The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1907-05-07
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
BfENTS FOR MAY IL BY THE
REV. 1. w. HENDERSON.
Subject: Joseph Forgives His Broth>
ers, Gen. 45:1-15, 5O:15-21---
Golden Text, Eph. 4:S2-Mem-

Golden Text. Ephs 4:S2-Mem-.
DRY Verses, 4, 5.
In all the range of literature there
4 is no single story, save that which rel
lates the Incompatible deeds of our
Lord and Saviour, which surpasseS
| the story of the life and the deeds of
| Joseph. 1t has its peers, perhaps. 1t
! has no superiors. 1t is so very hu-
man, so entirely probable, SO realis-
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 dreamer in the first lesson
boyishly egotistical, perhaps, before
his brethren. We leave him man Of
maturity, of noble qualities, man OF
| delightful magnanimity, of abiding
affection, of forgiveness.
The magnanimity of Joseph
throughout his life is an inspiration.
| 1t is never 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 yindictive. He
| might have wreaked vengeance upon
them in retribution for the unholy
manner and unbrotherly fashion in
| 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 situa--
| ton. He cannot refrain from testing
| his brethren in purely human fashion
| before he lets them into the secret of
| his ideEtity. But in all his dealings
we find that the hardness is only APP
parent, the sternness 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 is,
| akin to the magnanimity of Jehovah.
Another characteristic that the les
| son pointedly sets forth is the abid-.
| ing affection of Joseph for the friends.
of his youth, for even the unwortAiest.
of his own brethren, for Benjamin,
himself, for Jacob his father. Busy
man and ruler of nation that he.
was Joseph never forgot the days CT
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
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 Characters
tic of his dealing with his brethren is
! his forgiveness. 1t marks him as in
| deed 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 scores.
| The baser nature of many man,
would have dominated at such
| crisis The temptation for many
would have been to take as motto
not ITO err is human, to forgive di.
| vine," but, HE who laughs last
| laughs best" But Joseph was man
of God. He saw in the denouement
the unravelling of the mystery of the.
! vision God had given him in his
youth; he saw the fulfillment of his
dreams. This was not a situation
wrought by man, it was the handis
work of God. Before the headings OF
| Jehovah jealousy, rancor, spleen, vim
dictiveness were discounted and dis
| countenanced. This was the oppor-
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 affirma-
! lively answered.
These qualities that the lesson dis
covers to us in the life of Joseph are.
| qualities that we ought to have indi-
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 own lives
Magnanimity 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 man 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.
| self in forgiving spirit.