The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1894-03-31
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON II -APRIL s DlSCORD
m JACOBS FAMILY.


~ the Way. Gem \LN::i Genesis
NNNEIl:i-I1.
Introductory. Eleven years have
passed oinccJHcob's return from padan-
| Aram. lie first dWcIt ur0" >hechcm,
and here showed his enterprise by dig
| ginw = well between mounts Ebal and
Gerjzim, that is still known by his
name after thirty-,iX centuries. Driv-
en- from this place by a fierce collision
! Of H. sons with the >hcrhem'teS.
Jacob went to Bethel, lrococ@ing
! SoWthWard he reached Bethlehem,
| when Il GREAT sorrow fell upon him.
His beloved Rachel dicd at the birth
Of a son whom She named Bcnoni
1.-The son of my SOrrOw.' But his
father named him Benjamin, "Thc
son of the right hand, his comfort and
support. Jacob continued his journey
southwark to Hebron.
|, The Family of Jacob verse !.
"And Jacob dwelt in the land.' At
Hebron. The ten older sons Of Jacob
were separate IN many ways from the
two younger ones They differed
greatly in age, and still more in char
acter, and were often the cause Of
trouble and sorrow. Especially do
the worst clements of dcpraved char
actcr appear in their treatment of
Joseph,
II. Joseph the Eoy-versc .. "Thc
generations of Jaeob.' Joseph was
born in Padan-Aram, b. c. 1873. He
could not have been more than six or
seven years old when the family re
moved to Canaan, so that he had been
brought up under better influences
than his brothers. The years Of his
youth were spent under the influence
of his grandfather Isaac. Joseph
seems TO have been a truly pious
young man, bright and cheerful, active
and trustworthy, full Of wise common
sense. lie had Abraham dignity and
capacity, lsaac's purity and Self-devo-
ton, Jacobs clcycrncss and tanacitv.
The fact that his mother was dead
and his brothers unfavorable would
tend to develop his character early.
III. Joseph at Work verse 9. "And
was feeding the flock He was a
shepherd like his brothers, who were
dispersed in dctachments over the
large extent Of country occupied by
Jacobs cattle, sometimes as far as
SheChcm, fifty miles "Thc lad was
with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah"
These secondary wives of Jacob were
probably Syrians. Their sons were shut
out from rivalry with him as heir to
the birthright, which would naturally
fall to Reuben, the eldest son of Leah
or to Joseph, the eldest son of Rachel.
AS the youngest son it was Joseph's
duty to wait upon his brothers and to
carry messages between them and
Joseph brought unto his father their
evil report" In some way he learned
of their evil doing and as his fathers
messenger or overseer he carried the
facts to him.
". Partiality-vers. 3, i. 3. Now
Israel loved Joseph more than all his
Because he was moro low
able, more unsclfsh and attentive
'Because he was the son of his old
age He reminded him of his beloved /.
Rachel. and he made him coat of |
many colors." Herein Jacob wronged |
Joseph and the other sons, too, for he
showed partially. 1t is sad and |
dangerous thing to be a favoritc son. |
He is very apt to be spoiled for life. ,
How Jacob felt when that coat was
brought to him dyed with blood. He
was reaping the fruits Of his partialty.
4. And when he saw" etc, The ,
sons Of the secondary wives hated
Joseph because of his report OF their
Now the sons of Leah Joined .
with them Reuben had already com
mittcd the sin i'll consequence Of which .
the birthright was taken from him.
The coat of many colors, a royal gar
mcnt, was given to Joseph as the first
born. Gould not speak peaceably."
Could not greet him with the usual
peace be unto thee"
V. Dreams and Visions-vers. 5-11. ).
'And Joseph dreamed dream"
They very obviously shadow forth
Joseph as having kingly authority
over his father, mother and brethren.
The scene of the first is laid in the
wheat field where he and his brothers
are symbolized by sheaves. But to
repeat and solemnly deepen the i'm
preston, the scene of the second is
laid in heaven, and now not only his
brethren, but his father and mother
Leah, since Rachel was dead under
heavenly symbols bow down to him.
''And he told it to his brethren. He
told his dreams with the simplicity of
a guileless mind, and with the natural
proneness of members of one family to
tell in the morning the dreams they
have had. -Dods. Joseph was to pass
through scenes Of bondage and suffer
ing, and these dreams were designed