The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-06-12


ter the messengers that have been sent to {
and he wonders why thev have .
not returned. A shade of disappointment
passes over his countenance as he sees the
sun once more descend behind the mountains
and still Eliezer comes not Still silent and
thoughtful, he pursues his way. At length
he lifts his eyes, and 10! in the distance a
little company is seen, and as they approach
nearer. he describes the faithful Eliezer, seat
ed upon the foremost camel. His head is
turned backward, in conversation with la
dy, who occupies the next place in the pro-
cession. Presently they halt-the lady a
lights from her camel, and throwing a veil !
over her person, walks modestly forward to
meet her intended husband. Her deport- |
mcnt, in this instance was truly becoming
her aye and sex. 1t was meet that she should /.
reverence Isaac her h4sJmd; but still more
reverence was due to him as the child Of
promise.
In the davs OF the Patriarchs, we presume.
there were no Institutes to teach the art of
pleasing. or the science of good manners"
and vet Rebekah, had it been studied during
lifetime. could not have been more gracc
tul.
/ The particulars of the introduction and
the greetings which took place between lsa-
!. Il Il
not give Us. 1t was not, however, until after
Isaac had carefully inquired Of the servant
concerning the success OF his mission, and
until he was satisfied that the Lord had in
deed chosen the dam>cI for him, that "he
brought her into his mothers tent, and she
became his wife
i And now. we ma.ine We see the far
Young Mc>opotamian bride checrtully dis
charging the domestic dutics which dcvolvc
upon her in her new relation. and by her
soft endearmentS gradually healing the wound
which the tcndcr-hcartcd Isaac had received
in the death of hi, mother Little wonder,
then. that he loved her" and that ''hc was
comIortri after hi> mothers death"
No;hiu. more is SAID OF Rcbckah. until the
birth oi her twin >ou>, which occurred a l!t-
tie more than twenty wears atier her mar
ria.r. Daring thi> interval, We may well
suppose that her faith az we'll a> that of her
husband, III the promises of God. WAS severe
=
~ tried. 1h,Y stood alone, the sole trustees.
of the covenant blessings bestowed upon their
iathcr-tLr uu, connecting link between
Abraham auI t..tur,. generations. A"A y,i.
durin. the first twenty years OF their mar
riri lie, no sign api~ard OF the tuiilIment ot
cannot hut notice the difference. in this case
= between the conduct of Rchckah and that of
her mo,her-n-law. under similar cirrumstan
ccS Sarah instigatcd her husband To MARI,
another wife, tv which di>cord was introduc
upon the GOOD old Patriarch. But Isaac ant
R"hrkah rc>orted to a very different rcmc'i!
,or ,hcr misfortune. Ti-y hcsnuGht Of tbs
-, Lord 4 tuiilmcrt Of the promise madc OF
Monnt Moriah and in due time their PRAYER
were answered in the birth of two sons.
The circumstances attending the birth OF
these children Were. to the mother, peculia
J. and irving. 1t had been revealed 10 her tha
the elder should serve the vounger'-tha
''.thc one people should be stronger than TIL
-. ojher people; evidently implying that he
y. dear children. instead of growing mp in unit
,o and brotherlv love beneath the light of he
r. countenancc. should be at enmtv with eac
e other. Those who are mothers. know what
is sad announcement this must have been To tn
mother of ESau and Jacob o, could u
- push aside the veil of coming wears, and b,
=, hold the little prattling infants we now care.
:, with so much tondne>s. striving and contenC
# ing, and perhaps..con>piring each against tn
f others life, would not the last spark of parel
- tai pride be cxtinguiShed and the last em'
to ton of JOY fade from our bosoms, But ;
% every cup of sorrow which the Lord admir-
ad listers is commonly accompanied by an ant
'lote 50 this atfliction of Rehekah was ligh
,cl cncd by the peculiar blessings which de>cen'
or ed upon Jacob, the darling of her bOsom al
d- the different places which the two brothc
re held in her affections. only be account,
a. for by supposing that it had been revea
er ed to her that, in Jacob and his posterity I'll
vo faith of abraham should be kept alive.
.,t The next incident of note in the life c
be Rebckah, is the stratagem by which she ma
mo- accd to secure for her favorite the blessir
,h intended for Esau We cannot altogeth
m Justify her conduct in this instance, and
his it is subject that has been much written u
ed on, and as the incidents connected with it a
vas minutely relatediin the 9th chapter of Ge
~ esis, forming one of the most touching storl
in the Old Testament, we willthere, pass
,he over bv simply saying that we think it e.
a dent that Isaac. although the sub biect of t
.;t- deception. was afterwards satisfied that t
led disposal Of the plan had been of the Lord, f
the we soon find him peaceably comforting wi
zen Rebekah about sending Jacob to Padon
cir ram, for the double purpose of avoiding t
EN- anger of Esau, and of selecting wife fre
in his fair cousins.
md The latter part oi the life Of the Mother
Israel seems to have been spent in quiet a