The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1911-09-07

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-
ctated 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 that is cOmely may
suffer by comparison with one that is
beautiful So the character of Lot suf-
fers by comparison with Abraham,
and We will take him by himself. That
he was 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 ia
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 can look
over the land, and then he chooses.
What did he choose?
Then Lot chose him all the plain
or Jordan and Lot joWneyed 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 wellwatered plain in
the valley of the Jordan because it
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
ters OF commerce. where men were
making money fast The only con
sideratiOn that entered his mind was
his own personal advantage
You notice that it said that Lot
pitched his tent toward SOdom Why
not within Sodom?" Because he knew
perfectly we'll that SOd0m was 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 he
would get near it for the material ad-
vantage it would mean to him
But let MS see what hammered in
the fourteenth cbaDtor Of Genesis. We
read that Lot is living in the CITY and
he has become an imnortant 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 wonderful case or success.
Was he not right that dav he made
his choice? Try him by the business
standards of today Look at Abraham.
He is still pitching his tents UP and
down the hills and valleys. and that
is all he has amounted to.
But let us not be hasty in our eulo-
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 learn
that Lot "vexed his righteous soul
from day to day" Is that a condition
to live in? He was living among PEG
Pile who did not observe common de.
cency. But you know. all his property
was there and he could nor get away.
When men were saying, How we'll
Lot is getting along" he never had
an hours peace.
But what had Lots wealth and sue
cess done for his children? Would not
they be well brought up and well pro-
vided for? You know the awful story
of corruption and sin that came out of
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 Hast
thou here any besides Sons-in-law
and thy sons. and thv daughters, and
whatsoever thou hast in the civ
bring them ous of this Mace. for We
will destroy this Mace hecausa tho
crv of them is waxen great before the
face of the Lord. and the Lord nath
sent nc IN dastroo # And l. t wont