The Tupelo journal., 1911-09-01

for that righteous man dweliin9 among
them vexed his righteous soul day TO
g. s:y with their Unlawful deeds Peter
These words bring before us the
story of a man who was anxious to be
rich. Let us recall the story and see
what his overpowering desires for
riches led him into. Lot was asso-
ciated with Abraham from the first
move from Ur of the Chaldees. With
Abraham he tarried at Haran, and
went down into Egypt, and returned
from Egypt. But to be perfectly fair.
Lot should be considered apart from
Abraham. A face hat is comedy may
suffer by comparison with n thai Is
beautiful. So the character OF Lot sur
fers by comparison with Abraham,
and we will take him by himself. That
he was a just man we have on the au-
thority of the New Testament.
Crises do not make character, they
only reveal it. A crisis came in the
affairs of Lot. He and Abraham had
grown to such wealth in flocks that
they could no longer dwell together.
So Abraham took him upon a high
eminence and told him to choose any
locality where he wished to dwell.
And here it Is that Lots character is
brought out In its true colors. he
thinks he has the chance Of his life.
No consideration of Abraham enters
his mind. He gets where he a look
over the land, and then he chooses.
What did he choose?
Then Lot chose him all the plain
of Jordan and Lot journeyed east: and
they separated themselves one from
the other. Abraham dwelled In the
land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled IN
the cities Of the plain. and pitched his
tent toward Sodom."
He chose the ~well-watered plain In
the valley of the Jordan because 1t
was rich and like Egypt. He had
never forgotten Egypt. with Its great
cities and wealth, out Of his heart. He
saw that in the plain were cities. cen
tiers of commerce.. where men were
making money fast. The only con-
sideration that entered his mind was
his own personal advantage.
You notice that 1t said that Lot
pitched his tent toward Sodom. Why
not within Sodom?" Because he knew
perfectly well that Sodom was a wick
ed city, that the people of that city
dishonored the God whom he wished
to serve. So he did not feel right
about going into the city, but ne
would get near 1t for the material ad-
vantage 1t would mean to him.
But let us see what happened. In
the fourteenth chapter of Genesis we
read that Lot Is living in the city. and
he has become an important man
Lot sat in the gate" He had become
a chief magistrate. an administrator
of Justice, and one who extended the
hospitality of the city to strangers
What a wonderful case or success
Was he not right that day he made
his choice? Try him by the business
standards of today. Look at Abraham
He Is still pitching his tents up ano
down the hills and valleys. and thai
is all he has amounted to.
But let us not be hasty In u eulo
gy Let us get all the facts. Lot hae
become wealthy, and he had position
but what had It all done for him? A
ray Of light Is thrown on the story
by our New Testament. We learr
that Lot "vexed his righteous SOU
from day to day" Is that a condition
to live In! He was living among PEG
pie who did not observe common de
cency. But you know. all his propert.
was there, and he could not get away
When men were saying, How wei
Lot is getting along" he never hat
an hours peace.
But what had Lots wealth and sue
cess done for his children? Would no
they be well brought up and well pro
yided for? You know the awful stor.
of corruption and sin that came out o
that life. One evening two angel
came and warned Lot OF the doom
that was coming upon the city:
And the men said unto Lot. Has
thou here any besides? Sons-in-law
and thy sons. and thy daughters. am
whatsoever thou hast In tho city
bring them out of this place: for W
will destroy this place. because tn
cry Of them is waxen great before tn
face of the Lord; and the Lord nat
sent us to destroy 1t. And Lot wen
out, and spake unto his s~ons-tn-la~
which married his daughters. an
said, UP, get you out Of this place
for the Lord will destroy this city
But he seemed az m that mocke
unto his sons-in-law."
That shows the influence ne ha
over his family. Next morning whe
he fed the city, only his wife an
two daughters accompanied him.
Let me point out just one lesson
this story. There is success that end
IN failure. Man can do a great des
without God. You may acquire weait
and position without God, and me
may flatter you. But after all. viii
good is 1t? There will be no peac
Of mind. no abiding happiness. an
your wealth and power will e a
complish any good purpose. It
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