New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-24
tension work from year to year.
The Rev. Dr. HILL aald:
JAcoBS WRESTLE WITH THE ANGELl1a

TIE REV. II. uEBER NEWTON EXroUNDs THE
LEGEND.
The Rev. r. Hcbcr Newton continued his lee
lures yesterday afternoon the books Of the Bible His
subject the traditions OF Jacob He argued that the
great and majestic figure OF Abraham slowly receded
from view while that OF Isaac merely sketched
I'm outline Then the history takes new start introduce
ing the real progenor and ancestorof the Hebrew race
After rapidly sketchng the nobility OF Esaus character
rs compared with Jacobs, and the trick whereby the
latter obtained the dying blessing Of his father he said
Chapter xxi Of Genesis contains the story Of the domestic
ryacs in the Patriarch. tents and then passes ON 10
the tale Jacobs desire to Canaan and OF the
bargain driven be the canny uncle and the cannor
nephew which induced the Hebrew to stay and spoil the
Cna.dcan. Evidently the world had not waited for Mr.
Darwin Ia experiment IN the variation 81 species, nor for
fincicrs learn the secrets 81 the spcL'arm What
curious and painful sense OF the possibility ~ blending
ethical buntnrss with religious seu5bhity We have In
reading OF this rascal proposing hs cnnuns
trick to his uncle with this pous profc son so shall my
rrhtrousncss answer for in time to come when II
shall come for my hire before thy facet Chapter XXI
gives the account Of Jacobs return to Canaan
II not unnatural that such partnership should be
Dissolved The widcawako Hebrew was not deaf 70 the
muitcrins Of Labans sons blind 10 the fact that
his unce- face not toward him a. before The pcy
Of this smart Eastern Yankee heard in these suggestions
that time 10 quit, the voice OF his God. evidently
to hi, mini the patron divinity OF the cheat much
tine god OF thieves in Greece with splendid special
pr,dine ne wins hls wivc, to h' side Of tho quar-
rcI- showing them how everything had turned out so
well with him reward for his righteousness, and
capping the climax Of argument by tredltiug the
angel 81 Jehovah with having put him up TO the notion OF
his bargain with their father. Let Of this an
ccu respectable fraud be tempered by conscious
ness Of how drcaduly to our possibilities such ras
cay rcspcctapty may come We see is modern coun
tcr-part In Georgc bhots characters
Watching his chance, Jacob steals away soon chased
hoty by Laban, between whom. after stormy interview
In which long, suppressed feelings are mutually let
out friendly alliance il concluded and the Patriarch
continues on his way Captcr XNXii tells OF Jacobs
approach Canaan. lie was naturally AFRAID
ut meeting Esau The memory OF such wrong was not
a pleasant introduction OF the returning brother. And
though the story here makes illusions to his bygone
experiences "a sign Of the commnglng of different tradi-
tiopsl IL finds "a sufficient ground Of anxiety In the
natural jealousy Of Esau at the advent Of powerful
rival 10 his pasture grounds. Tidings OF Esdus
apuroach a the head OF four hundred armed men com
pcte Jacobs alarm. With characteristics presence of
mind he acts nj In a mastery manner. Dividing his
train that there may chance at least Of half escaping,
he starts forward, In series OF deiachmentS, royal
presents for Esa, slrevdly calculating on the mol
living Influence Of the successive apploacn
az and hcrlS-each present sent unto
lo Esur when his whole train Is well over he rush
ins lam ,a9ln5 "o ,mg t.gS fr I,vs hold Of im
with whom he wrcSilcs through the nIght ana whom ne
would let m the dawn was breaking AMI 9ntil he
had wr,strd a blessing from him and received new
name Israel In token of his prevailing power As the
SIN rose Jacob crossed the ford, mpg from the wlturr
inc touch of the mysterious being ON his thigh say ing
Ihayr God face TO face and my life Is preserved
"What 10 mako OF thls singular story so uh-
cthy grotesquo and yet breathing such mystic suggrS
tonsl IN the first place we can sec clearly enough tn
the legend weayos into 1t even more than Is usuh
i'm these traditions, explanations or the oilSn
namss 3 pnssd Ti ScmsS Tsn TRa, we
Dc cxpucd the origin of che names Mahanin fenneli
r. the sacred stone at shcchcm and the Massebah at
Bethel and TO the popular custom OF feIraiing in, Ga
ing TIE hpsiuew OF animals Tradition develops readily
arouud words The suggestion OF word VIII OFTEN grow
into poem or Legend Such singular usage az that
regarding the hipsncw, coupled with s0mr tradition OF
Jn9nhs lamsuesa itself possibly physical symbol of
his moral ,ruokednessneeded only the hint OF the word
%reed with It's banks threw Itself around The great
stones It's bed; with which man had to "restle vlsor-
ouay IN fordng iL--in order 10 grow INTO
legend such as that before US. Such story
wold come in after times TO lose 2dt OF ~
riieI iii MINT with an angel with god and
victory FROM his supernatural opponent ON the stage of
Hebrew development IN which this legend arose
we are amid a polythestic people, to whom
their own tribal god. stories OF such conflicts
pco",r I'm Tue Had we see gods and godesses com
lux down Into the thick of the fray and striving with the
Greek aud Trojan warrors-soruetlmes getting well
wounded by their spears and swords. and losing much
celestial ichor from their veins even rersptlns to me
skies with undqdncd shrieks Readers OF " Hawatha"
will recall the Indian legends OF the midnight |
wrestling Of shlngebls the ever win kaoi9o |
naka the Norhwnd In whose strong embrace ShlngrDls
has angcred. Unabc 10 drive him out from MS wgwam
Kabbonaka challenge shlhgtDls To come Iortn anu |
wrrste with him naked upon the Ice. All night they |
wrcs~ together I'LL his (kabDonaka'sl painting breath
grew fainter,
Til his frozen grasp grew feeblcT,
Till ne reeed and aggered backward and reiroated
bafiilcd, heated, . 40,
To the Kingdom OF Wabasso to the land of the white |
Uearing sim the gusty laughter, hearing shingebis the
sining. 80, Kabibonaka you art but my my fellow |
mortal"
aBv soule such natural poetic pressure, perhaps out OF
.1,, II
day perhaps OF An ancient nythe o the cOnct or ne
Dawn with tue Ddrkues7, this strange story RrO'any
grew armnd the heroic figure or the Hebrew Hercules,
lm,plng away from his midnight wrestle with snprr-
human power. But later ages reading the ancient lidu-
tions of ne people by higher spiritual consciousness
which the Prophets had awakened, saw In this quaint
archaic legend mystic tale u ,0ul experience as IN
20 be swept away In "a lay; when III" iiseli hung |
Ly hair II fac. Ihe awful power Ia whose har's our
destinies lie aud gtalpnca with his power. strOVe Hl
ught ut the tle sec"t OF peace; and tee Lew
pane Iod OK tbs new nature opened within the ery