BY J. E. BUDGETT MEAKIN.[Former editor of The Times of Morocco, Tangier.]
FEW who glibly use the word "barbarian" pause to consider whether the present meaning attached to the name is justified or not, or whether the people of Barbary are indeed the uncivilized, uncouth, incapable lot their name would seem to imply to-day. In fact, the popular ignorance regarding the nearest point of Africa is even greater than of the actually less known central portions, where the white man penetrates with every risk.
Indeed, to declare that the inhabitants of the four Barbary States—Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Tripoli—are not at all "black-amoors," but are white, like ourselves, is to astonish most folk at the outset. Of course in lands where the slavery of the neighboring negro races has existed as a prominent institution for a thousand years or more—and it still flourishes openly in Morocco—there is a goodly proportion of mulattoes, and among those whose lives have been spent for many generations in field work there are many whose skins are bronzed and darkened; but they are white by nature, nevertheless, and town life soon restores the original color. The student class of Fez, drawn from all classes of the population of Morocco, actually makes a boast of the pale and pasty complexions attained by life amid the shaded cloisters and the covered streets of the intellectual capital. Then, again, those who are sunburned and bronzed are more of the Arab stock than of the Berber.
These Berbers, the real original Barbarians, known to the Romans and Greeks as such before the Arab was known outside Arabia, are at once the greatest and the most interesting nation, or rather race, of the whole of Africa. Had such a thing been possible as the united States of Northern Africa, Europe would long ago have learned to respect the title "Barbarian" too much to put it to its present use. But the weak point of the Berber race has been its lack of homogeneity; it has ever been split up into independent States and tribes, constantly indulging in internecine warfare. This is a principle which has its origin in the relations of the units of whom they are composed, of whom it may be said, as of the sons of Ishmael, that every man's hand is against his neighbor. The219vendetta, as an outcome of the talion law of eye for eye and tooth for tooth, flourishes grandly. No young man is supposed to have attained full manhood until he has slain his man, and excuses are seldom lacking. The greatest insult that can be offered to any enemy is to tell him that his father died in bed, even above the imputation of evil character to his maternal relatives, so common among the Arabs.
Every successive ruler of any portion of North Africa has had to deal with the problem of subduing them, and failed. Who has not heard of the famous Punic wars between Rome and Carthage, when the southern rival of the great queen city of the world found actual sinews enough among her sturdy Berber soldiers to hold the Roman legions so long at bay, and often to overcome her vaunted cohorts and carry the war across into Europe? Where else did Rome find so near a match? and what wars cost her more than those of Africa? Carthage has fallen, and from her once famed Byrsa the writer has been able to count up the local remains of her greatness on his fingers; yet the people who made her what she was remain—the Berbers of Tunis. The Phoenician settlers, though they brought with them wealth and learning and arts, could never have done alone what they did with the hardy fighting men the hills around supplied.
When even Rome had fallen, and the fame of Carthage and of Utica was long forgotten, there came across North Africa a very different race from those who had preceded them—the desert Arabs, bearing forth the creed and sword of Islam. Tribe by tribe was offered one of two alternatives,—brotherhood or war. Those who fought unaided, or even opposed by their neighbors, their bitter foes, were soon overcome one by one. There was no coalition. Even to those who surrendered at discretion equally liberal terms were allowed, and erelong they became part of the conquering host beneath the crescent banner of Mohammed.
Thus in the course of a century or two North Africa became Mohammedan, pagan and Christian institutions being crushed before that onward wave. It is not probable that at any time Christianity had any real hold upon the Berbers themselves, and Islam itself sits lightly on their easy consciences.
Finally, in the eighth century, the shores of the Atlantic barring further progress to the West, the tide of immigration was turned northward into Spain, and then commenced the brightest page of Arab history, the Moslem dominion in the Peninsula. But the people who conquered Spain were Berbers, not Arabs, although their leaders had often adopted Arabic names along with an Arab religion and Arab culture. The Arabic language was, indeed, official, but by no means general; nor is it otherwise to-day. The men who fought and the men who ruled were Berbers out and out, though the latter were often the sons of Arab fathers or mothers, and the great religious chiefs were purely Arab on the father's side, at least, the majority claiming descent from Mohammed himself, and as such forming a class apart of shereefs, or nobles.
