The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-05-11
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON

second Quarter, Lesson vi. Genesi,
XIV, LIS, 1, 1874 May IL, 1907.
Joseph Forgives His Brothers.


second Quarter. Lesson vi. Genesis
XIV, LIS, 1, 1874 May IL. 1907.
Joseph Forxives His Brothers.
An ancient inscription describes a
certain prime minister as "the eyes of
Pharaoh In the North and his ears I'M
the South" 1t Is not an unlikely de-
scription of Joseph himself. Twice
he Is said to have gone through all the
land of Egypt. He was as devoted
to the interests of his sovereign as
Daniel was in Babylon. Immersed
as he was In the affairs of administra-
ton in the crisis hour of a vast en-
pire, he lacked not the honors of state
or the amenities of home. He lived
in the supurb CITY of the Sun, near
the apex Of the Nile Delta. He wore
linen vesture worth its weight in
gold, and Pharaoh's own signet flashed
from his finger. The fetter of his
slayeedays, transmitted to a golden
ornament hung about his neck. A
famed Egyptian chariot of embossed
brass stood at the portal of his palace.
A virtuous and noble woman, prob
ably an heiress to a vast landed estate,
swayed her queeniy scepter over
Joseph's palatial home. Two sons
with significant names graced his
table. Manasseh served to remind
him that the poignancy of his servi-
tude, and the grief of separation from
his fathers house, was gone. Ana
Ephraim suggested constantly the
abundant blessing of Providence.
We can scarcely believe that such
a high civilization as that of Egypt
the principle of bureaucracy did not
maintain; and that as in Bedouin
tribe, all suppliants were brought at
once to the chief, so all the famine
stricken suppliants were brought
Immediately to the presence of the
prime minister of the realm. This
case was probably exceptional. May
mot the suspicion that they were dis
guised emissaries of some hostile ma
ton have led to the innovation
Joseph's quick wit was relied upon to
detect them IL they were spies.
Twenty-Five years. and the brotn-
er's paths, which diverged at the pit
in Dothan, converge again in the pal
ace of On; years for Joseph SO crowd
ed with startling transitions as to
make the artless narrative tas en- sts
beyond comparison: years Tor ms
RS, let us hope, of moral i'm
yement. though their great crime
emafned unconfessed and unatoned
for.
The guilty brothers may have fur
lively scanned the faces of such do
nestle slaves as they might chance to
meet, with SInaif expSSldtiol "a ASNOS
MIXING in some mental their rejected
brother. But they looked squarely at
this mighty prince, with his Egyptian
name and retinue, without the slightest
suspicion that he was their kinsman
He was completely metamorphosed.
But they were the same rude Bedouins,
still in shepherd garb, speaking their
mother tongue, and only slightly griz-
zled by lapse of years.
Joseph knew his brothers at sight;
but not in vain had he passed through
his long series of trying situations.
HIS composure was admirable He
was every inch a diplomatist. He
would know their disposition toward
himself. He would put them mi such
situations as to stir UP their COM
Functions. He would have them at his
| feet before he disclosed himself So
| he continued to use an interpreter, ana
made no sign of understanding the
conversation -thsy had among them
| selves.
Joseph's bearings toward his
brothers, and the VICIOUS expedients
he used, were we'll calculated to re-
veal their hearts and excite contrition.
He made himself strange toward them,
and spoke roughly. He taxed them
with being spies. At once they knew
themselves to be as utterly In the
power of this ruthless prince as their
pleading brother had been In theirs a