The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-02
The International
Sunday-School Lesson
First Quarter. Lesson IX. Genesis
xviii. 1898. March 8, 1907.
Abraham pleading for sodon,.

Abraham Pleading for SOd0nl.
Under the grateful shade of the oaks
of Mamre the patriarch's camp was
pitched. 1t stretched atar; for his vast
flocks and herds required an army of
attendants. Under the crimson folds
OF the sheiks pavilion. on her rich
divan. the venerable Princess Sarah
reclined. while at Its silken portico
the centenarian Abraham rested In the
heat of the day. Perhaps he was in
dulging in the pleasures of memory,
and was back again in thought to the
banks of the Euphrates-now at Ur,
where God first called him; or at Char
ran and his fathers grave; or perhaps
he was treading once more the banks
of the Euphrates's great rival. the
Nile: or he was looking down the long
vista of the future. and wondering
when the blissfu promises, OF which
he was heir. should be fulfilled. ''-
Ills revcrie was suddenly broken by
the approach of strangers. at once
there was Va sensation in camp. The
mono tony incident to pastoral life was
broken by it's chief and most welcome
diversion, the arrival of a passing
! traveller. In that age, before post and
! newspaper, this was the chief means
| of communication with the outside
world. This was how the nomadic
tribes heard Of the rise and fall of
monarchies and kingly projects in war
VI pedCcAul dAlS VI SOAlAi1CA ~ civ q
/ chitecture.
We have an analogy to 1t in modern
times in the welcome arrival of the
pioneer preacher at a clearing in
log cabin days. He brought more than
theology in his saddle bags.
Literature does not contain more
naive and fascinating bit of Oriental
!. life. We fairly see the patriarch run
!! ming to greet his guests with protuse
| Eastern salutations-adroitly making
| hi hat, n
him to entertain them; courteously dis
counting in advance what he proners
/ them. "a little water. morsel OF
bread" In an Incredibly short space
Of time the appetizing meal Is spread,
i a roast Of veal with butter and milk
and delicious cakes baked by Sarah,s
def From the ver sein rst
Abraham may have had an linking OF
the supernatural character OF his visi-
tors. The hour of their arrival was so
Il unusual; no one travels in the East IN
the heat of the day. But. whether the
\ host suspected it or not, the guests
soon cast off all DISCUSSES and Abraham
knew that he was entertaining the
They were bearers of n bless
ing and of q curse. A blessing 70
righteous Abraham-the blissful as
surance that the long delayed advent
of his promised son was near at hand
Here is a glimpse at the ministry OF
the holy angels. These two were, pos
!; stbly rewarded for fidelity by being
allowed to see Abraham's face when
the good news was broken to him
!, And II angels attended the Lord on this
errand. why may they not be going with
him on Others, or going for him:
While Abraham, with courtly
, hospitality and grace, was going pace
t with his departing guests, the LORD re-
, vealed the curse to him. Excess OF Joy
over the blessing was tempered by
grief over the impending curse, and
Vice versa. 1t was natural God shoulG
tell Abraham of what would betal
Sodom Proximity would SUGGEST II.
Then, too. the patriarch had tough
for the Sodomites, and his nephew
dwelt among them. But thu
never have been given to any human
being Of less exalted character thal
the patriarch possessed. This is II,
nlain Inference from the words witt
Which the revelation is prcfaccd Th
very fact that he was worthy TO D.
chosen the progenitor of the chosel
race signned that he was worthy t
included the less. "Why, indeed. shoul'
the thing he hidden?" BY this yer!
act Of confidence the Lord lifted Abra
ham. az he intended to, from the plan
Of servitude to that Of friendship. I'll
servant knoweth not what his l4or
/. doeth, but tho friend does.
the Lord had assumed human Form
SO He also accommodated Himself t
q the fashion of human speech and de
+ scribed Himself as on the way to max
i q personal Investigation OF the wicked
- ness of Sodom--to see whether tn
: reality of it was as great as the fam
" OF it--and thus qualify Himself to pas
!, judicial sentence, al OF which wa
u OF tho nature OF anthropomorphism,
IL trio StarteH n