Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-05-15

Genesis, xyiii18.
Few tourists to the Holy Land have
visited Hebron, which is one OF the
most ancient cities in the known
world. Long before Abraham made II
his headquarters, 1t was known AS
Mamre. 1t has been ruled for several
centuries by the Muslims, who will
not permit a Christian TO enter the
mosque under the penalty of death.
1t is one of their most sacred cities,
because of it's association with the
life of Abraham. They have given
to the city a Mohammedan name, FL
Khali, or THE Friend" because the
Father OF the Faithful was recog-
nized as THE Friend" by the AL
mighty under the oaks Of Mamre.
One who has penetrated the sacred
stronghold Of Islam fanaticism has
described the tree. which the tradition
of that ancient city informs us was
the very tree under which Abraham
used to sit. Its size impresses one
with its great antiquity. Its girth
is over 80 feet; the trunk rises
some 90 feet before dividing, and
then parts into four magnificent
branches. which cover an area some
80 yards in diameter. There are
larger trees in the world; but this Is
a very huge specimen Of its kind-the
holm. oakland. along with the two
or three somewhat smaller ones dotted
on the hillside, it gives an Old World
look TO the place" If these are not
the identical trees under which Abra-
ham pitched his tent they are in all
probability descendants of them: here
without doubt occurred the meeting
described in our lesson. when THE
Lord appeared unto Abraham by the
oaks of Mamre. as he sat in the tent
door in the heat of the day"
The Amorite chief, who ruled
Mamre, was an ally of the patriarch.
when he overlook Cherdorlaomer and
his allies, defeated them in battle and
captured the Napoleon of his day. For
close upon % years there had
been an understanding between Abra-
ham and the Amorite ruler of Mamre,
who permitted him to make the old
oak trees his headquarters, when in
his wanderings with his stock he
turned toward the city that he evil
IDENTIFY loved. The local chief had
found 1t to be of mutual advantage.
He enjoyed the fellowship of the
Father of the Faithful" whenever
meath the oaks.
Abraham's Guests.
Abraham's loyalty to God and his
allies did not go unrewarded. God
recognized and showed His apprecia-
ton of the decision. that we con-
sidered in last week. lesson. when the
pioneer of the faith" refused to be
made rich by the powers of this world.
He visited Abram and gave him a
new name. promising that he was to
be Abraham. the father Of a multi
tude. God revealed the great wealth
that He had reserved for His friend
by renewing His call and reassuring
Abraham of His promise.
1t was difficult for him to wait
Gods time, and. under the bad advice
Of Sarah, Abraham had formed the
mistake of looking to Hagar to be-
come, instead of Sarah, the mother
Of the multitude. Hagar's son was
wild. reckless. and filled the heart of
Abraham with bitter sorrow. When
God appeared to the great patriarch
and promised him that his own son
would become his heir and that he
would be the father of a multitude
as numerous as the stars. Abraham
believed God in face of strong nat
ural impossibilities. Our lesson shows
how God visited His friend Abraham,
who had demonstrated his personal
faith in Gods promises by obeying
His commands and separating not
only himself but his descendants
from all other peoples by the institu-
ton of the rite Of purity which has
made the descendants of Gods friend
a peculiar people.
There was no preparation for the
sixth appearance of the Almighty to
Abraham, such as is being made to-
day for the coming of the royal prince
Of Sweden next Summer to America.
The advent of the Great 1 Am was
unexpected. He approached Abraham
one day when the father of the faith
fur was resting at the opening of mis-
tent under the shade of the oaks of
Mamre from the heat of the sun.
They appeared to be strangers. but
while Abraham entertained the three
he learned that they were guests from
Heaven. One of them was revealed
to him as the Lord Himself. This is
the first of those "theophanies" which
clearly point to the coming Of the Son
of God in the flesh. The other two
were angels or messengers of the AL
mighty.
Abraham's Hospitality.
An eminent surgeon recently called
the attention of the writer to the fact
that modern civilization has lost a
great factor in building character
through the disappearance of the
prophets chamber He traced the in
fluence upon his life to the frequent
presence Of the men of God who had
been guests in his fathers home. The
picture of the hospitality extended by
Abraham to his three guests is true
TO the Oriental tent life among the
Bedouins of the desert. Hospitality
to strangers among them Is virtually
a religious act.
Abraham extended to them promptly
princely generosity. He furnished
them water to wash their feet, just
as we would extend the privileges of
washing ones hands before eating a
meal. The Oriental in Palestine
walks with his feet protected by san
dals, and I have seen many walking
without that protection. There is
nothing that a weary traveller in the
Near East would appreciate more.
than the water to wash his feet. burn
ing from the heat and soil. Outside
Of most mosques one finds a fountain
of running water for the worshiper
to wash his feet before entering its
sacred portals.
Abraham had Sarah prepare the hot
cakes. which she cooked, or supervised
the preparation of the same, over a