The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-05-04
INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL
 LESSON
Second Quarter. Lesson V. Genesl
 xii, Ss-4e. May z, 1907.


 JOSEPH THE WISE RULER IN EGYPT
 The transition from winter to spring seems sudden. In the breifest possible time the whole bosom of nature will be garlanded with green. But the con- ditions which make this lovely phe- nomenon possible have been slowly forming in natures secret laboratory Could we peer into the mystic foun- tains whence the crude sap and the nutritious juices have been rising for weeks past, we should not say that spring has a sudden coming.
 From prison-cell to throne-room Is a startling, abrupt transition. But real ly Joseph had paved every step of the way, and 1t had taken him thirteen years to do 1t. He had gotten the hon. ey out of the eater by submitting to christening providences. He worked out his own salvation with fear and trembling. At the same time, God was working through him those beneficient purposes which have always been HIS pleasure. He intended to Bless Joseph and make him a blessing. And Joseph, by his patience. industry, and piety put himself in the way of getting and being a blessing.
 Joseph's, experiences were trying in the extreme: To be torn away from home and kindred; just when he thought himself prince, to ind him self slave; after ten years of faith full service, to suddenly and most un- justly lose the confidence of his mas ter; to stand charged with an odious crime, with no chance of proving in- nocence. It looked to Joseph as If he had travelled the wide circle of sorrow to find himself in the pit once more from which there was the least pos sible Likelihood of his ever being lib- erated. Leave all hope behind. who enter here" might well be inscribed on demitohn dungeon of Egypt. David says they hurt Joseph's feet with fet- ters, and laid him in iron. And Ste- phen joins Amos in speaking patheti- cally of the 'affiictions of Joseph" How the tempter must have gibed him! "A pretty fulfillment this, of all his brilliant dreams" It was enough to make heart and flesh fail. The average man would have given up to inanity-would have become a spirit | less drudge. But Joseph was quite more than an average man. His for | titude and faith shine brightly against | the dark background of Egyptian slay- cry and imprisonment.
 The young Hebrew made the very best of his circumstances. He acquired the language, observed the manners and customs, detected the defects in public adminitration as no native would have been apt to have done. He man aged the considerable estates of Poti- phar with such fidelity as to prepare him to administer well the vast empire of Pharaoh. And when his evviron- ment narrowed down to prison walls, | he availed himself of his enforced se- cIusion to reflect upon what he had ob- ! served He kept himself unpolluted by 1 the vices incident to prison life. Like a swan, he sailed down the corridors reekfng with moral filth. and kept him. | self unsulhed.
 Wherefore God highly exalted him, l and gave him a name above every name of his age. We say God did 1t; | and we have just said Joseph did 1t. Paradoxical, but true! There is no | clearer example of the cooperation of | the Divine and human. Joseph worked | and God worked. The result was, the prisoner was metamorphosed into the | prince.
 Anasysis and Key. 1. ExaItation of Joseph. Sudden in appearance only. Thirteen years of preparation. 2. Joseph's bitter experiences.
 Exile. Slavery. Charged with crime. Imprisonment.
 8. Joseph's fortitude and faith.
 Reflection in seciuston.
 4. From Prison to Palace.
 Prisoner turned into Prince.