factor on the cross. He, certainly, was not a man, in regard to whose previous character we are warranted to form a favourable opinion, or who had aught about him which was fitted, either to recommend him to the mercy of God, or to predispose him to a cordial reception of the Gospel. On the contrary, he was labouring under the greatest of all possible disadvantages, and was actually met by difficulties, which no power, inherent in his own nature, could have enabled him effectually to grapple with and to overcome. And it is just by taking these difficulties and disadvantages into account, that we are brought to the conclusion, that it is not only by grace that men are saved, through faith, and that not of themselves, it being the gift of God, but that the salvation of the Gospel is adapted to the necessities even of the very chief of sinners, and that, moreover, when they are placed in circumstances which of all others are the most undesirable, apparently the most hopeless. Let us look then, for a little, at the circumstances in which this man was placed, and we shall discover much which seems, to all outward appearance, to be standing greatly in the way of his own salvation. First of all, he was not only a stranger to that holiness of heart, without which no man can see the Lord, but he was not a man of honest and of good report, even in the sight of his fellow-creatures, who generally judge of themselves, and of each other, by a standard which is very different from that of the Bible. In point of fact, he held the position of a malefactor, who was deemed to be deserving of death. And as it was the object of the Saviour's enemies to put upon him every possible indignity, to sink him into a state of the lowest degradation, and to number him even amongst transgressors, it is by no means improbable, that this man was fixed upon to be crucified along with him, just because he was a malefactor of the most notorious description. At all events, the fact of his being condemned to be crucified, a punishment which, at that time, was reckoned the severest and the most ignominious, is of itself, and in the absence of all other evidence, the most decisive proof that he was a man of a base and infamous character. And we are not sure but that he held that character up to the very time when he was nailed to the accursed tree, nay, that he actually joined with the other malefactor, in the language of bitterest reproach against the great Redeemer himself. At least, in the account which is given of the crucifixion, both by Matthew and Mark, no distinction is made between the two; it is merely stated in these general terms, that "they that were crucified with him reviled him," a mode of expression which might almost warrant the inference that the one malefactor, at the first, was a scoffer, as well as the other. But be that as it may, there can be no doubt that he held the character of a condemned criminal; a man whose previous conduct was so infamous, that in suffering the punishment of death, he himself most freely acknowledged that he was receiving only the due reward of his own deeds. This then is one fact in the case of the malefactor on the cross, which makes his salvation the more extraordinary, he held the character of a great sinner. But we go on to observe, that he not only held this character, but that he held it in the most appalling, the most perilous of all circumstances. His mortal life was verging to its close. The final pangs of dissolution were beginning to seize hold upon him. He was come to the very brink of an eternal world. There was but little time to prepare for the last and awful change. And that time, instead of being dealt out to him amid the quiet and the peacefulness of a dying bed, was most cruelly embittered by the tortures of the crucifixion, by the scornful revilings of an infidel associate, by the blasphemous railings of a savage and infuriated mob. These were the circumstances in which his salvation was to be achieved, and was actually achieved; and such being the fact, his is not merely the case of a great sinner obtaining mercy at the hands of the Saviour, but it is the case of a great sinner obtaining mercy at the very last hour, and in circumstances apparently as desperate, as it is ever possible for a human being to be placed in. But we observe, moreover, that the malefactor himself was not only brought into a most deplorable condition, but that so also apparently was the very Saviour, on whom the last and only hope of his soul was depending. That Saviour did not seem, at that moment, to be sitting, as he is now, at the right hand of the majesty of God, ruling with undisputed supremacy over all the powers and the principalities which are in heaven, and in earth, and in hell, and bearing the name, before which "every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess, that he is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." In point of fact, be was brought down into a state of the lowest humiliation. The foundations of his kingdom seemed to be on the very eve of being rooted up for ever, and his dominion thereby brought to an end. Nay, he had actually fallen into the hands of his mortal enemies. With loud voices they were triumphing over him in his last agonies. Even the vilest and most reprobate of malefactors was lifting up his blasphemous reproaches against him, as if he had lost the eternal power and godhead that belonged to him. Aye, the very disciples that had