ared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the
tent door in the heat of the day; and he lift up his eyes and looked,
and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet
them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, and said,
My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray
thee, from thy servant: let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and
wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a
morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on:
for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou
hast said.

And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready
quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the
hearth. And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and
good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. And he
took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it
before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did
eat.--Genesis xvii, 26, 27; xviii 1-8.

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have
entertained angels unawares.--Hebrews xiii, 2.

THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM.

And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise,
take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be
consumed in the iniquity of the city. And while he lingered, the men laid
hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of
his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him
forth, and set him without the city.

And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he
said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all
the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. And Lot said
unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord. Behold now, thy servant hath found grace
in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed
unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some
evil take me and I die. Behold now this city is near to flee unto, and it
is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither (is it not a little one?) and
my soul shall live. And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee
concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the
which thou hast spoken. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do
anything till thou be come thith