The Arabs had solved the Berber problem for the moment. They were the amalgam which, by coalescing with the scattered factions of their race, had bound them up together and had formed for once a nation of them. Thus it was that the Moslem armies obtained the force to carry all before them, and thus was provided the new blood and the active temper to which alone is due the greatness of Moslem Spain.
Nevertheless, the great mass of the Berber race is still undominated. Though nominal Mohammedans, and in Morocco acknowledging the religious supremacy of the reigning Sherrefian family, they still retain their independence to a great extent; and every year the Sultan wages war with one tribe or another of his "subjects." The mountains of the Atlas chain have always been their home and refuge, where the plainsmen find it difficult and perilous to follow them. The history of the conquest of Algeria and Tunisia by the French has shown that they are no mean opponents even to modern weapons and modern warfare. The Kabyles, as they are commonly styled in these countries, have still to be kept in check by the fear of arms, and their prowess no one disputes.
Separated from the Arab as well as from the European by a totally distinct, unwritten language, with countless dialects, these people still exist as a mine of raw material, full of possibilities. It is more than probable that they are one with the ancient Egyptians, and they were no Barbarians, if Berbers. In habits and style of life they may even be considered uncivilized by the mingled dwellers on the lowlands; but they are very far from savages. Their stalwart frames and sturdy independence fit them for anything, though the latter quality keeps them aloof, and has so far prevented their intercourse with the outside world.
Ethnologists will have it that some of the finest stocks of southern and western Europe are of kindred origin with these Berbers, if not identical with them, and even if this be uncertain, enough has been said to show that they have played no unimportant part in European history, though it has ever been their lot to play behind the scenes—scene shifters rather than actors. Who can say that in Morocco at least they may not yet rise to something of their old position? In the adjoining States they are under French and Turkish rule, but in Morocco they are all but free, and acknowledge their own sultan when they wish.
It has long been felt by many that this race is far more open to gospel effort than the Arabs and mixed races by their side; but as yet they are hardly touched, and that only by one or two missionaries in Algeria. The Scriptures are only partially translated into two or three of their dialects, and very few Europeans of any sort can speak them. The very qualities which have brought about their past history and present condition mark them as men of character, and as such they should make the better Christians.
London, England.
ABUSE OF MATCHES.
By American Agriculturist
If we stop for a moment to consider the way in which we abuse the agencies for our comfort and convenience which science has put into our hands, we must acknowledge that we are only grown-up children after all. The carelessness which is almost universally prevalent in regard to the use of matches, amounts almost to criminality. In many houses it is no uncommon occurrence to see matches lying about bureaus, mantels, and shelves, loose and unguarded. Children are allowed to play with them, or at least to do so without being allowed. Farm hands smoke, and, in order to smoke, carry matches loose in their pockets. A dropped stitch in a seam of these pockets is enough to allow a match to fall through, and the hoof of a passing animal, or the boot heel of a man or boy, is sufficient to ignite it. Result, fire from an unknown cause.
The remedy for all this is simple. Let every man carry a metal matchbox. These can be had for a few cents, and it would pay a farmer to make his hired hand a present of one. Let everyone be impressed with the necessity of seeing that a match is expired before it is thrown down. In the house let every room be provided with a metal box for matches, and an equally secure receptacle for burnt matches. Above all, teach young children to let matches alone, and older ones to use them properly. A baby of ten months can be taught to pick up and bring you a pin or a match—taught it so absolutely that he would make no other use of these articles if he were surrounded by them. A little care on the part of parents and employers would prevent much loss of precious life and valuable property.—American Agriculturist.
A PRESENT SAVIOUR.
By John G. Whittier
We may not climb the heavenly steeps
To bring the Lord Christ down;
In vain we search the lowest deeps,
For him no depths can crown.
