St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-06-03
All night long they pushed their wa,

the trail Of the victorious kings, who,
all unconscious of danger, were proceed
ing leisurely with their captives and
rich plumber. Towards evening the en-
envy was spied in the distance and in
slant council was held as to the method
of attack
Abraham divided his forces, posting
| them at various points from which they
would Ee able most effectually to de-
soend to the attack, and then waited for
] the darkness.
The revelry in the camp of the kings
could be heard, and it was no difficult
task to locate the place where the cap
| tlves and the plumber had been placed.
| The kings and their warriors, flushed
| with victory, were feasting and max
| ing merry. The captives. hopeless and
! crushed by defeat, were bowed in sulien
grief. and among them was Lot.
| Who can picture the tumult which
ragged within his heart? Who can know
the conflict between the remorse of
| guilty conscience and the disappoint-
ment and pain of sudden misfortune and
! trouble? Only he who. like Lot, has
known God and seen the right, and then
selfishly and with love for the word
and the things of the world. has turned
from righteous associations and sough,
satisfaction and delight in the midst OF
the sinful and ungodly Then, wheD
disaster has come because Of wrong
| doing and wrong associations. how bit
ter the anguish, how troubled the spirit.
How one upbraids himself for the mis-
step and how ready he is to promise
himself that if he ever gets out Of the
trouble he will do differently.
AS the hight deepens and the revelry
in the camp gives place to heavy SUM
Der, Abraham's followers creep in and
prepare at given signal to fall upon thu
enemy
Lot. all unconscious that deliverance
was at hand. and unable to sleep, turned
with groan and said to his wife who
sat near him:
! ooh. how l wish l had never gone
down into the Jordan valley and to Sod
ON! Had l remained with Abraham
this trouble would not have come upon
US. The poorer pasturage of Canaan is
better than all the riches and luxury of
Sodom now"
"Well what good is it going to do to
mourn over it now?" sharply returned
the woman, in an unsympathetlc voice.
'If God delivers me from this strait,
will not return to that place again" con-
| 7 Nt icin
wife's remark.
what has God got to do with it any
way? l don't feel or believe as you do
! at ALL
Lot was silent, for he knew that re-
nonstrance was useless. His wife had
never had any sympathy with his views,
and she it was who was largely respon-
sible for their moving into Sodom
Down deep in his heart he had faith in
Ahraham's God, but not so his wife
Both sat in silence now. Lot in bitter
remorse reaching out towards God; his
wife in hardness Of heart and unrepent-
ant rebellion turning from God.
Suddenly both started! What was
that cry? On every side there were an
swering calls, and then the tramp OF
many feet, followed by the crash Of
tents on every hand and the clash OF
arms The whole camp was in wild
tumult, and in the darkness Lot could
see men fleeing, with others in hot pur-
suit. Had deliverance come? or We're
they only falling into the hands Of a
fiorcar and stronger ppamy3
Moved by an impulse to escape in the
confusion, Lot arose and Selling his
wife and calling to his children. he was
on the point of rushing Off into the shell
tering darkness. when he heard his
name called. Again, and yet again, ne
heard the call, and, despite the fear that
filled his heart and the confusion of his
brain, he recognized the familiar voice
Of Abraham. With glad cry he sprang
forward and in trice was standing at
his side. 1t was the first time they had
met since they had been separated after
Abraham had so generously given him
the choice of the land and he had so self
ishly taken the best
And you came to my deliverance,"
exclaimed Lot. when he heard Ahra-
hams story, latter the way in which l
treated your
Nay, my brother, speak not Of that
matter. Had done less God would not
have been pleased
"Ah. how many ti;les in the last two
days l have regretted my choice. Iwish
had been content to dwell with you in
the land"
You yet may do so if you wish" IVES
the generous response.
The preparations for the return jour
n3y interrupted further conversation.
The next day the men who had pursued
the fleeing bands returned and the march
to the southwark was begun. AS they
drew near to the rich fruitful fields of
the Jordan valley the resolution OF Lot
to abandon Sodom and the surrounding
country and cast his lot in again with
the godly Abraham began to weaken
and it was plain to see that his wife had
quite set her mind upon returning to her
| beloved Sodom.
When the king of Sodom came out to
meet them and greeted them so warmly.
he felt loath to give up such friendship.
While thus hating between two oDin-
ions, between duty and desire, between
the things of God and the things Of the
world. the wonderful meeting between
Abraham and Melchizedek had taken
place, as though to stimulate to right
choice He saw the courageous AEra-
ham put aside the temptation to take OF