patriarchs and prophets-第38章

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　　　　　　The　profusion　reigning　everywhere　gave　birth　to　luxury　and
pride。　Idleness　and　riches　make　the　heart　hard　that　has　never　been　oppressed
by　want　or　burdened　by　sorrow。　The　love　of　pleasure　was　fostered　by　wealth
and　leisure；　and　the　people　gave　themselves　up　to　sensual　indulgence。
〃Behold；〃　says　the　prophet；　〃this　was　the　iniquity　of　thy　sister　Sodom；
pride；　fullness　of　bread；　and　abundance　of　idleness　was　in　her　and　in　her
daughters；　neither　did　she　strengthen　the　hand　of　the　poor　and　needy。　And
they　were　haughty；　and　committed　abomination　before　Me：　therefore　I　took
them　away　as　I　saw　good。〃　Ezekiel　16：49；　50。　There　is　nothing　more　desired
among　men　than　riches　and　leisure；　and　yet　these　gave　birth　to　the　sins　that
brought　destruction　upon　the　cities　of　the　plain。　Their　useless；　idle　life
made　them　a　prey　to　Satan's　temptations；　and　they　defaced　the　image　of　God；
and　became　satanic　rather　than　divine。　Idleness　is　the　greatest　curse　that
can　fall　upon　man；　for　vice　and　crime　follow　in　its　train。　It　enfeebles　the
mind；　perverts　the　understanding；　and　debases　the　soul。　Satan　lies　in
ambush；　ready　to　destroy　those　who　are

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unguarded；　whose　leisure　gives　him　opportunity　to　insinuate　himself　under
some　attractive　disguise。　He　is　never　more　successful　than　when　he　comes　to
men　in　their　idle　hours。

In　Sodom　there　was　mirth　and　revelry；　feasting　and　drunkenness。　The　vilest
and　most　brutal　passions　were　unrestrained。　The　people　openly　defied　God　and
His　law　and　delighted　in　deeds　of　violence。　Though　they　had　before　them　the
example　of　the　antediluvian　world；　and　knew　how　the　wrath　of　God　had　been
manifested　in　their　destruction；　yet　they　followed　the　same　course　of
wickedness。

At　the　time　of　Lot's　removal　to　Sodom；　corruption　had　not　become　universal；
and　God　in　His　mercy　permitted　rays　of　light　to　shine　amid　the　moral
darkness。　When　Abraham　rescued　the　captives　from　the　Elamites；　the　attention
of　the　people　was　called　to　the　true　faith。　Abraham　was　not　a　stranger　to
the　people　of　Sodom；　and　his　worship　of　the　unseen　God　had　been　a　matter　of
ridicule　among　them；　but　his　victory　over　greatly　superior　forces；　and　his
magnanimous　disposition　of　the　prisoners　and　spoil；　excited　wonder　and
admiration。　While　his　skill　and　valor　were　extolled；　none　could　avoid　the
conviction　that　a　divine　power　had　made　him　conqueror。　And　his　noble　and
unselfish　spirit；　so　foreign　to　the　self…seeking　inhabitants　of　Sodom；　was
another　evidence　of　the　superiority　of　the　religion　which　he　had　honored　by
his　courage　and　fidelity。

Melchizedek；　in　bestowing　the　benediction　upon　Abraham；　had　acknowledged
Jehovah　as　the　source　of　his　strength　and　the　author　of　the　victory：
〃Blessed　be　Abram　of　the　most　high　God；　possessor　of　heaven　and　earth：　and
blessed　be　the　most　high　God；　which　hath　delivered　thine　enemies　into　thy
hand。〃　Genesis　14：19；　20。　God　was　speaking　to　that　people　by　His　providence；
but　the　last　ray　of　light　was　rejected　as　all　before　had　been。

And　now　the　last　night　of　Sodom　was　approaching。　Already　the　clouds　of
vengeance　cast　their　shadows　over　the　devoted　city。　But　men　perceived　it
not。　While　angels　drew　near　on　their　mission　of　destruction；　men　were
dreaming　of　prosperity　and　pleasure。　The　last　days　was　like　every　other　that
had　come　and　gone。　Evening　fell　upon　a　scene　of　loveliness　and　security。　A
landscape　of　unrivaled　beauty　was　bathed　in　the　rays　of　the　declining　sun。
The　coolness　of　eventide　had　called　forth　the　inhabitants　of　the

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city；　and　the　pleasure…seeking　throngs　were　passing　to　and　fro；　intent　upon
the　enjoyment　of　the　hour。

