The mirror., 1918-06-20
JOSEPH

the most propitous of conditions. We exclam at
this and wonder; but there is cause for surprise.
law Of nature, immutaby sure, governs these hap
penngs.
It is simple law. One that is easily understood.
1t is this: That part of your environment which you
tend makes Here is natural law whose justice is
infallibe. No environment is mean or humble
but it contains elements and influences that
will start and carry to the highest plane Of liv
ing; and is exalted or dignifed but in it
may be found easily followed paths to the lowest
depths Proof Of this fact is all about us; may be
every hand. You may turn to any life and
there find it verified. But, better still, consider
your own life aud how it is that you the
part you play among men-no more no less.
Nature is life; life is action: and science has
demonstrated and taught that in natures scheme
there is no rest. Everywhere, in everything, is
throbbing. coursing movement. It may be that of
life, upward toward perfected creation or pur-
pose or it may be that of death, downward toward
dissolution and assimilation with some other
stronger and more vital force But stand still-that
is impossible Nature does not permit it. We have
choice in this-we must move; but we may choose
the direction will take-this is always in our
power. And as we choose so we are made. We
tend to the best influences of our environment and
rise; tend to the worst and fall. But whatever
the finale of lives will be, we may be it will
be end of our own making
What has this to do with Joseph? Everything.
He has product of environment. If there be aught
in example he stands as most worthy one. To him
was given and taken away and again taken away;
but when the final balance was struck he had made
his way to position second to but one in mighty
empire. He did not permit environment to
him; he exacted service from it.
That we may view Josephs life understanding
ly we need to go back quite number of years be-
fore his birth. His father. young and in strange
country, fell in love with native girl, Rachel,
beautiful and well favored" For his loves sake
he offered of his services to the master
of the family for the privilege of wedding her. He
labored faithfully through the years and was
rewarded-by being deceived into marriage with
Rachel's sister, Leah. Grievously disappointed, he
did not dspair but turned and served yet
other years. and gained Rachel as his wife. Great
and true was his love!
Jacob prospered His family and his possess
ions grew. Only thing had place in his life to
its happiness. That the absence of children
in the home of Rachel. In of time this
changed and babe came to dwell with them-Jo-
seph. Surely a child of love we'll
of flesh Such the environment into which
Joseph came to live and in which he passed the days
of his youth and young manhood Days of a happy.
care-free life filled with love, devotion, inspiring
influences and devout, earnest strict teachings and
duties; life holding all that would make toward the
purest and noblest ideals. Yet out of this
vironment the evil that brought to Joseph pain
sorrow and aiicton and threatened his very exist
ence-soul and body.
In the form of his brothers envy and hate this
evil came. He was taken from his home and turned
into piece of personal property like any other
cbatel that was the object of barter and trade. In
the land of Egypt he was sold as slave to an Off
Ger of Pharaoh" He found himself. then. in
vironment the very opposite Of that from which he
had been taken. No warm love, tender devotion,
earnest concern solictous thought care to be
had in slaves life. The thought of slavery brings
us no pictures of ease comfort of any of the
good blessed privileges of life. But there is good
even in the environment of slave. for Joseph was
"a prosperous man." He came to be overseer in the
house and field that had held his services as COM
mon slave and eventually all that this captain of the
guard possessed left in Joseph's until his
master knew not aught he had. save the bread
which he did eat.'
Now we find another result of natures immutable
law. This other environment had given to Joseph
much that the first had promised. And the
the first it also held the evil influence that brought
further misfortune to him. The evil of that environ
ment in which Joseph only good reached out
through another's attention to it and dragged him
down from all he had won His environment changed
[continued threel