The Globe-republican., 1894-04-06
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL


cord In Jacobs Family-Gen. 37:I-11.
Especially Arranged from Peloubets Notesl
GOLDEN TExr-See that ye fall not ou, by
the way.-Gen. k:A
THE SECTION OF HIsroRr-Chaps IS to
s7:Ii.
TNI.-R c. In Ten or II years after ia
cob's return to Canaan from Haran
PLACR-Jacob's home was 1T Hebron. about.
20 miles south Of Jerusalem
1sAAc-One hundred and sixty-eisht years
old Twelve years before his death A blind.
feeble old man
JAcoR-About lp years old. with Is sons
and one or more daughters
JosIPh-Seven,een years old and Benjamin,
. small child. to 4 years old Joseph lefs
Padan-Aram when or years old
LESSON NOTES.
A Glance at the Intervening History.
Eleven years have passed since the
return of Jacob from Padan-Aram. and
his deliverance from Esau. He first
dwelt near Shechem. and here showed
his enterprise by digging a famous
well in the valley between Mts. Ebal
and .Gerizim, that is still known by
his name. after thirty-six centuries
Driven from this place by fierce col
Gsion of his sons with the Shechemites,
Jacob went to Bethel. where his first
great distress had been relieved by a
divine vision, marking an era in his
life. He refreshed his soul with the
memory, and set up pillar for me-
mortal. Proceeding southwark he had
gone only SO far as bethlehem when n
great sorrow fell upon him. His be-
loved Rachel died in giving birth to n
son whom she named Benoni, 1.-The
son of my sorrow" but his father
named him Ben jamin. 1.-The son of the
right hand,' his comfort and support.
Jacob still continued his southwark
journey, and came to Hebron. where
his father Isaac was still living, old
and feeble. His death is recorded in
this connection because it was the
natural completion of the story in
chapter S5. But he lived several years
after the events recorded in to-day's
lesson.
The Family of Jacob. The Older
Sons.-The ten older sons of Jacob
We're separate in many ways from the
two younger ones. who We're the COM
fort and JOY of Jacobs old age. They
differed greatly in age. and still more
in character. and were often the cause
of trouble and sorrow. THE readers
of Gen., chaps. S4, S5, 81 and 3s. will
see that they were hard boys
Especially do the worst elements of de-
praved character appear in their
treatment of their younger brother
Joseph. And yet all through
their lives we can also detect the in
fluences of piety and home training.
They were very different from those
who had no good influences at home.
In time Jacobs new character had its
effect, and various troubles tended to
subduc their turbulent temper, and
make them better fitted to be heirs Of
the promises
Joseph the Boy. Germs of Charac-
tcr.-(D Joseph was born in Padan-
Aram. Il. c. 1855. He was Jacobs
youngest son. except Benjamin, who
was but little child at this time. (2)
His training. Joseph could not have
been more than six or seven years old
when the family removed to Canaan,
SO that he had been brought up under
better influences than his brsthren;
for his fathers character and spirit
were very much changed for the better
by his experiences at the fords of the
Jabbok. The atmosphere of the fam
lily in Joseph's childhood was far bet
ter than when the elder children were
young. Then probably Jacob gave
more time to the training of his younger
son, and kept him more under his own
influence; and Joseph inherited better
tendencies, and received better train
ing, from his mother. Moreover, the
years of his youth were spent under
the influence of his grandfather, Isaac,
who would tell him many story of
his ancestors deeds of faith, and lives
of godliness. The piety and noble
deeds of the ancient family would
make a powerful impression on the
young man. (3) His character. Joseph
seems to have been a truly pious
young man, bright and cheerful,
active and trustworthy, earnest to
do good and make others good, full
of wise common sense. and of great
business capacity. "IIe had Abra-
hams dignity and capacity. Isaacs
purity and self-devotiOn, Jacobs clcv-
erness and tenacity." He seems to
have been handsome. strong. vigorous
and attractive, a gentle, noble boy.
The fact that mis- mother was dead,
and his brothers were unfavorable,
would throw him upon his own re-
sources and develop his character early.
No wonder that his father loved and
trusted him, and put him forward.
These characteristics were, of course,
but partly developed in him; but the
elements of his future career were
there.
INDUCTIvE TRUTHS
The atmosphere of the family, the
unconscious prevailing spirit, has a
great influence upon the characters
and destiny of the children. livery
improvement in the character of the
parents bears fruit in the children.
The young need work and care to do
velop them into mon and women