But warm, sweet, tender, even yet
A present help is he;
And faith has still its Olivet,
And love its Galilee.
The healing of the seamless dress
Is by our beds of pain;
We touch him in life's throng and press,
And we are whole again.
Through him the first fond prayers are said
Our lips of childhood frame;
The last low whispers of our dead
Are burdened with his name.
O Lord and Master of us all,
Whate'er our name and sign,
We own thy sway, we hear thy call,
We test our lives by thine!
—John G. Whittier.
The Value of Saying No
By Charles Haddon Spurgeon
LEARN to say, “No;” it will be of more use to you than to be able to read Latin.—Spurgeon.
WHEN AND HOW BANK OF ENGLAND NOTES ARE MADE.
IN a picturesque Hampshire nook in the valley of the river Test stands a busy mill from which is produced the paper whose crispness is music to the human ear all the world over. Since 1719 this Leverstoke mill has been busy in the manufacture of the Bank of England note paper, and at the present time about fifty thousand of the coveted crisp pieces of paper are made there daily.
To a careless observer there does not appear to be much difference between a Bank of England note of the present day and one of those which were first issued toward the end of the seventeenth century, but when looked into it will be found that the present note is, as regards the quality of the paper and the excellence of the engraved writing, a much more remarkable production.
The fact is, the Bank of England and forgers of false notes have been running a race—the bank to turn out a note which defies the power of the forger to imitate it, and those nimble-fingered and keen-witted gentry to keep even with the bank.
The notes now in use are most elaborately manufactured bits of paper. The paper itself is remarkable in many ways; none other has that peculiar feel of crispness and toughness, while the eye (when it has satisfied itself with the amount) may dwell with admiration on the paper’s remarkable whiteness. Its thinness and transparency are guards against two once popular modes of forgery,—the washing out of the printing by means of turpentine and erasure with the knife.
The wire mark or watermark is another precaution against counterfeiting, and is produced in the paper while it is in a state of pulp. In the old manufactures of bank notes this watermark was caused by an immense number of wires (over 2,000) stitched and sewn together; now it is engraved in a steel-faced die, which is afterward hardened and is then used as a punch to stamp the pattern out of plates of sheet brass. The shading of the letters of this watermark enormously increases the difficulty of imitation.
The paper is made entirely from pieces of new linen and cotton, and the toughness of it can be roughly guessed from the fact that a single bank note will, when unsized, support the weight of thirty-six pounds, while when sized you may lift fifty-six pounds with it.
Few people would imagine that a Bank of England note was not of the same thickness all through. It is not, though. The paper is thicker in the left-hand corner, to enable it to take a better and sharper impression of the vignette there, and it is also considerably thicker in the dark shadows of the center letters, and under the figures at the ends.
Counterfeit notes are invariably of only one thickness throughout.
The printing is done from electrotypes, the figure of Britannia being the design of Maclise, the late Royal Academician.
Even the printing ink is of special make, and is manufactured at the bank. Comparing a genuine with a forged note, one observes that the print on the latter is generally bluish or brown. On the real note it is a velvety black.
The chief ingredients used in making the ink are linseed oil and the charred husks and some other portions of Rhenish grapes.
The notes are printed at the rate of 3,000 an hour at Napier’s steam press, and the bank issues 9,000,000 of them in a year, representing about £300,000,000 in hard cash.—London Answers.
Apples of Gold
By Editor
ENVELOPE SERIES
Library
Published monthly. Subscription price, 10 copies of each number for one year, postpaid, $1.00.
This Library is designed especially for use in daily, personal correspondence. Each number will contain from four to eight pages, of a size convenient to go into a number six envelope without folding. It is printed on thin super-calendored paper, and two or more numbers can be put in with an ordinary letter without increasing the postage.
The leading themes of the gospel will be presented in such a way as to arrest the attention and be helpful to all. These little leaflets should be circulated by the thousands.
The numbers now issued bear the following titles:
No. 1.—Looking unto Jesus.
