The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-02-28
Abraham Pleading For Sodom.


afar: for his vast flocks and herds
required an army of attendants.
Under the crimson folds of the
sheik's pavilion, on her rich divan,
the venerable Princess Sarah re-
clined, while at its silked portico
the centenarian Abraham rested in
the heat of the day. Perhaps he
was indulging in the pleasures Of
memory, and was back again in
thought on the banks of the Eu-
phrates-now al Ur, where God
first called him; or at Charran 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 won
dering when the blissful promise,
of which he was heir, should be
fulfilled. His reverie was
suddenly broken by the approach
of strangers. At once there was
sensation in camp. The monotony
incident to PASTORAL life was brok.
en- by its chief and most welcome
diversion, the arrival of 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 or peaceful arts
of commerce and architecture.
We have an analogy to it in mod
ern times in the welcome arrival
of the pioneer preacher at CLEAR
ing" in log-cabin days, He
brought more than theology i'll his
saddle-bags. Literature
does not contain a more naive and
fascinating bit of Oriental life.
We fairly see the patriarch run
ming to greet his guests with pro-
fuse Eastern salutations-adroitly
making himself their debtor in
that they allow him to entertain
them; courteously discounting in
advance what he proffer them, "a
little water, - "a morsel of bread.
In an incredibly short space Of
time the appetizing meal is spread
"a roast of veal, with butter and
milk and delicious cakes baked by
Sarah's own deft hand-and Abra-
ham stands to serve.
From the very first Abraham may
have had an inkling OF the super
natural character of his visitors.
The hour of their arrival was so
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 Lord and
his two attendant angels. :.
They were bearers of a blessing
and curse. A blessing to righte-
Gus Abraham-the blissful assur-
ance that the long delayed advent
of His promised son was near at
hand. Here is glimpse at the
ministry of the holy angels. These
two were possibly rewarded for
fidelity by being allowed to see
Abraham's face when the good
news was broken to him. And if
angels attended the Lord on this
errand, why may they not be 60
ing with him on others, or going
for him? While Abra-
ham, with courtly hospitality and
grace, was going pace with de-
parting guests, the Lord revealed
the curse to him. Excess of ioy
over the blessing was tempered by
grief over the impending curse,
and vice versa. 1t was natural
God should tell Abraham Of what
would befall Sodom. Proximity
would suggest it. Then, too, the
patriarch had fought for the Sod
omites, and his nephew dwelt
among them. But this
vitality important information
would never have been given to
any human being of less exalted
character than the patriarch pos
sessed. This is the plain infer