Some people consider mental or moral inertia the chief force that sustains the corrupt political boss. Is this true? What proportion of the voters in your voting district actually study and appreciate the issues in each election? What proportion of church members drift into their church membership, and what proportion join only after a careful study of the relative merits of the different churches? What are the chief ambitions that stir men to action? What was Jesus' ambition? Paul's? Florence Nightingale's? Abraham Lincoln's? Peter Cooper's? Garibaldi's? Dwight L. Moody's? Was there a common element in the ambition of each of these leaders of men? Is the realization of the ambition to serve one's fellow-men limited to those who possess unique powers or opportunities? _Subjects for Further Study_. (1) The Law of Inheritance among the Early Semites. Hastings, _Diet. Bib_. II, 470-473; Kent, _Student's O. T_., III; Johns, _Bab. and Assyr. Laws, Contracts and Letters_, 161-167. (2) The Arameans. Hastings, _Dict. Bible_ I, 138-139; _Encyc. Bib_. I, 276-280; Peters, _Early Heb. Story_, 45-47, 115-116; 133-134; Maspero, _Struggle of the Nations_, 126. (3) The Psychological Connection between Ambition, Habits, Character and Public Life. _Prin. of Politics_ Ch. II and III. James, _Talks to Teachers_ Ch. II. STUDY VII A SUCCESSFUL MAN OF AFFAIRS. JOSEPH'S ACHIEVEMENTS.--Gen. 37, 39-48, 50. _Parallel Readings_. _Hist. Bible_, I, 121-150. Hastings' _Dict. Bible_, II, 770-772. Emerson, _Essay on Character_. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his other children, because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a long tunic with sleeves. And when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his other sons, they hated him, and could not speak to him. But Jehovah was with Joseph so that he became a prosperous man, and was in the house of his master the Egyptian. When his master saw that Jehovah was with him, and that Jehovah caused everything that he did to prosper in his hands, Joseph found favor in his eyes, as he ministered to him, so that he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put in his charge. And Jehovah was with Joseph and showed kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison, so that the keeper of the prison gave to Joseph's charge all the prisoners who were in the prison, and for whatever they did he was responsible.