No. 2.—The Christian's Privilege.
No. 3.—The Sure Promises of God.
No. 4.—How to Get Knowledge.
No. 5.—The Church and the World (poetry).
No. 6.—The Elect of God.
No. 7.—How Esther Read Her Bible.
No. 8.—The Thief on the Cross.
No. 9.—The Eleventh Hour.
These will be sent to any address at the rate of 50 cents per hundred, assorted numbers, or $4.00 per thousand, postpaid.
Pacific Press Publishing Co.,
Oakland, Cal.
CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE
By Editor
AND
BIBLE HYGIENE.
This Book treats the subjects of Temperance and Hygiene from a BIBLE STANDPOINT.
A good idea of the scope of the work can be formed by a glance at a few of the chapter headings: "Effects of Stimulants," "Extremes in Diet," "Home Education," "Relation of Diet to Health and Morals," "Parental Responsibility," "Dress," "Consulting Spiritualistic Physicians," "Social Purity," "Hope for the Tempted," "Diet and Cleanliness of the Hebrews," "The Gospel of Health," etc., etc.
The book contains 268 large pages, is printed on heavy paper, bound in cloth, embossed, with gold title on back and front cover. It is a book that all should have in their homes. Price, marbled edges, $1.25; gilt edges, $1.50.
Address, PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING CO., OAKLAND, CAL. 43 Bond Street, NEW YORK.
Steps to Christ.
BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
We have much pleasure in announcing an important and exceedingly helpful work, under the title of STEPS TO CHRIST, by Mrs. E. G. White. The rare ability of the author in the presentation of Scripture truth has never been used to better advantage than in this little work. STEPS TO CHRIST is not alone suitable as a guide to the inquirer and young convert, but is rich in thought and suggestion for the most mature Christian. Some idea of its scope and practical character may be gathered from the following table of contents.
TABLE OF CONTENTS: I. The Sinner's Need of Christ. II. Repentance. III. Confession. IV. Consecration. V. Faith and Acceptance. VI. The Test of Discipleship. VII. Growing up into Christ. VIII. The Work and the Life. IX. Knowledge of God. X. The Privilege of Prayer. XI. What to do with Doubt. XII. Rejoicing in the Lord.
ADDRESS, Pacific Press Publishing Company, Oakland, Cal. 43 Bond St., NEW YORK.
STEPS TO CHRIST is issued in a rich, though neat, cloth binding, gold and ink dies, at 75 cents per copy. Sent by mail, post free, on receipt of price.
WHAT A FEW MEN DID.
FIFTY years ago seven shoemakers in a shop in the city of Hamburg said, "By the grace of God we will help to send the gospel to our destitute fellow-men." In twenty-five years they had established fifty self-supporting churches, had gathered out 10,000 converts, had distributed 400,000 Bibles and 8,000,000 tracts, and had carried the gospel to 50,000,000 of the race. It would take only 150 of such men to carry the gospel to the whole world in 25 years. Even if there were no more than 2,000,000 Christians to-day, yet if every Christian would be the means every year of leading only a single person to Christ, in ten years the whole world would be converted.—Exchange.
The Test of Pleasure
By Susannah Wesley
Would you judge of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of pleasure, take this rule: Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off the relish for spiritual things—in short, whatever increases the strength and authority of your body over your mind, that is sin to you, however innocent in itself.—Susannah Wesley.
FIELD NOTES.
By Editor
THE Kansas Worker reports the baptism of twenty-four persons at Topeka by Elder M. H. Gregory.
AN institute for Bible study will be held at Chetopa, Kansas, commencing the 6th inst. and continuing till the 13th.
ELDER W. W. STEBBINS reports the organization of a church of thirteen members in the vicinity of Medicine Lodge, Kansas.
ON the 6th of January a Sabbath school was organized at Wolf Creek Schoolhouse, Cowley County, Kansas, by Brother L. Neal.
THE brethren at Tampa, Fla., were contemplating building a house of worship, when a friend of the cause proffered the free use of a comfortable hall, well furnished and lighted, and conveniently located. The brethren thanked the Lord and took courage.
