The Tupelo journal., 1907-02-15
LOTS
CHOICE
Sunday School Lesson for Feb. II, 1907
Specially prepared for this paper.

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LESSON TEXT.-Genesis 1918. Mem
DRY verses, 5 and 8.
GOLDEN TExT.-"Take heed and be-
ware of co~vetousness Luke 1915.
TIME.-Probably within a few years OF
Abraham's arrival In Canaan in 1924.
PLACE-At a place near Bethel, IL
miles north of Jerusalem. After the sep
aration he moved to Hebron, 80 miles
further south.
SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES.-Il;us-
trative of Abraham. Blessed are the
p~eacenakers: Matt. SO. A soft answer
turneth away wrath: Prov. ISL. A new
commandment give / unto you: John
1884. In honor preferring one another:
Rom. 1910. Charity suffereth long and Is
kind. etc.: / Cor. 13:4-S. If it be possible.
as much as lieth in you live peaceaLly
with all men: Rom. 1918, q. Walk in
love: Eph. SO. Let %brotherly love con-
tinue: Heb. 1871. Behold how good anu
how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell
together in unity, etc.: Psalm 1873. Seek
We first the kingdom of God: Matt
6:31-34.
ILLUSTRATIVE OF LoT.-Not to
keep company with an idolater. railer,
etc.: 1 Cor. 5:9-1l: 2 Thes. 3:6. IA, Is.
Evil communications corrupt good man
ners: / Cor. 1888. Blessed is the man
that walketh not in the counsel OF the
ungodly: Pisa. IL. If sinners entice,
-. walk not thou in the way with
them: Prov. 1:10-16. Enter not the path
of the wicked: Prov. Ala; 22-24. %. A
companion Of fools shall be destroyed:
Prov. 1920. Be yet not ~unequally yoked
together, etc.: 2 Cor. 6:14-1S. Be not par
takers of her sins, that we receive not Oh
her plaques: Rev. 1874.
Consider the moral problems at issue,
the arguments, the dangers, the results.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
Two I~mperfections in Abraham's
Faith and Life.-Abraham was still In
process of making. He had not yet
attained. He made two errors.
1. To escape a famine, which he
might have escaped by going to an
| other part of Canaan, he left the
| Promised Land and went down into
Egypt, which had already attained
a high civilization, full Of h~eathenism,
worldliness and luxury, which has e
great fascination and charm to one
who first enters it's enchanted circles,
especially when, as was the case IN
Egypt, there were many good precepts
in it's religion. This environment, the
moral malaria Of educated and bril-
| liant worldliness, doubtless made him
more susceptible tt the next tempta-
ton.
2. In Egypt he felt in danger of his
life, because his wife was very beauti-
| full. He feared that the Pharaoh would
kill him in order to obtain her
for his harem. o were his
fears groundless. Possibly" says
Prof. Dods, "he may have heard
the ugly story which has re
Gently been deciphered from an old
| papyrus, and which tells how n Of
the P%haraohs, acting on the advice of
his princes, sent armed men to fetch
a beautiful and make away
with her husband" To escape this
| danger he told a lie which was a for
NAL truth, that Sarah was his sister,
for she was his half-sister.
Lots Imperfections.-Lot was a good
man at heart. We are told In 2 Peter
that righteous Lot" was :sore dis
| tressed" by the lascivious life of the
| wicked, For the righteous man dwell
ing among them, in seeing and hear
| ing, vexed his righteous soul from day
to day with their lawless deeds" e
Pet. 2: Z, 81.
But Lots life and character were on
a much lower level than Abraham's.
| He was repealed by the gross wicked
ness of Sodom, but the less obtrusive
sins of the heart were not so repul-
sive to him
Lessons About Family Quarrels.-
"a There is special danger of quar-
rels In the family and among kindred,
and in earnest churches where there
are strong belief and active work, be-
| cause there are SO many conflicting in
terests among them. Those with moth
ing in common may be an hundred
| times worse in character, but their
| evil deeds will not take the form of
| strife. (2) Quarrels almost always
| begin IL little things. Very often they
| arise from the distribution of prop
| erty. There is always trouble about
| money, or without money" 90 Fam
lily strife is an exceeding great evil
to all concerned. "a 1t is a great in
jury to the community and to religion
when these strifes arise among church
members. For, as DR.. Parker says,
"The Canaanite and Perizzite are still
in the land" 60 Stop every such
quarrel in the beginning, before a
| match's flame becomes a burning city,
or a little leak a devastating flood.
60 Trials, like that described in this
| lesson, both reveal character and de-
| velop it, as the fire reveals the dross
in the gold and p%urifies from it.
Abraham's BrotherIy Love.-O 1t
was a most unselish act, ~renouncing
his own interests in favor of his
| friend. (2) 1t was a giving up of his
| rights. Abraham had the first right
to the land. 1t was promised to him
| and not to Lot. Then he was the elder
and the richer Of the two. Lot had
accompanied him, not he Lot. 90 1t
was an act of faith; for it seemed to
be giving up to others, for the sake
| of peace, the land promised to him
self.
Practical Points.
Selfshness is the climate in which
every wrong, every bitter plant -four
ishes.
Christians in the world are like
| ships in the ocean, safe so long as the
ocean is not in the ship. But when
the world is in our hearts, and we