Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-03

umphed by his prompt and positive re-
fusal Of the temptation to sin. Loyalty
to God and his master, who. having oo-
served how 1.-The Lord was with Jo-
seph" and prospered him. had promoted
him In the course Of time from being
q mere slave to be steward OF his house.
hold and superintendent Of all his az
fairs, enabled Joseph to overcome the
peculiar temptation that promised pleas
ure prestige and power such as ne
dreamed would be his as lad.
without Investigating the truth of the
false charge. Potiphar imprisoned Joseph
in the state prison in what the Scrip
lures correctly call hole. He en-
dured the sufferings in silence, refusing
to incriminate the guilty person or even
to protect himself from the false charge
and secure his freedom, while the iron
entered into his soul amidst the dun
geon's darkness. The passage from pow
er to prison did not undo the man, who
continued to resist all Infectious inf1u-
ences and preserve himself from a NOR
bid attitude toward life. because Jehovah
was with Joseph. melting kindness to-
ward him in the severity OF his suf-
feringS.
X
Severity of Suffering.
Few OF us can understand the extent
Of Joseph's trials. although the scrip
tural references show that it was severe,
not only physically. but mentally. The
letters hurt his feet. while We can
imagine the trend Of his thoughts. during
at least the early days Of his imprison-
ment, when he evidently was Ill treated
like any slave when convicted OF crime.
The fallacy that only the evil suffered
as a result Of their iniqufty and the good
were prospered. that Joseph had learned
in the homeland. and was taught In the
folk lore of Egyptian society. naIurauy
caused him to consider the providence or
God. During the darkness of his trial
the name of Jehovah does not appear In
the Scriptures. and the use or bionim
suggests the obscurtty to the troubled
inRs of God Circumstances appeared
10 be against him. Many heroic soul
has suffered because OF the tendency Of
evil-minded men to judge by circum-
stances not facts
character revealed in his kind words
and thankful appreciation for even the
smallest favors that were bestowed upon
him in the large: gloomy nail si.r %iti1 LIN, no
Nth, no light or air. save what may
struggle through the narrow grated aper-
ture. by which the friends of the wretch
ed inmates. or some plying strangers,
mass in the food and water which are
the sole staff of life: no arrangements
NJ any kind being made for cleanliness.
or for the separation Of the prisoners.
were used of God. who melted Kindness
and caused Joseph to be regarded with
favor so that in due time he became the
same indispensable man in the prison
that he was in the palace until he came
10 be the deputy warden Of the prison
4 X
Service of Suffering.
rh. ,osit;on Of privilege and RESPONSE
bility gave him opportunity to be OF serv-
Ice to the other unfortunate prisoners
who were imprisoned in 1.-The White
Castle of Memphis. the prison OF which
Herodotus and Thucydides make men
ton as giving fame to the royal city"
This fortified palace. where the state
prisoners were kept under guard. had
it's court and garden surrounded by high
walls, where the hostages sent by foreign
princes took their exercise. enjoying at
least liberty within the walls and light
The close relations that existed between
Egypt and Canaan, as the latter country
was on the highway OF trade between
Babylon and Egypt, may have caused
Joseph as he saw traders from his old
home among the prisoners or slaves to
recall the dreams OF his youth when there
came to him visions Of rulership over his
brethren and TO wonder IL II would be
while he was a deputy in the prison that
they would be fulfilled.
God was preparing him during the days
of his slavery and prison life for the
fulfllment OF those very dreams that