A BIBLE school for canvassers and others who desire to enter some branch of the work will be opened at Ottawa, Kansas, on the 23d inst.
A GENERAL meeting is announced by the Iowa Conference Committee to be held at Pilot Mound, beginning the 7th inst. and closing the 12th.
ELDER E. M. GWIN, who visited the church at Atchison, Kansas, during the week of prayer, reports an addition of ten members, with others waiting baptism.
THE favorable progress and financial success of the Conference school at Newark, W. Va., has warranted the Conference in recommending its enlargement, and the trustees have been empowered to erect necessary buildings.
WE are glad to note in the West Virginia Monitor the statement that Brother T. E. Bowen, secretary of West Virginia Tract Society, whose ill health of late has been a source of sadness to his colaborers, is improving, and there is hope of a speedy recovery.
ELDER H. M. KENYON reports fourteen laborers in connection with the mission work in Detroit. Christian Help work is being carried on by the church, five bands of nine persons each being actively engaged, and they find plenty of work among the poor of the city.
"ARE you ready to give a reason of your faith and hope?" is the question that President S. H. Lane asks of his New York Conference, and we think it of sufficient importance to pass it along. No one knows at what moment the salvation of a soul may depend upon such readiness.
IN connection with meetings held in Butte, Mont., by Elder J. W. Watt, which closed December 30, eighteen accepted the faith, and others began keeping the Sabbath of the Lord. At Helena he reports thirty-two names on the covenant, and other interested attendants at the meetings. It was his design to return to Butte after the close of the canvassers' school now in progress at Helena.
FROM the report of Brother Martin Stuckrath, in the Iowa Bulletin, concerning his work in the southeastern part of that State, we cull the following: "The German brethren are getting stronger and stronger in the truth. The Lord is doing a work here. The Lutheran minister is very bitter, and one of his members threatens to kill me; but I am of good courage, and my trust is in the Lord."
THE following note to the Review from Elder H. P. Holser, of Basel, Switzerland, is of general interest to people who have correspondence with foreign countries:—
The new United States postal cards are larger than the size allowed in the Universal Postal Union, and hence are taxed at letter rates. Although the sender puts on two cents, we are taxed six cents more, making the total expense of such cards eight cents. Please use only the special cards of smaller size for foreign service, or if the larger cards are used, they should bear five cents postage when sent to other countries than the United States, in the Postal Union.
TEACHERS AND THEIR EXAMPLE.
By Ellen G. White
THE religion of Christ will be exemplified by its possessor in the life, in the conversation, in the works. Its strong principles will prove an anchor. Those who are teachers of the word should be patterns of piety, examples to the flock. Their example should rebuke idleness, slothfulness, lack of industry and economy. The principles of religion exact diligence, industry, economy, and honesty. "Give an account of thy stewardship" will soon be heard by all. Brethren, what account could you render if the Master should now appear? You are unready. You would as surely be reckoned with the slothful servants as they exist. Precious moments are yet left you. I entreat you to redeem the time.
Paul exhorted Timothy, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." "But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will."
In order to accomplish the work which God requires of them, ministers need to be qualified for their position. The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, speaks thus concerning his ministry: "Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God; even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints; to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory; whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus; whereunto I also labor, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily."
No less sacred appreciation of and devotion to the work of the ministry does God require of his servants who are living so near the end of all things. He cannot accept the work of laborers unless they realize in their own hearts the life and power of the truth which they present to others. He will not accept of anything short of earnest, active, zealous, heart labor. Vigilance and fruitfulness are required for this great work. God wants unselfish workmen, those who will labor with disinterested benevolence, and give their undivided interest to the work.—Testimony for the Church, No. 19.
Go now to the ant, heedless sluggard,
Consider her ways and be wise;
Though having no guide, yet in summer
She gathers her winter supplies.
So now, while your days of probation
Are fleeting 'mid earth's cares and strife,
For the future prepare a foundation,
And build for eternal life.
