April 4

Genesis xiii. — 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 Go-

Worldly interests beget jealousies and rivalries even among kindred, often among good men. The magnanimity of Abram in this affair is worthy of all praise. The elder in years and in family position, and holding directly from Jehovah the charter of the land, he might with propriety have assigned a portion to Lot, and have reserved the best for himself. But he gave the choice to his nephew, and was willing to accept whatever Lot should leave to him. The covetousness of Lot got the better of his respect for his venerable kinsman, the head of the house, the heir of the covenant; and, as they stood upon a hill to the east of Bethel which commands a wide view upon the right hand and the

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Almighty and everlasting God, in whom we live and move, and have our being, we, thy needy creatures, render thee our humble praises for thy preservation of us from the beginning of our lives to this day, and especially for having delivered us from the dangers of the past night. We thank thee that we have been kept from the alarm of sickness, of fire, of robbers, of sudden death, and have awaked in peace to behold the day. O Lord! we beseech thee, lift upon us the light of thy countenance, that we may begin the day in the consciousness of thy love, and may spend it joyfully in doing thy will. [May the children of this fam-

morrh, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zour.

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.

Psalm xlix. — 6. They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

7. None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.

10. For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

11. Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue forever, and their dwelling-places to all generations: they call their lands after their own names.

12. Nevertheless, man, being in honor, abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.

13. This their way is their folly; yet their posterity approve their sayings.

14. Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.

left, he looked down the long ravine, clothed with the vine, the olive, and the fig, which from that point opens into the broad rich valley of the Jordan, and recalling the well-watered plain, which, before the catastrophe that sank the cities, rivalled Egypt in fertility, the tempting vision proved too much for his affection or his piety. For the prospect of worldly advantages, he chose to reside in a community notorious for wickedness. He turned his back upon the altar of the Lord, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. The fate that overtook him there is a warning to those who rush into temptation for the sake of gain.

Prayer.

[Nos. 62, 136, 154.

ily learn to please thee, their Father in heaven, in all that they think and say and do! and in these things may we all have the spirit of little children!] Keep us from malice and anger, from envy and pride, from covetousness, worldliness, and all sin. May we be useful in the world and in the Church of Christ! May our kindred and friends be prospered in their lawful undertakings and desires, and all be partakers of thy grace! Mercifully forgive our sins, and save us with an everlasting salvation, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who, with thee and the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth evermore. Amen.