The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-03-22
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE: WAsNGo o. THURSDAY

in him. But having shown snch faith in God.
such determination to secure divine favor and
help, such distrust in his own powers, such re-
fnsal to be denied. it was fitting his name more
correspond with his new character. So he is
named Israel, which word means Prince of
God, one having power with God (Hos., II: 8,
~ His prayer was answered. He was assured
help for the coming arrival OF Esau.
Jacob had power with God, but that was not
all he had power with men. Notice his in
fuence on Esau. (25: 81 See how he manip-
ulated matters with Laban. 30: 23-43.) Re
call his skill in securing Israel's blessing.
(27: 49, He had keen knowledge of human
nature. He was sharp, cunning, undetermined.
III is native qualities fitted him for success. He
did wrong to employ them in deceptive meth
DDS. He paid dearly for all his crafty prac-
tees. Business tact can exist without harming
any body. Thrift does not depend on duplicity.
Prosperity is not the product necessarily of
questionable shrewdness.
TO understand the reason for personal APP
pearance of God to Jacob we must remember
that the theory of prayer the relations between
God and men, the privilege of soliciting Heay-
emily help in earthly straits, the fact God is our
Father and we his children-all these truths
were not then developed and understood as
now. There was no Bible inclosing precious
promises. Such an interview as that at Pencil
gives US quite an insight into the possible COM
merce between Heaven and earth.
Prayer.
The great lesson taught in the paragraph we
study is the privilege of prayer. Pray when in
trouble. (Ps., 80: 49, Pray when in danger
from enemies. (Ps., SO 12.) Memory of the
favors already received from God may give
zest to our petitions. Humbleness is qualif-
cation at the mercy seat. (V. 10) Keep in
mind all of Gods promises ". 12) Often
pray in solitude. ". pa Be Prince with
God in devotional feryor, and your oratory may
be Pencil. place where ySR EN- meet God
face to face. Attach SO much Importance to
prayer as not too readily TO desist In the ab-
sence Of favorable answer. Have such faith in
prayer that nothing, nobody, tear you
away from the mercy seat before you have Sc
cured the blessing for which you plead. Wres-
tie in prayer. One can have religious feryor
in such excess of bodily strength-the spirit
can SO prevail over the materiaI-that, by his
devotions he may actually tire the physical.
This might be warranted in such a crisis as
Jacobs. Never want when supply can be
gained by prayer.
The Lesson IN Poetry.
Charles Wesley in particular was struck by
this incident, and often alludes to it in verse.
E. g.:
Wilt thou not yet to reveal
Thy new, uDutterabie name!
Tell me, still beseech thee, tell:
To know it now resolved am;
Wrestling, will not let thee go.
Till l thy name, thy nature know.
wha. though my shrinking flesh complain,
And murmuT to contend so long?
rise superior to my pain:
When am weak, then am strongl
And when my all of strength shall fail,
shall with the God man prevail.
Prisoners of hope be strong be bold;
Cast off your doubts, disdain 10 fear;
Dare to believe; on Christ Iay hold
Wrestle with Christ in mighty prayer;
Tell him,-We will not let thee go,
Till we thy name thy nature know.
Lord I will not let thee go
Till the blessing thou bestow:
Hear my Advocate divine;
Lot to ms my suit join:
Joiu'd to his il cannot fail;
Bless me, for viii prevail.
Bishop Phillips BROOKS on jacobs Wrestling
'The elder man in some critical moment OF
his life met some who wrestled with him,
one who seemed to embody all life. He
wrestled with him, and would not let him go
until he gave him that desirable thing which
the stranger seemed 10 have. The strange
mystery of it was that while the angel had
that which Jacob wanted, and both desired the
transfer, it does not take place.
eff one wants to give and the other to re-
eeive why is it that the transfer is not simple
one? If | have a dollar in my hand which |
am willing to bestow and you anxious to re-
teiHo thoio - ho iSaSoh why theIe shouIu NC
delay. But when we rise to more valuable and
spiritual things, we cannot give so easily.
How is it in regard to impulse, science
learning, character? The mother does give
of her character eventually, but / cannot
come up to you and say, Give me that charac-
ter 1t can't be done in this easy, of-hand
way.
The greatest things only be given to
those ready to receive them and receivable
ness means something moro than willingness
it means education. The way of God is to
come gradually, according to the capacity for
receiving that which God has to bestow
He does two things. He enlarges and
riches the nature, and then puts something
into it, just as the sun opens the flower so that
it may receive the sunlight, and then pours the
sunlight in.
This truth is the key to the story and all
the story represents"