The Faithful Servant’s Reward
"His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant, . . . enter thou into the joy of thy lord."
FROM ONE OF THE OLD PIONEERS.
By Editor
ALL those who have been long in the message have known something of the burdens borne by those who were early in the work. Most of these are now sleeping and waiting for the Master's coming. But there are still among us those who have borne great burdens in the past, the bearing of which has forced them to retire from more active service in order to regain physical and nervous energy. Among these is Elder George I. Butler, for many years president of the General Conference. For several years past Brother Butler has been in Florida doing physical labor to regain his health. The Lord has blessed his efforts in that direction so that now he is able to engage in work again. Of his present labor he speaks in a private letter received from him, from which I take the liberty to give a few extracts. After saying that he sends remittance for subscription for the SIGNS, from which he does not wish to be cut off, he writes:—
Well, my friend, I am now engaged in a small way in preaching the blessed truth once more. We are camped out in the lovely Florida climate about six miles from Bowling Green, in the pine woods, away from any house, preaching to our Southern brethren. We have our forty-foot tent. I do the preaching. Brother Keck is with us at the night services. We have not had large congregations, but one of the best men in this whole country has accepted the truth, with several of his large family, and we hope for a few more. Shall probably move soon. I have felt very happy in preaching the message of truth once more, and the peace of God has been in my heart. I have felt as free as ever in my life in speaking the word; and how thankful I feel to God for his goodness to unworthy me, and his great mercy to all of us! I love him, and my only ambition now is to close my life's record, so full of cares, perplexities, griefs, sorrows, and blessings, with joy. I have made many failures, and constantly labor under a sense of this fact; but I mean by God's help to make the one grand success of faithfulness at the end. It will be "none of self and all of Thee." I preach seven or eight times a week and stand it far better than I expected. I also write some for the old Review.
He also speaks of the SIGNS and thinks it a most excellent paper, with many other good things which would not be of general interest to our readers. We are glad of this encouraging letter, and we know many of our readers will be glad that he has been blessed so much healthwise. We are sure that we voice the earnest wishes of many of our readers when we say, May God continue to bless Elder Butler and make his latter days more blessed than the former; and with him all the other old pioneers in our work.
PERIODICALS WANTED.
CLEAN copies of the Signs, Sentinel, or Home Missionary will be used in missionary work if sent to W. W. Giles, 97 Duke Street, Norfolk, Va.
S. DANIEL, Bismarck, Vermilion County, Ill., solicits late copies of the Signs, Review, or any of our tracts for missionary work. Please send postpaid.
"So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading." —Neh. 8:8
Lesson VII.—Sunday, February 18, 1894.
[Note.—The questions which follow are merely suggestive for the student on the leading points of the lesson; it is presumed that the thorough student will think of many more as he studies the subject. References, where verses alone are given, always refer to the lesson scripture printed above. All other references are given in book, chapter, and verse. The text printed is that of the Revised Version, not because it is especially preferred, but because it is not found in every family, as is the common version.]
22. And the men turned from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.
23. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou consume the righteous with the wicked?
24. Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city; wilt thou consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
25. That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that so the righteous should be as the wicked; that be far from thee; shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
26. And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake.
27. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes;
28. Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous; wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I find there forty and five.
29. And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for the forty's sake.
30. And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak; peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
31. And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord; peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake.
32. And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once; peradventure there shall be ten found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for the ten's sake.
33. And the Lord went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham; and Abraham returned unto his place.
Golden Text.—"Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"
Suggestive Questions.