been privileged to follow his footsteps, and to witness his miracles, and to listen to his preaching, had all forsaken him and fled, as if they believed no longer that it was he who was able to redeem Israel. And, what was more appalling-more comfortless-more humiliating than all the rest, he seemed to have been deserted of the Father, and left as an abandoned victim to the fell vengeance of the mightiest powers and principalities of hell. Take then the whole of these circumstances into consideration; the exceeding sinfulness of the man's character; the extremity to which he was driven at the very close of his mortal life, and the desertion and humiliation of the Saviour himself; and what is the inference we are apt to draw from them? Why, judging according to the outward | broken, and all heaven was ringing with the acappearance, we conclude at once, that the difficulties were greater by far than could ever be overcome; that his salvation was impossible. And yet what was the result? The thing which was impossible with men, was yet proved to be possible with God; and even to the malefactor, in spite of all his disadvantages, the cross of Christ was made the wisdom of God, and the power of God unto his salvation. And how are we to account for that marvellous fact? Not, certainly, by supposing that there was any principle of virtue inherent in the man's own mind, for there is not the vestige of a foundation for the maintenance of such an opinion, but by simply referring it to the operation of the Spirit of Almighty God. Had he been left to himself, or to the spontaneous influence of his own corruptions, he must have died in the same state of mind in which he seems to have lived, and might, peradventure, have exhibited to the very last a spirit, just as hardened, and as reprobate, and as blasphemous, as that of the malefactor who was crucified along with him. But as soon as the Spirit of God took hold upon his heart, how striking was the change which was produced, and how different was the spirit which he breathed! Instead of the recklessness and the blasphemy of an infidel spirit, there was actually the germ of every principle which belongs to the character of a Christian, the feeling of generous indignation against sin-the open acknowledgment of the justice of his punishment-the recognition of the power and the mercy of the great Redeemer faith, humility, devotion, purity, heavenly-mindedness, all breathing in the prayer, "Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." And what followed almost immediately? Why, the faith which was able to discern the mercy and the majesty of the Saviour, even amid the weakness and the humiliation of the cross, was not left without a rich and most abundant recompense of reward. The prayer which ascended from the depths of one of the neediest and most miserable spirits that ever breathed, was at once and most graciously accepted. And that very hour which seemed the darkest and the most deserted of the Saviour's humiliation, was signalized by the working of one of the mightiest miracles which ever drew the admiration of angels and of men,-the salvation of the chief of sinners, at the very close of a miserable existence, in the very act of grappling with the final agonies of death! Oh! surely if ever there was a time, when there was silence and amazement in heaven, it must have been at the crisis of the crucifixion, when the face of the eternal Father was withdrawn from his only begotten Son, and the express image of his person was numbered with transgressors, nailed to the accursed tree, deserted of all his disciples, insulted by the vilest malefactors, and, despite of all his greatness, was yielding himself a prey to the terrific agonies of death. But if ever there was a time when the stillness was again clamations of a loftier note of praise, it must have been when the emancipated spirit of that same marred, and scourged, and crucified Redeemer had burst from its mortal tenement, and risen to its glorious reward. And surely if there be one thing which can shed a brighter lustre than another over the grace and the majesty of the Saviour's character, it is this: that when he made his triumphal entrance into the glory which awaited him, in the presence of his Father, and among the congregated hosts of heaven, he went not in company with a vast assemblage of long-tried and illustrious saints, but attended, as the chiefest trophy of his victory over all the powers and the principalities of hell, by the ransomed spirit of that very man who, an hour before, had been holding the character of the vilest and the most miserable of sinners. Such are the chief facts which we gather from the sacred narrative, in regard to the malefactor on the cross; and they are certainly fraught with most important and instructive lessons. They teach us, at all events, that the salvation of the Gospel may be obtained even by the chief of sinners, and that too, at the very last hour. Such, in point of fact, was the experience of the malefactor, and such, in like circumstances, may be the experience of any other man. Indeed, it is scarcely possible to conceive of any situation which could be more hopeless or more miserable than his. And so long as his case is standing on record, we have the fullest warrant for addressing the invitations of the Gospel, even to the chief of sinners, and that, moreover, though they be standing on the brink of an eternal world." The same Saviour that plucked