The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1907-02-12
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON WI, FIRST QUARTER, iNTERNA-
TlcNAL SERIES, FEB. ~.
Text of the Lesson, Gen. kill. 1-13.
Memory Verses, s, O-GoIden Text,
luke vii. 15--Commentary Prepared
BY Rev. ID. NJ. stearns.

luke xii, documentary Prepared
by Rev. ID. NJ. stearns.
copyright, 1907, by American Press Associaton.l
We have but one lesson assigned us
in the two chapters Kill and xiv, but
we must endcavor to get an idea Of the
contents of the two. Last week we left
Abram in bad way, wandering from
God, fearing he might be killed, en-
couraglng a lie and being reproyed by
a heather king. How blessed 1t Is that
though we forget Him and wander
away still lie doth love us wherever
we stray, and when we turn back to
Him ashamed of our wanderIngs He is
always ready to receive us. John vi, 81,
stands ever true for sinner or saint,
"IIim that cometh to me | will i'm no
wise cast out" The lesson today opens
with Abram returning to God and to
the name of the Lord. II through
temptation we ever wander from God,
let us quickly return. for IL we confess
our sins He Is faithful and just TO for
give us our sins, because OF our adyO-
cate Il John /. o: II, II. He who taught
us to forgive seventy times seven prac-
tices the same Himself. and what a
wonder IL is that He so watches over
His wandering children that II any one
dares 70 touch them lie at once stands
q II. L 4.
Abram and Lot have now grown so
rich that Ii Is impossible for them to
dwell together. and when Abram saw
that his her,lmen and those OF Lot
were at strife in the presence Of the
inhabitants OF the land he said that II
must not be, but that they must peace
ably separate. so he gave Lot his
choice Of all the land and said that he
would take what Lot did not choose
How this must have exalted Abram.
but specially the God OF AbrHm. In the
eyes of the heather. and that II the
one thing the children OF God are on
earth for, TO magnify the name OF the
Lord. that lie may be known.
Lot did not know God as his uncle
Abram did. but was more apt 10 think
OF himself and his own welfare. so he
took advantage Of his uncle's offer,
probably with great alacrlty. and was
soon settling himself In the cities OF
the plain toward Sodom. not seeming
20 consider the wickedness Of the peo.
pie. OF SodlOm, though he doubtless
knew II lverses ~. 49,. Lot lifted up
his eyes. Ike so many now. Just high
enough to see something which appear
ed 20 he 10 his advantage. regardless
Of what God had to say about II. We
do not read Of Lot building an altar or
calling on the name Of the Lord.
This separation Of Lot from Abram
tyerse III was a good thing for Abram
and his servants. but IL was n bad day
for Lot when he went away from
Abram. There are those who. being so
weak 10 themselves and not knowing
how 20 lean upon God. seem specially
20 need some godly person ever near
them 10 counsel them and keep their
eyes upon tie Lord. Blessed are all
who aTc willing 10 be separated from
all that Is not Of God that they may
live as near 10 Him as possible and
walk humbiy with Him. Nothing sepa.
rates from the world like the conscious
and cmioyed presence ~ God. for 80
Moses believed and taught and David
also tEx. xXxili. 10: II sam. vii. %. 81.
md the Spirit. through Paul. empha.
sizes the same great truth III Cor. vi.
~. Isl On the other hand. as we
choose the world and the qualification
OF self. we lose that fellowship With
God which f. our high privilege. One
or the other We are choosing always,
aud rs you read this viii you not lift
np your heart and say 90 Him who
reads tho heart with Ills eyes N a
fiame of fire searching every part.
-Ior1. what dost Thou see my heart
choosing aud longing forT'
To stop at verse II wDnld be- 20 miss
d most Important part of the lesson. for
.nfter Ahram had humbIci himself aud
given Lot t'3o first choice. instead Of
Att8AHt85## "tt sttf EttsHAM t8@ Altt Que WHOM
God bad rallied and 10 sshOm lie had
given The Iaad. then the Lord said to
Alrnm. "t.lft n.y. now thine eyes" and.
commanding him to view tho whole
land. reasvurcd him that Il was all
given to him md - his seed. which
would BIZ az numerous ~ the dust Of
The earth. forever Cli.fn. Abram
might justly have Insisted that Lot bad
no say In this. that MI his wealth aud
worc due - being with his
uncle aud that he must make his men
behave Themselves ar else get away
back ~ Tfaran 0r somewhere Clse. To.
day tho head of The concern would BE-
apt 10 make The other man 60 under.
Contrast Lot going down into The
world and is sinfulmess FOR the sake
81 gain and Abram going still farther
away up n Hebron. which signifies
Fellowship. aud building his altar unto
The Lord tverse -. 10 Lot Il Is first
business, getting on In the world: but
10 Ahram IL IL "hrst the Lord and Ills
righteousness"
In MI titu story II Iot we must re-.
member That II II written ~ him. ''thnt
righteous man. IN Pet. u. 81. other.
wise us We read u him and his dolngs
typ will hardly fbiut FHnt tta .,soa Ygsti.I