1. Give a synopsis of the first twenty-one verses of Genesis 18. Note 1.
2. As two of the angels went from Abraham, which way did they go? Verse 22.
3. Who remained with Abraham?
4. How did Abraham address the Lord? Verses 23, 24.
5. How did he plead God's mercy and justice? Verse 25.
6. How did the Lord answer him? Verse 26.
7. For how many righteous persons did Abraham then plead that the Lord would spare Sodom? Verses 27, 28.
8. What was the Lord's reply?
9. What was the result of Abraham's plea for forty's sake? Verse 29.
10. What was the next number for which Abraham plead? Verse 30.
11. What did he then ask of the Lord? Verse 31.
12. What was the limit of the number? Verse 32. Note 2.
13. After Abraham's prayer, what did the Lord do? Verse 33. Note 3.
14. Was the city of Sodom spared in answer to Abraham's prayer? Note 4.
15. Of what are the times of Sodom a type?
"Likewise even as it came to pass in the days of Lot; they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but in the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all; after the same manner shall it be in the day that the Son of Man is revealed." Luke 17:28-30.
16. Of what is the fate of Sodom a type?
"Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, having in like manner with these given themselves over to fornication, and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire." Jude 7.
"And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, having made them an example unto those that should live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot." 2 Peter 2:6, 7.
17. What may we learn from this?
"The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished." 2 Peter 2:9, Common Version.
18. What question was asked by Abraham? Golden text.
19. How will it be answered by all the righteous when the punishment of the wicked is past? Note 5.
"And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and222the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous [just] and true are thy ways, thou King of the ages." Rev. 15:3.
Notes.
1. Shortly after the events of our last lesson three angels, one of whom was the Angel of God's presence, or the Lord Jesus Christ, appeared to Abraham as he sat in his tent door. With true Eastern hospitality, he welcomed and entertained them. They then told Abraham, who was at that time ninety-nine years of age, that Sarah, his wife, should bear him a son. We also have an account of Sarah's disbelief of what the angel said. In this scripture we have revealed the Lord's determination to destroy Sodom, because of its great and grievous sin, and also a fulfillment of what was afterward stated by the prophet, "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." But the Lord declares he will make known to Abraham that which he will do.
2. Let not the Lord be angry.—Despite the large faith of men, of necessity their view is hedged around by human limitations. God is never angry with any genuine plea for mercy; and no human being was so anxious to spare Sodom as he was. Abraham evidently thought that in so large a city there would be fifty righteous people. And yet as he plead with the Lord, and saw with clearer vision as he drew nearer the divine presence, he doubtless realized more fully the wickedness of the city, and, therefore, the need of greater mercy. He at last asked the Lord to spare the city for ten's sake. That probably was about the number of Lot's family. Just as long as there are those in a city or nation who by their righteousness and faith can do that city or nation good, just so long God will spare it.
3. The angels to Abraham had a twofold message, first, that Abraham should have an heir—a wonderful encouragement to the man of faith—and, secondly, that his nephew, Lot, was in danger because of the destruction of Sodom.
4. Sodom had become so wicked that the ten righteous were not to be found there. To the urgent message of the angels, only Lot and two of his daughters took heed. The nineteenth chapter of Genesis, which the student should read, tells us that when Lot warned them, even his own relatives mocked him. And his wife was so corrupted with the base associations of Sodom that she looked back with longing upon the devoted city, and was herself destroyed. God did all he could for Sodom. Just as long as there was hope for its inhabitants, just so long God sent his message of mercy to turn them from their sins. But when Sodom became so identified with sin as to mock the very messengers of God, God, in his mercy to them and the future generations which might spring from them, could do nothing else but destroy them.
5. Just and true.—Such the righteous who see God's judgment on the wicked will declare him to be. He does all that infinite love can do to redeem men from their sin. All who will choose God and his ways will have a part in that great salvation. All who will not do this thereby identify themselves with sin. God loves the sinner, but he hates the sin, because sin is death and destruction. When, therefore, man identifies himself with sin so as to become a part of sin, he thereby chooses the finished work of sin, which is death. This will be the case in the great judgment day of God, and those who have identified themselves with sin will be destroyed as utterly as was Sodom. The "eternal fire" of Jude 7 burned up those cities with the wicked, as Peter says, turned them to ashes. The everlasting fire into which the wicked will be cast will burn them up root and branch; but the Lord will save all those who trust in him.
DOES THIS MEAN YOU?
By Editor
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