him like a brand out of the midst of the burning, and compassed him about with songs of the most merciful deliverance, is still able to save unto the very uttermost, and has actually declared, that "him that cometh unto him he will in no wise cast out." And therefore there is no ground for despair to any man, be his character or his circumstances what they may, who is still found on this side of the grave. At the same time, though mercy has been, and may still be obtained by the chief of sinners, even at the last hour, it is, nevertheless, to be carefully observed, that that fact does not afford the slightest warrant to any man to continue one moment longer in his sins, and in so doing to draw comfort from the belief that it is time enough to attend to his salvation when he comes to die. The experience of the malefactor on the cross affords no doubt an argument, and an argument, too, the most powerful and incontrovertible, against any man's yielding to the influence of despair; and yet it does not afford the slightest shadow of a pretext for any man's yielding to the spirit of procrastination, but the very reverse. For if a man does actually trifle with the overtures of the Gospel, and continue in the path of sin, he is thereby doing what he can to resist and to put down the operations of the Divine Spirit, and is thus bringing himself, by sure and successive steps, into that state of inveterate insensibility, in which the even in circumstances, and amid provocations offers of the Gospel, if they be not in righteous such as these, he had obtained mercy at the hands judgment withdrawn from him, are most likely to of God; had all this been the experience of the be productive of no salutary or saving effect. So malefactor on the cross, then, perhaps, there that, should the life of that man be spared for might have been some kind of pretext for the many days to come, which of itself is a matter of inference of the careless and impenitent sinner, great uncertainty-or should he be permitted to that it is time enough to repent and believe the die in circumstances in which the offers of the Gospel when he comes to die. But, if it be the Gospel may be again made to him, and in which, fact, which seems indeed to be exceedingly promoreover, his own mind may be capable of attend-bable, that the Gospel was not known to the maing to them-should even that be the case, then lefactor till he was brought to the very borders we say, that he is not only hazarding his eternal of an eternal world; and if it was the first ininterests, by depending on contingencies over terview with the Saviour, which he improved, for which he has no control, but that there is every the purpose of securing an interest in the kingthing in the previous state of his own mind, and dom of heaven, then the hope of the heedless in the sovereign dealings of Almighty God, to and the procrastinating sinner is deprived of the make it more than probable that he will die in the very grounds upon which it is resting. In fact, very same spirit in which he has lived. he is illegitimately taking encouragement to continue in sin, and that, besides, from a case which bears no decided analogy to his own. And, therefore, though it be unquestionably true, that the experience of the malefactor on the cross is fraught with the richest encouragement to the dying sinner, whose previous circumstances have excluded him from the means of grace, or from the offers of the Gospel, yet we dare not say, that it speaks any other but the language of admonition and of warning unto every man to whom the Gospel has already been addressed, but who, notwithstanding, is hardening his heart, as in the day of provocation. Šuch, at all events, has been the case with great multitudes. Very few, perhaps, have realized the experience of the malefactor, who obtained mercy at the last hour. But multitudes, past all numbering, have realized the experience of the wretched man, who was crucified along with him, and have retained their hardihood and their infidelity to the very end. And, therefore, the dying experience of the great majority of mankind, is all against any man's yielding to the spirit of procrastination, and in favour of an instant and most earnest attention to the things which relate to his everlasting peace. On the whole, then, it is both the duty and the interest of every man to make sure work of his own salvation at the present moment; to leave nothing to the contingencies of a dark and uncertain futurity; "to seek the Lord while he is to be found, to call upon him while he is near." And, in that case, we shall not only be de But besides, you are to take notice of the fact, that there are but few cases which are strictly identical with that of the malefactor on the cross. So far as we remember, it is the only case which is recorded in the Bible of a man's salvation being accomplished during the last moments of his existence. That of itself is a most important and instructive fact; and with that fact be-livered from the most distracting of all our anxiefore us, we are certainly justified in regarding it ties, and be furnished with all the grace, and the as an extreme case-a case which is remarkable strength, and the consolation which we need, for its singularity-a case which may occur again, amid the various and successive stages of our because it has occurred before, but which cannot earthly pilgrimage, but when we come to walk reasonably be expected to occur in the