September 28

1 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.

2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.

3 And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;

4 Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first; and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.

5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.

6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together; for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.

7 And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle; and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land.

8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no

strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.

9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself. I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.

10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well-watered everywhere, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zohar.

11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east; and they separated themselves the one from the other.

12 Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

14 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:

15 For all the land which thou seest, to there will I give it, and to thy seed forever.

16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust

of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.

17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it, for I will give it unto thee.

18 Then Airam removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Manire, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.

So far as the land was concerned, Lot made an admirable choice. It was the best part of the whole country for one whose principal wealth consisted in his flocks and herds. The pasturage was excellent. It was "wellwatered"—there was no danger in it of drought. It was "as the garden of the Lord." In regard to the land, his selection was excellent. "But the men of Sodom were wicked."

"Lot did just what men are doing to-day. He made choice of a home without making any inquiry as to the religious state of the neighborhood. Men do not care how poor the Church is if the farm be good. They will give up the most inspiring ministry in the world for ten feet more garden or a paddock to feed an ass in. They will tell you that the house is roomy, the garden is large, the air is balmy, the district is genteel, and if you ask them what religious teaching they will have there, they tell you they really do not know, but must inquire! They will take away six children into a moral desert for the sake of a garden to play in; they will leave Paul or Apollos for six feet of greenhouse! Others, again, fix their tent where they can get the best food for the heart's life, and they sacrifice a summer-house that they may now and again get a peep of heaven."—J. Parker, D. D.

Closet Promise.—Blessed are they that keep His testimonies, and that seek Him with the whole heart.—Psalm cxix. 2.

I've been a great deal happier since I have given up thinking about what is easy and pleasant, and being discontented because I couldn't have my own will. Our life is determined for us; and it makes the mind very free when we give up wishing, and only think of bearing what is laid upon us, and doing what is given us to do.—George Eliot.