Evening star., 1926-05-08

Mothers day finds us studying about
the father of the faithful Most
of us learned our faith around our
sainted mothers knee, when she
taught MS how to pray and instructed
us in the affairs of religion. Her lie,
love and labor have nodded our
faith Today we find ourselves look
ing back to the consideration of one
of the greatest characters in human
history. who in our early days mother
taught us to revere. Abram, the man
of faith and friend of God, was chosen
BY Jehovah TO inaugurate the third
distinct divine movement toward hu-
man regeneration. Due to his re-
spending to Gods call we can trace
the story of his life through his sepa-
ration from his native country, filled
with its polytheistic worship, OF many
idols He compromised and failed to
go into the unknown country until
death separated him from his father
Terah.
one could Write the history of the
pioneer of faith by noting how II has
centered around the seven different
manifestations OF God to Abram. In
every trial when he was called upon
faithful" was strengthened through
the presence and promises OF Jehovah.
In sense. Abranl 'backslided when he
went down into Egypt. leaving the
country God had given him There
was q seltishnesS manifested III the
half truth that he told about his Wife,
for she was his half-sister. The fact
that he was willing to sacrifice her
honor 10 save his own life was due TO
decline in his faith. lie had no
vision. altar or worship while in the
land of fertility and abundance, but
God gave him courage to return from
Egvpt and return TO Bethel. There
was no seltishness in his dealings with
Lot when he permitted his nephew TO
take the first choice of the land when
they separated. AS God summoned
Abram. so He calls us 10 life OF
separation and surrender. In study
ing the life of Abram. who did not
receive Il fun vision Of Gods program
until he allowed Jehovah to plan and
direct his affairs. we find that IT was
through this friendship with God that
the pioneer in the life OF faith has
become the father Of the faithful
to the Jew. Mohammedan and Chris
tian. All three of the worlds great
religions find in the tent and altar OF
the Hebrew a. common meeting place
and origin of their faith.
Brotherhood. Boldness. Battle.
Although Lot and Abram lived sep
arate lives after Lot looked toward
Sodom and selected the rich pastoral
grounds near the iniquitous city. he
had a great big brotherly heart that
forgave Lot and longed to aid him
The Hebrew was an emigrant who had
crossed the great river and continued
to live a life of separation in speech
dress and religion from those of Ca
naan. His movements made Abram a
missionary of true religion. His traV
els had given 10 him a wide knowledge
Of the political and military history
of the nations about him. He had
thought through the problems of re
ligion and his experience in Egypt had
taught him the folly of living a self
centered life. He proved his dislnter
estedness when the news reached him
| that Lot. his nephew (brother being
used to denote his blood relationship
had been taken captive. He did not
hesitate when the news reached him
of Lots capture to determine upon his
action.
Abram was a man of peace. 1t was
| to avoid contention that he suggested
that they separate. The greatest hero
of the World War was man OF faith
| Stonewall Jackson was a deeply re-
| ligious man. who made his plans or
battle first upon his knees. The achieve
ments and strategy of that distin-
guished Christian layman in the bat
ties fought by him in the Valley OF
Virginia were the basis of study in
every war college throughout the
world preceding the World War. A
distinguished officer in the United
States Army speaking to the writer
about a mutual friend who had made
a religious vow against the taking OF
human blood, that he would rather
have q pacificist of his caliber In his
regiment than any other kind of a
man, because when he saw that his
duty called upon him to fight he
would reveal his boldness and courage.
Abram showed his boldness when he
| decided to lead his band of trained
servants in an effort to recover Lot
from Cherdorlaomer, the Napoleon OF
| his age.
| When Lot became an inhabitant of
| Sodom the cities of the Vale of Sid
dim. which took in the region about
| the Dead Sea, were paying tribute to
| the mighty monarch. After having
served the King of Elam ~ years
they rebelled, and the next year
Chedorlaomer swept down upon the
five local rulers. called kings. with the
assistance of four others, and subju-
gated the people of the Dead Sea VAL
| lev, who had counted upon their nat
ural position to master any force
brought against them. The invaders
were victorious in a fierce battle, de-
| feating the local armies, who got
caught in the slime pits. Taking .all
the plunder they could secure and
prisoners, among others Lot. the vic.
| torious armies had started toward
| home.
When the news reached Abran he
| forgave the injuries and injustice
that he had suffered at the hands of
Lot, took his force OF trained men,
numbering 31S, and started in pursuit
| of the victors. He did not overtake
them until he had travelled 120 miles
| It took him at least four days, If not
| FIVE. to overtake the mighty Chedor-
| laomer amid the. kills where the Jor-
dan takes it's rise. Adopting the tao
| tics of a night attack, he surprised the
! victorious host, who fed in q panic
| toward Damascus, where he secured
all the spoils which they had cap
tured. freed Lot and his family, in
Guiding his servants
Refusing Rewards.
America followed the example of
Lot when, altar the World War, we
proved our unseinshness by refusing