experience" through the valley of the shadow of death," we of every man, or in the vast majority of instances; a case, in short, which if it occur at all, is most likely to occur but rarely, and that, too, where the circumstances of the individual are so peculiar and extraordinary, as to be almost out of the ordinary course of experience. may reasonably expect, that even there the darkness shall be irradiated by the light of the Sun of Righteousness, and that, through the kindness of our Heavenly Father, there shall be given to us the bright and the abundant entrance into his glorious kingdom. IN And in addition to the fact, that the case of the malefactor on the cross is to be regarded as THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION IN an extreme case, it is still farther to be observed, LUNATIC ASYLUMS, A that we have no ground to believe that the salLETTER TO DR JAMES RUSSELL, Edinburgh, vation of the Gospel was placed within his reach BY JAMES GLASSFORD, ESQ., ADVOCATE. one moment before he actually accepted of it. MY DEAR SIR,-The interesting facts stated in a late Could it be clearly proved that he had been living Number of the CHRISTIAN HERALD, "on the importance all his life long in the enjoyment of the means of religious instruction in Lunatic Asylums," as exempliof grace; that he had been fully instructed in the fied in the Charity Work-House of this city, induce me great doctrines of the Gospel; that the offer of to mention to you a similar experiment which was made salvation had been repeatedly addressed to him; in the Asylum at Glasgow, as early as the year 1819. I visited that institution in the month of September of but that, instead of laying hold of it in the day that year, in company with the late Dr Alexander Ranof his merciful visitation, he had actually put itkin, then minister of the North-West (now called St. off to the last hour of his existence; and that, David's) Church, in that city; and I was much struck with the warm reception which he received from many of the inmates, some of whom, taking his hand in a cordial manner, expressed great approbation of what he had said to them on the preceding day. On my inquiring afterwards, at my respected friend, what had elicited this peculiar expression of feeling, and the remarks which accompanied it, he explained to me that he had, either at the request, or at all events, with the concurrence, (I am uncertain which) of Dr Balmanno, physician to the hospital, attended on the afternoon of the preceding day, Sunday, and delivered a discourse before such of the patients as, in the opinion of Mr Drury, the superintendent, might safely be allowed to assemble; and with respect to these, it was left to their own choice. Between forty and fifty (males and females) did voluntarily attend, and conducted themselves with great propriety. After prayer, Dr Rankin delivered a discourse, from Isaiah xliii. 25, "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins;" giving a plain exposition of Scripture doctrine, such as he would have addressed to any common audience, and, of course, without any reference to the peculiar circumstances of his hearers. The physician, matron, and others, in charge of the establishment, were present. Several of the patients appeared to be deeply affected, and shed tears. I state these circumstances, as I find that they were noted by me at the time, and as the information was given by my late friend himself, who was much pleased with the result of this first experiment of conducting divine worship within the walls of the Glasgow Asylum. It seems due, in some measure, to him, and to the managers of that interesting and well conducted Hospital, that the fact should be generally known. It may tend, also, to confirm the experience of those who have lately pursued the same benevolent plan in the Edinburgh institution. Not being aware, at the time of reading the report given in the CHRISTIAN HERALD, whether the practice begun in Glasgow, at the period referred to, had been afterwards continued, I wrote to a friend in that city, to ascertain the fact, and with some general enquiries as to the duty discharged by the chaplain of that Asylum, who is now one of the regular functionaries. The answer which I received from Mr Mackenzie enclosed a letter, which, on his application, Mr Galbraith, the present house-surgeon of the establishment, took the trouble of writing, and which contains some interesting facts in relation to the subject. I take the liberty of sending these communications, under the impression that they may afford you some additional data, on a question so interesting. I recollect, when at Paris in 1828, visiting the establishment for instruction of the deaf and dumb, (Ecole des Sourds-Muets in the Fauxbourg St. Jacques,) and inquiring, among other particulars, what amount of religious knowledge and training the children received, who shewed a remarkable quickness in their written answers to questions put by the teacher on various other subjects. The answer which I received was, that the attempt to communicate religious truth to them had never succeeded, and, in the opinion of the managers, would be quite impossible with persons in their situation. We know from the experience of the deaf and dumb schools in our own country, in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Dublin, and other places, how utterly unfounded this theory of the Parisian teacher is. And, although the case of the lunatic is not