The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1918-11-27
SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES
Side Llghts on Next Sundays
lesson for Teachers and Pupils
Edited by Charles K. Meyers.

Dec. l.. Joseph Sold by His Breth
rem. Gen. 81, 1928.
We have for our lesson today his
tory on the young manhood of one o.
the most remarkable men Of all the
bible haracters-Joseph He stands
out as star of the first magnitude
among the men spoken of in the pages
Of sacred writ. While Abraham, Isaac
Jacob, David, Solomon committed
wrongs which need to be apologized
for or overlooked, Joseph fills out a
life career unspotted. 1t is well that
some lessons are devoted to him.
Joseph was son of Jacob, his
mother being the beloved Rachel He
had full brother, Benjamin, and in
addition ten other brothers, the sons
of Jacob and Leah: He was a favorite
child and grew up lovely boy and
young man. This is evident from his
actions as a man under temptation,
when enduring unjust punishment,
when in positions of vast power. He
had the stamp of Gods favor upon
him, his mind ranged out with ambi-
lions for the future. 1t is not strange
that the ten sons of Leah most COM
mon, low grade men, should be envi-
GUS of the brilliant Joseph and that
this grew into hatred as the differ
ence between them became more plain
Joseph in his waking hour was busy
Drained with plans for the future and
at night he dreamed many dreams.
These were prophetic of his after ca
reer and were fulfilled in detail. He
told that in one dream the grain
sheave of his brother bowed to the
one he had set UP, and that in another
the sun and moon made obeasence to
him. He has been blamed for telling
these dreams, but he had them and
he saw no harm in telling Of them in
the presence of his father.
1t needed not for the record to be
read of the conduct of the ten older
brothers, to have plain the awful re-
suits of hatred in the human heart.
This when nursed will be the cause of
most terrible things. 1t has disrupted
families, caused unnumbered wars
with bloodshed and wanton cruelties.
A most striking example is given in
the lesson when the ten put their
. brother in a deep pit and then sat
down beside it and ate. their meal as
il such conduct was the most ordinary
things in life. Next they sold him H.
to Egyptian slavery and then caused
their father to believe at the time and
through long succeeding years, that
Joseph had been killed by wild beasts.
The tears and sorrows of the bereaved
father didn't melt their hearts, not a
one of them. Those years of suffering
for the father Jacob were times OF
retribution to him for his wrong doing
when he robbed his brother and took
advantage of his father-in-law.
The brothers may have thought that
the sale of Joseph and his being out
Of sight would rid them of thinking
Of him. Alas for them, the sin they
had done haunted them night and
day, and when in later years they had
great misfortunes down in Egypt, they
laid it all to the sale of their brother.
Let none think that it is easy to rid
ones memory of sins committed. The
consciousness of them burns Ike red
hot iron from day to day, and with this
unhappiness. A conscience free from
offense toward God and man can only
give true happiness in this world.
While the ten were, with hypocricy,
trying to comfort their father and
were a witness to his grief, Joseph
was having remarkable experiences,
God at all times giving him favor with
all who had do with Inn. He was hap
py because he was trying to do what
God wanted him to do. When asked
to commit sin he did not place his re.
fusal on low and selfish grounds,
that to do so would hurt him with his
master, in business, with friends. Note
what he did say, and which is light
showing the greatness of his charac-
ter and true appreciation of what it
means to disobey Gods laws. Joseph
said: "How can / do this great wick
edness? and sin against God?'
Note that he said "Sin against Cod
That is coming right to the first things
in life. Most of us when weighing
wrong doing, consider the effect it will
have with our fellow men, our bust
ness, our standing in the community,
but Joseph brushed all such aside and
took the great and the true view of
such things by holding back from "Sin
against God" #@st
The lesson of this date can well tell
US to beware of hatred as it will lead
to unhappiness and crimes. Its fruits
can never be wiped out of our minds
and will come up constantly to render
our lives unhappy. Let us remember
that all sin is primarily against God,
and if we do, we will fly from it as did
Joseph.
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