justify himself and his family
in the course they were pursuing.
To Mrs. Lot, the suggestion of Abra-
ham seemed so ridiculous that there was
no room for anger.
Leave this beautiful and gay city with
all it's comforts and pleasures, and bril-
liant prospects? Ha, ha, hal" She
laughed, derisively. And then in com
miserating voice, and with a doleful look
on her face, she continued: 'The simple
old grannies, what can they find worth
living for, anyway? If they could only
get taste of life here they never would
want to go back to their lonely valleys
and flocks again!"
The entrance of some of the servants In
terrupted further conversation, and the
preparations for the wedding went on
apace, while Lot withdrew to his post OF
duty at the citys gate, place to which
he had been appointed by the king after
his return to Sodom following his rescue
by Abraham.
Those had been prosperous years since
then, and as he sat watching the busy
scenes in the market place, and the gay
throngs as they passed to and fro, it was
with feeling of satisfaction and COM
placency that he let his thoughts run
back over the years. To be sure, the
gross RIGHTEOUSNESS and corruption of
the city troubled him, but he sought to
quiet an uneasy conscience by assuring
himself that he need not partake of
their sins and that by reason Of his posi-
ton of authority he could in a measure
check the wickedness. The same desire
for the world and the things Of the world
which had enticed him into the city
when he first pitched his tent towards
Sodom had kept him there, and now that
honor and power, in addition to riches,
had rewarded his soiourn there, he was
more than ever reconclled to the condi-
ions and life of the place And now this
last triumph had come that his daughter
was to wed the prince Of Sodom.
1t is gala day in the city, and the peo-
Die are making merry, in honor OF the
Wedding Of the prince on the morrow.
n that wild abandon which always
marks the festivities of those who are
Yielded to the purely sensual pleasures.
he sports proceed.
A company of gaily-dressed courtiers
,ass. All are in high spirits, and the
merry tinkle of the bells on the dresses
# the dancing girls mingles with the
of wild song and the shouts OF
Hilarious laughter. The party is on its !
way to the grove outside the city's gates,
here to engage in reckless sport and rev.
Try.
It was no new sight to Lot. but to-day |
le watched with increased interest the |
roups OF pleasure seekers as they |
'assed, for were not the festivities III
lonor of the prince who was to wed his
laughter? He felt proud and fiattered at
he deferential mods and bows that
yere bestowed upon him as people
assed. His neighbors and acquaint-
noes counted him fortunate, for it was
o slight honor that the prince of Sodom
Tas to become his son-in-law. Many
7ere the jovial words of greeting as peo-
lie paused to offer congratulations.
what is fairer than yon garden
pot and, like the sun in his strength
) he lavishes his wealth of light and
,armth upon it," asked a pompous,
ell-fed individual, after the bowings
nd greetings were over. He was one
{ the chief merchants of the city, ard
ecause of Lots official position they
ame much in contact with each other,
nd hence were on more than friendly
rms. As he propounded the above
ddle he chuckled good-naturedly and
apped Lot familiarly on the back,
I'D then, before Lot could respond to
le supplementary allusion to his |