the same with that of the deaf and dumb, and may in all instances be less promising, it can scarcely be doubted that the experiment, if fully made, would be followed by some beneficial effect, at least in many cases, and where the violence of the disease is not so great as to preclude the application of all moral treatment and persuasive influences. I can suppose that many cures have been frustrated and many minds lost, by stopping at the mere physical treatment, or by not carrying that which is moral to the highest point and fullest extent of which it is susceptible. To the patient who is capable of appreciating the kindness of his physician or his keeper, it can never be irrelevant to attempt administering the consolations and the encouragements of Christianity." The letter to which Mr Glassford refers, as having been received from the house-surgeon of the Glasgow Lunatic Asylum, and which bears date 18th June 1836, contains the following statement: "In referring to our annual reports, I find that public worship was commenced here in 1819, and continued once a fortnight by the city clergy till 1824, when a regular chaplain was appointed, and now officiates at six o'clock every Sunday evening, the duration of the whole service being about an hour and a-half. On the whole, you may assure your friend, that the result of our experi ence here, goes to prove that public worship, judiciously conducted, and to patients properly selected, is both soothing and comforting, even in preserving a link that so strongly binds every well regulated mind in a Christian community, and showing them, that though detached, they are not yet neglected, or outcasts from society. It also affords an admirable opportunity of appealing to the better feelings of our nature, and exhibiting the malignity and debasing consequences of indulging the worse, and this without personality, or kindling angry feelings, or even giving room for reply, where the lat ter too frequently exist with the disposition to justify them. And lastly, in my humble opinion, the moral restraint and self-command which it necessarily imposes, and the relief and variety which in most instances it affords, from the tedium and listlessness of a day when the usual labours, active recreations, or amusements of the inmates are suspended, rank highest, at least in a curative point of view. The numbers usually attending, of both sexes, are about ninety out of one hundred and fifty, the others being obviously unfit, unwilling to go, or not permitted for a time, on account of some misconduct, our practice here being not to enforce attendance, but to make the permission seem a mark of our confidence and approbation; and the result almost uniformly shows, that it is considered. their irregular emotions, and express a hope, that they such, as many of them evidently strive to contro! Indeed, the attention and general propriety of our little may not be considered unworthy of attending worship. congregation is such, as (especially considering their circumstances) must at once strike and gratify any indirected benevolence, be particularly pleasing to the telligent stranger, and amongst other results of wellhumane and generous founders of this institution." I NOTES OF A FAREWELL SERMON PREACHED AT ETTERICK. BY THE REV. JOHN BOSTON, JUN. "Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and of peace shall be with you."-2 COR. xiii. 11. thod I proposed for handling the subject was, First, ENTERED on these words last Lord's day. The me To discourse of the several duties as they lie before us in the text; and then to make some application. The duties are great and weighty indeed, and in the narrow bounds of time assigned to us, I am to do little more than mention them. I dispatched the first last Lord's day, “be perfect.” You will remember, I took notice of the The case of Cowper will naturally occur to you as a remarkable instance in connection with this subject, and affording, in some measure, the advantage of a double experiment, in corroboration of your views. word perfect as it stands three different ways in Scrip- | man. ye cure the sick-raise the dead-heal the lame-cleanse the lepers-cast out devils and by working all kinds of miracles. No; but none of these is the badge. He brings it down to the simplest thing you can think of, love to one another. And now, is it of no weight with you, to move you to unity, that it is the badge of Christ's disciples? Yes, methinks this consideration should have great influence upon you, to move you to unity and friendship, one with another. Again, how pleasant and delightful is it to live in friendship, concord, and agreement one with another? "Let there be no strife between us," says Abraham to Lot, " for we be brethren." Whatever you may think of it, my brethren, I assure you it was greatly held in repute in the heathen world. Agis, one of the kings of Sparta, being once asked why Sparta had no walls about it-it being a great city-he, pointing with his finger to the inhabitants who were then present, these, says he, be the walls of Lacedemon,-meaning the unity and concord then there. I have had occasion in the course of my ministry, to discourse of unity unto you, and I do the rather insist upon it now, that we are about to part, for I do not know of any thing that will more conduce to your having a well qualified Gospel minister settled among you, than your unity one with another. My brethren, as there is nothing more pleasing to