Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-02-07
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON, COM.
MENTS FOR FEBRUARY 10, BY
THE REV. I. w. HENDERSON.

THE REt. l. w. HENDERSON.
Subject: Abram Called to BE Bless.
ing, Gen. 12:1.8-Golden Text:
Gen. 1872 - Memory Verses:
1-3.
The call of God to Abram to leave
his home in Haran and go into new.
unfamiliar and untried land is the
beginning Of the separate history OF
a nation. The Scripture Immediately
preceding the lesson introduces us to
the beginnings of Hebrew racial ex'
istence.
The call of God was also test OF
Abraham's submission to and trust
in God. However deeply religious
Abram may have been and however
much he may have enjoyed a special
vision of the personality and provi.
dence of Jehovah this still remains
true that he had surprising trust
in God and was also uncommonly de.
voted to Him or he never would have
obeyed the command of God as he
did. No information was offered to
Abram as to the terminus of his jour.
ney. God simply called upon him to
gather his family, his possessions,
his retainers, those who were worthy
to go with him, and having gathered
them to lead them forth whittier God
should direct. The command neces.
STATED the breaking of the ties which
bind to country, relatives and friends.
To obey it was to be supremely ODE.
dent. Also to obey 1t was to be par.
amountly trustful.
Abram stands as the one mighty,
imposing figure in these earliest days
of Israel's history. The names of the
mass of the people, of both great
men and small men, are forgotten.
He alone stands out in monumental
stature. Amidst polytheistic peoples
he worships the one true God. When
fidelity is needed he exhibits it, when
a leader Is required he comes for.
ward. How long Gods spirit labored
with Abram before he reached the
high plane to which he attained we
do not know. We are informed only
of the result. Abram was, in the
light of contemporaneous history. in.
deed n man to whom Jehovah might
reveal Himself
The object of Gods call to Abram
was that in separateness a nation
might be raised whose ideal should
be religious perfectness, and whose
heritage should be the promise given
unto Abram that. contemplating
their prosperity and plenty, material
and spiritual, all the nations OF the
world should call Israel blessed and
become desirous to become in a like
fashion the recipients Of the divine
favor.
Abram was, under God, the leader
the world, Heretofore God had
dealt with the peoples in a mass.
Twice, we are told, the people defed
His authority. Before the flood they
sunk themselves in sin; after the del.
uge. Babel. And so God sets apart
people who shall be to the nations
and to all mankind an ensample OF
religious worth. In order to catch
the truth of this story 1t Is not neces.
sary to do either of two things that
are occasionally done. 1t Is not
necessary either to forget that
Abram is entitled to be considered
as an historic character, nor is it
necessary to forget that this is not
the march of single individual and
few adherents, bound to him by
the ties Of collateral consanguinity.
Abram looms too large, no: only in
the records of Israel, but also in the
history of humanity, to be lightly
brushed aside. And when in Gen.
1414 we find that Abram lied forth
his trained men, born in his house,
three hundred and eighteen" we un.
derstand that a considerable nomnd
tribe followed Abram in his pilgrim.
age into the land foreordained for
them by God.
The lessons fer us are immediate
and real, however remote the exam
pies may be- Abrams trust and sub.
mission are the pattern for ours. Our
fidelity should be Abramic and more.
He had only the dawn of the relig.
We have the sunshine of Gods truth
for the illumination of our pathway.
God made Israel to be the envy oil
the world. He will make America
so to be if America will be obedient
and faithful to the heavenly vision.
if America will put her trust, active
ly and effectively, in Him.
VS.. /. Country" From Haran
He had previously left Cur Of the
Chaldees." "Will shew." Notice the
future tense. No advance informa.
ton is granted.
VS.. 2. "And." Better, that" II
was prerequisite to greatness and
the blessing that Abram should leave
Haran. God had to get him away
from his surroundings in order to dc
the work He had in mind. A new en-
vironment was as necessary as ODE
dience.
VS.. 3. blessed" Possibly better
so that all the families of the eartt
shall invoke blessing like thine fol
themselves" This promise is full
filled in our day through Christ.
VS.. 5. "Went forth-came." The
beginning and fruition of faith and
submission are in a few words here
epitomized
VS.. 6. "Shechem. Between Mts
Ebal and Gerizim in Central Pales
tine. "Oak." r. v. Terebinth
Called "The Oak of Divination."
VS.. z. Appeared. 1t was a
common experience in the lives OF
the holiest men in Israel. 1t is no
less common to-day, and 1t would not
be at all uncommon IL men would
practice the presence of God. "AI
tar" Abram is represented as erect.
ing altars at the places where he had
received special insight into the
designs of God
VS.. s. Bethel" House of God
In Central Palestine.