Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-02-27
In The Religious World;
(REvIEw SUNDAY SCHOOL LEssoN)

In his tent door under the oak Of
Mamre, the news Of the catastrophe
at Sodom, he was quick to take &C
ton. He gathered his own three
hundred fighting men together, and
with two neighboring allies whose
friendship he had won, started in
pursuit of the three kings. ~
Over the full length of the land
we call Palestine he chased them,
until up In the region Of Dan, north
of Damascus, he came upon them
and smote them to a complete defeat
The attack was surprise and the
victors were caught unawares.
Abraham and his forces not only de-
feated the army homeward bound
with Its spoil, but they recovered tho
prisoners and the loot that had been
taken from the cities of the plain,
and bore 1t all back to its rightful
owners. Jealous ever for his per.
sonal liberty, Abraham refused to
take any share of the spoil. lest one
Of the kings Of the plains should say,
II have made Abraham rich"
1t was on the homeward Journey
after this notable battle that Abra-
ham met Melchizedeck at the ancient
fortress of Salem, which we now
know as Jerusalem. We know little
about this mysterious figure, except
that he was a priest of the God most
high, and to him Abraham rendered
tenth of his spoil as a religious Of
fering. ...
After the Battle.
Depression. follows fast on the
heels Of achievement. The man who
has made great speech or done a
high deed is likely to suffer cor
responding reaction. Blue Monday
for the preacher is bluest after he
has done the greatest service Thus
we find the triumphant Abraham
back In his own home at Hebron,
lonely and discouraged. To him came
the word Of the Most High, Fear
not, Abraham, I am thy shield and
thy exceeding great reward"
There was no need Of the spells Of
Sodom for that man; and no need OF
alliances with the armies Of the plain.
He had God for his helper and God
for his satisfaction. The confidence
that his times were in Jehovah's
hand was better than any league
with mighty fighters. In his de-
preston he was heartened by the
promise Of the protection and pres
ence of Jehovah
The orientaPs Great Desire.
It is surprising and bit tragic,
to learn, as those who see into the
intimate depths Of the character Of
their friends do learn, the number
of men and women whose deepest
sorrow Is that they have no children.
They do not herald this abroad and
often are misunderstood by the CON-
munity. Bravely they put on a
cheerful face and try to content
themselves with automobiles and
travel and work and whatever inter-
est and diversion comes to their hand.
But the truth is, there never was a
normal woman or man who did not
covet children. .@. ......
In the east there is an openly avow-
ed passion. The proper wish for the
bride at her wedding day is null
titude of sons. The friendly saluta-
ton of the wayside is wish for pos.
terity. Childishness is counted the
worst form OF desolation The pic
ture of Hannah in anguish in the
tabernacle fairly represents host Of
oriental women. There is no non
Christian land which has not its
popular shrines, devoted to the
prayers Of those who long for chill.
dren. Abraham's sorrow of sor-
rows was that he had no son. All
that Jehovah might offer him seemed
but little as he faced a childless
grave. Hear the sob In his words as
~
wilt thou give me seeing l go child
less, and he that shall be possessor
of my house is Eliezer of Damascus"
Then came the promise which, ike
many gifts Of God, was so great and
overwhelming as to be incredible.
For definitely and in terms, Jehovah
covenanted with Abraham that he
should have a son. He babe him
Look now toward heaven, and num-
Der the stars, if thou be able to
number them; and he said unto him,
So shall thy seed be. And he be-
lieved in Jehovah; and he reckoned
it to him for righteousness" BY his
own great name, and by his past pro-
lection and providence, Jehovah
pledged himself that the offspring OF
Abraham should be like the stars OF
the heaven. E.
Tire Old Promise-The Present War.
Then was performed the right of
the blood covenant. AS instructed,
Abraham took three year old
heifer, three year old she goat, a
three year old ram, and a turtle
dove and a young pigeon, and di.
viding these beasts asunder, he laid
each half over against the other half,
in the familiar rite Of the blood
covenant. While he watched over
them a smoking furnace and flaming
torch passed between the several
pieces and he fell into deep sleep
and again, and with application,
the covenant was renewed, and to
Abraham it was promised that after
period of bondage his descendants
should return and possess the land.
One must step softly in dealing
with prophecy. But it is significant
that in this, our own day, there is a
worldwide movement for the return
of the children of Abraham to their
patrimony. Perhaps as many as q
hundred thousand Jews are now In
Palestine. The outcome Of the pres
| >n4 r,,, r,;+L T,r1xo, will rr0ha h1V