the Holy Spirit of God than unity, peace, and concord; so there is nothing more displeasing, more grievous unto him than envy, strife, and debate. The Spirit of God, my brethren, is a tender and delicate thing, so to speak, he cannot endure a noisy or clamorous habit. You will remember, for it is very remarkable, that when Elijah was in the cave, "the Lord passed by, and there was a mighty strong wind; but the Lord was not in the wind-after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake :-after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire :-after the fire a still small voice." And there was the Lord. You cannot take a more effectual way to dispossess the Holy Spirit of God, and make him depart from you, than by maintaining a wrathful and revenging spirit, whereas, a spirit of meekness is highly pleasing and delightful unto him. The second duty exhorted unto in the text is,-"be of good comfort." In discoursing on this part of the subject, I laid down several grounds of comfort which the people of God may take comfort from, and give comfort to others. As, 1st, The sufferings and death of Christ afford great ground of comfort to the people of God in the time of trouble and distress. The Apostle brings it in as a ground of comfort in the 8th chapter of the Romans, "who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect," &c., as if the apostle had said, since Christ died and rose again for his people, who is he that shall condemn them? And from this they may take comfort and encouragement. 2dly, The covenant of grace affords great ground of comfort to the people of God. David, that famous Old Testament saint, found it so; "although my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant," &c. There were a great many disorders in David's family. It was not in that order in which the good man could have wished it to be. But from this he took comfort, that "God had made with him an everlasting covenant ordered in all things, and sure; and this, says he, is all my salvation, and all my desire." The covenant of grace is a comfort in life, and a great comfort at death. When you are standing on the march-stone between time and eternity, the covenant of grace will yield great comfort unto you. 3dly, The intercession of Christ for The last duty exhorted to is, living peaceably with his people in heaven, gives them great ground of comall men : "Live in peace." This is a subject that rafort. As in the fore-cited 8th chapter of the Romans: ther needs application than explication. Therefore, I "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, shall give you some few directions how to perform that yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right excellent duty of living peaceably with all men. 1st, hand of God." Now, if the apostle had stopped here then, if you would live peaceably with all men, study and said no more, than to have told a poor afflicted, to get and maintain a meek, yielding, and quiet spirit. disconsolate soul, that Christ had died, and was risen This is an excellent way to live peaceably with others, again, and was now exalted to the right hand of God, to have a peaceable temper yourself. But, Oh, how -he might have said, but what is that to me? Will many are there who are of such a peevish and morose one who is so high as the right hand of God take any temper, that it is impossible for any one to live at peace notice of me,-a poor straying sheep in the wilderness? with them. Like the salamander, they are never at Ay! but the apostle comes in with his blessed "also, rest but when they are in the fire of contention. But, "who also maketh intercession for us," and this affords I say, to live peaceably with all men, it is necessary that great comfort and encouragement under the greatest you be possessed of a quiet, peaceable temper yourtrials and distresses here. 4thly, What do you think of selves, and if it shall be your unhappiness to meet with the Word of God? It affords great comfort under trials such as it is impossible to live peaceably with, yet, and afflictions!" Unless the law had been my delight," suffer it patiently, and comfort yourselves with thissays David, "I had perished in mine affliction. that it will not long be so, for shortly, you shall depart joice at thy word, as one that finds great spoil." the stage of this world, and enter into pure and peacenever was a saint in the world, but he found comfortable regions above, where there shall be nothing to disin the word of God. I re There The third duty exhorted to in the text, is unity among the people of God: "Be of one mind." And in order to press this upon you, I offer a few things to your consideration: First, Remember the badge of Christ's disciples by his own appointment. "By this," says he, "shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." The wisdom of the world, which is foolishness, would have thought he would have said, by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if turb your peace any more. 2dly, Rather take sometimes wrong to yourselves than strife and debate. That famous Old Testament patriarch, Abraham, is worth noticing here, who has set us a noble example in this particular. When his herdsmen and those of his brother, Lot, could not agree, because of the multitude of their cattle, Abraham says to Lot, "if thou wilt go to the right hand then I will go to the left, or if thou wilt go the left hand then I will go to the right." He does not stand to dispute his |