In　the　twilight　two　strangers　drew　near　to　the　city　gate。　They　were
apparently　travelers　coming　in　to　tarry　for　the　night。　None　could　discern　in
those　humble　wayfarers　the　mighty　heralds　of　divine　judgment；　and　little
dreamed　the　gay；　careless　multitude　that　in　their　treatment　of　these
heavenly　messengers　that　very　night　they　would　reach　the　climax　of　the　guilt
which　doomed　their　proud　city。　But　there　was　one　man　who　manifested　kindly
attention　toward　the　strangers　and　invited　them　to　his　home。　Lot　did　not
know　their　true　character；　but　politeness　and　hospitality　were　habitual　with
him；　they　were　a　part　of　his　religion　lessons　that　he　had　learned　from　the
example　of　Abraham。　Had　he　not　cultivated　a　spirit　of　courtesy；　he　might
have　been　left　to　perish　with　the　rest　of　Sodom。　Many　a　household；　in
closing　its　doors　against　a　stranger；　has　shut　out　God's　messenger；　who
would　have　brought　blessing　and　hope　and　peace。

Every　act　of　life；　however　small；　has　its　bearing　for　good　or　for　evil。
Faithfulness　or　neglect　in　what　are　apparently　the　smallest　duties　may　open
the　door　for　life's　richest　blessings　or　its　greatest　calamities。　It　is
little　things　that　test　the　character。　It　is　the　unpretending　acts　of　daily
self…denial；　performed　with　a　cheerful；　willing　heart；　that　God　smiles　upon。
We　are　not　to　live　for　self；　but　for　others。　And　it　is　only　by
self…forgetfulness；　by　cherishing　a　loving；　helpful　spirit；　that　we　can　make
our　life　a　blessing。　The　little　attentions；　the　small；　simple　courtesies；　go
far　to　make　up　the　sum　of　life's　happiness；　and　the　neglect　of　these
constitutes　no　small　share　of　human　wretchedness。

Seeing　the　abuse　to　which　strangers　were　exposed　in　Sodom；　Lot　made　it　one
of　his　duties　to　guard　them　at　their　entrance；　by　offering　them
entertainment　at　his　own　house。　He　was　sitting　at　the　gate　as　the　travelers
approached；　and　upon　observing　them；　he　rose　from　his　place　to　meet　them；
and　bowing　courteously；　said；　〃Behold　now；　my　lords；　turn　in；　I　pray　you；
into　your　servant's　house；　and　tarry　all　night。〃　They　seemed　to　decline　his
hospitality；　saying；　〃Nay；　but　we　will　abide　in　the　street。〃　Their　object　in
this　answer　was　twofoldto　test　the　sincerity　of　Lot　and　also　to　appear
ignorant　of　the　character　of　the　men　of　Sodom；　as　if　they　supposed　it　safe
to　remain　in　the　street　at　night。　Their　answer

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made　Lot　the　more　determined　not　to　leave　them　to　the　mercy　of　the　rabble。
He　pressed　his　invitation　until　they　yielded；　and　accompanied　him　to　his
house。

He　had　hoped　to　conceal　his　intention　from　the　idlers　at　the　gate　by
bringing　the　strangers　to　his　home　by　a　circuitous　route；　but　their
hesitation　and　delay；　and　his　persistent　urging；　caused　them　to　be　observed；
and　before　they　had　retired　for　the　night；　a　lawless　crowd　gathered　about
the　house。　It　was　an　immense　company；　youth　and　aged　men　alike　inflamed　by
the　vilest　passions。　The　strangers　had　been　making　inquiry　in　regard　to　the
character　of　the　city；　and　Lot　had　warned　them　not　to　venture　out　of　his
door　that　night；　when　the　hooting　and　jeers　of　the　mob　were　heard；　demanding
that　the　men　be　brought　out　to　them。

Knowing　that　if　provoked　to　violence　they　could　easily　break　into　his　house；
Lot　went　out　to　try　the　effect　of　persuasion　upon　them。　〃I　pray　you；
brethren；〃　he　said；　〃do　not　so　wickedly；〃　using　the　term　〃brethren〃　in　the
sense　of　neighbors；　and　hoping　to　conciliate　them　and　make　them　ashamed　of
their　vile　purposes。　But　his　words　were　like　oil　upon　the　flames。　Their　rage
became　like　the　roaring　of　a　tempest。　They　mocked　Lot　as　making　himself　a
judge　over　them；　and　threatened　to　deal　worse　with　him　than　they　had
purposed　toward　his　guests。　They　rushed　upon　him；　and　would　have　torn　him　in
pieces　had　he　not　been　rescued　by　the　angels　of　God。　The　heavenly　messengers
〃put　forth　their　hand；　and　pulled　Lot　into　the　house　to　them；　and　shut　to
the　door。〃　The　events　that　followed；　revealed　the　character　of　the　guests　he
had　entertained。　〃They　smote　the　men　that　were　at　the　door　of　the　house　with
blindness；　both　small　and　great：　so　that　they　wearied　themselves　to　find　the
door。〃　Had　they　not　been　visited　with　double　blindness；　being　given　up　to
hardness　of　heart；　the　stroke　of　God　upon　them　would　have　caused　them　to
fear；　and　to　desist　from　their　evil　work。　That　last　night　was　marked　by　no
greater　sins　than　many　others　before　it；　but　mercy；　so　long　slighted；　had　at
last　ceas