THE PATRIARCH AND THE FIVE KINGS. 13

a mass of subterranean water, and that lightning kind-
ling the ground, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah fell
into the abyss. Others have thought that there was an
earthquake caused by fire underneath the ground, which
attracted the lightning, and so consumed the cities. But
whatever the soil may have been, we know for certain
that the Cities of the Plain, for their sins, were destroyed
by fire from heaven, and that their destruction is a type
of the everlasting destruction of the wicked in the ‘lake
that burneth with fire and brimstone.’ We are warned
to ‘flee from the wrath to come.’ The fate of Lot’s
sons-in-law teaches us not to neglect that warning. The
fate of Lot himself teaches us to choose for our friends
and associates those that fear God. ‘ He that walketh
with wise men shall be wise, but the companion of fools
shall have poverty enough.’ ”

Grandfather then asked us some questions, to see if
we had remembered the lessons we were to draw from
what he had been telling us. These are the questions
he asked :-—

“ What do we learn from Abram leaving to Lot the
choice of his abode ?

“ What do we learn from the blessing with which
Melchisedek blessed Abram ?

“ What does Abram’s conduct to his three friends
teach us ?

“ When Abraham prayed for the people of Sodom,
what did he teach us?