The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-06-05
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
MENTS FOR MAY .12 BY THE
REV. I. w. HENDERSON.
Subject: Joseph Forgives His Broth
ers, Gen. 45:1.15, 5O:15-21-
Golden Text, Eph. 4:32-Mem.

Subject: joseph Ills DroiiF
ers, Gen. 45:1.15, 50:15-21-
Golden Text, Eph. 4:32-Mem.
DRY Verses, 4, S.
In all the range of literature there
is no single story, save that which re-
lates the incompatible deeds of ouI
Lord and Saviour, which surpasses
the story Of the life and the deeds OF
Joseph. 1t has it's peers, perhaps. II
has no superiors. 1t is so very hui
man, so entirely probable, so reals
tic that it compels attention and slim
ulates our thought.
This is the fourth and the last les
son upon the life of Joseph. We find
him a dreamer in the first lesson,
boyishly egotistical, perhaps, before
his brethren. We leave him a man OF
maturity, of noble qualities, a man Of
delightful magnanimity, Of abiding
affection, of forgiveness.
The magnanimity of JOSEPH
throughout his life is an inspiration
1t is v more inspiring than In
those days when In the midst of dire
famine and distress his brethren
come to him for aid and succor. He
might have been vindictive. He
might have wreaked vengeance upon
them in r%etribution for the unholy
manner and unbrotherly fashion in
which they had treated him in the
days when they were at home to-
gether. He might have killed them
all and none would have been the
wiser save God that he was a fratri-
eide. But Joseph did none OF these
things. The sight of his brethren
evidently aroused the finest instincts
of his nature. All the goodness Of
his character shines forth as he re-
members not so much that they had
sold him into slavery as that they are
his brethren. To be sure we notice
that the more human side of his
makeup also has rein in this sttua-
ton. He cannot refrain from testing
his brethren in purely human. fashion
before he lets them into the secret of
his identity. But in all his dealings
we find that the hardness Is only ap-
parent, the sternpess is only super
fetal. In his heart Of hearts Joseph
is inclined to be lenient. He has no
desire utterly to humiliate his
brethren. His great-heartedness Is
akin to the magnanimity Of Jehovah.
Another characteristic that the les
son p~ointedly sets forth Is the abid-
ing affection Of Joseph for the friends,
of his youth, for ven the unworthiest
of his own brethren, for BENJAMIN,
child of the same beloved mother as
himself, for Jacob his father. Busy
man and ruler of a nation that he
was Joseph never forgot the days OF
his youth, those who were near and
dear to him by the ties of, relation
ship. The cry Of distress Of the
brethren who had SO cruelty sent him.
as they thought, to death, fell upon
a responsive ear. He did not shut
up his heart against them. Love for
his own kin declares itself markedly
in his treatment of his brethren. His
heart yearns toward Jacob and Ben
jamin. And the closer the tie OF re-
lationship the warmer the affection.
His first call is for the father who
had so delighted in him. The second
Is for the brother whose soul, was
knit to his own by the blood and the
spirit of the common mother. This
shows forth in his conversation and
his gifts. For every portion that he
gives to the unworthy brethren he
gives Benjamin five. Possessing the
renewed companionship Of his
humbled brethren he rests not until
he has Benjamin and Jacob near his
side. His affection Is abiding.
A third commendable characteris-
tic of his dealing with his brethren Is
his forgiveness. 1t marks him as in.
deed a man of God. Many men in his
position would have been proud,
naughty, unyielding, unrelenting.
Many men would have evened things
up. Many would have utilized the
opportunity to wipe off old cor
The baser nature Of many a man
would have dominated at such a
crisis. The temptation for many
would have been to take as a motto
not ITO err is human, to forgive dl.
vine" but, "He who laughs last
laughs best" But Joseph was a man
Of God. He saw in the denouement
the u~nravelling of the mystery of the
vision God had given him In hts
youth; he saw the .fulfllment Of his
dreams. This was not a situation
wrought by man, it was the handl.
work Of God. Before the leadings OF
Jehovah jealousy, rancor, spleen, vim.
dictiveness were discounted and dis.
countenanced. This was the Toppor.
tunity of a great man to test and re.
veal his greatness. And Joseph acted
after the similitude of God. The
prayer for forgiveness presented by
his brethren was heard and ahrma-
lively answered.
These qualities that the lesson dis.
covers to US in the life of Joseph are
qualities that we ought to have indl.
vidually. The lesson will be OF no
value whatsoever unless it impresses
each of US for himself. 1t will be
useless unless we feel the impact OF
the application in our W lives.
Magnasimity is one Of the things that
many otherwise good people lack.
They are good at heart, but they are
not great-hearted. No man can be
magnanimous and be small. Like
wise no man can be magnanimous
who does not consider life in the light
of eternity and without having his
horizon broadened, his interests en-
larged. his vision deepened. So is it
with abiding affection. 1t is no credit
to a mar that he easily forgets the
old associations, the earlier compan-
ionships of his life. But best OF all
is the capacity to forgive. That is
divine. Goodness will manifest it
yelf in q forgiyipg spirit.