Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1891-09-03
A Religious Lesson.

Ialmage saw during his recent tour in
Che West, have combined to turn his
thoughts back to that patriarChal time
when all the world sent to Egypt to buy
corn, and to suggest gospel lesson.
His text is Gen. xiii, 3, ''Ye shall not see
my face except your brother be with
you"
This summer, having crossed eighteen
of the United States, North, South, East
and West, | have to report the mightiest
harVests that this country or any other
country ever redped. If the grain gam
blers do not somehow wreck these har-
vests we are about to enter upon the
grandest scene of prosperity that Amer
tea has ever witnessed. But while this
as so in our own country, on the other
side Of the Atlantic there are nations
threatened with famine, and the most
dismal cry that is ever heard will l fear
be uttered, the cry for bread.
pray God that the contrast between
our prosperity aud their want may not
be as sharp as in the lands referred to by
my text. There was nothing to eat.
Plenty of corn in Egypt, but CHASTITY
famine in Canaan. The cattle moaning
IN the stall. Men, women and children
aWfully white with hunger. Not the
failing of one crop for one summer, but
the failing Of all the crops for seven
years. a nation dying for lack of that
which IS so common on your table, and
so little appreciated; the product of har-
vest field and grist mill and oven; the
prlCe Of sweat and anxiety and struggle
bread! Jacob the father has the last
report from the flour bin, and he finds
that everything is out, and he says to his
sons, ''BOys, hook up the wagons and
start for Egypt and get something to
cat"
Inc fact was, there was great corn
Crlb i'll Egypt. The people of Egypt
nave been largely taxed in all ages, at
the present time paying between 70 and
80 per cent. OF their products to the
Government No wonder in that time
they had large COrnCrb and it was full.
To that crib they came from the regions
round abOut-those who were famished
some paying for corn in money; when
the money was exhausted, paying for the
corn in sheep and cattle, and horses and
C&meIS; and when they were exhausted,
then selling their own bodies and their
families into slavery.
The morning for starting out on the
crusade for bread has arrived. Jacob
gets his family up very early. But be-
fore the elder sons start they say some
thing that makes him tremble with
emotion from head to foot and burst into
tears. The fact was that these elder
sons had once before been in Egypt to
get corn, and they had been treated
somewhat roughly, the lord of the corn
CRIB supplying them with corn, but say
1hg at the close of the interview, CHOW,
you need not come back here for any
more corn unless you bring something
better than mOney-eVen your younger
brother Benjamin.
All! Benjamin-that very name was
suggestive of all tenderness. The
another had died at the birth of that
rSOn-a spirit coming and another spirit
going-and the very thought of parting
with Benjamin must have been heart
break. The keeper of this corncrib.
nevertheless, says to these older sons,
''Hhere is no need of your coming here
any more for corn unless you bring
8enjamin, your fathers darling" Now
Dac0b and his family very much needed
bread; but what struggle it would be
TO give up this son.
4he OricntalS are very demOnStrative
IN Jheir grief, and hear the outwailing
eof the father as these older sons keep
rctterating in his ears the announcement
of the Egyptian lord, Eye shall not see
nay face unless your brother be with
you" ''Why did yoI tell them you had
n brother?" said the old man, complain
&hg and ending them. ''Why, father"
they said, she asked us all about our
family, and we had no idea he would |
make any such demand upon us as he
has made" mo use of asking me. said
the father, Il cannot, | will not give up
Benjamin."
Tie fact was that the old man had
aIost children; and when there has been
o bereavement in Il household, and a child |
taken, it makes the other children in the |
household more precious. So the day |
.ttr departure was adjourned and ad-
3ourncd and adjourned Still the hor-
rOrS Of the famine increased, and louder
moaned the cattle, and wider open
cracked the earth, and more pallid be-
came the checks, until Jacob, in despair,
cried out to his sons, ''Take Benjamin
and be off" The older sons tried to
cheer up their father. They said 1--WE
have strong arms and stout heart, and
no harm will come to Benjamin. Wen
see that he gets back agaiu." "Fare
we'll" said the Young men to their
father, in tone of assumed good cheer.
F'F-a-r-c-w-e-l-l"' said the old man; for
that word has more Quavers in it when
pronounced by the aged than by the
young.
Well, the Dread partv-the bread en-
baSsy-drives up in front of the corn-crib
of Egypt. These corncribs are filled
with wheat. barley and corn in the husk.
Cor those who have Travelled in Canaan
and Egypt know that there is corn there
corresponding with our Indian maize.
Huzza! the journey is ended. The lord
of the corncrib, who is also the prime
minister, comes down to these arrived
travellers and says: ''Dine with me to-
day How is your father? Is this Ben
iamin the younger brother whose pres
.eEce | demanded?'
The travellers are introduced into the
palace. They are worn and bedusten of
hn hrnnr az Il n,ntI, L., l,